User:Lazuli/AB

AB
Alliance are sprawling battles with only slightly more organization than Random Arena. The article contains plenty of information for beginners. This guide is based on my experience of Alliance Battles and is therefore an opinionated piece.

Winning
In a basic sense, you win Alliance Battles by capturing shrines and scoring kills against the opposing team. Capturing shrines and killing enemies are both of great importance. Generally, capturing shrines should be a team's highest priority. They will typically run into enough enemy players to kill without resorting to hunting them down at the cost of captures.

Losing
In a similarly basic sense, you lose by not capturing shrines or scoring kills. But perhaps more accurately, you lose by being inefficient. To ensure you are being efficient, ask yourself the following questions: If the answer to any of these questions is no, you might want to reevaluate your team to maximize your efficiency.
 * Am I with my team?
 * Are there no more than four people capturing this shrine?
 * Do I have some form of IMS, either on my bar or on a party member's bar?
 * Is my team capable of area of effect damage?

Teams
There are several approaches to team-building in Alliance Battles. Randomly inviting people, also known as tab inviting, results in mismatched teams that are generally inefficient on the battlefield. The advantage to this method is the speed at which a player can create a party. You can win using this method, as enemy teams might be doing the same thing, and allied teams might have better teams.

Another approach is to create a balanced team. There is no exact definition for a balanced team, but such a team will generally possess a healer, a nuker, and a melee character. The party size for Alliance Battles is four, so this gives a balanced team plenty of flexibility. Here are some possible approaches to a balanced team:
 * 1) [[Image:Warrior-icon-small.png]]
 * 2) [[Image:Ranger-icon-small.png]][[Image:Mesmer-icon-small.png]][[Image:Necromancer-icon-small.png]]
 * 3) [[Image:Elementalist-icon-small.png]]
 * 4) [[Image:Monk-icon-small.png]]

Balanced teams have the advantage of synergy. Each member plays a specific role. The nuker specializes in dispatching the grouped NPC's at enemy shrines. The melee character can lead charges into groups of enemies and protect his or her healer. The healer keeps his or her team alive.
 * 1) [[Image:Warrior-icon-small.png]]
 * 2) [[Image:Warrior-icon-small.png]][[Image:Dervish-icon-small.png]][[Image:Assassin-icon-small.png]]
 * 3) [[Image:Elementalist-icon-small.png]]
 * 4) [[Image:Monk-icon-small.png]]

Yet another approach is to create gimmicky teams composed entirely of one class. These are not especially common, and for good reason. An entire team of Assassins, for example, is not likely to perform well.

Player Roles
The roles a player can fill in Alliance Battle can be broken up into four main categories. The professions listed are the ones most commonly associated with the role but are not by any means the only professions that can fill the role. Fire Elementalists, smiting Monks, and channeling Ritualists perform well at capturing. Remember that over time area effect spells are less effective against actual players than they are against stationary NPC's, unless you employ snares and knockdown to ensure your targets stay rooted. Warriors, Assassins, Dervishes, and some Rangers perform well here. Always bring a snare unless you want your enemy running away from you. Monks and Ritualists perform well here. When playing a Monk in Alliance Battles, consider bringing at least some protection enchantments. Guardian is particularly useful against the common melee opponents you will face. And Protective Spirit can work wonders when capturing shrines guarded by NPC Elementalists. Rangers are the masters of disruption in Alliance Battles. Depending on the sort of disruption the character provides, it may be best to not stick with your team. For example, a Crippling Shot Ranger is arguably most effective in Alliance Battles when snaring an enemy team and tricking multiple players into following him or her, thereby luring them away from capturing. And a Defy Pain Warrior or Obsidian Flesh Elementalist is most useful when absorbing damage from several enemies at once, preventing them from moving on to capture shrines.
 * Capturing: Area damage/degeneration to facilitate capturing shrines.
 * Killing: Focused damage/degeneration to bring down enemy players.
 * Defense: Healing and protection to keep allies alive.
 * Disruption: Interrupts, shutdown, baiting, tanking, and trapping to distract and hamper enemies.

Professions
Every profession can be employed effectively in Alliance Battles. Consider the following tips when choosing a profession or designing a build.

Warrior
Knockdowns are a Warrior's best friend. People love running away in Alliance Battles, so consider carrying Bull's Strike. Bring along an IAS and an IMS stance to ensure maximum efficiency. If you'd rather tank than kill, seek shelter in stereotypes and go /Mo for healing enchantments. People will assume you're stupid and will be too busy flaming you to realize they aren't doing any damage. If two or more people are uselessly attacking you, it's a net win for your team.

Ranger
Elementalists are everywhere, so bring along interrupts even if you're not good at using them. Anyone can land a Savage Shot on a Meteor Shower, after all. Also know that many Monks in Alliance Battles will cast Word of Healing on recharge (1, 2, 3, Distracting Shot!). Never be without a block stance. Natural Stride doubles as an IMS and a block stance, so consider using it. Use your range and mobility to strike from safety, and laugh when people call you a coward for running. Rangers run. It's what they're supposed to do. Remember that if two or more people are uselessly hobbling after you, it's a net win for your team.

Monk
Because Alliance Battles are casual PvP, you will most likely be under constant attack, even when you have a stack of protective enchantments on you. Prepare for this by employing defensive stances and skills like Balanced Stance, Natural Stride, Mantra of Flame, or Return. Seek out friendly AoE spells to stand in, forcing melee attackers to take damage if they keep harassing you. When under heavy melee pressure, kite towards your melee so that they can more readily knock your attackers down. It takes a lot of practice, but learn to read the movements of your enemies, not just the changes in your allies' red bars. Finally, when your team has fallen but you're still alive, do your best to tank. You have enough defensive skills to keep yourself alive for a long time. Remember, if two or more people are uselessly attacking you, it's a net win for your team.

Necromancer
Necromancers in Alliance Battles benefit from knowing what they will face. There is usually a high concentration of melee enemies, so hexes from the Curses line are highly recommended. But lots of Necromancers enjoy Minion Mastering. When playing a Minion Master in Alliance Battles, self defense is crucial. Consider taking Dervish as your secondary class for the awesome protection and healing provided by Earth Prayers. "Fall Back!" and "Incoming!" are useful for moving your minions and keeping them alive while you travel, but these shouts would probably work better on a party member and not you.

Mesmer
Domination Magic is your best friend if you're trying to kill casters. If you're countering melee, take Illusion Magic, or use Empathy. Visions of Regret is an area effect hex, and therefore useful not only in killing casters, but in capturing shrines. Some Mesmers use Fast Casting to nuke faster than Elementalists, but this generally isn't necessary. Elementalists can nuke plenty fast, especially if they employ 40/40 sets. Before belittling a Mesmer in Alliance Battles, remember that a single Diversion can break an entire team if used at the right time.

Elementalist
Nuking is easy. In general, stick with Fire Magic for your nuking needs. Sure, Earth Magic has some over time area effect spells. But nuking is what Fire Magic was built for. Savannah Heat is arguably the best spell in the game for clearing shrines, rivaled only by Ray of Judgment and Searing Flames. Searing Flames, when coupled with another AoE spell or two, can capture shrines almost as quickly as Savannah Heat. Searing Flames' real advantage is that it has the capacity to kill actual humans, not just NPC's, even when not combined with snares or knockdown. Solo capping is easy for the Elementalist. As a general rule, never drop an over time area effect spell on a moving target.

Assassin
It's been beaten into the ground, but it still bears repeating. Do not use the Assassin if you are new to PvP. Assassins, with their excellent mobility and damage, can function very well in Alliance Battles. But not if you have no idea what you're doing. Terrible Assassins are all too common in Alliance Battles. If you must play an Assassin even though you are new to it, don't bring a pet. Also be sure to employ a snare, or your target will just walk away from you. Knockdowns are useful for Assassins as well.

Ritualist
Spirit spamming is a popular Ritualist tactic in PvE. This does not work in Alliance Battles. Smart enemies are equipped with skills that specialize in killing the stationary NPC's at shrines. Guess what else doesn't move. That's right, spirits. Also, there is an incredible need for mobility in Alliance Battles. Stopping to summon your spirits is too time consuming, especially when you consider that although your spirits might appear in under a second in PvE, they still take 3 or more seconds in PvP. So instead of using large amounts of spirits, perhaps bring along one for the synergies it gives your skills. And remember that defensive spirits affect all allies in their range, not just party members. Ritualists shine as a support character, so bring along some Restoration Magic spells to help out your Monk and use some Channeling Magic spells to help your melee.

Paragon
Paragons, as a rule, thrive when they have large groups of allies clumped together. In Alliance Battles, this is certainly a possibility, but more often than not you should only have your three other party members with you. So think before putting too many ranks in Leadership. Also, shouts and chants that affect allies, not just party members, are very useful in Alliance Battles. They will net you the most energy and provide benefits on a larger scale. Be sure to match your skills to your party. Anthem of Flame might not be the best choice when you're the only one with an attack skill on your team.

Dervish
As a Dervish, seek out clumped up enemies so you can maximize your damage output. You will be most effective if you have both a snare and an IMS. Crippling Sweep works well if you have multiple enchantments. Your area effect damage can help capture shrines. Consider using Sand Shards or Chilling Victory, just remember that in PvP Chilling Victory is linked to the Wind Prayers attribute. If you can't count on your Monk for reliable healing, bring along Faithful Intervention or some Earth Prayers enchantments.

Starting
Some Alliance Battles are over before the gates even open. Stick with your party and each pick an exit and destination so that you avoid mobbing. If someone refuses to leave the exit you want, it is best to give it to them and find another one if possible. Better to sacrifice your pride and actually win than irritate everyone into ineffectiveness or quitting.

Mobbing
Mobbing as a term refers to more than four players in the same location generally trying to accomplish the same goal. It is typically looked down upon by more experienced players because it is not an efficient way to win. Remember that the fifth person at a shrine isn't doing anything once the NPC's are dead. The easiest way to avoid mobbing is to stick with your team and communicate with other teams. Tell them that you're on your way to the Resurrection Orb Shrine, for instance, so you don't end up with two teams at the same location. If your enemy is mobbing, stick with your teams (4-4-4) and have one team assigned to capping shrines immediately after the mob. If the mob turns back to attack, lure them away. Your allies can then cap in peace.

Mobbing becomes somewhat difficult to avoid when there are language barriers or when an alliance has captured five or more shrines. The lack of obvious destinations on the "U" map leads groups to the same location. Instead of mobbing when your alliance has a huge shrine advantage, consider sieging.

Sieging
Sieging is a tactic that involves blocking the enemy's alliance from leaving their base. This is most useful when the sieging team has captured the Resurrection Shrine(s) and has a shrine advantage. When teams are sieging, solo capping becomes an attractive option for claiming the few shrines that are still under enemy control.

Solo Capping
Solo capping is the act of capturing a shrine by yourself. Elementalists are generally most effective at this. Rangers, with their long range and degeneration, can capture shrines safely by themselves, but are not as fast as Elementalists. When solo capping with a Ranger, consider using a Flatbow to maximize your attack speed and range. Solo capping is most useful when your alliance is concentrating its attention elsewhere (sieging, holding a key shrine, etc). The solo capping character can sneak off to quietly secure shrines that are no longer threatened by enemy players.

Baiting
Baiting is an unorthodox but occasionally effective tactic. Use all chat to taunt people, insult them, and otherwise trick them into attacking you when it is strategically unsound to do so. Rangers are probably the profession that is best suited to baiting, as their range, snares, mobility, and survivability all work well for this end. Pin Down, Melandru's Shot, and Crippling Shot are excellent aids to baiting, especially when covered by Apply Poison. You can use baiting to split up powerful mobs. Here are some effective taunts that steer clear of profanity:
 * "Learn to ." (Learn to bulls, WoH, dshot, etc.)
 * "You're not very good at this, are you?"
 * "Let me teach you how to ." (Let me teach you how to prot, dshot, interrupt, qknock, etc.)

Trapping
Some Rangers like to devote their entire bar to traps. This is not an effective use of a player slot. Traps can be used well in Alliance Battles, but you do not need an entire bar dedicated to them. Sure, you can kill a player by placing tons of traps on a teleporter exit. But look at how long that kill took you to get. Could you have scored more kills and supported your team better by doing something else? Certainly. So instead of marrying yourself to traps, bring along one or two. The traps that cripple opponents are most useful. If you absolutely must use tons of traps, keep in mind that some characters won't ever stand right on top of a shrine to cap it. Place some traps at nuking range to throw off your opponents.

Shrine Priority
In most maps, the Resurrection Shrine is the highest priority shrine. This is especially true on the Grenz Frontier or in the Etnaran Keys. On homeland maps (Ancestral Lands and Kaanai Canyon), the home team is occasionally content to lock the invaders inside the castle. This seems like a good idea, but it rarely works out as well as it should. Instead, home team players will die and respawn inside the castle, trapped like the invaders. Sure, they can use teleporters, but many players seem to forget this and throw themselves uselessly down the stairs again and again.