If you are like me, then you’ve probably become rather invested in WvW. I can’t tell you how many times playing GW2 till 10 pm has turned into playing GW2 till 2 am simply because of the fact that I helped take a tower and couldn’t watch it fall into the hands of the enemy. While everyone on each different server will likely have an experience of a slightly different flavor of WvW, bu there are somethings to keep in mind no matter which borderlands you teleport to, and no matter if your fighting for Stonemist Keep or Redvale Camp.
Thieves, time to enter the mists.
The Shortbow:
While it isn’t 100% necessary, there are a number of very good reasons to take the shortbow, to the point that even if you resist taking it, you’ll likely end up using it eventually (I speak from experience). Regardless, there are three main reasons to bring a good shortbow to World vs. World.
First, it has the range you need to attack defenders on a keep’s wall. Simple enough, but it also gives you a couple of AoEs in the form of Choking Gas and Cluster Bomb. These will be of great use when defending from the walls, or attacking. Our other weapons have better combos, more power, and even more style, but you can’t really argue with efficiency.
The other important part of the shortbow in Infiltraitor’s Arrow. While it won’t play a huge part in combat, it is incredibly useful for both escaping enemies and scouting their movements. Though it is an expensive skill, you can easily get ahead of almost anyone persuing you if you use this skill three times in a row. Being able to move across the map quickly tied with an ability to communicate to the rest of your team makes you an incredibly valuable asset. (Granted, this is not going to be a profitable job, but it’ll be incredibly helpful to your team’s larger success. A lot of the most helpful jobs in WvW are like this, but they need to be done. )
Sieges:
Once you manage to get to a tower, your tactics need to shift slightly. Taking camps is largely the same as any open fighting you’ll do in WvW (see below), only there are a few extra NPC mobs to worry about. When you come up to tower there are a few things you need to pay attention to. First, have Shadow Refuge on your Utlity bar. You should be throwing this down as often as you can. Yes, stealth won’t protect you from damage, but particularly with Shadow Refuge, you not only be helping protect your allies (potentially healing them if you’ve traited with Shadow Protector) and throw of the tower or keep defenders off. If you have traited with Shadow Protector, throwing down as much stealth as you can be massively helpful. Next, focus your shortbow fire on any siege weapons they might have on their walls, all the time being ready to build any rams your allies might be throwing on the ground. Once inside the tower, follow the inevitable stream of people running for the Keep Lord.
Group Fights:
Inevitably, you’ll end up fighting a large group of enemy invaders, either by breaking into a keep or in the areas in between. Your goal here is not necessarily to kill people, though this is of course incredibly helpful. I’ve found the most helpful thing to do is actually scattering people. Separating any Invaders from each other seems to be a key part of success. There is no better skill for this than Blade Storm. The fact that you gain Stability, something we rarely get to use, and can put out such a large amount of bleeds and cripples can really disrupt an enemy attack. Now, of course, this requires you to be in the thick of the enemy, so… that often results in my death. Now, combined with a few friendly Combo Fields, this ability becomes incredibly powerful. I think it is safe to say this should be your go to WvW elite skill.
And finally, a few general pointers. These are those things that everyone going into WvW, no matter their level or Profession, should know and follow. My own sever, Anvil Rock, has finally started to become really organized, and it is amazing to see the difference that following some simple rules can make.
- Never take supply from a tower or citadel unless you are under siege. Supply is needed to buy upgrades for a tower or keep. Taking that supply substantially reduces a tower’s ability not only to become more powerful, but also to stay alive during a siege. Instead, take an extra moment and run by a supply camp and make sure to pick up the supply you will need.
- Communicate. I cannot stress this enough. It is better for a team to have more information than less. No of course, when you get jumped by an enemy patrol, you won’t have time to type. Wait until after you’ve succeeded, or are lying on the ground dead (it happens…).
- Buy Siege Weapons or Upgrades. If you have the coin, then buy them with those, if not, save your badges of honor and use them to purchase a few blueprints. Yes, this is in many ways a coin sink, but purchasing an upgrade is about the most useful thing you can do in the WvW setting.
Until Next week, remember to always upgrade your walls first.
Wormwood
