Curse

Seraphic Divinity · Jul 27, 2006, 03:55 PM // 15:55

Alright, I'm new to the game... about a week old, and the guild I started only has like 40 members, so we rely on members in our alliance to often fill in spaces on the team. I know this is very unstructured, but right now we're just giving all the players -interested- a taste of GvG.
One problem I have noticed is the flag runner... when we have a warrior do it, he's disgruntled because we can't fight and I agree that we need a tank in the frontlines... when we have a monk do it, well... we LOSE a monk... so usually I end up taking the role of flag running as the Aeromancer Ele. I also take up the role of stopping their runner, which seems like a difficult task most of the time, simply because I can only slow them down with gale and bash them with a few lightning attacks before they flag up the tower... it's quite annoying...
So, my questions are:
1) Who should run the flag (I am the lead commander on the field, so should I be running it?)
2) How many people should go for our flag?
3) How many people should be sent to stop their runner?
4) Should we go for the flag immediately or try and pull off a couple kills as a group as a whole?

ANY and ALL advice would be Much appreciated

JR · Jul 27, 2006, 04:06 PM // 16:06

1) Most builds have a designated flag runner, whos skills are set up for such a task. The ability to survive stall attempts from the other team even when working solo is important, and also a speed buff goes down well.

Some strong E/Mo flag runner builds which may suit you can be found here:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10010209

2) One is standard, keeping as many people as possible in the fight with your main group. However, you do have the option of chain running flags. The ele runs it half way out, the Warrior picks it up and runs it the rest of the way in. This means you get flags twice as fast, keeping ahead of the other teams flag running.

The further ahead of them you are, the less amount of time you will have to delay their flag runner to get a boost.

Also if they send multiple characters to try to kill or stall your flag runner you can run in a pair. To put it in a practical example; The other night we were playing against a guild on Frozen Isle, we had the advantage so they made a play to get a morale boost by sending both a Warrior and an Assassin back for our flag runner. I was on a Cripshot ranger with the main group, so I simply joined the E/Mo and ran the flags in a pair together which gave us enough defense and offense to kill the Warrior and Assassin every time, and get flags through.

3) As many as you see fit, but often due to positional play it is just easier to try and spike down the flag runner as they come in to cap. If they have an E/Mo with snares or Blinding Flash anything but a decent Cripshot Ranger or Assassin is going to have serious problems doing anything worthwhile. If they have a Cripshot Ranger running it's less of an issue, because of the inability to use a bow whilst carrying a flag. Generally speaking a charcter with snares and a character with damage make a good duo for slowing or killing flag runners.

If you are just maybe 20 seconds off a morale boost it is not a bad idea to attempt a body block on their flag runner. Pile on the snares and then crowd round so he can't move. This is of course a risky tactic as it forces you into a position where their team can just wail on you. Especially if they have any AoE; for example a Smite build would just Smite off the flag runner, making any attempt to bodyblock near suicidal.

4) Normal practice is often to leave your flag runner in your base at the start, and have another caster run out the first flag. This means as soon as you cap the first you already have a second flag on the way. This also means that on the catapult maps the actual flag runner can use that waiting time at the start to go and grab your Repair Kit and stash it back by the Guild Lord where the other team can't take it.