Curse

rii · Nov 14, 2005, 06:34 PM // 18:34

Warrior Assist

Most team builds are based around a gimmick… at least that’s the strategy that dominates tombs, since its kind of fun and its easy to put together group if its defined by a few key words: “IWAY LFg”, or “GLF FoC Spiker PM Me First<<<<”
Unfortunately, most of these single minded strategies have various weaknesses; since Arena net has managed to balance the game at least to the level where getting 8 of the same build is not ‘ubah’. This here is a balanced team, which is generally found in the region of gvg, where it pays to not be prepared.
However, even balanced groups have a focus. This particular group is known as warrior assist. This is due to that its main damage output is in the form of warriors, and the rest of the group is designed to support it. Warrior assist seems to be the strongest build at the moment (to my limited knowledge of other guilds gvg builds… I don’t actually play gvg due to lack of guild). Warriors are the most versatile damage class, switching between dps and spike in the space of a second. However, as I have often posted about, warriors are the most fallible class also, and therefore it’s important to keep them clear of conditions and hexes that can literally put them down straight away. Warrior assist isn’t all about the damage either; you need to effectively maintain your killing machine and also strike at the enemy in other ways beyond damage. Shutdown, both defensive and offensive is key. Once your warriors have charged their adrenal skills, the enemy should be broken to the level where your warriors are simply pushing over a tower made of matchsticks. This is the latest version of the build, but I have some questions at the end as you will see:

Warrior/Necromancer

Axe: 12+3+1
Curses: 10
Strength: 8+1

Eviscerate [e]
Executioners Strike
Penetrating Blow
Disrupting Chop
Frenzy
Sprint
Rend Enchantments
Resurrection Signet

The first of several builds ripped out of the textbook. Eviscerate = good, so why not? Distracting blow was originally in for disrupting chop but the energy cost seemed to be pushing it on a warriors supply. Rend is there, since the health loss, casting time, and spare secondary are all supplied and absorbed on a warrior. Most other classes are tied down in some way – warriors are free.

Warrior/Necromancer

Hammer: 12+3+1
Curses: 10
Strength: 8+1

Devastating Hammer [e]
Mighty Blow
Hammer Bash
Irresistible Blow
Rend Enchantments
Frenzy
Sprint
Resurrection Signet

Again, this guy isn’t anything out of the ordinary. What I consider to the best Knock down chain without tying down secondary class, and all the usual trimmings.

Mesmer/Ranger

Domination: 11+3+1
Inspiration: 10+1
Wilderness Survival: 10

Power Block [e]
Power Leak
Power Spike
Power Drain
Arcane Thievery
Signet of Humility
Serpents Quickness
Resurrection Signet

Well… lots of interrupts. As opposed to rangers, to whom the interrupt is the end, for Mesmers they are both a means and an end. Interrupting that vital orison can spell death or life to the person in question, often themselves, but skill line disable (not just on monks… take out Elementalists if they look like an Elemental spike team) and a drain of the entire remaining pool of an enemy monk is not to be denied. Power Block under serpents quickness is really strong, providing they have skills capable of interrupting, and that’s the first question. A lot of people are starting to use healer/protectors, some with boon. This of course is tricky for the power blocker, since not only is the target spec’d in two lines; their main healing is on a 0.25s casting time. This is quite hard to interrupt, and I don’t like to rely on predictive casting to get results. Whatsmore, if I were to scrap this guy, what can be used as effective anti-caster? Hex breaker shifts me away from hexing, especially since hex teams are quite popular at the moment. Aside from that, scanning through the Mesmer line, there isn’t a whole lot besides outright energy denial, which I’ve turned away from since debilitating shot got nerfed. And no, I’m not using signet of weariness spam -.-

Elementalist/Monk
Energy Storage: 12+3+1
Smiting: 12
Protection: 3

Ether Prodigy [e]
Strength of Honor
Judges Insight
Holy Veil
Convert Hexes
Resurrection Signet/Restore Life/Resurrect
Smite Hex/Purge Signet/Scourge Sacrifice
Protective Spirit/Draw Conditions

+20% enchant mod

Ether Prodigy just looks the best energy engine in terms of the self at the moment, if you can spare the primary. +6 pips is better than the inspiration set, offering of blood, in fact, of course, the only thing that is as good (there’s nothing better besides spirit of failure engines, which are unreliable and unwieldy) is Blood is Power, which is 33% health loss and target other ally. With +10 pips, this character runs strength of honor on the two warriors, and maintained Judges Insight on them both. Judges is 10 energy every 10 seconds, or the equivalent of 3 pips; subtracting that from the 8 pips remaining gives 5 pips and some buff warriors. The remaining skills are just a selection of utility skills that happen to be nice. Some self control can keep you within energy budget. Hex removal is the main thing, and with the monks I feel the level of hex removal is reasonable. Protective Spirit/Draw Conditions (preferably spirit) is again just for kicks… there can never be enough spirit in the world. Against, condition teams, draw might be the edge though. Scourge Sacrifice is one of those skills which can turn a battle around or just not do anything at all. If a team is relying on blood is power or offering of blood to provide energy then start spamming. Combined with signet of humility and knock down chains, the enemy monks are going to be strapped of time and energy management. On Blood Is Power, you’re quite capable of ripping them down if they try and cast. Perhaps blood ritual to a lesser extent.

Elementalist/Mesmer

Energy Storage: 11+3+1
Illusion: 10
Inspiration: 10

Ether Prodigy [e]
Mantra of Persistence
Soothing Images
Spirit Shackles
Sympathetic Visage
Signet of Humility
Conjure Phantasm
Arcane Conundrum / Resurrection Signet

+20% enchant mod

This man has 10 pips… and he needs it to spam what he’s got. Mantra makes up for the lack of runes, in fact it more than makes up for the lack of runes. Conjure deals 170 damage, but that’s irrelevant, it’s a cover hex. Arcane Conundrum is an irritation to casters, with the hexes being layered on the enemy’s offense they should be more than busy, and hopefully you can draw out inspired from their monks, which is juicy casting time for the interrupter to pray on (I think I would be more than happy if the inspiration line got disabled if they’re using healer/protectors). The large energy cost of images still grains even this guy, although he should be able to match the enemy for removing. If all else fails and they can remove more than he can spam, sympathetic visage is a great back up plan. Signet of Humility on this guy and the interrupter is a standard tactic… either disable their warriors attack elites, which is a pain to any spike they would wish to coordinate, or point blank disable the enemy monks energy management (often an elite, for example offering of blood) if it is of the right kind. Or, take out stuff like blood is power... But leave martyr. There’s no need in this team.
The lack of fast casting is a pain… it was either that or almost unlimited energy. As a me/ there is little you can do besides set up a spirit of failure job, but any sensible opponent is just going to either a) not attack, or b) remove before basically feeding more spam.

Monk/Mesmer

Divine Favor: 11+3+1
Healing: 6+1
Protection: 8+1
Inspiration: 10

Drain Enchantment
Inspired Hex
Mantra of Recall [e]
Physical Resistance/Elemental Resistance
Divine Boon
Healing Touch
Protective Spirit
Reversal of Fortune

Judges (+10 vs physical) Chest + Tats

This is the healer/protector/boon. Lots of healing and can stop a spike when it comes right down to it. Inspiration simulates about +3 pips on average, which he’s going to need. Physical/Elemental Resistance was taken out in place of another heal; +40al… I just don’t want to pass that up. That’s half damage against warriors/rangers or Elementalists, and frankly the –al is reasonable. It’s tricky which to pick… warriors are altogether more common than Elementalists, but are also buffed with judges insight (or at least should be) and so this +armor doesn’t make any difference. Against Elementalists, which are rarer, their damage cannot be modified so you definitely have half damage… with air spike seemingly resurging (but without surge it seems) I’ve chosen Elemental resistance for its greater chance of success.

Monk/Mesmer

Divine Favor: 11+3+1
Healing: 8+1
Protection: 6+1
Inspiration: 10

Drain Enchantment
Inspired Hex
Mantra of Recall [e]
Physical Resistance/Elemental Resistance
Dwaynas Kiss
Healing Touch
Heal Other
Reversal of Fortune

Judges (+10 vs physical) Chest + Tats

A very similar build to above, but boon out for kiss, which can be really effective against hex teams, or just against heavily protected targets.

Monk/Mesmer

Divine Favor: 10+1
Protection: 11+3+1
Inspiration: 10

Martyr [e]
Mend Ailment
Guardian
Protective Spirit
Reversal of Fortune
Drain Enchantment
Inspired Hex
Physical Resistance/Elemental Resistance

Judges (+10 vs physical) Chest + Tats

Lacks manly energy management but its not about spam as healers are, and if the worst comes to the worst against elemental teams cast nothing but Prot Spirit and Reversal at their spike, and against warrior teams maintain guardian on the target. Martyr and mend are used sparingly, if the Elementalist/monk took draw.

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