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posted on 8 November 2006
This week's PvP Primer section presents information on using the default PvP-only characters. Current with the release of Nightfall, this article will be a valuable read for those who are making a start with PvP play.
Parts of the article:
PvP Primer: Using a Default PvP-only Character

For a long time after the original launch of Guild Wars, the PvP-only character creation process has offered premade templates as a choice. These templates had eight skills from primary and secondary professions, preset attributes, and elite skills. New players could pick one of these templates and begin PvP play immediately, with no unlocks.
After the recent update, this template system has changed as part of an overall effort to streamline the character creation process. Now, when you make a PvP-only character, you decide the primary profession during the creation. Each primary profession has six default skills and a pre-set attribute-point spread. For example, if you make a Warrior, you'll have six Warrior skills to use, even if you haven't unlocked anything.
This article lists each of the primary profession's starting skills, tips for playing those professions, and suggested skills to unlock. Each of these default Skill Bars includes a self-heal and Resurrection Signet. After you've made your character, you can change the secondary profession, add skills, craft armor and equipment, and save it all to a template.

Warrior
Sever Artery
Warrior - Swordsmanship - Attack
Adrenaline: 4
Activation: 0
Recharge: 0
Attack. If this attack hits, the opponent begins Bleeding for 5..25 seconds, losing Health over time.
Skills
Sever Artery, Gash, Final Thrust, Charge, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Frenzy, Rush, and/or Sprint. Frenzy increases your damage and adrenaline gain, while Rush or Sprint lets you cancel Frenzy if you take too much damage.

Ranger
Apply Poison
Ranger - Wilderness Survival - Preparation
Energy: 15
Activation: 2
Duration: 24
Recharge: 12
Preparation. For 24 seconds, foes struck by your physical attacks become Poisoned for 3..15 seconds.
Skills
Distracting Shot, Apply Poison, Barbed Trap, Troll Unguent, Escape, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Savage Shot and Whirling Defense. Savage grants you an additional interrupt, which is especially important if Distracting Shot misses. Use Whirling Defense when Escape is recharging so you can avoid damage and reduce the chance of getting interrupted while you Trap.

Monk
Word of Healing [Elite]
Monk - Healing Prayers - Spell
Energy: 5
Activation: 0.75
Recharge: 4
Spell. Heal target other ally for 16..80 Health. Heal for an additional 15..100 Health if that ally is below 50% Health.
Skills
Orison of Healing, Word of Healing, Healing Touch, Mend Ailment, Remove Hex, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Reversal of Fortune, Signet of Devotion, and Healing Breeze. Reversal adds flexibility to your damage prevention options, and lets you quickly heal yourself. Signet of Devotion saves you Energy, and Healing Breeze helps counter Health Degeneration. Replace Resurrection Signet, as Monks often don't PvP with a resurrect ability.

Necromancer
Life Siphon
Necromancer - Blood Magic - Hex Spell
Energy: 10
Activation: 2
Duration: 12..24
Recharge: 2
Hex Spell. For 12..24 seconds, target suffers -1..3 Health degeneration, and you gain +1..3 Health regeneration.
Skills
Parasitic Bond, Life Siphon, Plague Signet, Vampiric Gaze, Faintheartedness, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Barbed Signet and Mark of Subversion. The Signet gives you another way to do damage without using any Energy, while Mark of Subversion lets you interrupt healers and other characters who cast spells on their allies.

Mesmer
Energy Surge [Elite]
Mesmer - Domination Magic - Spell
Energy: 10
Activation: 2
Recharge: 20
Spell. Target foe loses 3..8 Energy. For each point of Energy lost, that foe and all foes in the area take 10 damage.
Skills
Power Spike, Energy Burn, Energy Surge, Drain Enchantment, Ether Feast, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Power Drain and Diversion. For another interrupt, choose Power Drain. It gives you Energy, letting you fuel constant use of Diversion and other skills.

Elementalist
Lightning Surge [Elite]
Elementalist - Air Magic - Hex Spell
Energy: 10
Activation: 2
Duration: 3
Recharge: 10
Hex Spell. After 3 seconds, target foe is knocked down and struck for 14..100 lightning damage. This Spell causes Exhaustion.
Skills
Lightning Strike, Lightning Orb, Lightning Surge, Aura of Restoration, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Blinding Flash and Air Attunement. Blind those annoying Warriors or Dervishes that like to follow you around, and save Attunement for a cover Enchantment so Aura of Restoration doesn't get stripped from you.

Assassin
Twisting Fangs
Assassin - Critical Strike - Attack
Energy: 10
Activation: 0
Recharge: 15
Attack. Must follow an off-hand attack. If it hits, Twisting Fangs strikes for +10..20 damage and struck foe suffers from Bleeding and Deep Wound for 5..20 seconds.
Skills
Leaping Mantis Sting, Jungle Strike, Twisting Fangs, Shadow Refuge, Aura of Displacement, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Way of the Fox and Dark Escape. If you have a target you can't hit, try Way of the Fox to outfox their defensive ability. And Dark Escape comes in handy if you need to retreat and heal.

Ritualist
Shadowsong
Ritualist - Communing Magic - Binding Ritual
Energy: 15
Activation: 5
Duration: 30
Recharge: 45
Binding Ritual . Create a level 1..6 Spirit. The Spirit's attacks cause Blindness for 1..6 seconds. This Spirit dies after 30 second[s].
Skills
Spirit Light, Mend Body and Soul, Pain, Wanderlust, Shadowsong, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Boon of Creation and Weapon of Warding. The Boon of Creation Enchantment helps you manage Energy and stay alive when you perform Binding Rituals, while Weapon of Warding slows down pesky melee attacks and counters Health degeneration.

Paragon
Barbed Spear
Skills
Barbed Spear, Blazing Spear, Anthem of Fury, Anthem of Flame, Leader's Comfort, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Disrupting Throw and Remedy Signet. Everybody needs a good interrupt, and the Paragon is no exception. Disrupting Throw works well with your skills that cause Conditions. And, in case somebody decides to unkindly Blind you, simply remedy it with Remedy Signet.

Dervish
Wounding Strike
Skills
Twin Moon Sweep, Vital Boon, Wounding Strike, Pious Haste, Zealous Renewal, Resurrection Signet
Suggested Skill Unlocks
Crippling Sweep and Irresistible Sweep. These two attacks help you catch running targets or opponents with a lot of defensive skills.

Customizing your Characters
After you've played with the default setup for each profession, you'll want to experiment with different builds (a build means a combination of skills). These default skills offer a starting place for new PvP players, and should give you the chance to learn the basics behind how each profession works. Keep in mind that when you play with a team, your role may change dramatically, and things that work well in the Training Arenas, the Zaishen Challenge, and Random Arenas may not necessarily work elsewhere. The following PvP Primer articles will help ease you into PvP, starting with basic information about how combat works in the Isle of the Nameless.

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