Guild of the Week2006/08/08 – Legion Of Losers [LOL]
Article from GuildWars.com
This article was initially published on the official website of Guild Wars.

Guild of the Week: Legion of Losers [LOL]

LOL was born on the first day that Guild Wars Prophecies went live. The members were real-life friends who enjoyed gaming together, and the idea of a game with no fees intrigued them. Guild Wars addressed all the things they disliked about MMOs, and they were eager to try it out. LOL began as a PvE guild but soon found its interests drawn toward PvP. It migrated first to Team Arena, then Heroes' Ascent, and finally GvG play as its skill increased.

The one enduring constant for LOL is its philosophy: to keep a relaxed atmosphere among friends while having fun, regardless of the result. LOL's members try to stay calm—even during GvG play—by reminding themselves that at heart, Guild Wars is just a game. The point is to have fun. They take great pride in their ability to play well without sacrificing those morals. Even so, the guild measures its success by the happiness of its players, not by its rank.

Although aware of the cliché, LOL members really do try to treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. As a result, they have a solid reputation both as a guild and as individual players.

LOL has a simple recruitment policy. Skill can usually be taught, but attitude cannot, so it picks up new members based on their ability to fit in with the guild, regardless of skill level. With a few exceptions, LOL is mostly an "older" bunch of players. Most of its members are in college or are young professionals.

PvP Discussion

Balanced Pressure GvG Build

  • Warrior/Elementalist: Axe Mastery (16), Strength (10), Tactics (10), Air Magic (3)
    Eviscerate, Executioner's Strike, Shock, Sprint, Frenzy, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet, and a utility slot for "Shields Up!", Distracting Blow, and so on depending on the current metagame.
  • Warrior/***: Hammer Mastery (16), Strength (10), Tactics (10)
    Backbreaker, Crushing Blow, Hammer Bash, Irresistible Blow, Sprint, Frenzy, Healing Signet, Resurrection Signet
  • Ranger/Mesmer: Expertise (15), Marksmanship (10), Wilderness Survival (10), Domination Magic (6)
    Crippling Shot, Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Apply Poison, Storm Chaser, Blackout, Troll Unguent, Resurrection Signet
  • Mesmer/Monk: Domination Magic (14), Inspiration Magic (11), Fast Casting (9)
    Energy Surge, Energy Burn, Blackout, Shatter Enchantment, Drain Enchantment, Power Drain, Remove Hex, Resurrect
  • Elementalist/Monk: Water Magic (13), Energy Storage (10), Healing Prayers (9), Earth Magic (7)
    Ice Spikes, Deep Freeze, Blurred Vision, Ether Prodigy, Heal Party, Draw Conditions, Resurrection Signet, and a utility slot for Ward Against Melee, Convert Hexes, or Infuse Health depending on the current metagame.
  • Monk/Mesmer x2: Divine Favor (14), Protection Prayers (10), Inspiration Magic (9)
    Reversal of Fortune, Mend Ailment, Guardian or Gift of Health, Protective Spirit or Spirit Bond, Energy Drain, Inspired Hex, Contemplation of Purity, Divine Boon
  • Elementalist/Monk: Air Magic (14), Energy Storage (11), Healing Prayers (10)
    Lightning Orb, Blinding Flash, Gale, Ether Prodigy, Heal Party, Extinguish, Healing Breeze, Windborne Speed

As you can see, this is a balanced build. It has a little bit of everything to deal with most situations and builds: high pressure DPS, Snares, interrupts, Energy denial, debuffs, Hex removal, Condition removal, Warrior hate, and a solid backline with defensive support elements (Wards, Heal Party, and so on). It also splits very nicely in 4/4, 5/3, 6/2, or even 7/1 (with the Ranger soloing NPCs).

LOL offers the following tips and advice for PvP play:

  • Use voice communication. It's difficult to coordinate and communicate something via team chat and target calling. Information is key in PvP, and communicating that information effectively and quickly is quite an asset.
  • Stay calm. There are times when you might be outgunned or overwhelmed. If you panic, your teammates will panic and their performance will suffer.
  • Don't give up! You'd be surprised how many matches you can turn around after being rolled at the flag stand. LOL, for example, has turned around a match and won after being below 50% morale, so try not to be too fast on the /resign spike!
  • Don't stay too focused on killing Monks. Look for targets of opportunity like overextended Warriors and Mesmers.
  • Be sure to drive undesirables out of your own backline.
  • You don't always have to fight 8v8 at the stand. Splitting is a viable tactic during stalemates or if you're outgunned. If nothing is getting done, send a character or two to solo some NPCs for an advantage at "Victory or Death!" This requires constant communication.
  • Always remember to wear your armor. It'd be pretty embarrassing to die as an Elementalist from a single Lightning Orb.
  • Try not to Heal Party when Scourge Healing is out there. You'll look like a noob when you die because of it.
  • Lastly, help others out. LOL used to be a rank 10,000 guild. The only reason we've improved is due to the help and advice of other guilds. We now try to do the same when a guild asks for help—or even when they don't! It makes the competition more fun. We don't know how other guilds feel, but making a larger pool of qualified guilds sounds good to us!

Member Profiles

Meet the Legion of Losers.

  • Handle: Chu Chu Rocket (Daniel)
    Location: Wisconsin, USA
    Gaming Background: Console RPGs, Computer FPSs, RTSs, etc. This is actually my first MMO.
    Preferred Character: Not necessarily preferred, but I generally play a Warrior in our Warrior-depleted Guild as well as (master) strategist and target caller. Regardless of the class, if it involves killing Stepns and Animals, I'm a happy gamer.
    Position in the Guild: Guild Leader
  • Handle: Omg Wtf B B Q (Kim)
    Location: Japan
    Gaming Background: I love playing both PvP and PvE. With PvP I tend to play exclusively with LOL since I'm the most comfortable with our unique style, whereas with PvE I actually enjoy playing with PUGs! I'm an RPG girl. I suck at FPSs. Need I say more? Give me an RPG fantasy game any day over shooters!
    Preferred Character: In PvP, I prefer mid to frontline characters such as Elementalists and Rangers. Don't ask me to Monk for you... you WILL die! In PvP I currently have the most fun as a Necromancer (fear the Zombie Steak!)
    Position in the Guild: Officer
  • Handle: Ellona
    Location: Florida, USA
    Gaming Background: I like to play a little of everything. The only thing I don't like to play are turn-based RPGs.
    Preferred Character: I enjoy playing crippling Rangers in PvP and domination Mesmers in PvE.
    Position in the Guild: Officer
  • Handle: Summer (Maria)
    Location: Arizona, USA
    Gaming Background: RPGs, PvE mostly
    Preferred Character: My usual GvG spot is Boon Prot, but with the addition of guildmates who are excellent Monks, I've been branching out lately and playing other casters. Monking is still my favorite position to play, but doing damage is fun too!
    Position in the Guild: Officer, Team Mom, and Health Care Professional
  • Handle: Not Rated (Ryan)
    Location: Washington, USA
    Gaming Background: PvP games
    Preferred Character: Defensive Elementalist/Monk: Ether Prodigy, Wards, or ice snares, Heal Party, Heal Other or Infuse, Draw Conditions, and so on.
    Position in the Guild: Officer and Keeper of the Hello Kitty Song
  • Handle: Kiris Greywind (Mark)
    Location: Colorado, USA
    Gaming Background: I heavily enjoy both PvP and PvE, and don't prefer one over the other. I'm also a huge fan of both RPGs and FPSs, and I have been playing them since I was just a wee lad
    Preferred Character: Ranger
    Position in the Guild: Potato
  • Handle: B L U E S H I F T (Evan)
    Location: Arizona, USA
    Gaming Background: I started in PvE and quickly moved to PvP.
    Preferred Character: I prefer support characters. They are intensive and diverse, best used for boosting the team's strengths and diminishing the team's weaknesses.
    Position in the Guild: Member
  • Handle: HappyPants
    Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
    Gaming Background: RPGs and RTSs
    Preferred Character: I most frequently play a Boon Prot Monk. I like to overextend and love to leave my Warriors to die. If someone puts Scourge Healing on me, I don't tell the team because it makes me giggle when I see someone die from Scourge Healing. I was recently nominated as the worst member in my guild, beating out Cantos in a close contest.
    Position in the Guild: Member
  • Handle: Cantos
    Location: I live in Australia, because it is fun.
    Gaming Background: I came to Guild Wars from another RPG with PvP elements. I played PvP in an organized community with league rules.
    Preferred Character: I like to play a Warrior with Water Trident and Final Thrust, so I can knock people down a lot then kill them!
    Position in the Guild: Fashion Critiques Lieutenant—"Blue and Green should not be seen without a color in between!"
  • Handle: Avenged Morpheuss
    Location: OR, USA
    Gaming Background: Before Guild Wars I played FPSs.
    Preferred Character: Standard Boon Prot with Gift of Health or Blessed Light Monk
    Position in the Guild: Guild Spiritual Adviser
  • Handle: Divine Muse (Brigette)
    Location: USA
    Gaming Background: Mostly MMORPGs
    Preferred Character: I like to play any type of Healer or Boon Monk. My favorite build is Divine Boon, Mend Condition, Guardian, Protective Spirit, Reversal of Fortune, Inspired Hex, Energy Drain, and Contemplation of Purity. I'm also trying to improve on Elementalist and Necromancer.
    Position in the Guild: Member
  • Handle: l Ruby Weapon l (Joe)
    Location: California, USA
    Gaming Background: I played a lot of console FPSs and a lot of RPGs.
    Preferred Character: I mostly play my Warrior, since it is my primary role in GvG. Once I hit the PvE wall with my other characters about a day after release, they've just sat inactive. My favorite skill combo would have to be Frenzy plus Healing Signet. Good times.
    Position in the Guild: Lowly member
  • Handle: Jesse
    Location: USA
    Gaming Background: Chess, Pac-man, and maybe some RTS.
    Preferred Character: Anything fun! As long as it has Mending. If the Mending can be double or triple "echoed," that's even better.
    Position in the Guild: Scapegoat