Surviving WvW

1. Introduction
2. Terms
1. Food
2. Oils/stones/crystals
3. Other things to have
4. Builds
5. Movement
6. Do's and Don'ts
7. Reward tracks
8. Default keys
3. Final thoughts

Introduction

Alright, let's get down to the basics for surviving out there in WvW.  First thing to figure out is how you want to play.  Do you want to follow a tag or at least other people, or does doing your own thing suit your needs more.  This isn't going to be a static thing either.  You can log in at decide to roam around or tick siege, then later on join up on a group and flip stuff.  If you want more info, go look at the WvW For New and Old Players post.  It has some great info on what different gameplay styles consist of.

Terms

• -Food

• -This is a consumable that you can acquire via crafting or purchasing.  Different foods give you different buffs.  These foods can also vary between lasting for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• -Oils

• -This is a consumable that you can craft or purchase as well.  Just like foods, oils give you different buffs.  These are not as vast in variances as foods however.  These can last between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• -Builds
• -This is what you have on your character.  This includes armor, utility slots, traits, and weapons.  There are numerous builds out there from all over the web.  
• -Movement
• -See below for informative tips about this.  Seriously, this is important.
• -Supply Reward Tracks
• -This is what gives you a boost in WvW regarding supply.  There are some nice additional procs for this.
• -Altering Default Keys
• -Some suggestions to how changing your default keys and making adjustments to your overall gameplay interaction.

➸ There are several ways to get foods. One of the most handy things I have come across in this game is the Permanent Portable Provisioner. It isn't the cure-all thing to have, but it does come in handy when you ran out of food and you are far from the TP or your bank.

Permanent Portable Provisioner in the double red box

➸ Oils, stones, and crystals are usually a forgotten additional buff provider.  If you are going to use foods, might as well go all in.  These are always based off your stats.  If you are lucky enough, these can be dropped just like food plates.

➸ Another thing that can help out are permanent access items.  These are pretty expensive to outright buy, but if you are lucky enough, one might drop for you.  If you can't get one or don't have the RNG blessings in the game, they do make one time use versions.  These items are: bank access express, merchant express, trading post express, and instant repair canister (the permanent one is called Endless Repair Contract).  While running around, there are going to be times where you run out of space in your inventory.  Something that always helps me are my permanent salvage kits.  These are Gem Store items, but they are worth every penny.

Merchant		TP		Repair Canister		Bank			Copper Salvage
Perm Merch		Perm TP		Perm Repair		Perm Bank			Silver Salvage

➸ Builds are everywhere.  For me, I personally enjoy creating my own because it fits my playstyle.  Not all builds are created for everyone.  There are builds made for the meta and I do sometimes use these as a starting point for my own.  When you are working with whatever build, just make sure you can utilize it to YOUR play style.  No point in using a build that is super aggressive while you play pretty passive and always in the back.  Also, make sure the build you are using corresponds to what is going on.  If you are roaming around, most of the time zerg builds don't ensure long survivability.  On the flip side, most roaming builds tend to be pretty selfish and not very helpful with larger groups.  Also, if you really take a liking to a build but you are not comfortable with it at the start, swap to tankier stats.  An example of this is a build that uses Berserker stats: power, precision, and ferocity.  These are SUPER aggressive and can do a LOT of damage to an enemy.  Unfortunately, this also makes you super vulnerable and squishy.  That's the trade-off.  You can use other types of stats that can provide a bit more protection, such as Marauders (power, precision, ferocity, and vitality) or Valkyrie (power, vitality, and ferocity).  These work great until you can get the feel of the build and once you have it under control, start swapping out the stats.  I find that ascended and legendary gear great for these if you are learning new builds.

Below are websites that offer builds.  Use at your own discretion.  Depending on your server, there might be a spreadsheet with builds that the community has come up with.  

• Metabattle
• Reddit

➸ Movement is vital to WvW survival.  Don't stop in the middle of a fight.  Don't afk out in the open.  Doing these things will most likely get you killed.  If you are following a group, stopping will cause you to get separated from the others, making you a prime target to enemies.  Also, don't backpedal unless others (tag mostly if following one) are doing it too.  You move at half speed or more when backpedaling.  To go along with movement, PLEASE learn your siege.  Mortars, cannons, trebs, and catas are great for dealing some serious damage to clumps of enemies, let alone their siege.  Acs are great for getting people off gates and walls, amongst other tactics.

If you find yourself following a group and possibly a tag involved, pay attention.  There are a lot of people who use some type of voice comm, but there are also people who don't.  Find out if the group you are following uses it and if so, try to join in.  You react far quicker with voice rather than reading, let alone the poor soul that has to type it out.  Don't squirrel off if you are in the squad.  Those tags look at their immediate surrounding as well as squad information and if 15 people squirrel off, it can seriously hurt the tag and those following it.  They could mistakenly commit to a fight that they don't have the full group involved, possibly losing.  If any information seems like it was missed by the tag, feel free to relay it again.  Sometimes tags get so caught up with another concept that they might forget to read map and team chats (these chats mostly get filled with nonsense from time to time).  If a tag asks for input, say anyone with portals or anyone with some type of siege, respond accordingly.  Know where you should be playing at in this type of setting.  If you are a squishy class, stay in the backline.  Melee do better as a frontline.  Anyone else are generally the midrange.  Finally, one last mention:  BRING SUPPLY.

Do's and Don'ts

• -Do
• -Report enemy movements aka callouts
• -Report status of any objective you are attacking
• -Respond to callouts if the situation is permissible
• -Have supply most of the time
• -Know when to fall back
• -Dodge roll through AoEs if need be
• -Revive downed but not defeated allies
• -Contest a ring if the ring is up - remember to take turns if the situation calls for it
• -Stick together if running with others - prevents allies from getting killed by enemies
• -Keep "heated discussions" in whispers - no one needs to know what he said/she said
• -Deny enemy yaks from reaching their destinations
• -Flip camps in a smart manner - don't run in when there is a considerable amount of time left because you notify the enemies that you're there in their camp
• -Destroy enemy siege if you are engaging an enemy objective
• -Attack players first, then NPCs
• -Keep the higher ground
• -Close holes in an objective if situation permits it
• -Understand the utter importance a yak is for our objectives
• -Don't
• -Drain a keep or tower if the supply drops below the acceptable threshold
• -Clutter map and team chat with nonsense to the point that important callouts are missed
• -Insult others that you disagree with - everyone plays the game in their own way, not yours
• -Get one-pushed
• -Claim an objective if you cannot provide upgrades
• -Claim an objective if you are not willing to stay and defend
• -Stall out at a choke point - no point in staying if they can AoE your group to death
• -Revive defeated allies if the enemy is RIGHT THERE
• -Call an objective lost until it has actually flipped - so many times that has been turned around
• -Engage larger or more skilled groups than your own
• -Let enemy camps upgrade too far (T2 is pushing it)
• -AFK in the open
• -Let enemies get the high ground
• -Repair holes if a tag/group is actively fighting an enemy zerg - provides a choke point and most of the time, our allies are farming the enemies
• -Keep attacking a wall or a gate if more and more enemy reinforcements show up - learn to nope out
• -Think that someone else will check on a contested objective - go check it yourself if no one is actively doing it

➸ Reward tracks are something that happen as you play the game.  As you level up in WvW, you gain points for your supply reward tracks.  Best suggestion I can make is to get gliding first and foremost.  For this, I would recommend at least getting 2 tiers for this.  What that does is helps you glide around in your controlled territories and you can slow down if needed.

War Gliding Mastery - T5 - 128 total / get to at least T1 in this (3 points)
The supply master track is pretty simple.  You just want to pick up supply faster.  There are more in this track line but for now, just get 1 point into this.  You will stick to groups faster.

Supply Master - T5 - 35 total / get to at least T4 in this (20 points)
The provisions track is something that helps you in battles.  The first tier gives you the ability to purchase the Portable Provisioner, see above for more info about that.  The T4 gives you the ability to pick up loot from enemies automatically.  Who doesn't want autoloot?  So annoying when you're out there, fighting, then forget to pick up loot.  Not cool!

Provisions Master - T5 - 125 total / get to at least T4 in this (35 points)
The next tracks to start are below.  Slot points according to how you want to play the game, and don't forget the 3 tracks listed above!

• -Build Master - T5 - 26 total
• -Defense Against Guards - T5 - 70 total
• -Guard Killer - T5 - 70 total
• -Mercenary's Bane - T5 - 35 total
• -Repair Master - T5 - 26 total
• -Siege Bunker - T5 - 70 total
• -Siege Might - T5 - 70 total
• -Supply Capacity - T5 - 300 total
• -Warclaw - T5 - 126 total

These are the final tracks to think about.  These can be tied in with the group above, just depends on how you play the game.  These are for the siege items and they can give you additional boons or damage when using that siege item.

• -Arrow Cart Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Ballista Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Burning Oil Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Cannon Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Catapult Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Flame Ram Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Mortar Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Shield Generator Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Siege Golem Mastery - T5 - 128 total
• -Trebuchet Master - T5 - 128 total

Default Keys 

Final thing to talk about: Default Keys!  I'll provide images for what I run when running around WvW.  NOTE:  I drop my graphics down to the best performance due to a) older computer and b) location isn't the greatest with connection at times.  

Final Thoughts

Some important things to consider while WvWing your heart out.  

1. -Always aim to have fun.
2. -Don't get discouraged if you fail.  This is WvW after all!
3. -Use common sense.  If there are 10 of them and only 1 of you, don't engage.  Don't be a bag.
4. -Try to help out fellow allies.