Tips and Tricks to the Low Geared / New PvP Player

[Pesmergia]

Good post.

I'd like to add a couple things.

1) get a gaming keyboard and learn how to use it with keybinds, this done efficiently will boost your gameplay 7 fold.

2) if you're a dps, always carry health potions, they can make or break a match, but dont waste them when you're against a premade or coordinated team unneeded.

3) already somewhat mentioned, stay grouped up, always, going in 2v10 will only get you killed, pay attention to your teammates position on the map.

4) dps, if possible, try to keep whetstones / spellcrystals on your weapons, this can get expensive, but if you farm for them, they will significantly increase your output.

5) have a good planar focus setup, a good planar focus with good essences plus good item enhancements on every slot are highly recommended.

6) know when to kite, when you notice people focusing you, pop cooldowns, run back to your team, this could save you a GY trip.

7) learn the other callings. Know their cooldowns, when to swap targets.

Some of these may have been mentioned but still need strong reiteration.

[Kaltfeuer]

great Thread!

While my pvp-dps-specc does mostly good burst damage im realy squishy with so little valor.
Thinking about an alternative and would like to know if someone can give some tips regarding a (warrior) tank/support build? (sadly i need rank3 for Subdue (taunts reduce dmg on other targets than you), so can't yet use that for a while))

What i would guess:
- using guard on healers (maybe high-ranked dps when no healer near)
- always have an eye on the healer(s)
- leaping (when available) into (melee-)groups and snaring+debuffing them
-stunning healers (or melees)
-use group-buff finishers
- pulling ranged into melee-range of your melee-group (if using Warlord or Voidknight-Soul)

what i'm not sure about is equipment.
I'm 50% through rank 1 so only have my pve dps and tank gear and 3pvp items.
Should i use dps or tank gear? dps for at least a bit additional dmg or tank for a bit more survivability? I know thoughness is useless in pvp but theres still endurance/block/dodge/parry?

[Skoshi]

If you are a toon that does not have any run speed, warps, etc... and you are not tank specced... kill people near the flag... and pray a tank picks it up.

When a tank runs to the flag and some cloth wearing DPS picks the thing up... it makes us sad... our whole purpose is for carrying those things... if someone attacks you we have little we can do about it because taunts are useless... and everyone has tons of anti-snare.

However if the tank picks it up and a DPS is following him and maybe a cleric... we are damn near unstoppable.... Or a riftstalker, bard, marksman who is running at double the speed and warping as fast as possible back to the base... that works also.

[ViolenceUndone]

1) get a gaming keyboard and learn how to use it with keybinds, this done efficiently will boost your gameplay 7 fold.

There's always varying views on this...but I don't use a keyboard.

The Ideazon Fang
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823161023

I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when this thing finally dies since SteelSeries bought out Ideazon and discontinued it. The button layout is something I could never live without. 1-11 and the Q.Save button is 12 (11 and 12 are the - and = keys). Add in all the buttons you need for bags, skills, character screen, etc. as well as plenty of extra keys for any macros or other useful stuff like Target Self. All without ever moving your hands from WASD so you can constantly be moving in any direction while hitting any skills. I use a Logitech G700 which has 3 buttons next to the left click that you can hit with your first finger and use them for ctrl/alt/shift in addition to the 4 buttons on the side with my thumb for other stuff. Having the modifier keys on the OTHER hand means I'm not finger dancing with my pinky planted in the bottom corner of my keyboard.

A lot of people advocate using gaming keyboards like the Logitech G series, but I find that the G keys are too far away to be of any real use in PvP. They're fine in PvE situations where you can plant yourself in one spot, but lose their effectiveness in PvP when you need to be moving (which is nearly all the time). If you are dead set on using a keyboard, I have a Filco mechanical Cherry-Brown switch keyboard which puts any Logitech or Razer to shame (and I used to only use Razer stuff). I find that it's better than the SteelSeries, but that's just personal preference. I have a second Filco that I use at work as a software engineer because the typing is leaps and bounds above any membrane-based keyboard for somebody that's typing quickly all day. Unlimited keys at once when plugged in through PS/2 (as it should be...USB was a step backwards for keyboards) and the key presses are very smooth and fast. I suppose I could get away with using ctrl/alt/shift and rearranging my keys so I only had to use `-6 (my comfortable reach without ever moving away from WASD), but even that leads to some finger dancing compared to the Fang.

Others also say you should bind keys to R/F/X/C/V/Z because they're around your WASD cluster, but I disagree. Hitting R/F/V means moving your pointer finger which means you can't be holding down E or D to strafe or turn (I keyboard turn once in a blue moon if I'm mousing around to click on a target, usually in conjunction with the opposite strafe direction to circle-strafe). The same goes for the other keys and the other fingers. The large flat keys on the Fang used to seem pointless to me until I realized I could slide my fingers around on them and use alternative fingers for movement while hitting different keys for skills. Even then, I very rarely need to do that. Having both jump and Tab on the knuckle/tip of my thumb also means less hand movement and tab targetting is much easier.

Another alternative to the Fang is the Nostromo, but I have one of those as well and hate it. The key layout is terrible in my opinion and was quite obviously created for FPS games and not MMOs. The D-pad is terrible for movement and if used for hotkeys leads to triggering too many of the wrong skills. If you use the finger keys for WASD, you end up with very few accessible skills. Overall, just not worth it.

TL;DR version: Get a specialized game surface. If you don't want to go that route, get a mechanical keyboard such as a Filco (import for around $150) or SteelSeries. Get a mouse that lets you hit ctrl/alt/shift so you don't have to finger dance on your keyboard to hit more than 6 or so hotkeys.

EDIT: One other note. Learn to use macros, but don't rely on just spamming one or two buttons. Even my 2-button specs have 3 full bars and I use every single one of those hotkeys. Yes, some classes/specs have it easier than others, but it's mostly the OTHER skills that differentiate a good player from every other macro spammer and will give you the advantage.

[Skoshi]

I looked at the Ideazon Fang for a while.

I never did quite fully enjoy my Belkin Nostromos or Saitek version of it.. so I hesitated on that Fang... I liked the concept of it because frankly a joystick doesn't handle WASD style movement well... you always seem to move the joystick in a place it doesn't recognize.

What I would suggest is looking at this :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823239006

It's the Steel Series keyboard with your fang on the left of it.

[Ganabul]

Even a 5 button mouse and key mapping software for the modifiers - shft, alt, ctrl - can be a real improvement. Anyway, general tips.

1. Move. Mouse move. Unless you are in a ranged duel were it's all about pouring on the dps, never stand still. Jump, run, learn how to do jump shot spins and cast instants, chase if you're melee; never stand still.

2. Don't backpedal or turret. No, seriously.

3. If you're pre-50, read this guide.

General war front tips:

4. Focus on the objectives. Walk, port, or stealth through firefights to get objectives. You'd be amazed how often it works.

5. call out info, not orders.

6. Have several specs, and know how to use them. Look at what other people in your team are running, and at what the other team are running.

7. Level still matters pre 50. That warfront buff won't save you if you're x+2 and picking the wrong fight.

8. If your buffs are instant, you can be moving when you cast them. Start moving when you respawn, and mount later.

Specific war front tips:

Black Garden:
There are damage buffs, left and right. Hardly anyone takes them, but you'll find yourself right in the backlines on your way back to the battle.

Runic library:
There's an unconscious tendency to run right at the start. Go left, and you often end up right on top of the other side's team's first rune carrier. This can be useful.

Yes, the jump is cool, but the teleporters give you wings.

Whitefall Steppes:
If you're on defence, get the blue ball whenever it pops. Much more than the red ball, it's key for escape routes.

Codex:
The fastest route is over the bridge.

Move.

[Liii]

Adjust to your team needs Example: If im in a grp that is light on healers i switch to a chlor hybrid to help and if im in a grp short on dps then i go full dps. I play a mage but having soul combos rdy to meet team needs helps greatlly in pvp.

[Teemofans]

let me add some points

1.) Follow your team but don't get too close to it

The aoe damage will kill you, riftstorm, sab, etc

you will die within five seconds even they do not target you

2.) Try to make use of the structures, blocking enemies' sight can taunt people to waste time on you if they chase you