User:Aquadrizzt/Contest

Welcome to the first ever Guild Wars 2 Build Contest!
This contest will be hosted and judged by myself and Infinite.

Objective

Create a balanced four person team for WvW/PvP.

Restrictions

• No more than one of any profession. (Let's try to prolong "Gimmickway"'s arrival as long as possible.)
• No more than two of any race. (See parenthetical statement above.)
• Builds include skills (special abilities count too) and traits *only*.
  • Corollary: Rangers (and to a lesser degree warriors) are a bit lacking in the trait department. Deal with it as you will.

Format

Using the example below (and please by the love of Balthazar, make it collapsible)

Example

Aqua (T|C)

Charr Warrior Axe/Axe - Longbow Traits Power: Hatred (M), Thick Skin (m), Thick Skull (m) Tactics: Superior Armor (M), Battle Commander (m), Armor (m) Main-hand Axe: Executioner (M), Improved Triple Chop (m) Off-hand Axe: Off-hand Axe Mastery (m) Longbow: ? (M), Raider (m), ? (m) <THREE OTHER BUILDS>

<Explanation as why your build is better than a group of random people. Strengths, weaknesses, tactics, insights, synergies, anything can go here.>

Entries

~~ Kiomadoushi 22:09, 25 May 2011 (UTC)

Sylvari Elementalist Dagger/Dagger (Fire/Water/Air/Earth) Traits Arcane: Superior Power (M), Scribe (m), Minor Power (m) Fire Magic: Pyromancer (M), Wave of Flame (m), One with Fire (m) Water Magic: ? (M), ? (m), ? (m) Air Magic: ? (M), ? (m), ? (m) Earth Magic: ? (M), ? (m), ? (m) (no known traits yet) Main-hand Dagger: Dagger Mastery (M), Improved Arc Lightning (m), Improved Frozen Ground (m) Off-hand Dagger: Improved Ice Storm (m), Improved Dragon's Tooth (m) Norn Warrior Longbow Mace/Shield Traits Power: Hatred (M), Major Vitality (m), Improvisation (m) Tactics: Superior Armor (M), Natural Leader (m), Armor (m) Longbow: ? (M), ? (m), ? (m) Main-hand Mace: ? (M), ? (m) Shield:  ? (m) Human Thief Shortbow Dagger/Pistol Traits Shadow Arts: Cloak of Darkness (M), Sleight of Hand (m), Mechanically Inclined (m) Agility: Superior Precision (M), Major Power (m), Major Precision (m) Shortbow: Shortbow Mastery (M), Prepared Shrapnel (m), Prepared Precision (m) Main-hand Dagger: Dagger Mastery (behind) (M), Dagger Precision (m) Off-hand Pistol:  ? (m) Charr Guardian Staff Mace/Shield Traits Honor: Superior Toughness (M), Major Power (m), Major Precision (m) Valor: Resolution's Renewal (M), Bond of Devotion (m), Practiced Resistance (m) Staff: Staff Expertise (M), Enduring Protection (m), Steel Curtain (m) Mace: Wrathful Reward (M), Devout Protection (m) Shield: Redirected Fury (m) Every one of the melee-based professions is capable of ranged attacks (while closing gaps or when holding a Guild Hall). This is, of course, VERY important (as all melee players know) because of the disadvantage that needing to be close creates. Naturally, the Elementalist has this advantage too. Here, the Elementalist plays a lot of control in the group. She is capable of damage and easily moving around as needed. Unfortunately, traits for the Water Magic, Air Magic, and Earth Magic (along with skills for Earth Magic) are unknown, so for now, this a gamble, but from what we know, Elementalists will still be powerful when it comes to damage. Switching elements also means ease of casting control skills from Water Magic, support skills from Air Magic, and defensive skills from Earth Magic. She fits around everyone else. The Warrior is a strong attacker while also having strong defensive skills. No player wants to die in WvW, where you need to keep a constant presence, and the Warrior here has high defense and gap-closers (like with Throw Bolas, which can also be used to escape a fight turning bad). I'm hoping that Natural Leader has an effect with shouts, not like there's any better traits for now to fill its spot. On My Mark and For Great Justice are both good for spikes to remove players that are the most threat to the group, or most troublesome. If Natural Leader has the effect I hope it does, then the Warrior is the frontman to this group's damage output. The Thief here is playing a very shadowy role (important in WvW, which should be different from normal PvP near-deathmatches). His utilities (and heal) are set up for stealth and ambushing. The Dagger Mastery also improves back attacks, which this Thief should be doing often. With the Warrior leading the fight, the Thief here will weave around targets or enter/exit a fight unannounced, leading to both defensive measures (Shadow Trap) and deadly assassination on the called target. The traits/skills are based around that mobility and creating pressure by weaving through the fight. This is also good for the Thief's management of Initiative, to not need to be in the front the whole time as GW1 Assassins often turn out to be. Hoping Stealth works as it should, this will also lead opposing players to almost drop their guard, assuming they're running into a group of 3, when in fact it's a planned ambush. This Guardian is the team's lifeline, playing up a lot of defense for the group. While normal play should not need such a defense- or healing-based character, as Arenanet tried to tone down, in PvP/WvW, characters that stop the enemies attack as both a form of control and a form of defense should be well appreciated. The Guardian is still capable of offense, but with the defensive skills available, and capabilities to give Protection to self/allies, the team should be able to live tough and balanced scraps just slightly longer than the enemy, giving the possibility to hold a Guild Hall or other landmarks with better ease. Combat Style: The Warrior and Guardian here are both heavy on offense, plus have condition removal and defenses to stop a bad battle. These two together make the brunt of the fight. The Elementalist easily casts around how the fight is turning out, with lots of flexibility, and the Thief picks out the targets that are most susceptible to being ganked and taking them down unnoticed. Disadvantages include the lack of known traits and Elite skills. With the Elementalist missing an entire 1/4 of its skillbar (for now), and 3/4 of its primary traits, it's hard to see if the profession will still hold an important role in the group once more information is made available. Lacking Elite skills also means that it's possible to encounter groups with better planned elites, or may be able to stay prepared for such a spike tactic, with timed Elites that turn this team's advantage of ambushing in quick skirmishes into nullified damage and being quickly overpowered by a more drawn-out fight. Advantages include the defensive aspect of this team. In holding a Guild Hall, this group can guard an entrance using the Shadow Trap, various elemental casts to multi-target, a Line of Warding (blocking enemies and projectiles from a trait), and ganking on the Warrior's command. In Organized PvP, this group is still capable of fighting smaller fronts, even 1v1 confrontations. The Warrior still has his ability to push an enemy around; the Guardian can fight with impenetrable defense; the Thief can still play shadowy and pick off near-dead targets while the rest of the team moves onto more important foes; and the Elementalist has casting flexibility to do whatever she wants at any point in the battle.

~Ao Allusir 07:42, 9 June 2011 (UTC)

Charr Guardian Scepter/Shield - Staff Traits Honor: Superior Power (M), Major Toughness (m), Major Vitality (m) Valor: Altruism (M), Bond of Renewal (m), Bond of Wrath (m) Main-hand Scepter: Scepter Mastery (M), Burned by Truth (m) Off-hand Shield: Redirected Fury (m) Staff: Staff Expertise (M), Brilliant Orb (m), Enduring Protection (m)

Norn Ranger Sword/Axe - Longbow Traits Wilderness Survival: Improved Trap Deployment (M), ? (m), ? (m) Beast Mastery: ? (M), ?affinity (m), ? (m) Main-hand Sword: ? (M), ? (m) Off-hand Axe: ? (m) Longbow: ? (M), ?crippling barrage (m), ? (m)

Sylvari Necromancer Scepter/Warhorn - Staff Traits Soul Reaping: Death Strike (M), Major Toughness (m), Soul Stealer (m) Blood Rituals: ? (M), Malevolence (m), ? (m) Note: Minion traits wherever they fit, even over already chosen traits. Main-hand Scepter: ? (M), ? (m) Off-hand Warhorn: Poisoning Doom (m) Longbow: Soul Vision (M), Winter's Atrophy (m), Reaper's Embrace (m)

Human Engineer Rifle Quick Notes Since there is very little information on the engineer I will simply write a small note, instead of using the templates. Focus of the Engineer will be on turrets, as many skill slots that can hold a turret there will be one. Traits will also focus on the turrets.

Synergies: The different classes each have extra allies (some more than others) increasing the number of targets enemies will have to deal with, or ignore and be swarmed by. It’s one thing to fight a single character with extra summons, but a whole team of extras? The characters themselves will also each play their own role to enhance the onslaught of attackers. Guardian: Other than the mass of spirit weapons to bash at enemies, a big charr makes a big target, with the heavy emphasis in GW2 on visually responding to the game, having a big guardian is good for the smaller characters to literally hide behind. His ability to control enemy movement will either keep melee characters away, allowing minions to take most of the damage while all characters sit back and use range, or keep ranged characters from effectively running, bringing the battle in close. The virtues will be even more useful since they are covering many more than four allies, especially the extra burning damage. Necromancer: On top of the swarm of minions, the necromancer will also be able to switch between weapons to apply the greatest range of conditions on enemies, especially vulnerability and weakness to make the swarm of allies more effective. Poison will also cause constant health degen on top of the burning. Just make sure to hide your short, skinny, squishy, self behind the bigger characters. Ranger: Having the norn as the ranger, it will be another bigger unit that will draw the attention of the players smart enough to look past the big charr. The rangers pet should be one of the strongest allies of the swarm, although that is just speculation. And in emergencies he can pull out three of them. The two extra traps will be able to help the guardian with controlling enemy movement. This is also the character most relied on for raw weapon damage, with a bow at range. There is also the option of this ranger being a big visual distraction up close with a sword and axe. Most of those skills revolve around quick evading movements while attacking, keeping enemies guessing where he is going. Engineer: While there is a good chance that the turrets won’t get the party buffs, they are still another source of damage and distraction. The rifle will aid the ranger in player weapon damage. The different turret effects (such as the thumper turret) will also help with enemy moment control. The downside Strengths: Control: Keep them where you want them, and away from the places you don’t. Swarm: Lots and lots of allies. Conditions: Variety of them. No one character is more important than another, if one goes down the team still functions overall. Weaknesses: AoE: If they can kill your swarm, you’re not as well off. Counter this by making sure you are directing your portion of the swarm in a different place than the other team members. Condition Removal: Self explanatory, just keep adding more conditions.

--Moto Saxon 18:26, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

Team Stronghold This team sacrifices mobility for ground control and damage for defense. Its primary focus is to hold down an area from take over, be that a capture point, a bottle neck in a pivotal route or a keep entrance. It is chalk full of knock downs, knock backs, ground control, AoE damage and AoE healing, as well as a few snares ensuring that if anyone does get in...they won't be getting out. Everyone sacrifices self heals for team heals, making this an extremely resilient team when together. Warrior - The Earthshaker Sword/Shield - catch and kill kiters Hammer - damage and kd right side - team condition removal and AoE choas Elementalist - Offense/Deffense Scepter - mid ranged single target and AoE spells Dagger - team support and defensive spells right side - team healing, survival, tornado Guardian - Team defense Mace/Shield - team regen and protting Staff - defensive spells and crowd control right side - team healing, protting and crowd KB Engineer - Sentries and Sh*t Pistol/Pistol - ranged conditions right side: turrets - set up camp with stationary dmg and group healing flamethrower - wreak havoc on groups or anyone that gets to close elite - call in extra support if you get out numbered Builds Charr Sword/Shield - Hammer scepter/dagger Mace/Shield - Staff Charr pistol/pistol