My best advise would be:

Never ever stop moving, just don't ever stop, learn to fight without stopping ever, use both mouse/swad for that. Learn to go out of melee range and back in all the time.

Strafe a lot, but change direction often. Bind dodge key to your thumb button mouse, or to a easy key like "a" or "e", don't use double tap, its just not effective at all, use a bind to dodge.

Have an easy to access key for your self heal (i used my second and last thumb mouse button) and use it!.

Swap weapons all the time its needed, try to use both a ranged and a melee set (every time i lost in competitive pvp it was due to me screwing my weapon swap), if you do it well it will make your damage a lot better even in pve, and raise your survivability by a lot in pve. (i wanted to bind it to my middle button click, but for some reason you can't, grrr Anet :p)

On the elementalist (no weapon swap) i used a short range/melee weapon set, and it worked amazingly well for me. I don't know if i was good at it (died a lot from failed dodge with my ele, didn't died much with my thief/warrior though), but i just liked it :p

Originally posted by bigsmiff

Originally posted by Rivalen

Originally posted by tordurbar

LOL. I was a necromancer. I figured from the pre-beta videos that profession was the one that could survive the best. It did not work out that way. Whenever I used my melee or close combat skills and fought more than 2 mobs - down I went. I got better at surviving as I got into the "higher" levels (14) but in any restricted area with multiple mobs - I died.

Still, the necromancer was a better survivor than my engineer. I got to level 5 and quit - I died so much that I ran out of money!

I never died with my Engi in PVE, the class has so much potential !

I love jump shot, rocket boots...so much fun.

I never died as an engineer. But, I made up for it when I tried elementalist, necromancer, and mesmer.

Hehehe, yeah my death total on the Warrior and Mesmer were quite hilarious too.

Warrior specially, you really need to break from other game patterns.

Originally posted by Elikal
It's the one reason I am really on the fence with GW2, personally. I just don't know if I can stomach all the moving, dodging and lolcoperting anymore. Maybe it will just make me cranky. I just don't know. Isn't there a class which does not have to move? In SWTOR I had the most success with Sniper, because essentially he moves not at all.

Ranger and Necromancer require the less movement in PVE.

But the combat system is designed to make you love moving around.

I played a Thief which, based on how it's set up (move in, quick strike, move out, quick range, repeat...), I think it shows how the game is intended to be played overall.  Most importantly, keep moving and keep hitting - the hitting part is not so hard as skill 1 autoattacks. 

Also, keep changing your tactics.  This is where the weapons swapping comes in, I think.  Even just a weapons swap that has the same weapons as the first set, but reversed.  For example, with my Thief I used a Main Hand Dagger and an Off Hand Pistol which gave me some pretty good quick strike melee and ranged options.  My swap was a Main Hand Pistol and Off Hand Dagger which gave me different enough skills for different situations.

The main point though is that the combat is very fluid in this game.  Especially when you're alone.  With others, it can actually be easier as you can use what other people are doing to your advantage (for instance if someone was kiting a mob, I usually ran up behind it before starting my attacks).

Basically, just play with different ideas and methods until you find what is suitable for you.  But remember - Keep Moving!

Originally posted by Elikal
It's the one reason I am really on the fence with GW2, personally. I just don't know if I can stomach all the moving, dodging and lolcoperting anymore. Maybe it will just make me cranky. I just don't know. Isn't there a class which does not have to move? In SWTOR I had the most success with Sniper, because essentially he moves not at all.

TBH this game is probably not for you. I can see how people like movement to be limited, but in GW2 its very important. Maybe Tera? movement is not hugely important as it is here but it still feels action like and has some risk-reward with the animation locks. If Tera is still too much movement, stick to standard mmos: Rift, TOR, ect...

---

Originally posted by Elikal
It's the one reason I am really on the fence with GW2, personally. I just don't know if I can stomach all the moving, dodging and lolcoperting anymore. Maybe it will just make me cranky. I just don't know. Isn't there a class which does not have to move? In SWTOR I had the most success with Sniper, because essentially he moves not at all.

---

I think a primarily ranged class or a beefy class like Warrior or Guardian might suit your preference. As long as you're not someone who recklessly charges into battle, like me, you won't have that much trouble adjusting. And who knows, in a few months time you may have adjusted your playstyle in such way that people on your server call you: "Elikal the Bunnyhopper".

In any case there seemed to be quite a lot of Beta key giveaways for this Event so I suspect that the same will be the case with future events. So there's your opportunity to try the game, if you are wary of buying a game without trying it beforehand.

OP....

Since no one answered your question here it is. 

1)  Dual Swords isnt a high DPS choice.  It is best for applying stacks of bleeds.  That may be a part of why you werent able to wear the enemy down fast enough.  The dual swords is going to play a bigger role in group mechanics, not solo. 

2)  Learn to circle strafe (it sounded like you were talking about PvE mobs).  Circle strafing will keep you out of the mobs frontal cone most of the time. 

3)  If you are fighting multiple mobs at once, you need to have a two handed weapon equipped (GS, Hammer)

hope this helps

EDIT:  I have heard some complaints about the warrior.  People seemed to think the Guardian outclassed it in all regards.  We all came to the conclusion that the Warrior is probably a late bloomer (much like the Jug/Jedi Knigt in SWTOR).

Originally posted by Kuppa

Originally posted by Lobotomist

I died hundred times with my Mesmer and Thief.

But I was tackling red opponents all the time too ;)

 

You know, I found the mesmer to be underwhelming. I don't know if its because it takes a lot of practice to be a good mesmer but everytime I fought one it wasn't that hard to take it down(unlike guardians) and they never seemed deadly enough for me to worry.

Now the thief....wow some thiefs put on a pounding on me. That was awesome though, thats what a thief should be. I want to feel that to take a thief 1v1 I have to be on top of my game.

Thief is definetly deadly as he should be.

I didnt play Mesmer in PVP (didnt have time for pvp at all)

But from what i understood in PVP , Mesmer will be dependand on shattering illusions. But Anet (mistakingly or deliberately) nerfed shatter ( you can easily move away) so it mostly does not work against experienced opponents.

However Mesmer will be very good in group PVP. Bringing tons of crazy debuffs, and confusion with tons of illusions.

circle strafing?

Is that what we are going to substitute for skill now?  Makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

A game where you move the same constantly is no better than one where you don't have to move at all.

I won't be playing a melee if I am forced to switch weapons or hold down 'A' during an entire fight.  That's just retardedly bad game design.  And I thought dodge was going to be lame...

I keep hearing such good things about the game, but the more I hear about 'keep moving keep moving, dynamic combat, circle strafe, dodge, switch weapons', the more it bums me out.  I play a lot of action games, have yet to experience what can only be described upon compilation of posts here as a very contrived and restrictive way of playing.  Guess I'll find out for sure if they open up a beta event to everyone.

Originally posted by Lobotomist

As warrior you are going to see lot of game from your back :)

They are real hard to play, especially at start.

 

But the game is honestly hard - i mean challenging.

Finally fun :)

 

So dont worry.

Just play and the skill will come.

 

And yes...dodge a lot :)

 

 

Warrior was not that hard. People just have to realize they can't stand there and take hits like they did in the original Guild Wars. It is a whole new ballgame now, for the better that is.... :)

Originally posted by adam_nox

circle strafing?

Is that what we are going to substitute for skill now?  Makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

A game where you move the same constantly is no better than one where you don't have to move at all.

 

I won't be playing a melee if I am forced to switch weapons or hold down 'A' during an entire fight.  That's just retardedly bad game design.  And I thought dodge was going to be lame...

 

I keep hearing such good things about the game, but the more I hear about 'keep moving keep moving, dynamic combat, circle strafe, dodge, switch weapons', the more it bums me out.  I play a lot of action games, have yet to experience what can only be described upon compilation of posts here as a very contrived and restrictive way of playing.  Guess I'll find out for sure if they open up a beta event to everyone.

YES.....circle strafing.

You cannot just sit and tank damage.....yet you cannot dodge roll away from every attack.  So you arent left with many choices if you are soloing pve content.  Relying on circle strafing in PvP will get you probably get you killed if your opponent knows much.

How the hell is cicle strafing a substitution for skill?

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by Kuppa

Originally posted by Lobotomist

I died hundred times with my Mesmer and Thief.

But I was tackling red opponents all the time too ;)

 

You know, I found the mesmer to be underwhelming. I don't know if its because it takes a lot of practice to be a good mesmer but everytime I fought one it wasn't that hard to take it down(unlike guardians) and they never seemed deadly enough for me to worry.

Now the thief....wow some thiefs put on a pounding on me. That was awesome though, thats what a thief should be. I want to feel that to take a thief 1v1 I have to be on top of my game.

Thief is definetly deadly as he should be.

I didnt play Mesmer in PVP (didnt have time for pvp at all)

But from what i understood in PVP , Mesmer will be dependand on shattering illusions. But Anet (mistakingly or deliberately) nerfed shatter ( you can easily move away) so it mostly does not work against experienced opponents.

However Mesmer will be very good in group PVP. Bringing tons of crazy debuffs, and confusion with tons of illusions.

That you are mentioning is the mesmer I hope for. The deciet, using your own strenghts against you. Basically playing with his foes...

Originally posted by Maephisto

OP....

Since no one answered your question here it is. 

1)  Dual Swords isnt a high DPS choice.  It is best for applying stacks of bleeds.  That may be a part of why you werent able to wear the enemy down fast enough.  The dual swords is going to play a bigger role in group mechanics, not solo. 

2)  Learn to circle strafe (it sounded like you were talking about PvE mobs).  Circle strafing will keep you out of the mobs frontal cone most of the time. 

3)  If you are fighting multiple mobs at once, you need to have a two handed weapon equipped (GS, Hammer)

hope this helps

EDIT:  I have heard some complaints about the warrior.  People seemed to think the Guardian outclassed it in all regards.  We all came to the conclusion that the Warrior is probably a late bloomer (much like the Jug/Jedi Knigt in SWTOR).

Thanks.

Yes, I talked about PvE only so far, didn't have the confidence to go PvP when every other mob still killed me lol.

Anyway, here is my originally planned build: http://www.gw2tools.com/skills#w;kpaak;WfaVdWaaaaaaeUa;ddca;YdeWZ. I thought it would have a high enough dps with very high crit and bleeding. Taking the deep strike trait at level 20 would give me total bonus of 260 precission when all my signets are unused, probably 180 on average if 2 signets are used all the time. Well, of course I was too broke to buy the skill book at lvl 11 lol. After trying to save enough money and failed, I quited on lvl 13 and decided to try elementalist. I guess as you said, this build does require all of its components to be really effective, and so is a late bloomer.

As I said in an earlier reply, I did plan to move in, unload moves, and move out, then wait out till they bleed to death. I can also use the signet that give full adrenaline, then use the rifle burst to literally snipe an enemy dead from afar. So if I had open spaces with only an isolated group and I get to strategize before-hand, I had no problem. But if it is in tight spaces litered with mobs every few feet or so, I can't handle them. I really need to learn that strafing in tight circles for that, I guess. Right now I took to long to kill not really because the skills are weak, but because I spent too much time running and not hitting anything.

I tried to build another warrior, much more defence oriented this time: http://www.gw2tools.com/skills#w;papfa;bgeaaaYbWYaaaaa;WeZa;bZYWb. It has a lot more panic buttons, so I'm guessing it will be able to handle more situations. Any feedback is appreciated.