The World Tournament Series is the pinnacle of Guild Wars 2 PvP competition. The top teams from North America, Europe, and China will go head-to-head in Boston with the goal of taking home the title of World Champion and the lion’s share of the $50,000 USD prize pool.
Four teams remain, having earned the right to play at the World Tournament Series Finals in Boston by proving to the world that they deserved to represent their regions. The ultimate test of skill, tenacity, and endurance still remains as the teams must clash one final time at the ESL Arena in Boston for the right to call themselves World Tournament Series champions.
Can the North American team, the Abjured, defend the title they claimed in the last World Tournament Series event in Beijing? Will the forces of the Civilized Gentlemen and Cheese Mode, now combined in the new European powerhouse team Orange Logo, be enough to dethrone the Abjured? What surprises will underdog North American team the Dankening or Chinese team Heaven and Fire bring to the table?
Join hosts Daniel “Jebro” Littleton and James “Kaelaris” Carrol on the Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel on March 7 as we discover the answers to these questions together.
North America, Europe, or China—who do you stand behind?
Heaven and Earth—China
The goal of Heaven and Earth is to positively represent the burgeoning Guild Wars 2 Chinese PvP player base with honor and dignity. A team that consists of players with varying levels of competitive experience, Heaven and Earth are unsure of how they’ll match up with the North American and European teams. However, the team feels that this circumstance—being a fresh and comparatively new team—allows them to have an even higher level of enthusiasm and passion for Guild Wars 2 PvP and for representing their homeland of China. The team has set their sights on proving to themselves and to the world that they are capable of competing in the international arena.
Loveyoumuji—Warrior (CN)
A blood-frenzied warrior with a taste for fighting, Muji gained a large following in China after his performance at the Guild Wars 2 International All-Stars Tournament in Cologne last year. During that time, he became good friends with fellow competitor ROM, and he looks forward to meeting ROM on the battlefield once again.
Jiazi—Elementalist (CN)
Jiazi is a skillful elementalist and former member of Team SALA—third place finishers in the last World Tournament Series. He practices daily and doesn’t let anyone stand in his way on his quest to becoming the very best elementalist. Jiazi is famous for his calm and collected personality, making him a formidable opponent in tense situations.
Santago—Engineer (CN)
Passionate and fiercely independent are the words that one would use to describe Santago. He has earned quite a reputation in China because of his skill with the engineer—the profession he used to help propel his team into the World Tournament Series Qualifier in Beijing last year. While Santago is extremely skilled, he’s also kind and is willing to play with and teach rookie players, and he often spends his time doing so.
Hutong—Thief (CN)
As someone who is very approachable and easygoing, Hutong’s low-profile nature allows him to go unnoticed. But as one of the most skilled thieves in Guild Wars 2, he’s a deadly assassin who has climbed the ranks on the leaderboard through his aggressive yet calm play style.
Rock—Guardian (CN)
As the most experienced player on Heaven and Earth, it makes sense that Rock would be selected as the team’s captain. Channeling both his leadership skills and game knowledge, expect Rock to serve as the foundation for his team’s success. Just because he’s a leader doesn’t mean he’s not a soldier as well; Rock has also earned high rankings on China’s PvP leaderboard with his skilled bunker guardian gameplay.
The Abjured—North America
As the reigning World Tournament Series champions, the Abjured will undoubtedly look to defend their crown in Boston, no holds barred. The Abjured are off to a great start on this front, going undefeated in tournaments for the past three months. The Abjured’s strong team dynamic and their experience playing well even when they’re out of their element will surely be boons to their performance.
Five Gauge—Engineer (Canada)
One of the main advantages that the Abjured gains by having Five Gauge on their roster is his acutely analytical mindset—a critical component in their ability to break down matches, pinpoint enemy weaknesses, and then exploit those vulnerabilities. Otherwise, in his own words, he goes “ham.”
Magic Toker—Thief (United States)
A former member of Good Fights, Magic Toker’s skirmishing skills and his ability to be in the right place at the right time are second to none. His strong map awareness and keen sense of player rotation helps him keep track of players all across the map, knowing exactly where he needs to be to help his team with maximum efficiency. A keen hunter in team fights, Magic Toker focuses on shutting down high-priority targets. Is he running a double-pistol thief, you ask? Nope, but he brings those guns wherever he goes.
Nos—Necromancer (US)
The newest addition to the Abjured, Nos—nicknamed the Dark Lord—brings a dominating presence to skirmishes across the board. Expect Nos to appear without notice, pick unsuspecting targets, and quickly dispatch them. He brings fear to all those he comes across. Having played at the highest level as a necromancer exclusively since the launch of Guild Wars 2, Nos has become one of the most respected necromancers in the PvP community.
Phantaram—Elementalist (US)
Having previously played for European powerhouses such as Team Paradigm and the Civilized Gentlemen, Phantaram is the Abjured’s inside man with the knowledge and experience needed to defeat the competition. Widely considered to be one of the best dueling elementalists in Guild Wars 2, expect Phantaram to hold his own in one-on-one situations, be a key player in skirmishes, and help dominate team fights by both supporting his allies and dishing out tons of damage.
Wakkey—Multiple Professions (US)
Wakkey is always willing to adjust his play style to meet the needs of his team. His versatility allows him to roam the field with impunity, always a strong presence in the heat of battle. A self-described “swag master,” Wakkey’s confidence and jovial personality help the Abjured stay upbeat through the trials of the World Tournament Series Finals. Wakkey also recently placed highly in the Guild Wars 2 All-Stars Karaoke Competition, earning him respect from the community.
The Dankening—North America
“We started at the bottom, and now we’re here,” claims team captain Bob Loblaw. Considering the Dankening earned their ticket to Boston by taking the loser’s bracket finals in the North American World Tournament Series Invitational Qualifier, you certainly could label them as an underdog, but don’t count them out quite yet. Featuring a nontraditional, damage-focused team composition, the Dankening aims to blow their competition out of the water with unfathomable levels of damage. For the Dankening, the key to winning is ending fights quickly!
Bob Loblaw—Elementalist (US)
A new—and welcome—addition to the top tier, Bob entered the PvP scene thirsty for glory and hungry for victory. Making waves early on with his old team Might Makes You Right, he quickly rubbed shoulders with other top players and found his way into the inner circle. Hoping to establish a top-tier competitive team, Bob carefully formed the Dankening with other like-minded players. The next chapter of his story will be written in Boston!
Eurantien—Ranger (US)
This ranger has stuck by his pet through thick and thin, and—in his own words—has officially sniped his way to the top. Relying on positioning, an eagle eye, and pet control second to none, Eurantien can quickly down his enemies if he catches them unsuspecting.
Ozie—Multiple Professions (Canada)
A sure winner of the “Most Improved” award if there ever was one, Ozie now finds himself a core member of one of the most elite teams in Guild Wars 2. While his ability to play multiple professions may have made him a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, you can be sure that whatever profession he decides to play in the World Tournament Series will be exactly what his team feels they need to secure the win.
Physicks—Engineer (US)
A skilled engineer in his own right, Physicks’s name belongs right up there alongside Five Gauge, Ostrich Eggs, and other well-known engineers. As one of the main protectors of his team’s mesmer and ranger, his role includes everything from healing his teammates to crowd controlling his enemies.
Supcutie—Multiple Professions (US)
The World Tournament Series in Boston marks Supcutie’s second international Guild Wars 2 tournament appearance, having been elected by the community to represent North America last year at the International All-Stars Tournament in Cologne. A gifted mesmer and talented rapper, if Supcutie isn’t dropping sick beats, you can be sure he’s busy bringing big damage. His speedy rotations, clutch portal creation, and strategic mindset help propel the Dankening to speedy victories.
Orange Logo—Europe
What happens when you combine two of the most dominant European Guild Wars 2 teams into one entity? Orange Logo, that’s what. Featuring members from the Civilized Gentlemen and Cheese Mode, Orange Logo has their sights set on first place, and they’re feeling pretty confident in their ability to dethrone the reigning champions. European and North American team compositions have never mirrored each other so closely, and this matchup might come down to which team is more flexible. Considering Orange Logo is made up of players who have mastered multiple professions, they might have the advantage.
Blackjack—Multiple Professions (Germany)
A former member of Cheese Mode, Blackjack is no stranger to dominating the competition for extended periods of time. Blackjack’s competitive drive—his fiery drive to win—will help empower and embolden his allies during the World Tournament Series Finals. Blackjack has been known to play a variety of professions, sometimes in unorthodox builds, but always to great efficacy.
Denshee—Multiple Professions (Sweden)
A former member of the Civilized Gentlemen, Denshee has tested his mettle in both North America and Europe, having played at the highest competitive levels in both regions. Perhaps Denshee’s greatest contribution to Cheese Mode is his ability to play multiple professions, allowing him to shore up weak points of his team’s composition. This flexibility will help his team adapt to the differences in play style between each region.
Frae—Multiple Professions (UK)
One of the original founders of Cheese Mode, Frae has always put his team’s needs before his own. There’s a good chance that Orange Logo is where they are today because of Frae’s deft thief play during the finals of the World Tournament Series Invitational Qualifier against rivals the Civilized Gentlemen. Frae’s ability and willingness to be the linchpin fifth man will help Orange Logo stay flexible and ready for whatever the opposition throws at them.
R O M—Multiple Professions (Sweden)
ROM is no stranger to competition, having played for multiple top teams such as Cheese Mode, Made in Meta, Chieftain Ninjas, Team Mist, the Civilized Gentlemen, and now Orange Logo. As a devout theorycrafter, ROM prides himself in having created multiple builds and play styles that are now used by players across Guild Wars 2.
Tage—Guardian (Slovakia)
Famously known for his bunker guardian play as a part of the Civilized Gentlemen, Tage has since embraced the meta and switched to a more offensive guardian. Anyone who thought Tage might fade into obscurity because of this change has since been proven dead wrong—Tage is here to stay. Using a variety of weapon sets and builds, Tage’s masterful guardian play keeps his foes constantly on their toes.
