Introduction
Joining squads can feel overwhelming at first, especially with the variety of abbreviations, roles, and expectations involved. However, understanding how to navigate the Looking for Group (LFG) tool, interpret squad listings, and prepare for encounters will make the process seamless. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to confidently join a squad and take part in raids and boss fights.
Let's dive headfirst into the jargon, as it's bound to be the first thing you encounter when browsing any raid LFG. For those new to the scene, a quick heads-up: you can access the raid LFG by pressing Y (default keybinding) and scrolling down to the raids section.
Once you've arrived, the list might seem a bit cryptic—packed with acronyms and numbers. But don't worry, you're about to unravel the mystery and navigate this world like a pro!
Squad Requirements
The first thing to identify when joining raid groups in Guild Wars 2 is whether you're raiding on the EU or NA server.
- EU groups typically require LI ()
- NA groups normally request KP (Kill Proof) for specific bosses such as;
- (Xera)
- (Cairn)
- (Mursaat Overseer).
How do I obtain Legendary Insights?
A single is earned by successfully completing each encounter in Wings 1–8 of Raids. Each encounter rewards one per week, with a total of 28 obtainable per week across all raid wings.
Additionally, you can acquire one per week by completing the Strike Mission Challenge Modes available in End of Dragons or Secrets of the Obscure (SotO).
How do I obtain Kill Proofs?
Kill Proofs can also be obtained by completing encounters, as they are found within boss coffers. Each coffer rewards a random quantity of Kill Proofs, ranging from 1 to 5.
Other recognized Kill Proofs include:
- Legendary Armor.
- Titles such as Envoy's Herald (awarded for obtaining all three Legendary Armor sets).
- Titles earned by completing Raid Challenge Mote content.
Understanding the Encounter Lingo
In the Looking for Group (LFG) tool, you’ll usually see squads listing the Raid Wing or specific encounter they plan to tackle. Raid Wing are often abbreviated to 'W'—for example, W1 indicates Wing 1, while W1–W4 signifies a full run from Wing 1 through Wing 4.
Some squads focus on clearing specific bosses, which can lead to more complex acronyms. The table below will help decode these abbreviations for clarity.
You might also notice squads listing the wing followed by boss numbers instead of names, such as W1 B123 or W4 B234, to outline the encounters they intend to complete.
| Raid Boss | Acronym | Number Format |
|---|---|---|
| Vale Guardian | VG | W1B1 |
| Gorseval | Gors | W1B2 |
| Sabetha | Sab | W1B3 |
| Slothasor | Sloth | W2B1 |
| Prison Camp | Trio | |
| Matthias Gabriel | Matt | |
| Siege the Stronghold | Escort | |
| Keep Construct | KC | |
| Twisted Castle | TC | |
| Xera | Xera | |
| Cairn | Cairn | W4B1 |
| Mursaat Overseer | MO | W4B2 |
| Samarog | Sama | W4B3 |
| Deimos | Deimos | W4B4 |
| Soulless Horror | SH | |
| River of Souls | River, Rainbow Road or RR | |
| Statues of Grenth | Statues | |
| Dhuum | Dhuum | |
| Conjured Amalgamate | CA | W6B1 |
| Twin Largos | Largos or Twins | W6B2 |
| Qadim | Q1 or Qadim1 | W6B3 |
| Gates of Ahdashim | Gate | |
| Cardinal Adina | Adina | |
| Cardinal Sabir | Sabir | |
| Qadim the Peerless | Q2, Qadim2 or QTP | |
| Greer, the Blightbringer | Greer | |
| Decima, the Stormsinger | Decima | |
| Ura, the Steamshrieker | Ura |
Which Class do they want?
So now you understand the requirements and which wing, encounter or boss the LFG is looking for. Now it’s time to learn the acronyms for classes or specific builds.
Almost all class acronyms are extremely self explanatory as they derive from the class or specialization name. Check out the table below for the most common ones.
| Profession | Acronym |
|---|---|
| Tempest | Temp |
| Catalyst | Cata |
| Scourge | Scg |
| Harbinger | Harb |
| Chronomancer | Chrono |
| Engineer | Engi |
| Holosmith | Holo |
| Mechanist | Mech |
| Daredevil | DD |
| Deadeye | DE |
| Soulbeast | Slb |
| Untamed | Unt |
| Dragonhunter | DH |
| Firebrand | FB |
| Willbender | WB |
| Renegade | Ren |
| Vindicator | Vindi |
| Berserker | Zerker |
| Spellbreaker | Spb |
| Bladesworn | blsw |
Power, Conditon, Quickness or Alacrity? Which one!?
Let's run through a few examples that you might run into on the LFG.
For example, if a squad is looking for a Condition Soulbeast, they might write 'cSlb' in the LFG. Similarly, for a Power Soulbeast, they might use 'pSlb'.
Likewise for a Firebrand that produces Quickness they might have 'qFB' or 'qcFB'. The final one dictates a Condition Quickness Firebrand.
Some elite specializations, like Firebrand, can carry out a variety of roles which means that squads will always specify exactly what they are looking for. Here are two common examples:
This type of nomenclature is also common with Heal Scourge or Heal Renegade.
| Profession | Acronym |
|---|---|
| Power | p |
| Condition | c |
| Quickness | q |
| Alacrity | a |
| Power Quickness | pq |
| Power Alacrity | pa |
| Condition Quickness | cq |
| Condition Alacrity | ca |
The final few strange words you might come across are normally linked to the encounter specific role or the trait that is required. The latter becomes slightly more complicated as they are constantly changing with the meta.
- The hand kiter role for Deimos is typically shortened to HK.
Don’t get this confused with 'Kiter', as this can be used for Sabetha, Dhuum, Qadim and Qadim the Peerless.
- For Sabetha, this would dictate who is going to be kiting her Flak Shot.
- At Dhuum, it will be for who is kiting the Messengers.
- At Qadim, it’s the player who will kill the lava elementals around Qadim.
- Finally, at Qadim the Peerless three kiters are required for the Pylons.
Additional, certain mechanics such as 'Cannons' or 'Greens' might be asked for. These relate to destroying the cannons at Sabetha or dealing with the 'Green' mechanic at Dhuum.
Joining the Squad
Now that you know the squad's requirements, the boss or encounter they’re tackling, and the classes they need, what’s next?
First, ask yourself: do you meet the requirements? Is this the encounter you want to take on? Do you have the right build or class for the role? If the answer is yes, go ahead and join the squad! Typically, the squad commander will ask you to confirm the role you’re filling and to 'ping' your LI or KP.
If all of this still feels overwhelming, the best way to start raiding is by joining training groups. Both EU and NA regions have a wide variety of training groups designed to help you begin your raiding journey!
As mentioned earlier, pretending to have experience you don’t actually possess is risky and will likely result in an awkward situation after the first boss pull. So it’s best to avoid doing that.