The Aussie GvG Build Strategy Guide, blame Bunnz for the length-I want to win longest post comp

Agony Realms Aussie GvG Build.

Basic discussion.
This is the build that we will be using for the time being during Aussie GvG play until we get bored with it and change to all necro’s with HEXES !! .

The build has good melee pressure and decent shutdown and both condition and hex removal. It is a basic balanced build that requires all the components to work together to perform well and hopefully a good teaching build. The following will discuss the roles of each party member including the skills chosen and the method of play required to get the most out of them. It is a compilation (OK pirated version of Bunnz’s post with some input from Mana, myself and Solon (Magwill). Hopefully we can get Bunnz to write about strategies now…although that could be a bigger epic than War and Peace.

Warrior:
W/E Shock Axe
Axe Mastery 12+1+3, Tactics 10+1, Strength 8+1, Air Magic 2

Eviscerate {E}, Executioner's Strike, Bull's Strike, Shock, Rush, Frenzy
Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet

Code: OQYUgmYK5aGSFqM9ca9nBQAA

Primary spike caller. Role is to chose spike target and then call the spike with a 5,4,3,2,1 count and unload with the adrenaline skills. Frenzy is used to both speed up the spike and to speed up adrenaline gain, use it frequently as Bunnz says..learn to love it. Rush is a great speed boost and also cancels frenzy (double damage to you while up) if you are targeted. Build adrenaline on squishy targets (monks and midline) then select the spike target usually a low armor target such as elementalists, monks, ritualists, most dervishes (when not in form) and mesmers. A good idea is to try to build DP on a specific target by calling it every 2nd or 3rd spike if it gets within range. DON’T overextend if you can help it and do not call spikes on targets that have kited back as you drag the whole team out of position, wait until something comes up to the midline for the spike. Don’t be afraid to cancel the spike and move to another target with your adrenal skills. Chase the opposition monks out of healing range, but if they run back let them go. Basic role is to get adrenaline, find a target and then unload in a CALLED spike.

Weapons:
Vampiric axe, 15^50, of fortitude and a shield of fortitude.
Ebon axe, 15^50, of fortitude and a shield of fortitude.
Furious axe, 15^50, of fortitude and a shield of fortitude.
Furious spear, 15^50, of fortitude and a shield of fortitude…safe adrenaline gain.
It is good idea to have a shield with armor bonus against each elemental and physical damage type * see notes.

Dervish:
D/W Melandru’s Dervish.
Scythe Mastery 12+1, Mysticism 12+1+2.

Avatar of Melandru {E}, Wearying Strike, Victorious Sweep, Eremite's Strike, Distracting Blow, Heart of Fury, Rush, Resurrection Signet

Role:
To annoy the midline and make a huge nuisance of yourself. You DO A LOT of damage with wearying strike so use it to drain monk energy. You cannot be blinded while in form so take advantage of this and annoy the blinding ele if they have one. You can single handedly make any character type turn and run due to your large damage potential. Use it to send mesmers packing back to the back line where they belong and if they don’t then USE YOUR INTERUPT to get diversion etc…. Use rush when it’s available (doesn’t take long) to get to the spike call and then use victorious sweep on the one count followed by ermites and wearying if the warrior deep wound didn’t take. try to remember the number of the infusing monk, If you are too far from the spike target when it’s called perhaps you can reach the infuser…wait for the infuse and spike it with wearying/ermites or perhaps a distracting blow then spike…they always cast LOD after the infuse. It will make him think twice next time and a critical just might tip him over the edge. Try to use the attack speed boost when energy allows. Always try to be aware of the opposition’s interruption options and avoid them when activating your form. I like to use rush to get out of the action and switch to the staff and activate my form.

Your scythe hits multiple targets, try to position yourself to hit more than one target. Bunch the footmen around the Guild Lord or an archer and hit them all. Victorious sweep is great in this situation…a nice heal following the wearying ermites. When not in form play conservatively…you are a squishy, annoy the midline but DO NOT OVEREXTEND at all and try to get in on the spike calls. Your primary job is to annoy the midline by scaring the pants off them and keeping them from messing with your team…I hate mesmers !!

Weapons:
Vampiric scythe, 15^50 of fortitude.
Zealous scythe, +5 energy, of fortitude.
Sundering scythe, 15^50 of fortitude for when you don’t want vampiric health drain.
Staff with +12 energy, a +15-1 energy inscription, of enchanting for casting your form and speed boost heart of fury enchant.

Mesmer.
Me/Mo Mantra Mesmer
Domination Magic 12+1+1, Fast Casting 10+1, Inspiration Magic 8+1, Healing Prayers 2,

Mantra of Recovery {E}, Diversion, Shame, Energy Burn, Shatter Enchantment, Power Drain, Drain Enchantment, Resurrection Chant

Your job, on this toon, is to annoy the bejesus out of the opponents. It’s a very flexible and difficult job, in that you can do it in so many ways. Communication is key to mesmering, as it is to so many other roles played in GvG. Know what the opponent is doing. If in doubt about what the highest threat from the enemy is, just sit on the toon that heals through our pressure damage (usually LoD/Infuse, or Heal Party Spammer etc) and make their life misery.

Spike contribution varies so much depending on what is available to you at the exact time. Ideally, you can do the following: Shame the infuser, and Shatter Enchant on the called target. You are also the primary on-target enchantment removal during spike. Don't forget this role. Shatter or drain (depending on your personal energy) as soon as you see protective enchantments come up. This can make the difference between dropping a target and not dropping a target. Diversion is a big weapon. Watch enemy actions for predictable patterns. Learn those patterns and use the enemy predictability to get diversion to land on important skills. Does the LoD/Infuse monk always cast LoD after her infuse? Time it right, as they cast Infuse, and between their aftercast (.75), cast time of LoD (1s) and your fastcast, you can use that to catch LoD every time! LoD is well worth a diversion. Use diversion on their blinding surge, it has a 4 second recharge so should be easy to catch if a warrior is on their tail…they will cast it on recharge.

Not to make you feel too overloaded, but you are also a key element in disrupting enemy defensive aegis chains. Power Drain is your friend. Watch the enemy team (you are already doing that, right, looking for patterns?). Most Aegis's will come from Protection Monks, runners or E/Mo's. Work out, as early as possible, who those with Aegis are. Watch their cast patterns. These monks will usually alternate Aegis's every 10-20s or so. If you miss it once, be prepared to get the next one from one of the other casters. Again, most monks are predictable and cast GoLE before they pop off Aegis. Be ready, when that GoLE goes up, sit on that character and wait for the Aegis. It’s better to stop it casting than have to rely on the paragon Mirror'ing it off. If you do get an interupt on the Aegis, quickly change to the other Aegis caster. If you see a GoLE go up from her, if available, immediately cast diversion! With your fast cast, provided casts start nearly at the same time, you have time to cast your diversion and have it land before the Aegis finishes casting. Achieve this and you have left the enemy team without Aegis cover for 30s. AND TELL your team . Don't fall into the trap of forgetting about enemy Mesmers as well! They are perfectly acceptable, valid targets for your harassment. Divert/Power Drain a diversion, let the team know, listen to the monks cheer! Divert a MoR from an enemy mesmer and you reduce their effectiveness by nearly 30%. Big win for 1 skill cast at the right time. Same applies to them! Good teams will be looking to do this to you as well. Don't cast through diversion, wait for it to wear off.

Resurrection Chant is the builds primary hard res, due to your fastcast. When someone dies, if a res is needed, switch to your healing prayers weapon set and start casting. Even if a signet is called, do this anyway. It costs you some energy but almost gaurantee's that the fallen colleague will be up quickly. Take a second or two to evaluate your positioning and see if you can do better, but start the cast as quickly as possible. If there is a tree or building you can hide behind that is close, its worth the time sacrifice to get there and reduce the chances that the enemy will see you resurrecting or successfully interrupt you even if they do notice it.

Mesmer skills are all about 3 things. Knowing the skills and metagame builds. Seeking and learning enemy patterns. Timing. Get these 3 things right and you will quickly become a fantastic mesmer. Given this, its also why mesmers usually don't do leading roles, they have enough to worry about.

Listen to your team. Sometimes, enemies will have skills and abilities that your team has trouble countering. A good team will communicate what those are (Panic flying around causing trouble? Price of Failure upsetting spikes? Broadhead Arrow being used effectively?) then you can work on shutting that element down BEFORE it causes your team more grief. Diversion works great against ANYTHING, provided you can spot a pattern to its use and get the diversion on the right skill. Talk to your team. Did you just diversion an important enemy skill? Tell people on TS. "Enemy LoD diverted". "Enemy RC diverted". "Enemy Aegis interupted". These little elements can change leaders decisions.

Weapons:
1x Domination Wand 20/20 + Dom Offhand 20/20
1x Domination Wand 20% Recharge, 15e + Dom Offhand 20% Cast, 15e
Used if you absolutely must reach for additional energy. Commonly used to cast Power Drain or Drain Enchant, to recover energy if you overspend, or to get a Mantra of Recovery off prior to casting either of these skills.
1x Healing Prayers Wand 20/20 + Healing Prayers Offhand 20/20
This is used when you are casting Resurrection Chant, to increase the chances of getting both a quick cast and a quick recharge on this critical spell.
Domination staff with +60 health for when high DP.
Also a shield set with each damage type could be useful in your inventory to use with a sword or above domination wand if a particular damage type is hurting you.

Elementalist

E/Mo Bsurge Ele
Air Magic 12+1+1, Energy Storage 12+1, Protection Prayers 3

Blinding Surge {E}, Lightning Orb, Lightning Strike, Gale, Glyph of Lesser Energy, Air Attunement, Storm Djinn's Haste, Resurrection Signet

You are primarily defensive. Your role is to save the monks so they can do their jobs. You are a squishy, easily killed, midline character. This has a big impact on your positioning. I find it easiest to sit just in front of the monks so my nearest target slelection key (c on default) usually picks up the warrior training the monks for a blinding. The only times, ever, that you need to over extend is during a called spike. When a spike is called ("Spike this in ......") , immediately select the called target ("t" is the default key) but DO NOT press space or start attacking it yet. Move so that the target is within your casting range immediately. Check your minimap, the target has to be within your white aggro circle and you must have a clear line of sight to the target. Move so that there are no trees, walls, buildings etc in between you both. At the count of 3 or 2 start casting your lightning orb and immediately follow with Lightning strike.

When not actively spiking, you need to be doing one thing and one thing only. Blinding opponents, primary targets are warriors then Dervishes (Non Melandru), rangers and paragons. Are they blind? All of them? Blinding Surge on its miniscule 4s recharge? Only then can you be doing anything else. In your case, the only other really useful thing to be doing is, once every 30s, cast a Gale on someone. Other than that, Lightning Strike the closest target ("c" cast lightning strike!) and be moving around, repositioning yourself!

Use Gale on an over extended target that has been called, to delay them reaching support. Use it on an enemy that is running away. Use it on a warrior that is beating on your monks. Exhaustion from Gale is completed negated 30s after you cast it, so that’s how often you really want to be casting it. Keep your attunement up. It is usually a good idea to retreat to the backline before recasting it, so that pesky mesmer or ranger does not interupt it. Use your GoLE every time its charged, for whatever spell comes next. With your bar, it is almost always worth the cost of casting it, as one of your next 2 spells will be either Blinding Surge or Lightning Orb.

Weapons:
A 20/20 air focus and wand set.
A 20/20 wand with a shield of fortitude and damage reduction inscription depending on damage types seen in game.
A +15-1 energy wand with +energy focus.
A 20/20 focus with wand with +20% enchanting mod for casting your attunement.

Paragon

P/Me
Spear Mastery 12+1+1, Command 9+1, Leadership 9+1

Spear of Lightning, Harrier's Toss, Anthem of Flame, "Go For the Eyes!", Expel Hexes, Mirror of Disenchantment, Aggressive refrain, Signet of Return http://www.theamazonbasin.com/gw/forums/index.php?showtopic=8432