Open access pvp content servers.

[Nefertiri]

Ballista is probably my favorite thing to do in the game. It brings a whole new level of challenge playing against other people as opposed to monsters and NMs. For one, other people actually have some degree of intelligence (I hope) and respond situationally to your actions. The difficulty of NMs is not exactly increasing, but several trends are becoming too common, such as frequent hate reset. If you're tired of the same boring crap, give Ballista a try! If they were to expand on it in any way, I fear I wouldn't participate in any other event other than obtaining newly released gear which takes what? a week or so these days? Less if methods of obtaining such gear is already known publicly.

Ballista is starting to become active again on Ragnarok, the past few days people have actually been participating in the scheduled uncapped matches, and I'm having a blast!



FFXI is not based on PvP. You are absolutely correct. However it is a part of the game and it's available for people who choose to participate. You aren't forced to have any part in it. Thank you for your pointless and unconstructive post.

Adding a whole new server, which we can go to and return from freely, dedicated to PvP would be amazing!

It's one of my favorite things too! It's been completely dead on my server for a few years now, at least. It's so disappointing. Servers like Fenrir that still do it actively are really interesting, people clearly have a love for the sport. Doesn't matter they won't get some big shiny reward or a ton of exp for it (though I think the exp reward SHOULD be raised), it's heartwarming to see them do something solely for the fun of it. One of my favorite parts was the gearswap penalty during matches, where you couldn't move or attack for several seconds after changing equipment (aside from ammo slot anyway.) Made it impossible/suicidal to change gear spontaneously during the heat of battle, which was a highly refreshing strategic change from how the rest of the game works. And like you said, fighting other players is always completely unpredictable and exciting! Not like the brain-dead mob AI that blindly follows its enmity system.

It's pretty depressing that SE has ignored it for many years now, it could've grown into something even greater with a few updates focused on balance and JA revision. I think the last time it even got any kind of tiny obligatory update was back in 07 when DNC and SCH chevrons were added?

I pray someday SE knows that Ballista/Brenner has a small cult following and will at least attempt to revive it in the eyes of the general population.

P.S: The end of the Brenner introduction cutscene hinted that Shantotto was planning her own little PVP-related event. Ballista originated in San d'Orian history, Brenner originated in Bastokan history. Woulda been neat to see what Windurst coulda cooked up. But of course, nothing ever came of it since then... And I'm pretty sure Laurel Crown and Stars Cap are now the rarest items ingame bcuz there's never been a way to get em since the ol' ballista royale of 05, and there's never been another since.

[Xellith]

PVP in the game should be restricted to bastillia and brenner. However I do believe they should have a yearly server vs server contest like they did about 7 years ago. I didnt even participate and I still thought it was fun.

[RygaenYuui]

...IDK about pvp servers. Most of the FFXI population doesn't even participate in PvP anymore, and alot of the old school players that used to be ballista crazy have either quit the game or moved on to other things.

I think that perhaps a more direct and maybe effective method to revive something along these lines of PvP is to appeal to the current community of players. FFXI players don't do things unless they can benefit from them, particularly gear wise -- which is why Ballista and Brenner are so 'obsolete' nowadays and doesn't appeal to large groups of people, I guess. They're crazy fun if you can find the people to play, but no one wastes their time since you can probably spend it getting better gear anyhow...not to mention there hasn't been any recent updates towards that development for PvP in quite a few years.

Honestly, the only way to really revive pvp methods in place is to make exclusive content for it, or to maybe add a system like Unions in Campaign where the winning side gets choice of prizes or something, like Relic currency or other junk.

[Urteil]

The real reward is possessing skill and pride.

Lots of people do PvP.

Anyone who requires a reward beyond that is just fodder, but I'd be up for such rewards being implemented if only to have people to practice on.

[Papa-AFK]

If they did a PVP add-on scenario to enhance Ballista/Brenner, that would be fantastic I would think. Roll out a whole set of gear that is for PVP only.

Gear and stats should be solo-able to obtain or winnable from matches.

It would also be fantastic if they did setup an "arena" world, so when people "register for a match" they are taken to the "arena" world. Their names could show up like "Name.World" so that everyone knows where your from. Only trick would be making sure you can still communicate with people from your world as in Linkshell and /tells.

[RygaenYuui]

The real reward is possessing skill and pride.

Lots of people do PvP.

Anyone who requires a reward beyond that is just fodder, but I'd be up for such rewards being implemented if only to have people to practice on.

Skill is rare and few and far between, at least in my years of playing this game. You will come across people who are geared out like nobody's business but can't play the game for crap. You'll have people who don't have the gear they need outshine alot of other people playing that job.

Everyone has their differences in interest too. Such is FFXI's nature I guess.

But to appeal to the masses for PvP, I totally agree: implement an incentive; the attitude carries as to why people have yet to finish RotZ, CoP, WotG or ToAU storyline missions. I personally do it myself for the challenge and the storyline. Other people do it or won't do it because of the gear rewards. And 80% of the playerbase can be categorized into the latter category.

[Leonlionheart]

You can PvP on the test server right?

Maybe players should make it an unofficial PvP server, since you can get free gear there.

[Urteil]

I'd rather not this happen, then SE really won't have a reason to develop an actual system for it.


Its a fun place to weenie around on I guess, but wouldn't it be nice if they actually developed a system for it and spent some time doing minimal advertising for the game.


Oh you know, the tried and true practices of any basic MMO company ever.

[Andrien]

I concur for an updated PvP system. If we get better rewards and titles it might be the only in game event I'll do none stop. Be as it may xp, gil, crour, cp, sp, notes, and pvp exclusive gears.

[Zarchery]

There are already several free, fully instanced forms of PVP that you can do at your leisure.

STOP SUGGESTING FIXES TO NON PROBLEMS.