!!! This is NOT a complete guide. This page rather serves as overview and reminder. Please, check out the full guide to learn more about blocking. !!!
"Blocking" at TT means: stopping the wurm from spitting out eggs, husks, and drool spit with reflects + invulnerability
Ele can block all husks, all eggs, and all drool spits; more precise timing required compared to other classes
1) Prepare your character:
Build template (you can copy&paste these ingame):
- Catalyst [&DQYaKxE9Qx90AHQA5gDrAOsA7xpNAfYA9xqWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADWgAxAC8AAA==]
- Tempest [&DQYaKxE9MDt0AHQA5gCOAOsA6wBNAfYAmRIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADWgAxAC8AAA==]
- Weaver [&DQYaKxE9OCt0AHQA5gAAAOsAAABNAQAAJQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADWgAxAC8AAA==]
- Evoker Template currently not available
- core Ele [&DQYaKxE9KSl0AHQA5gCOAOsA6wBNAfYAlgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADWgAxAC8AAA==]
*Tempest, Weaver, Evoker, and core Ele can take the Sylvari elite Take Root as extra invuln skill
Gear: ideally tanky, but any works
Jade Tech Offensive/Defensive Protocol buffs will grant you extra stats + boons (require EoD + Jade Bots mastery)
Weapons: offhand: focus (required)
mainhand: sword if available (requires Weaver or SotO weapon mastery); else dagger
2) Learn the 1st phase wurm attacks:
animation video: https://youtu.be/uR3OQGfRnec
wide spin: large orange aoe around the wurm -> knockback and damage => dodge/block personally or stability - care, stability prevents the knockback, but not the damage!
small spin + drool spit: also a large aoe around the wurm while the wurm curls up, then spits out many small drool aoes -> knockback and damage from the spin; high damage from drool => invuln-block
egg + husk spit (same animation): the wurm pulls back its head, to then move forward and spit out either 3 eggs or 1 husk; this repeats 3 times => this attack you want to "block" with invulnerability or reflect
3) Know how to block different spit types:
Eggs: 40s cd; can be blocked with reflect or invulnerability -> air 4: Swirling Winds, earth 4: Magnetic Wave (only blocks 2 of 3 part spits), or earth 5: Obsidian Flesh
Husks: 80-90s cd; can only be blocked with invulnerability -> earth 5: Obsidian Flesh (or other invulns as back-up: Conjure Earth Shield -> skill 5, Mistform)
Drool: can only be blocked with invulnerability -> Conjure Earth Shield -> skill 5, Mistform (also Obsidian Flesh if it will be back up in time for the next husks)
4) Blocking
When you start learning to block at TT, you can just practice dodging to stay alive and on the right spot during your first runs. Once you manage, try to use your skills to actually block some of the wurm's attacks.
Position: the blocker must be in the very middle of then wurm, see invuln spot
Husk and egg blocking ("rotation"):
- 1st spit (whenever husks are ready/not on cooldown): use Arcane Echo + earth 5: Obsidian Flesh (this will allow you to use Obsidian Flesh a 2nd time)
=> check for invuln message or chat log:
- 1x "invulnerable" per spit = husks => swap to Air
- 3x "invulnerable" per spit = eggs => wait for the next spit
- 2nd spit:
- when the 1st spit was husks (+ whenever husks are on cd): use air 4: Swirling Winds
- when the 1st spit was eggs (+ whenever eggs are on cd): use earth 5: Obsidian Flesh (again)
- There will most likely be a single egg spit happening before the next husk spit -> use air 4: Swirling Winds while husks are still on cd.
- Swap back to Earth at least 5s before husks are ready again.
Drool blocking:
- Mistform, or Conjure Earth Shield -> skill 5, (or Obsidian Flesh if it will be ready again for the next husks); make sure to pick up the 2nd earth shield as well
- Catalysts can use their elite skill to reset Obsidian Flesh for an extra invuln
- Take Root elite as Sylvari
Dealing with wide spins:
- sword earth 2, Conjure Earth Shield -> skill 2, Arcane Shield utility skill
- with the Catalyst build linked above, or taking the Relic of the Centaur and a bit of tanky gear, you can use your heal Signet of Restoration to get stability + more incoming damage reduction (-10% inc. damage food can help as well); keep using auto attacks while not using other skills (heals from signet passive); you can swap to water for extra heals if you don't need to use one of your weapon skills for blocking within the next 10s
Please, also remember:
- The "Invulnerable" text and chat message will only show when blocking with invulnerability, using projectile blocks/reflects will NOT show this text!
- Join the 2nd subgroup and inform your commander that you intend to block for easier communication.
- Try to communicate with other blockers: note down "h" for blocked husks, and "e" for blocked eggs.