I'd like to start out by stating that this is a guide for new or largely inexperienced players, just like myself. It's only logical to wonder why I would bother writing a guide if I am so inexperienced, the answer is simple, seeing as I am in the same boat as the people this guide is intended for it's a likely possibility that they will be curious about or confused by some of or all of the things that initially puzzled me. In addition to this, I like helping people or trying to at least and any effort has more potential to yield success than not taking action at all and as obvious as a lot of the information here may be to many of you, I have witnessed enough in the game to realize it still needs saying.

 

I will not be using 'game speak' as I don't fully understand all of the terminology, if I have to use any of it I will do my best to explain my understanding of it, an example would be - C/C which to my knowledge means crowd control and refers to kills that temporarily hinder the target in one or more ways such as rooting them in place for x amount of time, allowing you to escape etc.

 

I'll try to write this in a fashion that does not require a lot of in-game knowledge. In addition to this I'd like to make it clear that I am not an employee of Bio Ware, I'm no one special on the forums and I don't represent any other bodies. I'm a player writing this for other players and the content within is merely my own personal opinions and understanding of the things I'll mention below.

 

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1) Classes:

 

DO's

 

I've seen a lot of posts about the various classes in the game, many people have listed pro's and con's about one aspect or another of each class, I have watched a ton of P.V.P (player versus player) videos on http://www.youtube.com for each of the classes in this game and I have played each class in this game to at least level twenty. I have found that they're all good and they're all fun, none of them are perfect or really better than each other. Some classes have elements that annoyed me but whatever, at the end of the day, I'd simply recommend you play whatever appeals to you as an overall package. If you generally play a melee warrior in games then play a warrior in this, if you like being an archer or sniper in games then play a class with a gun. They all have something fun to offer and each and every one of them can excel in what this guide is about, P.V.P

 

DON'T's

 

Don't let anyone convince you that you have picked 'the wrong class' as there is no wrong class, if someone says this to you, tell them you don't judge them for being sexually attracted to pumpkins, then move on.

 

Don't get disheartened if you get into a P.V.P situation and get trampled by the opposition, it doesn't mean your class sucks nor does it mean you suck as a player, never give in to thoughts like that. No matter how good someone is or thinks they are, they are never, ever, untouchable and best of the best still get beaten like the rest of us. Learn from your mistakes, don't be shy about asking questions and most importantly, don't give up.

 

It's okay to be inexperienced, every player in this game was a total 'noob' at one point or another. They might not like to admit it but it's a simple fact. I have played other M.M.O's in the past and was damn good at P.V.P in those games but that knowledge only served to reinforce in myself how difficult it would be for my initial encounters against the opposition in this game, because I understood that they would know so many 'tricks of the trade' that are specific to this game which I would not know and I expected to get crushed... Which I did.

 

=)

 

Don't put up with douche's, if you're doing your best in a match and it's not good enough for someone else and they harass you via the chat window, you don't have to take their abuse. The game has a very important command called 'ignore' and if you use it you will not receive messages from the player you elect to ignore. It's applied like this:

 

<enter>/ignore<space><players name><enter>

 

If you punch that into the chat window then the named player will be added to your ignore list and you will have to endure their stupidity no more.

 

Don't be one of the douche's who ends up on peoples ignore list.

 

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2) P.V.P - When, where and how?:

 

Technically you can commence P.V.P right from the get-go. Left click on another player and you will see their portrait displayed in your target window, right click on their portrait and a menu of options will appear, find 'Duel' then left click it and the targeted player will either accept or decline. If they decline, try another person, if they accept, best of luck to you. If the target does decline, don't immediately challenge them again, this is a form of harassment or at a minimum it's bloody annoying and labels you as one of the previously mentioned douche's. It's also not a good idea to challenge people more than two or so levels above or below you, try to keep your duels limited to fair and balanced matches.

 

If you're keen to show off your stuff to the enemy then what you're seeking is a War Zone or W/Z. These are a mini-game of sorts. Two teams of eight players are formed, eight Imperials and eight Republic scum. A random map is chosen and both teams are sent to the location of the map, the begin within a tiny camp of sorts and the camps are at opposite ends of the map.

 

There's a few different maps and they have different objectives, I won't go into detail on each of these maps as learning is half the fun and the best way to learn is to get in and have a go. Observe the other players on your team, learn from their experience.

 

Don't aimlessly engage the enemies on the map, always, ALWAYS play the objective. If someone threw me into a boxing match but scattered apples all over the ring floor and said you have thirty seconds to get as many apples as you can into your basket then pointed at a cane basket in a corner of the ring with my name written on it then clearly this is no longer simply about boxing. If the other boxer throws a punch at me now and then but mostly focuses on getting apples into his basket, it doesn't matter if twenty five seconds into the round I knock him unconscious and leave myself five seconds to collect apples. When they tally up the apples in the basket, he's won.

 

The War Zones are kinda the same, you can kill the opposition in there and at times it helps but it should not be your top priority. I believe players can begin accessing W/Z's at tenth level and that's a good time to begin. Seeing as you will be of such a low level, the higher level players in there should cut you some slack and their expectations of you will not be unreasonably high. This affords you a good opportunity to get your bearings and begin learning.

 

In case you're concerned about entering at such a low level when higher level participants will be present I should mention that the game will automatically adjust your character by vastly increasing your characters health and the effectiveness of your characters skills. In this way, you can still triumph over opponents who are vastly superior to yourself in level, if you're clever and cautious. Engaging them in one on one combat is a poor choice despite the adjustments to your character, though you've been improved for the duration of the W/Z, their higher level means they will have access to more skills than you will and will likely have more aces up their sleeve for specific circumstances than you will have available to you.

 

As for how to P.V.P, well that depends on what you decide to play. By the time you achieve tenth level you should have developed a basic understanding on your classes abilities and that will form the foundation for your development of your own specific play style. Mine is, 'winning' Charlie Sheen style. It's hardly a sound method and painful for my allies to watch but it generally gets the job done.

 

3) Tactics:

 

Here are some basics,

 

the most import aspect of P.V.P is not your skills or your gear it's intelligence.

 

"This is the .44 Magnum, it's the most powerful handgun in the world..."

 

That's great Dirty Harry, but it doesn't do you any good if you don't know where to point it and why do they call you 'dirty' Harry? Take a bath man.

 

*_*

 

Anyway, my point is it's vital that you cover some basics in P.V.P the most important being cooperation. Keep an eye on the chat window during War Zones as in each War Zone a leader is assigned and if they're a good leader they will be maintaining communication throughout the battle. They don't throw eight of you in there so you can get together for a BBQ after the battles won, you're there as a team to work as a team.

 

Always follow the War Zone leaders instructions. Success or failure can and sometimes does depend on it, if they say that a particular location requires reinforcements, don't sit on your *** and assume someone else will take care of it, respond to the call and it's of equal importance that you use the chat window to notify the leader that you're doing so.

 

If everyone responds to the call because no one else has stated they're handling it then you might cause other key locations to be left exposed and thus vulnerable. Communication is absolutely and unconditionally vital.

 

USE YOUR BIG WORDS!

 

Teamwork is important, move and operate as a team. If several enemies are guarding a key position and you stroll in there on your own they're not going to ignore you and dismiss you as harmless because you're alone. They're going to feel a sudden and irresistible blood lust come over them and rush to see you torn limb from limb, or is that just me?

 

If you get to a key area and encounter this situation, stop... Wait for allies to arrive and then proceed to spoil the oppositions day. If you scream L. Jenkins and charge in there, well it's the limb from limb scenario, see above. Charging in on your own simply gives the opposition a free kill. There is a delay in War Zones between when you are killed and when you may enter the field of battle once more so...

 

If two enemies hold a bottleneck on a map and you approach alone and die, then an ally does the same and you continue to repeat this process, it's perpetually a two versus one scenario in the enemies favor. You're far better off demonstrating a little patience and waiting for your ally so you can approach the combat together in a even two on two encounter.

 

Work together, be aware of your surroundings, observe your allies. If you see 'Bob' over there trying to capture an objective don't consider his terrible taste in music and support of Mr. T's early music career then decide to abandon him to his fate, lend him a hand. If you're a healer, hang back and cast a protective spell if you have one then follow up with some heals for Bob, mock him for his music preferences after the battle seeing as he'll be alive to endure your taunts.

 

Always give priority to supporting your allies, anything, anything at all, that you attempt in a War Zone will be made easier by having an appropriate ally at your side.

 

A SCHOOL OF FISH WORKS TOGETHER, IF THEY CAN, SO CAN YOU.

 

Use cover, if it's available then never let it go to waste. This game has some serious hard hitters, particularly the sneaky types and the the shooter types. If you see someone kneeling down with a rifle that's two thirds as long as they are tall, it's a bad idea to stand in front of them, a really bad idea.

 

You don't need to use up your defensive spells or stand out in the open wasting your energy healing yourself repeatedly whilst hoping they'll simply decide to quit shooting you. Just pop behind something. They can't shoot through walls or around corners, I guarantee you.

 

Always try and position yourself in such a fashion that you can control your exposure to combat. Standing out in the open is a poor choice, always. I play a healer from time to time and when I'm on that character I always stand somewhere near the combat then do a simple test...

 

I look around.

 

I'm not kidding, I look around and if I can see numerous allies but no enemy players standing somewhere that allows an unbroken straight line between where I'm standing and they are, then I'm happy. Because that let's me know that for a time, however brief, I can stand here and cast defensive skills as well as heals and anything else of use on all of my allies without interruption.

 

While they're out there, guns blazing and waving glow-sticks around like it's some European techno gathering/celebration of guns day, I'm in cover, doing my job.

 

If the enemy cannot draw that unbroken line to myself, it means even if they have me targeted due to targeting me prior to my entering cover, they cannot use direct attacks against me. There are some attacks that are targeted at a location on the ground, rather than at a specific player but if you're in cover and that unbroken line doesn't exist then it's general an indication that you have a little room to breathe.

 

That means the only way the enemy is going to bother me is if they attempt to get up close and personal, move to somewhere that allows that unbroken line, and to that they have to make it past my allies... My now, very well protected, augmented, healthy allies. I know what you're thinking:

 

"Oh! I see what you did there..."

 

THAT CONCRETE WALL LOOKS MORE SOLID THAN MY FACE - HMM.

 

Know your role. As you play your chosen class and discover what they're about and what they're capable of so far, focus on that in War Zones. If you see three of your allies engaging three enemies and once again, you're a healer, and the only one present in this little skirmish, don't approach the situation head on and begin tossing around your offensive talents.

 

There's already three allies who are focused on killing the enemy and you're the only one present who can shield and restore people so rather than forgoing your specific talents in favor of something already present, bring something new to the table and do what you're good at.

 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE DON'T USE CHAINSAWS AND PITCHFORKS AT THE DINNER TABLE????

 

4) Learning:

 

Win or lose, pay attention to what happens in each P.V.P situation, if you see someone on your team, kicking *** and taking names and that person has inspired you, take a chance and get in contact with them after the match. Explain that you're a 'noob' and their demonstration rocked your world (lots of gamer's have a big ego regarding their characters) and ask them for any advice they'd care to share.

 

You will probably encounter douche's on a semi-regular basis but they are also a lot of really good gamer's out there who also happen to be nice people, you just have to find them and if you had the patience to play Poke'mon then I'm sure you can tackle this little challenge.

 

"There is a subtle difference between the wise man and the fool, both make mistakes but the wise man learns from his and others, thus never repeating them."

 

LOL @ U NAMELESS MERC, U GET THAT FROM A FORTUNE COOKIE? - ...MMM, COOKIE.

 

5) Summary:

 

* Pick whatever class appeals to you and don't let other discourage you from that choice

* Don't be a douche'

* Play the objective

* Pay attention to chat, give feedback, obey the leaders orders

* Work as a team or die

* Use cover

* Know your role and serve your purpose

* Learn from your experiences and don't be shy about asking questions.

* Have fun

 

If anyone reading this has any questions or feedback then please go ahead and shoot me a response post as I'm always happy to receive such stuff. Please don't post just to tell me my guide sucks or I'm a 'noob' etc. I know I'm a 'noob'... The guide's titled - A 'noobs' PVP guide for 'noobs' (long read) XD

 

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Well that's it. If you honestly bothered to read down to this point without skipping over stuff then thank you, truly thank you. It's good that the time and effort I've put into this hasn't been for naught and has reached someones eyes and hopefully, maybe even made a difference.

 

It's a nice thought for me at least.

 

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P.S: Some additional info.

 

I play on a server called The Bastion, if you're inexperienced and looking to try some War Zones then I am happy to take you into some, run over the basics with you and help get you started. If you're interested in this then please post a response in this thread stating your expression of interest.

 

"yo n-merc i wanna w/z"

 

Like that ^

Good review

 

Couple things to add.

 

Assisting is important for DPS. Dont be a lone ranger ><

 

Map is your friend. Little hint here. Take a look at the map. Find who is solo guarding by themselves. Set them to be focus target. The moment you see them either take dmg or use power/build focus/rage. Better start heading in their direction.

 

If there are 7 of you, and only 3 enemies, drop combat and speed burst like crazy to the off node.

 

Watch your enemy groups make up. If you notice a few stealthers in there. Dont let your off node be solo defended.

 

Dont stand near the node if you are guarding. Stand atleast 20m away so they cant mez then cap the node.

 

Dont stand on the edge of the endzone in hutt ball.

 

Dont stand on the edge of the endzone in hutt ball.

 

Did I mention,......dont stand on the edge of the endzone in huttball.

 

Know when to hold, and when to fold =)

Get to level 55:

 

- Do NOT queue for wzs

- Do go run dailies for credits

- Buy orange gear

- MK-9 kit the orange gear

- Augment that gear

- Move all mods into that gear

- Buy Medpacks/Adrenals from low levels selling them on the fleet

- Buy Stims and Grenades

- Pull up Youtube

- Collect all the datacrons for your class following the video guides

 

Now you may queue for warzones, not before.

Get to level 55:

 

- Do NOT queue for wzs

- Do go run dailies for credits

- Buy orange gear

- MK-9 kit the orange gear

- Augment that gear

- Move all mods into that gear

- Buy Medpacks/Adrenals from low levels selling them on the fleet

- Buy Stims and Grenades

- Pull up Youtube

- Collect all the datacrons for your class following the video guides

 

Now you may queue for warzones, not before.

 

I'm gonna hit the queue button at the second I get my next level 55 just to annoy you.

I'm gonna hit the queue button at the second I get my next level 55 just to annoy you.

 

You, and everybody else

Edited July 2, 2013 by KettleBelll

You, and everybody else

 

Me especially. Just now doing all of those things on my MAIN.

Me especially. Just now doing all of those things on my MAIN.

 

I'm fully aware Dragonyt. I think we all know.

Edited July 2, 2013 by KettleBelll

I'm fully aware Dragonyt. I think we all know.

 

Are you sure? I was about to link you to a thread...

Get to level 55:

 

- Do NOT queue for wzs

- Do go run dailies for credits

- Buy orange gear

- MK-9 kit the orange gear

- Augment that gear

- Move all mods into that gear

- Buy Medpacks/Adrenals from low levels selling them on the fleet

- Buy Stims and Grenades

- Pull up Youtube

- Collect all the datacrons for your class following the video guides

 

Now you may queue for warzones, not before.

 

I understand the value in what you're saying but not everyone is that serious about their P.V.P or a frequent enough player to get all that done on a character in an acceptably brief period of time. I am a sporadic player and as such I level very slowly in comparison to more active players.

 

I pop into War Zones now and then, mostly to break up the questing and spice up the gaming experience a bit. After three to five War Zones I won't queue again for several levels. I can't deny that it would likely be very annoying to get into a high end War Zone only to find that half of your team doesn't meet the criteria you listed and I do understand that in some games, where the enemy is all setup like you no doubt are, it may even cost you the game and that's unfortunate but it's all part and parcel of the game, I'd have no beef with losing a War Zone if it was because a new player was trying their hand at it and learning.

my 3 euro cents

don't use /ignore

he may be a tool, but occasionaly he may call incs, and you won't hear it, you will type 'why noc incs' and they will say 'he did, u blind?'

 

/ignore is great for group finder, but not for WZ unfortunatly.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Atramar

Ignoring bads is a good way to fill up your ignore list very very quickly.

 

But the good news is it barely affects WZ gameplay at all, because bads dont call incs anyways.

 

I never /ignore anyone, because i love the drama in game. Stupid people say the funniest things.

New to MMOs, thank you for the write up, very helpful. Was thinking of trying PVP in warzones, so I should not beings I'm only level 40 Sin and 19 Van? Wait till 55 to PVP? Trying to learn, thanks.

New to MMOs, thank you for the write up, very helpful. Was thinking of trying PVP in warzones, so I should not beings I'm only level 40 Sin and 19 Van? Wait till 55 to PVP? Trying to learn, thanks.

 

PvP as much as you can before you hit 55, learn the maps and your class. But if you want to be some what competive at 55 there is work that needs to be done.

New to MMOs, thank you for the write up, very helpful. Was thinking of trying PVP in warzones, so I should not beings I'm only level 40 Sin and 19 Van? Wait till 55 to PVP? Trying to learn, thanks.

 

The reverse. Earn comms, learn your class, the maps, and PvP in general before hitting 55, to prepare you for it in the lowbie brackets.

 

idt: and good job to OP on doing a guide that might be useful to fellow newbies

Edited July 4, 2013 by Wainamoinen

Thank you, appreciate that. Just starting to get comfortable playing but have been hesitant to do PVP, don't want to screw things up for others. Thanks again.

Thank you, appreciate that. Just starting to get comfortable playing but have been hesitant to do PVP, don't want to screw things up for others. Thanks again.

 

I wouldn't worry to much, its the best place to learn and the low bracket is filled with all kinds of derp. If you wait till 55 to learn you will get facerolled and make many noob mistakes leading some people on your team calling you out.