Does your cape symbolize anything or have special meaning?

We do not think of ourselves as a bunch of guilds brought together in an alliance. We are one whole KISS guild. All guilds have the same cape, which symbolizes all KISS guilds within the alliance as one.

PvE Game Discussion

How does the guild approach PvE in Guild Wars?

In PvE we focus on farming for experienced members, and game completion for newer members.  Roughly 90 percent of our members are highly experienced players in PvE.

Are there any missions you enjoy replaying, and why?

A large majority of our members enjoy farming high-level areas like dungeons and the Deep.

Describe your guild’s most bitter defeat.

We don’t know the meaning of the word defeat!

PvP Game Discussion

What unique approach to PvP does your guild have?

To us, teamwork and communication is the key to victory. We also like to mix up the game a little and try new builds that people just don’t see coming.

Any tricks of the trade you would like to share?

Know your enemy.

Which type of PvP does the guild generally prefer to play, and why?

Alliance battles, because we have more fun and feel more relaxed while playing, though we do have groups within the alliance that also participate in GvG, RA, HA, and TA.

Member Information

Handle: Selket Shadowdancer
Location: UK/China
Position: Officer in the guild that leads the KISS Alliance
Guild Wars deity: Grenth, because I bring death to all those who oppose me.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Fighting my way with some friends to Granite Citadel from Lion’s Arch to get Elite Cabal Armor with a level 14 Curses Necromancer. We made it and I ended up level 18 by the time I got there with just one death from the whole run.
PvP or PvE: To be honest I like both equally. Being in the military, I’m a casual player for the most part. But sometimes I like to get down and be serious and creative with team builds in PvP with my guild mates.
Preferred character: I only have one character now. An Assassin named Selket Shadowdancer. She currently fights at long range laying down conditions on her foes with her Shadow Bow.
Why you joined: I joined KISS because they are very well organized and hold a lot of events for their members. I had heard of them previously before joining and decided to give them a try. I haven’t looked back since and have now become one of the most respected officers of the KISS Alliance.

Handle: I S U P E R F L Y I
Location: UK
Position: Leader
One interesting fact: I never like to fail. Exceed expectations is the way to go. For me, creating the KISS alliance is perfect proof of this. Ninety-nine percent of our members are happy, like the cape, and are satisfied with the provided help.
Favourite Guild Wars aspect: The layout. Not the gaming or the graphics but the general build of the game. For example, districts and local chat, and, where ever you go, you find a general team game with a great variety of events and paths.
PvP or PvE: PvP because it requires more teamwork than PvE.
Why your guild is the greatest: Ask our huge alliance. I’m sure they would have plenty to say!
Why you joined: I took over KISS about a year ago and my goal was to create an army of one, alongside some dedicated friends.

Handle: S L A U T A
Location: England
Position: Officer
Favourite Guild Wars aspect: It’s got great MMO aspects, nicely put together stories, and PvP.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Destroyers for sure. They look the best and are named like my Assassin (DESTROYA)
Guild Wars deity: Abaddon, because of his ability to serve people. And his face reminds me of me in the morning.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I first played this game I asked what food can I grow when I “farmed UW.”
Gaming background: RPGs in PvE, also some PvP if available.

Handle: Evilness Kills
Location: UK
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: It would have to be Mursaat. They are absolutely awesome, and their Spectral Agony skill would be awesome to have.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Because it has no monthly payment, great graphics, good PvP and PvE, and a low maximum level so you don’t have to spend all your time leveling up.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: On my Monk, I died on the edge of a platform, leaving his body slanted (I have a screen shot of it). Also, when playing with my friend, when he died his legs started glowing. It was...weird.
Funniest PUG experience: I went with a PUG group and as soon as the leader added the last person, an Assassin, he started the mission. The person kept saying “wait,” but it didn’t matter. We entered and the Assassin had only brought Shadow Refuge with him.
Preferred character: My favourite profession has to be Assassin, but my favourite character is Evilness Kills (who is a Dervish) because I have played him the longest and got the farthest on him.

Handle: Sciuto Navi
Location: Netherlands
Position: Member
One interesting fact: My Dervish, Nushi Navi, is named after my laptop, which is also called “Nushi.”
Real life experience from gaming: My girlfriend, her dad, her sister, and I all play Guild Wars. Before that we played WoW together on my private server. It’s weird. I once yelled “Resurrect the page!” instead of refresh. Another time, I saw a pile of nails lying on the counter, and I thought “steel ingots.”
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: I’ve played WoW and Ragnarok Online but I hate the high levels you have to achieve. In GW you can simply be level 20 in a jiffy and still be “good.” Players are more equal to each other here. It’s the first game I actually bought in a long time.
PvP or PvE: PvE actually, I like achieving goals, doing quests and all that. PvP is fun too. But still, prefer PvE more because of the adventure.
Gaming background: Mostly PvE, mostly RPG (usually on private servers or just single player RPG). I’ve played a lot of FPS, too, but lately they’re all just the same. Same story, different locations. Shoot, shoot, gah. And the high system requirements aren’t nice either; they continue to pump up the graphics instead of working on a great story.

Handle: Killashandra Grey
Location: London, UK
Position: Officer
PvP or PvE: I can’t choose! A bit of both is one of the great things about GW. I like to mix it up, help friends with a mission, try and guess where the storyline will go, farm a dungeon, get that elusive title, try a new build in PvP, or rule AB with my guildies.
Why you joined: I wanted to join an active and mature guild that mixed PvE, PvP, and FUN. Then I bumped into KISS and I haven’t looked back. Since joining I have been leader of one of the alliance guilds, helped with our wicked website forum and made some great gaming friends.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: When you think of monsters they gotta look scary, tough and put up a good fight…so it has to be DESTROYERS!
Preferred character: Necromancer FTW! From invincible Lich Minion Master to SS farmer to runner, you never get bored with a necro. My favourite, though, has to be in PvP with a blood build I developed around Spoil Victor…so many dead Assassins and Warriors.
One interesting fact: I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to mythology and fantasy fiction. That’s the source of all my character names. Now you just have to work out who comes from where.

Handle: Amaltheia Rhea
Location: England
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Definitely a Mursaat because they are gold, shiny, and can levitate.
Gaming background: Well, it all started with Final Fantasy 7, which got me hooked on the virtual world. Then came RTSs like the various Ages Of games and, yes, Warcraft III. Then my friend introduced me to Guild Wars and I’ve not regretted buying all the games since.
Guild Wars deity: Dwayna. I like Monking and I love to use her on my Dervish.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Hmm…what to choose. I think runes and armor are my biggest flaws. I took a Warrior into an alliance battle with a sword build but rank 11 in axe...that was embarrassing!
PvP or PvE: Hard to say which I prefer more. PvE is great for material rewards (Fellblades are coolest) but then I like PvP for the challenge (though sometimes not).

Handle: Miss Eternal Ele
Location: Norway
Position: Officer
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: No monthly payment, good graphics, awesome PvP, great history, and the lovely females.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: When I got my req. 9 Fellblade from the end chest in the Cathedral of Flames dungeon.
Funniest PUG experience: We were in Stygian Veil, and a guy pulled a classic Leeroy Jenkins.
Preferred character: At this moment, Monk. It can farm everything and is always welcome in groups.
Why you joined: I wanted a friendly little guild. I got the friendliest guild ever, though it wasn’t a little one.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Soldiers of Thunderstorm [SoT]

History

The Soldiers of Thunderstorm [SoT] is a well-established, Russian gaming community. Early on, the core members realized where the future of gaming was going, and their friendship jelled in May of 1998 with the birth of their game child, the Soldiers of Thunderstorm.

Prior to the new millennium, this relatively small band of avid gamers focused on the hottest thing at that time, Diablo. However, the pinnacle of [SoT]’s gaming achievements was the vested interest in Ultima Online from 1999 to 2005. The first Russian UO shard was Lostfort. At this time, the [SoT] leadership split clan projects by assigning in-game squads led by a Guild Master. Guild Masters were responsible for PvP activities and official interactions that the squads established in-game.

Today

The tightly-knit and well-organized membership of [SoT] once again moved forward with the evolution of gaming technology. The precise date of that shift from past to present was October 28, 2004 during the ArenaNet World Preview Event of their first game, Guild Wars.

Overall, [SoT]’s initial reaction to the feature-rich environment was, “Wow! Look! Tomb of the Primeval Kings and Guild-versus-Guild Battles! This is all we really need!” As you might expect with any new venture, there was trial and error. The guild’s force of five Fire Elementalists with Bonding Monks did not immediately dominate all opponents, but they were confident that one day they would reach the desired title of top GvG guild. In the many months prior to unveiling Observer Mode, Heroes’ Ascent was the best place for them to learn and test builds.

[SoT] needed an imposing PvP task-master at the helm of the guild, and an ex-guild leader (Light Friend) suited the position just fine. Under his demanding tutelage, [SoT]’s performance as a PvP force to be reckoned with steadily grew. Team members quickly developed protocols for maintaining synergy during those instances when pressuring a weakened enemy team or deciding whether to hold the center or fall back to base might swing the direction of battle.

PvP Quick Tips

• Press Tab often to check each member of the enemy team.


• Stay close to the party leader, but not so close that AoE is a threat.


• Never stay in AoE. If the enemy spikes you, retreat into the backline for healing. If the other side is using AoE hexes, spread the damage dealers out.


• The target countdown of the caller should be the main priority for all attackers. If you don’t spike with the caller, everything you did over the last few seconds is useless.


• Avoid knockdowns and interrupts. Don’t stay close to damage dealers who could interrupt your team’s spike or force your Monks to overheal and lose Energy. Many Mesmers use Blackout and Diversion against predetermined targets, so don’t camp at the frontline where they can easily get you.


• Inform your party leader about the enemy flag runner, threatening shutdown or AoE, resurrection skills, or detrimental hexes/conditions affecting you.


• It is useless to attack a target that has already been protected or infused.


• When the caller says to fall back or come to a certain location, just do it.


• If you’re the leader, remember which enemies have already died, and how many times, so you can spike the most vulnerable players.


• If you have a shutdown hex on you, estimate its recharge and anticipate the next use of that spell.


• Split, catch, kite, provoke, and interrupt your opponents.


• Experiment with your own builds using the different Guild Halls, shift them as needed, and stay current with Observer Mode to see how different builds work or don’t work on certain maps.

HA Build: Ranger Spike

R/N, Caller - Dual Shot, Savage Shot, [Crippling Shot], Read the Wind,
Favorable Winds, Rend Enchantments, Gaze of Contempt, Resurrection Signet.

Skills Template: OgQTcmLnZhxUtED2wuGxfFAA
Equipment Template: Pkpxb2yzjkqgnjIPyknjIDLvizITSfnzI9kjnzIDLA

R/P, Damage Booster - Dual Shot, [Punishing Shot], Sloth Hunter’s Shot, Read the Wind,
“Go for the Eyes!”, “Find Their Weakness!”, “Make Haste!”, Resurrection Signet.

Skills Template: OgkjcxZqJSMGZGVgwGWY1b3YCAA
Equipment Template: PkpxbGzzjkqonlIPysnlIBLvilIHTnnlI9krnlIDLA

R/Rt, Spiking Purifier - Dual Shot, [Punishing Shot], Sloth Hunter’s Shot, Read the Wind,
Gaze of Fury, Sundering Weapon, Pure Was Li Ming, Flesh of My Flesh.

Skills Template: OgglcxZKoEiiBxYkZUBCbYsRGiBexA
Equipment Template: PkpxbWyzjkqwniIPy0niIDLviiIHTvniI9kzniIDLA

R/P, Anti-Blocker - Dual Shot, Savage Shot, Sloth Hunter’s Shot, Read the Wind,
Song of Concentration, [Anthem of Guidance], “Fall Back!”, Resurrection Signet.

Skills Template: OgkjcxZrpRMGqGVgwGfYgY7YCAA
Equipment Template: PkpxbGzzjkqQhoIPyYjoIBLvioITSpgoI9k7hoIDLA

N/D, Orders Supporter - [Order of the Vampire], Pious Concentration, Well of Silence,
Awaken the Blood, Aura of Thorns, Mystic Regeneration, Signet of Mystic Speed, Resurrection Signet.

Skills Template: OAplQsG3BpmrIRJYgxn9GcdxehJKAA
Equipment Template: Pk5RR3+XCTaGqjWXqQmzL7wUmzLDLHijIdSPmjI9kTmjIDL

Mo/Me, SoD Protector - Guardian, [Shield of Deflection], Dismiss Condition, Spirit Bond,
Healing Seed, Aura of Stability, Holy Veil, Channeling.

Skills Template: OwUUMs29YYSCEDEbaaRSEPg1EmAA
Equipment Template: Pk5RR36XCTaCkFVLqAhlJNxIjlJDLdilJLRZglJ9kphlJHB

Mo/Me, Boon Healer - Orison of Healing, Words of Comfort, Spotless Soul, Spotless Mind,
[Healer’s Boon], Heal Party, Auspicious Incantation, Channeling.

Skills Template: OwUTMsGDXKjguKCECMu6jQ0xEA
Equipment Template: Pk5RRX6XCTaCkFVLqwmiJNx0miJBLbiiJHRvmiJ9kzmiJDL

Mo/Me, WoH Infuser - Orison of Healing, [Word of Healing], Dwayna’s Kiss, Infuse Health,
Healing Seed, Holy Veil, Draw Conditions, Channeling.

Skills Template: OwUUMwG/EoGZUjbkkSsm30EA
Equipment Template: Pk5RRf6nCTaCkFVLqwmjJNx0mjJBLbijJHRvmjJ9kzmjJDL

Member Information

Meet the stormbringing army.

Handle: Denis Mesmer (Denis)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Position: Guild Master, GvG Squad Leader
PvP or PvE: My passion leans toward GvG battles because I get the best adrenal rush while playing against other PvP guilds. Every now and then, I relax and play one of the PvE campaigns or run around with my friends in Eye of the North.
Favorite Profession: Mesmer. I just love running shut-down builds, though I have been yoked with the task of leading GvG. This position usually requires me to embrace the melee professions, since I can manage better in the frontline. Although I prefer Mesmers, running a strong melee build and going toe-to-toe with the enemy is also very exciting.
Why I Joined: Combining forces seemed like the best thing to do! I was managing the Russian PvP guild War Project [WaR] when we met the members of the [SoT] guild. It soon became apparent that joining forces would benefit everyone interested in achieving our mutual goal of becoming the best European GvG guild in the game. Over time, we have not only created a skilled unit of PvP patriots, but have also bonded into real-life friends and confidants.

Handle: Light Friend (Andrew)

Location: Magdeburg, Germany
Position: Ex-Guild Master, Advising Officer
Gaming Background: Warcraft III, CS, Diablo II, StarCraft,Q2/3, Gothic. I started my involvement in computer gaming as a club StarCraft and Quake 2 player, and then I turned to Counter-Strike, while also dabbling in every other PvP-based title that’s been interesting enough to deserve my attention. In the case of Guild Wars, I’ve been actively competitive since its release.
PvP or PvE: Guess what… GvG ;)
Favorite Profession: Warrior
Primary Character: Ranger/Mesmer
Why I Joined: SoT has been a steadfast PvP guild since its foundation. It’s been important for me, as anything that requires farming or extensive grind doesn’t keep my nod for more than a few weeks.

Handle: Cyber Smoke (Dmitri)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Position: GW squad founder, officer & community leader.
Gaming Background: Mortal Kombat 1-2-3-4, Warcraft II, Dark Legions, Duke Nukem, Command & Conquer, C&C: Red Alert, Diablo (the best item collector), Unreal Tournament, StarCraft (top 600 in 1998), Total Annihilation, C&C: Tiberian Sun (top 50 solo ladder), Dune 2000, Fallout 2, Counter-Strike, Diablo II, Warcraft III: TFT, Guild Wars since Alpha, and tons of other stuff that would steal a page.
Favorite aspect of Guild Wars: For PvE, it’s having fun by tanking Shiro on my Legendary Survivor character without quitting the game after Meditation of the Reaper. Try rolling the dice here—it’s worth every second. And, if you’ve pressed F12, know that you didn’t pass the test and stop taking the game too seriously. And for PvP, it’s running the spell casting builds that use the three different types of character attributes spent equally so that all specified types of magic work efficiently.
PvP or PvE: Both, if you don’t rush too much...I wonder if mad Assassins hear me.
Primary Character: Any Monk in charge of defending the base.
Why I Joined: I saw how the guild was born in 1998 and, in early 2004 I started planning for expansion into the world of Guild Wars. I think it’s a very cool game and it perfectly feeds my gaming needs.

Handle: A F K (Alex)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Gaming Background: Gothic, Total War, Heroes of M&M series.
PvP or PvE: I prefer PvP, but only GvG. Since the good old beta testing days, I’ve been an avid Tombs (HA) player, though I stopped after the removal of Rift Wardens and the replacement of a few of the original maps. Perhaps I’ll revisit it one day, who knows. At this time, the source of my delight, between GvGs, lies in farming the high-end items with my friends in PvE.
Favorite Profession: For melee classes, it’s the Warrior, and amongst the spell caster professions, the Mesmer.
Why I Joined: By the time of the Guild Wars World Preview Event, there hadn’t been a vast variety of Russian guilds to join. In fact, only two of them: SoT and RUS Corp. The first one seemed more ambitious and energetic to me, and that was the reason behind my choice. On top of that, I have to say that even with all the obstacles and difficulties we’ve met on our way, it’s still a great pleasure for me to stay here, because of the players.

Handle: Fea Fatale (Oxana)

Location: Saratov, Russia
Gaming Background: UO: Renaissance, Diablo II, Neverwinter Nights, Warcraft III, World of Warcraft.
PvP or PvE: Currently PvP only, just because I rarely have time or desire to get into PvE.
Favorite Profession: It depends. I started with a Mesmer and still admire that profession, though I usually play an Elementalist. Also the Necromancer for a while—both in PvP and PvE.
Why I Joined: Since I realized I had no time to keep my own guild and started to look for another one, I decided it should be Russian. I checked the forums of all Russian guilds, well-known and absolutely new ones, and this guild seemed different to me, kind of special. SoT was one of the first guilds I heard about when I started playing GW, yet I never thought I would get in. But after a year of playing I applied to join and soon got invited. Time shows that it was the right choice, and SoT turned out to be the guild I always wanted my own to look like.

Handle: Tordon DNK (Alexander)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Position: Member
PvP or PvE: After an extended investment of my time in the fabulous PvE environment of Guild Wars, I decided to broaden my gaming horizon and see what PvP offered. This experimental foray into PvP blossomed and quickly captivated my interest. The competitive tension and sense of belonging while playing with comrades in arms is something I look forward to each and every time I log in.
Favorite Profession: Monk…Feel the love! This is the profession I first embraced and still play on a daily basis. I believe that the more you enjoy running the various builds of a specific Guild Wars profession, the better the results will be. I have dabbled with the other great professions, but they only made me realize that I am simply a natural born healer.
Why I Joined: After I realized just how much I enjoyed PvP, my previous PvE guild failed to satisfy my PvP craving and I was fortunate enough to fall in with the members of the SoT Guild. The SoT Guild is where I get my daily fix. That’s me, a Guild Wars PvP addict!

Handle: Fon Rengler (Mike)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Position: Member, Heroes’ Ascent caller.
Favorite aspects of the game: In the beginning I focused on PvE, especially UW Ecto farming, which was the first serious thing to advance from. After earning a solid fortune, the next step was watching PvP on Observer Mode, particularly Heroes’ Ascent. I focused on obtaining enough knowledge to be a caller in Heroes’ Ascent battles and have recently succeeded with my guild when we captured the Hall of Heroes multiple times. I try many different things, including our famous Ranger spike, though I strongly believe that the balanced and hex-pressure builds are the most efficient setups to hold the Halls. When arranging teams, I first look at how each person understands the build, rather than how many fame points they have farmed.
Why I Joined: I came to SoT from War Project [WaR]. Besides cyber-gaming, I’ve got a passion for swimming, so I can proudly state that the HoH drops aren’t the only rewards I’ve had the pleasure to collect. I’ve taken a few breaks from GW, but I always come back, because of the friends surrounding me and the wish to keep the game real. Plus, you just can’t deny the fact that it rocks!

Handle: Far Sa (Alexander)

Location: Moscow, Russia
Gaming Background: Heroes of Might and Magic III, Guild Wars.
PvP or PvE: I’m usually PvPing in GvG, Heroes’ Ascent and 4v4 arenas. Nevertheless, I enjoy difficult Hard Mode missions such as Thunderhead Keep or Hell’s Precipice.
Favorite Profession: Monk, another Monk, and Monk again. Imagine them dancing around the fire. I’ve been the lead healer of the team during the GvGs we played in the beginning of the last year. Briefly, this means I’m always going with the attack group and am greatly responsible for the outcome of what the main part of the crew does.
Why I Joined: I simply like SoT’s outlook on online things and believe we’ve got a bright future, such as the celebration of 10 years of the clan in May of 2008 here in Moscow. If you’re interested in joining, chat with our officers, and who knows—you might be the next member of the team.

House of Moon [MOON]

Guild Information

Why would a player want to join your guild?  What sorts of players would your guild accept?

We go out of our way to make everyone feel welcome. We’ve accepted all kinds of players at all different levels of the game. We don’t boot the casual gamer who takes off for a few days at a time. Our guild is mostly made up of mature professionals, a few families and married couples. We’re always on the look-out for mature, cooperative players.

Guildies who join us comment on our kind assistance and generosity with weapons and items, especially to beginning players. They often say, “You guys rock!” Or, “Wish I’d found you when I first joined up!” This makes us proud. All players without exception enjoy the birthday parties and shared goodies, the get well wishes for sick children or those who’ve had a few off days themselves. We welcome back long-time absentees with encouragements to catch up in their game.

Our people also enjoy the videos that one of our creative officers puts together for us. The last one he did included as many of our guildies as possible. A collection of memories that was both poignant and happy, it said a video goodbye to the Guild Wars that we love so much.

The rules of the guild are simple. Treat others with respect. Keep chat channels friendly, and don’t use them to advertise items.

Why did your guild choose to play Guild Wars?

Some responses from our members:

• You get to play an endlessly entertaining, exciting, and interesting game filled with intrigue, stories, action, and strategies for gaming, with no fee.


• You have the opportunity to create multiple characters with a host of different attributes, armor selections, and weaponry. In addition, you have a vast list of skills and attributes that you can mix-and-match as needed, and you can create special PvP characters for Arenas and other highly specialized builds.


• The amount of choice in Guild Wars for any one player is totally incredible. We commend the technology behind the monsters and heroes. The vast landscapes are filled with graphics unequaled in any other game.


• For reality, social contacts, and comradeship, Guild Wars outdoes them all.


• It wasn’t so much that the guild decided to play Guild Wars, but that Guild Wars formed the House of Moon. Although it is true that many guild members know each other in real life, it was an enthusiastic majority that labeled Guild Wars as “the game.”

Does your cape symbolize anything or have special meaning?

The cape was designed with some specific ideas in mind. First, the guild started with three players, hence the three stars. The moon represents the name we chose for our guild, and it represents our leader, Moon Shadow Warrior. The translucence of the Moon symbol signifies a doorway to many realms of discovery, upon which we the players have embarked. The cross symbolizes adventures of old, when heroes took up their shields and swords to explore the worlds, as in the Crusades. The colors represent the night (dark blue) and the day (light silver).

Our motto is Nulli Secundus, meaning “Second to None” in Latin.

PvE Information

What heroic accomplishments can your guild boast about?

Rotscale’s scaly hide has become the target of more than one guild hunt. After taking Rotscale down multiple times (by rezoning), we celebrated at our guild hall, Hunter’s Isle, with a party where the Dwarven Ale flowed freely and the lucky few could show off their new bows.

Does your guild have a favorite region/part of the world? Why?

Guild Wars is truly a beautiful game. It has such diverse landscapes and offers lots of eye candy. It’s hard to pick just one particular area. However, if you were to hold a poisoned arrow to our heads, most of our guildies would say pre-Searing Tyria. The majority of the guild started their first characters in Tyria, and that area conveys a sense of peace. Many in the guild keep a character permanently there. Playing in the Charr lands in Eye of the North was like a homecoming for us.

Are there any missions you enjoy replaying, and why?

There’s nothing more entertaining than going to Hell’s Precipice and watching the cut-scene of Rurik’s death while the lead character is wielding a banana scythe and wearing a pumpkin head. It’s become almost a guild tradition. We also own Thunderhead Keep. For the first year and a half, we would divide into two teams, each holding a different gate. That made it an especially exciting mission, where the ending was in doubt. Now, we camp the king. Not as much fun, but at least you’re guaranteed the win and the bonus, even in Hard Mode.

Member Information

Handle: Moon

Broad location: Ontario
Position in the Guild: Leader
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Without a doubt, I’d have to be Rotscale. He has a moat, a cool bow, wings, and the view from his perch is spectacular!
Preferred character: For versatility and entertainment factor, I definitely enjoy playing the necromancer the most. From his laid-back wave to the mosh-pit, the necromancer is cool to the core, and it has the ability to tank, support or be the primary damage dealer.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I started playing the game, I didn’t always look closely at the names of the creatures that were attacking. I kept telling my group to kill the naked horseman! This was laughed at continuously. I was very frustrated that the group kept laughing at my suggestion, only to realize that the horseman wasn’t so much naked as he was necrid.

Handle: Amber

Broad location: Ontario
Position in the Guild: Officer
Humorous gaming incident: The funniest thing that happened occurred on a day when I was playing a Monk. I’d been a Monk from day one, so my skills were quite adequate, and I was capable of keeping my group healthy. We were fighting monsters in the land areas of Glint. She was waiting for us while we battled through all the portals on the way to her lair. All of a sudden, one of our team says, “Don’t heal me. Watch this.” And off he ran to display his newly acquired skill of Grenth. The monsters gathered around him, but he kept yelling, “Don’t heal me! Don’t heal me!” He didn’t look well at all, yet he kept yelling his mantra, “Don’t heal me!” The rest of us watched the small green dot amongst the voracious, red, grasping and devouring monsters, waiting for a miracle. His Health Bar diminished. Well, I didn’t heal him as he had asked, and he died an awful, agonizing death!  Not sure why he did that, but we all burst out laughing. It was just too fun!
One interesting gaming fact: I find it fascinating how quickly the brain assimilates new technological advances, how man has evolved his thinking patterns and love of curiosity, landing him in a realm of make-believe and fantasy. I enjoy Guild Wars mostly because of the continuing leaps into the unknown, and the constant enthusiasm of the staff that creates the amazing environments in which we play. It is like looking into the future of all possibilities, an extension of my own life.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I wanted to take some old runes off my armor and replace them with new. I hesitated only a moment because I felt confident it could be done safely enough. Oh my, much to my horror, the rune and armor disappeared. The pants, that is. I found myself running--much like in those dreams where you are naked--through town to find an armorer. Yes, I actually felt embarrassed!

Handle: Kat

Broad location: New York
Position in the Guild: Officer
Humorous gaming incident: Some friends and I were helping a new player navigate the Undercity of Cantha. We had just finished fighting a group when we noticed the new player was running away fast. It took us a few confusing minutes on voice chat to figure out the new player thought he was following the group, but instead, he was following some random NPC character.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Guild Wars is the most beautiful game I’ve ever played. In the original campaign, I was amazed at how different each area seemed from the last. I liked the jungles and deserts with their own unique sets of monsters to defeat. I love the fact you can go out exploring areas without being tied down to a storyline or a quest. Each profession requires a different playing style, which really makes exploring the same areas over again lots of fun. And finally, Halloween and Christmas events really blew me away. Seeing the transformation of Lion’s Arch into a winter wonderland was quite awesome, not to mention the fact that it was all freely given to us.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: My most embarrassing Guild Wars moment was when I excitedly told some friends that the circle around our characters on the compass map is our aggro bubble. I thought this was news that not everyone knew. Then I found out that everyone, but me, already knew this. Then, my friends told me that it suddenly made sense to them why I always aggro’d monsters we were trying to ignore. Doh!

Handle: Jezz

Broad location: Tennessee
Position in the Guild: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Kanaxai. Who wouldn’t like to carry around those sweet axes?
Skill Bar: Fire Attunement, Sunspear Rebirth Signet, Arcane Echo, Meteor Shower, Mark of Rodgort, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Searing Flames, Glowing Gaze.
Wowee, the damage! This combination is good for a general build.
PvP or PvE: I prefer PvE much more, for several reasons. I have an addiction to the armor!  My Elementalist has five elite sets, and I want to get two more. Another reason I like PvE is the scenery. You really can tell how much effort and attention to detail the designers put into this beautiful game. Even when I return to an area I’ve visited many times, I often find myself sitting back and saying, “Wow.”

Handle: Than

Broad location: Pennsylvania
Position in the Guild: Officer
One interesting fact: My main character (Ranger) has had his original pet, charmed from day one, early release, back in 2005.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Having no monthly fee keeps the game within budget.
Guild Wars deity: Dwayna. I like her style.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: It has an outstanding community that stays fresh and alive. Plus, it’s fun to be the little guy going up against the juggernauts.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: The first time our guild conquered the Deep after many failed attempts.
PvP or PvE: PvE. It’s more suited to a cooperative feel...the team, the guild against the world.
Funniest PUG experience: A PUG Ranger had a pet pig named Tony Danza. When the pig died, he put onto team chat “Tony is down! Repeat, Tony is down!”
Gaming background: I prefer PvE and cooperative games, always have. It’s the same for FPS and RTS games. A group of friends vs. overwhelming AI odds. Good times.

Handle: Caddie

Broad location: Pennsylvania
Position in the Guild: Officer
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Recently, I was leading another guildie through a dungeon. I had my three Heroes and she had her three. I pinned them back and moved forward, scouting. On Team Speak, I said, “Be careful here. There’s a boulder that comes along. I think it’s this corridor, but I don’t recall exactly where.” Right as I finished speaking, two of my Heroes died. “We found the boulder, didn’t we?” I asked. “Yeah, we did,” she replied with a touch of irony.
Preferred character: My favorite professions are Elementalist, Ranger, and Assassin. It all depends on my mood. Some days, I feel like burning things from a distance. Some days, I feel the need to poison the life out of them. And then, there are the days when I feel the need to just hop on something and slay it in a frenzy of daggers. Guild Wars gives me the ability to scratch all of those itches.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: The first time my Ranger had to ascend and kill her doppelganger, I had a hard time of it. After several failed attempts, I came up with a clever idea. Under the theory that my double was an exact duplicate of my Ranger at the moment I went in, I figured I could remove all my armor, go in, put it all right back on, and then quickly perforate his unarmored butt. Sadly, this appears not to be the case. I ended up back in town a mere twenty seconds after leaving, dazed, humiliated, and totally naked. It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

X Legion Of Doom X [LOD]

There’s something exciting about a massive PvE guild that runs with 100 members and focuses on elite missions and areas. The X Legion Of Doom X [LOD] is such a guild, known for its daily PWNZILLA runs in the elite area du jour, ranging from classical Underworld and Fissure of Woe all the way to Slaver’s Exile. In the days when the original Guild Wars campaign was the only campaign, guild runs focused on Tomb of the Primeval Kings and Underworld/Fissure of Woe, followed shortly thereafter by Sorrow’s Furnace. Later, during the Factions era, the guild would finish Urgoz’s Warren with a full guild team on a daily basis. By Christmas 2006, the Domain of Anguish became the favored guild activity, with full guild teams running through multiple times every day. After the launch of Eye of the North, full Slaver’s runs (including all bosses in a single run) took place for while until people moved back to UW in Hard Mode.

LOD members are proud that their guild can blaze through any elite area/mission. They also pride themselves on being among the first to finish elite areas in consistently record times. However, LOD is never satisfied with these achievements alone, and tries new builds such as a Necro-heavy team echoing Mark of Pain and Feast of Corruption for a full clear of Urgoz HM in record time, or a Rit-heavy team used to clear UW/FoW/Slaver’s.

LOD Alliance

As the leader of a full ten guild PvE alliance (with total members numbering around 800), LOD is a shining beacon of active players, especially in the evenings. Alliance activities occur at least once a day and usually involve an elite area, vanquishing, HM missions, and some major title chasing.

Why LOD is Successful

LOD maintains its size, activity levels, and degree of interest in the game through:

- Constant recruitment of extremely active players, keeping the total membership around 100.
- Enforcing activity requirements (no afk for more than a week).
- Busy guild and alliance channels, even at odd hours.
- A friendly atmosphere with no strict rules.
- Multiple Vent and TS servers.
- An alliance leadership consisting of the LOD leader and officers as well as the leadership of the allied guilds.
- No faction requirements or mandatory activities.

Fun Activities

Although most of the players in LOD consider themselves hardcore PvE players, some fun activities do take place, even if just to hang out. For example:

- Guild dance parties in multiple costumes/masks and holiday presents.
- Guild hall pet parties where members can show off certain minipets.

- Naked dodgeball contest
- Guild policy that encourages interaction in outposts. If a member spots another and opens a trade with that member, the person spotted should pay the spotter a gold piece.

Meet LOD:

Handle: Oujo Tenshi (also: Kou Tenshi, Touji Goshou, Hannah Megami, Asha of Ephyra, Teel Boggs)

Location: Florida
Position: Guild/Alliance Leader
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Abaddon, I like the idea of being an evil god.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Maintaining such a huge and active guild and alliance for over two years. And of course, my child, PWNZILLA!
Funniest PUG experience: One night while pugging Foundry, the HB Monk had a Margonite gem drop in the first room. Margonite gems were going for about 5k each. The Monk picks up his gem and types “later suckers” and logs out.
My embarrassing Guild Wars moment: The first week I started playing, I tried to sell my armor, not knowing it was customized.

Handle: Weenis Ash

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Position: Officer
Why you joined: After being co-creator and part of the LOD Pwnzilla Run Team, I had a falling out with my old guild, but I knew I had a spot in LOD. This guild is the main reason I play Guild Wars anymore. The people are such great friends and players that I think I’m gonna cry.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: When Oujo and I created the PWNZILLA Run Team for Urgoz. After uncountable wins in Urgoz we moved on to DoA, Slaver’s, other dungeons and lots of UW clearance runs.
My embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I sell high dollar weapons to the merchant by accident. I’ve accidentally merched a perfect fellblade, a perfect zodiac longbow (req. 8) and, the one that hurt the most, my perfect req. 8 zodiac fire staff.

Handle: Dante Feedmenow (Uncle Dante)

Location: San Jose, California
Position: Number one officer, Oujo Tenshi’s right hand man, and the inventor of Uncle Dante’s Kick(butt) Scrolls!
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Urgoz, we pwn (own/beat down) him so much I would like to put myself in his shoes and see what it’s like.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: I always solo the guardian serpents in Urgoz (as a guild tradition), and I rarely die, but when I do happen to die, I am always poked fun at.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: The level cap is at 20, which makes Guild Wars all about skill, not beating down some guy twenty times weaker than you. Also, the graphics are astonishing, and the PvE is simply perfect.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I am constantly caught without clothing in Guild Wars, and whenever I die like that I get corpse-danced. I don’t know how I am able to survive all of this abuse.

Handle: I Am Myth, Laura of Oxbay

Location: Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
Position: I am an Officer!
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Guild Wars monsters want to be me! But I’d totally be the Ghostly Hero.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: Probably when Papa Weenis and I yell OH YEA!! in UW and aggro a whole room without telling the group.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Holding the Legendary Yellow Dye with my buddy Weenis. It’s an awesome UW Game.
Most Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When Eve (an officer in one of the main allied guilds) yelled at me to shut up in Urgoz once. She doesn’t yell at anyone!!

Handle: Kyle of Sparta
Location: Fort McMurray, AB, Canada

Position: The bestest officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Probably one of those giant frost wurms.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: When Alex nuked us both after a late yell of “Oxbay, oh yeah!”
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Because the PvP isn’t gank for rank.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: That one GvG that I actually played in, I won.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Monked for a rank 7 guild in GvG when I was only rank 2. It wasn’t so bad until, you know, we started getting pwned.

Handle: Anonymous Alchemist

Location: Florida
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Rollerbeetle
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: Spectral Agony killed me when I forgot I was not infused.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: It’s easy to manage, fun to get rich, and you can normally find nice people on.
Funniest PUG experience: Getting to Slaver’s with a PUG Monk. We get in and Duncan door isn’t open. The Monk runs to an area and proceeds to thank us for the run.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: First time playing and asking how to save.

Handle: Bart Major

Location: Oshawa, Canada
Position: Part of the LOD Beer Drinking Team.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Glint
Why you joined LOD: My previous guild fell apart and all the best players from that guild came to LOD. After almost giving up, I found that the game can still be full of fun and excitement if you’re with the right group of people.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Drunkard title. I haven’t found another game with one of those.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: When I achieved Legendary Vanquisher.
Funniest PUG experience: Random FoW team which lasted only three minutes, it was funny and the leader got all pissed.

Handle: Unholey Warior

Location: Florida
Position: Member/max title king
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Kanaxai
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: Getting pwned by a level 2 wolf in pre-Searing on my first character.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Fun game with lots of stuff to do and no monthly fee.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Getting Legendary Vanquisher...3 weeks before Bart Major.

Handle: Halla Dragonsblood

Location: Pennsylvania
Position member/officer: I’m a member but I participate in a lot of activities.
Main Character: I’m the person who keeps everyone else going when we clear UW or anything like that. If you haven’t already guessed I play Monk 100% of the time. I like to play Monk, not just because I’m good but I like being the person who helps out. And it’s always good to hear everyone say great job, Monks!
Why you joined LOD: At first it was just to farm and make money but now that I have been in the guild for a while, I have come to make friends and have a lot of fun with this guild. We do so many things together.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Clearing UW HM for the first time with the guild in record time.

Handle: Lenka Ebonheart, Pendragon, Wildfire, Swiftblade, Warmonger, Soulsiren, Grace of the Furies

Location: Brisbane, Australia
Position: Member
Most spectacular death: Having Death Nova cast on me by my faithful companion, Olias. It shows a definite lack of belief in my ability to survive.
Funniest PUG experience: In Urgoz’s Warren, one player went AFK soon after we started. After much discussion the Necro took his minions back to the AFK player and sacrificed himself, resulting in the minions killing the AFK player.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Talking big with my PUG members about how we were going to kick Abaddon’s arse prior to starting the Abaddon’s Gate mission, only to have my enchantment-dependent Assassin build ripped apart by Abaddon’s Corrupt Power skill. I spent almost the whole mission as a corpse.

Handle: Nimer Bontif

Location: Illinois
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Shadow Warrior.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: I was bonding a guild team in HA. We were running a new build and they all attacked me with their zergway build. I held them for five minutes before I died, promptly followed by everyone else in less than ten seconds.
Why you joined LOD: I joined for pwnzilla!
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I first started playing, I sold a perfect 15^50 req. 8 celestial hammer for 5k. At the time that was the most money I had ever had at one time. Oops.

Handle: Prefon Taine

Location: Indiana Hoosier
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: I would love to be Glint.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: When I followed a bunny into a cave by myself without knowing what would happen.
Why you joined LOD: To do PWNZILLA and have some fun doing elite missions.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Clearing UW in HM for first time.

Handle: Adam Lyons

Location: Alabama
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Without caffeine, Afflicted Warrior.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: It’s an excellent online game with no monthly fee.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: After having a character on my account that had died nearly 700 times, having a character that didn’t die until lvl 11 (or the first mission in Factions) made me quite happy.
Funniest PUG experience: With complete ownage comes great comedy...that or groups with three minion masters. Hilarious.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Usually involves accidentally clicking the close button when trying to go to windowed mode.

Handle: Marlin Backna

Location: North Carolina
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Tengu. For some reason, I like bird Warriors.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Oh, the builds! It is strategy to an extreme. In contrast to other games that let you bring counters to everything, limiting the number of skills to eight really makes the game interesting. I also enjoy the low level cap, so that (mostly) everyone is on an even keel.
Funniest PUG experience: I was doing one of the desert missions in the original campaign when a Ranger/Mesmer joined the party with skills like Conjure Phantasm and Healing Spring, and had wasted 50 attribute points in an attribute he didn’t have skills for. I think we still made it through, but I both cringed and laughed when he pinged his build.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I’ve gone into RA multiple times without the right skills, attributes, armor, and so on. It’s embarrassing every time when I’m the first to die.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Lore School [GWen]

Coins dropped to spell out the guild tag.

First, tell us about your guild history.

We started as a small group of friends in a guild first built by Zilken Zatin called the Carlton Way [TCW]. As we played more and more and delved deeper into the lore of the game, ZZ created Lore School [GWen] to be a Luxon guild for the release of Guild Wars Factions.

How large is the guild?

We’ve always hovered around the 30 player mark and the roster is maintained to ensure all players are active.

How do you see the guild evolving over time?

We have a dedicated core of players that have been playing a long time and will most likely move into GW2. Our goal in the meantime is to get as many rank five or higher title holders as possible by the release of GW2, then take our merry band into a new future.

Guild members pose in the Underworld.

Does your guild have a favorite region/part of the world? Why?

We love the Underworld, because it always keeps you on your toes. One small slip and it can fold in an instant. Communication and patience win out, and the deeper you go the better the rewards. We’ve played together for quite a while now, so we know each others’ play styles and much of the play is done without a word typed or spoken.

Can you share any tips or a build for beating a particular mission at Master level?

A popular build within the guild lately is the 600/Smite duo. With this setup we can Vanquish much faster and scythe through areas that give other builds a headache. And it’s fast. For working people with little time, it’s a great way to get the job done without losing the entire evening and pounds of sweat to stress.

Do you have any tips for defeating specific monsters?

Pain Inverter has become a must-have skill since it came onto the scene. In particular, the Great Destroyer suffers mightily at the hands of this single skill. Other bosses should beware any Hero packing it. You should try using Pain Inverter on a Jotun. It’s funny when they smash themselves to death with one blow!

Member information

Handle: Divine Foor

Location: Belgium
Position: Officer
Gaming background: My dad was a programmer when I was four or five, so I started gaming on a really old Macintosh. Pong was the first game I ever played. Then it only improved, going from RPGs to RTSs and FPSs. However, since my brother bought Guild Wars, I bought it too, and I’m still playing it. Since that day, I don’t play many other games, because Guild Wars is just way too much fun.
Skill Bar:

This is one of the best builds to farm with. Actually for doing everything! My brother and I make a strong team together, and we farmed a lot this way. As long as enemy groups are less than 50 enemies, we can handle it! Of course we also take guildies or alliance members with us for a powerful backup line.
Greatest Guild Wars triumph: FoW armor. After months of playing and farming together with my brother and fellow guildies, we got a guild team together to get my FoW armor. After some serious fighting (600 Monk or Ursanway didn’t exist back then), we finally got to the armor crafter. When I bought it and changed my old armor for this new and shiny armor, it felt like I had conquered Guild Wars!

Handle: Zilken Zatin

Location: Cambridge, UK
Position: Guild Leader
Preferred character: Necromancer. Armor-ignoring skills, self heal while damaging, and a mini army at my disposal, what part of being a Necro isn’t enjoyable?
Skill Bar:

This is one of the most survivable PvE builds I’ve found. You can cause some hefty damage and cover the backside of not only yourself but anyone else under pressure.
Greatest Guild Wars triumph: Lots! Completing UW for the first time, the Deep for the first time, storming Tombs when it was new; they’re all valid and felt like enormous accomplishments at the time. But attaining R6 KoaBD must stand out as the triumph above all others.
PvP or PvE: Without doubt, PvE, mainly because it’s more relaxed and more sociable. Yes it can get hectic, but you can always set your own pace. And with the wonderful environments, beautifully-made monsters, and overall cool story, PvE is a great way to have fun.

Handle: Unyielding Anguish

Location: Kansas
Position: Officer
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Sharing information with other players and making their characters stronger. Knowledge is power, and I like to spread the wealth whenever I can.
Preferred character: My Dervish, Unyielding Anguish. He has completed all three campaigns (and Eye of the North), just recently attained the I’m Very Important title, and can be a great damage dealer (with or without Ursanway) while healing himself.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: I would have to say a Jotun. Who wouldn’t want to be a 15-foot-tall giant that only wears shorts?

Handle: Elf Forest Ranger

Location: The Netherlands
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Definitely a Destroyer. Their cool looks and resistance against my Searing Flame Heroes really made them one of my favorites.
Preferred character: So far, Ranger has always been my favorite, with Monk coming right after. My Ranger is my first character and he’s the one I use for PvE the most. I always prefer to be more defensive than offensive in a fight, and for that purpose I think Broad Head Arrow is the best Ranger skill around, especially against caster bosses.
Real life experience from gaming: About a year ago I had an all-nighter with some guildies. After we had completed the Deep four or five times, we all managed to get about an hour of sleep. When I went to college that morning the only thing I had in my notebook at the end of the class was a beautiful picture of the Word of Healing icon.

Handle: Rurik Reborn

Location: United Kingdom
Position: Officer
Humorous gaming incident: I turned up at work thirty minutes late. Knowing my boss was a fan of online gaming I gave him my excuse for being late: “I’ve been defending Kryta from invasion by an Undead army.” He looked less than impressed, but later found it funny.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: A while back my local store had a sale on Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. For days, every time I logged in it seemed like I was tucking into a nice fresh tub. I ended up with the nickname, “Tubby,” not that I am. Now even my own girlfriend has started to call me that in guild chat.
Greatest Guild Wars triumph: Being in the first team to complete a Tombs run in an hour with a balanced team. That was before the barragers found it, though. We had so much fun rushing that area, and the feeling when everyone in town wanted to get into our team was awesome.

Handle: Xuie (Ceaser)

Location: Victoria, Australia
Position: Disciple of Zilken (member)
Humorous gaming incident: One that stands out was trying to do Eternal Grove in Hard Mode with our guild leader, Dwaynas. We started and all was going smoothly; Dwaynas even commented about how easy it was this time through. I agreed and went on killing those poor Luxons until Dwaynas said “OMG Xuie!!!! You forgot to turn on HM!!!”
Guild Wars monster you’d be: One of the Charr. I love the new artwork for the Charr and something draws me to the race that destroyed Ascalon.
Real life experience from gaming: I used to be in an Aussie Luxon guild called SDg, which was a great guild and I hope they’ll read this. A new guy by the name of Sir Maximus Plus joined the guild and we started playing and doing missions together. That was about two years ago now. He left and so did I. Three months ago I went to my friend’s house and met his little cousin who also plays Guild Wars. He showed me his character, Sir Maximus Plus.

Handle: Dwaynas “DB” Beloved

Location: Belgium
Position: Member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Titles! We at GWen are quite competitive when it comes to achieving titles to add to our Kind of a Big Deal list. We’re always ready to help each other reach the next goal, and have fun doing so. Of course, displaying your new or biggest achievement on your character often leads to many “Ooohs” and “Wows” from the people you encounter, which is always funny to witness. And how many players can say they have a God (r6 of the KoaBD) as their leader?
PvE or PvP: You’ll occasionally find me in RA or AB, but I’m mainly a PvE player. With the introduction of Hard Mode I think PvE also has many competitive missions/areas that require a team effort. To me, Vanquishing an area or clearing places like FoW or UW while having a good laugh over TS can be just as rewarding as fighting others in PvP.
Preferred Character: My Monk. When I first started playing Guild Wars I had a Ranger as my first character, and I was one of those people always in a group looking for a Monk. So I decided to try it out myself, and it turned out to be my favorite class to play. It also yields the highest amount of titles. I’m nearing 27 maxed titles and thus good for rank five and a very smelly mahogany hall.

Handle: Yoghurt Drink

Location: Netherlands
Position: Member (Fruitcake)
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I got kicked out of a PvP guild for taking the wrong weapon. I was playing a healing Necromancer but forgot to change my Blood Magic staff to a Healing Prayers one.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A spined aloe, lurking underground to hit you for 1 damage when you come near. The fun thing about these creatures is that they deal so little damage that many players leave them alone, even while under attack by them. That´s what makes them the ultimate Assassin...if there is enough time.
Greatest Guild Wars triumph: Attaining My Guildhall Smells of Rich Mahogany title on my Necromancer, Angelic Girl.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Pirates of the Searing [YoHo]

What is your guild philosophy?

To never discriminate or put down. Everyone was once a ‘newbie’ to the game and not everyone focuses on the same aspect of Guild Wars or has the same commitment level. In YoHo we require dedication and a shared responsibility to help and teach one another where possible.

What in-game activities does your guild organize?

We have strange yet fun events, like the tradition of clearing the Fissure of Woe each Saturday, but with different variations. One week we would all be candy corns, the next all Paragons. These events are planned and documented by our E-team (E stands for Events) to reward members with points they can turn into prizes.

]] One of our many event twists, clearing Fissure of Woe as a bunch of candy corns!

“Guess the location” is an ongoing forum competition where we post a screen shot of a location from Guild Wars. Members earn points by guessing where the screenshot was taken and taking a screenshot of themselves at that location.

Our recent Paragon event saw two teams of Paragons rush through the beginning of Nightfall, all starting at level 1.

YoHo paragon training camp in preparation for the Paragon Nightfall event.

We recently had a “Who has the worst armor combination” competition in our guild hall to see who could look the most horrific. The unfortunate individual won 1k and was the target of laughter from fellow guildies.

Can you share any tips for vanquishing foes in Hard Mode?

When doing anything in Hard Mode, make sure you have a source of Daze. During many dungeons this was the key to defeating the end boss and speeding up the mission.

Use a main damage tank to lure mobs. Remember not to bite off more than you can chew. The best bet is to use a Warrior or Dervish to round up one or two groups. Wherever possible, pull the groups along a wall. Next get the rest of your party quickly to the location. Keep the tank alive while he/she body blocks the foes against the wall. A Ranger with Broad Head Arrow should hit a target followed by Epidemic to spread Daze. Immediately have Elementalists use high damage AoE attacks to bring the mob to a quick halt.

Any other mid-line characters should concentrate on finishing off foes that have scattered. Monks should be kept behind the group with the possibility of one Monk bonding the damage tank. It sometimes helps to use Vow of Silence or Spell Breaker on the tank while that person rounds up the foes. Elementalists are favored damage dealers due to their large damage output and AoE skills; Ritualists are also a good source with skills such as Spirit Rift.

Does the guild have a favorite area?

We jointly agree that the Charr Homelands from Eye of the North is a spectacular place. Here we feel Guild Wars’ graphical capabilities are used to the max, and with the uncanny pre-Searing atmosphere,, this area is the place to be. Not to mention all the Charr that we love pounding, just like our pirating back in the day during the Searing. In addition, the burning forest in Sacnoth Valley has an eeriness about it; the place feels enchanted and completely contrasts the surrounding area. The storyline from GW:EN here is extremely thrilling; for the first time we get to see the place where the foul creatures who ruined Ascalon live. Gwen herself is particularly amusing in this area when teamed up with Pyre—a true twist on the story!

What missions do you replay?

We enjoy various missions, either to help each other out or in the pursuit of titles, but a favorite of ours is the Dajkah Inlet. This is our chance to strike against our rival pirates and show ‘em who’s boss by demolishing their ranks and chasing them all out of their bases. It also gives our Heroes flashy new armor.

What unique approach to PvP does your guild have?

Hero Battles are a favorite amongst YoHo, because they are an easy way to jump straight into PvP. Builds are commonly shared among the guild, helping others break into the scene. Because it’s just you and Heroes, you must rely totally on your own initiative and skill to be successful. If you mess up, you have no one to blame. Obviously, frustration is a common factor associated with HB. One member, who shall remain nameless, is famous for screaming down Ventrilo and almost eating his headset after losing!

The YoHo Crew

Handle:

Guardian
Location: Newcastle, England
Position: Guild Leader
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Recently I shared a build of mine with the Guild Wars community through various websites. After receiving loads of PMs regarding the build, I made a forum signature out of the comments I received. It was a triumph to give something back and feel equally rewarded.
Gaming background: I really wanted to get into online gaming. After trying the original Halo, I realized FPSs weren’t for me. Later I discovered Guild Wars and have never strayed far. I have given some other games a try recently, but being used to the standard that Guild Wars delivers, it’s hard to play much else.
Build that gives you trouble: As a Warrior, you rely upon your melee attacks to deal damage. Fighting Rangers that use Stances and throw dirt in your face is a real pain; similarly Mesmers that strip your precious Energy and restrict your movement are tough to play against.

Handle:

Mrs Kickas
Location: England!
Position: The almighty Officer!
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A corsair because I could be a true pirate, although I wouldn’t be in the Searing. I wonder if the Asura can build me a time machine?
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: Well out of the 4,936 (and counting), it’s hard to say which one was the best. Maybe the time when Tainted tested his new Assassin build on me? I didn’t die, of course, but it would have been a great death.
Preferred Character: Elementalist. What’s better than sitting back and watching enemies burn while they run around screaming, and then planting several meteors on top of their heads? The best and most fun build for PvE would have to be a renewal nuker, combining meteors with Burning.

Handle:

Tainted Son
Location: Newcastle, England
Position: Senior Officer
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: My obsidian armor money-raising marathon. Back in those days I was inexperienced at farming, so to raise gold I farmed minotaurs solidly for two weeks. The amazing thing is I didn’t resort to eating my own head in frustration.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: In my early days I was in the Shiverpeaks with Guardian when we encountered tundra giants. We killed them and one dropped giant’s boots. I demanded Guardian give them to me so I could wear them. After a quick explanation, I hung my head in shame; now whenever giant’s boots drop, everyone says, “hey, Tainted you can use these on your Warrior.”
Gaming background: I’ve done pretty much everything; I really started to get into online gaming when I was introduced to Runescape. After much persistence and convincing, Guardian got me to try Guild Wars, and I’ve been playing ever since. Aside from Guild Wars I’m an avid PS3 fan!

Handle:

Brutal Dracon
Location: Great Britain
Position: Member
One interesting fact: I once walked through the streets of Chester (a local city full of shops) dressed in a hazmat suit and gas mask for a friend’s art project. It was a lot of fun, pretty scary, and brought the security guards out of the shops to make sure I didn’t go in. One person said, “Do you know something we don’t?”
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Tengu. The first time through the game these foes were difficult, and seeing a huge battlefield full of them outside of Lion’s Arch was like staring death in the eye. To be the monster that caused me so much trouble when I first started playing would be brilliant! They also hold their swords in a cool fashion.
Funniest PUG experience: Two higher-level players offered to take my Monk through an early Factions mission. Upon reaching the end of the tedious mission I was very excited that I was finally finishing it. Just then the Necromancer sacrificed himself to death, leaving his minions to turn on me and kill me in some elaborate ploy of annoyance.

Handle:

Blind Bill
Location: Croydon, England
Position: Officer
Preferred character: I’ve always loved Rangers; they are fun and versatile. Recently I’ve been playing R/P using a ‘Heal as One’ spear build; it’s good in AB and not a bad tank in simple PvE situations. When playing the Ranger I prefer to stand back and provide Poison and/or Daze support.
Gaming background: I’ve played a fair few games, starting with FPSs such as Halo, CSS, BF2, ET and then moving on to RPGs, namely Rose Online, Anarchy Online, Runescape, and then better RPGs like Guild Wars, and WoW. I finally settled on Guild Wars. It’s just a more interesting game with better graphics and a far superior story line to most.
Why you joined: I was wandering around Lion’s Arch when I spotted Kickas and Guardian advertising. It wasn’t a great pitch but, seeing as I liked the pirate theme and their sense of humor, I joined. When I got to know everyone, I was shown that there was more to GW than I had already seen, so I stayed for the knowledge and fun they had to offer.

Handle:

Althea Quindiniar
Location: England
Position: Member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The fact that it’s online! Seriously! With a bunch of fun guildies thinking up events, I never get bored.
Guild Wars deity: Melandru. Nothing is more peaceful than sitting in a beautiful glen and enjoying the nature around me (GW is great fun but you can’t always say it’s peaceful).
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Getting Legendary Survivor. Definitely the hardest title I have gotten to date, but thanks to double XP on elite skill weekend I got to work on two titles at once!
PvP or PvE: PvE. I love following the story to see where it will lead. That and title hunting.
Why you joined: I was looking for an active but low pressure guild that was fun to play with. YoHo hasn’t let me down. There is always someone on to chat with and they have great (and creative) weekly events.

Handle:

Nicole Hamqin
Location: Sweden
Position: Officer
PvP or PvE: I go through different gaming periods. I love to PvP one month, but next month it’s PvE. I like doing this so I get a break from each aspect and my interest is reenergized.
Build you have trouble with: The way I look at it, there are no professions or builds that are superior—the hard part is finding a counter for them.
Gaming background: RPG is my type of game; it’s awesome to see a creator’s imagination simulated in a game.
Why you joined: I came across some of the guys recruiting, joined, and never looked back.

Handle:

I Am E T
Location: Turkey
Position: Member
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: We were doing GvG (for fun) when this evil and mad friend of ours fired the catapult on us. Seven people down in a split second.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: PvP, I have no doubt about this. Playing against other players is no doubt the best thing I’ve ever seen. Creating a strategy, using it, seeing it get beaten, and then trying to build a better one...it’s great fun.
Guild Wars deity: Abaddon! Why? ‘Cause he’s a god...and he dances awesome. Yup, he’s a great dancer…
Real life experience from gaming: In our school there were five people who played GW. I was already good friends with them, but as we talked about the game, we found out other similarities between us and became closer friends.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Centre Path [TCP]

The Centre Path [TCP] began as a smallish group of Guild Wars friends seeking a comfortable atmosphere, and is now an active guild leading a large alliance. It has a full roster of members supported by 11 officers and the leader. Though its ranks are full, the guild refers applicants to the entire 550-member alliance and usually finds room for prospective recruits.

TCP functions smoothly without strict membership requirements. Associates are treated with respect and shown the benefits of faction farming—a useful skill they soon perform on their own. Longtime participants encourage newcomers to engage in a variety of activities together such as elite missions, Hard Mode dungeons, fast faction farming (FFF), AB, fun activities, and much more. The strong push for faction accumulation has resulted in TCP owning several different towns, giving members another reason to remain in the guild. The first town they controlled was Durheim. At the time of this writing, they owned Saint Anjeka’s Shrine.

TCP officers and members gather to celebrate taking a town

Activities

Members use the guild website to organize and sign up for weekly in-game activities. Some examples include: GW Trivia, Find Me for a Mini, and Dance-off. GW Trivia is just as it sounds: several trivia questions about Guild Wars are asked and three winners receive Guild Wars in-game items including ectos, cash, and miniatures. Find Me for a Mini consists of a few officers going to outposts throughout all the campaigns in International districts and dish out hints. After an intrepid member finds them, he or she receives the miniature as reward. Dance-off is a contest in which members come to show off their moves. Points are received for things like innovative armor (including special event headgear) and emote spams and vocals, after which the officers vote for the top three. They also hold parties in several towns. The latest was held in Shing Jea Monastery, with liberal use of Transmogrifier Tonics.

Shing Jea Monastery party

Defeat

With victory, there is also defeat, which the Centre Path has experienced. “Our recent most bitter defeat would have to be an Urgoz run. After crossing the fire bridge, someone had aggroed the wrong group, which forced us over the bridge. Those that survived the attack died on the bridge until a complete party wipe. Another defeat was in Fissure of Woe. Having nearly completed clearing FoW, we took a break for a minute. While afk, someone accepted a quest and several foes spawned around the party, which resulted in a party wipe.”

PvP

TCP likes the Paragon spike team build in AB. It consists of one Paragon with Motivation skills to heal the party, a Paragon with Apply Poison, another with Cruel Spear, and another with Soldier’s Fury spamming massive damage. The combination unleashes massive damage, inflicts Conditions, and offers major party support with Chants and Shouts.

Meet the Centre Path

Handle: Narya Of Daath
Location: Tennessee
Position: Guild Leader
Why your guild is the greatest: We are PvE/faction oriented. PvE/faction has a lot to offer for everyone so we always have things going on.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: I met some of my closest friends on GW. I am glad I have had the opportunity to create such friendships with people I play with everyday.
Why you joined: I created this guild because I did not agree with how a lot of other guilds were being led. I wanted a safe and pleasant virtual home for all my characters, and others who wanted to join me.

Handle: Evanescible Brute
Location: Georgia
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: The Seer who infuses armor. He has awesome armor and I want to levitate.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Proof that Guild Wars is the greatest game I’ve played is the fact that I’ve been playing it for over a year now. I’ve played World of Warcraft, other RPGs, and several other computer games, yet I’m still putting in a few hours a day on Guild Wars.
Preferred character: I prefer my Dervish (I Gods Right Hand I), because of the built-in AoE attacks and awesome Enchantments. Dervishes also have awesome armor, and I have all Nightfall, Norn, Monument and core armor. Scythes are awesome looking weapons as well.

Handle: Darius Stonesnake
Location: Alberta, Canada
Position: Officer
One interesting gaming fact: Since joining this guild I have made some great friends...most of whom I spend more time with than my friends in real life. The power base of this guild is centered on a group of people that have joined and become good friends.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: It is a game with feeling. The no monthly charges creates a pressure-free environment to play the game, and the structure of it allows me to meet and get to know people I would never have met or even given a second glance to in real life.
Why your guild is the greatest: I think our guild is great for many reasons. Mainly our leader is fantastic, dedicated, and very involved in our lives. My dedication to her goals stems from the fact that they quickly become everyone’s goals, and our enthusiasm about them becomes contagious.
Handle: Dewen The Mighty
Location: Texas
Position: Officer
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Even after completing all of the campaigns, there are still fun and interesting things to do. The fun doesn’t end when the campaign ends.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Quite a while back, I accidently entered an Alliance Battle without armor. It was funny, yet embarrassing.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because I log in to a safe, friendly place every day. Everyone gets along, and loves getting together and having some fun.

Handle: Eruivel Helyanwe
Location: California
Position: Officer
Why you joined: I left a guild that had just left its alliance and was going to try to build itself back up. I was new to the game and didn’t feel as though I could help in the process. Also, they were very inactive, so when I found TCP, and saw their announcement, I knew it was the right place. They are supportive, have it together, always willing to lend an ear to someone who needs to talk, and make me feel welcome every time I log in.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: I’ve played other games online and appreciate that Guild Wars allows us to learn the art of skill instead of just killing anything lower level than us. It also allows for guilds to excel in the game and gain recognition.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: I’ve only been playing for about six months, so I don’t have great things like FoW armor or an amazing Kurzick title, but I am VERY proud of my rank six delver (Dwarf.) It was the first high title I ever got.

Handle: Black Majica
Location: Indiana
Position: Officer
One interesting gaming fact: I have been playing GW for 19 months now and have ten level 20 characters and ten storage mules. I play daily which has allowed me to accomplish and learn a great deal about the many facets of GW.
Why your guild is the greatest: I have recently been added to the tight-knit family of officers here at [TCP]. As a former officer/guild leader/alliance leader of past guilds I can honestly say I am very proud to be part of this top notch organization.
Play style: My style of gaming consists mainly of PvE helping in missions, farming of all sorts, and AB.

Handle: Queen Of Speydz/Momentarily Mortal
Location: Missouri
Position: Officer
One interesting gaming fact: A majority of my in-game characters are named after 70’s classic rock songs and lyrics. For example, Queen of Speydz is named after the Styx song Queen of Spades from the 1978 Pieces of Eight album, and Momentarily Mortal is inspired by the phrase “momentary immortality” from the Styx song Superstars from the 1977 Grand Illusion album.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: You have to equip your skills carefully and know your role because you are limited to eight skills in a mission, and only one can be elite. It also forces the best players to rely on others on their team to know and do their jobs well. Nobody is an island!
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Getting my Fissure of Woe armor for my Mesmer, Queen of Speydz. I went from a complete RPG noob to being able to earn enough money to have nice looking vanity armor on my favorite character. It was a feat beyond my wildest in-game dreams.

Celebrating Halloween with nearly 100 ghost-in-the-boxes, sparklers, and squash serums.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Dragons of Eisengard [DOE]

The Dragons of Eisengard [DOE] takes a relaxed approach to gaming, preferring to simply enjoy every minute of Guild Wars time and play the game with a constant smile. DOE members do all they can to make each other feel at home and experience the game with a deep sense of belonging. As such, recruitment is an open process, and membership stretches from Europe to America with very young gamers and grandparents alike. Several family members have even recruited one another. The guild started in Guild Wars and does not have an organized presence in other games, though there are plans to move into Guild Wars 2.

One of DOE’s in-game triumphs is the first time they finished the Tomb of the Primeval Kings with a team of five members. It is now a favored area, and DOE groups enter it regularly. Lion’s Arch is a popular place for them to get together for online radio broadcasts and parties, while the Fissure of Woe and Eye of the North dungeons are other favorite game areas. The guild enjoys additional replayability in any mission in the original Guild Wars campaign.

Most of the guild members have gamed together since Guild Wars released, so they are intimately familiar with the tricks and builds required for the first chapter, and those missions have nostalgia value. Guild members agree: Thunderhead Keep is a particular favorite. Kelras Stonebrood, guild leader, remembers doing it six times in two days to help different guild members complete it after they found little success with pick-up-groups. What better way to spend your time than killing Mursaat?

The Dragons of Eisengard recalls that their most embarrassing moment was a journey to the world of GvG:

“We had, at the time, a couple of players really interested and experienced in GvG, but with our guild being mainly a PvE-based guild there were not many other experienced members. However, in the true spirit of DOE, we formed a team of eight willing volunteers. After talking tactics and sorting builds we ventured into one of our first GvG matches. All went well and we proved victorious against what turned out to be a similar guild with little GvG experience. With spirits high and thinking we could now take on the world we attempted a second match. The rank of this second guild was much higher than the first (top 100, in fact) but our spirits were not to be dampened by this or their comments of ‘for 50k each we will let you guys win.’ It took all of four minutes and 46 seconds before we were defeated, bringing us back down to earth. The victorious guild members were actually very gracious afterwards in their victory. This was certainly a lesson in the way some guilds approach GvG, but it was not our greatest moment.”

Member information

Handle Steep Hill
Location: Wales, UK
Position: Officer
Favourite Guild Wars aspect: When you feel proud and happy to have accomplished something, like saving enough money for an armor set or finishing a title, after such a long time of trying to get it.
Build you have trouble with: I hate coming across Elementalists, mainly fire Elementalists/nukers, because they can get rid of most of my Health before I even get near them.
Gaming background: Mainly FPSs; my favorite FPS must be Half Life. Then I found Guild Wars and started playing RPGs, both offline and online.

Handle Amethyst Delore
Location: West Yorkshire, England
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Glint. She may be an enemy and a dragon, but she’s a beautiful dragon. I really feel sorry for her whenever we kill her.
Humorous gaming incident: Recently about four of the more senior members of our guild went along to help a newer member in the Wilds mission. My sister took charge, and as usual got us well and truly lost. While wandering around we killed some enemies below the level we were on and a gold truncheon fell for my sister, so the rest of the mission was spent with her saying “Where is my truncheon, nobody else get it when we get there, it’s mine!” We never did find her truncheon but eventually reached the end of the mission.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Finally completing our first Tombs outing, after five hours! Now it’s down to a fine art, and usually completed in about an hour and a half.

Handle Antonio
Location: UK
Position: Officer
Favourite Guild Wars aspect: First is the community aspect—the fact that to really succeed and get the best from the game you need to play as a team. A well-oiled team really brings rewards, both material and in gaming pleasure. I also love that many of the settings are outdoors with gorgeous scenery.
PvP or PvE: I much prefer PvE, progressing through the storylines, discovering new areas, and achieving all the little side quests. It keeps me out of trouble in the evening without building the stress levels too high.
Preferred character and play style: Antonio De La Cruz, my first character. He is a Domination Mesmer, pretty good for damage although of course on a different scale than nukers and warriors. The Mesmer is a great character to play because you need to think about the order and timing of skills. As for playing style, what’s one of those and where do I get it? I kind of bumble along at the back and try not to die, that’s why I need a guild!

Handle Areoles Enysii, Cynn Morsmordre, Shinsei Iwaya, Villosa Fleetfoot, Andune Feanor
Location: Suffolk, England
Position: Officer
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: It’s really pretty, it has a great structure, and it’s challenging, but not to the point where I give up. I enjoy the story, the strategy, and the team-building, and I appreciate the peace and quiet (compared to other games I’ve played, there is much less spam in the chat space).
PvP or PvE: I enjoy PvE mostly, but also PvP in Random Arenas, AB, and Team Arenas. I enjoy PvP because it is a completely different way of playing.
Skill Bar: Power Attack, Dismember, Penetrating Chop, Low Blow, Dolyak Signet, “I Will Survive!”, Healing Breeze, Rebirth
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Handle Jendara Moonshadow
Location: West Yorkshire, England
Position: Officer
Guild Wars deity: Melandru, because I love wildlife and being able to have a pet and a mini pet is something I enjoy so much.
Humorous gaming incident: When I was still new and made one of my first forays into the Tombs, I had been desperate to own a gold fiery dragon sword. I opened a chest and out popped a fiery dragon sword. Unfortunately this was before the warnings about salvaging came up, so instead of identifying it, I salvaged it. Everyone was asking me what the mods on it were, but now I will never know…
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Getting a Black Moa Chick. It wasn’t easy and I had to do the Luxon stuff all on my own as my guild is Kurzick (I felt a little bit like a traitor but not much). My sister gave me a hand with collecting the stuff so I took two characters for incubators in the end and got her one as well. The chicks were well worth the effort.

Handle Offas The Most
Location: Wakefield, England
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A corsair. I’ve always been a seafarer at heart. The idea of pillaging and plundering and escaping to sea with the loot appeals immensely. Besides which, the characters in Guild Wars can’t swim so they wouldn’t be able to catch me.
Humorous gaming incident: One of our party members was perplexed as to why he was not causing much damage in melee, until it was pointed out to him that he did not possess a weapon.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Guild Wars is playable by every level of gamer, from the complete novice to the most experienced online gamer. It can be played either on your own or with others—and lots of them! It offers huge amounts of game play with hundreds of quests as well as missions following a storyline. And it doesn’t require loads of cash to play.

Handle Savanna Moonsparkle
Location: West Yorkshire, England
Position: Officer
Guild Wars deity: Melandru because we share a love of the land and all animals. Her shrines are always beautiful places and I like the way she is at one with nature, particularly trees, the true life of the planet.
Humorous gaming incident: One evening some team members were on TeamSpeak, but not all. We were in an elite area and one of the players (who wasn’t on TeamSpeak) typed angrily at our Monk for being in the wrong place. She took offense, and thereafter refused to heal him. He was doing the luring and was always dead. We were laughing all the way through as he never seemed to realize why he died so often. It probably was not very funny for him, but the rest of us had a good laugh.
Build you have trouble with: The profession I fear the most are Assassins. My spells always take too long to cast to do enough damage to them, and I find the Assassin boss very hard to beat unless he is vastly outnumbered by my party. However, I do quite enjoy playing Assassin!

Handle Damson Rhee
Location: Wakefield, UK
Position: Officer
Favourite Guild Wars aspect: Being able to look devastatingly beautiful, while being dangerously powerful and able to run around all day without even breaking a sweat. Also, my family spends a lot of time together in DOE which has brought us closer together with the fun and laughter every time we play.
Humorous gaming incident: Unfortunately, playing with my mother a lot means that humorous incidents happen too often to differentiate between them! My mum has a knack of getting lost, confusing us all and then suddenly stopping to announce that she is going to view the Wiki.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I was playing Monk with some friends from another guild and unfortunately everyone died but me. When asked why I was still alive and several yards away from where they were fighting, I admitted that I had been struggling to heal them while feeding my baby at the same time!
Preferred character: My minion master, because sometimes you need to just play on your own but accomplish something at the same time. An army of minions helps combat any number of enemies. I loved mapping the forest and seas in Factions as it provided some light relief from the kids and gained faction for the guild at the same time.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Scribe: Tantalizing Treats, Historical Events, and Recognition

Seasonal Fare

Autumn winds blow through the lands and shorter nights herald the coming of a special holiday. Often during this seasonal lull between the long, sweet days of summer and the short, bitter days of winter, my thoughts turn to my childhood and to fond memories of my grandmother’s baked goods and the pungent odours wafting from grandfather’s barn as he turned apples into cider.
What brings this to mind is some interesting news I learned while travelling through Tyria, Cantha, and Elona these past few weeks. It seems the Fraternal Order of Bakers and Brewers (FOBB) plans to gather at secret locations across the lands to exchange recipes, share samples of their goods, and spread their special brand of cheer (to the dismay of bar maids and innkeepers alike).

What may interest you, gentle readers, is that in the past, the participants of these surreptitious banquets have often left for home not fully in control of all of their faculties (much like my grandfather after a day of making cider), and have been known to unwittingly leave some of their wares along the roadside as their carts bump and carom along the cobbles, where they have been picked up by various denizens of the area.

So, be on the alert in all three lands during the next several days, for you may find means to acquire samples of the latest FOBB confections or beverages. If past harvest convention fare is any indicator, these tasty treats are sure to please.

Tales and Stories of Great Heroes

The lands of Tyria, Elona, and Cantha have distinct and rich histories that are rife with conflict. These struggles have given rise to great heroes who fought or continue to fight against the forces of evil to protect their homelands. Each of these heroes has quite the tale to tell, but unfortunately, much of their history has been lost or diluted after years of being told and re-told during storytelling festivals or while gathered around the fire at local taverns. Few know the true stories behind the greatest iconic heroes of our world.

Soon, through the extraordinary efforts of Historian Durmand, current-day heroes will have the opportunity to learn first hand the noble history of the past and partake of rewards for the effort. Look for Durmand in the coming weeks, for he offers both grand tales and excellent rewards for those who seek them.

Random Acts of Kindness

I have been studying in solitude for quite some time as well as working with other scholars to aid the great historian, Durmand, on the project previously referenced in this scroll. However, I still found time to witness a few notable acts of kindness.

Far to the north of my sacred home, Sir Lexicor Astarte helped an adventurer find the mighty Norn hero, Magni the Bison, so he could test his might in the Norn Tournament. He also shared some words of advice to prepare his peer for the fierce challenges of that competition. Zoo Landr also offered a helping hand on quests.

In the bustling port city of Kamadan, Xenedraa Of Endylon gave a valuable axe to an ill-equipped Warrior, while Imotep Thee Great lead adventurers to the skill trainer to prepare them for the dangers of the untamed world.

Fall Into Suffering generously shared precious items with a fellow resident so those items could be passed on to other deserving citizens.

While battling my way to the Hall of Heroes, I witnessed a pair of praiseworthy combatants. I Nurse I and Devilish King fought with honour and showed respect for their opponents. I wish them both the best of luck in their endeavours to claim the Hall of Heroes.

United Jedi [UJ]

United Jedi [UJ] may sound unusual for a guild name, but it began six years ago in Star Wars games, and members grew attached to it. They brought that name with them into other games, such as Age of Empires III, then moved into Guild Wars two years ago and have been a steady presence ever since. The guild leads a Kurzick alliance of five guilds with members spread across the world. The international membership is appreciated by all because it helps everyone learn from each other and broaden their views.

The United Jedi website features an awards system linked to the guild roster. The awards are partially based on Guild Wars titles, but UJ invented other awards: Member of the Month, a Loyalty Cross for long-time membership, and a Heraldic Cross for special achievements.

Various events are another specialty of the United Jedi. Currently, members are fighting a Risk-type Guild Wars game in which all moves need to be fought in scrimmages. They also have a “Find the Place” contest continuously running, a signature of the week, inter-guild tournaments, and sing-a-longs of “kill the Luxons in AB” on Ventrilo. One major event recently held was a “design our new cape” contest in which all participants could present a cape design for a small Guild Wars gold entrance fee. This made it possible to offer the winning designer and runner-up big Guild Wars gold money prizes.

Perhaps UJ’s most defining feature is the rotating leadership. Instead of having just one Guild Wars leader, UJ rotates the leadership between officers every two months. This change of leadership renews the guild, brings in fresh ideas, and enhances every officer’s capabilities.

The United Jedi doesn’t consider itself as either a PvP or PvE-only guild, but it does tend to excel more in PvE. Many UJ members own all Guild Wars campaigns and have more than a thousand hours of gameplay and more than two million experience points on their various characters. Some members are close to logging three thousand hours.

In PvP, UJ members have drifted toward Team Arenas, earning Gladiator points with home-made builds. Recently, they amassed an impressive consecutive win streak of 19 victories. They then modified some team builds for GvG battles and jumped in rank from about 5,000 to about 1,500 after playing three GvG matches with four or five players and Heroes.

United Jedi members recognize they have much to improve on in all PvP/GvG competitions, but they are experiencing a healthy learning curve and setting up PvP training. Even so, the guild has no strong ambition to climb the GvG ladder, though members wouldn’t mind a better rank. For them, PvP is simply another way to have fun. All in all, they aim to keep a healthy combination between PvE and PvP gameplay.

Meet some Jedi

Handle: Mad Wook
Position in the Guild: Current Leader, officer
Location: Canyon (a small town in west Texas)
Gaming background: RTSs such as AoE3 and Company of Heroes; FPSs such as Counter Strike: Source; MMORPGs such as City of Heroes and Guild Wars.
Favourite profession: Ranger is my favourite with Warrior coming in second. I’m currently learning how to play a Necromancer.
Why I like my guild so much: I’ve made lots of friends. I’ve been in this guild for five years and feel like it’s a part of me. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: How you can use Heroes and henchmen, PuGs, or your guild and alliance to help you with every aspect of the game.
Humorous gaming incident: When we all met in town to help someone with a mission and first danced in our underwear for 10 minutes.

Handle: Almighty Wakslag
Position in the Guild: Full-Time Slacker (officer), occasional leader
Location: Northern Ireland
Favourite profession: Ranger all the way! Although Monk can be fun, too.
PvE or PvP: PvP because it rocks; PvE for buying cool stuff for my PvP chars.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: The amount of combinations you can have with the builds, especially in PvP. Also noticing how a skill that sucks in PvE rocks in PvP.
Best memory in Guild Wars: Talking to myself in Guild chat.
Humorous gaming incident: Taking screenshots of my own character’s bum.

Handle: Andor Caron
Position in the Guild: Officer, occasional leader
Location: Connecticut
Gaming background: The first game I played online was StarCraft. I moved to RuneScape a few years later. After that I went into WoW for a short period of time and then ended up in Guild Wars. I play many first-person shooters like F.E.A.R. or UT2004.
Favourite part of Guild Wars: Playing with so many people all over the world without being charged a load of money each month.
Biggest triumph in Guild Wars: The first time I got ten consecutive wins in RA.
Best memory in Guild Wars: The first 15k armor set I got (Gladiator’s).

Handle: Empress Celestial
Position in the Guild: Officer, occasional leader
Location: South Yorkshire (home) and Staffordshire (university), England
Gaming background: Avid gamer! I’ve played around on games since I was a wee kid. I got into internet gaming with Age of Empires: RoR. My next door neighbor got me interested in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. After messing around for a few years with different clans, I joined UJ and moved to AoE3 to lead that part of the clan. I then bought Factions and have become a Guild Wars addict.
Favourite profession: Ranger, I think. I have a short attention span so I tend to flitter between professions.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: Free gaming and fun with guildies.
Humorous gaming incident: Guild chat when someone misinterprets something and then full-scale verbal warfare kicks off and results in a duel, which I then lose; I should stop yelling at those who can kick my butt. 

Handle: Shiva Belleza
Position in the Guild: Officer, occasional leader
Location: Eastern Finland
Gaming background: I like GTA and the Final Fantasy series; nowadays I only play Guild Wars.
Favourite profession: Necromancer is my favourite profession, but I also like Dervish.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: Playing hard missions like the Domain of Anguish with nice people.
Biggest triumph in Guild Wars: Collecting all materials for Obsidian armor.
Humorous gaming incident: Once, in the Domain of Anguish, we were nearly at the end of Foundry. Our Obsidian Flesh tank died and he shouted “TANK IS DOWN! TANK IS DOWN!” That was really funny to me.

Handle: Stacy Moonshine
Position in the Guild: Officer, occasional leader
Location: Somewhere deep in the forests of Finland.
Gaming background: RPGs and FPS games like Baldur’s Gate and the Unreal Tournament series.
Favourite profession: Definitely Ranger, though I also like Monk and Elementalist.
PvE or PvP: I’m a PvE player. AB is the only type of PvP that I play.
Best memory in Guild Wars: Watching Almighty Wakslag get owned by a dying Nightmare.
Humorous gaming incident: Sending PMs to myself in-game (gosh what people do when they’re bored).

Handle: Uj Insanity
Position in the Guild: Officer, occasional leader
Location: Londerzeel, a small town somewhere in Belgium that no one has ever heard of.
Gaming background: RTS games and strategic simulations, but since I moved into Guild Wars I haven’t played any other game!
Favourite profession: Necromancer and Mesmer. I’m too old for melee characters, so I prefer to stay in the back and frustrate our enemies.
PvE or PvP: I like both as long as I can team up with guildies.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: Using my Necro to suck the life out of foes and make minions with their leftover bones.

Handle: Todo Modo
Position in the Guild: Member
Location: Marion, Arkansas, an average-sized town that is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee
Gaming background: So much. It all started with Diablo 2, then evolved into Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, then Star Wars Galaxies, then World of Warcraft, then Age of Empires III, and currently Guild Wars. Not to mention all the offline or console games I have played.
Favourite profession: They all have their perks, but Warrior has to be my favourite. There is just something I like about being all up in the middle of things.
Favourite aspect of Guild Wars: Taking the hits and looking good while doing it!
Humorous gaming incident: Convincing a real life friend that one of my other real life friends gave me a bone dragon for free...he still believes it to this day.

Handle: B O M Chika Wah Wah
Position in the Guild: One of the three femme fatales in UJ.
Location: Somewhere in Sherwood Forest, hidden from possible stalkers
Gaming background: My boyfriend got me into gaming. Now I have all consoles ever built. I play mainly RPGs and, yes, I did like Tomb Raider. Guild Wars is just the ultimate RPG for me, and I’ve made a huge base of friends in this game.
Favourite profession: A nasty Necro or other casters, ‘cause I like to manipulate and dominate. Not a big fan of Warriors even though they’re handy at times.
Why I like my guild so much: It’s fun and well organized with friendly team players who offer help and organize guild events. But we definitely need more femme fatales to invade this men’s club. Sometimes girls want to talk shoes! 
Humorous gaming incident: Saying something that was meant for someone special...but saying it over Guild chat. I’ll never live that one down. I’m still teased now about saying it (love to my pet bear, Cuddles).

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

United Aussie Warriors [AUS]

The United Aussie Warriors [AUS] is one of the first (and the largest) Australian guilds. It consists of several guilds in an alliance and recently reached a peak of 450 members, with ages ranging from 10 to 68. The guild was formed by real life partners Topaz and Waking of the Night, in November, 2005. AUS is mostly a PvE guild, although it has a regular complement of Heroes’ Ascent players. The guild was created for Guild Wars, although some players have considered opening a World of Warcraft division. When the time comes, AUS plans to move to Guild Wars 2. There are no other long-term goals, other than to provide a friendly guild for all players, embracing both Australian and non-Australian players alike.

The United Aussie Warriors guild philosophy is to help everyone, whether new members or old. The guild’s members follow a standard set of rules to keep their gaming environment clean and enjoyable. This includes common sense guidelines such as no spamming, no scamming, no begging, no negative comments in Alliance chat, and so on. Officers have their own code of conduct that encourages helping guildies with reasonable requests, recruiting, publicly promoting the guild, enforcing rules, and organizing activities.

When a member is believed to have violated these rules, a lengthy and involved process begins; kicks and bans are not instituted at the whim of a single officer. Instead, the forums have a “jury duty” section where officers debate whether or not a particular member is problematic. This process prevents undue kicks from the guild for relatively minor affairs or misunderstandings.

Events happen sporadically within AUS. The guild hosts seasonal parties (New Year’s, Christmas, and so on), scavenger hunts with prizes worth a several 100k split between teams, and competitions such as the 1v1 event running now. Smaller events are also popular and include elite mission runs through the Deep, Urgoz’s Warren, and so on, and special runs, like an all-Assassin group going into Tombs for several hours.

There are many reasons to join UAW, whether it’s being part of a mostly Australian group, the occasional events, or the helpful atmosphere. Several players joined specifically because of the friendliness of Topaz, one of the leaders, who places the needs of others before her own. AUS is willing to give any recruit a chance. Even so, there are people who don’t last long. Players who like to chat with excessive capital letters, swear all the time, insult other members, back chat without provocation, or display racist qualities are kicked. Of course, such people are warned first, to insure they have a chance to improve their behavior, and the rules are always on the forum for any member to see.

The guild’s mostly Australian background helps everyone get along. Almost all ideas are fully supported by the guild. Alliance chat is a civil affair. Jokes that one person finds funny, the guild finds funny. It all works very well for them and promotes a sense of community and solidarity.

Currently the guild is going through changes, with members shifting around in the alliance and many promotions of officers occurring. The reorganization, combined with the Guild of the Week nomination, is part of an ongoing effort to show Australian players that there is an active guild in their time zone, and what they can expect from the guild.

A few Australian Warriors

Handle: Alexander Dunstan

Location: Australia, Victoria
Position: Leader
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Guilds. They are what keep people logging on every day.
Guild Wars deity: Balthazar, because I’m a warrior at heart.
PvP or PvE: PvE. PvP is too serious for me. I like to enjoy myself and have fun.
A build that gives you trouble: Touch Rangers. They’re so hard to kill and I don’t think they’re very useful in a group.
Why your guild is the greatest: The people. That is what makes a guild great.

Handle: Sir Daguze

Location: Australia, New South Wales
Position: Officer/Site Admin
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: My favorite aspect would have to be the people in the guilds; they are great fun and always manage to give me a laugh with their silly antics, or me causing them to laugh with mine.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: I would be Kuunavang, because I’ve always liked dragons.
Humorous gaming incident: I was sitting around in Stingray Strand chatting, as you do, and I saw that some people were messing around on Alliance Chat so I joined in. The conversation came to an abrupt end when I bit off a guildmate’s licorice shin. Before we could retrieve the leg another guildie ran off with it. This led to some posts in the forums asking if anyone had seen a rather handsome licorice shin around Stingray Strand.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because all of our members are always willing to help each other complete a mission, do a quest, or give advice on builds.
Preferred character: Sir Daguze (Warrior/Monk). He is my tank and my third character. I enjoy tanking and racing with the Elementalists to see who can drop things faster. My favorite skill combo is Charging Strike and Flail because it gives me a permanent Stance and works wonderfully for both DPS and a spike, especially when combined with Sever Artery and Gash. I usually tank into the casters, especially in PvP because they never expect a tank to do a lot of damage right away, and Charging Strike recharges at the same time my Energy returns. There is also a running joke in the guild about my innate ability to pull mobs onto the group with my personality...and my need to /taunt bosses.

Handle: Darren Blacktail

Location: Victoria, Australia
Position: Random Assassin Fool/Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Ohhh definitely a Margonite Reaper. They are just cool and dangerous, and look the best out of all the monsters out there.
Guild Wars deity: Grenth, god of death. Being an Assassin in game I really mess up a couple of people.
Humorous gaming incident: I was really hyped up to do a mission I had tried to finish for ages. I was repeatedly asking “Are we ready??” Everyone finally answered yes, so I went to hit the Start Mission Button but hit Leave instead...everyone was laughing for about five minutes before we started the mission.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The guild atmosphere is the best thing; they are the greatest people to play the game with. We can be totally serious one minute about a mission, and then cracking jokes and having a party in the guild hall the next.
Preferred character: Darren Blacktail, my Assassin. I love the quick attacks and spiking capabilities and enjoy playing Assassins in PvE or PvP. I have been using the Critical Strikes line of attacks lately with the introduction of the Sunspear title and Factions skills. To keep up skills like Critical Defenses and Critical Agility, I use quick chains of three skills to keep the critical hits flowing; Jagged Strike > Wild Strike > Death Blossom has been my main combo since I started my Assassin long ago.

Handle: Scorpios The Great

Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Position: Officer, Guild Loyalist
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: My favorite aspect is the bonds that form between players in the guild. Fighting through the game with guildies at your side and helping them, or having them help you achieve goals is what makes this game a winner in my books. I hold in high regard the respect from peers and the feeling of accomplishment from guild gratitude.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: The day I brought Prophecies home and started playing it, I was hooked straight away. Its no online fees attracted me in the first place, but then getting in a guild with so many wonderful people in it makes it one of the best games ever. The in-depth storyline and gameplay is second to none, plus you never run out of things to do for any one particular character.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Ruins of Morah, Gate of Madness, Jennur’s Horde—completed all with Heroes and henchies, and Masters reward, too. Unfortunately, nobody was online at the time to join in my achievement.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because each player is a valued friend willing to help, share, and make the gaming experience more enjoyable for you or others. The special events, like parties, scavenger hunts, Guild Elite Area Bonding, and PvP with guildies are all a lot of fun. When they play for fun it makes it even better to fight alongside some of the greatest players in AUS. Having leaders like Topes, Alex, and Waking who made this guild what it is today makes our guild stand out from others. They are truly gods among men. Long live AUS!
Preferred character: Warrior/Ritualist in Hard Mode. The combo Splinter Weapon + Gladiator’s Defense + Riposte + Deadly Riposte + Whirlwind Attack (while holding aggro) takes out high-end groups in a few seconds. Uber pwnage! My play style is simple: kill or be killed. There is no middle ground.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Elite Lords of Chaos [LoC]

The Elite Lords of Chaos [LoC] originated in Starcraft in 2002, and were first known as just the Lords of Chaos. The guild is a gaming community designed to bring people together to have fun, talk, and make new friends. In 2006, the guild ended its Starcraft division and moved to Guild Wars. The guild is now 65 members strong.

Weekly Game Events

[LoC] has weekly guild events, both in-game and out. Larger events have included vanquishing challenges, where teams of guild and alliance members compete against each other to vanquish an area. The first group to do so wins a prize valued at about 10k in-game gold. This was a four week event, and they vanquished four areas.

When asked about an embarrassing moment, guild members respond: “Trying to vanquish Dry Top. We could not kill the group consisting of a couple of Maguuma Protector’s. Even after spending an hour or two, we could not find a way to kill them. They were the last group, too!”

Another popular event for [Loc] is called “naked mission.” The guild selects a mission, then members group together and do the mission naked, without wearing any armor. They do surprisingly well on some missions, while on others they are turned into a sea of bloody corpses.

PvP Fun

The Elite Lords of Chaos also participate in Alliance Battles (Luxon side) and organize scrimmages. They often seek guests and emphasize that everyone should join their groups, because it is a fun time. This PvP also reinforces how much they enjoy each others’ company, and how well they get along as a guild.

Once, after the completion of a naked mission, they traveled over to Alliance Battles. Of course they forgot to put their armor back on and immediately discovered it’s a lot harder to win AB without armor than some of those early missions.

Events in Real Life

The guild has an [LoC] book club, where members read a book every month and discuss events, plots, and themes. They do this all on their forums, and it is open for anyone in the guild, alliance, or even random strangers. As of this writing they are reading Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

Besides literature, [LoC] members even turn to education and sociological pursuits. One member, I See No Tomorrow (ISNT), teaches a nightly class. The guild hall is transformed into a classroom where ISNT instructs on aspects of Guild Wars, the internet, or general life situations. For example, one upcoming class, “The Internet: a Mask Anyone Can Wear?”, examines the different social masks people use when they are online and how their behavior may differ from face-to-face, real-world interactions.

LoC Members

Handle: NoTomorrow or ISNT

Location: USA
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A Charr, not only because of how classic an enemy they are, but because they have claws and fangs in addition to weapons. I’d then be able to attack my enemies even if I lost my weapon!
PvP or PvE: I prefer PvE to PvP. I really like the Guild Wars storyline and although fighting other people is fun, I find that cooperating together gives me a better gaming experience.

Handle: Special Sam

Location: USA
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: My main character has a feather stuck in his hair/headband. He has died countless times, saved nations, survived treks through burning lava, almost taken a bath by walking through a waterfall, and never lost the one feather.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: I was doing the Razah quest with a few other people. We had nearly finished, but everyone in the party except one of my Heroes and I had died, with a mob of monsters separating me from the quest reward. Using only Troll Unguent and sacrificing my Hero’s life (he distracted the monsters as I ran by), I rezzed the people in my party so we could all get the reward.

Handle: Backup Benchwarmer
Location: USA
Position: Officer
Funniest PUG experience: I distinctly remember one of the Monks during the first time I ever tried Hell’s Precipice. The Monk was Mo/Me with a sword, but actually attacked in melee with it every battle. Needless to say, he died many times because of this, and did not listen when people told him to stay out of the middle of battle. He was supposed to be a healing Monk, but the only healing skill I ever saw him use was Word of Healing.
Gaming background: Before Guild Wars I mostly played sports games, especially the EA series. I also played some single player RPGs and RTSs, such as Age of Mythology and some of the Fire Emblem series.

Handle: Slayer Essence

Location: New Jersey
Position: Leader
Gaming background: Mostly three games: Starcraft, Diablo, and Warcraft. I bought Guild Wars the first day it was released and, overwhelmed in Ascalon, I put the game back in the box, rediscovered it six months later, and got hooked on its glory.
Preferred character: My primary characters are Elementalists, using fire builds such as Echo Nuker or Searing Flames. I can inflict massive damage to enemies, and since you are told not to play with fire in real life, I can satisfy those urges on Guild Wars. I also like any ranged unit, such as Necromancer or Ranger. I do not like playing melee characters.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Creating this guild from the Starcraft guild.

Handle: Miss I Pwn Joo

Location: California
Position: Officer
Humorous gaming incident: The first time I tried doing the quest Unwelcome Guest it was the longest thing I’d ever attempted in Guild Wars. I was so confused, and no one in my group knew what to do because Factions had JUST come out and that bug was there where the star directed you to the middle, and not to the other miasma parts. Anyway, long story short: 3 hour quest, 60 DP, five million attempts.
Gaming background: Thanks to the influence of my brother from age nine, I’ve played Everquest, Anarchy Online, Earth and Beyond, Star Wars Galaxies, Everquest 2, World of Warcraft, Lineage 2, Team Fortress Classic, Rune, Dark Age of Camelot, Diablo II, Warcraft III, and probably more, but I’m drawing a blank. Anyway, never much of a PvP person, or an FPS person other than TFC.

Handle: Doodle

Location: Washington State
Position: Officer
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: It was EPIC! I was a low level character doing the Great Northern Wall Mission for the first time and at the end where the Charr break through the wall and rush you, I stayed and told my party members that I would hold them off while they ran. I was quickly surrounded and before I could press space bar to attack, Charr axes took me down while my comrades ran off to alert Ascalon. If I could choose how I’d go out in RL, it would be while protecting my friends.
Gaming background: I play everything, but I enjoy RTS games the most. If you haven’t tried the Total Wars series you should. Picture five thousand men at your fingertips as you lead the greatest armies and nations into the heat of battle with realistic emotions, effects, animations; there’s just a special feeling when you use superior tactics to completely wipe out an army twice your size.

Handle: Equinox Daggerstorm

Location: Washington State
Position: Member
Humorous gaming incident: I was using my 55 Monk when I died in the middle of an explorable area and my Heroes began to try to rez me. But the DP gave me negative 17 Health, so every time I stood up after a resurrect, I’d collapse back on the ground again.
Real life experience from gaming: In LoC, I found a friend from school whom I haven’t talked to in five years!
Funniest PUG experience: The person was obviously new to Prophecies but had played Nightfall; he entered the explorable area instead of hitting the “Enter Mission” button and it took three of us about 15 minutes to convince him it wasn’t really the mission. He kept demanding we find Prince Rurik.

Handle: Alexi

Location: Georgia
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: I’m the “old man” in the guild and a U.S. Navy submariner in real life. What more is there to say?
Humorous gaming incident: There was that time the guild put together a Rotwing farming party; it was my first time out, and in the end we all pretty much got handled.
Why your guild is the greatest: We all really care about each other, not just in the game but in real life also, even though most of us have never met. We all pretty much just enjoy playing and having fun with guild events or whatever seems to be going on at the moment.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

LoS Chavos Del [ocho]

Los Chavos Del [ocho] formed up in the fall of 2005 as a primarily PvE guild. After a year of missions and quests, they started watching matches on Observer Mode, and developed an avid interest in PvP, mainly GvG. A year later and this 100% Latin-American guild is a leading presence in its community, doing its part to maintain good PvP-oriented players.

In the Latin-American community, ocho is a strong PvP guild. There are other Latin-American PvP guilds, but some of them can’t keep their rosters full enough to compete or stay on the same level as ocho, while other large guilds are more PvE-oriented. Ocho sometimes receives invites from other Latin-American PvP guilds to guest in PvP battles. When guesting, Ocho members usually only give advice when asked, and, they emphasize, this doesn’t happen too often. Mostly, members recall very good matches as guests, and are impressed with the quality of play they find.

Los Chavos Del [ocho] considers itself a family, where they worry about each other in the game as well as out of it. If a member is having trouble, the guild offers advice and moral support. Although members usually can’t meet because of long distances, they did meet as a guild once in México to eat tacos, enchiladas, and sopes, and then headed back to the guild leader’s house for menudo.

The roster consists of 12 players: one leader, seven officers and four members. The leader and the officers are the core team while the other four fill in as needed. In the future, they hope to grow and reinforce friendships, both as a guild and within the Latin-American community, while continuing to perform strongly in PvP. They have high aspirations for upcoming tournaments, and would like to have a permanent position in the top of the GvG ladder.

Team build

Warrior/Ritualist: Devastating Hammer/Death Pact Signet
Warrior/Elementalist: Eviscerate/Shock
Ranger/Monk: Crippling Shot
Paragon/Warrior: Defensive Anthem/"Watch Yourself!”
Mesmer/Elementalist: Hex Eater Vortex with Diversion/Shame/Shatter Enchantment and Ward
Monk/Elementalist: Shield of Deflection/Aegis
Monk/Assassin: Light of Deliverance/Infuse Health
Elementalist/Monk: Shield of Regeneration/Armor of Mist flag runner

Ocho likes this build because they can play it offensively or defensively. When running it, they begin an immediate attack against different targets to spread out the pressure. Then, they call spikes on overextended Warriors or some casters (such as Mesmers extending to mess with a Monk). If the enemy infiltrates their base, the runner calls for a Warrior-Ranger-Elementalist split, a strong response to repel any type of base invasion. Meanwhile, the larger group at the flagstand with the Hammer Warrior, Paragon, and Mesmer can put a lot of pressure on the other team and continue defending with the Ward, Defensive Anthem, and Aegis. Success in this situation depends on clear communication.

Communication

All players are expected to speak up: communication is required for chaining the defensive skills; the Mesmer needs to call Diversion/Shame usage, the Ranger calls out the skills he has disrupted, and Monks relay their Energy issues. In a split situation, the Warrior on each split squad calls the tactics.

Tactics

In a match, ocho’s priority is to pressure the enemy by spreading damage. They don’t stay on one target and try to interrupt or spike it constantly. Instead, they scan for opportunity targets like overextended Warriors and Mesmers. They also try to manipulate the flagstand so they are positioned on the enemy side of it. Then, the enemy flagger must overextend to recapture the flagstand, often resulting in death.

Ocho doesn’t always play 8v8 at the flagstand; splitting is a viable tactic if the battle is stalled without kills. Usually they’ll send a character or two to kill some NPCs for an advantage at Victory or Death.

Above all, members make sure they always stay calm. There are times when they are under a lot of pressure. But they’ve learned not to panic. They know from experience that panicking leads to collapse of the entire team.

To cheer themselves after a loss, they sometimes listen to recordings of an old friend, Eranir, raging against Heroes, and blaming them when they fail to heal him or kill some trolls he’s fighting.

The roster of [ocho]

Handle: Xipe

Location: Piedras Negras Coah, México
Position: Leader
Gaming Background: I have only played Age of Empires I, II, III, FF7 and some old games like Mike Tyson’s Punch Out.
Preferred Character: My favorite class is the Warrior, where I love to play axe no matter what secondary profession. I always bring my Bull’s Strike. Never leave home without that. I prefer: Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Agonizing Chop, Bull’s strike, FRENZYYY, Rush.
Why you joined: It was my idea to change from a PvE to a PvP-oriented guild.

Handle: Cthulhu

Location: Guadalajara Jal, México
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: I have played Linage II, Diablo II, and video game consoles.
Preferred Character: I used to play Monk but now, because of the lack of good Warriors in the guild except for Xipe who is the best (NOT), I go with Devastating Hammer, Enraging Charge, Crushing Blow, Hammer Bash/Mighty Blow, Rush, Bull’s Strike, and Flail.
Why you joined: I was in the guild since the beginning. Together with the leader we convinced the others to play GvG.

Handle: Sid

Location: Tijuana BC, México
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: I only like to play video game consoles, especially FIFA.
Preferred Character: I play Paragon or Elementalist, depending on what the build’s going to be. When playing Paragon I use Defensive Anthem or sometimes Cruel Spear for an elite. The rest of the bar is: Spear of Lightning, Vicious Attack, Aggressive Refrain, Anthem of Flame, and “Go for the Eyes!” When I play Elementalist I run Ward against Melee, Blinding Surge, Lightning Orb, Draw Conditions, Air Attunement, and Glyph of Lesser Energy.
Why you joined: I was in the guild since the beginning.

Handle: Fausto

Location: Mérida Yucatán, México
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: Lineage II, WOW, video game consoles (Playstation/Xbox).
Preferred Character: I like to play melee characters: Warrior or Dervish. When there are not enough people, I fill other roles to complete the group. When playing as a Warrior I like to play a sword Warrior; if playing a Dervish I like to run with Wild Blow.
Why you joined: I was in the guild since the beginning. I wouldn’t join other guilds because they may not like my rage.

Handle: Shigemi

Location: Monterrey NL, México
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: Video game consoles, but what I like more is anime.
Preferred Character: I love to play Monk; I was very happy farming with my brother in the Underworld. I blame everyone in this guild for convincing me to try PvP. I generally use RC/Shield of Deflection depending on the team build and support with Reversal of Fortune, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Aegis, Guardian/Dismiss Condition, Holy Veil, and Shield of Absorption.
Why you joined: I was already in the guild when they made me stop PvE farming with my brother.

Handle: Milena

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: WoW, video game consoles.
Preferred Character: The Monk is my favorite because it is the profession I play best. I like to play a Light of Deliverance/Infuse build; it’s very good against pressure teams such as Conditions and/or Hexes. The other skills are Signet of Rejuvenation, Dwayna’s Kiss, Protective Spirit, Remove Hex, and Return.
Why you joined: I’ve been here since the beginning of ocho as a PvP guild.

Handle: Theli

Location: Santiago, Chile
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: I started playing FPS games: Quake II, Counter-Strike (for more than four years), then I moved to MMORPGs (Lineage II, Star Wars Galaxies), but I was looking for something more competitive, so I moved to Guild Wars.
Preferred Character: My favorite class is Mesmer. I love that unique profession, full of shutdowns and interrupts. My favorite skill combo is old school: Diversion, Gale, and Blackout. I define my Mesmer gameplay style as aggressive, primarily trying to pressure enemy Monks but also focusing on key skills to Diversion/interrupt.
Why you joined: I was looking for a competitive guild, and ocho is the only Latin guild that meets this criteria.

Handle: Falco

Location: Chile
Position: Officer
Gaming Background: I used to play Quake II, Starcraft, Unreal Tournament, Lineage II, and Ragnarok Online.
Preferred Character: Ranger, especially Cripshot because it’s a very versatile elite. I combine it with Distracting/Disrupting Shot, Savage Shot, Mending Touch, Natural stride, Troll Unguent, and Apply Poison.
Why you joined: I Was looking for a PvP-oriented guild.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Liars Cheats and Thieves [Liar]

Liars Cheats and Thieves attracts mainly players who have completed all the campaigns and are now farming harder areas to make their characters more stylish or are out collecting their Hard Mode titles. Some members have finished one or more Vanquishing titles. Vanquishing groups are common in the guild, but there isn’t a set schedule for completion. Many Vanquishing runs are set up spur of the moment, even in less populated areas such as the Fire Islands. The guild leader, Tippy Toad, says that, “With guild help I managed to vanquish all of Tyria in less than four weeks.”

Vanquish Tactics

Liars Cheats and Thieves often favors a Stance Warrior/Elementalist tank similar to the one used in most of the DoA areas. Bonders, for the most part, are not very useful with the repeated Enchantment removals. The Warrior, however, with the use of Signets, Shouts, Earth spells, and a pre-cast Healing Seed can survive long enough to get aggro and hold it so the rest of the team can mop up from a distance. Usually a second Warrior hangs out in front of the backline to grab whatever aggro might break through and come that way.

The W/E

Earth Magic: 12
Strength: 14 (12 +2)
Skills: Obsidian Flesh, Stoneflesh Aura, Dolyak Signet, Endure Pain, Signet of Stamina, “I Will Survive!”, “I Will Avenge You!”, Silver Armor or Frigid Armor (depends on area and foes).

Memorable Defeat

The guild’s bitterest defeats can be ascribed to the Hard Mode Scorpion Aspect of the Deep. At least ten percent of their runs are crushed by this room, as if it has a vendetta against them for all the loot they took from the Deep when it was first released.

As an example, they share details from a recent experience:

We were flying along, doing well: no deaths, nobody afk, and no sudden disconnects. We pull all the oni to the top of the stairs, repeat until the gate opens, clear the group at the bottom of the stairs, reset our aspects and then make our way to safety at the top of the second set of stairs. This is where the room’s vengeance kicks in on us. After we reset our aspect and make the run to the second set of stairs, the aspect kicks in and starts flinging our Monks and casters all over. They are no match for the Deathhands and air spikers and drop on the spot. Not a problem, though; some of the Elementalists with rez sigs survive and make it to safety with most of the others.

After resetting the aspect, one of Elementalists makes a quick dash for the nearest Monk and starts to cast. At this point, the Deathhand has wandered close enough to raise a golem from the Monk, which spawns in aggro range of the Elementalist. Now the golem and the Deathhands rush the poor Ele who has just finished casting and is now running back to the safety of the group. However, she is spiked down under a barrage of Lightning Bolts and falls dead at the foot of the stairs. The Monk, who still hasn’t gotten enough Energy back to save her, is now busy running from the golem who follows him up the stairs and kills him just before the Warriors get there to save him.

From there it goes downhill real quick. As the Deathhands make two new golems, another patrol wanders over and spikes down a second Elementalist attempting to rez another Monk. After a quick retreat back up the stairs, the golems take out our last Elementalist. Our Necro, who was throwing up Wells to keep the Deathhands from making more golems, suddenly disappears half way across the screen. Scratch the Necro now.

Even though the tanks are still alive, they usually don’t bring a rez sig, because they’re supposed to be the first to die. So at this point it’s gg and /resign for another try.

Meet some Liars, Cheats, and Thieves

Handle: Kalta
Location: Iowa
Position: Member
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: When I started to play Guild Wars, it had just come out and I didn’t know there was a post-Searing. It took me about a month to figure out that there was more to the game than Pre-Searing Ascalon.
Gaming background: I’ve played a lot of FPSs and RPGs. I really like RTS games because of the strategy required to win.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Mainly the lack of a monthly fee. I also like the group dynamic in this guild that allows us to do many events together.

Handle: Farcry Deathbane
Location: Texas
Position: Member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Any time I want to, I can just grab some Heroes, pick an area I’ve never been to before, and explore. I also find it amazing how much skill hunting has diversified the areas I have fought in.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: One of the greatest times in my Guild Wars playing history was when I developed one of the first two-man builds for killing Sunreach. My friend (who played a Mesmer) and I pulled off the run in less than 15 minutes. We made about 600k in less than a week between the two of us from selling shields.
Preferred character: The one I’ve been gathering all my titles on is my Monk. Kind of funny since it’s one of my youngest characters, but it’s already doubled the XP of my oldest. Plus, with 55ing, bonding, and the fact that every party almost always needs a Monk, it’s been my most profitable character of all.

Handle: Reason
Location: California
Position: Officer
PvP or PvE: While I do truly enjoy a run in HA or just playing around in RA, PvE is my favorite aspect of the game. Nothing beats going out on a Vanquish run with some guildies, or just farming.
Preferred character: Rangers. I love them because of their versatility. By far my favorite skill combo is Apply Poison plus Burning Arrow. As for general skills, I favor Distracting Shot. My play style is best described as tactical; I like to pick out the largest threat and keep it shut down.
Skill Bar: R/Mo. Burning Arrow, Savage Shot, Distracting Shot, Screaming Shot, Whirling Defense, Throw Dirt, Mending Touch, Resurrection Chant. I like this build because it has it all: plenty of Conditions, interrupts, some self support, and of course...a hard rez.

Handle: Craig
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Position: Officer
Gaming background: I’m a classic console RPG player clear back to the 8-bit Nintendo. My collection on Gamespot shows more than 100 games, valuing more than 5k, and an average score of 8.5 (and I still haven’t finished cataloging). Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy VII, Vagrant Story, and Halo 1 and 2 rank among my favorite games before Guild Wars took over my life.
Skill Bar: My favorite PvE bar for my title-collecting Ranger, perfect for taking down bosses/Monks while surviving opposing front line attackers: Broadhead Arrow, Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Apply Poison, Whirling Defense, Throw Dirt, Dust Trap, Rebirth/Cap Signet.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: The amount of time spent playing. I’ve probably logged 500 hours on various plays of Final Fantasy Tactics, 250 on Vagrant Story, 500 on FFVII, which combined doesn’t reach my total on Guild Wars. Most current games that come out now don’t even get consideration because I know that, even if I get them, I won’t give up Guild Wars time to play them.

Handle: Z Master of Reaping
Location: New Jersey
Position: Member
Why your guild is the greatest: It opened my eyes to the PvE world as I really didn’t know what it had to offer. It also throws in some PvP from time to time.
Preferred character: My Monk. He has just about beaten all the games and, as a 55, is my main money-maker. Recently though, my Necro has been taking up most of my time.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The many things you can do, from going for titles to just playing around with friends.

Handle: Lavender Kunoichi/Uuddlrlrba Start
Location: California
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: An oni, so I could pop out and stomp on a reef lurker for walking in my territory.
Preferred character: Assassin. I love the challenge of playing the front line with a fragile character, with the large payoff of huge damage output. Also, Assassins just look the coolest with Fissure armor.
Skill Bar: A/Me with Illusionary Weaponry, Illusion of Weakness, Deadly Paradox, Critical Agility, Feigned Neutrality, Shadow Sanctuary, Dark Escape, Sunspear Rebirth. It’s the only way you can get an Assassin into a Hard Mode group.

Handle: Lionheart/Bella Dottore
Location: Oklahoma City
Position: Officer
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: You can do so many things playing Guild Wars, and I love that different people do different things. So, I get to play with different people when I PvP or PvE. Plus, I keep in touch with people I know in the real world.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A grawl, so I could have an awesome name like Allobo Dimdim, Ipillo Wupwup, or Kekona Pippip.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Back before the days of Heroes, a friend and I henched our way through “Thunderhead Keep.”

Handle: Los
Location: New Jersey
Position: Scrub
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Tengu, hands down. Getting your butt handed to you by a giant chicken in armor is too comical to ignore, and I’d love to be able to taunt someone afterward.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Unlocking, and then successfully salvaging, my first +30 pommel when I was griffon farming back in the day. The 75k I got for it bought my first 15k armor that very day, which was a reward for my Warrior for farming it.
Funniest PUG experience: I’ve been RAing recently, so this is a really hard one. I guess I’m going to have to go with the Dervish in Avatar of Balthazar who was spamming Flare and Lightning Javelin at me.

Handle: Digital Ruler
Location: Pennsylvania
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A Kournan soldier because the armor looks really nice with any Warrior-based weapon and shield. I especially liked it with my Kanaxai’s Sword and Shadow Blade.
Why your guild is the greatest: The guild is basically full with 100 active members. Almost every member we have logs on daily. We get things done with ease and we all get along really well.
Why you joined: The guild does all of the endgame activities: elite missions, titles, and so on. I joined because I had a hard time finding a quality active guild that does these things regularly.

Handle: “B”
Location: USA
Position: Member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Having your own copy of explorable areas, because in other RPGs you have to wait a long time for people who farm things over and over. Sometimes you never get to do something because of them.
Preferred character: Most definitely my Elementalist. I love nuking, and Elementalists can fill just about any role.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I was made fun of for having my General Morgahn wield an axe.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Imperial Guards [TIG]

Guard Organization

The Imperial Guards [TIG] consists of ten guilds in a highly organized alliance. Each guild has a different Imperial Guards name and some iteration of the [TIG] guild tag. Meetings are held every Sunday in a guild hall and on Ventrilo to discuss weekly developments or suggest people for promotion. Sweeping policy decisions are not made unilaterally. Proposals go first to “ambassadors” from each guild and the guild founder, Amadrus X, before going to individual guild leaders and officers. Such organization is essential to serve a group of more than 800 players. Information, articles, jokes, and event plans are circulated through a website and forum, as well as in a monthly newsletter.

As an all-inclusive guild, the Imperial Guards embraces all sorts of people. The guild reports that ages of their members range from a mere 3 years old to an impressive 70 years old. Members come from more than 40 countries including: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Sweden, The Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Yugoslavia, and more.

Replay

With so many members, the preference for favorite missions varies wildly. Some like the defensive approach of missions like Dzagonur Bastion, while some enjoy Tihark Orchard and its fun, single-person, minimal-killing approach. However, the most popular missions are those that offer plenty of mayhem, lots of monsters, and lots of carnage. Therefore, one of the most favored missions is Vizunah Square; 16 players fighting hordes of afflicted generates the pure chaos they all love.

Competitions

TIG members have held many competitions involving unrated matches. The 1v1 is especially popular. Players are allowed only one build throughout the tournament, so they must plan for whatever they might meet, and pack counters for expected opponents. Also TIG hosts dodge ball tournaments, 4v4 team battles, and running races.

Within the overall TIG alliance, the guilds sometimes get together for unrated GvGs. These are not highly organized, but are mainly for fun and to improve skills without using Ventrilo. In these GvGs, people may run gimmick builds (like a minion master using pets to provide bodies or a life-sacrificing member to build up the army). A member is allowed to join either team, regardless of whether that member has experience. This friendly battle improves cooperation between people and gives everyone a chance to learn something.

Alliance Battles

The Imperial Guards delight in Alliance Battles because they allow for flexible and creative builds. In addition, deaths are not nearly as detrimental as in other PvP as there is no death penalty. The winning tactic is a combination of capturing the shrines without concentrating on killing the opposition. To this end, they suggest teams avoid mobbing together in a gigantic clump. It is far quicker to capture the shrines as three separate teams of four.

Members of the Guard

Handle: All Dorin Gersallin

Location: The Netherlands
Position: Ambassador, Leader of [TIGC]
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The graphics… From the moment I started playing Guild Wars, I liked the character models, the surroundings, and the skill animations. I recall many days of just looking for the most spectacular view. The first time we ran over the Isles to look for a guild hall or the first time we entered FoW; those were magical moments.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: The Life Pod. I seriously want to know the reason for their existence. They have loads of in-game friends, like trolls and all. And I adore their way of ambushing in the nicest way possible: healing enemies unnoticed.
PvP or PvE: I love PvP most, but only AB and GvG. This is simply because RA, TA, and HA take too much time for me before getting results. AB is like chaos killing with the great opportunity of personal fights, where GvG play is very intense and tactically bound. I love games in which personal skill gets the opportunity to excel.

Handle: Amadrus X

Location: South UK
Position: Alliance Leader and Leader of the Imperial Guards Elite [TIGE]
Humorous gaming incident: When I created the first guild within the alliance we were all very new. The officers and I decided to take a team into the Underworld with no clue what to do and no set builds. We assured our new members we would treat them to some good drops. But the only drops they saw were their guild leaders and officers dying!
Real life experience from gaming: I have met six members of our alliance. One of them traveled over from the Netherlands, but I think within the year a lot of us will have met each other.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Seeing a Luxon town owned by the Imperial Guards. No better feeling than seeing your guild and alliance on the map.

Handle: Ancient Spirit/Spirit

Location: England
Position: Leader of [TIGO]
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The people. It always cheers me up after a bad day when I log on and chat to the alliance members, and I just have fun!
PvP or PvE: I prefer PvP to PvE, but only certain types of PvP. I usually play Alliance Battles with alliance members, because I can donate faction to the alliance. I sometimes play Heroes’ Ascent; however, this is for fun. In addition I do GvG with a team of alliance members.
Preferred character: I play Ancient Spirit the most. Her primary profession is Ranger, and my preferred secondary professions are Monk, Ritualist, and Paragon. When I play as Ranger/Monk, I usually use a Burning Arrow build for heavy Health degeneration. When I use Ranger/Ritualist, I use the Splinter Barrage build to do damage to several foes at once. When I’m playing as Ranger/Paragon, I use my own Beast Mastery build.

Handle: Diagoro Leonine

Location: Kent, England
Position: Leader of [TIGA]
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The community you can create. In TIG we have accumulated 800+ players who like to hang out, have fun, chat, and play alongside each other. Sometimes I find myself chatting with the friends I’ve made more than actually playing.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: A gold weapon dropped in the Shiverpeaks. Normally I would have grabbed it right away but the batteries died on my wireless keyboard and mouse set. I had no spares, so I spent 20 minutes changing the batteries to pick up the drop.
Why you joined: I was in a guild with two of my real-life friends when they found TIG and I duly followed suit. I could have stayed in our little guild and, though it would have been all right, it wouldn’t have been as much fun. In TIG, I’ve found a community that is just brilliant and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Handle: Granite Armstrong

Location: Based in Oxfordshire, UK
Position: Officer of [TIGC]
One interesting fact: I have recently been working as a teacher trainer in rural areas of Pakistan.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: I cannot say I have had many game triumphs, although one personal triumph was when I got an invincible Monk build to work. I was so happy that I could now go and easily farm. My bank balance went up and I could afford so many things that I started new characters and have been able to play this game in many different ways.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: Sometimes during UW and FoW runs the team would see my tank freeze up because I had fallen asleep. One particular night this happened and the team chatted in game and whispered me to no avail. So they came up with the next best thing: on the count of three they all shouted down their microphones and almost blew my eardrums off. Since then I very rarely fall asleep during group missions.

Handle: Mykaal Avalon

Location: County Durham, England
Position: Ambassador and Leader of the Imperial Guards of Torment
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Has to be the Oni. These guys gave me so much trouble in Factions. It would be really cool to be in their shoes and pop up out of nowhere on unsuspecting adventurers.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Guild Wars is the ONLY game I play and I have plenty of other top titles still sealed in the wrappers. It’s evolved into more than just a game for me now. It’s more like a way of life.
Preferred character: I have completed all three campaigns with my Assassin using a critical Barrage build for nearly every area. It’s also a good build to use while helping new members because I can deal a lot of damage while staying out of the way. This means I can keep a better eye on other players to see where they need help.

Handle: Ten Dolllar

Location: London, England
Position: Leader of [TIGI]
Real life experience from gaming: I have been very fortunate to meet several of my guild members in real life. We met up in London, went out for the night for some drinks, and had an awesome time. We are planning another little outing some time in the near future and I can’t wait.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I was trying to make my first faction donation but for some reason it wasn’t accepted. I asked for help from other members and after five minutes someone kindly pointed out that I had spelled my character’s name wrong.
PvP or PvE: It really depends upon my mood. If I get a free moment to myself, I will often go solo farming in the Gloom or go green farming. I also like to go into AB whenever I get a chance. PvP is where I get the biggest adrenaline rush and the best challenges. I guess I have no overall preference. That’s the great thing about GW: there’s no reason to ever get bored.

Handle: The Great Tomato

Location: Suffolk, England
Position: [TIGE] Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Probably a Cobalt Scabara because I love the way they wobble along—their heads remind me of my Necromancer’s Freezie Crown. However, I am rather fond of the Aloe Seeds that inhabit Pre-Searing. Despite being one of the weakest creatures in the game, they are also the nicest creatures.
PvP or PvE: Most of my time in Guild Wars has been spent playing AB (or standing in the guild hall). I love the fun, non-competitive PvP aspect. It is simple to get on a team, and you can take part in as many games as you like or drop out after the first game. I just find PvP more interesting and skillful, although it can get frustrating when the game doesn’t go in your favor.
Why your guild is the greatest: The community spirit. It is the people in the alliance that make it such a great place to be: the fun conversations in alliance and guild chat (especially late at night), the cooperation, the great friends you make, the huge welcome you get when you join and log on, the fun you have going out with a team from your alliance on vent, and the common vision of making TIG succeed.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

GWOnline Guild [GWO]

GWO Information

GWOnline Guild [GWO] was formed during the February 2005 Beta Weekend Event through a suggestion on the GWO forums. After many forum friends grouped together to take HoH (now Heroes’ Ascent), they thought it would be fun to make a guild. Several names were considered to create the GWO acronym, including Great Warthog Oink; however, they decided to stick with GWOnline Guild.

The guild functions well because its members are involved within the GWO community. This helps strengthen bonds inside the guild and with the community as well. Despite this connection, the guild has its own flavor of peculiarities. Taping bacon to people and eating them is a standing joke.

Applications are frequent, and many players apply after attending an event. The guild will accept any player; however, it strives to maintain high player standards, and only invites those who agree to the GWO forum rules, the Guild Wars EULA, and the guild’s internal rules. This keeps the atmosphere within the guild friendly and accepting.

At release, the guild contained mainly American players, but it has developed over time, now boasting about a 50/50 split of American and European players, plus a few Australian and Asian members. The guild hopes to attract more players in the Asian and Australian time zones to help members in those areas form groups.

Members typically get together for tougher things like missions, elite areas, and Hard Mode. They focus on helping each other through the game and are also party-goers with a particular love of having fun all the way.

Some quick Hard Mode tips:

Spreading Blindness and Dazed Conditions is much more important, which means things like Air Magic, Ebon Dust Aura, and Broad Head Arrow, in combination with skills like Epidemic, Pestilence, or Fevered Dreams are incredibly useful.

GWOnline Member Information

Handle: Liessa/Liera/Lia/Llyra/Lorelei/Lai/Lysandra/Lilith/Leiko/Lexis Greyhaven

Location: Virginia
Position: Leader
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The instanced gameplay. Simply put, I’d never have tried GW if not for that. The initial attraction was: “Cool, I can go play by myself and no one can bug me!” The staying power is: “Cool, I can play with a few good people and no one can bug us!”
Humorous gaming incident: Back before Factions, a group of guildies went to do the Galrath quest. We had a Necro who could maintain 30+ minions. To counter minion-stealing, he brought Verata’s Aura...and forgot to maintain it once the quest was over. His cry of “Bad Minions! Bad! BAD!” over TS was entertaining.

Handle: Grond the Meateater, Komoto Rockweaver

Location: Texas
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: I started playing GW to reduce stress. My youngest child is a cancer survivor and we were in treatment when the game came out. I’ve always enjoyed playing games and thought it would be fun to try an online RPG. It was so good at relaxing me and provided so much fun that I got a copy for my wife.
Humorous gaming incident: I had been playing an Ele and a Warrior for about five months and decided to start a Monk. I had to find a way to make myself remember that Monks are support, not front liners. I didn’t realize I was speaking out loud until my wife told me to shut up. I was repeating over and over: “You are not a tank. You are only here to heal.”
Why your guild is the greatest: A good guild is like a large extended family. We are friends and enjoy playing with each other. We have players from around the world and this provides a wealth of experience both in game play and life. I remember helping a guild mate solve a math problem to finish some homework.

Handle: Jersey Cuthalion

Location: Norway
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: I use Elvish for my character names. It has to be a name with a meaning relevant to my primary profession. For example, my Ranger is named “Cuthalion,” which means “Strongbow.” When I made a female Monk, I restarted at least three times to get the name right. Finally, with some input from Ancale, I ended up with “Jersiel Aenil Estel,” which means “Daughter of Jersey, Angel of Hope.”
Real life experience from gaming: In February I went to the Guild Wars Winter Party in Brighton, together with Rei and Rhonwyn. Meeting guild mates I had never seen before in real-life was a great experience!
Preferred character: My Ranger, Jersey Cuthalion. I usually bring interrupts and damage skills like Burning Arrow. I can help kill a called target or choose my own target and interrupt key skills. I never get tired of denying a Warrior boss his Healing Signet.

Handle: Rei Onryou

Location: London, England
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: I proudly wear hot pink dye on all my armors. Nothing scares your enemies more than a crazy Warrior running into battle wearing hot pink FoW armor.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: The balancing turns Guild Wars from a simple button masher into a tactics-based challenge. The most complex decisions must be made before the fight, when setting up your Skill Bar.
Preferred character: I play Warrior/Monk and have done so since the BWEs. A hard tank with a hard res and skills that cause Deep Wound always stays standing. I’ve rescued countless near wipes while PUGing or exploring new areas, which would not be possible without my Monk secondary.

Handle: Shadow Player

Location: Washington State
Position: Officer
One interesting gaming fact: As an Alpha Tester for Guild Wars Factions, I was voted one of the top 50 Alpha Testers and had an NPC named after me in the Luxon Area.
Real life experience from gaming: Through Guild Wars Alpha Testing, I met a QA Tester (now a co-worker at Nintendo) who helped me get into the gaming industry!
Gaming background: My gaming background is mainly RPG. I love the stories that make up RPGs because I love when your choices change the way the game plays out.

Handle: Ancale Calaquendi

Location: Malta
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: For my name, I searched for an interesting word that wouldn’t get used very much. I took Ancale, which translated into “the radiant one” with reference to the sun. My forum avatar has always been a glowing ball of fire.
How where you live affects your gaming: When I’m playing with PUGs I often get asked where on Earth I live. I make a habit of saying “Malta...it’s a little island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.”
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: I wanted to get my Paragon the Survivor Title and I was very close. Unfortunately, being a PvPer at heart, I saw the PvP arena and thought “why not play a bit” completely ignoring the fact that it would be my very first death.

Handle: Triathlete E

Location: Singapore
Position: Member
One interesting fact: I am actively involved in triathlons and am the only deaf player in GWO. I cannot use TeamSpeak or Vent, but I still enjoy interacting with fellow guildies in both GvG and PvE. But, it’s very hard to read lips!
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Lumo the Mime in Tihark Orchard. He doesn’t talk a lot; instead he emotes like he’s using sign language. I get a real laugh signing back to him.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: While working on my Survivor we were in the Jokanur Diggings mission when my character was flattened by a big bell. I didn’t know this didn’t count as a death. My hands froze and my teeth clenched as I released a loud wail of bitter anguish that turned to amazement as my character somehow continued to live.

Handle: Cardinal Cyn

Location: United Kingdom
Position: Member and PvE Monster
Humorous gaming incident: We were forming a team to go vanquishing in Talmark Wilderness. I spotted a guild mate and invited him only to see him promptly disappear. “I was identifying stuff and accidentally clicked on an FoW scroll instead of my ID kit,” he explained when he returned from his accidental solo Fissure run.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: I recently completed both Legendary Guardian and Legendary Vanquisher. There are now officially no monsters left.
Skill Bar: This build saw me through Vanquishing all continents: Zealous Benediction, Gift of Health, Protective Spirit, Shield of Absorption, Shielding Hands, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Aegis, Rebirth. My Monking style is somewhat unorthodox. I like to be in the center of the combat rather than hanging out in the back lines. If the monsters are beating on me, I don’t have to heal anyone else!

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Blitzers [BG]

Information

The Blitzers guild is seven years old. Originally a PlaneShift guild, the Blitzers formed its Guild Wars division on June 26, 2005, keeing the original Blitzers motto: “As the world changes, the Blitzers will strive, coming together, to stay alive.” The other strong philosophies that run through their guild culture are that “real life comes first” and “if you’re not having fun then there is probably something better that you could be doing with your time.”

The Blitzers run events ranging from various scrimmages to reverse Droknar runs, scavenger hunts, and their own quests. All events have a story behind them, whether it’s guild members gone crazy from poisonous swamp waters or dangerous bandits escaping with precious items from the Ascalon museum. Other competitions on the forums may involve “getting to know you bingo” or explorer contests. Getting to know you bingo consists of questions such as which member of the alliance had the Drunkard title, name a member who favors pink armor, and so on. In the explorer contests, members post a screenshot of a hard-to-find place and challenge others to find it. An extra-tough one required someone to walk under a branch and look up. It had the members guessing for a while, but someone eventually found it.

Blitz Gameplay

If you’re fighting “area of effect” monsters with Heroes and NPCs in the party, use flags to scatter them into a skirmish formation; not the most elaborate strategy, but it will keep your party from being wiped out by a few spells. One other tip is that you don’t always want your Heroes to have a full Skill Bar available. Disabling a few skills can make your Hero focus on a specific function that might be just what you need to pass a given obstacle (focus a Mesmer on interrupting, or a Necromancer on spoiling all of those corpses the Dwarven Necromancers were planning to use). It would be a shame for your Heroes to run out of Energy because you let them arbitrarily use all eight skills instead of two or three important ones.

When playing with a group...Send some poor fool, or “willing volunteer,” in first to get hit, and then kill, kill, kill.

Member Information

Handle: Maundrell (Veromen)

Location: Norway
Position: Officer, alliance contact, and official guild hall window cleaner (though no window has yet to be spotted)
Preferred character: My Elementalist. I love to deal massive damage and watch the nice colors as my foes burn. Usually I run an echo nuker build for PvE. PvP can be Searing Flames, or an Earth Magic build for the joy of watching frustrated Warriors deal zero damage.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: A group of PUGs couldn’t understand why I was playing a Dervish in a particular Vabbian mission—until later when they all died, except me, and I smiled broadly as I killed off all remaining foes on my own.
Why you joined: Because of one slightly scary and pushy Dwarven woman named Bora.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: I’d be a Margonite Ascendant because of the shiny wings! Or maybe a White Mantle Justiciar for the shiny armor…
Gaming Background: I started with SNES RPGs, and still believe those are the best. I’ve moved to MMOPRGs in the later years because I enjoy gaming with others.

Handle: Mooncat (Darakus)

Location: Belgium
Position: Officer for quite a while, Member for even longer
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The lore, because it is fascinating to see how all of those small stories fit together to give us a living world to play in.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A Siege Turtle, because you can’t help but love the ability to carry a huge cannon on your back.
PvP or PvE: PvE, because of the lore and because it can give the impression of fighting against overwhelming odds.
Preferred character: These days I focus on my Monk. I simply love the thrill of keeping a team member alive, especially when aggro has gone wrong. My play style is mostly to observe the first few seconds of combat so that I can guess who will take damage. When I am in nice form I launch the healing at the same time as the spike, creating a really nice whiplash effect in the Health bar of my current patient.

Handle: Qer, at your service

Location: Next to the polar bears (Sweden, if you wanna be picky)
Position: Security officer. I herd the pink elephants and make sure no one fills the guild hall with cloned toasters (it’s a long story).
Humorous gaming incident: Once, in a friendly GvG scrimmage, I got lost (which I’m very good at). While running around trying to find my party, I stumbled into the catapult that shot into the enemy camp and, as a pure coincidence, I saw a lot of red enemy dots right in the hot spot. So I fired the catapult, perfect! But as I was going ballistic over this heroic success, I realized that what I thought was the enemy were really my allies and the whole party was dead.... Since then my guild doesn’t let me near the catapult, which is unfair because I’ve proven that I mastered the technique.
Real life experience from gaming: I got a free guided tour of Brisbane by the guild leader and her personal officer. We went to the koala habitat and met live koalas! Although I’d say it’s open for debate if they’re truly alive or merely existing. Those koalas really don’t know anything about how to party.
Funniest PUG experience: At Thunderhead Keep we picked up a Necromancer who wielded a huge axe, so when he attacked he got smack bang into the heat of things, died on the spot, got rezzed, rushed right in again, rinse, repeat. So we gave him a staff and told him to use it, but he complained he didn’t do enough damage and it was back to axe and the cycle of death (we got several nice minions out of him, though).

Handle: GworthoX

Location: Germany
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: I’m sent by Dwayna to help the weak and innocent and to punish those who deserve it.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The nice community and the great synergy between players and developers. Besides that, you don’t have to pay a monthly fee.
Humorous gaming incident: We offer a free guild service. Whenever we see a level 5 (or other low level), in Droknar’s Forge, we offer him the Reverse Droknar Run. That means we run him back from Droknar to Beacon’s Perch. Of course we do that to help them, and at no charge.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: I’ve played it for two years now, and have three accounts with over 4,000 hours playtime. Need to know more?
Favored tactic: Depends on the situation. But If I can out-heal a Warrior or Assassin who is slashing at me, it is a lovely feeling and makes me smile.
Funniest PUG experience: Saw a Mo/W equipped with Healing Signet as a self-heal.
Why your guild is the greatest: I don’t think it is—I know it, since Dwayna told me so.

Handle: Saelfaer

Location: Belgium (The Dutch speaking part)
Position: Officer
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Might sound strange as it’s not in-game, but I like the client server system. People get used to the fact that updates come in without any hassle, but I have never seen a game with so few server downtimes. Other games I play usually have weekly maintenances, the updates don’t come in automatically, or you have to wait a very long time.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: That would be a Charr. I love Pre-Searing and I have two characters there that will probably never leave. Sometimes I ask myself how those Charr must feel getting slaughtered over and over by the same people. Well if I could be a Charr, I’d definitely take revenge.
Why Guild Wars is the greatest: Guild Wars is a game that I’ve played since its release, and I still like it. Can’t say that for many games; there is just no game I have played for this long.
Funniest PUG experience: Suddenly this guy just goes AFK in the middle of the Fissure of Woe, not answering any questions. We went on anyway, and an hour later he comes back with this line: “Hi, I’m back; just took a shower.” But nobody in our party was mad. We were all too busy laughing.

Handle: Tink

Location: Australia
Position: Guild member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The story itself. Combined with the beautiful graphics, it makes me feel like the heroine in a movie. Making friends from all corners of the globe with no monthly fee also makes it very appealing.
PvP or PvE: I am not interested in any PvP or GvG, although I would take part if my guild asked me to. I am strictly PvE, mainly because of the fun I have, especially on Team Speak with a group of alliance members, who are all slightly mad.
Why your guild is the greatest: I think Blitzers is the greatest guild, because there is always someone willing to drop what they are doing and help another, and usually more than just ‘one’ someone.
Preferred character: My primary character is Elementalist/Monk, especially now that I have finally learned how to play her properly. I do also like my Ranger. I love having a pet.
Why you joined: I joined Blitzers Guild because when I posted in the official forum that I was a new player looking for a guild to join, Blitzers was the only one to reply. That a guild with mostly high level characters would be happy to take a complete newbie showed the qualities of the people in it. I have never been disappointed.

Handle:  Uzbard

Location: Australia
Position: Guild member
One interesting fact: I am a food scientist and technologist, a happily married father of 1.5 (brewing the second), and I ride a motorbike.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: Being able to play an incredibly complex game that uses a very simple interface.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Bringing death to Abaddon with a group of four.
PvP or PvE: PvE. Not overly interested in entering the same PvP arenas. The world of Guild Wars offers story, environments, and exploration. Having said that, it is nice to occasionally go and belt up some unsuspecting human.
Preferred character: Elementalist! Favored build at the moment is fire suppression: carpet the field with Searing Heat/Savannah Heat and follow up with a well placed Meteor/Meteor shower. I prefer the supportive middle line type of role.
Why you joined: My brother was already part of the guild when it came over from another game. I’m happy to say I’m a Blitzer. Won’t be moving without kicking and screaming!

Handle: Stydracos

Location: Australia
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Rotscale, because he’s the most powerful beasty with the Ranger profession I can think of, he’s featured in the cinematic, and...he’s a Bone Dragon!
Guild Wars deity: My primary character is a Ranger, so the deity to represent me would be Melandru (however, if she’s busy, Dwayna’s on speed dial).
Humorous gaming incident: Dreadnought’s Drift springs to mind; I was one of three adventurous Blitzers checking out the two chests that used to exist there. Having neared the first chest we said over TeamSpeak not to go after it straight away. Unfortunately it fell on deaf ears. Mooncat, overcome by the thoughts of treasure, ran up to the chest. The calls over voice chat increased in intensity. Suddenly all was quiet as Mooncat’s body hit the snow, surrounded by a horde of upset Tundra Giants. Mooncat finally spoke, “who aggroed all the Tundra Giants?”
Most spectacular Guild Wars death: Just one? I have two deaths an hour....
Why you joined: I’m a Blitzer from our Planeshift days. The first Blitzer I met was a refined and cultured demon called Flodnag who offered help with a quest. Initially I refused an offer to join as the red skin and pointy horns smelt of trickery. So I tracked down the Blitzers website and became convinced that this was the guild for me.

Handle: KTBFFH

Location: England
Position: Officer. I also lend a hand with recruiting.
PvP or PvE: I prefer PvE; I enjoy that you can stop and take a five minute break to grab another drink. Also, after just finishing university, I know that being out of the game for a few weeks or even months won’t put you too far behind.
Favored tactic: I usually play a Spiteful Spirit Necro and get SS on as many melee chars as possible before concentrating on the called target. Often ‘squishy’ builds will run from these, so if a tank (if we have one!) loses aggro and I trust the Monk(s), I’ll grab the aggro myself and watch mobs kill themselves on me. It’s better than letting your healers get hit. Skeletal Berserkers in the FoW are a prime target for this.
Skill Bar: Arcane Echo, Spiteful Spirit, Desecrate Enchantments, Defile Enchantments, optional, optional, optional, Res Sig. Defile and Desecrate Enchantments can do a lot of damage if used correctly. The optional slots depend on what I’m doing: common skills are Reckless Haste, Signet of Lost Souls, Parasitic Bond (this helps the healers out in Hard Mode, and covers SS), Signet of Sorrow, Consume Corpse, Rotting Flesh, Sympathetic Visage, and Blood Ritual.
Why your guild is the greatest: After trying out previous guilds (and helping set one up), I’ve found a home with the Blitzers. They balance the maturity I was looking for with having a great laugh, and there’s never any pressure on me to play a certain way or at a certain time.

Handle: Nenearen (Nen)

Location: Australia
Position: Leader, chief, and crazy lady who runs around telling people what to do.
One interesting fact: My characters each have a different background story. I usually choose a character depending my mood. For example, Nenearen Eilianu, my Ranger, gets really upset when anyone decides to kill an innocent creature. Asrai, my Elementalist, on the other hand, likes to make anything go boom.
Humorous gaming incident: Once, a few of us Blitzers went searching for ice cream. Unfortunately we didn’t find any, but we did get interesting offers from other people of in-game items that could be used for ice cream cones and scoops. Another time, while traveling through the early missions on TeamSpeak, Gworthox and Darakus started voice acting the cut scenes.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: You don’t have to invest a huge amount of hours to enjoy the game and play with your guild mates. I also love the scenery. Every now and again I just stop and look at a waterfall or off a cliff face and appreciate the beautiful surroundings.
Why you joined: In January 2001, my fiancé started playing PlaneShift and joined the Blitzers. I followed him from RuneScape into this unknown world of online role playing. I still remember how nervous I was when I first met queen Bora to talk about joining.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Electronic Empire [eE]

In September of 2006, the Electronic Empire [eE] was founded by The Hero You Hate as a Heroes’ Ascent guild. Currently, this tight group of twelve experienced players, most of whom are rank 9 or higher on the Hero Title Track, prefer Guild Battles because of its more concrete results as reflected in the guild rating and ladder rank. Their focus on GvG has driven them to become an established guild on the ladder, consistently hovering among the top 100.

PvP Tactics

The Electronic Empire began its career with a Ritualist Spike build for Heroes’ Ascent, even though they assumed at the time that it probably wouldn’t work because pressure teams would easily overcome them. While this is exactly what happened in the beginning, they noticed they suffered the most from Hex pressure teams, so they kept tweaking the build for Hex resistance. Ultimately, they ended up adding Expel Hexes and replacing a few Resurrection Signets with Hex Breaker.

After the modifications were complete, they took Ritualist Spike into GvG, and immediately saw that something wasn’t right. Opponents would usually split when they saw the Ritualist Spike. Because eE had only one Vital Weapon, they’d lose all spiking ability in one of their split teams. Now they run with two Vital Weapons to allow splits and still be as deadly as a full team of eight.

Being mostly a spike guild, the Electronic Empire prefers taking down “soft” targets first: Monks, Mesmers, Elementalists, and Ritualists. Usually this method quickly pressures the opposition, racking up death penalty and devastating Monks. To complement their spike, [eE] likes to use the Burning Isle; the Burning and Crippled Conditions and narrow pathways make split tactics more difficult and often force teams into 8v8 confrontation.

Body Block Gank

Last season, during a match on Warrior’s Isle, the Electronic Empire was having a hellish GvG fight at the flagstand. Both teams were spiking very fast; at around minute 15, eE crumbled and retreated to their base, where they turtled until minute 24. Then they rushed the enemy Guild Lord, leaving six players to body block the enemy gate while two Warriors killed the Guild Lord. It was a close match for them, but shows that alternative tactics can win where spikes fail.

Member Information

Handle: The Hero You Hate

Location: Portugal
Position: Leader
Guild Wars monster you’d be Charr, because I have killed so many of them in PvE that I fell in love.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death I was working my Monk to reach the Legendary Survivor title, and I went to Great Temple of Balthazar to goof around with my good friend Scarlete Light. She went to fix the catapult and then fired off a random shot and… I died… with around five thousand XP points left for Survivor (2). I was stunned for a few minutes and she was speechless when she realized she had killed me.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment Losing a scrimmage match to Scarlete Light when she first started playing. I blame Frenzy.
Which build do you have trouble with GvG Build: six Touchers, one Elementalist runner, one Protection Monk. Try killing that with spikes.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because we can 3, 2, 1, spike like crazy.

Handle: Ryan of Kendal

Location: Englan
Position: Membe
Guild Wars monster you’d be I would be a fire imp because they look cool and the weather around Lion’s Arch ain’t too bad either.
Humorous gaming incident When Starburst spike was popular, I joined an unranked pug group as a 55 Monk for fun. We went up against Starburst in the Underworld map and they completely wiped our team in a matter of seconds. So I bonded myself and they were unable to kill me. After five minutes of that they decided to resign.
Why you joined I was searching for a serious PvP guild because my previous guilds had not achieved very much and I wanted to get more out of my PvP experience.
Preferred character Any frontline. I remember being a hammer Warrior on Sacred Temples when we came against a Rit spike and I shut down their spike a couple of times in the game by using Earth Shaker to knock them down.
How where you live affects your gaming I get to play with my real life friends at either my house or theirs, which makes the game even more fun.

Handle: Aeris Amaurycus

Location France
Position Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be Corsairs suit me just fine—lying down on the beach drinking some old Caribbean rum.
Humorous gaming incident Both humorous and embarrassing actually. I was playing in HoH as an Infuser Monk on a two Monk backline with some thumpers upfront. We were dominating King of the Hill. But during the last three minutes, our Ghostly got spiked. Unfortunately for the Ghostly, he died while a level 20 pet survived. I could sense the furious eyes of my leader on TS, but I could also see the big love in the animal’s eyes.
Why you joined Natural evolution I would say. I did a little workout as a Monk for Heroes and Scar, and I liked the way the leader was leading and how he wanted the guild to improve. It was the best way for me to get better.
Preferred character Backline, healer preferred. I love the position of this char in PvP. It’s just one hundred percent pure adrenaline. Even if I must say that my first char was a Necro.
How where you live affects your gaming My best friend introduced me to GW. And I thank “Elemental Alma” for that.

Handle: Mm The Master Monk

Location England
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be Flame djinns because they look so cool and are made of fire.
Funniest PUG experience When someone forgot to put armor on and, not realizing it, tried to tank the Zaishen in Heroes’ Ascent.
Preferred character Monk, which was the profession of my first character (Mm The Master Monk). I like to Monk in PvP because I prefer defense instead of offense. Also, it is usually easier to find a group as a Monk.
Skill Bar The solo Monk/Dervish 55 bar which is as follows, Balthazar’s Spirit, Blessed Aura, Watchful Spirit, Essence Bond, Protective Spirit, Shield of Judgment, Mystic Regeneration, Blessed Signet.
PvP or PvE I prefer PvP because it is more competitive; you get rolled by other humans unless you constantly think about tactics.

Handle: Glimmering Mark

Location USA
Position Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be Hmmm this is hard...I would like to be a naga welp because if you really read it, it sounds funny.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph Earning a plus 5 rating for a win in GvG when I didn’t even know you could get plus 5.
PvP or PvE I actually like to show off my fame emote in PvE district and watch people gather round to make comments about PvP.

Handle: Rachel Rainbowlight

Location Spain
Position Member
Most spectacular Guild Wars death I was 17 XP away from Legendary Survivor, so I decided to make a special last kill to earn the title. I wanted to kill a guy in RA, so I took a sin, charged onto this Warrior...the next chain of events was horrible… 2 Ripostes, then nuked by 2 Searing Flames, and spiked by another sin. I got killed and lost the title....
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment Back when I was rank 3, I was playing some random build in HA. At the start of game we “bambied” the other team; we eventually lost and they all got their tiger emotes out.
PvP or PvE Well, slaying level 10 Charr with my level 20 nuker does make me feel very cool.
What build do you have trouble with Total stance tanks in PvP who run a Skill Bar with which they can only protect and heal themselves.

Handle: E U R O P E A N

Location France
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be An Atax bull because I love the way it drops lots of ectoplasms.
Most spectacular Guild Wars death I was with my 55 Monk in Elona’s Reach, I rushed in with Mino and and and ... I forgot my Protective Spirit! Instant death.
Preferred character Sometimes a Warrior, but I mostly prefer casters, specifically the Mesmer. I like to use Spirit of Failure against Warriors.
Skill Bar I love this Warrior build: Earth Shaker, Enraging Charge, Hammer Bash, Crushing Blow, Shock, Flail, Rush, Bull’s Strike. Constant knock-down.
PvP or PvE I prefer PvP because I love the competition and the team spirit in GvG or HA. I play in Random Arenas when I am alone, usually as a Necromancer.

Handle: Scarlete Light

Location France
Position Honorable Member
One interesting fact I’m a 33-year old woman. The fact I play Guild Wars surprises many people. It is additionally surprising that I was the leader of eE for such a long time. Power to women.
Humorous gaming incident When I began to play Guild Wars, I went with The Hero You Hate to Alliance Battles. He was like my teacher so I trusted him. When he called a target and asked me to go attack I did not think twice. I ran to it and died instantaneously. I was speechless. The target was the opposing Base Defender...Since that day I am much more aware.
How where you live affects your gaming I live in France but all my family is in Portugal. I share with my brother (Thoth Atroh) the passion for Guild Wars, and playing side by side with him makes me feel as if I had never left the country, like my family is just around the corner. It’s a great sensation.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph Being eE’s guild leader for a long time is something of which I’ll always be proud. This guild will always remain number one in my heart, and be able to count on me whenever needed.
PvP or PvE PvE was quite fun, especially when you discover new landscapes and do missions for the first time. But now I am keen on the competitive side of Guild Wars. To measure myself against other players is interesting and makes me want to be in constant evolution.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Charter Vanguard [CV]

Guild Information

The Charter Vanguard [CV] aims to provide a friendly social circle to the sometimes overly competitive environment of online gaming. Formed about three years ago, CV is proud to be an oasis of calm escape for those wary of the real-world craze.

To promote group bonding, CV holds fun and unique events, including regular forum competitions where members can express themselves in writing, art, guild history, and more. In game, CV organizes both officer and member-led events, like random relay races, hide-and-seek, Simon Says, scavenger hunts, 3-point races, a Valentine’s day “give-a-person-a-red-iris” event, Christmas outpost caroling, guild hall “fright-night” Necromancer sync dancing, and live role-plays in public areas.

The Charter Vanguard can be a hard group to embarrass because they love making fools of themselves. For instance, they went to the Temple of Balthazar dressed as Mesmers without armor, formed a chain, and did a synchronized dance. After enough exposure in the temple, they moved the chain dance into GvG, and rewarded enemies who infiltrated the base with the gifts of song and dance. The little surprise stunned some into inaction, though they eventually rallied to kill off the dancing Mesmers. Ultimately, it was good fun all the way (which was also documented by a couple of video clips).

With CV’s main function anchored in the social aspect of the game, the guild does not actively seek skilled players. Instead, they focus on people and the growth process of becoming skilled. With the more “serious” side of gaming taking a backseat, CV’s infectious sense of humor acts as a channel for myriad talents such as machinima (making movies out of in-game footage) and attracts those who just want to have fun.

PvP Discussion

To counter spell-casters, the Charter Vanguard causes exhaustion and Energy denial by using Mesmers. They follow up with melee pressure damage, strengthened by ice snares to prevent kiting. If facing a spike build, CV splits up, aims for the Guild Lord from an exposed side of the guild hall, causes the spike team to split up, and then attacks from the flag stand.

For practice, CV sets up Heroes with basic builds such as Zealous Benediction Monks and Shock Warriors. They then take those Heroes and fight each other to identify weaknesses in their own character builds. If necessary, they modify their builds and have re-matches until everyone is satisfied.

Member Information

Handle: Fezz

Location: Alabama
Position: Leader
Humorous gaming incident: Family visits. I don’t really know why or how it started, but for whatever reason a few of the guildies decided to log in as my “family.” They would log in with names like Fezz Mommy, Fezz Brother, Fezz Cousins, and so on. I think they even brought Fezz Wife and Kids. And they are all just like the dysfunctional families you see on TV; they can keep you laughing for hours.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because it is; we might not be the highest ranked or whatever, but I can play for hours and have tons of fun without ever leaving the guild hall. I don’t think I’ve ever found another group of people who can have as much fun just goofing off like the people in this guild can.
Gaming background: I’ve always been a fan of good RPGs, and even some bad ones. I just enjoy the development possibilities in RPGs. I also love a good strategy game, real-time or otherwise. Any game that actually makes you think is good to me. But my favorite has to be console RPGs, especially multi player ones—the stories and inner workings are usually so much more intriguing and getting to enjoy that with friends next to you makes it all the better.

Handle: Talia

Location: Singapore
Position: Officer
One interesting fact: Being one of two Singaporeans, one of nine females, and one of six officers in the guild, I tend to be a uniquely miscellaneous member in CV, and very proudly so. While I’d initially debated the idea of being part of a guild that operates in a time zone twelve hours behind me, I’ve never regretted the decision. CV is most definitely the best part about Guild Wars.
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The absence of a pay-to-play environment, random player kills, and kill steals. Guild Wars also has the best graphics I’ve seen in an online game.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: Turning a two-year old Guild Wars-based role-play into a machinima video series on YouTube that spanned 13 episodes and gathered a collection of faithful followers. It has given the game new depth for me.

Handle: Harith

Location: Maryland
Position: Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A Druid, as I would live peacefully and get a lot of sleeping done, and I would protect and be protected by the awesome jungle! And I am already at home in the Frozen Forest and the Kurzick forests.
Favored tactic: I love being a Necromancer against an Assassin, they rarely notice Spiteful Spirit and Empathy outside of GvG/HA, so if I cast Insidious Parasite or Spirit of Failure, they will happily cut their life away!
Preferred character: I mainly play a Necromancer, typically without minion use, and I always mix the three mainline Necro attributes, so I have Curses/Blood builds, Blood/Death, and Curses/Death. I especially like the Enfeeble/Virulence/Vile Miasma combo, as it works quickly and is strong in Fort Aspenwood.

Handle: His Royal Highness the Great Strider Howlfang of Bonnie Scotland

Location: Bonnie Scotland
Position: Euro Officer, Voice actor, TS Karaoke singer and resident nutter!
Guild Wars monster you’d be: Oh Charr definitely! It would be so cool to walk into Ascalon and scare the living daylights out of everyone as they try to attack me or run away.
Guild Wars deity: Hmm… Have to say Melandru. In Guild Wars there is nothing I like more than wandering through the beautiful landscape. Plus, by living in Scotland I get to appreciate natural beauty here as well.
Funniest PUG experience: The Villainy of Galrath quest. After fighting pretty much everything on the way with two Warriors with the combined I.Q. of a burst balloon we get back to Lion’s Arch to find out that neither of the Warriors had even taken the quest!
Why your guild is the greatest: Everyone’s friendly and helpful. Great bunch of live and forum-based role players. Karaoke singing on TS and great videos that are available on YouTube.

Handle: Halftoe

Location: Canada
Position: Member
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The creative diversity of Guild Wars has led me to many interesting projects which include sketching, poetry, film making, and forum role playing. I enjoy creative outlets in real life and was pleasantly surprised how Guild Wars supplied another avenue for creative expression. If I could name one unique element that I had the pleasure of being part, I would have to split it between the Guild Wars Inquirer (a satirical online article that ran through beta) and the Fire of the Covenant online video series which was taken from a forum role-play written in the Guild Wars setting.
Why your guild is the greatest: Because we focus on people rather than any specific game element. What we have built is a community of friends across the world, which will persist long after the faction wars of the Luxons and Kurzicks have ceased.
Skill Bar: One of my favorite builds: Iron Mist, Mighty Was Vorizun, Spirit Rift, Channeled Strike, Renewing Surge, Offering of Spirit, Bloodsong, and Resurrection Signet. This is very effective in various PvP settings because it combines high spike damage on soft targets with perhaps the best snare in the game.

Handle: Nuva

Location: Michigan
Position: GvG Officer
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A Lich Lord because my favorite position is the Necromancer, and I love playing as a Minion Master. Seeing as how the Lich Lord is a monster that can summon armies of the Undead, what other monster couldn’t be perfect for such a devoted servant of Grenth?
Humorous gaming incident: When everybody in the guild began to mimic me by making a copy of my main character, who happened to be a Ranger at the time, and had a slight variation in the name: Nuva the Merciless. So there would be names like Nooba the Merciful. It was quite fun when the humor began to spread into the alliance.
Preferred character: At the moment, it would have to be the Ritualist. I underestimated the class, but because it is like a hybrid of Necromancer and Elementalist, I immediately enjoyed the experience of summoning Spirits, channeling great damage, and regaining Energy.

Handle: Sizz, Sizzypoo, Sizzlars, Skittles…

Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Position: Officer
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: In a game such as this, the people are what keep the players coming back day after day. The ability to instantly meet friends anywhere and anytime is fantastic.
Embarrassing Guild Wars moment: I teamed up with my guild leader once, before being promoted to officer, in order to complete the Ice Caves of Sorrow mission. Being a total newb to the Warrior class I acted like your typical wammo by humiliating myself in front of the party and in front of the boss man. I made it a point to learn how to use the Warrior profession since.
Preferred character: I enjoy playing support classes, but I believe people seriously underestimate the true power of the Necromancer. Necromancers work well alone since they don’t necessarily need other classes for Health, Energy, or damage output. Their self-reliance must be why they are my favorites.

Handle: Anne

Location: Maryland
Position: Officer
Guild Wars deity: I’d have to choose Dwayna. I love the Monk class and healing is a lot of fun so I feel that’d fit me better than the others. (Plus the avatar of Dwayna is blue… who wouldn’t want to be blue?).
Why your guild is the greatest: The people in Charter Vanguard are a charming group. Everybody ranges from being casual/easygoing to thrill seeking and full of excitement, humorous to serious, experienced to new. The people that compose Charter Vanguard are what many people look for when searching for a guild.
Skill Bar: Ranger/Warrior: Apply poison, Sever Artery, Gash, Final Thrust, “Victory is Mine!”, Deadly Riposte, Healing Signet, Flurry. This is a fun build when facing melee type enemies.

Handle: Cain

Location: Tennessee
Position: Member
Guild Wars monster you’d be: A titan. Then, if I die, I’d respawn as something new. FTW.
Guild Wars deity: Grenth. The scales of justice for the living and the dead, the ultimate balancer. Everybody gets what’s coming to them in the end; I like that.
Humorous gaming incident: Once during Dragon Arena, a guildie and I tried to sync join, but ended up on opposite teams facing each other. We convinced the rest of the people not to target us, and we did a 1v1 the entire game. It was hilarious, kowtowing to each other.

Handle: Geckoman

Location: Washington State
Position: long-time member (since Aug. 2004)
Favorite Guild Wars aspect: The ease of gameplay and the overall versatility for playing any character. It is so easy to just jump into this game without poring through pages of a manual, and both the point-and-click movement and simplicity of the combat system make it ideal to just wade right into battle. What is more challenging is learning how and when to use your skills, but the skill system is also designed so that characters can be developed depending upon the situation, the player’s style, or even as support while a pet does all the hard work.
Guild Wars monster you’d be: I would have to choose the Sand Wurm or Desert Wurm, as I have had so many difficult encounters with them. It would be awesome to be able to pop up underneath unsuspecting enemies, knock them down, shrug off their puny attacks, and then devour them with one gulp (which pretty much describes quite a few of my encounters with them!). I am a long-time fan of the Dune series of books, so I was very pleased to have an opportunity to see one of my favorite creatures brought to life.
Biggest Guild Wars triumph: There are so many triumphs, considering I have played the majority of the game solo with a party of henchmen for company. This has been a challenge at times, in trying to “control” the henchies as well as my own character’s strategy. I think my greatest sense of accomplishment came from completing the Villainy of Galrath quest, since I had to chip away at it piecemeal by attacking then immediately retreating in order to pull my Warriors back and attempt to break up the mobs.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Defenders of the Blackblade [DotB]

"For Ascalon and Oink!"

The guild was founded on May 4th 2005 as a group of people who knew each other from outside the game, picking up people along the way. As for the Blackblade, no one actually knows anything about it, for his defenders protect it fiercely.

The small island in Fishermen’s Haven in Tyria has been the home of DotB for a long time and a great number were recruited while just chatting there. When Factions was introduced, it was only logical that the alliance that was joined was made up with people who also occupied the island in question. This is how they integrated the first ONL alliance. After many guilds joined and left, it was disbanded and then recreated to be know today as the second ONL alliance, composed of ONL, AnSy, DotB, Void, HMRC and BoS.

Built around friendship

The guild has a home in the Wizard Isle guild hall, as it reminds them of the Pre-Searing Ascalon and their first impressions of the game. There are currently around 60 members belonging to the DotB, who built on an ethos of teamwork and helping one another. Recently, they had the idea of starting their own wiki, which now counts over 200 articles and can be found at this address.

Every Thursday, the guild organizes an event which ranges from playing Elite Missions to finishing Masters on missions. During Canthan New Year, many of their players set out to gather the ingredients for the feast in groups. Thanks to that, they were able to supply several districts with the needed ingredients and scored them many Oink miniatures in the process. They also had Rock-Paper-Scissors tournaments and quizzes, as well as a scavenger hunt and they hosted a Christmas party in their Guild Hall for the guild members and all their friends.

The guild even has its own comic that you can read on these boards, along with the guild story.

PvE discussion

We asked DotB to share some thoughts about how they play in PvE and, after something about Gonzo (see below) wearing mismatched pieces of armour, here is what they came up with:

• Read up on what you’re facing and adapt to what is needed. Also if it’s not working, keep trying to adapt your build to the situation if you have failed a mission and are back in the outpost.


• Never give up, we’ve messed up so many times where we carried on regardless, it’s always good for a laugh and you feel even better to recover from such situations and overcome the obstacle ahead.


• We let the tank go ahead and lure with a bow to grab aggro, once he has it the rest moves in and the monk keeps the tank standing.


• Remember to have fun! Even if someone (not mentioning who) uses 'Aggro the world!' and makes the entire team run around like headless chicken's, at the end of the day, it is just a game we all play for fun.


• Use common sense; know your skills and enemies. Know how to counter what comes on your path. Learn through experience and don’t be afraid to ask.

Member Profiles

Meet the people behind the avatars:

Calliara Blackheart

Location: England Gaming Background: I've been an avid gamer for as long as I can remember. Although I'll play pretty much anything, RPG's have always been my favourite genre and before Guild Wars I've dabbled with games like Diablo II, World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI. In Guild Wars, I prefer playing Warrior, Monk or Elementalist. Favourite Character: My Warrior, Calliara Blackheart, she was the character I created on the launch day of Prophecies and has remained my favourite character since. Position in the Guild: Guild Leader/Founder

Griphyne Of Nor

Location: England, Canterbury Gaming Background: Started with the Atari and worked my way up. The most notable RPG I played is probably Diablo2, but not really in a multiplayer sense. Then again, I prefer RTS games over this kind of nonsensical role play. I think it's because it makes world domination possible. I guess if you're the monk, don't let your personal feelings about someone who's offensive about your play get in the way of your healing. You got a set task to do, that's to keep the party alive and kicking. We don't want you giving monks a bad name. That's MY job. Favourite Character: Griphyne of Nor is my monk and has been my first and primary character since the beginning. I do have other characters, but monking is where my expertise lies. Plain and simple. Griphyne's pretty much the defining character in our guild comic because of this. I figure I went the monk route because it's not an easy way out and you either learn to do it well or people die. That, and no-one ever takes the monk seriously, which is a good thing in my case. Position in the Guild: Officer

Darth Necrimus

Location: Denmark Gaming Background: In the dawn of time (when there was no spam, no graphics and chat was done using the arcane method of IRC), I played my fair share of MUD. This was where my first interest for fantasy role-playing games began. Later I moved into graphical but more strategy based games, and then had quite many years without playing any games at all. Choosing Guild Wars was a lengthy selection process, but I ended up choosing it since it had many similarities to playing MUD; it had a strategy concept of cooperation and its concept of having instances of areas was what won me over, and there was no unnecessary grinding of XP or gold, which I earlier had so harshly experienced being boring in some MUD and other strategy games. Favourite Character: Necrimus was my first character, born as a Necromancer/Elementalist in the Prophecies campaign, he has taken the most beating of all of my characters, but then again he also has a pool of skill points he will most likely never deplete. I never grow tired of playing necromancer, since there is always a place for this class in a team. The only problem is that there are so many nice skills to choose from that Necrimus never carries a resurrection of any kind and he really wishes he could have 10 skills loaded at the same time. Next to playing Necromancer, my favourites are Elementalist and Ritualist. Position in the Guild: Officer

Katalia Silverblade

Location: United Kingdom Gaming Background: Guild Wars was my first real gaming experience, this has opened the door for other games. Favourite Character: Katalia Silverblade is my baby! She's my warrior and has been through all 3 campaigns. My other favourite character is my monk, Jade Lockhart, also known as Wiggles. Position in the Guild: Officer

Doli Capax

Location: Denmark Gaming Background: Favourite Character: My very first character was as a Ranger, because it was a profession I recognised from other RPG’s. However; as I got to understand Guild Wars and its various professions I opted for the Necromancer as my primary character both as Minion Master and Spiteful Spirit Spiker. This opened a whole new world of killing, Although at times it’s frustrating when your guild team is charging ahead and you’re standing behind summoning golems etc. It’s a challenge and really satisfying when your army of minions catches up and slaughters the enemy or your Spiteful Spirit hits just right and the mob kills itself. Position in the Guild: Officer

Wise Witch

Location: Russia Gaming Background: I have been playing everything more or less worthy since the ancient times of Diablo I, choosing mostly RPG’s and strategy games. GW is my first serious online experience and I don’t regret a single second spent on it! Favourite Character: Most of the characters I have, especially those I bought a new armour for recently. To be a bit more serious, one of my favourites is my Elementalist, Wise Witch. She was the first one to finish Prophecies and probably was the one I have been picking more often when playing since then, especially when I was feeling lazy. My main strategy (as with any other profession) is to spend as little energy as possible with the most effect I can get. And, yes, therefore I am the one who is constantly moaning about lack of energy. Also I should admit that I am always tanking a bit too much but who cares if we are having fun? Position in the Guild: Officer

Gonzo Salvato

Location: The Netherlands Gaming Background: Started with NES, Faxanadu introduced me to the world of RPG's, been hooked every since, played most Final Fantasy games and Baldur's Gate brought my gaming to the PC. My brother told me to get Guild Wars, so after 6 months I finally did, been hooked ever since. Favourite Character: My warrior is my primary character. It was my first character to finish Prophecies and the first one to get a set of 15k armour, piece by piece. I often think back of the days I wandered old Ascalon with my Moa bird. Nowadays I go about as a W/Me, taking advantage of the Mesmer stances to help while tanking. Though when we're fooling around I just try to aggro as many red dots I can see. Position in the Guild: Officer

Aimee Shotz

Location: Australia Gaming Background: Haven't got much of a gaming background, Guild Wars is my first. Would sit and watch my sister play, and then started sharing the account which turned out to be too confusing for fellow guildies. Now we both have our own accounts and I curse her for ever getting me started on the game. Hooked I tell ya! Favourite Character: Would be my Ranger, I loved Robin Hood as a kid. Also enjoy playing my Ele, there's nothing like setting everything on fire and am just getting back into my warrior who I’d given up on ages ago, hoping one day Gonzo will help me cap the elite 'Aggro the World'. Position in the Guild: My role in the guild is to be the poor Aussie girl who is left to play on her own when everyone goes to bed. My other role is to play that badly so that everyone else looks really really good. Aka 'Aimee no friends' but very proud member of Defenders of the Blackblade

Kratos Moonsilver

Location: England Gaming Background: : I play PvE. Haven't played PvP for a long time. I like RPGs, but usually the ones I've played weren't multiplayer so Guild Wars is a nice change. It’s probably my first real online game. Favourite Character: My first character, decided to stick with the ranger class because it was a playing style that I was used to playing in other games. Usually I'm set as an interrupter but I do like experimenting with traps and giving my Melandru Stalker some exercise.

Kimhari Ronso

Location: Sweden Gaming Background: Favourite Character: My Elementalist is my primary character. He was the first character I created and the first I went through Prophecies with. In the beginning I was an E/Mo with a horrible fire/healing build and I had no runes. But later on it developed and nowadays I'm usually E/Me and nuking is what I most often do. I bought a 15k Hydromancer set during my first year and I kept using that armour set the most till I got my FoW set not long ago.

Below are the Champions of Tyria

Below are the Champions of Tyria, forever immortalised for all to see!

We add Champions on a regular basis, so if you wish to be featured, and go down in Guild Wars history as one of the Champions of Tyria, head over to this page now

Before you submit a screenshot

Before you submit a screenshot of your character, please read the submission tips and guidelines to make sure you meet the requirements, and take a good screenshot!

Your Equipment Template code

Your Equipment Template code

Your Equipment Template code can be saved in-game whilst you are playing Guild Wars:

1. Whilst in-game, press the “J” hotkey to open your PvP Equipment panel. Select the armour and weapons you wish to submit, then click “Create”. Once created, equip these items in your Inventory ("I") panel.
2. Click the disk icon inside the Inventory panel, then click “Save to Template”. The template will be saved to a small file in the /Templates/Equipment/ folder in your Guild Wars installation directory.

Now that your Equipment Template has been saved, you can simply open the file in a text editor program, and copy and paste the text inside this document into the form provided.

Your Skill Template code

Your Skill Template code

Your Skill Template code can be saved in-game whilst you are playing Guild Wars:

1. Whilst in-game, press the “K” hotkey to open your Skills and Attributes panel and select the skills and attributes you want to submit.
2. To save your Skill Template, click the disk icon inside the Skills and Attributes panel, then click “Save to Template”. The template will be saved to a small file in the /Templates/Skills/ folder below the Guild Wars installation directory.

Now that your Skill Template has been saved, you can simply open the file in a text editor program, and copy and paste the text inside this document into the form provided. If you wish, click on the Preview button to check your chosen skills and attributes are correct.

How to take a good screenshot of your character:

How to take a good screenshot of your character:

1. Try something a little different! Look out for unusual landmarks to pose next to or consider using an emote to make the shot more interesting.
2. Only one character should be present in the screenshot, however you may wish to include your character’s pet (if a Ranger) or a miniature.
3. To capture your screenshot, hold down Shift and press the Print Screen button on your keyboard.
   (This key binding can be remapped in the Options menu.) Using Shift + Print Screen will remove the game interface and save a screenshot in your Guild Wars /Screens/ directory as a JPG file.
4. If you wish, you may crop the image in an image editing program. The required dimensions are 250 pixels wide and 360 pixels high. If you do not crop your image, we will do so for you.
5. Any screenshots that have been altered (other than to be cropped) after being taken will not be accepted.
6. Submitted images must be no more than 1280 x 1024 pixels in resolution.

CoT Form Intro

Every day we will be honouring one of the many Champions that dedicate their lives to defending the world of Tyria, by raising them up on a pedestal, and immortalising them in a gallery for all to see. That Champion could be you!

If you wish to be featured in the gallery, and go down in Guild Wars history as one of the Champions of Tyria, simply use the form below to send us a screenshot of your hero, along with details of their chosen profession and skills, and we will do the rest!

Blood Pain Money [BPM]

Sun sets over Tyria, and from a sinking blood red sun emerges a gang of bold, battle-hardened fighters ready to offer their swords to anyone willing to pay... Such was the role playing idea which lead to the foundation of Blood Pain Money [BPM] in September 2005. Starting off with only a few founding members, the guild currently sports 40 active members.

Even though the role playing idea of a mercenary guild has become a much less prominent aspect, the members still act as (unpaid) mercenaries of some sort: In April 2006 BPM officially launched the initiative "BPM bietet Starthilfe an" (BPM offer assistance to newcomers), the basic idea of which is to help struggling Guild Wars newcomers to better understand the mechanics of the game. The initiative was born out of many of the guild's members' realisation that a lot of newcomers were facing major problems when starting the game - especially with regards to the basic cornerstones of gameplay and game concept.

It comes as no big surprise that many of the typical questions BPM's members help new players with are of a very basic nature. The guild's main aim is to enable players to engage in the simple aspects of Guild Wars. BPM's members attempt to give young aspiring adventurers a feeling for the game and to that end are very happy to accompany the young recruits through the game world. The different kinds of assistance they offer to players are as varied as the players themselves, and introductory sessions can last anything from 20 minutes up to an epic three hours.

But BPM's initiative goes beyond simply jump-starting players, they offer all participants to include their tutors in their friends list, to enable the former protégés to get back in touch with their tutors at a later point, should they encounter any insurmountable obstacles. In doing so they ensure that players are really having fun with Guild Wars - both in the short and the long term - and will ultimately become better players.

Play and let Play

The general philosophy of the guild is quite simple and always takes priority over the guild's "formal" rules: Have fun, live the adventure and play - together. Mutual support and the will to offer help to others is an essential and important goal that many guilds aspire to, but only very few manage to live up to. BPM also attempt to carry this philosophy into their Luxon alliance, since they believe it encourages better gameplay. Playing = Fun - it really can be that simple.

BPM's philosophy infuses everything they do and as a guild whose main focus is on PvE, they particularly enjoy "hanging out" in some of the more dangerous areas of the game. A vital aspect of their forays is to never impose a certain build or skill-set on the participating players. What really matters is that all participating Characters can participate in and live the adventure. Mutual support and playing together characterises all of the guilds activities - whether it be the acquisition of a special item, getting a character to a specific location in the game via certain missions, or to simply help a player obtain a mission bonus - volunteers are never hard to find. This is what really makes this guild a sworn community of players, which everyone is happy to be part of.

On rare occasions BPM also venture into GvG, where they are frequently shown their own limits. Being the true sports that they are, defeats are only minor hiccups and are seen as way to improve and learn through avoiding past mistakes in future matches. BPM won't get easily discouraged by a lost match, since they are well aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, and the fact that they are mainly a wild bunch of highly diverse personalities united by only one goal: To have as much fun playing Guild Wars as they possibly can.

PvE-Discussion

We asked BPM to share some of their insights into PvE with us. Being the helpful guild that they are, they have come up with the following game tips for you:

• It may sound obvious but always read the mission descriptions. A lot of players just click them away and then don't really know what is asked of them to complete a mission.


• Know the other characters in your party. Knowing which skills each of the party members has equipped will ultimately benefit the whole team. A lot of pick-up groups fail because players simply don't communicate. In the worst case, none of the 8 players of your party will know what the others are capable of and the mission practically fails as soon as you start it.


• Know your enemy. If you know are about to enter an area with lots of Mesmers, you should equip skills that will counter most of the nasty things opponents of that profession can do to you.


• Some Builds work better in certain regions than others. Have faith in your party members and their ability to play their own characters.


• Never just copy a build without really understanding how it works. Adjust it in a way that allows you to fully understand and play it.


• Analyze the make-up of your party. Even parties with a rather unusual combination of characters can work very well if players work as a team. Immediately after Nightfall was released, you could find some teams that contained multiple Dervishes or Paragons. This is not a problem as such and even a team with four Paragons may work very well. The important thing is for players to communicate. In a good team with good communication any challenge, mission or area can be mastered.


• Use the map and the terrain to your advantage. It can be very useful to include Bridges or narrow areas in your Aggro strategy.


• Make sure that, before starting a mission, every single player in your party knows which role they will be playing in the team. Any given party should always contain the following elements: offense, support and backline.


• And last, but not least important: Play as much as you can! In Guild Wars, there is not one single profession that is by nature stronger than another one. This is the core aspect about Guild Wars you must understand. The more you play and the better you understand your own profession, the more successful you will be.

Member Profiles

Meet the people behind the avatars:

Calim Sharce

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I have been playing games since the 1980s and laid my hands on everything from the Atari console to the C64, Atari ST and finally the PC. My other big passion is P&P role playing games such as D&D, Vampires, etc. Favourite Character: My favourite Character is my Elementalist, followed by my Ritualist. I also like playing Monks and my brand new Paragon. As you can see I really like playing support characters, even though I like equipping my Elementalist with Fire skills from time to time to go monster bashing in the Fissure of Woe. Position in the Guild: Guild Founder

Bai Wong

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I mainly play PvE with the occasional game of GvG. Apart from Guild Wars I also like playing P&P role playing games. Favourite Character: Necromancers/x. I like playing any profession using spells, but my absolute favourite is the Necromancer. My Necromancer has ventured through Prophecies and Factions mainly as a Necromancer/Mesmer, and now she is ready to explore Elona. I really love the Necromancer/Mesmer, as it allows you to play some very nasty combinations. Position in the Guild: Officer/Website-Admin

Boromir Gimpel

Location: Germany Gaming Background: My gaming career kicked off with games such as Neverwinter Nights and Dungeon Siege and now Guild Wars has totally cast its spell on me. Favourite Character: My very first and most favourite character is my Warrior/Monk. I have been playing this character for over a year now and mostly equip an axe or sword. Skill-wise, I mostly use Adrenaline skills. Position in the Guild: Guild Leader/Website Co-Admin

Dan Noland

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I mainly play PvE and a massive fan of support-characters. From my point of view any class can act as a support-character, as long as you know what support really means. Favourite Character: Ritualist. I just love the whole concept of the Ritualist. Unfortunately, you won't find many Ritualists in game because most players do not really understand how they work and therefore think that they are useless. Position in the Guild: Officer

Cute Kurai

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I started off with Adventure and Action games but then got bored of playing alone, so I decided to give Guild Wars a try. It was a more than pleasant surprise to see how much fun playing in a group actually turned out to be. This was also one of my reasons for joining BPM. Favourite Character: My Necromancer, definitely. I like all professions that use spells, but she was my first character and I think she best suits my playing style. She has explored Tyria and Cantha and has now set out to conquer Elona. I'll give some other combinations a try though. Position in the Guild: Officer

Nefarious Sixsixsix

Location: Germany Gaming Background: FPS and racing games, but the only game I have currently installed on my PC is Guild Wars. Favourite Character: My main character is a Necromancer. I have tried various other professions but the only profession I really play apart from my Necromancer is the Assassin. The thing I like most about Necromancers is their versatility. What other profession is there in the game allowing you to command an army of undead, rotting minions while sucking the life out of your enemies and agonizing them with hexes? Position in the Guild: Officer

Iron Maiden V

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I have been playing since I was five or six. It all started with an Amiga 500. I had my first multiplayer experience with Command & Conquer. I was playing against a friend via null modem ... that really was ages ago. I also played CS in a team and the absolute highlight of my CS-career was defeating a professional German team during a tournament and making the top 10 of the German ESL-Ladder. Favourite Character: At the moment I mostly play a Ranger, which - in my opinion - is a pretty flexible profession. I also discovered the appeal of the Ritualist's weapon spells for maxing out damage. For a bow I prefer using the longbow to stay out of trouble and support my team by bothering the opponent's annoying spell casters.

Bartuc der Krieger

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I mostly play PvE with the occasional game of GvG. Favourite Character: Most of the time you'll find me playing my Warrior, which also happens to be my very first character. My favourite skill is "Watch Yourself!" because you can use it with almost any Warrior build to support your team.

Osbf X

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I started out with Diablo 2, which I am still playing today. I mainly play PvE but never turn down a good game of PvP. Favourite Character: I mostly play a Necromancer, which to me is the profession with the biggest potential and the highest versatility. Position in the Guild: Officer

Der Con

Location: Germany Gaming Background: I mainly play PvE. Favourite Character: Warrior. I just love playing a Warrior - and looking good in the process.

Euro Fraternity [FRA]

The banner for Euro Fraternity first started flying back in August 2005. At this time, members were still part of a French guild called Le Grawl Maniaque (LGM), a guild that had fought in over 100 GvG matches, for a short time putting them in the Top 5. This was a great time to learn about both strategy and tactics, and once members discovered the sweet taste of victory... there would be no turning back. They started to dream about glory and rising up the guild ladder, but this wasn't the main focus of LGM. Fascinated by the competitive aspect of Guild Wars, a small group of players decided to go it alone.

Coming up with a new name was easy: a French core, some European electrons and an unbreakable solidarity... Euro Fraternity was born. Today, FRA is a dozen strong, with the occasional new recruit joining an 'active test' - the best way to evaluate the spirit of a new player, and get them used to how the guild operates.

Even though FRA is exclusively oriented towards PvP, they don’t prohibit the PvE fun in their spare time. They openly admit how much they enjoy showing off with the new shiny toys they looted in PvE.

As for their future, FRA humbly and simply just hopes to still be playing together as a guild. They don't make big plans, they'd rather enjoy the here and now, always mindful that one minor issue is enough to break even the strongest of guilds. Their motivation is to uphold the values they hold dearest: respect, friendship and fraternity. So far, good fortune has been smiling upon them.

Kings of fair-play

Some of you might be thinking: "Why does this guild name sound familiar?" Look no further, it’s probably because you heard the Scribe (Random Act of Kindness) mention them. He talks about the random acts of kindness that Euro Fraternity shows in a GvG game. Whilst guild members might not be able to tell you how they got a mention, it's proof FRA has made fair-play a part of their everyday gaming philosophy.

During 'La Ligue', a PvP tournament organised by mmorpgs.info, FRA managed to reach the final stage of the competition where they were to face Flawless Addict (Flaw). Following a strong start, it soon became clear that their opponent had the perfect counter to their strategy. Following a disconnection, two players from the other side were dropped from the game. Rather than take advantage of the situation, FRA agreed to restart the match and didn't even attempt to change their build. They marched to their doom, heads held high, and whilst they lost (with dignity), they won the respect of the others.

Euro Fraternity now dedicates most of its time to GvG. Before that, members were mostly playing Heroes’ Ascent, and one can already see the results as they reach the 23rd place on the ladder (at the time of writing). It looks like they decided to take advantage of the ladder reset to stay on top of things. And even though their motto is "fun first", they try their best to be the most competitive.

Here is one of the "Degen" builds they often like to play. Its purpose is to inflict multiple curses upon the enemy, who will have a very difficult time to manage them because, at the same time, two warriors will be dealing serious damage. Euro Fraternity put in their personal touch by introducing an underused yet formidable curse: Panic.

"Constant Pressure"
Warrior (Sword)

Sever Artery, Gash, Crippling Slash, Final Thrust, Frenzy, Enraging Charge, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet.

Sword: 16
Strength: 11
Tactic: 9

"The Hammer"
Warrior (Hammer)

Backbreaker, Crushing Blow, Irresistible Blow, Mighty Blow, Frenzy, Sprint, Endure Pain, Resurrection Signet.

Hammer: 16
Strength: 13

"Panic!"
Me/El

Power Drain, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Panic, Backfire, Diversion, Spiritual Pain, Shatter Enchantment, Resurrection Signet

Domination: 14
Fast Cast: 10
Inspiration: 10

"Maitre des Illusions"
Me/Mo

Signet of Illusions, Conjure Phantasm, Images of Remorse, Spirit of Failure, Energy Tap, Scourge Healing, Spirit Shackles, Resurrection Chant.

Illusion: 16
Fast Cast: 13
Inspiration: 3

"The Bloodthirsty"
Ne/Mo

Life Siphon, Parasitic Bond, Draw Conditions, Aegis, Offering of Blood, Faintheartedness, Shadow of Fear, Resurrection Signet

Blood: 14
Curse: 12
Protection : 9
Soul Reaping: points left

"Light Monk"
Mo/As

Dark Escape, Return, Signet of Devotion, Reversal of Fortune, Suppression de conditions, Protective Spirit, Divine Light, Don de santé

Divine Favour: 14
Protection: 10
Healing: 11
Shadow Arts: 6

"Blessing Monk"
Mo/Me

Words of Comfort, Zealous Benediction, Infuse Health, Shield of Absorption, Spirit Bond, Mend Condition, Revealed Hex, Hex Breaker.

Divine Favour: 11
Protection: 11
Healing: 11
Inspiration: points left

"Helping Monk"
Mo/El (Flag)

Protective Spirit, Words of Comfort, Orison of Healing, Light of Deliverance, Mending Touch, Extinction, Aegis, Storm Djinn's Haste.

Air Magic: 8
Healing: 15
Protection: 10
Divine Favour: 9

Strategy

To succeed with this build, you need the following ingredients:

A Panic Mesmer who is played defensively and can prevent the enemy acting freely.

A Signet of Illusions Mesmer who will prove himself very useful considering the most of his skills will benefit from the 16 Illusion points; for example Scourge Healing in the Secondary Profession.

A Degen Necromancer who, just like the Mesmer, will be in charge of using the main skill Panic.

And lastly, Warriors are in charge of keeping the pressure high and executing the wounded foe. They can also add in a discharge role in conjunction with the two Mesmers.

So, is this build unbeatable? Well, yes and no. The originality here is the use of Panic, which the opponent won't be expecting. Thus, if the strategy is well executed, the enemy will have a really hard time to adapt to it. Nevertheless, if you end up facing a team shielded against Curses, the build efficiency will be compromised.

Member Information

Kaioh Neptune

Location: Fontainebleau, France Favourite Character: Even if I really appreciate the Warrior who is my main character, I’d say Elementalist without any hesitation. It’s one of the rare characters who aren’t really endangered by Curses and Conditions; which makes it mighty to play and hard to counter, even more since he is casting from range and all his magic schools are powerful. Gaming Background: I like many game style: From FPS to RTS, passing by Races and Fighting. Position in the guild: Guild Master

Rage Lemming

Location: Taverny, France Favourite Character: the Warrior is my favourite profession. For me, he is the best solution for a discharge or a pressure role. Besides, it offers a very good comprise when we split. Gaming Background: I love everything ! I spend my time on Guild Wars, but I keep myself updated on other games’ release (FPS, race, etc.). Position in the guild: Officer

Alone In December

Location : Dreux, France Favourite Character: Monk. It’s the profession I’m playing 90% of the time. This is for one reason: I’m convinced a team will be more efficient if every member play the class they are the best at. Gaming Background: I have mostly played RPG, which led me to try Guild Wars out, when I decided to switch from PvE to PvP type of game. Position in the guild: Officer

Kim Poirier

Location: Metz, France Favourite Character: Ranger. It’s a class like no other, with many faces: either as a fast damage dealer (Bow) or in a Pressure role (Conditions). He is also very good at interrupting, just like the Mesmer. Also, his expertise is very welcome in any kind of build. Gaming Background: My two favourite universes are MMORPGs and FPS. Switching from one to the other is what I like. Position in the guild: Officer

Bang Of Artemis

Location: Lyon, France Favourite Character: It’s not the profession I like, it’s rather the way to play it. I really love when you have to target a full team instead of a single enemy. This means having the choice between the Necromancer and the Mesmer. Gaming Background: Besides a few LAN games, my main pleasure is to play Guild Wars. Position in the guild: Officer

C A S S E Dur

Location: Monaco, Monaco Favourite Character: Monk is the only class I’m playing. Indeed, we think this class is vital to any team, so we need to make sure that people who play them have the goal to master them. Gaming Background: I’m a fan of console games. Guild Wars is the only reason why I own a PC. Position in the guild: Member

II Ruby II

Location: Nice, France Favourite Character: Like my friends, I agree with the Monk policy: having people ready to play that profession and nothing else. I’m one of these players. Gaming Background: I like every game, whether on Console or PC. I don’t have any preferences; I like to try everything. Position in the guild: Member

Ex Hex

Location: Toulouse, France Favourite Character: My favourite character is the Mesmer since it’s probably the one which totally depends on who is playing it. That’s why we often hear about "Good Mesmer" and "Bad Mesmer". It’s a great challenge to play that profession. Gaming Background: I think Guild Wars is a game which requires involvement, therefore, it’s hard to venture on other games. Position in the guild: Member

Sana Call

Location: Fontainebleau, France Favourite Character: Mesmer. This is always a dangerous profession to face. I like its polyvalence. Gaming Background: I have been a great RPG fan. These games require lots of time, so now I’m done with them since I’m entirely dedicated to Guild Wars. Position in the guild: Member

The Barthy Clayton

Location: St Quentin, France Favourite Character: I don’t really have a preference; I like to play everything, it depends on my mood! Gaming Background: Besides a few FPS, I play games which require involvement, like RPG. For now, Guild Wars is my priority. Position in the guild: Member

Binter Ftw

Location: Lyon, France Favourite Character: I like to play Warrior, since it’s often the one who is "Leading" and that’s something I usually do when we play in Heroes’ Ascent. To the contrary, in GvG, I like "independent" classes. But I couldn’t tell which my favourite class is; it really depends on the build! Gaming Background: Like the others in my guild, I like some console games and my PC is mostly used to play Guild Wars. Position in the guild: Member

Die Schwarze Kralle [SK]

Die Schwarze Kralle [SK] has left its trace in Guild Wars for quite a while now. The Guild was founded by three friends right after the release of Prophecies, but none of them are actively playing any longer. Becauseof this, a temporary assignment was turned into a full blown job for the recently appointed guild leader (she isn't really complaining). SK has 40 members at the moment and it is very important for them that there is no anonymity in their guild.

They are a mixed bunch of people, you will find father playing with his son, neighbours, friends, colleagues, hardcore and casual gamers among their ranks. Although most members met through the game, in many cases real life friendships have developed,and players go to visit one another.

The main focus of SK is on PvE, although the goals each guild member tries to achieve can be very diverse. It might be helping another member in completing his collection of green items, to help in getting his Cartographer title or just helping out in a mission. Whatever the task, there will always be members of the guild willing to give a helping hand.

In general their view on the game is that Guild Wars offers so many different ways to have fun, that there is something for everybody, and so their main focus is not on specific activities but instead on offering a broad variety of possible activities for their members. Members of Die Schwarze Kralle are active in the community and take part in all sorts of competitions and contests such as the ArenaNet contests or the "create a cover of a gaming magazine" contest.

Games within the game

One of the things that makes Die Schwarze Kralle special is the fact that they very often create their own Events. So if, in your travels on the Factions tutorial isle, you came across a bunch of valiant heroes dressed in their underwear, it's not the Shing Jea Chipendales - but it could be members of SK taking part in their Robinson Crusoe event. During the event, players had to start at the Shing Jea Monastery without armour and weapons and only three core skills, and find a way to finish the cooperative tutorial isle missions with master reward. This event created an even deeper bond between the players, because they had to work as one to get certain items or a piece of armour to cover their shame.

Another event they created was an easter egg hunt. Under the motto "if the egg can't get into the game, then the game has to get into the egg", they published Easter eggs on their webpage during the easter holiday. Each egg showed a scene from the game (with increasing difficulty), and players had to 'hunt' for the places in-game and provide a screenshot as proof they found it.

Birthdays of Guild members are also very important for SK. It is tradition that the happy birthday child can choose a birthday event of their choice. A very popular choice at the moment is a trip into the underworld or into the elite missions. They also may spend a whole evening hunting a specific boss mob, because the wish was to get the green item it drops.

PvE Discussion

At first they were rather tight-lipped about sharing some thoughts about how they play PvE with us, but after we threatened to send Nika over for a visit, they agreed to share some thoughts with our honoured readers.

• The degree of planning always depends on the mission. They have played the Ring of Fire mission without monks once, because they had 8 other players who wanted to play the mission. As a result the Ritualist had to skill as a healer. It is important, in a situation like this, that each player is aware of the fact that he basically is responsible for healing himself.


• If they play something like the Elite missions in Factions, they always do advance planning to talk about the Group-Build and the skills people should take with them, because it is very frustrating if, after a couple of hours playing the mission, you realise that you miss some key skills.



• Sometimes a difficult situation calls for a spirited retreat. It might happen that the last surviving member of the party has to pull a boss mob into another group of enemies to recharge his resurrection signet so he can revive one of the monks. But there is no special tactic for a situation like this, it all comes down to creativity.


• It is very important to not get too serious – putting blame on somebody is not really helpful. Many mistakes happen because of a lack of knowledge about the mission or how to play other professions. If, for example, a Warrior has played a monk or an Elementalist before, he will not again charge into a group of enemies before the energy of the casters is restored. And an Elementalist, who has played a warrior before, might use his AoE spells more sparingly because he knows how difficult it gets for the Warrior to control the aggro.


• The reason why playing in guild teams usually works out better then in PuGs is that in guild teams people are aware of the role they play within a team. Classes which are not that popular like Mesmer, Assassins or smiting Monks can play an important part within the group – a concept that sometimes is very hard to explain to players in a PuG. They wish that more players would be daring enough to play something apart form the standard group builds.


• The most important thing after you fail: Discuss what was the reason for the failure, and maybe change skills or even professions – but never change players!

Member Profiles

Sheftu Engevis

Location: Hannover, Germany Gaming Background: Realtime- buildup strategy, simulations – RPGs for the last 2 years as well. Since I know Guild Wars I do not have time for other games…^^ Primary Character: Elementalist or Necromancer – everything that deals damage from behind. Position in the Guild: Leader

Loki Pestis

Location: Baden-Württenberg, Germany Gaming Background: actually everything but round-based strategie games. GW is my first MMORPG. Primary Character: Monk, primarily as a healer. In PvE I prefer a Monk/Mesmer with Energy Drain and Inspired Hex – because for a monk there is nothing more important than energy, right? Position in the Guild: Officer

Zerales Grey

Location: Eimsbüttel/Hamburg, Germany Gaming Background: I like to play RPGs, that's why I started to play Guild Wars. I prefer to play PvE, and the new titles created a big inducement. Primary Character: My favorite is my Ranger. He is the oldest and most experienced of them all. I really like the flexibility a Ranger provides. I prefer to play an offensive Ranger, using Whirling Defense and traps right in the middle of the battle. Position in the Guild: I am Officer and some kind of Guild institution. Why I joined SK: Die Schwarze Kralle was my first guild, and it looks like I do not like to change guilds. None of the people who have been there in the beginning are left, but the guild has evolved in a way that I can only marvel at.

Andreas Delany

Location: Berlin, Germany Gaming Background: I only played offline games most of the times before I discovered Guild Wars. Guild Wars was my second online game, the first one was a browser game I played for a long time. Primary Character: I prefer my Warrior or Ranger. Many people underestimate the Warrior, because they see him only as a tank. I love to be in the heat of the battle, taking the fight to the enemy – in an organised way. Position in the Guild: Officer (2nd oldest)

Dragonson Magnifico

Location: Franconia, Bavaria, Germany Primary Character: I prefer Elementalist – Fire to decimate hordes of enemies, air to specifically target a single opponent, earth and water for support or special objectives. I only play PvE – I love our quests and missions. Position in the Guild: I am an Officer of die Schwarze Kralle. Why I joined SK: Well, why did I join? My son actually introduced me to the guild, and (from my perspective of course) now I play in the best guild of the world Part of this is because we do not actually have goals – apart from having fun and helping guild members.

Oberon Von Avalon

Location: Vienna, Austria Gaming Background: Guild Wars was my first online-RPG. I basically played every RPG available, and Guild Wars was able to become one of my favorite games because of the awesome graphics and smooth gameplay. Primary Character: The one and only character with which I finished both campaigns (Prophecies and Factions) is my Warrior, Oberon von Avalon. He is my oldest character and the one I love the most. I love to be on the frontline – most of the time as a contagious warrior – and beating up the opponent with hammer, sword or axe (and giving my own monks a hard time ^^). Position in the Guild: I am a simple member of Die Schwarze Kralle. Why I joined SK: I feel very comfortable in this guild, because they cover all of my interests. I prefer PvE, but do not mind the odd PvP battle. We also play for fun, there are no obligations, and you can find really good friends in this guild.

Nashi

Location: Germany. Gaming Background: RPGs, some FPS Primary Character: Necromancer – a very versatile class. I love to play minion master with Mark of Pain and Barbs. Ranger – it doesn't matter if you play a trapper, interrupter or a simple damage dealer, there is always a place for a Ranger. Position in the Guild: Member. I am in charge of the guild gallery.

Eary Kuraschka

Location: Nuremberg, Germany Gaming Background: I play more PvE than PvP, but if I am on the right team, I like to play PvP just for fun. I do not take PvP too serious. Guild Wars was my first MMORPG. Primary Character: I prefer to play minion master, more than anything else. But I also use the support skills of the Necromancer. Position in the Guild: Simple member – I love to help other people. Why I joined SK: I left my old guild because for me most of the members where to young. Then I met Die Schwarze Kralle – and now I have a new Guild Wars family.

Noywen Faloth

Location: Mönchengladbach, Germany Gaming Background: I prefer PvE, but cannot go long without a decent PvP match. Primary Character: I prefer Ranger, although I like to play Monk or Elementalist as well. In PvE I mostly play with a flatbow and read the wind as preparation to cause conditions on the enemies. In PvP I play a Ranger/Assassin with dagger- and survival skills. Position in the Guild: I am a member of Die Schwarze Kralle. Why I joined SK: I was thinking of joining for quite a while, but I was member in another guild I did not want to leave. When things changed, there was no other guild I would have liked more to be a part of.

Hypocrite

Location: Niedersachsen, Germany Gaming Background: Guild Wars was my first MMORPG. I was fascinated by the concept of an MMORPG, and especially if you are part of a good guild, you see the advantages of the genre, because you can play your favorite game together with a bunch of nice people. Primary Character: My Monk "Kill the Priest" is not the oldest character in my little collection, but the one I play most of the time. He is my "multi active/passive prot heal and 55HP Monk. You see, I play him in all kind of ways, so it never get's boring. I also like it that with a Monk it is rather easy to find a group. You can also help a lot of people being a monk, because usually there is a shortage of Monks ^^. In the Elite missions there is always somebody looking for a Monk, so there is always something to do. Position in the Guild: I am an ordinary member (I mean what does "ordinary really means – isn't it ordinary to be "ordinary"?) of Die Schwarze Kralle. Why I joined SK: For SK the focus is on PvE, an in my personal opinion, I think the PvP part of the game is really good, but I can only truly relax when I play PvE and have fun together with my guildmates.

Everlasting Sacred Path

Guild Lore

Everlasting Sacred Path [ESP] is a guild doing its best to live up to the name “Everlasting.” Born as a Diablo guild in 1995, the guild progressed through several other games before disbanding for a number of years. However, enthusiasm for Guild Wars brought the guild back into activity. Since its rebirth as a Guild Wars guild, ESP has been gaining momentum. In fact, the guild has created a complex roleplaying back-story, depicting the history of ESP in the Guild Wars universe.

The lore of ESP begins with the nomadic tribes of Tathata, who started out as a collection of disparate clans. Unified by divine influence and the emergence of strong leaders, the Tathata evolved into a force to be reckoned with. Three deities came to be of central importance to the clans. The goddesses—Ahnika, Talaria, and Cerydias—brought a simple message. They wanted Tathata to become a peaceful nation.

The first leaders of Tathata included Brennus, Asperanza, Kiria, and Karuna. Through the acts of those figures and the guidance of the three goddesses, a guild was born. One of the tenets of the guild is that change is inevitable and always progresses in a cycle. Thus, after every period of progress, slow decline is inevitable. Indeed, Tathata slipped back into chaos and the people were scattered once more.

While it seemed the guild had vanished without a trace, the enduring vision of the goddesses remained intact. Eventually, the reemergence of Karuna sparked a new rise in prosperity for the Everlasting Sacred Path. Now that the guild has reformed, new lore and new character stories are being added to ESP’s background.

ESP currently has 60 members in Guild Wars. Active in every aspect of the game, the guild enjoys missions, GvG battles, and Heroes’ Ascent. The relaxed, community-oriented atmosphere is casual, but includes some simple rules based around common courtesy and respect.

Through weekly guild meetings every member has the chance to add their input into the future direction and activities of the guild as well as hear news regarding all of the latest events. When it comes to recruiting, ESP is always open to the prospect of new applicants. The guild looks for mature individuals who enjoy roleplaying and wish to be a part of a well-established, long-living guild.

The Everlasting Sacred Path plans on remaining an active force in Guild Wars for all future expansions, and may expand into other games in the future. The central, everlasting goal of ESP is the creation of real friendships.

PvP Game Discussion

ESP looks at PvP in much the same way that they do PvE—as a wealth of opportunities. Their primary focus is on GvG. Several nights a week the guild competes in matches. The guild has gone through a variety of different GvG builds over the past year. One of their favorite builds included two front-line Warriors, two air-spike Elementalists, a Domination Mesmer, a flag runner and two Monks.

ESP has yet to fully utilize the new Nightfall classes in their GvG game-plan. However, they’ve been experimenting with Scythe Mastery combined with Smiting Prayers for AoE damage. They have also been testing the versatile support role of the Paragon. In time, they hope to have a number of new group builds ready for the battlefield.

One of the guild’s more unusual strategies came to be known as the “Desperate Housewarrior” build.

Desperate Housewarrior GvG Build

2x Desperate Housewarrior
Warrior

Tactics: 16 (12+4)
Strength: 11 (10+1)
Hammer Mastery: 9 (8 +1)
One piece Stonefist Insignia armor

Balanced Stance
Desperation Blow
Drunken Blow
Renewing Smash
Flourish
Hammer Bash
Healing Signet
Resurrection Signet

Frag/Virulence Mesmer:
Mesmer/Necromancer

Fast Casting: 11 (10 +1)
Illusion: 15 (11+4)
Inspiration: 9 (8 +1)
Death Magic: 6

Fragility
Virulence
Epidemic
Power Return
Power Drain
Energy Tap
Ether Feast
Resurrection Signet

Spirit Spam Ritualist:
Ritualist/Ranger

Communing: 15 (12 +3)
Spawning Power: 14 (12+2)
Wilderness Survival: 3

Boon of Creation
Ritual Lord
Shelter
Union
Displacement
Brambles
Soothing
Flesh of My Flesh

Teleporting Firebomber:
Elementalist/Assassin

Fire Magic: 15 (12 +3)
Energy Storage: 14 (12 +2)
Shadow Arts: 3

Aura of Displacement
Fire Attunement
Shadow Refuge [or Meteor Shower]
Meteor
Fireball
Incendiary Bonds
Mark of Rodgort [or Bed of Coals]
Resurrection Signet

Cripshot Ranger:
Ranger/Mesmer

Expertise: 12 (11+1)
Wilderness Survival: 9 (8+1)
Marksmanship: 14 (11+3)
Domination Magic: 3

Dodge
Crippling Shot
Savage Shot
Distracting Shot
Apply Poison
Troll Unguent
Whirling Defense
Hex Breaker

Blessed Light Monk:
Monk/Mesmer

Divine Favor: 13 (11+2)
Healing Prayers: 9 (8+1)
Protection Prayers: 9 (8+1)
Inspiration Magic: 9

Reversal of Fortune
Gift of Health
Blessed Light
Spirit Bond
Hex Breaker
Signet of Devotion
Inspired Hex
Drain Enchantment

Boon Prot:
Monk/Mesmer

Divine Favor: 13 (12+1)
Protection Prayers: 12 (9+3)
Inspiration Magic: 9

Reversal of Fortune
Guardian
Protective Spirit
Draw Conditions
Inspired Hex
Contemplation of Purity
Energy Drain
Divine Boon

The main point of this build is to spread Conditions as quickly as possible to overload the other team’s Condition removal abilities. ESP finds the build fun to play as well as a learning experience in timing Fragility and Epidemic along with all of the Condition-creating skills.

Member Information

Handle: Karuna

Location: Missouri
Primary Character: In all of the online games I have played, the profession of Ranger suits me the best. Part of this is because of the roleplay history of my character and the rest is due to the fact that I love the versatility. I often play the role of target-caller in the group and playing just off of the front line gives me a great field of vision. I also run builds for flag running, trapping, and anti-caster.
Gaming Background: My online game experience started with a multiplayer action/adventure game where the first incarnation of ESP was created. After taking a break from the gaming scene for a number of years I came back upon the release of Guild Wars.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader/Web Site Administrator
Why I joined ESP: After becoming hopelessly addicted to Guild Wars I decided it was time to bring the guild back. I was lucky enough to find some extraordinary people to work with who have helped make Everlasting Sacred Path the guild that it is today.

Handle: Mortanius

Location: Alabama
Primary Character: Necromancer, Warrior, or Mesmer. I find those three to be the most fun. I mainly play a front line Warrior in GvG, but I can play almost anything really. I am somewhat sadistic and merciless in PvP . >: )
Gaming Background: A little bit of everything. Besides Guild Wars, I play FPSs and RTSs every once in a while.
Position in the Guild: Officer
Why I joined ESP: It’s the people in the guild that make ESP stand out. Always helpful, nice, and friendly. There was nothing not to love about it.

Handle: Nonce

Location: Ontario, Canada
Primary Character: I primarily play casters, and I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite between Elementalist and Mesmer. I like to experiment with builds to achieve a good balance between offense and defense. I love air-spike with my Elementalist and Migraine/anti-caster with my Mesmer.
Gaming Background: I definitely prefer RPGs and I previously played action RPG games.
Position in the Guild: Officer
Why I joined ESP: ESP was the first and only guild I applied to. The guild has the perfect feel for me, blending humor, light role-playing, and a focus on having fun!

Handle: Kayla Moonbow

Location: New York City, NY
Primary Character: My primary character is my Monk/Mesmer. My favorite build is a frontline healer and Condition removal specialist. I tweak the build in PvP to include a sprinkle of protection skills. I generally hang in the back of the battleground and kite in and out of the main fighting for emergency healing and protection.
Gaming Background: Various MMOs, strategy games, RPGs, and sports theme games.
Position in the Guild: Officer
Why I joined ESP: I was drawn to the tight, friendly, family environment of the guild.

Handle: Mellyora Wylfre

Location: North Carolina, USA
Primary Character: I really enjoy the “utility” professions that can fill all sorts of roles in a party (like Necromancer, Ranger, or Mesmer), but at the end of the day I will always enjoy getting to beat on things with my Warrior!
Gaming Background: I was first introduced to gaming through RPGs, which eventually led me online and to Guild Wars.
Position in the Guild: Officer
Why I joined ESP: ESP offered absolutely everything that I was looking for: great camaraderie among a great group of people.

Handle: Telomir Vaden

Location: Oregon
Primary Character: Monk is my favorite. Knowing that my team is counting upon me to keep them alive gets my blood pumping, and you can’t beat being able to join just about any group in the game since Monks are in such high demand for missions and quests. The variety of this class is great.
Gaming Background: RPGs and MMORPGs.
Position in the Guild: Officer
Why I joined ESP: The camaraderie experienced among these awesome folk was evident from the moment I began browsing through their forums, and I immediately wanted to begin meeting my future guild mates. This is home to me when I log on, and I can’t imagine wanting to join any other guild.

Handle: Noelle Johannah

Location: San Antonio, TX
Primary Character: My main character is a Ranger. I usually run a Barrage/Interrupt build with maybe a Trap or Throw Dirt for the enemy Warriors.
I like to make up my own builds and have never really tried any of the “cookie-cutter” or “flavor of the month” builds.
Gaming Background: Guild Wars is my first (and only) online game. Before GW, I only played console games. I liked the RPG console games, and when a friend of mine told me about GW, it sounded perfect for me. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Position in the Guild: Master Ranger
Why I joined ESP: ESP likes to hold special in-game events to keep things fun and interesting and lets anyone in the guild participate. These were the kinds of things I was looking for.

Handle: Alexia Ironclaw

Location: New York City, NY
Primary Character: Warrior. I have been using a Warrior for over a year now. I’ve learned much about all three weapon types and am able to switch between any one. When playing with an axe or a hammer, I play damage dealer. When using a sword I play Stance tank.
Gaming Background: FPSs, MMORPGs, and strategy games.
Position in the Guild: Member
Why I joined ESP: I was looking for a guild that was serious about the game, but relaxed enough not to make me feel pressured to play.

Handle: Chimmy Chockchaw

Location: Alabama
Primary Character: I like to play Necromancer. I like to use Spiteful Spirit, along with Reckless Haste/Price of Failure to help protect my teammates and do some nice damage to the melee creatures.
Gaming Background: I mostly like to play RPGs and FPSs.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: Orchestral Darkness

Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Primary Character: Orchestral Darkness, my Necromancer/Mesmer. I haven’t really settled on a build, but I generally carry Curses and Conditions, as well as life stealing to keep me standing—the sort of build that would get you laughed out of your average elite group.
Gaming Background: RPGs and a bit of console gaming. I’m not a regular gamer by any stretch. I tend to either play a game for two weeks and abandon it or play for years, with not much in between.
Position in the Guild: Member
Why I joined ESP: Wow, are you kidding? This guild is a great blend of people that made me feel welcome from minute one, even when I was just an applicant. Active, friendly, and fun with a good blend of everything from AB to roleplaying. It was just a perfect fit for me.

Handle: Kieran Bloodfox

Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Primary Character: My primary character is my ranger Kieran Bloodfox, an ascended champion of Melandru and Grenth. I love the Ranger’s versatility; I can solo farm a lot of places, fit in well with teams for any PvE map, and can quickly adapt to the changing tides of battle.
Gaming Background: I started with PC gaming on my first Apple in 1981, and have been a die-hard gamer since. I played plenty of RTS and FPS and text based MUDs, MUSHes, and RPG chat clients. I enjoy pen and paper roleplaying games too.
Position in the Guild: Member
Why I joined ESP: The focus on having fun in a relaxed and mature atmosphere is just what my wife and I were looking for. Great leadership, great teamwork, great camaraderie, and an atmosphere conducive to helping each other constantly learn and improve.

The Gameamp Guides

Celebrating its first birthday in November, the Gameamp Guides [AMP] was founded by members of the Gameamp.com forums. The founding members wanted to see their forum community united inside the game, as well as out, and so the guild was born.

AMP’s ethos boils down to respect, helpfulness, and fun. These traditions stem from the forum rules of behavior. AMP prides itself on having a friendly community that offers help instead of frustration. Potential members are directed to the “AMP Agreement,” which sets out the philosophy and code of behavior for participants. No swearing, bigotry, or flaming is permitted. When a new member is accepted into the guild, they add their name to the agreement.

AMP aims to achieve a continued positive presence in the game, not only within the ranks of their alliance, but outside it. Members take pleasure in assisting anyone who needs help. The guild also hopes to attain more experience in all aspects of PvP. The group has mostly focused on PvE play, not due to any policy, but rather as a reflection of member interests. However, as the guild roster expands to include more active PvP players, the guild has broadened its horizons.

All members of AMP joined through the site forums. Because of the friendly nature of the Gameamp community, players hail from all nationalities and walks of life. The only requirement is that members be respectful, friendly, and can speak English. The ranks never fall below 90, and the guild is generally maxed out at 100 members.

At present, AMP expects to see the guild evolve with the needs of its membership. Currently, that means providing more PvP-oriented activities. The guild also is considering the option of starting a second AMP guild to host the growing membership. In the meantime, AMP is expanding on their alliance by uniting with other strong, like-minded guilds.

PvE Discussion

AMP has two approaches to PvE. The first, and most common, is a spur-of-the-moment quest or mission. Priorities are based on what members need at the time. Most recently, titles have been a popular project. The guild embraces the idea of cooperation and always manages to succeed. The other approach is planned, and usually involves an elite mission or major goal.

Most guild members have more than one character at their disposal, allowing a great deal of versatility. If a mission proves difficult, teams have no problem adjusting the party to meet the challenge.

AMP doesn’t lay claim to any special tricks for success, besides having a great roster of players to party with. The number of competent members means that almost any tactic can be used successfully. The guild also uses traditional strategies, such as taking care to avoid aggroing too many groups of enemies and making sure that casters are protected.

PvP Discussion

AMP traditionally has more PvE players than PvP, though recently, more members are becoming interested in the competitive side of the game. PvP is something AMP is trying to encourage within the guild. To realize this goal, the guild has appointed a dedicated team of PvP officers. Each officer has been organizing teams for HA.

AMP’s current build for tackling HA features the Nightfall Paragon and utilizes some of the new elite skills. AMP describes it as a “build very much in progress,” and they evolve the build as they play it. The team is an unusual mix that comes from previous experience using pressure, holding, and balanced builds. Lacking an official name, the guild presently refers to it with the very tongue-in-cheek name “AMPway.”

The Paragon proves to be a great asset in this build. It provides support by protecting and healing allies with its Shouts. Other team members put pressure on the opposing team by targeting the enemy Monks, interrupting their Healing and Protection. Both the Warrior and Ranger are the main damage dealers, and make extensive use of knockdowns and damage pressure.

AMP has found this build to be successful against a variety of tactics. The biggest threat so far has proven to be the Necromancer Hex “Vocal Minority,” which renders the Paragon’s Shouts useless.

RaO Hammer Ranger
Ranger/Warrior
12 Hammer Mastery, 12 Beast Mastery, 12 Expertise

Rampage as One (Elite)
Charm Animal
Comfort Animal
Crushing Blow
Mighty Blow
Irresistible Blow
Hammer Bash
Resurrection Signet

Blessed Monk
Monk/Mesmer
16 Divine Favor, 12 Protection Prayers, 8 Inspiration Magic

Blessed Light (Elite)
Reversal of Fortune
Signet of Devotion
Protective Spirit
Mend Condition
Mantra of Flame
Inspired Hex
Revealed Hex

Axe/Shock Warrior
Warrior/Elementalist
16 Axe Mastery, 13 Strength, 3 Air Magic

Frenzy
Sprint
Eviscerate
Executioner’s strike
Shock
Bull’s Strike
Distracting Blow
Resurrection Signet

PS Interrupter
Ranger
13 Expertise, 13 Marksmanship, 10 Wilderness Survival

Punishing Shot (Elite)
Distracting Shot
Savage Shot
Read the wind
Troll Unguent
Whirling Defense
Debilitating Shot
Resurrection Signet

SoR Paragon
Paragon/Warrior
2 Tactics, 13 Motivation, 12 Leadership, 9 Spear Mastery

Aggressive Refrain
Song of Restoration (Elite)
Ballad of Restoration
Aria of Restoration
Finale of Restoration
Energizing Finale
“Watch Yourself!”
Resurrection Signet

Glimmer Monk
Monk/Mesmer
11 Divine Favor, 16 Healing Prayers, 8 Inspiration Magic

Words of Comfort
Glimmer of Light (Elite)
Healing Seed
Infuse Health
Healing Touch
Mantra of Flame
Channeling
Resurrection Signet

Member Profiles

Meet some AMP

Handle: Evil Geek

Location: London, England
Preferred Character: The Necromancer is truly versatile and can handle so many different types of situations in so many different ways; mostly I play MM because I love having my own little army to send out to do my evil bidding.
Gaming Background: After getting into games on the Atari, way back when, PC puzzle-based adventure games got me well and truly hooked.
Position: Guild Leader

Handle: Patrickvp, Alila Kitail

Location: Oregon, USA
Preferred Character: Alila was my very first character and I have been playing as her for a fairly solid nine months now. I tend to end up with straight Ranger skill builds. Before I started reading other suggested builds, I had kind of worked out my own “favorite” build for general PvE use, which is actually very similar to a standard B/P build, with a pet, Barrage, interrupts, and a few defensive skills.
Gaming Background: I’m a bit of an old dog and have been playing games steadily since the first arcades and early consoles (Itellision, Atari 2600, Coleco, even Vectrex.) Until about a year ago, I was more of an FPS player. Every couple of years, though, I get a hankering for some kind of RPG game. I picked up Guild Wars and have been in love with it ever since. Sometimes my work buddies get a little annoyed that I’m not fragging as much with them any more!
Position: Member. I am also one of the resident “Gaile-stalkers,” waiting to collect a chat-log for our site!

Handle: Dragonius (Sonny)

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Gaming Background: FPSs. Before Guild Wars I wasn’t really into MMORPGs so you could say that my first time in Guild Wars was a whole new experience for me; I loved every moment of it.
Preferred Character: Dragonius X, my Elementalist. I tend to pretty much design my own PvE builds. My Elementalist isn’t limited to a single element as most others are. I prefer to run an element more suitable for the job I’m set to, making her more versatile when it comes to magic.
Position: General Guild Officer

Handle: Meow Katty

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Gaming Background: Mainly PvE as most of the guild is PvE-oriented. With the double fame weekend I got a lot more into PvP and have enjoyed it. So now I PvP a lot more than I used to. Ranger spike with AMP is the best though.
Preferred Character: That would be Meow Katty my Ranger. I’ve found Rangers can do almost anything. They can solo parts of the FOW, they can duo the UW, they can Trap, they can spike, and there is loads more they can do as well.
Position: Member and loving it.

Handle: Rogue

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: I come from a broad genre of games. RTS? Yes. FPS? Yes. RPG? Yes. Racing? Yes. I came to Guild Wars straight out of a different MMORPG (which shall remain nameless) and loved everything I saw.
Preferred Character: My ranger, Rogue Flare. He and I have been through a lot together.
Position: I haven’t decided if I’m the comic relief, the guild mascot, or just a normal member.

Handle: Lady Alica

Location: UK
Gaming Background: I’m a staunch PvEer, though I have slightly branched out into nice gentle PvP, such as Alliance Battles. HA and GvG still scare me though.
Preferred Character: I love playing my Elementalist, Xun Yin. I love sneaking up on things and nuking them to oblivion, especially in AB. I play the classic E/Me, but I prefer echoing Rodgort’s to Meteor Shower.
Position: Proud member.

Handle: Crimson The Fierce

Location: Georgia, USA
Gaming Background: I started off with RTS games. After those, I started playing good, fast-paced FPS games. After FPS games, I got more into MMORPG. I got into Guild Wars.
Primary Character: My first and favorite character is Crimson The Fierce. I have a lovely full adren build that can take a 100 armor target down halfway as well as inflict Deep Wound and Cripple in one attack chain. I’m the kind who likes an up-close and personal encounter with my enemies.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: Genesis Dragon (Gen)

Location: Halifax, UK
Gaming Background: My online gaming started with FPSs, but I was lured to Guild Wars by a member of my online gaming clan...I’ve never looked back.
Preferred Character: Warrior or Monk. My oldest and most established character is my Warrior, Axxor. He’s a Title fan, and currently has both the Protector and Explorer Titles for the two continents and is currently working on Elona.
Position in the Guild: General Officer

Handle: Tarja Nightshadow

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Gaming Background: When it comes to Guild Wars I’ve always enjoyed PvE just a tad more than PvP. I’m mainly an RPG/fantasy fan.
Preferred Characters: I currently have one PvE Character for each profession and try my best to divide my time between them evenly, simply because all of the professions are incredibly fun to play. I’ve kept the same last name for all of my characters because it makes identifying a little bit easier in a big guild.

Handle: Divine Fireslayer

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Gaming Background: After my RTS period, I went on to some FPSs, but didn’t really enjoy it. I bought Guild Wars, and I loved it. I’m more of a PvE player in the game, but when the opportunity arises for PvP, I get there immediately.
Preferred Character: I prefer to play a Word of Healing Monk, a Shock Axe Warrior or just about anything else in PvP. In PvE...Mending Wammo!
Position: Annoying PvP Enthusiast.

The Older Gamers

Founded by the appropriately named Father, TOG (The Older Gamers) recently celebrated its fourth birthday. The guild spans twenty-four games, with Guild Wars as one of the many successful guild divisions. A multi-national gaming community with an ever-evolving roster, they have so many applicants that inactive members are periodically removed from the guild, with a standing invitation to return. Even with this restriction, the Guild Wars division hovers at the hard cap of 100 members.

TOG has one simple yet crucial requirement for membership. Recruits must be at least 25 years old to join the guild. As such, TOG is structured to accommodate all the stresses of adult life. Even if you have a full-time job and a family, the guild provides a stress-free environment where adults can relate to each other and share experience. If your play-time is limited due to the real-life responsibilities, you’re past the quarter-century mark, and you yearn to game with people who understand your ‘80s pop-culture references, TOG might be the perfect guild for you.

The TOG website accommodates players from many different popular games and has a reputation for maturity and useful contributions. Members agree to follow a prescribed code of ethics, and are also generally friendly and helpful to members and non-members alike. In fact, it’s not uncommon for TOG members to observe local chat in towns and outposts for the purpose of assisting or politely answering questions.

Currently, The Older Gamers consists of over eleven thousand registered members and is structured into 24 main game divisions. The community grows every day. Although members hope that TOG will one day be recognized as an international authority on games, the guild knows only that the future of TOG is something they can’t predict, but eagerly look forward to.

PvE Discussion

The Guild Wars division of TOG is primarily focused on PvE as a cooperative, social activity. Although they have not attained high ranking on the GvG ladder, the guild comes together routinely for all sorts of events and goal achievement. On their rare forays into PvP play, they take whoever shows up. Cheering when they win and laughing when they lose, TOG takes it all in stride.

Most of TOG’s play time is focused on helping each other get through the PvE portion of the game, advising and assisting new players, and honing skills in difficult challenges. When the Tomb of the Primeval Kings in the Crystal Desert was first opened as a PvE area, a group of TOG members hit the Tombs and spent the entire weekend mastering the area. When TOG gained access to the Deep and Urgoz’s Warren, the guild attacked both with equal fervor, bringing their team together with public invitees to conquer the challenge.

TOG spends a lot of time inventing new strategies and methods to various in-game challenges, such as approaching Rotscale with various builds until finding the right combination for victory. Prior challenges have included sweeping through the Fissure of Woe with new Factions skills and creating new builds for old areas to breathe life and excitement into TOG’s nightly adventures.

Nowadays, the guild finds that very little time is need to plan a mission. Several members have beaten all the missions many times over, and are always happy to help other TOG members along. For more challenging areas, like elite missions, the guild likes to experiment and try out new ideas. Teamspeak voice chat software plays a key role in helping the team communicate clearly.

However, when it comes to any kind of game play, TOG understands the importance of taking breaks. Some members have tasks like laundry, while others have children who need attention. TOG understands that real life issues come first, and that a game can only be fun if you’re not worried about what’s going on around you. In fact, sometimes they have to take breaks just to let members with arthritis in their hands rest a few minutes.

Alliance Battles are a new favorite venture, and the guild frequently discusses various strategies and forms ad-hoc groups for some quick fun on the battlefield. After a vote, the guild decided to ally with the Luxons. However, the guild entertains the notion of changing allegiance and taking a turn as allies of the Kurzicks.

Member Profiles

Meet some of the old timers of The Older Gamers

Handle: Celeste Driezon

Location: Oklahoma, USA
Gaming Background: A large variety of games, but not much PvP. Guild Wars is unique because teamwork makes all the difference in the world, as a player gets real-time advice and tips from others on the fly, which makes more sense than reading some guide on the web.
Preferred Character: Warrior/Assassin. My Warrior was my first Guild Wars character. At first I was skeptical, but my husband said “Cyclone Axe” and I was convinced.
Position in the Guild: Division Captain and North American Guild Leader.

Handle: Tarmantus

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: My personal gaming background consists mostly of FPS, ranging from casual, single-player action to competitive, online play.
Preferred Character: If I’m by myself, I’ve been playing around with a Necro/Monk build for farming in the Prophecies desert areas. If the guild needs help with anything, I’ll stop and field whatever they need that I can provide.
Position in the Guild: I’m currently a North American Officer, trying to do my best to help my fellow guild members out with whatever they are trying to accomplish.

Handle: Falaria Borg

Location: Canada
Gaming Background: FPS and RPG
Preferred Character: I’m one-half of a Necromancer gaming couple. When my husband plays aggressive with damage and interruption, I tend to linger in the shadows as support or enhanced damage. Alternatively, I play a healing Monk when needed and have become more confident with guidance and understanding from fellow TOGers.
Position in the Guild: Officer for the North American server side of the guild.

Handle: Vetinari

Location: North Carolina, USA
Gaming Background: Until joining the TOG Guild Wars division, I mostly played FPS games and simulations.
Preferred Character: Marianne Vetinari, Ranger/Necromancer with Barrage or a Touch-based build.
Position in the Guild: Officer and Webmaster for guild info site.

Handle: D S Healer

Location: Oklahoma, USA
Gaming Background: Prior to Guild Wars, I was a dedicated combat PvP enthusiast for over eight years, with the occasional FPS thrown in for a break. Guild Wars has a great storyline and challenging environment, so although I play some PvP, I’m primarily found farming the latest green or helping in PvE.
Preferred Character: Although I actually enjoy playing my “triple nuker” or my Ranger best, my Monk does more of the dirty work. He has a bit of a drinking habit due to long hours of healing or protecting.
Position in the Guild: Monk on call.

Handle: Tavari Kuune

Location: Minnesota, USA
Gaming Background: In this and other MMORPGs that I have played, I stick mostly to PvE.
Preferred Character: My main toon is a Ranger/Elementalist draped in Druid’s gear. I mostly use Marksmanship and Expertise skills, with a few Fire nukes. I play around with different skills frequently trying out new things. I don’t really go by any certain build.
Position in the Guild: Either standing close to the Monks so they can easily spot me to heal or hunting down that caster in the mob to interrupt him. Also, in towns, I can be found doing my /excited emote close to Celeste. Yee-haw!!

Handle: Flame Skye

Location: Canberra, Australia
Gaming Background: Mainly FPS.
Preferred Character: Favorite characters are my Necromancer and Ranger. I just love seeing all those numbers come up on the monsters when hit with Spiteful Spirit or when they’re being mobbed by ten minions. Mysty Skye (Ranger) is fun when battle-Trapping and causing damage to monsters. I just love playing a Ranger.
Position in the Guild: Vice Division Captain and Leader of the Australian/European Guild (Temple of Older Gamers).

Handle: Ace Rimsey

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Gaming Background: I have played all types of games for many years with previous emphasis on RPGs and strategy games. When my PC has been fast enough, I also indulge in FPSs.
Preferred Character: My Ranger/Monk, Ace Rimsey, because of his versatility in PvP and PvE, needing only simple skill changes to deliver good mobility, ranged attack, healing, and interrupting capability.
Position in the Guild: I am currently a guild officer looking after players on the European servers.

Handle: Vtreka Swental

Location: Sydney, Australia
Gaming Background: I play just about everything: FPS, RPG, RTS. My favorites at the end of the day are a good mix of RPG & FPS and definitely a focus on PvE (games with a good storyline are few and far between these days).
Preferred Character: Elementalist/Monk is my favorite PvE character. I love the unmatched damage output of a Pyromancer backed up by the ability of a Monk to self-heal and aid the party with some healing relief and Condition removal when necessary.
Position in the Guild: Random groupie ^_^

Handle: Shania Shadowmaster

Location: Bordeaux, France
Gaming Background: I started my online gaming life with a major MMORPG four years ago. Since then, I have tried a lot of games, including FPS and RTS games.
Preferred Character: I like to play my first toon, a Me/M still in Lion’s Arch trying to do the trip to Droknar’s Forge. But as I’m alt’oholic, I have all my slots full with toons I really like.
Position in the Guild: I am currently a Euro guild officer in the Australian/European Guild.

Quotes:

“Fed up with big/impersonal, small/inactive, and ‘i-pwn-u-n00b’ guilds, I was ready to throw my toons off a Tyrian cliff. And then there was TOG. An active forum, guild events, fun and helpful guildies (with good manners to boot)—loving it!” —Ona Nae

“I couldn’t wait to hit 25 to join TOG!!!” —Xenogears77

“TOG GW is more than a clan, more than a guild; it’s a community of friends.” —Ozbrat

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

We Step on Puppies

Note: The interview for this Guild of the Week article took place prior to the release of Nightfall.

Forged out of the remains of another guild during a time of trouble, the members of We Step On Puppies founded PuP as a place for them to hone their skills as players and to grow in a supportive gaming environment. The spirit of PuP is to do well while enjoying the game and maintaining a friendly atmosphere. The guild aims to achieve a status in Guild Wars where players are scared to fight against them, but happy to socialize.

PuP often has players who request to join the guild because they like the playing style, the friendly members, and the positive atmosphere. PuP isn’t taking any new members, but they’ll consider enthusiastic applicants on a case-by-case basis.

PuP has never has been very large, and they try to keep it that way. As a result, everyone knows how to work with their guild mates during a match. Even with a consistently small size, the guild has changed dramatically since its formation. For example, they’ve increased the complexity of their PvP strategies significantly. PuP started out doing Ranger spike 24/7, but now has played a huge variety of builds. At one time, the guild ran a build that featured two Fire Elementalists, which was then an uncommon tactic in GvG play.

Even more uncommon, yet in the spirit of merriment, is the guild’s motto: We Stand Tall Because We Step on Puppies.

PvP Game Discussion:

1 Warrior/Elementalist: “Sylly Warrior”
Eviscerate, Bull’s Strike, Protector’s Strike, Distracting Blow, Frenzy, Shock, Rush, Resurrection Signet.

2 Elementalist/Mesmer: “Auspicious Elementalist”
Fireball, Rodgort’s Invocation, Immolate, Searing Heat, Auspicious Incantation, Energy Drain, Mantra of Concentration, Resurrection Signet.

1 Ranger/Mesmer: “Uberupterer”
Melandru’s Shot, Apply Poison, Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Debilitating Shot, Drain Enchantment, Dual Shot, Resurrection Signet.

1 Ranger/Mesmer: “OathTrapper”
Dust Trap, Barbed Trap, Throw Dirt, Drain Enchantment, Whirling Defense, Oath Shot, Debilitating Shot, Resurrection Signet.

1 Monk/Mesmer: “Soni’s Monk”
Reversal of Fortune, Guardian, Mend Condition, Protective Spirit, Energy Drain, Inspired Hex, Divine Boon.

1 Monk/Mesmer: “Boon Prot”
Reversal of Fortune, Signet of Devotion, Mend Aliment, Protective Spirit, Energy Drain, Inspired Hex, Divine Boon.

1 Elementalist/Monk “Ice Master”
Armor of Mist, Ice Spikes, Deep Freeze, Blurred Vision, Ether Prodigy, Extinguish, Heal Party, Resurrection Signet.

When using this build, PuP first spends 30 to 90 seconds pressuring the other team with lots of damage, periodically focusing on one target. If this fails to overwhelm their opponents, a strategist calls spikes. The guild often goes to the Isle of the Nameless to practice on the targets there, which is a great warm-up before a match.

Member Profiles

Meet a few of the puppies in this pack.

Handle: Syl

Location: New York
Gaming Background: I learned everything I know from Tetris. I can still hear the music in my head to this day.
Preferred Class: Usually I play Warrior for GvG. I enjoy playing this because I feel like I have a large control over the field.
Favourite Skill: Panic most because panicking is definitely underrated.
Position in PuP: Leader

Handle: Avarre Mnestris

Location: Singapore
Gaming Background: Fairly diverse.
Preferred Class: Mesmer. I’ve played Mesmer since I started Guild Wars and while I’m capable in most other classes, none have the allure of a Mesmer, be it in PvE or PvP.
Favourite Skill: Impossible to say. My favorite skill changes depending on what I’m running more often at the time. Usually in GvG, I play a Domination Mesmer, heavily utilizing Diversion and Leech Signet, while in Heroes’ Ascent my favorite skill is Psychic Distraction.
Position in PuP: Officer and Timezone Exile.

Handle: Craze Horse

Location: Wisconsin
Gaming Background: I’ve been around video games since I was extremely young. Unique games have always been the best.
Preferred Class: Ranger. I’ve been playing Rangers ever since I bought the game. They have always been an easy class to play but a hard class to master. If you try hard enough, there is always a new trick that Rangers can pull out of their sleeve.
Favourite Skill: Crippling Shot. It’s a great versatile skill that can really change the tide in certain situations in a game—a skill that is keeping Rangers active in the GvG environment. But Broad Head Arrow is a great skill to always bring on a Ranger secondary.

Handle: Soni

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: I’ve been playing video games for a long time and I’ve always been interested in them. And since I’ve played both PvE and PvP games before I started playing Guild Wars, I really enjoy having both aspects in one game. A funny thing is I always get compliments for being a girl gamer.
Preferred Class: While my first character was actually a Ranger, I really like playing Monk/Mesmer “Boon Prots.” I’ve run Boon Prots with Mantra of Recall, but lately I’ve been enjoying Energy Drain as my elite, because there’s less of a risk of forgetting to use it or having it stripped from you as with the Mantra. My Monk character is actually a PvE one, which I use mainly for the faster rerolls, the nicer armor skins, and the convenience of multiple armor and weapon sets.
Position in PuP: Pro Monk/Officer

Handle: Becca Rose

Location: Missouri
Gaming Background: I like playing musical rhythm games.
Preferred Class: I have always loved the Ranger. I made my first Ranger about two months after I got Guild Wars and really enjoyed it. The far range and accuracy of bows made it perfect for me. I’m similar to Craze Horse and enjoy it every moment I play as one. Gaile Gray made a great profession coach.
Favourite Skill: Melandru’s Arrows. The skill is special and adds to your team’s DPS (damage per second) ratio. Spreading Bleeding can be easily done and it adds more damage to foes that have enchants upon them. The skill is enjoyable and fun to use.
Position in PuP: Variety played/Officer/Official Smoothie taster, maker, analyzer, etc.

Handle: The Ice Master

Location: Louisiana
Gaming Background: Mostly of the RTS genre.
Preferred Class: Elementalist. I love the way that an Elementalist’s Energy Storage can make it so versatile in many aspects of the game. This, of course, comes from the ability to spam skills such as Heal Party and Extinguish, while still being ready for combat. A typical GvG for me consists of flag running, healing, defense, and offensive spikes.
Favourite Skill: I really like the skill Ice Spikes for its lower Energy cost, reasonably quick cast time, and nice look. There’s nothing like timing Ice Spikes as a finishing move on a spike and watching the enemy player explode with ice before he falls to the ground.
Position in PuP: Water in the basket.

Handle: Leaf Spear

Location: Oregon
Preferred Class: I think my favorite profession is the Necromancer. For the most part I prefer pressure builds over spike builds and I think the Necromancer has a very strong presence in a good pressure team. Also I think the Necromancer is just a fun class to play. I like the way the Necromancer can help add to the offense and defense of a build at the same time.
Favourite Skill: I like to run Tainted Flesh on a Necromancer. I like how Tainted Flesh helps to shield your team from Disease while causing pandemonium on your opponents.

Handle: Anima Evasen

Location: Sunny California
Preferred Class: I enjoy playing my 9-million experience-point Mesmer.
Favourite Skill: I really enjoy Energy Surge. It can change the game very quickly.
Position in PuP: Leader of the underground movement against Syl.

Handle: Miss Pax (I won Miss Texas a few years ago.)

Location: Texas
Gaming Background: I got into Guild Wars by playing professional water polo. This is a very hard sport that helps you live a better life.
Preferred Profession: I really enjoy playing Mesmer. I love to mess up people’s well-thought-out plans.
Favourite Skill: I really like the skill Distracting Shot. I think at the moment it is the best interrupt skill in the game. It is underused.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head

Created in the first months of 2006, Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr] has been confusing people with their unusual name ever since. Ttgr’s name is an ironic use of garbled grammar from a meme the founders of Ttgr found amusing. They felt that it would make an entertaining contrast to their more dignified and grammatically correct behavior.

Ttgr was formed by players who felt dissatisfied with a lack of activity in their prior guilds and wanted to create a core of interesting, active members. The guild currently consists of roughly 16 active members. They accept anyone who has a sense of humor and a good sense of the game. If you’re skilled, but favor a relaxed atmosphere, Ttgr might be just the place for you. However, if you’re new to the game or happy with playing only one class, there are better guilds for your interests.

Ttgr’s philosophy is to create a PvP gaming environment that all of its members can enjoy. They strive to remain competitive without sacrificing their love of the game. The guild shuns the elitist attitude they’ve witnessed in other highly ranked guilds. Players who are rude or elitist rarely last long in Ttgr.

At heart, the guild holds the belief that the game ought to be fun. However, losing isn’t fun. Consequently, the guild strives towards success in PvP, using organization and communication to ensure enough victories to keep the game interesting for members. Rather than seeing the concepts of fun and competitiveness as exclusive, they view them as inseparable.

PvP Discussion

Although some members of Ttgr enjoy PvE once and awhile, the guild’s focus is PvP. Their current favorite build involves spiking, splitting, and pressure. They’ve found that its combination of skills work well with the metagame by using Hex pressure and a Ritualist back line. The skills Soul Barbs and Recurring Insecurity are the central tactic in this build.

Ttgr prefers a strong defense over a dominating offense, using skills like Spiteful Spirit to combine damage with deterrent. Soothing Images is another useful skill for rendering Warriors ineffective.

Ttgr differs from most contemporary guilds in that the guild never targets Monks first. The guild’s defensive strategy is to make sure the enemy support classes die last. By destroying the team’s offense, they grant themselves more safety and time to debilitate the remaining opponents. When it comes to choosing a guild hall, Ttgr opts for maps that suit their style of play. At the moment, Nomad’s Isle and Burning Isle suit them best.

GvG Build

Lead Necro:
16 Curses, 12 Soul Reaping, 6 Earth Magic

Soul Barbs, Spiteful Spirit, Reckless Haste, Parasitic Bond, Defile Flesh, Glyph of Concentration, Ward of Stability, Resurrection Signet

This Necromancer casts Spiteful Spirit and Reckless Haste on Warriors to punish them for attacking. Since he is vulnerable to interruption on Soul Barbs, he uses Ward of Stability and Glyph of Concentration to make it very difficult to interrupt him.

Illusion Necro:
12 Illusion Magic, 8 Inspiration Magic, 2 Domination Magic, 14 Soul Reaping

Recurring Insecurity, Images of Remorse, Conjure Phantasm, Soothing Images, Accumulate Pain, Wastrel’s Worry, Imagined Burden, Signet of Humility

This Necromancer spreads degeneration through Hexes, and hurts Warriors by destroying their adrenaline via Soothing Images. His Signet of Humility is there to stop counters such as Expel Hexes or Psychic Distraction.

Ice Necro:
10 Water Magic, 14 Soul Reaping, 12 Curses

Shard Storm, Deep Freeze, Ice Spikes, Icy Veins, Shadow of Fear, Malaise, Rust, Suffering

This Necromancer slows down the target of choice so it cannot run away. He also spreads miscellaneous annoyance by using his assorted Hexes.

Assassin:
14 Deadly Arts, 13 Critical Strikes, 11 Dagger Mastery (yes, we use a lot of Runes)

Siphon Strength, Siphon Speed, Black Lotus Strike, Twisting Fangs, Impale, Enduring Toxin, Debilitating Shot, Resurrection Signet

This Assassin is a very original and powerful addition to the team. She usually attacks Warriors and casts Siphon Strength on them to make them as weak as a small kitten. When you need to spike, she can unleash her powerful combo to devastating effect. Furthermore, Debilitating Shot is a powerful tool against enemy Monks.

Restoration Ritualist One:
15 Spawning Power, 15 Restoration Magic, 3 Inspiration Magic

Soothing Memories, Spirit Light, Spirit Transfer, Mend Body and Soul, Attuned Was Songkai, Inspired Hex, Mantra of Concentration, Life

Ritualist healers can be more Energy-efficient and resilient for pressuring than Monk healers. This specific Ritualist is able to heal almost endlessly through a combination of Soothing Memories and Attuned was Songkai. In fact, Soothing Memories actually gives him extra Energy to use. Since Songkai is vulnerable to interrupts, he uses Mantra of Concentration.

Restoration Ritualist Two:
15 Spawning Power, 15 Restoration Magic, 3 Inspiration Magic

Soothing Memories, Weapon of Warding, Mend Body and Soul, Recuperation, Attuned Was Songkai, Inspired Hex, Mantra of Concentration, Flesh of My Flesh

Similar to the first Ritualist, but using Weapon of Warding to mitigate Warriors and stop adrenaline spikes before they happen. Recuperation is a very powerful tool against all of the new Condition teams.

Spirit Lord:
15 Communing, 14 Spawning Power

Pain, Shadowsong, Bloodsong, Shelter, Union, Displacement, Boon of Creation, Ritual Lord

This Ritualist has four interconnected roles. His first is defensive, in that Shelter, Union, and Displacement are very annoying to the enemy team. His second is offensive; the attacking Spirits can dish out a lot of hurt. Furthermore, his Spirits provide the Necromancers with Energy via Soul Reaping. Finally, the presence of Spirits invigorates the Restoration Ritualists and allows them to use Mend Body and Soul and Spirit Transfer more efficiently.

Monk Runner:
16 Protection Prayers, 13 Divine Favor

Shielding Hands, Mend Ailment, Protective Spirit, Spirit Bond, Succor, Peace and Harmony, Dash, Pacifism

Since the recent nerf to Ritual Lords, their Energy is very precious. This runner was designed to upkeep the Ritual Lord’s Energy while being a good help during the new Victory or Death. This runner is very resilient, fast, and is a great boon to the team.

Member Profiles

Meet the tigers of Ttgr

Handle: Armen the Guide

Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Gaming Background: I have a very extensive gaming background that ranges throughout all genres. My long RPG and RTS experience has generally greatly contributed to my Guild Wars experience.
Preferred Character: I play and enjoy all professions. I usually give my guildies the option of choosing their preferred classes in order to strengthen their abilities in those roles, while allowing me the chance to adapt to new roles.
Position in the Guild: Leader.

Handle: Fui

Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Gaming Background: I have extensive experience in RPG and RTS games. Knowledge and aptitude picked up in those games really helps in Guild Wars too, because the unique combat dynamic draws on many gaming concepts simultaneously.
Preferred Character: I like to play all professions equally, and I’m not particularly specialized in any of them. I feel that the best player is someone who can play all the professions, because only by knowing the capabilities and limitations of your friends (and enemies) will you be able to play most effectively. A Monk who knows, with first hand experience, how difficult it is to be a Warrior is a better Monk than one who screams in frustration every time his Warriors overextend to get that last hit.
Position in the Guild: Commanding Officer. I make most of the builds, organize PvP matches, and am often shouting orders on Vent.

Handle: Koda the Ranger

Location: Washington, USA
Gaming Background: Other than some RPGs, not much.
Preferred Character: Being a “grunt” of Ttgr, I usually play whatever requires the most skill or whatever character others choose to avoid.
Position in the Guild: Officer.

Handle: Henry of Navarre

Location: Wisconsin, USA
Gaming Background: Most of my gaming background is from console games, primarily RPGs and FPSs.
Preferred Character: I can play anything, but I prefer Monk or Mesmer; Monk because I like the responsibility that comes with having to keep people alive, and Mesmer because nothing’s funnier than a half-Diversioned out Monk on the other team.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Idun the Eternal

Location: Wisconsin, USA
Gaming Background: RPGs and RTSs.
Preferred Character: I mostly fill in where needed, but I find Monking an honorable position. With the variety of builds our guild plays, having a good background in all professions is a must.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Sue Permann

Location: Oregon, USA
Gaming Background: I’ve been playing RPGs and FPS since the late 1980s.
Preferred Character: Anti-Warrior Hexing Necromancer. I like to use Hexes and watch people kill themselves.
Position in the Guild: Officer, Father Figure

Handle: Iron Dragon

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: I was mainly a FPS fan before Guild Wars came out because I simply don’t believe in the pay-to-play policy most online RPGs follow.
Preferred Character: I find myself usually playing various roles. Anything that needs to be done I can play, though I’ve recently taken a liking to Ritualists. They are a class to be feared when used right.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Im Waldo (Lina)

Location: Wouldn’t you like to know. I have been spotted at Wisconsin Badger games.
Gaming Background: I spent most of my pre-Guild Wars time looking at pictures.
Preferred Character: I’m pretty good at finding the flag.
Position in the Guild: Somewhere between henchman and member.

Handle: Fatal

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: MMORPGs are my specialty, but I excel at shooting games because of my catlike reflexes! Strategy games are also a favorite of mine.
Preferred Character: My Ranger was the first character that I made in Guild Wars. I made him on the very first day the game was released.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: Yuri Se

Location: British Columbia, Canada
Gaming Background: I have an extensive background in playing FPSs. I mostly gamed on consoles and recently started on PC games.
Preferred Character: I have trouble choosing between Warriors and Elementalists. I love them both. I like the hands-on, close quarters style of the Warrior, and I love the Elementalist’s tactical builds, like flag running.
Position in the Guild: Member

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Veritas Invictus

Veritas Invictus [TRUE] was founded on July 31, 2005 by a close group of players who frequently visited the Guild Wars fan site GWOnline.net. The original core group of members were PAL’s, a designation of GWOnline.net for those who provide monetary support. Instead of being involved with other guilds that had few members or many inactive members, they decided to band together and create a guild for the people who really loved the game and enjoyed playing together. Shortly after, GWOnline.net began hosting TRUE’s forums; they are still there today and hope to remain for years to come.

Since its founding by Reorx Fellstrom, the guild has evolved into a well-known and respected guild. As with many guilds, they have seen membership ebb and flow. However, they’ve proven that no matter what they might face, the members who remain true to the guild continue to make it one in which they can take pride. Today, Mawgleah Simiril is the guild’s fearless leader and they couldn’t be happier. About 40 members currently call TRUE home.

The focus of TRUE is to enjoy the many aspects of Guild Wars in a friendly atmosphere. The guild encourages its members to have fun while interacting with friendly, like-minded people. The membership ranges in ages from 13 to 54 and represents several different countries.

PvE Game Discussion

TRUE is neither a PvP or PvE specific guild. Rather, they have members who enjoy one over the other as well as those who enjoy both. However, PvE is what the majority of the guild enjoys most.

Members are into anything and everything when it comes to PvE. Like most other players, of course, they’ll all get together and help each other through the missions to keep the guild “on the same page.” If someone falls behind or they’re starting a new character, it’s not uncommon to see a “Call for Help” thread started in the TRUE forums.

If a guild member has been through a mission before, they volunteer advice on what build will work best and what to expect once inside. Otherwise, the guild just takes their time and learns as they go. They generally start off with a standard build of balanced healing, damage and support, and find out what they’re getting into. If they fail the first time, they regroup and come back stronger. Sometimes that means luring to avoid mass aggro, or taking out enemies in a different priority.

TRUE’s advice to other players is to avoid rushing. Most PUGs (pick-up groups) fail when they enter missions with little or no strategy and run headlong into danger. Before long, they’re surrounded by twenty Hydras and their Monks are kissing dirt. TRUE goes in with a plan.

Typically, Rangers lay Traps and lure small groups of enemies into them. Upon arriving, enemies find themselves confronted by angry Warriors, fire from the spell casters, and a hail of arrows and degeneration. The Rangers use interrupts and Monks do their best to keep everyone alive.

However, before entering combat, the group makes sure that everyone in the party is rested and has full Health and Energy. “It’s simple,” one member says, “but a plan as simple as that could make the difference between a flawless victory and complete wipe out.” Regardless of the result, TRUE knows the truth about Guild Wars: it’s all about having fun.

Member Profiles

Meet the members of TRUE

Handle: Arbain Hestia

Location: Ottawa, Canada
Gaming Background: I’m not a huge gamer though I’ve been gaming since I can remember. Guild Wars was my first online game. I’ve since tried other MMOs but they’ve never came close to what we have in Guild Wars…it’s the great community we’ve put together.
Preferred Character: Arbain (Ele/Mo) was my first and still the one I spend most of my time playing. He’s mainly for PvE and always loaded for a fire fight (no pun intended) but sometimes I’ll take him into the PvP arenas for a change of pace.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer

Handle: Edun Magicblade

Location: Kansas, USA
Gaming Background: RPGs and FPSs
Preferred Character: I like playing the damage-dealer in the party, mainly Ranger and Elementalist.
Position in the Guild: Guild Member

Handle: Nacht Shicht

Location: Austin, TX
Gaming Background: Diablo, Elder Scrolls, Quake, and more…
Preferred Character: I really love both Warrior and Mesmer. Though I’ve had to choose warrior as my “main” recently since it looks like new PvE content is coming out faster than I can complete it on all of my characters!
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer

Handle: Serena Corvidae

Location: United Kingdom
Gaming Background: RPG, RTS, although Guild Wars is my first online game
Preferred Character: I always play as a back line caster; however, I would say that my Mesmer is my favorite character. In PvE I usually run an interrupt build, it feels satisfying when you dominate your opponent and make it a much easier kill for your team.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer

Handle: Nimbus Hawkeye

Location: Vancouver, Canada
Gaming Background: RPGs and RTS
Preferred Character: Ranger mostly, because I like the concept of finesse and skill. Warriors as a second favorite due to relatively easy play. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t play spell casters!
Position in the Guild: Guild Member, PvE based

Handle: Auntie I

Location: New Brunswick Canada
Gaming Background: Some hack and slash but mostly strategy games. My first computer game was ADV on a UNIX based system before personal computers were widely available.
Preferred Character: Um, well. I guess I’ll have to say Ranger since I have two of them, but my first love has always been the Elementalist.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer. Slightly right of left?

Handle: Tsukasa Kusanagi

Location: Maryland, USA
Gaming Background: I grew up on RPGs.
Preferred Character: Elementalist is my favorite class to play, followed closely by Necromancer. I love to play as an Aeromancer for the damage and Geomancer for its nifty defensive spells and wards. When I play my Necromancer, I like to either Curse enemies, or play a supportive role using Blood magic.
Position in the Guild: Guild Member

Handle: Valium in a Hallway

Location: New York City
Gaming Background: RPG games
Preferred Character: Mo/Me, W/E, A/Me, R/Me. I try to be as versatile as possible so when my team lacks something I can always switch to something else.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer, PvP and PvE based

Handle: Kiddie Cake

Location: The Netherlands
Gaming Background: A variety of MMORPGs that I played for a while, and stopped after.
Preferred Character: Ranger. I first liked my Ranger because it has always been my main character and I got him nice stuff etc. But I also like him because Rangers are capable of a lot of things, especially since I can switch to every secondary profession and can play a lot of builds. My second favorite character is a Monk.
Position in the Guild: Guild Member

Handle: Gumpygrits

Location: Michigan, USA
Gaming Background: A little bit of everything.
Preferred Character: My first character was a monk, and I love the challenge of keeping my team alive. After running into a number of aggravating Mesmers, I finally broke down and created my own. When it comes to a Mesmer’s attention, it’s better to give than to receive!
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer

Handle: Crispin Eagle Eye

Location: Calgary, Canada
Gaming Background: I’ve dabbled in just about everything at one point or another
Preferred Character: My preferred character is my Monk. I needed more excitement than my Ranger was giving me so I created a Monk, and never looked back. Though recently with Factions out I really got to like my Elementalist. It’s been hard trying to get all my characters playtime!!!
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Your Math Teacher

For MATH, the name of the game is fame. Formed in November of 2005, MATH was founded by players who often found themselves together in “I Will Avenge You!” (IWAY) groups. They founded the guild to make it easy for members to find like-minded parties for reaching the Hall of Heroes. Although other names were discussed, members felt that the name Your Math Teacher [MATH] suited their sense of humor. Once the guild was formed, they began inviting friends to fill in the roster. A few days later, MATH saw its first victory in the Hall of Heroes.

Since MATH’s first successful day together, Heroes’ Ascent (formerly Tomb of the Primeval Kings) has evolved. For a while, the IWAY build was considered a dying strategy. Typically, people expected the build to go no further than the first three maps on the path to the Hall of Heroes. However, in the last quarter of 2005, an alteration revitalized the build. The standard IWAY build became two Necromancers, two Mantra of Resolve Rangers with Traps, and four IWAY Warriors. MATH was well known for excelling with the new IWAY build and met with success against varied opposition.

They played IWAY so much in Heroes’ Ascent that they became synonymous with the IWAY build. Individual members climbed to high ranks as they accrued massive amounts of fame. Eventually, MATH took its skills to GvG, using IWAY, albeit in different form than HA. Now that HA has changed to 6v6 matches instead of 8v8, IWAY has little hope of survival in the new environment.

MATH enjoyed a long stint in the spotlight as one of the most widely known IWAY groups around and plans to continue PvP. The IWAY formula left a deep impression on the HA community, and it won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

PvP Discussion

MATH’s classic IWAY was a build used to overwhelm opponents with extreme damage and Conditions. It consisted of four IWAY Axe Warriors, two Spike Trap Rangers carrying Mantra of Resolve, and one Necromancer with Order of the Vampire, Order of Pain, and some healing spells. A second Necromancer with Tainted Flesh aided in running relics and dispersing opponents in small areas.

MATH played this build aggressively, usually deploying the trappers to lay Traps near the enemy, ensuring the spread of Conditions, damage, and knockdowns. The Warriors followed up with an overwhelming onslaught of damage, supplemented by use of Edge of Extinction, Nature’s Renewal, and Predatory Season. The pets assisted by triggering opponents’ Traps and dying. That way, the team could use IWAY to get increased Health regeneration and attack speed for each death. Meanwhile, the Tainted Necromancer used the corpses to inflict additional damage. The other Necromancer stayed back, making sure that one of the Orders was always up. He also used Heal Party and Healing Breeze.

• Warrior/Ranger
  16 Axe Mastery, 9 Strength, 10 Beast Mastery
  Tiger’s Fury, “I Will Avenge You!”, Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Distracting Blow, Charm Animal, Resurrection Signet, Predatory Season


• Warrior/Ranger
  16 Axe Mastery, 9 Strength, 10 Beast Mastery
  Tiger’s Fury, “I Will Avenge You!”, Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Distracting Blow, Charm Animal, Resurrection Signet, Sprint


• Warrior/Ranger (x 2)
  16 Axe Mastery, 9 Strength, 10 Beast Mastery
  Tiger’s Fury, “I Will Avenge You!”, Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Distracting Blow, Charm Animal, Resurrection Signet, Edge of Extinction


• Ranger/Mesmer (x 2)
  15 Expertise, 16 Wilderness Survival
  Mantra of Resolve, Troll Unguent, Nature’s Renewal, Spike Trap, Dust Trap, Healing Spring, Barbed Trap, Resurrection Signet


• Necromancer/Monk
  14 Blood Magic, 9 Soul Reaping, 12 Healing Prayers
  Order of the Vampire, Order of Pain, Heal Other, Heal Party, Healing Breeze, Healing Seed, Purge Conditions, Resurrection Signet


• Necromancer/Elementalist
  16 Death Magic, 9 Soul Reaping, the rest distributed between Water Magic and Air Magic according to personal choice.
  Tainted Flesh, Well of Profane, Maelstrom, Windborne Speed, Putrid Explosion, Gale, Soul Feast, Resurrection Signet

MATH IWAY became far less effective due to skill rebalancing last spring. While HA was still 8v8, there was a variant of IWAY favoured by some teams, but MATH moved on to new tactics. They are currently in the process of exploring other builds for successful GvG battles.

The founders of MATH are still determined to focus on fun and friendship, as well as being competitive in both HA and GvG combat. The guild is known for its strong focus on the HA scene (a few members have even reached Rank 12) and MATH has always been a fan of the IWAY build. However, current members are looking forward to the future. They hope to see MATH not only reaching into balanced play, but also holding rank on the GvG ladder.

Member Profiles

Learn more about MATH.

Handle: Evil Kane, Kane Shadowmaster

Location: Manila, Philippines
Gaming Background: I’ve always been a fan of RPGs and other platform games. Both PvE and PvP appeal to me.
Preferred Character: I like playing Warrior/Ranger in the ever-so-popular IWAY build to pressure soft targets and defend our back line when required. I also play Monk, since I like keeping the party alive, and Assassin because I enjoy killing enemies quickly and efficiently.
Position in the Guild: I’ve always been an officer in MATH as I was one of the founding members.

Handle: Lady Maat, PvP In Love

Location: New York
Gaming Background: I am a huge fan of fantasy RPGs and turn-based strategy games. In college, I played MUD games whenever I was free.
Preferred Character: I like to play my Warrior the most, because I spent way too much time IWAYing with her.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader until my IWAY wears out, then we’ll have another election to vote for the next worst IWAY nub of all time in GW history.

Handle: Scout Master Syra

Location: New York
Gaming Background: PvE, IWAY
Preferred Character: Offensive trappers, Bunny Thumpers, and Crippling Shot Rangers. I always make sure that I fit Spike Trap, Disrupting Lunge, or Distracting Shot in my Skill Bar, depending on the role I need to play. I love to break the rules of battle positioning, overextending to make sure that I die first and give my team the ability to use “I Will Avenge You!”
Position in the Guild: Officer and founding member. I’ve been in MATH since November 10th, 2005.

Handle: I Candy Girl I

Location: South Australia
Gaming Background: Historical combat games.
Preferred Character: I like caster professions. I suck as a Warrior because I overextend and forget my battle awareness. My favorite build is a Monk with Divine Boon, Mend Condition, Guardian or Signet of Devotion, Protective Spirit, Reversal of Fortune, Inspired Hex, Energy Drain, and Contemplation of Purity.
Position in the Guild: Officer, Ex-Leader, The Yeller and Screamer, Guild Mom.

Handle: X Rated, Missy Rogue

Location: Singapore
Gaming Background: I used to be addicted to several PvP games before Guild Wars came out.
Preferred Character: I fell in love with the Warrior, but I’ll do any offensive support roles when the team requires. I refuse to do Monk in PvP. I prefer to be in the middle of action, bashing opponents.
Position in the Guild: Officer and one of the first members at the guild’s foundation.

Handle: Speed Light

Location: Singapore
Gaming Background: RTSs.
Preferred Character: Necromancer. Support roles in IWAY.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Memphis Helstron, Lexie Luvs Eternal

Location: Southern California
Gaming Background: PvE, PvP, RPGs, FPSs, I do it all.
Preferred Character: Ranger first, Warrior second. My favorite skill is Savage Shot.
Position in the Guild: Ex-officer, now member.

Handle: Lina Lexa, Cirie Fields

Location: USA
Gaming Background: I started out playing a FPS when I was seven years old. I tried other games, but something about a PvE and PvP game sounded more fulfilling.
Preferred Character: Personally, I love playing Monks and Elementalists. Something about a class that’s less common than others is always more fun to me. If you ever go into a mission area, the most common thing you will see is “LF Monks!” With Elementalists, I just love warding and doing Starbust.
Position in the Guild: I’m a proud member!

Handle: Your Ghostly Hero, A Surge of Love

Location: UK
Gaming Background: Guild Wars is the only online game that I have time to play.
Preferred Character: Shutdown Domination Mesmer, or any other Mesmer or Necromancer.
Position in the Guild: Proud member!

Handle: Bud Select

Location: Michigan
Gaming Background: Console games until I got hooked on multi-player games.
Preferred Character: I started with a Sword Warrior/Monk for the first six months. Then I started to PvP and fell in love with IWAY. Now I play a Warrior/Ranger the most.
Position in the Guild: Member, and the drunk mascot of MATH.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

치 The Spearmen 치

Don’t mistake members of The Spearmen for novice players just because the guild is less than a year old. The majority of them have played together in various guilds since the release of Guild Wars, united by the pursuit of designing PvP builds. The experienced roster of players includes several “build gurus” who focus on designing new strategies for experimentation.

The Spearmen guild consists of innovators. They don’t aim to be Rank One on the ladder (in fact, they’ve declared themselves ineligible) and don’t aim to dominate the Hall of Heroes. Rather, the guild is driven to find unique ways of combining skills in Guild Wars to create exciting new builds. Although a lot of people dismiss those builds as “gimmicky,” The Spearmen guild thrives on creativity and risk. For its members, the task of constructing sets of skills that work together for victory is what the game is about.

The guild takes heart by comparing its experimentation to that of Thomas Edison, who needed hundreds of attempts to create a light bulb. By viewing each setback not as a failure, but simply as another lesson, the guild is rarely discouraged by challenges. Not all builds work, but the ones that don’t are a chance to learn, rather than a waste of effort. The Spearmen guild revels in its successes, but expects most of its builds to fail.

Potential recruits are those who have become bored with standard builds. The guild describes itself as a “hive of thinkers.” As such, players who want to learn more about tactics, strategy, skill balancing, and build design would enjoy the guild’s atmosphere. Recruits should have at least 2800 fame, extensive GvG experience, and be over the age of 18. However, applicants who don’t meet some of those requirements may still be considered.

The guild’s tag, [치치치치], includes a Korean symbol that resembles a little man carrying a spear, which was the inspiration for its name. Members love the little spearman, and have adopted him as their guild namesake and mascot. The roster currently holds approximately 40 Spearmen and Spearwomen.

PvP Game Discussion

The pride and joy of The Spearmen is the creation of new builds. The guild’s forums have literally hundreds of GvG, HA, TA, and RA builds. The Spearmen members aren’t shy about taking credit for shifting the metagame several times in the past year.

One of the guild’s favorite accomplishments includes the creation of the “22 Flesh Golem Army” build, which existed for only 72 hours before being nerfed. The use of Verata’s Gaze allowed Necromancers to evade the cap on the number of minions one player could control.

Another success story for The Spearmen is the popular “gimmick” build known as the Edge Bomb. Short for “Edge of Extinction Bomb,” the build involves a full party of players designed to kill themselves on short notice, with one player using Mark of Protection to survive the bomb and quickly resurrect his comrades. The death of seven players at once deals a significant amount of damage. This particular build has also received a recent nerf, making it much harder to pull off.

When it comes to offering advice to other teams, The Spearmen players encourage guilds to be realistic. Never show up to a match blindly expecting to win because you have more fame than your opponent or because your build is tailored to defeat theirs. The Spearmen guild believes that dominating the psychological aspect of any PvP game plays a vital role in the chances of success.

To master the game and maximize their chances of victory, The guild’s members practice whenever they have enough players online to form a team. They have a large Ventrilo server and require players to log into voice chat whenever they’re in Guild Wars. They also make use of the Isle of the Nameless to practice tactics and spike timing as a warm-up before entering real PvP. When playing any kind of match, they behave as if their opponents are a top tier team, especially if they’re not familiar with them. The guild never lowers their guard, no matter the rank of their current foes.

Member Profiles

Meet some of 치 The Spearmen 치

Handle: Argo Wild

Location: Maryland
Gaming Background: I’ve been playing PvE and PvP RPGs for many years. I have a particular addiction to medieval roleplaying games.
Preferred Character: Ranger! Recently I’ve taken to using an Incendiary Arrows Ranger/Mesmer with Arcane Mimicry, allowing me to copy an ally’s Practiced Stance to keep the elite Preparation up full-time. Called Shot and Precision Shot make this character into a superior damage-dealer and interrupter, far more powerful than a standard Choking Gas Ranger, albeit more difficult to play.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader

Handle: Mischa Sedai

Location: Chicago, IL
Gaming Background: This is my first MMO, but I have always been interested in RPG-type games. That being said, I enjoy all types of games and have since I owned my first Coleco-Vision console.
Preferred Character: All things Monk. Primarily, the Protection Monk. I have no problem playing a standard or non-standard Infuser or primary healer. I enjoy stretching the limits.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Tristan C

Location: Chicago, IL
Gaming Background: Competitive, reflex, and thought-intensive games, particularly those featuring Capture the Flag or similar team-play environments.
Preferred Character: Monk and other party support, almost to exclusion. In Guild Wars I revel in the competitive activities of frustrating, playing mind games, and undoing the enemy offense.
Position in the Guild: Officer and Co-Leader

Handle: Muffin Boy

Location: Virginia
Gaming Background: I played PvE when I first joined the game, but fell in love with Tombs after joining a rudimentary Edge Bomb with a bunch of sacrificial Necromancers. I then spent night and day coming up with new ways of “dying to win.”
Preferred Character: I am a Warrior, born and bred. I try to play this class as much as possible. It’s fun learning to use discipline with Frenzy. Pay attention to your surroundings, for if you don’t, Frenzy may kill you! I like hitting hard.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Ruricu, Faux Foe

Location: Tennessee
Gaming Background: Mostly RTS and MMORPGs.
Preferred Character: Ranger. I love the fact that, like Mesmers, a Ranger built right can make just about anyone unable to function. I can just sense the anguish on a Warrior’s face when he is limping toward you with an almost un-removable Cripple.
Position in the Guild: Official Guild Hall Janitor

Handle: Vligadok Grael, Vlig

Gaming Background: I’ve been a video game addict since I first played. In college I became a MUD addict, especially the PvP side. I play most games I can get my hands on.
Preferred Character: Warriors and Monks. While I take pride in being able to play whatever is needed, I like both the in-your-face attitude of the Warrior and the heroic efforts often required by Monking. There’s nothing quite like hacking someone for a huge Eviscerate, or healing that damage off before your ally dies.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Pokey Pants

Location: Orlando, FL
Gaming Background: Pong (yes, I’m that old), every FPS ever made, plus a wide variety of RPGs and fighting games.
Preferred Character: I’m quite comfortable in any role that doesn’t involve helping others. There’s something about a Warrior who gets in your face with a hammer and just smacks you down repeatedly that I find appealing. I also have an affinity for Necromancers and Elementalists. Most of all I prefer playing a build that defies conventions.
Position in the Guild: Officer, Build Guru (quality not quantity.)

Handle: Freakin J Stu

Location: Orlando, FL
Gaming Background: I got addicted to tabletop RPGs in the late 70s, and switched to computer RPGs in the early 90s. I love RPGs and turn-based strategy, but I don’t do anything more “twitchy” than Guild Wars.
Preferred Character: Monk, Mesmer.
Position in the Guild: Officer, Guild Guru (quantity if not quality.)

Handle: Ice Seditionist

Location: New Jersey
Gaming Background: I’ve been a big-time gamer for about 14+ years now. I just got off a huge MMOG kick about a year and a half ago.
Preferred Character: Assassin. The Assassin gets very little love in the Guild Wars universe, so of course I find it my premiere class to play. I enjoy coming up with Assassin builds that do not rely on the standard “Phoenix > Horns > Spider” combo. Typically I can be found running my Assassin around in Random Arenas, since it isn’t welcome anywhere else.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Rotten Fist, Alari

Location: Orlando, FL
Gaming Background: PC games. Mostly RPGs and RTS games.
Preferred Character: Necromancer
Position in the Guild: Member

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Hells Hope

Hells Hope [Skul] was born on the 28th of June, 2005. The guild was originally conceived as an all-Necromancer guild, though the idea quickly fell apart as the interests of guild members diversified. Current goals include filling the guild roster and farming enough faction to claim a major city. The guild also focuses on educating members who are new to the game, turning them into knowledgeable players. The guild originated in Guild Wars, and that’s where it plans to stay.

Members of Hells Hope love to play together. They enjoy helping other players, completing missions, and having fun. The guild prides itself on a respectful attitude to others as well as a willingness to assist fellow members with challenges in the game.

An ideal recruit has a good sense of humor, enjoys playing with guildmates, and strives to become a better player. The guild doesn’t tolerate needy or freeloading behavior, but rewards participation and communication. Hells Hope believes that players should never be rushed through the game. Those who are new to the game ought to learn how to overcome challenges without having everything handed to them.

Hells Hope loves to have social events. Drunken gatherings to celebrate victories are especially popular. They usually result in PvP or trips to The Deep while half-blind on Dwarven Ale. The guild doesn’t take itself too seriously, and sets having fun as its highest priority.

The guild currently has more than 50 members and continues to grow. In future, they plan to gain more faction, hold prestigious cities, and form a serious GvG team. Ultimately, they want their [Skul] tag to be well known in the Guild Wars community.

PvE Discussion

Hells Hope considers PvE to be an important focus. Besides having a story line, they view it as an excellent place to learn game play. The guild places emphasis on completing missions, as these award experience, skill captures, and equipment.

Whenever members of the guild need help with a mission or goal, they can request help from fellow members. Anyone who is free and willing comes along to help. When there isn’t a specific objective to pursue, the guild often tackles missions like The Deep for a challenge.

To deal with aggro management, Hells Hope keeps all casters on the backline while tanks keep the enemy’s attention. This leaves the healers free to do their job. The team sometimes uses Rangers to plant Traps that the tanks pull enemy mobs through.

Most of the guild’s favorite tactics involve ensuring that the team isn’t overwhelmed. Warriors equip themselves with bows so that they can pull targets from afar and deflect aggression from casters. The guild also employs body-blocking tactics to protect the healers. Priding itself on seizing victory despite difficult situations, Hells Hope has a history of excelling in dire circumstances, such as the party being short on healers or losing team members along the way.

PvP Discussion

Hells Hope plays many different types of PvP, but favors Alliance Battles (AB) as a priority. The guild often tries to synchronize entry to AB, so that members can all be on the same team. To practice for AB, the guild takes teams into Team Arena. This allows them to test four-player builds. It also gives players an opportunity for members to learn how to make smart decisions in the confusion of battle. The guild also encourages new players to get a feel for PvP by playing in Random Arenas.

To succeed in PvP, the guild relies on clear communication. Hells Hope has a Teamspeak server for voice chat, though they also use the mini-map to indicate correct positioning. They coordinate their attacks and try to control enemy movement so that the fight stays in places that are advantageous to them.

Hells Hope’s first priority in matches is to kill the enemy Monks. Once the Monks are down, the guild focuses on casters. Meanwhile, they slow down enemy Warriors with Hex spells to minimize their threat. After matches, they discuss how they can improve. By learning from their mistakes and coaching players who found things difficult or confusing, the guild continues to improve.

Member Profiles

Meet the people of Hells Hope

Handle: Skull Morgue

Location: San Diego, CA
Gaming Background: Various MMOs, strategy games, and FPS.
Preferred Character: My Necromancer/Mesmer is my favorite character because of how much power I can have on the battlefield. My mass degeneration build (Vampiric Gaze, Mark of Subversion, Shadow Strike, Life Siphon, Life Transfer, Arcane Larceny, Power Spike, and Faintheartedness) is versatile and allows me to deal with different professions.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader

Handle: Ragnar

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: All areas of gaming. PvP, PvE, RPGs, and FPSs.
Preferred Character: Ragnar Dragonsbane. I like him the most because with his armor and sword, he actually looks like a gladiator.

Handle: Barth Man

Location: USA
Gaming Background: I am fairly new to the RPG world. In the past, I have played strategy games. However, I’ve come to realize that Guild Wars involves as much, if not more, strategic thinking than typical strategy games.
Preferred Character: I like to play Mesmer to use subtle trickery to annoy my opponent. Sometimes I will use traditional builds, like the classic degeneration Mesmer, but more often I like to try different things.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Stop Spazzing

Location: California
Gaming Background: I play all games. I’ve beta tested a lot of MMORPGs and used to play a lot of strategy games.
Preferred Character: My Warrior/Monk PvP character is my favorite because it’s really tweaked. It has +5 Health regeneration and 32 Energy.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Andrea Atalanta

Location: CA
Gaming Background: I mainly like to do storyline missions and quests. I tried creating a PvP character once and died a horrible death.
Preferred Character: My Warrior/Ranger, Andrea Atalanta, is the one I use the most because it is my most complete character. The main tactic I try using is to not die and when in AB, cap, cap, cap!
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Steal Your Essence

Location: Hawaii
Gaming Background: My gaming background is definitely RPG. I like having a character and building it and evolving it. I get sort of attached to it, and even identify with it. It’s really fun. Until Guild Wars, I’ve been mostly PvE oriented.
Preferred Character: My primary character is my Necromancer/Mesmer. My two favorite builds involve Spiteful Spirit for The Deep and sometimes AB. My other favorite build is a Blood spike/Well build, which serves my team well in AB when we don’t have a Monk.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Marcus Clark

Location: Quebec, Canada
Gaming Background: I’m an RPG player. I’m more of a PvE player, but I do like PvPing with the guild.
Preferred Character: Rangers can do a lot of damage without getting hurt. They also have the ability to interrupt other people’s skills. On top of that, they have a pet to cover close range combat.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Yossar Hanacker

Location: Hawaii
Gaming Background: I dabble in a bit of everything. I guess that’s what is so great about Guild Wars. Both the PvE and the PvP are solid.
Preferred Character: Mesmer is probably my favorite. I like having a lot of options at my disposal. I’ve had the most fun using interrupts. I just love thinking about how frustrated the other players get when they can’t finish any of their skills.
Position in the Guild: Peon

Ultimate Genesis

Ultimate Genesis [GEN] was founded in the early days of Guild Wars. Despite getting off to an energetic start, the guild suffered a period of inactivity due to leadership changes and other complications. However, like all things worthwhile, Ultimate Genesis clung to existence and experienced what members now refer to as “The Rebirth.”

With a rekindling of interest, guild officers decided upon a purpose for the guild and aimed to become an online “home” for Ultimate Genesis members. The officers set out to provide a mature and enjoyable gaming environment, free from objectionable language and immature players. To accomplish this, Ultimate Genesis encourages teamwork, humor, and simple enjoyment of the game.

While Ultimate Genesis does enjoy online success, they strive to take neither the game nor themselves too seriously; “we’re here to have fun, after all,” is the stance taken by the guild. Additionally, they don’t worry when someone messes up. The company of members is more important than perfection. The members trust each other and enjoy the process of working as a unit. Because of this level of cooperation, the guild completes some of the most difficult PvE areas in the game on a regular basis with ease. This is the reason for their guild motto, “Ubi Concordia, ibi Victoria: Where unity is, there is victory.”

Ultimate Genesis has achieved their goal of becoming an online family. Despite the fact that the guild has about 80 members, they are an extremely close knit group who love to help each other. A testament to their team spirit is the long list of members who hold Protector titles. Whenever a guild member needs help with a mission, bonus, or skill capture, a single message in the guild chat generally lands them with a full team of members!

The guild takes pride in their resources, which include three Ventrillo servers. They also have an active guild forum community. Plus, members are involved with several Guild Wars community fan sites and forums. Most importantly, they have their cape, which they consider to be one of the classiest in the game.

PvE Game Discussion

When it comes to PvE, the guild likes to balance their goals. Sometimes they focus on completing missions, sometimes they explore, and other times they seek out high level items. With several members currently pursuing the Grand Master Cartographer titles, the guild always has a goal in mind.

Typically, the guild doesn’t bother with much planning before a mission, unless it’s an exceptionally difficult challenge. The motto, “don’t take it too seriously,” serves them well, and generally leads them to success.

The only consistent challenge that can bring the guild defeat is their shared addiction to chests. Several members have an insatiable addiction to looting chests. Consequently, when the group becomes aware of a chest in the region, players often run straight for it, regardless of any enemies that might be in the way. In fact, one member’s obsession was so powerful that the guild designed an elite skill just for him:

Chest! - Elite shout. You are teleported to the location of the nearest chest. All enemies within minimap range are alerted to your presence and attack.

The guild member’s response to this forum post was, “I find the lack of support shocking. Ok, so I am a chest addict. I’ll join a support group or something. Can someone loan me a key please?”

Member Profiles

Meet some members of the GEN family.

Handle: Fered (Bradford)

Location: Utah
Primary Character: Master Fered is the Monk I created after going through the game with my Fire Elementalist. This came from the fact that in the later missions you always have to wait to find a decent Monk. Since then I’ve loved playing a straight healing Monk with maybe a few other skills mixed in. I also really enjoy playing my Fire Elementalist, Fered Devereaux, and Warrior, Fered the Great.
Gaming Background: MUDs, FPS, RPGs, and of course, Guild Wars.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader and Main Website Admin
Why I Joined GEN: Originally I joined the guild because of my brother in-law back in July 2005. After some inactivity and my brother in-law moving on to a more active guild, leadership fell to me and I decided I wanted to resurrect Ultimate Genesis. With the help of many (including my brother in-law) the result has been a great group of friends who I like to just hang out with.

Handle: Math (Dave)

Location: Utah
Primary Character: Mathurin Averroes (Monk). Simply put, I enjoy keeping other people alive. The trust and respect that others express about my ability to carry a group through tough situations is the most rewarding part of my Guild Wars experience. I typically run heal/protection combinations that are capable of handling diverse situations. I do wish that I could occasionally do some damage, of course, but the urges pass.
Gaming Background: MUDs, various RPGs, and quite a few strategy games.
Position in the Guild: Guild Executive Officer and Website Admin
Why I Joined GEN: After mediocre experiences with other guilds, I was a fairly inactive player with little ambition to become more. When my friend Fered asked me to join his guild and assist in its revitalization, I agreed to help. It’s a choice I have never had cause to regret, as interaction with members of the guild and my responsibilities in its upkeep have kept me active and content more than anything else in the game.

Handle: Dak (Dave)

Location: Kansas, USA
Gaming Background: RTS and RPGs
Preferred Character: As a Ranger, I not only feel like a “Jack of all Trades,” but also the glue of a team. Whatever need the team has, I can usually find a way to fill it. Of course, for PvE, you can’t do much better than a Barrage/Vigorous Spirit combo with the occasional interrupt thrown in to stir things up.
Position in the Guild: Guild Founder (Former Officer)

Handle: Alesain (Rob)

Location: South Carolina
Primary Character: Ite Yojimbo (Ranger). After testing out most classes, and putting them through the works, no other class had the versatility of the Ranger. You name it, Rangers do it. Expertise is a great primary attribute that opens up many doors for secondaries.
Gaming Background: MUDs, Console RPGs, FPS, RTS, and collectable card games.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer
Why I Joined GEN: I was looking for a place to escape the hopelessness of horrible random PUGs in PvE, as well as the lonesome journeys with henchies. Ultimate Genesis gave me both and more. They gave me a Guild Wars family.

Handle: Lord Baalzamon (Carter)

Location: Colorado
Primary Character: Necromancer. You just can’t beat Necromancer versatility, interrupts, degeneration, Conditions, minions, and support spells. Necromancers have it all.
Game background: FPS, RPG
Position in the Guild: GvG Officer
Why I Joined GEN: I wanted a place where there was nice, healthy member interaction. I have grown tired of all the guilds where half the people have been away from their keyboards for the last six months. This is a place where everyone was active and friendly.

Handle: Duck (David)

Location: Bindlach, Germany
Primary Character: Fire Elementalist. As in the guild, I am more a support person than a front line. Warrior, Ranger, and Necro are all fun classes to play for me but the Ele is where I found my calling. Guess I am just a pyro at heart.
Gaming Background: From my old BBS online games and my TFC server up until GW I have tried all kinds. I find that Guild Wars is simply the best I have played yet.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer and Forum Admin
Why I Joined GEN: I wanted a guild where you are not only a player or member but a part of something bigger. My greatest day was the one where Fered (guild leader) found me and offered a membership. I am proud to be a part of Ultimate Genesis and to have all the fellow members I call friends.

Handle: Curatio (Robert)

Location: Maryland
Primary Character: Monk. I like the fact that a good Monk is often the key to either winning or losing a mission. I like the support role. Of course I like to farm too so a Monk is perfect for me.
Gaming Background: None, unless you count a flight simulator.
Position in Guild: Guild Officer
Why I Joined GEN: During a rough mission at Perdition, the only two people who kept sticking it out was a GEN member and me. We got together and teamed up with henchies to complete our capping run. He told me about GEN. I put in an application and was accepted. This was the best move I ever made, and have never regretted it. Very nice people here who are always willing to lend a hand when needed.

Handle: Mystic (Bryan)

Location: Kentucky
Primary Character: Out of all the characters I have, I would say I love the Mesmer the most because they require the most skill while playing. I also enjoy playing the support role in the group.
Gaming Background: Numerous RPGs, FPSs.
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer
Why I Joined GEN: After being in many PvE guilds, I thought I’d give this guild a try when I saw a recruiter advertising one day near the Wilds. I signed up on the site, put in an application and became a member. From day one I have not regretted anything that I have done in this guild.

Handle: Alpha Particle (Alex)

Location: Oregon
Primary Character: Mesmer. I initially started a Mesmer for a challenge and the fact that they were relatively rare, but once I got used to the skill set I played it far more than my initial Ranger, Warrior, or Necromancer. I enjoy the idea of making enemies completely ineffective while killing them.
Gaming Background: FPS, RTS
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer
Why I Joined GEN: I was in a few guilds before that had little to no organization and less interaction. Usually I had to do missions with PUGs or henchies, but after reading about GEN I quickly sent in an application. Ever since I have joined the game has been much more enjoyable because of the camaraderie within the guild.

Handle: Desperado (James)

Location: North Carolina
Primary Character: X Desperado X (Warrior). Tanking is in my blood. I have tried out the other classes and no other seems to give me the pure satisfaction of in your face slash and thrash hardcore killing. I LOVE IT!
Gaming Background: Guild Wars, FPSs
Position in the Guild: Guild Officer
Why I Joined GEN: My wife joined the guild and I really liked the people she played with and the helpfulness of the people in the guild as well.

Handle: Furiouz (Jessica)

Location: North Carolina
Primary Character: Furiouz Flamez (Elementalist with Fire Magic of 16). I love her. She is BAD. She has about 73 Energy and about 518 Health. She does so much damage. So far she has been my favorite class to play.
Gaming Background: Guild Wars, sim games.
Position in the Guild: Guild Member
Why I Joined GEN: I was looking for a mature guild that consisted of a group of people who loved to play Guild Wars as much as I did. I needed an escape as do most people who people who play. But wanted to become part of an online family and I have found that in Ultimate Genesis!

Handle: Emari (Lisa)

Location: Ottawa, Canada
Primary Character: Emari Lynn. I hang in the shadows until I’m needed, then charge headlong into the fight to draw attention away from the other guild mates, if only for a while.
Gaming Background: My first love was the King’s Quest series, which led the way to many more RPGs and eventually MMORPGS. I enjoy PvP just as much as PvE, because sometimes playing against a machine just doesn’t cut it.
Position in the Guild: Ditzy Blonde (Guild Member)
Why I Joined GEN: I was looking for a mature group of gamers who valued life outside Guild Wars, and instead found a loving family who’ve supported my slow but steady progression through the GW universe.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Fishmongers

The Fishmongers [Fish] wasn’t created with any lofty goals in mind. Rather, it was the practice guild for members of I Guild I [iGi]. It served as a place for iGi members to play when they didn’t have enough players online to muster a full team. Most importantly, it allowed them to spend quality time with their two favourite friends, Mage Henchman and Healer Henchman, without damaging their competitive rank.

After iGi disbanded, Fish came into its own as a serious guild. More people joined the guild, and it turned toward its ultimate destiny: pursuing the successful capture, preparation, and consumption of as many fish as possible. Additional goals include excelling at GvG and not raging before 11 pm.

Most members of Fish have been playing Guild Wars since the release of Prophecies, and they come from a diverse background of gaming and sports. The core of Fish consists of a ten-member GvG team as well as a larger PvE team who strive to achieve victory in the struggle against the foul Kurzicks. Strong bonds of friendship unite the guild even in times of frustration.

When it comes to PvE, the guild’s strategy involves equipping the very best armour and coming up with names that will impress the ladies. Roleplaying is mandatory at all times. Members go forth to slay vile creatures of all types in the quest to save the realm. Armour from the Fissure of Woe is considered highly important in the ongoing mission both to destroy evil and attract women.

In PvP, Fish focuses on GvG. The roster includes a few veterans from other arenas, as well as some “misguided” individuals who pursue titles in Random Arena, but GvG is the unifying goal of the guild. Fish uses a variety of builds, both to keep opponents on their toes and to learn different strategies.

PvP Discussion

Below is a build that Fish ran with great success during the beginning of the last Fun Season. Although the build skews significantly toward offensive tactics, rather than defensive, it helped the guild to victory on many occasions.

Warrior/Necromancer—Charge!
Swordsmanship 12, Strength 8, Tactics 10
“Charge!”, Sever Artery, Gash, Final Thrust, Bull’s Strike, Frenzy, Plague Touch, Healing Signet

Warrior/Necromancer—Charging Bull
Swordsmanship 12, Strength 8, Tactics 10
Bull’s Charge, Frenzy, Sever Artery, Gash, Final Thrust, Healing Signet, Plague Touch, Resurrection Signet

Ranger/Warrior—Thumper of Bunnies
Hammer Mastery 12, Beast Mastery 120, Expertise 98
Hammer Bash, Irresistible Blow, Crushing Blow, Ferocious Strike, Tiger’s Fury, Charm Animal, Comfort Animal, Resurrection Signet

Ranger/Mesmer—Poison/Crippling
Expertise 14, Marksmanship 12, Wilderness Survival 10, Illusion Magic 3
Crippling Shot, Apply Poison, Savage Shot, Distracting Shot, Storm Chaser, Distortion, Troll Unguent, Resurrection Signet

Ranger/Mesmer—Bleeding
Expertise 14, Marksmanship 10, Wilderness Survival 12, Illusion Magic 3
Melandru’s Arrows, Savage Shot, Distracting Shot, Debilitating Shot, Distortion, Inspired Hex, Revealed Hex, Resurrection Signet

Monk/Mesmer—Healer of Dudes
Divine Favor 15, Protection Prayers 10, Inspiration Magic 9
Spirit Bond, Mend Condition, Reversal of Fortune, Guardian, Divine Boon, Inspired Hex, Energy Drain, Drain Enchantment

Monk/Mesmer—The Ladies Healer
Divine Favor 15, Protection Prayers 10, Inspiration Magic 9
Protective Spirit, Mend Condition, Reversal of Fortune, Guardian or Signet of Devotion, Divine Boon, Inspired Hex, Energy Drain, Holy Veil

Elementalist/Monk—Kitchen Sink Guy
Air Magic 8, Energy Storage 9, Water Magic 10, Healing Prayers 12
Windborne Speed, Blinding Flash, Deep Freeze, Ice Spikes, Ether Prodigy, Heal Party, Extinguish, Resurrect

Because the Kitchen Sink Guy is flag running, the only real defence in the build is the Poison/Crippling Ranger. As a result, the Monks are usually quite pressured while running this build. The goal is to wipe the opposing team before pressure overwhelms your backline. Plague Touch helps to keep the Warriors clean, and both frontline Rangers have interrupts, in case the opposing team brings any Warrior-hate like wards or Aegis.

The Monks use Energy Drain along with the Bleeding Ranger’s Debilitating Shot to put pressure on enemy Monks. Fish has found that this build forces everyone to bring their best game, or the whole team loses. As a result, Fish credits this build with honing their skills as a team at the beginning of the season.

Member Profiles

Meet the elite PvP squadron of Fish.

Handle: Natures Leaf

Location: Florida, USA
Gaming Background: Into both PvP and PvE aspects of games. I play both RPGs and FPS.
Preferred Characters: My primary character is a Crippling Shot Ranger. Usually when I am playing against another “crip shot” Ranger, I try to hit that Ranger’s Crippling Shot with my Distracting Shot, and then hope to get lucky.
Position in the Guild: I am the leader of Fish.
Why I joined Fish: I joined the guild because I took it over after my old guild iGi died. I then just gathered up a bunch of players who I enjoy playing with, and it eventually became a competitive guild.

Handle: Umpy the Juggernaut

Location: Oklahoma
Gaming Background: I used to be a roleplayer until Talla found me one day at Lake Minatonka while I was purifying myself.
Preferred Characters: I am the Warrior when I play. I envision myself bathing in the blood of my enemies.
Position in the Guild: I am the lieutenant junior major officer of the guild.
Why I joined Fish: Natures and I decided we wanted to make a guild, so we did.

Handle: Digi

Location: California
Gaming Background: Neopets
Preferred Characters: Any caster; I like the defensive and offensive versatility. I also like that caster mistakes can be game-altering.
Position in the Guild: PvEr

Handle: Bishop

Location: California
Gaming Background: FPS games
Preferred Characters: Monk, Mesmer, Elementalist. I play Monk more often that not, for GvG, HA, TA, whatever. I prefer casters because I feel like they have more control over the game. As a Warrior or Ranger, you have to count on other people to keep you clean, and I’m not that trusting.
Position in the Guild: Voice of reason.
Why I joined Fish: Fish kabob, fish filet, fish sticks, fish sandwich, popcorn fish, fish stew, fish gumbo, fresh fish, fish sauce, sushi.

Handle: Wu

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: RPGs, FPSs, and RTSs
Preferred Characters: Warrior or Monk
Position in the Guild: Conscience

Handle: Torsen

Location: Alberta, Canada
Gaming Background: RPG games.
Preferred Characters: Elementalist. My favorite combo is Heal Party, then Heal Party.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Animal Hearts You

Location: California
Gaming Background: e-thug fO lyfe.
Preferred Characters: Monk, and Spirit Bond is my favorite skill. I Monk because I like to, not because of skill. The guild would much rather have others Monk, but nobody else wants to!
Position in the Guild: The hottie.
Why I joined Fish: I drank a little too much, woke up one morning, and found myself in this guild.

Handle: Hot Queso

Location: Blacksburg VA–Go Tech!
Gaming Background: RPG? RTS? FPS? I don’t understand abbreviations . . . I play games and stuff.
Preferred Characters: I enjoy Monking. My favorite skill is Contemplation of Purity, thanks to the colorful baby picture.
Position in the Guild: The Cheese/Officer
Why I joined Fish: I have known Immortal Teknique for a couple years. Also, Natures thought I Monked well in 4v4 team arenas. I was one of the original “new” members to the guild.

Handle: Talla

Location: Chicago, IL
Gaming Background: When I’m not GvGing you can often find me roleplaying in the Great Temple of Balthazar.
Preferred Characters: Necromancer or Monk
Position in the Guild: 1st officer and e-fiancefiancé to the guild leader.
Why I joined Fish: I joined the guild to be closer to my e-fiancefiancé. We should be having our Guild Wars wedding soon!

Handle: SJ

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: FPS games
Preferred Characters: I prefer to play frontline/melee characters, primarily Ranger.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Shadow Knights

SK has a history that predates Guild Wars. The original core of the guild was formed in 1999 and quickly became a multi-game guild as the MMORPG market expanded. The guild has a core of over 20 Guild Wars players, although the Shadow Knights encompass 300 members across several MMORPGs.

The guild philosophy ensures that SK sticks together as a family. Every member is treated as a brother or sister. Antagonistic behavior is forbidden, and the guild has a policy of being helpful as well as proud and loyal. These ideals have kept the guild together over the years.

New recruits to the guild don’t necessarily have to be experienced, though some skill is appreciated. Mostly, the guild looks for enthusiasm and love for the game. Although SK is happy with their tight-knit core of players and isn’t looking for new members at this point, they have a brother-guild they use for training.

GvG is the primary focus for SK. They enjoy competition and would like to see themselves maintaining a good rank. The guild feels confident in their skills, but aim to improve through practice. Lately, they’ve turned to Heroes’ Ascent as a PvP training ground for non-peak times.

PvP Discussion

The SK Dual-Smite build uses a modified version of the standard Smite Monk. The guild calls them “Seraph Smiters” in honor of the guildmate who designed them. The build also has two Monks on the back line for protective and healing magic. A flag runner, two axe-wielding Warriors, and a Necromancer round out the team. This build is heavy in damage at the expense of some defense, but is capable of countering most threats with teamwork.

Warrior/Elementalist (x2) – ShockEvis

Axe Mastery (16), Strength (13), Air Magic (3)
Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Shock, Protector’s Strike, Bull’s Strike, Frenzy, Rush, Resurrection Signet

Monk/Ritualist - Seraph Smiter with Smite Hex

Smiting Prayers (16), Protection Prayers (7), Divine Favor (3), Channeling Magic (11)
Zealot’s Fire, Balthazar’s Aura, Reversal of Fortune, Guardian, Smite Hex, Air of Enchantment, Ancestors’ Rage, Resurrection Signet

Monk/Ritualist - Seraph Smiter with Draw Conditions

Smiting Prayers (16), Protection Prayers (7), Divine Favor (3), Channeling Magic (11)
Zealot’s Fire, Balthazar’s Aura, Reversal of Fortune, Guardian, Draw Conditions, Air of Enchantment, Ancestors’ Rage, Resurrection Signet

Necromancer/Monk - Enchant Cover

Death Magic (15), Soul Reaping (12), Earth Magic (7), Blood Magic (6)
Tainted Flesh, Animate Bone Minions, Death Nova, Well of the Profane, Ward Against Melee, Dark Fury, Rotting Flesh, Resurrection Signet

Monk/Mesmer - Boon Prot

Divine Favor (16), Protection Prayers (10), Inspiration Magic (9)
Divine Boon, Reversal of Fortune, Guardian, Protective Spirit, Mend Ailment, Inspired Hex, Mantra of Recall, Contemplation of Purity

Monk/Mesmer - Blessed Light

Divine Favor (16), Protection Prayers (9), Healing Prayers (9), Inspiration Magic (9)
Blessed Light, Reversal of Fortune, Spirit Bond, Gift of Health, Mend Ailment, Signet of Devotion, Drain Enchantment, Inspired Hex

Elementalist/Monk - Flag Runner

Water Magic (12), Energy Storage (10), Healing Prayers (10), Air Magic (8)
Ether Prodigy, Deep Freeze, Ice Spikes, Gale, Blinding Flash, Extinguish, Heal Party, Armor of Mist

The goal of this build is to deal as much damage as quickly as possible. By using non-standard smiters, the team attempts to catch enemies off-guard at the start. Over the course of the match, the team keeps up the pressure to prevent the enemy from recovering.

With a regular dual-Smite Monk team, it’s often possible to get opponents down to low Health without managing to get a kill. To remedy this, the team altered their Smite Monks to include Ancestors’ Rage. By using other team members to compensate for the lowered healing and protection abilities of the Smite Monks, SK focused this build on dishing out heavy damage in a hurry.

When running this build, SK sends the two Warriors to build up adrenaline. When they’re ready, the first Warrior uses Shock on an enemy Monk. If the enemy survives long enough to get up, the second Warrior uses Shock. Meanwhile, the team applies full dual-Smite damage, along with Ancestors’ Rage. After the first target is dead, the team switches focus to another enemy Monk. Ideally, with one Monk still dead, the opposing team will be hard pressed to resist further attacks.

The Necromancer’s job is to cover Zealot’s Fire with Enchantments such as Death Nova. He or she is also required to place Ward Against Melee for the team’s Monks to use while kiting. In addition, the Necromancer uses spells to spread Health degeneration among the enemy. The Elementalist is primarily a flag runner, but is equipped with snares, Gale, Heal Party, and Extinguish for versatility.

To counter enemy tactics, like retreat, the team carries abilities to slow their opponents. The Warriors also pack speed boosts, making it difficult for a fleeing healer to escape. As the match progresses, SK kills enemy Monks over and over again. Eventually, the opposing team runs out of Resurrection Signets.

SK describes the build as the most successful one they’ve run. Its design leans heavily towards damage-dealing, but it has enough defence to keep up with most builds when played correctly. Using it, the team made their way to the top 50 on the GvG ladder during the third GWFC season.

Member Profiles

Shining some light on the Shadow Knights.

Handle: Eelill Dedraluin

Location: Virginia, USA
Gaming Background: I’ve played a variety of games, but mostly RPGs and not MMOs. Sometimes I feel the need to play FPS for a week or two, otherwise it’s all RPG.
Preferred Character: I enjoy playing a few different classes. For SK I usually run a Warrior in GvGs. Though I still have things to learn, I have a good sense of tactics so the players trust me on that position. One class I’ve really enjoyed is Assassin. SK does not use the Assassin class very often in our builds, but I still enjoy playing it if I get the chance.

Handle: Red Serenity (known to friends as Red)

Location: New Zealand
Gaming Background: Until recently I’ve been mostly a Tombs player but I am now making the transition to GvG monk and am enjoying the new challenges that GvG offers. At this time I spend about fitty percent of my time in GvG, forty-five percent in Heroes’ Ascent, and the remainder doing PvE to have fun and help friends. My three-year-old daughter is well known amongst my GW friends and is often to be heard yelling “noob!” or “nublette!” on voice-chat.
Preferred Character: I find myself to be very much a support player. I favor Monks above all other professions. It’s my goal to become a player known as a great Monk, rather than as a player known to be acceptable at many classes.

Handle: Reverend “Pops” Scova

Location: Wisconsin USA
Preferred Character: While Mesmer is my best class, I’m a very versatile player. Lately I have been playing Warrior and loving it!

Handle: Tiber Spetim

Location: Canada
Gaming Background: I used to really be into RPGs, especially old school SNES games. However, the perfect blend of strategy and skill that is Guild Wars has consumed that spot in my heart.
Preferred Character: I mainly play a Warrior, as fast paced combat is what I find most exciting in Guild Wars. I like to use timing and combinations to turn a character into a well-oiled machine that is the fear of many opposing backlines.

Handle: Damien Ine

Gaming Background: PvP mostly. I can do the PvE aspect but my attention drifts pretty quickly.
Preferred Character: Monk! Heal or Protection, though I’m not a huge fan of Smite. In GvGs I tend to play the Protection Monk. In Heroes’ Ascent, on the other hand, I will play almost anything that is needed. I find that the GvG circuit is a lot tougher and for me, a lot more fun!

Handle: Requiem Ine

Location: New York State
Gaming Background: I’ve played other PvP games, but after upgrading to Guild Wars, I haven’t looked back.
Preferred Character: I really like Rangers. A Ranger/Warrior can put pressure on a team with knock-downs and conditions.

Handle: Severe Nrgy, Severe Rage, Sevy

Location: Georgia, USA
Gaming Background: A mixture of MMOs and FPSs. Guild Wars appeals to me because of the variety of PvP options. Guild Wars puts a huge emphasis on player skill and team tactics. It’s chess, PvP style.
Preferred Character: I primarily play the Monk profession, although I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Paragon profession. The Mesmer is a great secondary profession for the Monk because of the Energy management skills available.

Handle: Ragged Ine

Location: Crawfordville, Florida
Gaming Background: As funny as it may seem I was first introduced to the gaming world by my babysitter back in the early 90’s. Guild Wars would become the first RPG that I spent more than 2 days playing online.
Preferred Character: I play almost every profession and I enjoy seeing how different skills counteract others. I really enjoy builds that show individuality even if they don’t have the best outcomes.

Handle: Fate “Helga Healer”

Location: Rhode Island, USA
Gaming Background: I stumbled onto Guild Wars back in the first open beta event (remember skill ring crafting?) and since then my friends and I have made this our #1 distraction.
Preferred Character: Having experience, even a little, in all the classes is vital to performing to your best as a Monk. Knowing who can cause the most damage, who will be a target, and how much concern each Hex and condition warrants is vital to success.

Handle: Flying Cube

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: I started gaming when I was really young. My first games were on an Atari 2600, and I’ve moved through several systems and games before buying Guild Wars.
Preferred Character: Ranger or Mesmer. I love playing Psychic Distraction Mesmer, but it doesn’t fit into our current build. I don’t do primary flag runner, ever.

Handle: Gimp Ster (Gimpy)

Location: Krum, Texas
Gaming Background: A bit of FPSs and some strategy games.
Preferred Character: I’m pretty versatile, but Warrior is my best class. I’m especially experienced with axe and hammer-wielding Warriors.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

The Apocalyptic Riders

The Apocalyptic Riders may have a menacing name, but at heart, the guild is all about friendship. From their roots as a close-knit group of friends in Switzerland, they’ve grown to an international guild of over 50 players. Members hail from all over the world, including Serbia, Hong Kong, Finland, Germany, and Great Britain. Despite having such a vast range of cultures and customs, the members of ApoC are proud of the family they’ve formed. The guild celebrated its first birthday in June, and continues to forge ahead.

The underlying philosophy that drives ApoC is a noble one: to not only have fun, but to make sure everyone else does as well. To this end, the guild has three rules. First, to behave with maturity. Being friendly and polite keeps the game fun for everyone. Secondly, be helpful to all members. Players who have time to help do so. In return, members can always find help when they need it. Thirdly, there is no trading or paying for items in the guild. Items are freely given among players.

These rules ensure that maturity is a requirement for members. ApoC values behavior above age. Consequently, the ApoC “family” ranges from the ages of 12 to 45. Some players have a full roster of six level-20 characters, while others play only one character on their account. The guild welcomes all nationalities, but the primary spoken language in ApoC is English.

One of the qualities that makes ApoC unique is its members’ love of celebrations. Whenever an active member has a birthday, the guild surprises that member with an in-game gift. The gift is purchased with gold contributed by guild members and is usually something valuable. Green items and mini-pets are typical choices. The guild also enjoys having “sync-dance” parties.

PvE Discussion

ApoC has a strong focus on PvE. Its members try to help one another with any problem they might encounter, be it missions, quests, or skill capturing. ApoC tries to make sure that all players have the highest armor available to them and the right equipment for their profession.

Because the guild is so well-versed with most of the missions in Guild Wars, it puts very little planning into its excursions. The greatest planning effort goes into forming a balanced party with skills suitable to the mission. This composition might vary a bit depending on how many players are in need of the mission and which characters they have. However, ApoC teams very seldom fail missions.

ApoC has several tactics that it likes to employ. For one, the guild tries to engage one group of enemies at a time. It’s worth taking precautions to make sure that the team doesn’t get attacked by a second or third group while already fighting. It also tries to secure an escape route for weaker characters. If it has to face a larger group of enemies, the guild uses selective luring to break it into manageable pieces. When engaged in combat, ApoC keeps a close eye on the aggression range. By making sure that the Warriors keep their distance from the casters, the guild can control who the enemy’s target. This allows the Elementalists to get in and out of casting range without drawing aggression.

Member Profiles

Meet a few of the Apocalyptic Riders.

Handle: Rider Warmongerer

Location: Berlin, Germany
Gaming Background: I have played many different RPGs and also some MMORPGs.
Preferred Character: I like to play my Monk, my Elementalist, my Ranger, and my Necromancer. With all of them, I play different builds depending on the situation.
Position in the Guild: Leader

Handle: Rider Divine (Christina)

Location: Germany
Gaming Background: I’m a fan of RPGs and even play them with pen and paper. I prefer PvE, because I’d rather kill unemotional monsters than other players.
Preferred Character: I created my Monk to make sure that we always have enough Monks available for our guild teams. Then I started to like the essential support role, caring for the survival of all my teammates. Most of the time I use Word of Healing as my elite skill, and I bring Protective Spirit in case a non-up-front-fighter gets involved into melee. I prefer Mend Condition because of the faster recharge and trust the other Monk to relieve me of any Conditions I might suffer from.

Handle: Rider Doc

Location: Denmark
Gaming Background: RPGs, games with PvE.
Preferred Character: My preferred character is the Monk. When I play this profession, I go full healing and try to keep all the members in the group alive. I also like to play Necromancer/Monk to raise an army of minions for the enemy to fight.

Handle: Rider Karma

Location: Sweden, Guthenburg
Gaming Background: Before I started to play Guild Wars, I played FPS games in competitive leagues. Guild Wars is actually the first game in which I’ve only played PvE content. Personally I prefer the PvE content of Guild Wars because of the cooperative gameplay and the challenging areas.
Preferred Character: Monk/Mesmer. Mostly I go for healing, using low-Energy-cost skills like Orison of Healing, Word of Healing, Vigorous Spirit, Dwayna’s Kiss, and Healing Breeze. I use Protective Spirit and Mend Condition as well. The tactics I use are very simple: Vigorous Spirit on the Warriors and Protective Spirits on the more fragile targets.

Handle: Rider Pestilence

Location: Switzerland
Gaming Background: I played FPSs for quite some time.
Preferred Character: Healing/Protection Monk builds.

Handle: Rider Tepyr

Location: Netherlands
Gaming Background: Since online gaming is available, all single-player games seem very dull to me.
Preferred Character: I mostly like to support my guild team with my Monk or my Blood Necromancer. These characters can really support a team with mass healing and Energy. When I don’t have the time or am alone, I do quests with a henchmen team.

Handle: Rider Cascade

Location: England
Gaming Background: Mostly RTSs and RPGs.
Preferred Character: Ranger, because of its great versatility. I mostly use a Ranger/Monk, but I often use other secondary classes depending on the occasion. Rangers are capable of many things, meaning that I can use this character to do almost everything I need to.

Handle: Inqa Dark

Location: Sweden
Gaming Background: I started to play in the early 90s, but Guild Wars is my first online game and my favorite game. I play PvE and PvP.
Preferred Character: Almost everyone in our guild is good and has several different characters to play as needed. I like all my characters, but I play mostly as a Monk. I can be a bonder, a protector, and a healer.

Handle: Toiletcake Monstrr

Location: The Netherlands
Gaming Background: Any game genre would do.
Preferred Character: My favorite character is my Warrior. My build is called “Holy Hammer” and uses “For Great Justice!”, Sprint, Devastating Hammer, Crushing Blow, Heavy Blow, Holy Strike, Irresistible Blow, and Rebirth.

Handle: Oblivan Kelandro

Location: Hong Kong
Gaming Background: PvE, RPGs.
Preferred Character: I’m fond of trying out various builds and skill set tactics in combination with various secondary professions on my Warrior. Warriors are also gifted some of the most glamorous armor designed in the game.

Handle: A Temple Monk

Location: London, England
Gaming Background: I currently play PvE, as there is still much I haven’t done and I still find it challenging. My gaming history consists of mainly RPG, Strategy, and FPS, although this is my first MMORPG.
Preferred Character: I like almost all the professions and am always torn as to what to play as each day. If I feel like doing damage, then I take the Elementalist or the Warrior. If I feel like support, then I play as a Monk or Necromancer. And if I feel like being a pain, then I play as a Ranger. My two favorites are Monk and Warrior.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a “Guild of the Week” article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with its sportsmanship and skill? Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please visit our website for more information on the “Guild of the Week” nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Legion of Losers

LOL was born on the first day that Guild Wars Prophecies went live. The members were real-life friends who enjoyed gaming together, and the idea of a game with no fees intrigued them. Guild Wars addressed all the things they disliked about MMOs, and they were eager to try it out. LOL began as a PvE guild but soon found its interests drawn toward PvP. It migrated first to Team Arena, then Heroes’ Ascent, and finally GvG play as its skill increased.

The one enduring constant for LOL is its philosophy: to keep a relaxed atmosphere among friends while having fun, regardless of the result. LOL’s members try to stay calm—even during GvG play—by reminding themselves that at heart, Guild Wars is just a game. The point is to have fun. They take great pride in their ability to play well without sacrificing those morals. Even so, the guild measures its success by the happiness of its players, not by its rank.

Although aware of the cliché, LOL members really do try to treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. As a result, they have a solid reputation both as a guild and as individual players.

LOL has a simple recruitment policy. Skill can usually be taught, but attitude cannot, so it picks up new members based on their ability to fit in with the guild, regardless of skill level. With a few exceptions, LOL is mostly an “older” bunch of players. Most of its members are in college or are young professionals.

PvP Discussion

Balanced Pressure GvG Build

Warrior/Elementalist: Axe Mastery (16), Strength (10), Tactics (10), Air Magic (3)
Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Shock, Sprint, Frenzy, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet, and a utility slot for “Shields Up!”, Distracting Blow, and so on depending on the current metagame.

Warrior/***: Hammer Mastery (16), Strength (10), Tactics (10)
Backbreaker, Crushing Blow, Hammer Bash, Irresistible Blow, Sprint, Frenzy, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet

Ranger/Mesmer: Expertise (15), Marksmanship (10), Wilderness Survival (10), Domination Magic (6)
Crippling Shot, Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Apply Poison, Storm Chaser, Blackout, Troll Unguent, Resurrection Signet

Mesmer/Monk: Domination Magic (14), Inspiration Magic (11), Fast Casting (9)
Energy Surge, Energy Burn, Blackout, Shatter Enchantment, Drain Enchantment, Power Drain, Remove Hex, Resurrect

Elementalist/Monk: Water Magic (13), Energy Storage (10), Healing Prayers (9), Earth Magic (7)
Ice Spikes, Deep Freeze, Blurred Vision, Ether Prodigy, Heal Party, Draw Conditions, Resurrection Signet, and a utility slot for Ward Against Melee, Convert Hexes, or Infuse Health depending on the current metagame.

Monk/Mesmer x2: Divine Favor (14), Protection Prayers (10), Inspiration Magic (9)
Reversal of Fortune, Mend Ailment, Guardian or Gift of Health, Protective Spirit or Spirit Bond, Energy Drain, Inspired Hex, Contemplation of Purity, Divine Boon

Elementalist/Monk: Air Magic (14), Energy Storage (11), Healing Prayers (10)
Lightning Orb, Blinding Flash, Gale, Ether Prodigy, Heal Party, Extinguish, Healing Breeze, Windborne Speed

As you can see, this is a balanced build. It has a little bit of everything to deal with most situations and builds: high pressure DPS, Snares, interrupts, Energy denial, debuffs, Hex removal, Condition removal, Warrior hate, and a solid backline with defensive support elements (Wards, Heal Party, and so on). It also splits very nicely in 4/4, 5/3, 6/2, or even 7/1 (with the Ranger soloing NPCs).

LOL offers the following tips and advice for PvP play:

• Use voice communication. It’s difficult to coordinate and communicate something via team chat and target calling. Information is key in PvP, and communicating that information effectively and quickly is quite an asset.


• Stay calm. There are times when you might be outgunned or overwhelmed. If you panic, your teammates will panic and their performance will suffer.


• Don’t give up! You’d be surprised how many matches you can turn around after being rolled at the flag stand. LOL, for example, has turned around a match and won after being below 50% morale, so try not to be too fast on the /resign spike!


• Don’t stay too focused on killing Monks. Look for targets of opportunity like overextended Warriors and Mesmers.


• Be sure to drive undesirables out of your own backline.


• You don’t always have to fight 8v8 at the stand. Splitting is a viable tactic during stalemates or if you’re outgunned. If nothing is getting done, send a character or two to solo some NPCs for an advantage at “Victory or Death!” This requires constant communication.


• Always remember to wear your armor. It’d be pretty embarrassing to die as an Elementalist from a single Lightning Orb.


• Try not to Heal Party when Scourge Healing is out there. You’ll look like a noob when you die because of it.


• Lastly, help others out. LOL used to be a rank 10,000 guild. The only reason we’ve improved is due to the help and advice of other guilds. We now try to do the same when a guild asks for help—or even when they don’t! It makes the competition more fun. We don’t know how other guilds feel, but making a larger pool of qualified guilds sounds good to us!

Member Profiles

Meet the Legion of Losers.

Handle: Chu Chu Rocket (Daniel)

Location: Wisconsin, USA
Gaming Background: Console RPGs, Computer FPSs, RTSs, etc. This is actually my first MMO.
Preferred Character: Not necessarily preferred, but I generally play a Warrior in our Warrior-depleted Guild as well as (master) strategist and target caller. Regardless of the class, if it involves killing Stepns and Animals, I’m a happy gamer.
Position in the Guild: Guild Leader

Handle: Omg Wtf B B Q (Kim)

Location: Japan
Gaming Background: I love playing both PvP and PvE. With PvP I tend to play exclusively with LOL since I’m the most comfortable with our unique style, whereas with PvE I actually enjoy playing with PUGs! I’m an RPG girl. I suck at FPSs. Need I say more? Give me an RPG fantasy game any day over shooters!
Preferred Character: In PvP, I prefer mid to frontline characters such as Elementalists and Rangers. Don’t ask me to Monk for you… you WILL die! In PvP I currently have the most fun as a Necromancer (fear the Zombie Steak!)
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Ellona

Location: Florida, USA
Gaming Background: I like to play a little of everything. The only thing I don’t like to play are turn-based RPGs.
Preferred Character: I enjoy playing crippling Rangers in PvP and domination Mesmers in PvE.
Position in the Guild: Officer

Handle: Summer (Maria)

Location: Arizona, USA
Gaming Background: RPGs, PvE mostly
Preferred Character: My usual GvG spot is Boon Prot, but with the addition of guildmates who are excellent Monks, I’ve been branching out lately and playing other casters. Monking is still my favorite position to play, but doing damage is fun too!
Position in the Guild: Officer, Team Mom, and Health Care Professional

Handle: Not Rated (Ryan)

Location: Washington, USA
Gaming Background: PvP games
Preferred Character: Defensive Elementalist/Monk: Ether Prodigy, Wards, or ice snares, Heal Party, Heal Other or Infuse, Draw Conditions, and so on.
Position in the Guild: Officer and Keeper of the Hello Kitty Song

Handle: Kiris Greywind (Mark)

Location: Colorado, USA
Gaming Background: I heavily enjoy both PvP and PvE, and don’t prefer one over the other. I’m also a huge fan of both RPGs and FPSs, and I have been playing them since I was just a wee lad
Preferred Character: Ranger
Position in the Guild: Potato

Handle: B L U E S H I F T (Evan)

Location: Arizona, USA
Gaming Background: I started in PvE and quickly moved to PvP.
Preferred Character: I prefer support characters. They are intensive and diverse, best used for boosting the team’s strengths and diminishing the team’s weaknesses.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: HappyPants

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Gaming Background: RPGs and RTSs
Preferred Character: I most frequently play a Boon Prot Monk. I like to overextend and love to leave my Warriors to die. If someone puts Scourge Healing on me, I don’t tell the team because it makes me giggle when I see someone die from Scourge Healing. I was recently nominated as the worst member in my guild, beating out Cantos in a close contest.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: Cantos

Location: I live in Australia, because it is fun.
Gaming Background: I came to Guild Wars from another RPG with PvP elements. I played PvP in an organized community with league rules.
Preferred Character: I like to play a Warrior with Water Trident and Final Thrust, so I can knock people down a lot then kill them!
Position in the Guild: Fashion Critiques Lieutenant—"Blue and Green should not be seen without a color in between!”

Handle: Avenged Morpheuss

Location: OR, USA
Gaming Background: Before Guild Wars I played FPSs.
Preferred Character: Standard Boon Prot with Gift of Health or Blessed Light Monk
Position in the Guild: Guild Spiritual Adviser

Handle: Divine Muse (Brigette)

Location: USA
Gaming Background: Mostly MMORPGs
Preferred Character: I like to play any type of Healer or Boon Monk. My favorite build is Divine Boon, Mend Condition, Guardian, Protective Spirit, Reversal of Fortune, Inspired Hex, Energy Drain, and Contemplation of Purity. I’m also trying to improve on Elementalist and Necromancer.
Position in the Guild: Member

Handle: l Ruby Weapon l (Joe)

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: I played a lot of console FPSs and a lot of RPGs.
Preferred Character: I mostly play my Warrior, since it is my primary role in GvG. Once I hit the PvE wall with my other characters about a day after release, they’ve just sat inactive. My favorite skill combo would have to be Frenzy plus Healing Signet. Good times.
Position in the Guild: Lowly member

Handle: Jesse

Location: USA
Gaming Background: Chess, Pac-man, and maybe some RTS.
Preferred Character: Anything fun! As long as it has Mending. If the Mending can be double or triple “echoed,” that’s even better.
Position in the Guild: Scapegoat

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a “Guild of the Week” article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars, or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the “Guild of the Week” nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Sinister Swarm

With six years as a group, Sinister Swarm [Sin] is one of the longest-lived guilds in Guild Wars. A core group of Sin’s players have upheld the guild through several games, including Dark Age of Camelot and Everquest.

After hearing about Guild Wars at E3 in 2004, the leaders of Sinister Swarm decided the idea of a fast-paced game with tournament play appealed to them. They yearned for a game that addressed the problems they saw in other MMORPGs. With the release of Guild Wars Prophecies, the GW Swarm was born. The guild adopted GvG play with a passion and has held its own on the ladder ever since. Although its all-time record is rank 89, Swarm won’t rest until it’s number 1.

The Swarm aims to find and retain players who have the most fun in the game. Its members are always looking for the kind of people they would want to hang out with in real life. The guild officers describe a “true Swarmer” as one who shows respect and honor at all times.  The guild enforces a strict guild policy that disallows “trash talking.” Swarm’s members pride themselves on maintaining a high level of respect for not only guild members, but anyone else they encounter in game.

The Swarm has around 80 members in the main guild, as well as four practice guilds. It hopes to keep expanding and increasing its rank in GvG, while maintaining the high standards that made the guild so successful.

Sinister Swarm uses a number of tactics to foster unity among its large membership. The guild has a theme song and active forums, and its members are required to log into Team Speak while in game. The result is a group with a strong sense of community and pride.

PVP Discussion

Recently, Sinister Swarm has used an Energy denial build they refer to as D3, which stands for “Deny, Deny, Deny.” The build’s components are described below.

Prime Caller

Warrior/Elementalist: Hammer Mastery (15), Earth Magic (11), Strength (6), Water Magic (7)

Frenzy
Back Breaker
Crush Blow
Aftershock
Distract Blow
Sprint
Ice Prison
Resurrection Signet

Prime Attacker

Warrior/Elementalist: Hammer Mastery (15), Earth Magic (11), Strength (9).

Frenzy
Crush Blow
Aftershock
Back Breaker
Mighty Blow
Distract Blow
Sprint
Resurrection Signet

Energy Denial 1

Mesmer/Elementalist: Fast Casting (5), Domination Magic (14), Inspiration Magic (12), Illusion Magic (8), Water Magic (6).

Signet of Weariness
Energy Surge
Energy Burn
Ether Lord
Blackout
Armor of Mist
Distortion
Resurrection Signet

Healer

Monk/Mesmer: Healing Prayers (14), Divine Favor (10), Inspiration Magic (11)

Energy Drain
Inspired Hex
Mend Ailment
Heal Touch
Heal Other
Heal Party
Orison of Heal
Resurrection Signet

Energy Denial 2

Mesmer/Elementalist: Domination Magic (14), Fast Casting (11), Illusion Magic (8), Water Magic (7).

Signet of Weariness
Energy Surge
Energy Burn
Shame
Blackout
Armor of Mist
Distortion
Resurrection Signet

Flag Runner

Warrior/Ranger: Axe Mastery (16), Wilderness Survival (11), Strength (8).

Apply Poison
Dismember
Executioner
Bull’s Charge
Storm Chaser
Barb Trap
Distract Blow
Resurrection Signet

Anti-Tank

Elementalist/Monk: Earth Magic (14), Air Magic (10), Healing Prayers (9), Energy Storage (9).

Ether Prodigy
Blurred Vision
Healing Breeze
Blinding Flash
Ward Against Foes
Ward Against Melee
Heal Party
Resurrection Party

Boon Prot

Monk/Mesmer: Divine Favor (14), Protection Prayers (10), Inspiration Magic (11).

Mantra of Recall
Contemplation of Purity
Reversal
Mend Condition
Guardian
Inspire Hex
Divine Boon
Protective Spirit

The main tactic behind this build is to have the Warriors build up adrenaline on random decoy targets while the Mesmers harass Monks with Energy denial. Once the Warriors build up adrenaline, they call a spike target, and the Mesmers “Blackout” their assigned Monks while the Warriors attack. When possible, the Flag Runner and Anti-Tank characters assist in spiking. If needed, the build can split 1–4 and 5–8 doing base assault, flag capture, or a run for the enemy catapult.

In GvG, Sinister Swarm does everything in its power to shut down enemy flag-carriers and keep the flag stand. It puts great value on Morale Boosts and the renewal of Resurrection Signets.

Besides planning its strategy ahead of time and using its internal forums to organize players, Sinister Swarm has a few strict protocols it requires all participants to follow:

• No trash talk or communication with the enemy team. In the spirit of sportsmanship and Swarm honor, only “glahf” (good luck and have fun) and “gg” (good game) are allowed.


• Radio silence. No one except the battle commander, flag runner, and defensive coordinator (usually a Monk) is to speak during the match except for an emergency. Emergencies include sighting of the enemy flag carrier, sighting of enemies in The Swarm’s base, or sighting an enemy on the catapult.


• Stay with the group and only follow commands made by the battle commander. Leaving the group to engage an enemy or to scout around without authorization is not allowed. If a Swarm team member sees a problem or a threat, it’s that member’s job to communicate it to the battle commander, not run off and try to handle it alone.

Member Profiles

Get to know the players behind the game.

Handle: Wicked Venom, Dread Venom, Sour Venom, Blade Venom

Location: Bay Area, California
Gaming Background: I started with old school D&D. Now I am a hardcore PvPer. I love any game where I can get that rush of multiplayer action. I used to lead a clan in Team Fortress and Half Life 2 Death Match. What I love about Guild Wars is it gives you all the good stuff from a typical MMORPG but without the tedious leveling. Guild Wars focuses on the excitement of multiplayer action.
Preferred Character: I traditionally play Warriors or Necromancers. The first Guild Wars character that I played in beta was a Minion Master, but I have since leveled up Elementalists, Mesmers, and Monks.

Handle: Arwen the Dark

Location: Carolinas, USA
Gaming Background: I have long been a fan of RPGs and Sim/Builder games. Guild Wars is my first online game. I’ve since played D&D Online.
Preferred Character: By day, Arwen the Dark is a divine healer, offering healing and protection to wounded and fallen allies. Although “Boon-Prots” are widely popular, I personally prefer the powerful, long-lasting heals of a pure healing Monk. By night, Arwen the Dark’s alter ego, Arwen the Illusion, comes out to extract revenge on the melee classes that love to pester Monks. I take great pleasure in bringing Warriors to their knees.

Handle: Zodson, Zodsona of might, Eye of Zodson, Zodson spamming

Location: USA, South Carolina
Gaming Background: PvP, Guild Wars, Eve Online, FPS, Unreal.
Preferred Character: Before the Swarm, I played as a Warrior, but I know how to play just about anything. I have played a Ranger flag runner, Mesmer speed spiker, and a Warrior/Ranger flag runner.

Handle: Kalon El Shaada

Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Gaming Background: I have played many RPGs, mostly Final Fantasy and also some FPSs, Counter Strike and Wolfenstein. Guild Wars is my first game like this.
Preferred Character: I love running a Sword Frenzy Warrior. My favorite combo has to be Frenzy with Healing Signet. More seriously, Dragon Slash, Galrath’s Slash, and Sun and Moon Slash mixed in with Rush and Bull’s Strike really works for me. I love toying with people, trying to control them, making them do what I want them to do.

Handle: Calpoly Jason

Location: California, USA
Gaming Background: Once I start playing an MMORPG, I get hooked, and Guild Wars is no exception. I also enjoy some FPSs and RPGs on consoles.
Preferred Character: I currently use my Monk/Mesmer to venture out in the newest worlds of Guild Wars for PvE. I love to heal, putting all points in Healing and Divine using Word of Healing as an elite. I also always equip a Hex removal and a Condition removal skill. The rest of the skills are brought in accordance with the current mission or quest. For PvP, I love to spike. My favorite strategy is the Necromancer spike group or the R/W “Bunny Thumper” build.

Handle: Cham

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: I always have played PvPs and RPGs.
Preferred Character: I love my Ritualist and its cool style. Sometimes I play Random Arena and use an offensive line of Spirits, like Wanderlust, Dissonance, and more. If I get lucky, they will attack the same person and annoy him to death.

Handle: Should I Help

Location: Ontario, Canada
Gaming Background: Mainly PvP with some PvE. I play real-time strategy games like Age of Empires and FPS’s like Counter Strike.
Preferred Character: I like to play Monk—specifically Boon Protection or any type of spell caster, so I can observe the field of battle. “Boon protection” is my favorite because I think it is cheapest for heals and protection. I also like a Migraine or Energy-Denial Mesmer because of their ability to shut down Monks. Warrior is too up-close and in the middle of everything I like to stay at the back and harass people until they drop.

Handle: Monkie

Location: Illinois
Gaming Background: I did lots of FPS in the beginning of my gaming career, then I moved to Guild Wars and haven’t gone back.
Preferred Character: That would have to be the Monk by far. I love Monking—every part about it is fun. It is great to know that your enemies can’t spike because of you. I can play any Monk build there is: 55, Boon Prot, RC/Prot, SB/Infuse, Blessed Light Healer… You name it, I’ve done it.

Handle: Adi Shiva, Adi Shakti, Is E, Aeon Morcheeba

Location: Long Beach, California
Gaming Background: The only other online game I was seriously into was Knight Online. It was my first MMORPG. A friend from my clan switched to Guild Wars and insisted I do so too. My first Guild in GW was “The Knights of Areowind.” It was a roleplaying/PvE Guild.
Preferred Character: Lately, I’ve been fixed on the Ritualist, trying out its skills and experimenting with different builds. Prior to the introduction of the Ritualist, I enjoyed playing the Necromancer and Monk. I’m into the caster professions and not too crazy about the Ranger or Warrior.

Handle: Shadow Doll, Shadow Raider, Shadow Windforce

Location: Rochester, New York, USA
Gaming Background: I have played a lot of games like Lineage, Lineage2, RF Online, and Everquest 2.
Preferred Character: I started out playing Warrior to get to know the game better. Then I expanded to Ranger, Monk, and Necromancer. Lately, I’ve been playing Assassin and trying to unlock all of its skills.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill. Maybe you would like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Or perhaps you would like us to feature your own guild because you feel you and your teammates can offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds or strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. And thanks for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Black Rose Assassins

The Black Rose Assassins’ [BRA] history goes back to the monthly beta weekends for the first chapter of Guild Wars. Originally two separate guilds named Black Rose Guild and Herbal Additive Supplement Hunters, BRA merged into their current form because the two guilds got along well. They have no trouble maintaining a friendly, close-knit atmosphere to this day because of a small membership count of 13 players.

BRA’s simple philosophy is to “have fun.” The guild enjoys a close-knit atmosphere and believes Guild Wars is meant to be an enjoyable experience. To that end, they participate in the challenges of both PvP and PvE play.

BRA hosts irregular events for players within the community, the most popular of which are their give-away events. Borne from a desire to empty some very full player storage vaults of items that were “too good to salvage,” BRA instead held a gathering to pass the items on to other players via simple games. Some of these included Trivia, Simon Says, Tin Soldier Race, Hide and Seek, and a coordinated group emote. In a recent giveaway, they hosted a “Bring the build!” contest where players were encouraged to create the most ineffectual build they could muster and run it through Jade Quarry. The worst build won prizes. Upcoming BRA events are frequently announced on the many Guild Wars fansite forums.

PvE Game Discussion

BRA is all about cooperation when it comes to PvE. Projects usually involve aiding guild members with individual goals, such as the completion of a quest or the acquisition of an item. When they don’t have a particular goal, they’re happy to fill their vaults with gold and valuable items.

BRA usually goes into PvE with a balanced build to counter whatever challenges they might face. After they’ve identified the particular difficulties the mission presents, they fine-tune their build to counter them.

The guild sometimes sets up “epic quests” in pursuit of adventure. One notable accomplishment involved clearing The Falls, an explorable area to the southwest of Ventari’s Refuge. The guild is also fond of the Northern Shiverpeaks, recalling risky journeys into the region before Resurrection Shrines made the area easier to navigate.

BRA offered a few tips for PvE combat. Frequently, groups will be too cautious with aggro, which wastes time and becomes boring. Pulling larger groups of enemies is good practice for more stressful situations (like PvP) and helps complete the mission faster. Warriors find it frustrating to have their adrenaline expire while running from one group of enemies to another. Use the skill “To the Limit!” which extends the time your adrenaline remains. The recharge time on “To the Limit!” is shorter than the expiration time for adrenaline, so you can continuously maintain your adrenaline level.

Player Profiles

Get to know the Black Rose Assassins

Handle: elk

Location: Niagra Falls
Gaming Background: Mostly FPS. I enjoy both PvP and PvE.
Preferred Character: “I like to play both Ranger and Warrior. Those professions get to interfere with enemies and affect the outcome of the game by disabling them. A build I like to run is Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Crippling Shot, Apply Poison, Distortion, Troll Unguent, Storm Chaser, and Resurrection Signet. 15 Expertise, 9 Wilderness, 12 Marksmanship, 3 Illusion. Distracting Blow, Bull’s Strike, Sprint, Frenzy, Eviscerate, Executioner’s Strike, Wild Blow, Resurrection Signet. 16 Axe Mastery, 13 Strength (I was rocking Bull’s Strike before the huge buff!).”

Handle: Pvp Bra

Location: Canada
Gaming Background: Mostly FPS. I enjoy playing both PvP and PvE. Guild Wars is the first MMORPG I’ve played.
Preferred Character: “I like to play Mesmer mainly, and my secondary depends on what my team needs. I like having the ability to disrupt members of the opposing team to help take down a target, or to give a teammate the time they need to get out of harm’s way. I’m a fan of Energy Denial, but I’ll play what my team needs.”

Handle: Xecron

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Gaming Background: RTS and RPGs are my games of choice.
Preferred Character: “I find myself playing Necromancer the most right now, though I like all professions. The Necromancer stands out since they can effectively shut down enemies and add pressure damage to assist in killing targets.”

Handle: Hugo The Horrible

Location: Washington State
Gaming Background: RTS, FPS and Action RPGs
Preferred Character: “My favorite profession is Warrior, hands down. I’ve played Warrior since the beginning and just love to smash the enemy! My true heart lies on a hammer Warrior, though I play all three weapons: axe, sword, and hammer. My favorite build has to be my power leak hammer Warrior.”

Handle: Cookie

Location: Canada
Gaming Background: FPS games.
Preferred Character: “I like playing Elementalists and Monks. It’s really enthralling when you get right up in someone’s face and PB AoE them. I also enjoy keeping the party alive, letting Hugo die in battle, and saving my brother Valk from dying.”

Handle: Rahl

Location: Colorado
Gaming Background: RTS and Action RPGs
Preferred Character: “My favorite profession is the Monk. I like being able to control the lives of my partners and my favorite past time is rubber banding. I try running around in circles, praying arrows don’t hit me, but it’s not uncommon for me to Error 7. I’ll play other support characters, but if I’m not Monking I enjoy playing an Assassin or any other in-your-face character.”

Handle: The Bodhisativa

Location: Niagara Falls
Gaming Background: RPG games.
Preferred Character: “My favorite profession is the R/Me for a spiking and interrupting build to be able to put out a lot of damage in such a short amount of time.”

Handle: Twizzy

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Gaming Background: RPGs and Action RPGs
Preferred Character: “I prefer to play a Mo/Me. I just enjoy being in the background and having so much control to make or break the game with my healing. I’m good as an old fashioned Boon Prot with Mantra of Recall, but I really enjoy playing a Monk with Spell Breaker and Infuse, there’s nothing as fun as being able to stop a damage spike.”

Handle: Excel

Location: France
Gaming Background: All types.
Preferred Character: Warrior.

Guild Nominations Accepted

Do you have a guild you would like to nominate for a Guild of the Week article? Perhaps a guild you’ve met on the field of battle that has impressed you with their sportsmanship and skill, or maybe you’d like to learn more about a specific guild on the ladder. Perhaps you would your own guild featured because you feel you and your teammates offer valuable insight into Guild Wars or interesting information about guilds and strategies in general. Please see this page for information on the Guild of the Week nomination process. Thank you for your help in providing excellent coverage of Guild Wars guilds!

Mostly Harmless

Mostly Harmless [MH] made the transition from another competitive online game to Guild Wars due to the allure of the game’s emphasis on skill-based play. A competitive guild since its inception, MH had grown tired of games where fights were decided by zerging (battles where the side with more players always win). The Guild Wars system of 8v8 fights was a welcome change.

Fielding thirteen members, MH is a close-knit group of friends, as well as teammates. Its members aim to enjoy playing the game together, while consistently improving their gameplay and avoiding the drama that often plagues other top-tier guilds, resulting in break-ups. To keep the atmosphere friendly, members of the guild aren’t openly recruited, but rather brought in as “the friend of a friend.”

MH looks forward to making more appearances in Guild Wars tournaments with more experimental builds to keep the guild on top of the ladder!

PvP Discussion

MH prefers to run balanced builds, as it finds matches more enjoyable when doing so. Some examples of line-ups MH has used include:

2 Warriors
1 Mesmer
1 Elementalist
1 Crippling Shot Ranger
2 Monks
1 Elementalist flag runner.

This balanced build should be able to handle heavy pressure builds like those MH fought during the third GWFC season.

2 Warriors
1 Mesmer
1 Elementalist
1 Assassin
2 Monks
1 Elementalist flag runner.

This variation doesn’t have as much consistent pressure without the Crippling Shot Ranger, but it is more versatile due to the inclusion of an Assassin with shadow stepping skills.

Mostly Harmless uses a variety of methods to improve its prowess on the battlefield. These range from tried-and-true standards like using voice chat to help coordinate movement to more unorthodox exercises like the difficult-to-perform but always rewarding /goteam spike at the start of the match.

MH uses guild scrimmages to stay at its best for one-on-one confrontations. It also finds the Team Arena useful for testing the functionality of a new build the guild may want to use in GvG battles in the future.

Mostly Harmless prefers to remain flexible when prioritizing foes, tailoring its target calling to the situation at hand. As an example, should the team find itself facing a pure spike build, it targets the enemy’s primary source of dps (damage per second) first. Against a balanced build, however, MH will first try to steamroll the other team’s support characters.

For those looking to improve their competitive gameplay, MH offers the following advice: Be aware, and learn as much as you can individually. While tactics are a huge part of successful guild battles, it won’t matter if you don’t have skilled teammates. Most importantly, remember that playing is about having fun, so enjoy the game.