Quick guide -
Thief  blocking

!!! 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
Thief can block all husks, all eggs, and most drool spits; requires preparation before each run to get the right stolen skill

1) Prepare your character:

• Build template (you can copy&paste these ingame):
  - core Thief  [&DQUcLjYrLCcMAQwBNAE0AVMBMwFZAVcBJQAoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACWgA2AAA=]
  - Daredevil [&DQUcLiwnBzUMAYUANAE0AVMBMwFZAVcBJQAoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACWgA2AAA=]
  *As Sylvari, use the elite Take Root as extra invuln skill

• Gear:
  - ideally tanky, but any works;
  - this build aims to reduce the Steal cd as much as possible - using the Relic of Rivers and doing extra dodges can help

• Jade Tech Offensive/Defensive Protocol buffs will grant you extra stats + boons (require EoD + Jade Bots mastery)

• Weapons: mainhand: sword + offhand: pistol

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

• 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 -> Smoke Screen, Prepare Seal Area --> Seal Area

• Husks: 80-90s cd; can only be blocked with invulnerability -> Drink (stolen skill)

• Drool: can only be blocked with invulnerability -> Drink (stolen skill) + Take Root as Sylvari

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.
The Improvisation trait let's you have 2 charges of the stolen skill; stealing on the wurm after 1 charge has been used will refill the 2nd charge.

• The Improvisation trait let's you have 2 charges of the stolen skill; stealing on the wurm after 1 charge has been used will refill the 2nd charge.
  Never use up both charges of Drink - always keep at least one. Steal on the big wurm to re-gain the 2nd charge of Drink!

• Preparation:
  - Thief block requires you to prepare before each run by getting the stolen skill Drink. Therefore you need to keep using Steal on pirates in Bloodtide Coast until you get the correct stolen skill.
  - Pirates can be found e.g. on the Laughing Gull Island (where the Taidha event takes place), near and north of the Remanda Waypoint, and in the area of the Merchantman's Strait in between.
  - You lose the stolen skill and will have to re-acquire it if you leave the map/log out/dc, if you steal from another enemy by mistake, or if you use up both charges of Drink. But you keep the skill when you go down or fully die.
  
  

• Position:
  - the blocker must be in the very middle of then wurm, see invuln spot
  - Using Steal will move you off the invuln spot. Either reposition yourself afterwards. Or use Infiltrator's Strike (skill 2 first part) before Steal, and Infiltrator's Return (skill 2 second part) after Steal. This will put you back on the block spot.
  
  

• Husk and egg blocking ("rotation"):
  - use Prepare Seal Area (Always prepare this skill again after using Seal Area, however, not while the wurm is still spitting eggs.)
  - 1st spit (whenever husks are ready/not on cooldown): use Drink
  => check for invuln message or chat log:
  - 1x "invulnerable" per spit = husks
  - 3x "invulnerable" per spit = eggs => use a projectile block (Seal Area or Smoke Screen) immediately, this allows moving off the invuln spot with Steal immediately
  - 2nd spit:
  - when the 1st spit was husks (+ whenever husks are on cd): Seal Area or Smoke Screen
  - when the 1st spit was eggs (+ whenever eggs are on cd): use Drink
  - There will most likely be a single egg spit happening before the next husk spit -> use Seal Area or Smoke Screen
  - Always use Steal on the wurm to re-gain the 2nd charge of  Drink as soon as possible. Don't move off while the wurm is still spitting husks.

• Drool blocking:
  - you can use Drink, but you may not be able to block all drool spits, depending on the wurm's attack timing
  - you want to be able to Steal after blocking drool AND get the Steal cd back by the time the wurm has finished an egg/husk spit
  - Sylvari: elite Take Root can be used when you need to save  Drink

• Dealing with wide spins:
  - your weapon skill 3 is an evade (activated after a short delay)
  - alternatively: dodge and reposition with sword 2

• 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.