Clan War Guide
Clan War is the weekly territory conflict at the heart of Vampires vs. Werewolves. Two clans stake their banners on a contested map, fight for control nodes, and race to break each other's keep before the timer runs dry. This guide walks you through declaring war, holding territory, timing your siege, and coordinating a 20-player roster so your banner is the one still flying at reset.
Fast summary: Declare against a clan within ±150 ladder rating. Grab the three central control nodes in the first 10 minutes, defend them through the mid-war lull, then commit your full stack to the enemy keep during the final Siege Phase when node income has snowballed your Advantage meter. Coordinate on voice, focus enemy healers, and never split your stack below 12 during a keep push.
How Clan War Works
A Clan War match is a 90-minute contest between two clans of up to 20 active members each. The battlefield holds five capturable control nodes — three central and two flanking — plus a defensible keep for each side. Holding nodes generates War Score per tick and charges your clan's Advantage meter; a full Advantage meter halves the enemy keep's shield regeneration, which is how most decisive sieges are won. Learn the underlying rules on the clan system page before you queue.
Step by Step: Winning a Clan War
- Declare against a fair target. Open the War Board and challenge a clan within ±150 ladder rating. Even matches award full ladder points; stomping a much weaker clan is capped, and losing to a much stronger one is forgiven, so aim for genuine parity.
- Set your roster and roles. Lock in 20 fielded members: 2 tanks, 4 healers, 14 DPS. Bench anyone below 70% attendance — a no-show node is a lost node. Assign a node captain to each central point.
- Open with the central rush. In the first 10 minutes, send eight players to seize the three central nodes. Central nodes generate the most War Score and deny the enemy the map's high ground.
- Trade the flanks deliberately. Flank nodes are worth less. Contest them with a mobile 3-player harass squad rather than committing your main stack; the goal is to bleed enemy time, not to hold ground you cannot defend.
- Survive the mid-war lull. Between minutes 30 and 60 both Advantage meters climb slowly. Rotate healers, bank cooldowns, and rez-cycle at your keep. Whoever panics and over-extends here usually loses their central hold.
- Time the siege on the Advantage break. When your Advantage meter fills, the enemy keep shield stops regenerating for 90 seconds. That is your window — stack 12+ players on the keep and burn the shield before it recovers.
- Focus and finish. Kill enemy healers first, then their keep guardian. Do not chase stragglers; every second off the keep lets the shield tick back. Break the core and the war is yours.
War-Phase Timeline
Every Clan War follows the same three-phase rhythm. Knowing which phase you are in tells you whether to grab, hold, or push.
- 0:00 – 10:00 — Land Grab. Both clans sprint for nodes. Priority: three central points. Score income is low but positioning decides the next hour.
- 10:00 – 30:00 — Contest. Skirmishes over contested nodes. Rotate your harass squad, deny enemy flank captures, and start banking Advantage.
- 30:00 – 60:00 — Attrition. The mid-war lull. Hold what you own, cycle cooldowns, and let node income compound. Discipline beats aggression here.
- 60:00 – 80:00 — Siege Phase. Advantage meters approach full. Keep shields become vulnerable on each break. Commit your stack to the enemy keep on the first break you can convert.
- 80:00 – 90:00 — Overtime Sudden-Death. If no keep has fallen, all node income doubles and shields regenerate at half rate. Whoever holds more central nodes almost always closes it out.
Clan War Scoring Table
| Objective | Score / tick | Advantage charge | Ladder value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central node (each) | 30 | +2.0% | High |
| Flank node (each) | 15 | +1.0% | Medium |
| Enemy healer kill | 25 (once) | +0.5% | Medium |
| Keep shield break | 150 (once) | — | Very high |
| Keep core destroyed (win) | 1000 + instant win | — | Match win |
| Overtime node hold | 60 (doubled) | +4.0% | High |
Coordination That Wins Wars
Individual skill loses to a coordinated stack. Use voice chat and a shared call-out map. Appoint one shot-caller who decides when to commit to the keep — a single clear voice beats twenty players each guessing. Pre-assign focus targets so your burst lands on one enemy at a time; scattered damage heals off before anyone dies. If your clan fights the race war during the same window, schedule your Clan War at the same time to stack season objectives and double your reward pace.
Keep Learning
- Clan System overview — ranks, treasury, and how wars are matched.
- Wiki: Clans — full data on nodes, keeps, and season rewards.
- Clan Leadership Guide — recruit and retain the roster that wins wars.
- Eclipse War Strategy Guide — the faction-wide event that multiplies your war rewards.
- Faction War History — the lore of centuries of Vampire and Werewolf conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I declare a Clan War?
Any officer or the clan leader opens the War Board from the clan system panel and challenges a clan within ±150 ladder rating. The target clan has 24 hours to accept before the challenge expires and your ladder points are refunded.
How many players can fight in a Clan War?
Up to 20 members per clan are fielded at once. A recommended composition is 2 tanks, 4 healers, and 14 DPS, with any extra members benched as substitutes for no-shows.
Which control nodes should I capture first?
Always take the three central nodes first. They generate double the War Score of flank nodes and charge your Advantage meter twice as fast, which is what unlocks the enemy keep shield break during the Siege Phase.
When is the best time to siege the enemy keep?
Siege when your Advantage meter fills. A full meter stops the enemy keep shield from regenerating for 90 seconds. Commit 12 or more players in that window and burn the shield before it recovers.
What happens during the mid-war attrition lull?
Between minutes 30 and 60, node income compounds slowly and both Advantage meters climb. Hold your captured nodes, cycle healer cooldowns, and avoid over-extending. The clan that stays disciplined here usually reaches the Siege Phase with a lead.
How does overtime sudden-death work?
If no keep has fallen by the 80-minute mark, all node income doubles and keep shields regenerate at half rate for the final 10 minutes. The clan holding more central nodes at that point almost always closes out the win.
Do I lose ladder points for losing a war?
You lose points for losing to an evenly matched or weaker clan, but losses to a much higher-rated clan are heavily forgiven. This is why declaring against targets within ±150 rating is the safest way to climb.
How does Clan War connect to the race war?
Clan War victories feed your faction's total in the ongoing race war. Scheduling your Clan War during an active race-war window lets a single match count toward both objectives, doubling your season progress.
What is the Advantage meter and how do I fill it?
The Advantage meter fills as you hold nodes and kill enemy healers. A full meter halves enemy keep shield regeneration for 90 seconds — the decisive window for most sieges. Central nodes charge it fastest at +2.0% per tick.
Can free-to-play players compete in Clan War?
Yes. Clan War rewards coordination and attendance far more than spending. A well-organized free-to-play clan that shows up on schedule and focus-fires together routinely beats an unorganized clan of higher-geared players.