Nuggetty Goodness

Having healed 7 groups through this, with only one disastrous failure (who of course opted to play 'blame the healer'), I've come to realise that not only has ANet created a gloriously epic finale... they've also managed to incorporate PvP elements into it.

Yes, PvP elements in PvE - Oh noes!

While some group setups do make things easier, it is entirely possible to do this event *without* a specific setup. Even without the obligatory minion master. So I'm not going to touch on what does or does not make things easier here in terms of which classes/skills are brought. Any group, playing sanely, can get through this. There've been reports of it being done without a healer - so - not even that archetype is indispensable if you play smart. (Again, very PvP.)

PvP stuff that Battle for Lion's Arch teaches:
1) Don't overextend
Don't run out the front gate into the arms of the waiting army, just because you can.
2) Don't clump up
AoE says hello.
3) Know when to fall back
Watch the battle, not just your target. Watch for if your party members ping energy, call for a fall back, or are in general under so much pressure that *you* decide to call for a fall back.
4) Use the terrain
After Isaiah, it's usually a good idea to retreat to the stairs between the two hills. Because Guild Wars has collision detection, this is perfect 'tanking' country. The main object of mobile affection stands between the two hills. The squishies hide behind the hills, and those that need the higher ground cautiously venture up one hill.
5) Your healer is not God
Play smart. You are responsible for yourself, more than your healer is responsible for you. And even if your healer were God, they wouldn't be able to save you from your own stupidity. Nor are they obligated to.

PvE stuff that you really should do:
Wear an infused armour set. Yes, Blimm's 'weapon' gives an aura. That aura only lasts a set duration, and is gone if you die. That means that if you die just one time, for whatever reason, and don't have infused armour, game over. Oh, and Isaiah brings a Jade Construct - before Blimm's 'weapon' is ready.

ArenaNet has outdone themselves with the finale to War in Kryta - the Battle for Lion's Arch. It's just brilliant in so many ways.

1) Choice of Location
Setting it as a Master difficulty quest in Lion's arch means that players can a) Try to do it with just their heroes (effectively depriving them of 2 team members); b) Try to do it in Hard Mode, for the level 20 henches - I tried this for shits and giggles, let's just say I had the shits and the Mantle had the giggles XD; c) Actually brave the waters of going with humans, and ZOMG have FUN! This is the most fun I've had with humans on GW in ages, not counting good friends. It rawks!

2) Epicness!
The two leadup quests, and the final battle feature HORDES of enemies. All those red dots against your pathetic numbers of green dots (unless of course, you have a minion master to make more green dots...). It's fast and intense and just plain fun. It really shows off the great skillbars ANet wrote for the Peacekeepers. Whoever wrote those, kudos to you guys - they are beautiful, beautiful bars. Especially since they don't rely on spamming 'monster skills', which I've always found to be a bit of a cop-out, no matter what the game.

Contrary to the impression people demanding certain classes or builds tend to give, they aren't necessary. Being a decent player with a good bar is. But no specific class is necessary. But what about monks, you say? Well, the monk bar I'm running could also be run with no problems as a secondary, by anything but a warrior or paragon. (Yes, even a ranger could run it). There's only one skill they'd have to change, (a pve monk skill), and it's replaceable with a slow-casting pve equivalent.

3) The drops are good - if you have time to pick them up
I don't personally care. I'd do this if there were no drops! But the drops make it better! =) I got a superior vigor rune my second time round healing this.

In fact, I love this finale so much that if I'm not busy, I will most happily monk for it if you want a human monk. Soooo. Poke Wren Brownfeather (or variants thereof) if you're thinking of doing this quest. I'd love to come along! *smooch ANet* Be warned though, I don't run a conventional bar. And for this finale I don't want to run a conventional bar. I use a build that I find works better for me than the standard WoH/ZB/HB, even though it's not a PvX build. And keeping it isn't negotiable.

I need to post up a few of my 'Man, that looks weird but it works' monk bars at some point. I'd post it here (I'm not just being all SEKRIT LEETIST NUGGEET!), but it does need a tiny bit of explaining if you've never explored beyond HB/ZB/UA/WoH before. And a hero can't run it - it needs judgement to use. So I won't put the build here for now. If you really really want-a-zigga-zig-pie it, just PM me in game, and I'll explain it. =)

:( Only thing that makes me sad is completing this quest removes WiK content except when you have a bounty. For someone who's been killing them near nonstop cause they're so fun, that makes slightly sadpanda nuggets. ~_o Oh well. I can use the bounties to get my kill-vanquish fix!

 

Oh! What evil powers punny names of doomy doom exercise over this poor, helpless nugget!

I don't have any more character slots for Guild Wars, and I still want to make a mesmer and a paragon. But I've been putting it off - nuggeet! You can't even play *all* the characters you have competently yet, you dun need to bai moar!

Then the Evil Punny Monster said: Hay, I wonder if Black Moa Chic is taken yet. And off flew my money. :(

Here be da Black Moa Chic!

Picked up some Shineh Dragonneh Canthan Elite armour for my baby warrior Cao Ying. I love how 'Oriental' it looks; (since it doesn't really look like any specific Asian culture's armour, ceremonial or otherwise, Oriental's the best word I can find).

I like the front of the Elite Canthan pants, but the red sash thingie at the back makes her bum waggle in a slightly disturbing fashion. >.>

Which is why I think I'm going to stick with Non-Elite Sunspear for the legs. Waggle-bum as she runs is just too distracting!

(Oh, and I didn't originally intend to buy the Elite Canthan pants... I misclicked at the armourer. XD)

I figured out a failsafe way to squish the giant bug in Dalada Uplands! No more will he make pancakes of my animated love dolls and me!

It's very simple, any group can do it, and it doesn't require a team build.

How to Squish the Bug
Just do two things, and no one should die, not even in Hard Mode.

1) Attack from the WEST. This is very important, because if you attack from the east, the Rockshot Devourer popups will mess up the pull.

2) The moment you see Molotov (without any pesky Charr standing around him), have your entire party run straight towards him. If using H/H, flag them all on top of him. Molotov will waddle forward a bit, so be sure to stop (unflag) your H/H if they run past him. The idea is to have everyone 'hug the bug'. 

3) SQUISH THE BUG!

...that's all there is to it, really. 

Why does it work?
Molotov can't siege stuff in melee range. ;) And siege takes a while to cast. As long as you clump around him fast, he'll either a) never get a siege off, or b) the siege won't hit your people, since they'll be running like sausages towards the bug. And in melee, he's pretty harmless.

Hi Livia! We're going to assassinate Willem the Demeaning in Hard Mode, and we're going in through the front door of the temple. 

Why? Because Hard Mode's more fun, and I'm too lazy to get the back door keys, of course!

And you'll be the sole healer, with 5 healing skills, and no healing elite as usual.

Oh, and did I mention that there'll be Mursaat, and Orion and Dunham aren't infused? No? Well I just did! *beams*

I wuv you too Livia!

*runs off cackling madly*

NugWay - A Short Explanation
I've tinkered around with the classic DiscordWay team on PvX till I've found something that works much better for me.

Nugway:
Player:
The Classic Caller - Monk Variant:
OwcU40HCFPTLQ2kxk7i1DgMWfyEA
Assassin's Promise {Elite}
You Move Like a Dwarf!
Finish Him!
Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support
Protective Spirit
Enduring Toxin
Castigation Signet
Rebirth (Optional)
Runed Stats: Smiting Prayers - 14; Protection Prayers - 8; Divine Favour - 2; Deadly Arts - 12

OR

The Necro Caller:
OABDQsx3Q1M3gDNfCgNVVDCAAA
Spoil Victor {Elite: Hard Mode} / Icy Veins {Elite: Normal Mode}
Necrosis
Blood Bond
Weaken Armor
Oppressive Gaze
Signet of Lost Souls
Barbed Signet
Optional
Runed stats: Blood Magic - 16; Soul Reaping - 13; Curses - 3

OR

The Ritualist Caller:
OASjcMiMJTvlfCVT7iLTlTXT0gA
Asuran Scan
Weaken Armor
Painful Bond
Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support
Essence Strike
Bloodsong
Signet of Spirits {Elite}
Summon Spirits
Runed stats: Curses - 3; Channelling Magic - 16; Spawning Power -12

Heroes:
The Minion (Melee) Master/Blood Ritual eManagement:
OABEQZxWezEzOqVhhmaAs1JqqA
Discord {Elite}
Animate Shambling Horror
Animate Bone Minions
Blood Bond
Rotting Flesh (alternative: take Weaken Armor if fighting many humans)
Oppressive Gaze
Blood Ritual
Signet of Lost Souls
Runed Stats: Blood Magic - 10; Death Magic - 14; Soul Reaping - 9; Curses - 3

The Minion (Ranged) Master + Death Nova/Protector:
OANEQSxG+KFzoASFgGUVVPEQ0SA
Discord {Elite}
Putrid Bile
Animate Bone Fiend
Death Nova
Signet of Lost Souls
Protective Spirit
Aegis
Remove Hex
Runed Stats: Death Magic - 16; Soul Reaping - 9; Protection Prayers - 10

The Minion (Melee-Support) Master/Restoration Ritualist:
OAhjUoGYITxMHVRTSTDTcijTXMA
Discord {Elite}
Animate Shambling Horror
Soothing Memories
Mend Body and Soul
Protective was Kaolai
Rejuvenation
Life
Flesh of My Flesh
Runed Stats: Death Magic - 12; Soul Reaping - 9; Restoration Magic: 12

How NugWay differs from DiscordWay
Nugway is much lower on direct healing power than the classic Discway.
I changed the 'Curse/Resto' N/Rt to a 'Minion Master/Blood' N/whatever. Obviously, healing power is lost. However, Blood Bond adds much greater survivability for minions, as well as any physical dps (or any wanding casters). Oppressive Gaze reduces incoming damage, Rotting Flesh adds pressure, and Blood Ritual is always nice to have. Blood Ritual may not be a good choice if you're a front-liner... but then bear in mind that NugWay is very much a mid/back-liner's setup. When I use melee classes or builds, I don't run NugWay at all.

Nugway is more versatile than classic Discway.
The Blood Ritual and Death Nova Discords work fine as a pair. If you don't bring the Resto Rit Discord, your spike power may be a little lower, depending on what you DO bring. But leaving the Resto Discord at home means you can bring anything in the third slot, and have it work well. I favour Broad Head Arrow or Unsteady Ground, but really, it can be anything. Makes it particularly good for missions in Nightfall where you're forced to bring a particular hero. Don't worry too much about losing the healing, the Protection and Healing hench monks do just fine in any mode.

How tested is NugWay?
 I've been using it more or less exclusively, if running a Discord base, since the changes to the Blood Magic line. In that time, I've acquired Legendary Vanquisher (finished Cantha and Nightfall with it), Legendary Guardian, and am at the last rank of Legendary Master of the North. Been too lazy to pursue the last one since the War in Kryta event, because all I do now is kill Mantle for fun!

I've been vqing all the 6 man - and some of the 8 man - War in Kryta areas with NugWay Livia as the sole healer - 5 healing skills and no elite. Things have been great! The last time I took a healing human monk in Livia's place, we wiped within the very first pull. XD Livia power!

Go forth my battery minions, and NUG THE WORLD!

Lieutenant Thackeray: "Archery is more than just a physical strain on the body. You need to work on the mental aspect as well."

Shining Blade Ranger: I am working on the mental aspect! But somehow I just can't hit the target!

Shining Blade Ranger: Look! I missed again! I was no-where near hitting the target! *slumps dispiritedly*

...meanwhile, a nugget observes that the archers have neither bowstrings nor arrows. Dooobeeedooo.

It's odd what a clothes fetish I have in Guild Wars, when IRL, I don't buy all that many clothes! I really, really love how GW divorces how the armour looks from stats. I also love how GW isn't much of a gear based system at all, but I digress.

Interestingly, I have guy friends who also delight just as much as me, if not more, in Barbie-fying their characters (whether male or female). ~_o Funny how, because it's virtual, it's not 'playing with dolls'! (Not that there's anything wrong with that...)

Right! Sooooo. New clothes for Glorious McNugget that I picked up a couple of weeks ago.

Face: Istani Scar Pattern (Silver)
Chest: Elite Profane (Black)
Gloves: Luxon (Silver)
Legs: Elite Luxon (White)
Footsies: Elite Profane (Black)

Barbie power!