Articles

In this section you will find articles written by developers and experienced players about the strategies and tactics of competitive play. If there is a particular type of article you would like to see, please email us at tournament@arena.net to share your requests and feedback.

PvP Primer

• Leaving the Nest - 14 March 2007
• Miscellaneous Game Effects - 21 February 2007
• Running the Numbers - 14 February 2007
• More Mechanics and Stacking - 7 February 2007
• Clarifying Obscure Mechanics - 31 January 2007
• Templates, Text Strings, and Transfers, Oh My! - 24 January 2007
• Builds for Alliance Battles and More - 17 January 2007
• Alliance Battles - 10 January 2007
• Finding a Group - 5 January 2007
• Fort Aspenwood Cross-Training - 3 January 2007
• Hero Battles and Skill Synergy: Part Two - 20 December 2006
• Hero Battles and Skill Synergy: Part One - 13 December 2006
• Skill Synergy: Part Two - 6 December 2006
• Arming Yourself in Detail - 29 November 2006
• Skill Synergy: Part One - 22 November 2006
• Random Arena Summary - 15 November 2006
• Paragons and Dervishes in Random Arenas - 10 November 2006
• Random Arena Cross-Training - 25 October 2006; updated 27 February 2007
• Zaishen Combat: Part Two—ZB Monk - 23 October 2006; updated 27 February 2007
• Zaishen Combat: Part One—Shock Axe Warrior - 20 October 2006
• Team Trials—PvP Training Without Other Players - 11 October 2006; updated 27 February 2007
• Isle of the Nameless Training - 4 October 2006
• Using a Default PvP-only Character - 8 November 2006
• Creating, Arming, and Practicing with a PvP-Only Character - September 27 2006

State of the Game

• Collapsing Guild Hall Tactics - 16 April 2007
• Breaking the Enemy - 9 April 2007
• The Future of Competitive Guild Wars is Here - 5 April 2007
• Preparing for the Worst: Countering the Metagame - 2 April 2007
• March Mayhem: Celestial Predictions - 30 March 2007
• Analyzing Melee Professions - 26 March 2007
• In Hindsight - 19 March 2007
• Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat: Basic Ganking - 12 March 2007
• Celestial Tournament - 5 March 2007
• From PvE to PvP - 26 February 2007
• Analyzing Heroes' Ascent Changes - 19 February 2007
• Balance Changes Galore! - 12 February 2007
• Pressure Builds - 5 February 2007
• Touring the Guild Halls - 29 January 2007
• Surging Melandru: Another GvG Build Analysis - 22 January 2007
• Shaking Things Up - 15 January 2007
• Alone With Grenth: Detailed analysis of a GvG team build - 9 January 2007
• GvG Ladder: The Old and the New - 3 January 2007
• The Past, Present, and Future of Guild Wars Competitive Play - 22 December 2006
• Positioning and Movement - 18 December 2006
• Winterfest Tournament Trends - 11 December 2006
• Split Strategies in Guild Battles - 4 December 2006
• Hero Battles - 27 November 2006
• Leadership in Guild Wars - 20 November 2006
• The Early Impact of Dervishes and Paragons - 13 November 2006
• Night Falls Upon PvP - 6 November 2006
• One on One with Team Quitter [QQ] - 30 October 2006
• Elementary, My Dear Reader - 23 October 2006
• Embracing Your Inner Monk - 16 October 2006
• Observer Mode 101 - 9 October 2006
• Reviving Necromancers for GvG - 2 October 2006
• Adapting in a Dynamic Metagame - 25 September 2006
• NPCs on the GvG Battlefield - 18 September 2006
• All Aboard the Warrior Train - 11 September 2006
• Guild Wars Factions Championship Wrap-Up - 4 September 2006
• GvG Defense—Playing your Part - 28 August 2006
• Predicting the GWFC: Our Writers Disagree - 21 August 2006
• A Guide to Guild Wars Damage Calculations - 14 August 2006
• An Introduction to Flag Stand Control - 7 August 2006
• Arena Play Part 2 - 31 July 2006
• Welcome to the Arena - 24 July 2006
• Guild Wars Factions Open Event Player Tips - 10 July 2006
• Advanced Ritualist Tactics - 28 June 2006
• Introduction to Alliance Battles - 22 June 2006
• The Balanced Build: The Ability to Adapt - 12 June 2006
• Oh, How We Love New Skills - 5 June 2006
• Basics of Designing a GvG build - 30 May 2006
• Some Factions-Based Pressure - 22 May 2006
• Introduction to Ritualists and Assassins - 1 May 2006
• Thus Spake Balthazar - 30 April 2006

Match Reports

This section offers in-depth reports of matches between guilds that hold significant ranking on the Guild Wars ladder.

• Esoteric Warriors [EW] vs Team Everfrost [eF], Celestial Tournament Finals - 3 April 2007
• Celestial Tournament Wrap Up - 3 April 2007
• Peace and Harmony [PnH] Victorious - 19 December 2006
• Autumn Season Playoffs Wrap-up - 24 October 2006
• Team Quitter [QQ] vs. Idiot Savants [iQ] – 22 October 2006
• #6 The Last Pride [EvIL] vs #7 Esoteric Warriors [EW] - 8 July 2006
• #6 The Last Pride [EvIL] defeats #1 War Machine [WM] - 9 July 2006
• #1 War Machine [WM] versus #5 Irresistible Blokes [iB] - 8 July 2006
• #6 The Last Pride [EvIL] defeats #3 Mostly Harmless [MH] - 2 July 2006
• #12 The Benecia Renovatio [RenO] defeats #5 War Machine [WM] - 20 June 2006
• #5 Irresistible Blokes [iB] vs. #4 No Clue [emt] - 3 July 2006
• #7 Esoteric Warriors [EW] vs. #2 The Benecia Renovatio [RenO] - 2 July 2006
• #1 War Machine [WM] vs. #8 Treacherous Empire [Te] - 2 July 2006
• The Last Pride [EvIL] vs. No Clue [emt] – 15 June 2006
• #3 Idiot Savants [iQ] Defeats #12 Saihatsu Ashi [sai] - 5 June 2006
• That Hideous Strength [THS] vs. Black Crescent [BC] - 1 June 2006
• #4 Esoteric Warriors [EW] defeats #6 Irresistible Blokes [iB] - 28 May 2006
• Irresistible Blokes [iB] vs War Machine [WM] - 27 May 2006
• #16 I Black Widow I [Wi] Defeats #1 The Last Pride [EvIL] – 20 May 2006 - Report #2
• War Machine [WM] vs. We Still Pwn Charr [Char] - 21 May 2006
• Black Widow [Wi] vs. The Last Pride [EvIL] – 20 May 2006 - Report #1
• #6 Irresistible Blokes [iB] vs. #14 Rus Corp [RUS] - 21 May 2006
• Sacrament Of The Waooru [SotW] vs. I Black Widow I [Wi] — 21 May 2006
• I Guild I [iGi] versus The Voice Of Reason [vOR] — 10 May 2006
• #14 Idiot Savants [iQ] Vs. #18 We Still Pwn Charr [Char] – 3 May 2006
• Treacherous Empire [Te] vs. Stoned to Death [STD] — 21 April 2006
• #1 Esoteric Warriors [EW] vs #30 Rus Corp [RUS]
• #1 The Last Pride [EvIL] defeats #3 War Machine [WM] – 16 April 2006
• #3 War Machine [WM] defeats #6 Bring Back The Rifts [Rift] – 15 April 2006
• #3 War Machine [WM] defeats I Guild I [iGi] – 16 April 2006 - Report #2
• #4 The Benecia Renovatio [RenO] defeats #5 Esoteric Warriors [EW] – 15 April 2006
• #3 War Machine [WM] defeats #7 I Guild I [iGi] - 16 April 2006 - Report #1
• #1 The Last Pride [EvIL] defeats #4 The Benecia Renovatio [Reno] 2-0 - 16 April 2006

Builds 'n' Guilds

• Playing 8 vs. 8 in Heroes' Ascent
• 4v4 Gameplay: An overview

Sealed Play

Sealed play is a new form of Guild Wars competition that will be featured at upcoming conventions in the summer of 2006. The articles below will provide you with information about this exciting form of Guild Wars competition.

• Sealed Play — The Basics