Guild Wars is primarily a co-operative game, requiring you to work with other players to complete quests. Here are some tips for creating a successful party and keeping it together.
Most parties follow a fairly standard format - one or two warriors, one or two monks and a selection of long-range damage dealing characters such as elementalists and rangers. It should be remembered that having at least one monk is generally necessary to keep your party alive, particularly on tougher missions. This is a format which can be used both with other players or when using henchmen.
Creating a party of other players takes patience. Monks in particular are often in demand and it can take time to gather together players of the classes required to make your party work. Try not to rush into the next mission - take your time and recruit other players to create a strong party.
Communication is key. Once your party has started the mission, don't rush off towards the first monsters. Find out if any of the other players know the way around the terrain and how to complete the bonus quest, as this will double your experience from the mission. It can also be useful to nominate a player to lead the way around the map, thus preventing the party getting split up.
When fighting, keeping your party together can also keep you alive. Generally, a ranger or other long-range damage dealer can be used to lure individual groups of monsters towards your party. Warriors (or "tanks") should take the brunt of the attack and be healed by monks, whilst other damage dealers stay out of the fray and attack from a distance. Remember, a single monk will struggle to heal an entire party so it's best if only one or two players suffer damage at any one time.
Have fun! Taking a mission too seriously and blaming other players for mistakes can often lead to people leaving a party. It's better to keep the atmosphere positive and enjoy yourself. If your party is happy, it's more likely to be successful and to stick with you for further quests.
