Guild of the Week: Mostly Harmless [MH]

Mostly Harmless [MH] made the transition from another competitive online game to Guild Wars due to the allure of the game's emphasis on skill-based play. A competitive guild since its inception, MH had grown tired of games where fights were decided by zerging (battles where the side with more players always win). The Guild Wars system of 8v8 fights was a welcome change.

Fielding thirteen members, MH is a close-knit group of friends, as well as teammates. Its members aim to enjoy playing the game together, while consistently improving their gameplay and avoiding the drama that often plagues other top-tier guilds, resulting in break-ups. To keep the atmosphere friendly, members of the guild aren't openly recruited, but rather brought in as "the friend of a friend".

MH looks forward to making more appearances in Guild Wars tournaments with more experimental builds to keep the guild on top of the ladder!

PvP Discussion

MH prefers to run balanced builds, as it finds matches more enjoyable when doing so. Some examples of line-ups MH has used include:

• 2 Warriors
• 1 Mesmer
• 1 Elementalist
• 1 Crippling Shot Ranger
• 2 Monks
• 1 Elementalist flag runner.

This balanced build should be able to handle heavy pressure builds like those MH fought during the third GWFC season.

• 2 Warriors
• 1 Mesmer
• 1 Elementalist
• 1 Assassin
• 2 Monks
• 1 Elementalist flag runner.

This variation doesn't have as much consistent pressure without the Crippling Shot Ranger, but it's more versatile due to the inclusion of an Assassin with shadow stepping skills.

Mostly Harmless uses a variety of methods to improve its prowess on the battlefield. These range from tried-and-true standards like using voice chat to help coordinate movement to more unorthodox exercises like the difficult-to-perform but always rewarding /goteam spike at the start of the match.

MH uses guild scrimmages to stay at its best for one-on-one confrontations. It also finds the Team Arena useful for testing the functionality of a new build the guild may want to use in GvG battles in the future.

Mostly Harmless prefers to remain flexible when prioritizing foes, tailoring its target calling to the situation at hand. As an example, should the team find itself facing a pure spike build, it targets the enemy's primary source of dps (damage per second) first. Against a balanced build, however, MH will first try to steamroll the other team's support characters.

For those looking to improve their competitive gameplay, MH offers the following advice: Be aware, and learn as much as you can individually. While tactics are a huge part of successful guild battles, it won't matter if you don't have skilled teammates. Most importantly, remember that playing is about having fun, so enjoy the game.

Other Discussion

Mostly Harmless feels its guild is unique because every member brings a special contribution, both to the team and to the atmosphere of the guild. Its members' abilities run the gamut from a talent for getting stuck in Frenzy or a special distaste for being Hex-stacked, to the ability to run across the street for a beverage and get back before a match begins, and even jujitsu. Its members also feel that they have a stronger admiration for wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan than the average guild. As for scheduled, in-game activities, MH cites its main activity involves inviting the entire alliance to the MH guild hall on Druid's Isle for a reenactment of a certain scene from The Lion King. They take turns playing Simba.

Player Profiles

Get to know some of the members of Mostly Harmless.

• Handle: Ryse V, Ryse A
  Location: West Virginia, USA
  Gaming Background: RPGs, RTS
  Preferred Character: I like the versatility of an Elementalist and the "I'll eat your face" aspect of a Warrior.
• Handle: Swiffle
  Location: New York, USA
  Gaming Background: PvP
  Preferred Character: Sword/Charge Warrior, Energy Surge Mesmer, aggressive/controlling play style
• Handle: Column Seven
  Location: Ontario, Canada
  Gaming Background: RPGs, MMOs
  Preferred Character: I play a classic Prophecies Boon Protection Monk. My typical positioning on the battlefield is mid- to back-field. This allows me to support our frontline more easily than if I played strict backline. The immediate drawback of drifting into midline is that you are very open to attack. Emphasis needs to be placed on awareness.
• Handle: Cajun EvE
  Location: Louisiana, USA
  Gaming Background: FPS, MMOs
  Preferred Character: Gale/Blackout Mesmer (very aggressive to keep up heavy pressure) and Crippling Shot Ranger (Conservative/Defensive, adding defensive/offensive Snares and defending against players who split).
• Handle: Ferry Captain, Narcism
  Location: Ontario, Canada
  Gaming Background: RPGs, FPS
  Preferred Character: Warrior
• Handle: "Jenova", Agony Groupie
  Location: Florida, USA
  Gaming Background: FPS
  Preferred Character: Crippling Shot Ranger, Elementalist/Monk Flag Runner. I like to play characters who are more independent and break off from the main group to solo NPCs in the other guild's base or mess with their flag runner.
• Handle: "Duck", Akasha Rotundjere, Mars Geist
  Location: Maryland, USA
  Gaming Background: RTS, RPGs, MMOs
  Preferred Character: Sword Charge Warrior, Caltrops Assassin
• Handle: Reek/Melrah
  Location: Quebec, Canada
  Gaming Background: RTS, MMOs, FPS
  Preferred Character: Crippling Shot Ranger has been my main character for this season with Leaping Mantis Assassin as a secondary for another build we use. The Ranger adds to the build pressure by using Apply Poison on multiple targets while also using Crippling Shot to snare the enemy support classes for our Warriors. He also uses Blackout either on adrenaline spikes or at key moments to add more pressure. The Assassin is used to harass the enemy "flag runner" and to punish overextended enemy tanks. He has Aura of Displacement for mobility and can use caltrops on a bunch of characters to slow down their retreat.
• Handle: Phelann Your E Bud
  Location: Virginia, USA
  Gaming Background: MMOs
  Preferred Character: Monk; I heart healing.
• Handle: Glamron
  Location: Alberta, Canada
  Gaming Background: Diverse
  Preferred Character: My primary character is the Elementalist/Monk; typically the runner. I like it because it's a character that has a lot of utility and always something going on. Being a runner requires a fair amount of confidence from your guildmates, which means a lot to me.
• Handle: Crugin Smells Good
  Location: Georgia, United States
  Gaming Background: Diverse
  Preferred Character: I play Mesmer, typically a Mesmer/Elementalist with Energy Surge as my elite. I love to play against Monks and try to disrupt their play style. I love to play aggressively and sometimes, when the Monks have to pull on my leash to pull back a little, I get sad :(
• Handle: Trepann Nation
  Location: Maryland, USA
  Gaming Background: Diverse
  Preferred Character: I mostly play either a Monk or an Elementalist runner. I enjoy the Monk for the challenge of having to keep an eye on so many different things at once, and I enjoy the runner due to the premium it places on good communication.
• Handle: Hex
  Location: West Virginia, USA
  Gaming Background: RPGs, RTS, FPS, MMOs
  Preferred Character: I play Warrior. I have played all sorts of Warrior builds; currently I'm fixated on sword with Charge.