Help w/PvP please
I have tried some of the PvP missions and Random Arenas for a little while now. I find them irritatingly addictive. Irritating because I seem to, well, be terrible. I am unable to stay alive for very long, generally being able to take down one or two NPC/PC before dying. I seem to have the most trouble with assassins, relying on dodge and throw dirt. I find wiki builds, but never seem to have the right equipment. I do not intend to buy more, for as little as I make it to these areas. I do, however, have a free slot. - If I create a PvP toon, can I change my primary as often as I change my underwear (well may more frequently than that)? - Will that toon have access to the PvP missions? - Can it gain luxon AND kurzick faction? - Any suggestions for ranger builds? Degen? Interrupts? anything more fun? - As Assassins seem to be popular, how can they be dealt with? - Should the ignorant PvE'r just stay away? - Have not seen many interrupts or knowkdowns in either RA or Fort Aspenwood, would a 55 do ok?

Good Topic Cyvil ... I got addicted at Aspenwood befriending the Luxons.

First, the disclaimer, I am NOT a PvP expert in any sense of the word. That said, I do have a small amount of PvP experience, which I believe can help me answer a couple of your questions. First, you can delete and re-create your PvP character as often as you want. Many out there just have one PvP slot and create characters as needed for the specific team build or whim. As for dealing with Assassins, I created one solution as a result of utter rage at how they were slaughtering me over and over again: Curses. If you put SS, and Insideous Parasite on an Assassin, just wait for them to (A) die, or (B) stop attacking and run away. Stripping their enchantments and denying hexes are also a good ways to frustrate them, but for me, out hexing them has worked very well. In one particular battle in the Random Arenas, my necro faced off against 2 Assassins. I cast SS on one and Insideous on the other BEFORE they got up close (they have a nasty habit of iterrupting, so be wary). Then, seemingly oblivious to their hexes, they proceeded to attack me. The funny thing was that as the one with Insideous on him attacked me, he kept damaging himself, taking damage from his buddy's SS (he apparently could not figure where the damage was coming from) and Insideous gave me health each time he attacked. Both were dead in about 20 secs. Sure, more experienced assassins will remove the hex, or stop attacking, but it is still effective to beat them at their own hex game. Another old, but still effective PvP build is the Bunny Thumper. Yes, it has been around FOREVER, but it still works very well (got my one and only Gladiator Point with my thumper build). And of course, it give me the opportunity to do something different with my ranger. :twisted: If you want the specifics on either of these 2 builds, let me know and I will ping them to you in game. :D

Huh, you're using a Ranger, right? A way to somewhat stunt the Assasins' Combos Of Doom is to carry Distracting and Savage Shot and, as soon as you see one tele to you, hit "c" and distracting + savage shot them. This should hopefully take out the first attack in the chain, giving you a chance to win. Anyways, to answer your questions... PvP Chars do have access to PvP missions; it can gain both types of Faction, but you still lose one side if you spend the other. Burning Arrow is an awesome ranger build, and can apply a solid 11 points of degen, and touch rangers are evil and more evil, though I seem to see less of them around these days. 55s would be ripped to little, itsy bitsy pieces of dead monk in seconds. >.> Conditions abound, and degen too, and if you happen to run into a mesmer, you're insta-dead.

Here is a build I found in our Build Archives and tweaked it just a tad. Rt/A Dagger 12 Shadow Arts 7 Communing 4+1 Spawning Power 10+1+3 Golden Fox Strike - Lead attack +26 Can not be blocked if Enchanted Fox Fangs - Off Hand, Can not be Blocked +25 Nine Tail Strike - Can not be Blocked +35 Vital Weapon - Weapon Spell, 15 Secs have Vital Weapon and +85 Health Spirit's Strength Elite Enchantment, 57 secs deal +33 while under effects of weapon spell (Vital Weapon) Sight Beyond Sight - 19 Sec, can not be blinded Feigned Neutrality - Enchantment, 7 seconds +7 health regen and +80 Armor Shadow Refuge - Enchantment 4 seconds +7 health regen +48 health at end Both Vital Weapon and Spirit Strength regen faster then they run out, just watch Vital. I had to set up a new head piece for spawning and buy a few Sin spells but this build surprises people. From a Sin point of view, it deals a ton of damage but does not have a running skill or shadow step, so once you are in hand to hand, you better win (which I have most of the time). Not so sure this is any "better" than a Rit running around laying down spirits everywhere, but it is different. After a few fights, the other side sent two people to counter me.

I am going to try a Rt/A now that I do not have to buy the zealous daggers: Ritualist / Assassin Communing: 3 +1 Spawning Power: 12 +1 +3 Dagger Mastery: 12 Golden Phoenix Strike Horns of the Ox Falling Spider Blades of Steel Vital Weapon Sight Beyond Sight Spirit's Strength Resurrection Signet

Well that did not work out well. No sup rit runes unlocked!

Less Touchies cause they nerfed the build. Honestly the build wasn't even that great or effective, but it was the easiest way for me to PvP. It was only really effective with 2 touchies on the same target, but most builds would be 2 vs 1 I would think.

I have access to team arenas. Our improbable random team won 7 before being defeated. I went more to a Rit/Monk support role and kept the front liners up. It's tough to be a spirit spammer when they have more front liners and assign one per opponent. So I'm thirsty for build suggestions since all toons have access.

Yesterday Cyvil, Dareous, Caffeine, a HOB player and myself tried some TA. How do I say this... we got spanked, cut up, ripped apart and badly beaten. As far as I know, we only won one game. While I hope others ring in, we had no counter for Dervs, Sins, or Wars. Until we can beat 2 Dervs a Sin and a Monk, it will probably be same story. Come on you PvP'ers ... we know you are lurking, any ideas?

Would some Earth wards help? It seems that most of the problems come from physical attacks (well, not including the problems coming from our inability to put together decent team builds). Ward Against Melee and Ward against Foes look like they may help.

I'd PvP if I had a decent build haha. Always wanted to get through the Random Arena, but everytime I've won 4 in a row, the 5th one I always lose :( then back at square one...

Dee and I have made it through 5 in RA. The Team Arena's seem to be the problem now.

Yea RA seems to be a matter of luck some times. You do have to endure all the PUG things - people leaving and all. Some advice there ... take a support build or a bad butt sin or derv so that when you find a good team, you can support it. In trying to help a team mate, we ran into an Ele Build what was the base of winning 7 straight. I will post the build soon ... it worked well and works when you have good support. It could be an answer to a sin or war but not so sure about an experienced Derv. Bunny Thumpers do well but have well know counters. (so I'm told) In looking for a build base for by Sin I found Beguiling Haze which is a shadow step to target foe. That foe is interrupted and become dazed for 6 seconds. Looks like it could have promise for taking out back liners starting with a Monk. 6 Sec is enough to get 1+ attack chains on a toon and it can happen very quickly. Flashing Blades looks like a keeper too. For 30 seconds you have a 75% chance to block attacks while attacking. It costs 10 and recharges in 30, so you could keep it up most of the time. That would probably answer some of the questions why people have issues with Sins. I can get Flashing Blades in the Undercity, so hope to do that after RP tonight. So I purpose that people who are interested in PvP help other players get elites in area where they might need help. One last thing ... build testing. Caffeine and I went one on one. His Dev took down my Sin with the Dervs healing enchants. So that makes me think that Flashing Blades with a Enchant stripper would make Dervs easier. One on one would test that and allow the Derv to test counters. A big win for the Teams. So one on one can be used more than grunting and spitting around the camp fire ... :)

Desecrate/Defile Enchantments is fun to use on Dervs, Monks and Eles.