Dwayna Vs Grenth

Dwayna Vs Grenth, also known as snowball fight, is a PvP arena set in a modified version of the Shiverpeak Arena (relocated in the Underworld) that is accessible only during Wintersday and Wintersday in July events by talking to a Wintersday Priest or Tolkano for tournaments. The name is derived from the annual battle between Dwayna and Grenth that takes place every year on Wintersday. The outcome of this fight determines whether winter is elongated (if Grenth wins) or spring arrives early all over the world (if Dwayna wins). The arena is used for 2 game types, a random team game and a tournament game.

Skills

 * : Spell. You throw a slow-moving snowball at target foe and gain 1 strike of adrenaline. That foe takes 50 damage if it hits.
 * : Spell. You throw a very slow-moving snowball at target foe. That foe is knocked down and takes 75 damage if it hits.
 * : Hex Spell. For 20 seconds, whenever touched foe takes any damage while suffering from this hex, that foe is interrupted.
 * : Glyph. Your next snowball knocks down target foe and causes Daze for 10 seconds.
 * 1) God dependent skill (both sides use Yellow Snow in automated tournaments):
 * 2) * For Dwayna's side (red) : Spell. Target foe and all nearby foes are Crippled for 7 seconds.
 * 3) * For Grenth's side (blue) : Preparation. Lose one condition. Your next snowball causes Disease for 10 seconds.
 * 4) Primary profession dependent skill (Dervishes get one of two skills depending on their team):
 * : Shout. For 5 seconds, all allies within earshot move 10% faster. You gain 1 strike of adrenaline for each ally affected.
 * : Spell. Throw a snowball at up to 4 foes adjacent to your target. These snowballs deal 50 damage if they hit.
 * : Enchantment Spell. For 10 seconds, target ally has +5 Health regeneration and anyone striking target ally with an attack is knocked down.
 * : Spell. Sacrifice 50% maximum Health. All nearby foes take 50 damage, and you bring the Holiday Blues to this location. For 30 seconds, foes within the area suffer -15 Health degeneration.
 * : Spell. You interrupt target foe's action. That foe is Blinded for 10 seconds.
 * : Hex Spell. For 5 seconds, target and adjacent foes are struck for 75 cold damage and move 66% slower.
 * : Skill. Shadow Step to a random location in the area. You gain 250 Health.
 * : Binding Ritual. Create a level 5 Jack Frost. This creature deals 50 damage with snowballs. This creature dies after 60 seconds.
 * : Shout. For 10 seconds, the next time each ally within earshot throws a snowball, that snowball moves 100% faster.
 * : Form. For 30 seconds, whenever you use a snowball skill, you are healed for 30 Health. This skill is disabled for 60 seconds.
 * : Form. For 30 seconds, whenever you use a snowball skill, you steal 15 Health from your target. This skill is disabled for 60 seconds.
 * : Enchantment Spell. For 10 seconds, you cannot be knocked down, you are immune to conditions, and all incoming damage is reduced to 0. Ice Fort ends if you move.
 * : Shout. You are healed for 300 Health, and all of your Skills are disabled for 10 seconds.

Random team game mechanics
Players participating in this fight are randomly assigned to support one of the two gods every match. The game format plays out as a snowball fight in which players attempt to bring presents to their god. All health and energy is also standardized through the environment effect Yuletide, and dead players are resurrected at a shrine every 5 seconds. Teams consist of 4 randomly chosen players, and to win a team must return 5 presents before its opponent. Presents spawn randomly at four locations on the map and real presents are mixed in with fake presents. The first present is dropped at 15 seconds in. All other presents will be dropped every 30 seconds after the first present. Picking up a fake present deals 250 damage to the player who picks it up.

Note: Dying in this arena does not count as a death for characters pursuing the Survivor title.

Rewards

 * 100 Balthazar faction for each unique kill
 * 50 faction, 3 Candy Cane Shards and 15 Gamer points for each win
 * 50 faction for a flawless victory
 * 50 faction for every 5 consecutive wins

Note: Players do not accumulate Gladiator points for consecutive wins.

Tournament game mechanics
The automated tournament game rules are similar to the random team game with these exceptions:
 * 8 members on a side instead of 4 (see Automated tournament)
 * 10 presents must be returned instead of 5
 * There is a 10 minute time limit
 * If no team has scored 10 points, the higher score wins.
 * Ties go to the last team that scored a point.
 * The tournament mechanics are the same as standard automated tournament matches for GvG tournaments except there is no entry fee.
 * Beginning in Wintersday 2010, Dwayna's side does not use Avalanche; both sides use Yellow Snow.

Rewards

 * Tournament Reward Points
 * 40 Balthazar faction for each unique kill
 * 1,000 Balthazar faction, 7 Candy Cane Shards and 40 Gamer points for each win.

Dwayna (Red)

 * 24 Avatar of Dwayna
 * 1 Young Child x5

Grenth (Blue)

 * 15 Grentch x2
 * 24 Avatar of Grenth

In general

 * While waiting for the gates to open, load Hidden Rock and, if available, Yellow Snow. It is often better to load Hidden Rock away from an opponent who could interrupt its casting.
 * After the gates open, split 4 ways so that each player is near one of the spawn points to quickly grab a present when it appears.
 * Always focus on the presents. Gaining Balthazar faction is nice, but you will gain neither Candy Cane Shards nor Gamer points from killing foes. Carrying presents to your god is your main goal.
 * Sides may change every match, so never get confused and carry the presents to the wrong side. You can see this easily by checking your 5th skill. Additionally, your team color is blue as a Grenth supporter and your team color is red as a Dwayna supporter.
 * Use Snow Down the Shirt on an opponent that wants to stop your "gift-runner". If you spam your Snowballs on a foe hexed with it, this will cause for a good shut-down of that player.
 * Cast "Mmmm. Snowcone!" if your health gets low. Consider that this will disable all your other skills for 10 seconds. If you use Ice Fort and immediately "Mmmm. Snowcone!", you can wait inside the Ice Fort for the disable time.
 * Upon killing foes, take into consideration whether teleporting them to their resurrection shrine would be an advantage for you or them.
 * Sometimes, dying is good. There is no death penalty and you are resurrected directly to your side's shrine, which may come in handy.

Character control

 * Use key shortcuts to pick up the presents quicker and target enemies. For instance, bind a key to the "Target nearest item" function. Then when you or your ally drop a present, press the bound key, then your attack button instantly for a fast pick up.
 * If there are any opponents near an ally of yours who is carrying a present, go "guard" your ally by standing right next to him as he walks. As soon as he drops the present, pick it up instantly using the keyboard shortcut described above.  This will prevent your opponent from getting the present most of the time.
 * Body block when trying to prevent an opponent from scoring and when defending an ally present bearer from getting chased down.
 * If your opponent body blocks, use your keyboard to move instead of letting your character automatically walk, which could cost you time.
 * Very skilled players bind a key to "Drop item". They make use of an engine mechanic in which players can pick up adjacent to target range objects. They will pick up the present, drop it immediately, step forward slightly within the range limit and pick the object back up. This method of movement is difficult to counter because it does several things simultaneously.
 * Intermittent movement causes snowballs to miss.
 * Normal movement speed, even if intermittent, easily defeats a body block.
 * Player has very high chance of picking the present back up since he knows exactly when to start hitting the pick up key.

Environment effects
The frozen lake in the middle of the map causes Icy Ground if a players stops walking. Knowledge about this powerful snare can be used to your advantage:
 * Never stop on the river if possible.
 * Icy Ground can be avoided when picking up presents on the frozen river if players move quickly enough: Immediately after you have clicked on the present, move with your keyboard while you are picking up the present.
 * If your opponent walks over the river, try to knock him down because he will then suffer from Icy Ground.
 * If your opponent has picked up a present on the river, walk over the river to their side, stand in his way and knock him down.

Knock downs

 * Use Snowballs affected by Hidden Rock and Mega Snowball to knock opponents down and force them to drop their presents. Knockdowns at close range allow you to steal their presents before they can retrieve it themselves.
 * Snowballs can be dodged given sufficient distance.
 * Very skillful players carrying presents will drop a present, dodge an otherwise unavoidable knockdown snowball and then quickly pickup the dropped present.
 * Use Ice Fort when expecting knockdowns that are too close to dodge. Skills can be used while inside the Ice Fort. Ice Fort will not prevent you from dropping a present, but allow you to pick it right back up.
 * Knock downs, Avalanche, Icicles or Icy Ground can keep opponents inside the area of Holiday Blues longer.
 * When Mega Snowball is available and you have Hidden Rock, use a normal Snowball first to knock down the enemy twice, so Hidden Rock isn't wasted on Mega Snowball which already knocks down.

Gods' skills

 * Avalanche is a good snare. It has also an AoE range, but focus using it on the "gift-runner". Or use it so your gift runner might deliver his present.
 * Yellow Snow is the only condition-removing skill in this minigame.
 * When running presents, it is more important to save this for removing the cripple caused by Avalanche.
 * You can stack Yellow Snow and Hidden Rock.

Warrior

 * Try to help your teammates, especially those with the presents, with "Let's Get 'Em!".
 * You may also use the speed buff if running to the present. If you are faster than your opponent, you save one knock down to get the present back.
 * If teammates are nearby, consider using the shout to quickly charge Mega Snowball.
 * Do not use "Let's Get 'Em!" on an ally who has the Icy Ground effect hindering them, as it will have no effect until they are not hindered anymore.

Ranger

 * You are equipped with a spammable AoE skill. Flurry of Ice deals 50 damage per foe, but does not grant you any adrenaline.
 * It can be useful to use this skill instead of normal Snowballs even if you only hit one foe, given the faster activation.

Monk

 * Try to cast Ice Breaker on the teammate with the present, that will not only give him health regeneration, but also confound the opponents trying to catch him. As one will be knocked down after attacking your teammate, he will be unable to steal the present alone.

Necromancer

 * You can cast Holiday Blues, a powerful Well spell that causes -15 health degeneration; however, health degeneration is capped at -10, so all foes will only suffer -10 health degeneration, including foes that have Ice Breaker on them. Unfortunately, you will lose half of your maximum health instantly after use, so make sure to use this skill wisely.
 * Use this skill if you know that you will die anyway.
 * If you are below 50% maximum health, use this skill for a quick teleport to your side of the map (via resurrection).
 * Consider in which situation using Holiday Blues might be better than healing oneself with "Mmmm. Snowcone!".
 * If you are on your team's side and below 50% maximum health along with being stressed with conditions and/or Snow Down the Shirt, do not fear from using this skill. You will be immediately resurrected.
 * Consider using knock downs to keep opponents inside the area of Holiday Blues longer.
 * Consider using Holiday Blues on opponent's Jack Frosts, which will cause the spirits to be automatically killed.

Mesmer

 * Watch for opponents that try to cast Mega Snowball or Hidden Rock. With Blinding Snow, you can interrupt this opponent.
 * Blinding Snow's added condition is useful as a quickly applied cover condition for cripple.
 * Note: Blind does not affect spell-based projectiles such as Snowball.

Elementalist

 * This class has a snare. Icicles can negate the effect of "Let's Get 'Em!", so this can be very useful against the "gift-runners".
 * Note: Although Icicles states that it inflicts cold damage, that damage ignores armor.

Assassin

 * Beginners should use Side Step mainly as self-heal. Using the skill causes a random shadow step which can be advantageous, but also teleport you to the unwanted direction.
 * Beware if you are carrying a present because you will leave the bundle at your previous location.
 * In some situations, if you have a partner that walks with you, you may use it and allow your teammate to recover the present.
 * Skillful players use Side Step to dodge snowballs thrown from close range when carrying presents. They avoid a knockdown and pickup their dropped present quickly.

Ritualist

 * This class should cast their Binding Ritual in a strategic area.
 * The first Jack Frost can be cast shortly after the start before the first present has spawned.
 * There are four fixed spawning places for presents. Accordingly, you should cast it near those places, as your foes will most likely walk towards those places.
 * Jack Frost can help interrupt players hexed with Snow Down the Shirt.

Paragon

 * This skill is at its most useful when the distance between teams is great, such as when catching a "gift-runner" with a fast knockdown. It can also be helpful for a fast interrupt of foes hexed with Snow Down the Shirt.

Dervish

 * Be aware of the aftercast delay caused when your form runs out, as it will interrupt any skills you are activating at the time. If you are carrying a gift when your form runs out, you will not drop it, but you will stop moving.
 * Snowball and Mega Snowball are the only skills which incur the health benefits of your forms.