Proposed build for next GVG.

[miffic]

Just throwing some stuff on paper and seeing how it goes. Not sure when the next GVG is, but here's something to toy with. Skill templates are not entirely set in, so we'll make changes on the spot as we see fit and depending on how it goes.

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Team build layout and quick reference:
Warrior: OQkjExTc5M81xCYZpYYZKFZBAA
Necro 1: OABCY8xE/SiAj4hQVVCYlgAA
Necro 2: OABCY8xkUldA7EbweQV1WoAA
Ritualist: OACiEyk8INjnW7J21LjV9SuA
Monk (Healer): Owoj0wQ86QkENgaE+D3NRgQgrXA
Monk (Prot): Owoj8wQ86MzEBydVLqQ201k1LA
Flag Runner: OgNk8YNIjusUY16gZFko7Qe10HtA
Infiltrator (one of the following):
Mesmer: OQNEAYsT+4YDeb9gVwCYTbBABA
Assassin: OwNj0Md8IPlZ/n2r7hwsbDsJIA
Ranger: OgMk8EYa2epUVzjhqxv2sReVNhAA

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General strategy:
Infiltrator will *always* split off where possible. If the map is restricting, then the player will join main team as offense/support.

The following strategy is in response to the opposing team.
Full team at flag stand:
Our full team will just push for flag/morale as we *should* have more backline support with the ritualist. Infiltrator should also eventually get to the opposing team's flagger and consequently we win the morale war.

Against splits:
Ritualist will be responsible for attempting to keep the base intact while the front team pushes. Life stealing and support skills should eventually drive them off if they don't have sufficient self heals, flag team should be able to push through.

Spike:
Ritualist swaps to run flag, ele joins infiltrator to gank opposing base to pressure them into falling back and go from there. This would heavily rely on monks, but that's just about the case for any given spike.

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Warrior: OQkjExTc5M81xCYZpYYZKFZBAA
Dole's preferred dev hammer build, but can be changed accordingly. Just really need a front line offensive warrior of any sort (even a shock axe warrior or anything along those lines would do) to spike. Chances are this player needs to call, or a necro will.

Necro 1: OABCY8xE/SiwYQVVCYlwWoAA
Wail of doom necro with rigor and foul feast/plague sending. Needs to co-ordinate spikes with the warrior, rigor on spiking target (if necessary) and wail of doom on the off monk (spike target should be knocked down).

Necro 2: OABCY8xkUldA7EbweQV1WoAA
Corrupt enchantment necro with hexes/conditions. General hex and condition pressure, corrupt enchantment could be swapped for lingering curse.

Ritualist: OACiEyk8YtnYXvMW8E8X9EAA
Anti-pressure ritualist with xinrae's weapon. Allows for backline support and this player will be responsible for falling back to the guild hall if the opposing team splits. Could alternate with ele to run flag.

Monk 1: Owoj0wQ86QkENgaE+D3NRgQgrXA
Player's preference in monking, otherwise builds are provided.
(Healer monk)

Monk 2: Owoj8wQ86MzEBydVLqQ201k1LA
Player's preference in monking, otherwise builds are provided.
(Prot monk)

Flag runner: OgNk8YNIjusUY16gZFko7Qe10HtA
Offensive flag runner. Will join flag team at flag assuming we have flag superiority, can alternate flag running with ritualist.

Infiltrator:
Mesmer: OQNEAYsT+4YDeb9gVwCYTbBABA
Assassin: OwNj0Md8IPlZ/n2r7hwsbDsJIA
Ranger: OgMk8EYa2epUVzjhqxv2sReVNhAA
Slip in side gate, harass the guild hall. Must be played carefully. Ranger probably has most versatility here against varying strategies but the chances are the mesmer is most harassment based (hex offensive, slows and self care). Ranger could also have burning arrow, assassin could also be an alternative build.

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The build relies heavily on warrior and necro co-ordination and monks like always. That's that then.

Edit: Fixed ranger and flag runner build so template code works.

[meanelliott]

I like the way this build looks.

I wanted to suggest something for us to run als though but don't want to bury this topic under a new post so ill just suggest it here:

2 r/a
curse necro - anti melee, defile defenses, rigor, possibly some sec prof utility.
me/x illusion split mesmer. iop, snares, ineptitude or something
e/me or me/x mb or vor mes with sig hum/resolve
2 mo/x
e/d mb runner

basically just run all of the current imbalanced stuff, was my idea here.

[miffic]

Well I'm glad someone responded

Although compared to what most people are used to running, I think a few people might be asked to run stuff they're not entirely used to. That shouldn't be a major concern though since I believe we're all pretty flexible with what we run, a spot of practice should fix that up.

I haven't a problem with running a pile of R/A's and E/Me distortion MB either, but there's the feeling that the R/A's and E/Me's will be probably be nerfed sooner or later, so it's back to the drawing board when it happens. That doesn't mean we can't use it at the moment though, that and it's nice to have several builds to be flexible.

I think the key idea is to just have things ready on paper so when we want to GVG, we shouldn't spend nearly as long trying to prep so we can get a couple more games in for giggles. So please, don't hesitate to comment or throw ideas up, the more minds working on things the better, right?

[Ascalon Destroyer]

So Karl and I scrimmed with a few ganking builds. I think we tried all of the above mentioned gankers, but Karl would have to confirm that the mes he ran was the code above.

This was effectively my first time ganking so my statements may be a little off, but just trying to provide some guidance. The ranger build as listed above does not have a strong health regen and so I struggled to get past the first few NPCs. I later tried the assasin build. While it took down a single ranger much faster, I couldnt take down any of the guild lord NPC's because I took too much damage too fast.

At one point both Karl and I ran burning arrow/poison gankers. This build seemed both faster and more effective than the builds listed above. While I might be inexperienced at ganking, and thus reducing the effectiveness of the proposed builds, I was able to easily use the burning/poison build to gank nearly as fast as Karl (who does have some experience).

I hope this helps us work out a better build for tomorrow.
-AD

[miffic]

That sounds alright then, although I have to admit the infiltrators serve a bit of a dual purpose.

Sure, they can harass the guild hall effectively, but to be entirely honest their purpose is for us to win the morale war, not inflict damage on the guild lord himself. If we manage to drop all NPC's, knights and bodyguards even, that's a bonus.

The idea is to provide a nagging thought that there's someone already in their guild hall the entire time and to provide harassment to the opposing team's flag runner. When this happens, whoever calls strategy on the opposing team will have to either send someone back (hence weakening their flag team, allowing us to push foward) or leave their flag runner to die, also allowing us to win the morale war.

This however does hinge on a couple of facts:
1) The infiltrator needs to provide sufficient harassment to force a move from the opposing team. The major concern in this case is if a flag runner has say, a condition removal, and consequently can worm out of snares to keep running. This is likely why the mesmer does so well, because it runs hex snares and hex based degen.
2) The infiltrator, whoever it is, must stay alive and survive against at least two players (flag runner + 1 extra). Even if forced to fall back, that's fine, so long as it's taking them away from the main battle. If two are sent back, it isn't too essential for them to survive as flag team should definitely be head.
3) The flag team still needs to be able to drop targets. This strategy will definitely improve our flag standing, but ideally dropping targets remains the best way to push.

I suppose the reason this would differ so much from a 2 man gank would be that a 2 man gank is definitely aiming for the lord, but loses significant manpower at the flag stand (or defensive power in their own hall).

So I suppose in short, even if the assassin can't drop the lord himself, that isn't *too* much of a concern if it can still drop a runner faster than the other infiltrators. That's it's real advantage, I'd say. That aside, the ranger probably has the most versatility while the mesmer proves to be somewhere inbetween, capable of degening all the NPC's and still definitely able to kill the flag runner.