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Author: Lord_VoxBlackRiver
3,070 Views
9 Comments
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Making a useful build guide
There are lots of different builds for Guild Wars and many wants to share their own with the playing community. I will propose a simple structure along with guidelines to help laying down such a guide and prevent confusion amongst all the guides on the topic posted all around.
- Preliminary considerations
When making a full guide about how to make a build it is important to avoid flagrant redundancy. Knowledge is power; if the build you intent to post is already submitted you have some options.
a.) If what is posted is identical to what you plan to submit and very well explained all you need to do is add a comment to the guide and back up the person who posted it. There is no need to make another one for the sake of 50 credits. In fact credibility expressed in point on the site is just a number. The credibility others will give you in their own opinion is what is important.
b.) The build you intended to post is very much like your own but you feel minor additions, variations or explanations are needed. In this case you will have to decide if your build is different enough to justify a complete new entry. See if there are comments already posted about the guide that is like the one you want to post and see if the author is open to comments or, on the contrary, very defensive about his guide. If you feel you can not post a comment and add the content that is different there then make a new guide. If one day a guide is deemed to be redundant you have the chance that yours will be the one kept if you wrote it well
c.) There is a build that looks a lot like yours but is badly written or thin on information. No need to flame the author for that. Just make your own.
- What is needed in a build guide based on common sense
Self-explanatory name for the build is important along with the profession combo in the title of your build. If possible try to include the specific use in the title too. A good example would be:
The mathematician geek build Me/E (Specialized in nerd guide exemplification)
When introducing your build try to stay open to options knowing that there are always other alternative to a single goal when making a build. Incitate readers to comment on your guide by being modest and respectful of what others could come with about your build.
- Things to do.
Explain the purpose of the build. Is it a solo build? Is it a general PvE or a PvP specific build? In the case of a farming build, where do you use it?
List the skills used, their purpose and interactions with other skills.
List the attribute points repartition and the reason for it.
When relying on bonuses from items or runes see if there is a way to make a cheaper alternative or state why you need that exact set of bonuses if the build is very strict on their usages.
If your build is made to be used in conjunction with a team, explain why and what kind of team will make it efficient. Also try to list what are the complementary skills the party members need to pack to make your build efficient: Builds with very low life are a good example of this.
Give some concrete situation in which you have used the build. Most players searching for a build will appreciate if you tell them at least one short story of where and when the build you are about to explain has been very good. That way you provide potential users with a place to go and try it out.
If your build is a modification from another build you have seen, refer to it in order to give additional information and reference to the reader.
Avoid making builds based on numbers only. By that I mean the act of looking at a specific build then modifying it by changing skills, gears and attributes only based on the numbers. Post builds you have tried on the field. While using a calculator and logics to improve a build on paper may seem foolproof, there is a huge difference between theory and actual on-the-field trials.
Provide a step by step skill usage and timing guidelines if the build is not obvious to use or need very specific operations.
Find you build weaknesses, what are the specific foes or situation where this build is not appropriate.
Try to be original and open minded. When a build generates a lot of comments (not flames) everyone benefits from it. Check your spelling and your text layout so it is easily readable and don’t be offended if some readers dismiss your build. After all, if you followed these common sense advises and provided all the informations you can, you should know that the build works for you and you know that you gave much to the serious community.
Please add whatever you think I might have forgotten below and happy guide posting!
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