Update Notes (14 May 2014)
Updated Life ward descriptions across the guide.
Changed the Commonly Used Wards section to reflect the current meta.
Added !EQQ to protect against Geyser and Tidal Wave.

Update Notes (20 Feb 2014)
Removed finger numbers for the wards (less complicated now). Added "Word Wards" section at the bottom.

Update Notes (18 Feb 2014)
Recently updated Status Effects, Commonly Used Wards (still needs update), Countering Magicks with Wards, Effects of Elements in Wards.


Warning: Wards will not remove status effects that are currently affecting you. If you are burning and you put a fire ward on yourself, you will take reduced (50% or 100%) damage from the burning ticks but you will still be burning. Any further fire will not lengthen the burning effect.

This guide uses Lemon Notation when describing spells. Read about it in the linked guide below.
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=196132827

This guide assumes you know the basics. If you don't know the basics, read the linked guide by the fantastic [Lemons] team.
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=186205747
And go join https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/groups/TranceAcademy#
And check out These Tutorials[forum.paradoxplaza.com] by Sound of Trance.


I will add pictures at a later time. This is of course a work in progress.

Burning
Damage over time. You can put yourself out by self casting Water (!Q) or Cold (!R). Caused by spells that include Fire.

Wet
You take double damage from the first tick Lightning damage you receive or set to ~50% Chill from the first source of Chill you receive. Taking either of these effects will remove the Wet status. Self-cast Fire (!F) to remove Wet a safer way. Caused by spells that include Water.

Chilled
All animations are slowed by a certain amount dependant on the severity of the Chill. Self-cast Fire (!F) to remove the Chilled effect. Caused by spells that include Cold.

Frozen
Cannot do anything except spam the left mouse button until you are unfrozen. Caused by spells that include Cold when hitting 100% Chilled status. You are immune to physical damage except above a certain threshold. Only a fully charged Earth projectile (DDD), a fully charged Beared Axe swing or a fully charged Gungnir throw can go over the threshold and when that happens, you take 10 times that physical damage (instant death).

Knocked Down/Pushed/Tossed
Cannot do anything for the duration of the animation. Caused by Earthquake (!DDD), Water Wall (QEQ), Water Spray (QQQ) (!QQQ), Water Barrier (QED) or Mines (SE) (WE).

Ministun
Split second of inaction. Caused by spells that contain Lightning.

Tips For Removing Status Effects

• Self casting Beam, Earthquake and Spray spells will remove status effects. Self casting lightning spells will not. Examples: !SFS, !DFF, !FFF will all remove the Chill and Wet status effects. On the other hand, !AFF will not remove either status effect.
  
• When allies are nearby, try to remove status effects using short range self cast spells and infuse them with life. Rather than casting !FFF, try simply using !WF.
  
• When enemies are nearby, use the biggest and baddest self cast spells to both damage your enemies and remove your own status effects. !FFF, !SFS and !DDF are all viable options when chilled or wet.
  
• Sometimes a status effect is advantageous with the proper ward. If you are Burning while having a Fire ward, you are not chilled or wet as easily since getting hit by spells that induce either of those two status effects will remove your Burning first.

Cold Lightning Ward - !ERA
With the recent nerfs to Earthquake and the current state of lightning, this is the best ward when faced with someone who uses ARA often. Most people do so this should be one you instictively cast.

Double Fire Ward - !EFF
This protects you from EDF which is one of the biggest sources of dps in the game right now. Don't keep it on for long as you can easily fall prey to chill.

Life Wards - !EWx
Life wards in general were buffed recently so that they actually are somewhat useful. !EWW grants 50 life per second regeneration but completely negates healing on yourself. !EWx grants 25 life per second but halves healing on yourself.

Lightning Lightning Ward - !AEA
Put this on when you get trapped inside of a Lightning Storm. This will reduce the damage per bolt from 600 to 300 and grant you twice as long to get out. The best way to avoid this is to Teleport or Haste out.

Fire Fire Ward - !FEF
Use this to negate 100% of the damage from Conflagration or to negate ~50% of the damage from Tactical Dragon Strike. TDS will still do 125 per tick. Note that you are very vulnerable to Chill with this ward so watch out.

Earth Earth Ward - !EDD
Use this if you are being chased by Death or someone uses Tornado or Nature's Call. This will reduce the damage Death does from 1100 to 550, completely negate the Tornado CC effect, and negate the damage dealt by Nature's call from both the impact and the imps. The imps from Nature's call apply the Wet affect so watch out when using lightning around them.

Earth Cold Ward - !RED
This ward will help you survive Mighty Hail. It will negate the Chill/Freeze effect that each missile does but cause them to deal 350 damage on hit. It is much easier to simply walk out with this ward.

Earth Fire Ward - !EFD
Use this when inside of a Meteor Shower. Each meteor will do 500 damage instead of 750 and it will negate the burning effect. It is very dangerous to remain inside of a meteor shower for long.

Water Water Ward - !EQQ
Use this ward to negate the effects of Geyser and Tidal Wave. At the moment, a well placed Geyser can pretty much instant kill.

Fire Wards
The easiest way to counter any Fire ward is by using Water in tandem with Cold or Lightning. When you apply Wet to anyone with a Fire ward, they will not be able to dry themselves and then following that quickly with Cold, they won't be able to unfreeze themselves since the Fire ward protects them from ALL Fire effects.

Non-Earth Wards
Any Ward without earth is vulnerable to Earth Projectiles (DDD) and Knockdowns (!DDD). Use this to your advantage and constantly stay close to the enemy and harass them with the Earthquake or Projectiles.

Earth Wards
These are very hard to deal with because you can't knock them down. You can rely on the fact that they are slower and Water still affects them. The most effective resistance they can have with Earth is Cold so that leaves them open to any Lightning or Fire strategy. The easiest way to deal with them is to force them to change to something without Earth and follow up with the Non-Earth Ward strategy.

Life Wards
Your enemy is sacrificing burst healing for passive healing, so burst damage is the most effective.

Death Death Ward
This is becoming more common because of the ESS mine strategy so if you see anyone using this, assume that they are trying to use mines. Use the Non-Earth Ward strategy and also push them back with (QQQ) Water sprays. You can very easily freeze them then.

Other Wards
Most other wards are fairly easy to handle. Just use the elements that they are not warding against and force them to take time to switch wards.

• If you are being attacked by a beam with no allies nearby, put up a bubble shield (!E) rather than a regular shield since the bubble shield will perfectly reflect the beam without you having to spend time moving your mouse behind your player. Using a bubble shield when being attacked by a spray is good too since you can move outside of the bubble shield and still be protected while they are inside.
  
  
• Always be aware of what counters people can use against your ward. Make sure to anticipate the counter and be able to act against it.
  
  
• Don't switch your ward because of a single spell someone threw at you. It takes time that you could be using to attack, interrupt or get away.
  
  
• Never switch to another ward because of a beam spell. It is easy enough to throw up a shield and counter with something else.
  
  
• If you aren't cool under pressure, consider switching to the Dagger so that when you violently spam buttons and right clicks, you recover faster from just plainly swinging your weapon.
  
  
• Never use a beam for more than a couple of seconds since the opponent will most likely throw a shield up which will reflect the beam and knock you down.

Fire
Reduced damage from Fire and Burning effect. You cannot be set aflame nor can you dry yourself if you are Wet or Chilled. You are vulnerable to any Water based plays (Lightning or Cold).

Lightning
Reduced damage from Lightning and you cannot be Ministunned. You will take less damage from casting Lightning while Wet.

Cold
Reduced damage from Cold and immune to Chill effect. You cannot use Cold to put yourself out when Burning.

Water
Immune to Wet effect and reduced pushback from water. You cannot use Water to put yourself out when you are Burning.

Earth
Cannot be knocked down. Reduced movement speed. Reduced pushback effect from mines and other explosions (non-Water).

Death
Reduced Death damage.

Life
A passive healing over time. Also reduces healing from all other sources except the ward.

Fire Fire Ward - !FEF
You take no damage from Fire. You are immune to Conflagration and the Tactical Dragon Strike damage is halved to 125. This’ll also help against a meteor strike but you can’t do much about it except run. Pay attention to anyone trying to freeze you as you cannot unfreeze yourself.

Fire Lightning Ward - !AEF
50% Fire and Lightning damage taken. You won’t take the Ministun from Lightning. You are still incredibly vulnerable to Freezing and Physical damage.

Fire Death Ward - !SEF
50% Fire and Death damage taken. Once again, vulnerable to Chill, Freezing, Lightning, and Physical damage.

Fire Earth Ward - !EFD or !EDF
50% Fire and highly reduced Physical damage taken. Immune to Knockdown. This is what you use to get out of the Meteor Shower. Still vulnerable to Chill, Freezing and Lightning.

Fire Water Ward - !QEF
50% Fire and 0% Steam damage taken. You experience 50% reduced knockback from Water. This is vulnerable to Earth, Cold and Death.

Fire Life Ward - !WEF
50% Fire damage taken. Healing reduced by 50%. You gain 25 health per second.

Lightning Lightning Ward - !AEA
You take no damage from lightning. This is useful only if you get trapped in a Lightning Storm Magick as you will take 300 damage per bolt rather than 600 damage. Get out of there as fast as you can. You can also cast a Healing Lightning Wall (EAW) and stand inside of it to receive a healing effect.

Lightning Fire Ward - !AEF
50% Lightning and Fire damage taken. You won’t burn but you won’t be able to dry yourself if you are wet or chilled.

Lightning Death Ward - !ASE
50% Lightning and Death damage taken. That’s all there is to it. Vulnerable to status effects.

Lightning Cold Ward - !AER
50% Lightning and Cold damage taken. You do not suffer the chill or frozen effects. You can’t put yourself out using Cold but you can still use Water. This is widely used.

Lightning Life Ward - !AWE
50% Lightning damage taken. Healing reduced by 50%. You gain 25 health per second.

Cold Cold Ward - !RER
You take no damage from the Cold element. Any other combination of Cold ward is better than this since Cold does very little damage (Except EDR).

Cold Lightning Ward - !AER
50% Cold and Lightning damage taken. You are immune to Lightning's ministun. This is widely used since it combats the Wet effect on Lightning and removes any Chill play out of the picture.

Cold Death Ward - !SER
50% Cold and Death Damage. Solid ward but most do not rely on pure Death for damage.

Cold Earth Ward - !ERD
50% Cold and highly reduced Physical damage taken. Immune to Knockdowns. Decreased speed. Very good ward when in combat and fairly close to the enemy.

Cold Water Ward - !QER
50% Cold and 50% Steam damage taken. 50% reduced knockback from Water. You will not be able to put yourself it if you are burning. This ward is vulnerable to Fire, Earth and Death.

Cold Life Ward - !WER
50% Cold damage taken. Healing reduced by 50%. You gain 25 health per second.

Water Water Ward - !QEQ
100% reduced and reflected Water pushback. Example: Escher casts a water spray (QQQ) at you; you stand still while he himself gets pushed back.

Water Death Ward - !QSE
50% Death damage taken and 50% reduced Water pushback. Most people don't use only Death damage so you are still fairly vulnerable to status effects.

Water Earth Ward - !QED
Highly reduced Physical damage taken and 50% reduced Water and explosion pushback. You move slower. You are immune to Knockdowns. This is pretty effective against Lightning and Physical damage.

Water Fire Ward - !QEF
50% Fire damage taken, 0% Steam damage taken and 50% reduced Water pushback. You cannot use Fire to dry yourself if you are Chilled.

Water Cold Ward - !QER
50% Cold damage taken and 50% reduced Water pushback. You cannot be Chilled or Frozen. You cannot put yourself out if on Fire.

Water Life Ward - !QWE
50% Reduced Water pushback. Healing reduced by 50%. You gain 25 health per second.

Death Death Ward - !SES
0% Death damage taken. Could to use in conjunction with close range mines.

Death Fire Ward - !SEF
50% Fire and Death damage taken. Immune to burning but vulnerable to Lightning and Cold since you can't dry yourself if Wet or Chilled.

Death Lightning Ward - !ASE
50% Lightning and Death damage taken. Immune to Lightning's Ministun. Overall fairly decent.

Death Cold Ward - !SER
50% Cold and Death damage taken. Immune to Chilled and Frozen. Good against Cold Mines and the like. Can't use Cold to put yourself out if you are Burning but Water is still an option.

Death Earth Ward - !ESD
50% Death and 50% Physical damage taken. Immune to Knockdown and resistant to Toss and Pushback. You move slower. Vulnerable to Fire, Cold and Lightning.

Death Water Ward - !QSE
50% Death damage taken. Immune to Wet. Can't use Water to put yourself out if Burning but Cold is still an option. Less vulnerable to Cold and Lightning.

Life Life Ward - !EWW
Gives you 50 Life per second. Negates all healing on yourself completely. This is pretty good if you aren't at full health and want to get to a spawn point a bit quicker.

Life Earth Ward - !EWD
You take 50% less Physical damage and are immune to knockdown and resistant to pushback from mines and water. Gives you 25 Life per second. Halves all healing on yourself.

Life Lightning Ward - !EWA
You take 50% less Lightning damage and are immune from the lightning Mini-stun. Gives you 25 Life per second. Halves all healing on yourself.

Life Fire Ward - !EWF
You take 50% less Fire damage and are immune to the Burning status. Gives you 25 Life per second. Halves all healing on yourself.

Life Water Ward - !EWQ
You are pushed back 50% less by water and are immune to the Wet status. Gives you 25 Life per second. Halves all healing on yourself.

Life Cold Ward - !EWR
You take 50% less Cold damage and are immune to the Chill and Frozen statuses. Gives you 25 Life per second. Halves all healing on yourself.

!ARE
!AWE
!DEW
!EAR
!ERA
!FEW
!RED
!SEA
!WED