Celestial Tournament LiveBlogging: EW vs iPod

4:50GMT: Let's begin again, shall we. If I'm lucky I can wrap this up before I need to wake up tomorrow morning...

*Sob*

So, for sanity's sake I took some time out to romp around the Arena for a little bit. I've been intrigued by the idea of a Moebius Sin and wanted to get some practice in. I've seen them in action a bit before and spotted a few during the tournament but I haven't really found a solid build yet. It's really not the best thing for RA because, you know, a Sin's bar is packed enough already without having to deal with healing and removing hexes and conditions and rezzing and everything else because OH MY GOD DID THAT MONK JUST CAST RETRIBUTION ON ME!?!? Sorry, the wounds are a bit fresh here.

Literally.

Ahem, anyway, I think with a solid Monk behind me I could be on to something. The thing about Moebius Strike, especially with that 2 second recharge is that it lets you just unload on someone over and over. Most Sins are about spiking then sitting around and twiddling their thumbs for 20 seconds. With Moebius you can just hammer on someone as long as your energy holds out - it's pressure from a character that can spike. That's got potential. And Death Blossom is pretty good at a 2 second recharge, too, especially when you're using it every other attack. It's +40 damage on each swing so throw in a Deep Wound from, say, Impale and you're putting a hurting on someone. I normally run with Black Lotus as my off-hand and that means I only need one hit on someone before it's rage back and forth on the skill buttons time - helps with the energy, too. And it leaves a lot of room on my bar for other things, something else Sins have problems with, so there's plenty of space for stuff like Siphon Speed and Expose Defenses and other goodness as well as some utility. The only drawback is how hard it is to switch off on targets - it's the old Warrior training, I like to pinball if I can - but the 12 second recharge on Black Lotus is still better than the 20 on, say, Shadow Prison. I'm not there yet but with a bit of work you could have a Sin that deals a lot of DPS and a lot of disruption and I like the sound of that.

Something tells me that this would be the whole point of the buff to Moebius - to provide a credible alternative in elites. Several others got an uptick around the same time - like Beguiling Haze, which I remember being enchanted by at the time. Such shifts can take some time though, as people have to realize and explore what's been done. Part of why balancing is such a pain.

That's what I was thinking about for the past, oh, ten fifteen minutes in the Arena. Because I sure as hell wasn't thinking about things like kiting and using my rezsig. I, uh, wasn't playing very well. And since I normally suck that's saying quite a bit.

It was a useful diversion, though, as to be perfectly honest, I'm a bit burnt out here. It's been two straight days of just watching and blogging about the tournament and I think I'm going a bit crazy. The voices in my head disagree but they just want my thought energy. I'm not sure I can trust their advice when you get right down to it. But if there's one thing watching all these matches has done, it's make me want to get out there and play the game myself.

And, when you get right down to it, that's what this tournament is all about. Oh, sure, there's the championship on the line but I'm talking about why we have events like this in the first place. It's for the people who play in them to enjoy. But it's also to inspire those of who want to be playing in them. It drives up interest, creates enthusiasm, and just generally improves the state of the game to have so many people paying attention to really, really top-flight competition.

Most of the Guild Wars community couldn't care about it, a point which was made in some thread over Guru that I'll hopefully have the time to discussing in more detail tomorrow, but the gist was that the PvP community was so small that it was hardly worth the developer's bother. Well, that's somewhat true but you could say that about a lot of things. It's the trickle down effect that's going to drive the next round of competition and the metagame that's important here. And let's not forget that ANet was founded by the same people who made BattleNet. They just plain like the PvP and think it's important. I'm glad they do and I'm glad I had the opportunity to watch so many good games this weekend. My interest in the game had been waning with the close of the Swiss rounds. And there are other games and interests out there I've been neglecting. But I'm feeling inspired now. And I can't wait until I have a chance to play again.

So, yeah, worth it.

Uh, where was I? Oh yes, trying to burn out my keyboard on the [EW]/[iPod] match-up. I can't say I had high hopes for this one. [EW] is good, damn good. And my spirit's still crushed from finding out that [iQ] went down in flames. But a little bird told me that there's something here. Let's find out, shall we?


Match Thirteen - Game One
#1 Esoteric Warriors (Hah! Got it right that time!) vs #13 Listen To
Corrupted Isle

EW
W/A - YAA
R/Mo - BA
D/A - Melandru
Me/D - MoR
E/Mo - SF with Ward Against Foes
Mo/E - Healer's Boon
Mo/E - Shield of Deflection
Mo/E - ZB runner

iPod
W/A - Sword War with Coward
W/A - Eviscerate Axe
Me/E - MoR
Me/Mo - Surge/Burn
E/Mo - Water Trident
Mo/E - Healer's Boon
Mo/E - Probably Divert
Mo/E - ZB runner with Aegis, Guardian, Extinguish, GLE

Firstly, hooray for a split map. Seriously, I worked out just how many times I've seen Jade this weekend and I think the next time I look in the mirror my eyes are going to be pale green. Looks like we're in for two fairly balanced builds with split potential. I like [EW] with the BA Ranger - who's just been rock steady all tourney so far - just a little bit better. [iPod] looks to be running some variant of neo-Euro-Jump spike. And, yes, I probably could have strung a few more modifiers on there. But I'm a bit surprised [EW] didn't go for a recall split instead of the old school 5/3 eurosplit here.

5:25GMT: Ugh, the laggening. I feel like I'm watching on the Australian servers or something. I have no idea what's going on except that I just probably have way too much crap running in the background on my comp right now. It's not my fault I want to watch a DvD, listen to WinAmp, and surf YouTube, work on my novel, and that family video I'm supposed to be editing, while the matches are boring me, is it?

5:26GMT: Alright, fun time is over, there's a match on and it's looking, well, pretty even at the moment.

5:27GMT: As you might expect, [EW] split off 5/3 to start. Sent their Warrior, Ranger and Monk #8 along the back path. Typical move but my current thinking is you want to overload on the back at first to push out those guardian NPCs before swinging things back to the flagstand - helps out your gank immensely the rest of the match. Anyhow, [iPod] responds with their Ele and two Monks. [EW] is making slow process and getting a few NPCs.

5:28GMT: The flagstand's a pretty fair fight even though [iPod] only has one Monk there - LoD helps there, though. The teams are trading flags pretty well at the moment.

5:29GMT: After capping, [iPod] streams back to base to collapse on the split.

5:30GMT: My mistake, they're just switching up the split and [EW] was chasing them. Good play on [iPod]'s part, actually. They've now got their Mesmer, and Warrior #1, with the aforementioned Ele and ZB Monk on a 4/4 split. While their LoD Monk's gone off to the flagstand.

5:31GMT: Cute, the LoD Monk is nestling himself into a little corner right in the middle of the map to try and cover as many teammates as possible.

5:32GMT: That ZB runner is interesting. Extinguish and Aegis. Lots of party-wide stuff there. Extinguish, in particular, you don't see nearly enough of these days, I think.

5:35GMT: [EW]'s broken off their split, they're headed for the flagstand. [iPod], too. All they've got back in base now is the runner.

5:36GMT: Go go magic-mini map! Get real small, please. I want the god's eye view. Because, sure enough, as if on cue, there goes [EW]'s Ranger creeping along the back path to work on the NPCs unabated. He's got the Warrior right behind him.

5:37GMT: This is what I don't like about Corrupted (Beyond, you know, the whole "it's one big damn circle" thing.) - that narrow ramp leading to the flagstand just makes for all sorts of nasty snare/blocking clumps. It's just asking for trouble.

5:38GMT: WTB a third monitor. There's action all over the place. [iPod] is pushing into [EW]'s base. They've lost their front gate NPCs, putting them about equal with the loss of the back gate ones.

5:39GMT: Split response. The Ele, Warrior, and Monk are back again for [iPod]. That spooks the Warrior and Ranger pair right out of their base.

5:39GMT: But they were just heading back to pick up their Monk friend. Oh man, I don't think [iPod] saw it. Their counter-split pulled out and left the base almost unguarded just as [EW]'s ganksquad was getting back in their gate. All they've got is an Ele guarding the base.

5:40GMT: [iPod]'s pushing in base again. Split's coming back to the rescue. Good thing as the Monk runner came back meaning they wouldn't be making much headway. And they're in trouble at the base thanks to [iPod]'s push.

5:41GMT: They're not killing off many NPCs but they are heading straight for the inner Lord ones. [EW]'s down those Archers, just the Bodyguard left in there although, yeah, the Knights have been pulled halfway to Lion's Arch by now. All the outer NPCs are still alive. Over at [iPod]'s base just those initial NPCs guarding the back gate have gone down.

5:41GMT: Looks like [iPod] has their ZB Monk back guarding the base now. Also looking for a good spot with which they can cover the team with the party-wide skills. Nice.

5:43GMT: It's 8v8 scrum time at the flag.

5:44GMT: I haven't even bothered to check the morale. You want to know who's down in that count? [EW]. By a lot. [iPod]'s been boosting since around the 9 minute mark and they've only just now lost the flawless.

5:45GMT: Two minutes to VoD. It's still 8v8 fightning just outside of [EW]'s gate. This one's going to be a thriller.

5:46GMT: Work the damn NPCs already!

5:47GMT: Oh man, it's starting to turn around a bit as [iPod] is pressing too hard and [EW]'s pushing right back. But, honestly, [iPod]'s been carrying the water this match. How the hell do they lose this one?

5:49GMT: Vee Oh Dee. Big huge NPC armies on both sides. [EW] is taking losses.

5:50GMT: There's no gank attempt yet. But we're only at 22 and the flagstand battle hasn't been resolved.

5:51GMT: [iPod] just lost their Bodyguard. [EW] is pushing up the ramp for a cap. Yeah, that's the last of the Archers. Dervish is greater than Archers at VoD. [iPod] just lost the flagstand. Obviously, stealing from the OoX playbook here.

5:52GMT: They're turning back to base with their tails between their lags. But it's 30 seconds to rez, so [EW]'s content to hang back at the flagstand. Their NPC army isn't looking too hot either although they still have that all important Bodyguard.

5:53GMT: Here comes [iPod] again. Ouch, couldn't get that flag in time and [EW] boosted. They've pulled ahead on morale now. And [iPod]'s pulling back from the pounding they're receiving.

5:54GMT: The Lords have walked. Put some deep bass reverb on that. Because this is pins and needles time. [iPod] still has a chance here, they still need that Bodyguard out of the picture and they've been getting it handed to them all VoD but if they can keep their Lord up they have a shot.

5:55GMT: Two minutes after the Lords came out to play (Note to self: Be sure to make a Warriors joke at some point. How have we not thought of this before now?) it's all over. [iPod]'s frontline collapsed and that was all she wrote.

6:00GMT: Wow, well that was a nice match. Tale of two halves, really. [iPod] lost that one at VoD and I'd have to watch again to really understand it. This is why we need a fast forward button on obs mode. Or at least a list of all the instances and the times they're at which you can join. As it is, I'm not sitting through twenty minutes just to find the two or three seconds where [iPod] loses that flagstand fight. And, that's I think, what we're talking about here. It's either one or two critical mistakes on [iPod]'s part and [EW]'s veteran experience allowing them to capitalize. Or, you know, it's [EW]'s AoE just mopping things up. Yeah, let's just say it's the latter so I can move on. It might not look like it but I do need sleep...

6:08GMT: Man, I needed a cigarette after that last one and I don't even smoke. Let's ring the bell and get it on.

Match Thirteen - Game Two
#1 Esoteric Warriors (That time, too, I'm on a roll here!) vs #13 Listen To
Frozen Isle

EW
W/A - Dev hammer with To The Limit
D/A - Melandru's
P/Mo - Cruel Spear
Rt/Mo - Weapon of Fury Rit with MB&S, Bloodsong, Draw Conditions, Holy Veil
Me/E - MoR
Mo/E - Healer's Boon
Mo/E - Shield of Deflection
Mo/E - ZB runner

iPod
W/A - D-Slash
R/Mo - BA
A/Mo - Shadow Prison Sin
Me/E - MoR
E/Mo - Water Trident
Mo/E - Healer's Boon
Mo/E - Divert?
Mo/E - ZB runner

This? Could get interesting.

6:09GMT: Yay for split maps.

6:10GMT: Oooh, a Weapon of Fury Rit. Me likey.

6:11GMT: Rezzed in a bout a minute into the action. Becuase, you know, I'm sure so many people are watching at this godawful hour that I couldn't get a brand new obs instance. Grumble mumble kickdirt wanttowatchpeoplestandingatthegatesanddoingnothingifIdamnwellplease...

6:11GMT: I'm over it. Fight's at the flagstand. Teams are trading flags. No splits because, you know, why would you do that on Frozen Isle?

6:12GMT: The teams are pretty well matched and it doesn't look like anything interesting is going to happen anytime soon so here's what I imagine a GW play by play would sound like. "You know, Bob, Aruwen Dead's been having a hell of a season for iPod. His tree forms gone down and, yes, he's swinging his scythe like he doesn't even notice. He bangs on a Monk for a quick hundred damage and then switches targets to hit a passing Mesmer. Monks'll clean that up no problem. Oh, nice Ermite's there, caught a few people with it." "He's real pro at that, Mort." "Thanks, Bob. sparkling insight as always. Alright, it's god mode time as he's growing branches like they were weeds. We'll be back after this word from our sponsor and promos for a half dozen new shows you've never heard of before. Fox Sports fo lyfe!!"

6:15GMT: Yes, I really did want to use "Whoa, Nellie" in there but, sadly couldn't do it. Nothing much has happened in the time it took me to type that little skit out. Teams still fighting at the flagstand, still trading flags. But, in my bones, I feel something's going to give here.

6:17GMT: Low runner! Low runner! Yes, get that flag. Get that motherloving flag you magnificent underdog bastards! Flag return by [iPod], they've got a boost.

6:17GMT: They're not letting up, chain deaths on [EW]. They're being pushed back to base, [iPod] on their heels.

6:18GMT: They're pushing right back after a rez. Whole team's escorting the runner. Oh wow. This is just brutal.

6:19GMT: The runner - [EW]'s Paragon, by the way - has been snared almost since they left the base. Just a straight minute of being pounded on and knocked down and slothing forward towards the stand. Too late to prevent another boost but they eventually make it.

6:20GMT: How do they lose this? How the hell does [iPod] lose this? If you took away the names right now and asked me which guild was the higher seed, I'd say blue (which is [iPod]'s color since they're the hosts in this game, in case that's not clear.). They are not quite running away with things but they are giving [EW] everything they can. And [EW] can barely handle it.

6:22GMT: It's settled back to flagstand fighting/trading now. Quick prediction: this goes to VoD and [iPod] blows it there again somehow. I know, I know, it's a bold stab in the dark but that's just how I do things.

6:23GMT: [iPod] just sent off a split across the ice. Warrior and Ranger. They work down a few NPCs but [EW] has their Monk runner back.

6:24GMT: Meanwhile, having numbers, [EW] pushed the fight off the flagstand and towards [iPod]'s base. But not far enough that they can't run up a flag. Just a tug-of-war match.

6:25GMT: Split's back with the main team. Guess they figured with the Monk and all it wasn't going to work. Still, they did their damage and took down a few Archers, that'll help at VoD - Frozen is a really big map but it doesn't have a lot of NPCs in the base so every one is precious.

6:26GMT: Noooooo!! [iPod]'s runner just got killed and the flag returned. It's going to be a boost for [EW] - although, man, that runner almost made it back in time. Good teams can do this sort of thing. They just seem to be able to get boosts, not at will, but when it really counts. Heading into VoD (30 seconds now) with full sigs and the morale evened out is huge.

6:28GMT: It's not at all obvious I'm rooting for [iPod] is it? Doesn't make much sense as I already know they lost. I'm a sucker for underdogs, what can I say?

6:29GMT: The shout of death hits. [iPod]'s Warrior is poaching at the far side of the ice but nothing doing.

6:30GMT: Replay of last match. [EW]'s AoE (This time from Splinter Weapon) is brutal and this fight isn't going to be close. [iPod]'s already been run off the stand by the 21:15 minute mark.

6:30GMT: Things getting interesting here. Desperation gank attempt from the side gate across the ice on [iPod]'s part. [EW] has it covered and they fall on them on the steps in the middle of the map.

6:31GMT: Meanwhile, [iPod]'s runner tries to get a flag in but is cut down by the waiting NPCs.

6:32GMT: [iPod]'s gotten a bit separated here. The Warrior and the Ranger on one path the rest of the team (except the base rezzed Monk) on the other but they're both chasing [EW] to their base.

6:33GMT: Hard, hard push by [iPod]. The adrenaline is literally dripping off my computer screen. They're fighting in front of [EW]'s Lord trying like mad to keep their Lord from walking into those NPCs.

6:34GMT: Not going to work. The ZB Monk suicides with the flag again - seriously, what's up with that? And [EW]'s Lord has avoided the aggro. Fortunately, the Zb monk rezes in time to accompany the Lordbut it's not going well for [iPod] here. They just can't stand up to [EW}.

6:35GMT: Okay, wtf moment. The ZB runner leaves the Lord's side and runs around the ice to try and intercept [EW]'s Lord. In the process she manages to aggo [EW] who've been pushing [iPod] back along the path the whole time. Why she just didn't stay with the Lord and try to keep him protted against the Archers is beyond me.

6:36GMT: Yeah, wipe and this one's in the books.

Tough losses for [iPod] to take. I've been in enough matches where you've had the rug pulled out from under you at VoD to know you feel like you should have had it. Those are always the worst kind of loss. But, man, I am impressed. They put up a much better fight than I was expecting. This was [EW], after all, and they don't just roll over for anyone. Nice, good, hard fought matches. My kind of anti-drug.

Here's hoping the final is this good.