Learn the basics of Guild Wars 2’s WvW game mode, including the best strategies and advice for new WvW players.
How Do I WvW?
For players who are new to WvW, the basics are simple:
- Follow a commander. You don’t have to join the squad, but it helps.
- Stick with the group (“zerg”).
- Listen to the commander.
- Always carry supply (“supps”).
- Build when the commander throws down siege: Flame Rams, Catapults, etc.
If you follow these five guidelines, You will be making a positive contribution to your team, regardless of your ability or experience level.
TIP: The WvW maps are complicated and dangerous to travel alone. If the nearest commander tag is too far away, you are probably better off waiting at the waypoint until the squad returns.
We also recommend that new WvW players turn off Team and Map chat. Stick with Squad and Say (local) chat.
Best-case-scenario, Team and Map chat are calling out high-level strategy information that won’t make sense to you, and that you don’t need to hear. (“15 inc se.”) Worst-case-scenario, it’s toxic and annoying.
Let’s be honest: there is a lot of salt in WvW. But the silent majority of WvW players are kind and helpful. Don’t listen to the toxic players. Just block them and move on.
What Build is Best For WvW?
For new WvW players, your build doesn’t matter. Just bring your main character, the one you are most comfortable playing, and stick with the zerg.
If you enjoy WvW and want to get into it, we recommend the Snow Crows builds. These are carefully-tested and kept up-to-date with the current meta.
How Should I Spend My World Ability Points?
We recommend you start with the following World Ability Point upgrades, in this order:
- War Gliding Mastery level 1. Click here to read more about how to unlock gliding in WVW.
- Provisions Master level 4 (autoloot!).
- Flame Ram Mastery level 2 (apply Structural Vulnerability when you use Flame Blast). NOTE: If you don’t have this unlocked, do not use a Flame Ram. Leave it available for someone who has this mastery.
After that, we recommend you put points into Supply Capacity and Supply Master.
What Is WvW?
World Versus World (WVW) is one of the three Guild Wars 2 game modes. (The other two being PVE and PVP.) All Guild Wars 2 players belong to one of several servers. These servers are randomly assigned one of three colors (red, blue, or green) each week.
Each team is hostile to the other two. Your goal is to claim and defend territory against the other two teams.
What Is Edge of the Mists?
Edge of the Mists (EOTM) began as an overflow mechanism. The idea was that players who queued up for “real” WvW servers could wait out their queue while playing in a sort of faux- WvW.
EOTM score does NOT affect your server’s overall world ranking. Unlike “real” WvW, where matches reset once a week, EOTM matches reset every four hours.
Because points don’t count, EOTM doesn’t matter in the WvW “big picture.” Although that doesn’t stop people from taking it seriously. (Sometimes TOO seriously.)
If you are feeling overwhelmed by “real” WvW, we recommend you start with EOTM. It’s like WVW in casual mode.
What Is Eternal Battlegrounds?
Eternal Battlegrounds (EB) is a fourth map which is equally owned by the three teams. Because each team has a home base on the map, it is a hotbed of fighting. EB queues are often the highest of all the maps.
Fighting on EB is intense, and often involves clashes between large teams of opposing players. It can be an excellent way to earn pips and loot. However, it can also be overwhelming and frustrating for players who are new to WVW.
How Can I Tell Which WvW Server I’m On?
Open the WvW panel and go to the top tab (Mist War). Hover your mouse over each of the three colors in the pie chart at the top of the panel. The pop-up tooltip lists the current linked servers in each team. Your server has an asterisk * at the end of its name.
What Is WvW Server Rank?
Each server is on a different tier, based on how well it did in the previous match. Some servers are eternally popular and hard-working, and are always in Tier 1 or 2. Other servers are more laid back, and are on Tier 5 or 6.
WvW Server Transfers
To prevent everyone from joining the popular Tier 1 and 2 servers, ArenaNet only allows a certain number of players per server. If the server is full, you can’t pick it or transfer to it.
WvW Server Linking
Every two months, low-ranked servers are paired up with high-ranked servers. For example, one week Dragonbrand and Gate of Madness might be paired up, fighting together against the pairing of Sea of Sorrows and Kaineng.
The linking system is designed to balance servers’ ranking and population numbers.
Playing WvW With Your Friends
You can only play WvW with your friends if:
- You and your friends are on the same server.
- You and your friends happen to be on servers which are linked.
- You and your friends are both on servers assigned to the same color. If this is the case, you can play in Edge of the Mists together.
Mounts in WVW
You might already have noticed that you can’t use your mounts in WVW. The only mount you can use in WVW is the Warclaw, and if you intend to do a lot of WVW, you will want to unlock it.
- The Warclaw is faster versus running on foot.
- This means that a player without a Warclaw will often be left behind by a zerg where most players are on Warclaws.
- Running on foot leaves you vulnerable to attack from enemy players on Warclaws, who can catch you more easily.
- The Warclaw has special attacks which deal more damage to enemy players and doors.
To learn how to unlock the Warclaw, see our Warclaw mount guide.
NOTE: To unlock Warclaw, you will need to complete the Warclaw Mastery Track. If you are only in WVW to complete the Gift of Battle Mastery Track, it may not be worth your time to unlock Warclaw first.
