Overextend

An overtextended warrior

In Guild Wars, overextending is the basic term given to one who wanders too far away from their party's backline, dangerously into an enemy mob. While often fatal when caught by a high-ranked guild, a well-organized team with high mobility (e.g. shadow stepping) would be able to overextend often (mostly to kill enemies even when they flee) without as much danger. Often in guild battles, overextension is required to apply pressure or to kill.

To prevent overextension, one should usually stay within their team's backline, where healing and protection is easily applied. Overextension is also problematic for a team's backline itself. For example, if a Dervish runs too deep into the enemy group, then becomes snared and attacked, the backline of the Dervish's team would be forced to run into the enemy group to apply healing and protection to the Dervish. Now, the backline itself is in danger of being snared and killed off.

Reasons for overextending in GvG

• A character with snares can overextend and slow down enemy flag runners.
• Melee characters can overextend to push a kiting monk out of heal range of the other characters, allowing you to spike characters out of the monk's range.
• Some targets are so far that they simply require overextension to be killed. An example would include an orders necromancer.
• A character can overextend through the team and put pressure on enemy footmen or NPCs.

Tips to prevent being killed while overextended

• Pay close attention to the other team's biggest damage dealers on your compass. If they've gotten off your soft armored teammates, and are converging on you, you should begin your retreat.
• Warn your monks or defense that you are being converged upon to possible death. Request buffs like Protective Spirit to be cast upon you, if not already present.
• Rarely should you ever overextend while playing a character with spellcaster armor.
• Consider bringing your own defensive stances or enchantments, such as Feigned Neutrality, that extend your lifespan if you're being converged on.
• Pay close attention to characters on the enemy's team who have the capability to snare you.
• If you have any damage mitigating or shutdown skills, like Blinding Surge, try to disable the enemy from doing any fatal damage until your monks get in range to heal and cleanse the extendee.