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How to Overcome Your Fears of PVP Zones


Special Thanks to jbertoglio for sharing this excellent guide with us. The original guide is posted on the FE members forum. Check it out and post your thoughts. The following version of the original guide has been slightly edited by the BFC, but the main concept and purpose remains the same.

If you have never been into PVP and feel inclined to avoid PVP Zones at all costs, we hope that after reading this short guide that you'll reconsider. There are some very good benefits to venturing into these dangerous areas, many more than may appear on the surface.


Here is a revised quote from the original guide:

"There are good reasons to enter PvP zones. Lets not debate that subject. PvP zones offer optimal ways to earn faction, collect material and even hit tourist telescopes. This is not about how to win at PvP. You won't. Don't try. Typically, you will be attacked while harvesting or something. You are wearing your looting gear and have probably let your combat buffs expire and the attacker gets several free attacks before you notice. You will die. The key is not to care. Success is all about attitude. IF you play FE and never fight NPCs (not sure how that is possible if you want to level) then you get killed in the game. Sometimes a lot. And while no one likes to get killed, most accept that as part of the game. So why is it that getting killed in a PvP zone hold such terror for folks?"

"Well, it is true that NPCs don't send immature hate tells and local chat. But, in fact, they are pretty rare in the PvP zones as well. The key is to simply treat the other players in your mind as NPC mobs. Smarter, often meaner and way more deadly. But just threats. The fact is that PvP is pretty civilized much of the time. The major PvP guilds are sort of like the Mafia. If you are an independent robber operating in a mob controlled city...you are asked to go elsewhere if they ask at all. The same is true for the PvP clans. They want action and know that griefing players and will often give those misbehaving in a zone the bum's rush."

To sum it up, don't worry about dieing, afterall, you are a clone and death is only a minor setback. The following are some ground rules taken from the original guide and intend to make your dangerous journey a bit less painful and likely much more rewarding in the end.


10 Solid Ground Rules:

  1. No one owes you anything. My turf, my rules. (Since it is never my turf, actually, it is THEIR rules.) If they say leave, go. If they say you can't harvest "their" nodes, leave or come back with a posse. It is NOT griefing to simply kill someone in a zone. If you are there, you are a target. It is up to you, to create a situation where you can accomplish your goals.


  2. Bribe. A lot of PvPers either hate crafting or are too low to make what they need. Ammo and average repair kits can go a long way to turn enemies in to friends. Asking someone while dead, "What can I do for you to let me stick around?" can give you both a pass and a defender. A killer can have a fine time keeping the creepers from killing you as well.


  3. Disarm and wave. A lot of even the nicest PvPers are trigger happy. Remember that (by default) you are pointing a gun at someone when you face them. Many carebears are killed for this reason. Often the person in the zone would rather have someone to chat with instead of killing. There is a surrender emote that can also be effective. To many PvPers, that is as good as a kill.


  4. Fighting is very inefficient and even PvPers often want to avoid it. When competing for resources, no one really wants to fight. If the resources are well covered, move on. If they are plenty to go around, odds are they won't mess with you because killing uses resources and they can't gather while they fight.


  5. Stick to the outer edges. Let the fighter have the inner clusters with the highest density. Pick the ones on the edges. I have leveled to 540 faction in Office Park by doing this. Perhaps 10-20% less efficient but the killers aren't interested in the outer nodes that are well guarded by NPC's and less dense.


  6. It is THEIR turf. You survive at the sufferance of the PvPers. Be polite. Even if their behavior does not invite it. If you don't like the behavior, gear up, learn to fight and kick them out. If their behavior is too infantile. Leave. Use region chat if you feel like you are REALLY seeing out of line behavior...don't involve the GM's. The senior PvP players in the area will come down on the offender if they are really out of line. But remember point #1: NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING in a PvP zone.


  7. When you die, ask for a rez. Much of the time, it will be granted. If not, simply move on. Remember: NPC's NEVER offer you a rez.


  8. Die quickly. Just sit down and let it happen. For some, this will end the fight because they honestly want good competition and have no interest in beating someone easily. For others, it will save time and ammo and they might be incline to be more liberal with a rez. Don't fight back. Just delays the inevitable. And NEVER shoot first. I have gotten killed several times shooting in the DIRECTION of a killer at NPCs. Big mistake. They can't tell the difference. Expecially with the new muzzle flashes.


  9. Ask for help. If you want to learn how to fight, ask your killer. Many will be pleased to help. This can also get you a pass for the rest of the session and your mentor may, in fact, defend you. There is a lot to learn and the PvP aces really are quite smart. They know things you don't.


  10. Remember they get Death Toll for killing you and that has value. But it diminish quickly so the incentive for serial killing is much lower. Fight clubbing is now illegal so "allowing/inviting" a player to kill you might be a problem. But you lose nothing in terms of Death Toll so a friendly kill and rez should not be taken as an aggressive move in a PvP zone.

This is merely a guide and not the law of the land. Take what you think best applies to you as an individual. If you limit your gameplay experience to only non-PVP Zones, then you are truly missing out on a very interesting game mechanic and some awesome rewards. Most players are mature and will respect your interest in what these areas have to offer. I have even made long-lasting friends with people I have killed or that have killed me. Step outside the box and take a deep breathe, because you are ready to shed the fear of death and venture into a whole new world of gameplay.


In conclusion, here is a revised quote from the original guide:

"I don't like getting killed in a PvP zone. Sometimes I REALLY don't like it. But the fact is I get killed less often in PvP zones than the nastiest NPC zones. Avoiding the zones is a big mistake. You are missing some of the best content in the game, AP and other things. Just like the PvPers who rush through the game with an AP guide miss stuff. And you are missing hanging out with some of the most interesting people in the game. Full spectrum play it is the key to success and long term enjoyment in FE."