Guild Wars World ChampionshipInterview: American Regional Champions - Idiot Savants
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This article was initially published on the official website of Guild Wars.

ArenaNet: Who in your guild designs the team builds you use, or is it a group effort?

Idiot Savants: Zrave, Rayne, and Ensign work together on build concepts. Everyone on the team helps to refine the build and fit the right tools on each player's bar. Each player will play the same character a bit differently, so builds need to be tweaked to support their player's strengths.

ArenaNet: How much time do you guys spend practicing together?

Idiot Savants: We play together Monday through Thursday from around 6 PM to 10 PM PST, and occasionally on weekends on a pickup basis.

ArenaNet: Does the guild usually use the same core players for all of its competitive matches, or do you switch out often?

Idiot Savants: During the ladder season we have around a dozen players in our core that rotate in and out of the team as needed. For the playoffs we've gone with the players we're the most comfortable with to give us the best chance to win every game.

ArenaNet: Is there anything special you do to prepare for a big event like the Regional Playoffs?

Idiot Savants: Scrimmage as much as possible. Information becomes much more valuable during the playoffs. Testing our ideas in a controlled environment helped us figure out how to approach different matchups quickly, as well as let us warm up without tipping our hand.

ArenaNet: What guild do you think is your biggest competitor heading into the World Championships in Taipei?

Idiot Savants: We think that all the qualifying guilds have earned their spots, and that any battles we fight will be a challenge. We will worry about one match at a time, focusing our attention on our potential semi-final opponents.

ArenaNet: Which match do you feel was the most interesting/challenging for your guild?

Idiot Savants: Our first game against Treacherous Empire in the finals. They opened with a feint, we responded with a poor split, and they punished us for it. That put us in a bad position very early in the match. Some aggressive plays for the flag stand netted us a morale boost, which was enough to make Treacherous Empire retreat and deal with the situation. That was a mistake on their part that turned out to be game-breaking. This game showcased the importance of recognizing strategic mistakes and capitalizing upon them.

ArenaNet: What has been the "highlight" moment for your team?

Idiot Savants: Qualifying for the finals was a big rush. The party in Lion's Arch afterwards was quite memorable, and the community support was overwhelmingly positive. Thanks guys!

ArenaNet: What is the one mistake you see other guilds make the most?

Idiot Savants: Most guilds play the game far too cautiously. Aggressive use of a strong offense gives you control of the pace and location of your battles, and allows you to capitalize upon the mistakes your opponent makes. An opponent who is focusing on stopping your offense isn't threatening you.

ArenaNet: Do you see a different play style between guilds from different regions of the world?

Idiot Savants: Koreans play the game a lot differently than the American teams we're used to playing. Koreans tend to play builds of individually robust characters, and split aggressively to control the map, force mismatches, and create opportunities from opponent's mistakes. American teams on the other hand favor strong, interdependent team builds and try to force their opponent to beat their team in a straight fight.