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How is PvP done in this game?
unholy414
Member Posts: 37
I am considering buying CoH for the PvP but I can't seem to find any solid info on how the PvP is done in this game.
Are people able to go into lowbie areas and slaughter greys? Is it instanced like Guild Wars? Level restrictions like in EQ2?
Please be specific. Thank you.
Comments
Not many PvP players. It is mostly done on a group vs group basic...but everything is possible in theory.
Everyone is of the same level inside a PvP zone, everyone is brought to that level, but level 50s still get significants edges over a lower level...while a level 1 might be the same level, he still only has his basic attack. The devs dreams about PvP and change a LOT of stuff for PvP...but the player-base is PvE centric. You would prolly be doing yourself a favor if you manage to learn which server have more PvP, and this I can't say as I don't care to PvP myself.
This is a clear example of devs enforcing on the player community an aspect the players doesn't want. Yet luckily for the devs, most players ignore this PvP rather than be angry about it. The SoE syndrom if you want. But it is not too developped and their might still be hope for these devs...maybe...
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
Overall this game excels in PvE, not PvP, and it wasn't designed for PvP originaly, it was designed for PvE so that is naturaly where it should excel.
don't click this link...
As others have said, the PvP zones are level restricted. A certain zone might be accessible to any character level 15 and up, with everyone being equalized to level 25 upon entry. Of course, a level 15 will still be short on attacks and will be less powerful than his level 50 counterpart, so there's still a disparity, but it's not impossible for the underdog to come out on top.
I think PvP itself is pretty exciting and more balanced than in other games I've tried. There are a lot of interesting effects in the game that can be applied to one another, and a lot of different tactics, plus the added fun of chasing each other through the air. Aside from a few balance issues, I think PvP in CoX really turned out to be a lot of fun.
I think every one before me summed up the experience nicely, but I wanted to underscore that at it's heart, CoH/CoV is a PvE game and PvP is quite 'tacked on.'
And while the temporary level adjustment in the PvP zones help a lower-level character compete with higher-level ones, to be truly effective in PvP you will want to reach level 50 and adjust your build accordingly (Respec'ing can be done after completing a 2-3 hour grouped instance). Though YMMV, reaching level 50 takes a long time in CoH (a few months for most) and can *only* be done by grinding through the PvE content/mobs. In other words, most of your time will probably be spent PvE'ing, not PvP'ing.
double post
your arguement is so persuasive, so filled with knowledge and insight. You back up your argument very articulately, with suggestions of improvements and raising examples to glorify your position....oh wait, you didn't
There are 3 PVP zones that are villians vs heroes (Bloody Bay, Siren's Call, Recluse's Victory and SG base raids) and 1 pvp zone that is free for all (Warburg).
The following link has a nice PVE players guide to PVP Zones.
I've participated in Bloody Bay, Siren's Call and Warburg. Each zone has it's mini-game. I really enjoy Warburg. Stealilng scientists from other players and finally getting the missile launch code was very satifying. You even get to launch a nuclear missile at the end.
One thing to keep in mind is that the PVP is not 1 player vs 1 player orientation. A tank vs a stalker may be an uneven match but the dynamics shine with teams working together.
I enjoyed the PvP when I played CoH. Just don't exepct to go in and solo and kick butt (unless your a really good stalker build) I played a lot with my Blapper in those zones and surprised a lot of stalkers who TPed me to them. I could survive their assassin strike and then lay down a lot of hurt on them.
So far as I remember, there is no xp debt if you are killed in PvP, but if you happen to be beaten down and land in a mob who finishes you off, expect debt
your arguement is so persuasive, so filled with knowledge and insight. You back up your argument very articulately, with suggestions of improvements and raising examples to glorify your position....oh wait, you didn't
Which means you have to be specialized to be an effective PvPer or PvEer. Since you can't switch between
builds, you're stuck with one or the other. Or, as jay pointed out, you play through the PvE content, do the Respec Mission, then change your build to a PvP-centric one.
The rock-paper-scissors type of balancing common in most MMOs is present in CoH/V, so you really are better on a team where others can fill in for your weaknesses. It's pointless to PvP solo.
I'm not fond of PvP in MMOs; I prefer FPS games where everyone is exactly identical, or at least close enough for government work. I have yet to play an MMO's PvP that was any fun. Either you dominate or you get pwned, with very little middle ground.
trike - Actually PvP builds are generally pretty good at PvE. . . it's just that you have to make a PvP build. There are entire ATs that are not suited to PvP - even if they can find a team. Tanks for instance are useless in PvP because with the crazy fast movement that everyone in the game posesses, it is really difficult to get off melee shots, so you better have something killer to lay on people (like a scrapper's alpha-strike). Likewise, dominators and controllers rarely are useful as skilled PvP players always carry tons of inspirations to get out of their holds.
Blappers, scrappers, and defenders (supporting teams) do well in PvP. Meanwhile, for villains it's all about being a spines stalker, everything else sucks by comparison at PvP. . . however, corrupters in teams are good support (even for each other - a group of 8 corrupters of various types that buff and heal one another can soak tons of damage and can deal enough to take squishies out - if they target together).
Still, it's tacked on PvP. If they'd designed the game with PvP from the start, you can bet that we would have an entirely different game. Travel powers would become a huge trade-off where if you took them, you would constantly use them to try to avoid being hit (as people did with super-jump, etc. before suppression). However, you would get many fewer power choices and/or they'd be less powerful in order to promote some heroes having to take slower means for travel (though they'd have to simulate travel by letting us select the maps instead of running to subways or boats and they'd be smart to put in vehicle animations to show us driving off on motorcycles, cars, helicopters, or whatever. .. but they'd still all just be map load ins and outs.
Also, they could design the PvP so that there are objectives that are meaningful and rewards that are meaningful so that people actually care about winning the zone's objective instead of caring more about killing each other. . .
You don't see wars between huge numbers of heroes and villains in the comic books. . . so I honestly would have gone a whole different way with the PvP than to make it in zones. I would have had heroes or villains go on "missions" where the villains go to a named trainer to plan an invasion or a robbery or something into Paragon City. At the same time, heroes would queue up to defend the city from villains by turning on a flag that says they are game for it. Then the caper would go down with the villain team killing insignificant NPCs that just die (honestly, the fact that my villain has so much trouble with security guards is SUPER FRUSTRATING. If you want me to think that my katana is real and not made of plastic, or that my ninjas are actually awesome killing machines, then they should take out a freaking bank security guard in one freaking shot! Longbow or some other super-villain agency should ALWAYS be required.) and trying to get the money or whatever before the heroes can take them all out.
That would be cool. You'd get a story-driven caper that feels villainous that is in a small enough area that even melee players could get off hits (though they will have to work at it still - which is appropriate for balance), and it would be even teams and objective based.
Oh well. I promise the games I will eventually make won't suck.
The big issue with PvP is that certain archetypes are simply outmatched by others. Scrappers can pretty easily dominate with their high DPS and protection from status effects, for example, while Defenders are easy prey because of their lower DPS and lack of status protection. Some fights are epic, while others are over before they begin, depending on the archetypes involved.