The Kingdom of Ascalon is a beautiful area in which all non-PvP character start their journey. While many players try to leave this "tutorial" area as soon as possible, they are denying themselves many opportunities and in the long run may slow their characters's development. With a little bit of knowledge and some patience one can quickly complete most of the quests in this area and easily get to level 6-8 in less than 2 hours. Ascalon is great place for a new player to quickly level with its small area, numerous quests and no death penalties. Players can leave Ascalon via the academy at level 3, but at only level 3 players will probably be missing a few skills, lack the gold or crafting items to craft new armor, and not have the health to avoid the swift and frequent deaths which lead to frustratingly high death penalty.

Essential Tasks to Complete before heading to the Academy..

• Make sure you have a secondary profession. If you have confirmed your secondary profession both should be listed in your target bar when you hit F or in the party window when in towns.
• Head to all of your primary profession and secondary profession skill trainers before leaving. Learn all the skills the trainers can teach, in the long run skill points are limited and all skills here are basically free. For a list of all available skills for your professions see list below
• Collect 5 Skale Fins and get the belt pouch from Collector Brownlow right outside Ascalon City or 5 Worn Belts for Collector Humphreys in Ashford, the 5 extra inventory slots are great and Skale fins are very easy to get.
• Get the Resurrection Signet by completing "Adventure with an Ally" Quest - A nice skill to have later on if your party can't find monks.
• Complete the Quests "Charr in the Catacombs" and "Tithe for Ashford Abbey" both of these quests are very easy to do and offer more than just XP. Charr in the Catacombs offers 100 extra gold which goes very far for a new character. Tithe for Ashford Abbey offers a free skill point.
• Everything else doesn't offer anything significant besides XP and a deeper background story.

Tips for Leveling Up Fast in Ascalon

• If you are playing for XP don't party up with anyone till you get stuck or about to head to the academy. While Guild Wars is a MMO and meant to be played together, the enemies in the initial areas aren't so tough that you'll require help to defeat them. Partying with other players splits the XP and loot and also due to the dynamic quest system it might prevent players from activating some quests. Partying with another player is required to complete two quests (Adventure with an Ally and Across the Wall). Otherwise, unless players are getting overwhelmed or enjoy the social interaction, it would be quicker to play alone till they get out of Ascalon. But I do highly suggest that once you completed all the available quests and reached at least level six try to find a similar level partner and try to clear the Northlands of Charr before heading to the academy. The charr mobs north of the wall are very challenging and hard to beat with a party of just two but it makes it all the more satisfying when they are defeated.
• Try out all five secondary professions before committing to the secondary profession you want. All the secondary profession trainers are a short walking distance from Ascalon City, Ashford Abbey, or Foible's Fair. Not only will this unlock a few skills for PVP characters it will give you an additional thousand XP (250 each) for completing the training quests.
• If you want to reach the highest level you can before leaving Ascalon try not to receive XP rewards till late as possible. The higher level you are the less XP you get from killing enemies. Once you reach level 8 the only enemies worth any XP will be the larger monsters scattered around the map and the enemies in the Northlands. XP rewards for completing quests don't change with your level.
• One tactic that I use myself is right after learning my first primary skills I talk to Lady Althea and do "A Mesmer's Burden" quest not only will this activate the Rogue's Replacement Quest later on but it allows players to temporally use "Conjure Phantasm" skill (Make sure not to accidentally commit to mesmer as your Secondary Profession when talking to Althea). Conjure Phantasm even without any attribute points in Illusion Magic is a very powerful low level skill, it has a quick cast time and can do 20 damage to any one monster over a short period of time combining this with your primary attack skill should make the creatures in Lakeside County easy work.
• Leveling past level 8 in Ascalon is useless grinding as at that point most of the enemies outside the Northlands offer no XP.
• When you first create a new character and spawn in Ascalon city talk to the Town Cryer before talking to Sir Tydus to get the Message from a Friend Quest for an extra 100 XP and 10 Gold.

Ascalon Skills List

• Resurrection Signet

• Frenzy Stance=
• Healing Signet=
• Server Artery
• Gash
• Hammer Bash
• Executioner's Strike
• Cyclone Axe

• Power Shot*
• Troll Unguent=
• Charm Animal
• Comfort Animal
• Read the Wind
• Point Blank Shot
• Ignite Arrows
• Dual Shot

• Vampiric Gaze*
• Deathly Swarm=
• Animate Bone Horror
• Life Siphon
• Vampiric Touch
• Blood Renewal
• Soul Barbs
• Faintheartedness

• Banish*
• Healing Breeze*
• Bane Signet
• Orison of Healing
• Reversal of Fortune
• Shielding Hands
• Retribution
• Symbol of Wrath

• Conjure Phantasm=
• Ether Feast=
• Imagined Burden
• Backfire
• Shatter Delusions

• Flare*
• Aura of Restoration=
• Fire Storm
• Glyph of Lesser Energy
• Blinding Flash
• Lightning Javelin