What should I be aware of going into PvP?

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

First thing's first. Let me hit you with raw realism: You WILL lose some. And while I don't wish it on anyone, you may very well run into toxicity at some point. Whether you make that one big mistake the team can't recover from, or whether you simply do something differently and it works, someone somewhere at some point is going to hold issue with it. What you do right, keep at it. What you do wrong, learn from it. Beyond that, who says what and how they say it simply doesn't matter.

Now then, most jobs are played a bit differently in PvP, as it's less about perfect DPS rotations and more about dealing burst damage or utilizing crowd control abilities to stop someone from doing the same. I can't elaborate on anything other than what I main (MCH), so I won't go into detail there. There are however many players and many guides available for specific jobs/modes if you're interested, so I will instead give the most basic, generally sound advice I can.

1. Communicate - This is paramount no matter what mode you're playing. I understand the Feast is set to lose text chat, but however you can, communicate with your team in order to coordinate your efforts, relay important info about the enemy, or give/receive the support needed. That is the key to success.

2. Cooperate - As you are new, don't be afraid to speak up that you are. Look to veteran players to help guide you and help you learn. Pay close attention to what they do and don't do. Listen to their directions and follow their lead. Ask questions (this goes back to communicating). And if and when you find yourself experienced enough that others are looking to you that same way, don't be afraid to lead. Beyond that, cover a teammate under attack, especially a healer, and they'll hopefully do the same. Whatever you do, keep teamwork in mind.

3. Use the Terrain - This is more relevant to Frontlines than the Feast, but still applicable. Areas of verticality offer opportunities to knock someone off, and even if they survive the fall, they now have to travel back to your position to continue attacking. Line of sight an enemy ranged to disrupt their attacks. There is an effective distance in which everyone can attack; get in and out of it as necessary, and prevent an enemy from doing the same. Use blind spots to ambush if you can. Force enemy players into situations where they have to fight for one objective or another. Flank, steal, lure, hide, evade, escape. . . use the terrain as part of your battle strategy.

4. Momentum - This is personal advice, and I give it somewhat warily. It works for me, but as with everything, it is not 100%. Going back to what I said about burst damage, if you engage an enemy, do so with the intent to kill in said engagement. If you can gain momentum on them (by which I mean do more damage to them before they can to you) you force them into making a spot decision to continue to fight, or disengaging you. If they disengage, always consider if letting them get away is the more strategically sound thing to do (i.e. will chasing them possibly lead you into the rest of their team? Is the rest of your team falling back? Are they weak enough to simply finish off and be done with it?) I admit, I tend to be more relentless in my attack; a bad habit learned from lack of healing support at times, so I try to do as much damage as I can, as quickly as I can (just in case there is/isn't backup from either side). I slightly brag to say it, but momentum is usually one of the biggest reasons I survive fights my job and the skills/limitations of it might not normally be meant to survive under most circumstances.

5. Don't Be Afraid - You're human. You're going to make a mistake at one point. You're going to try something and fail. Do so with the right intentions, and you'll feel better than NOT having tried. Sometimes you might need to be the guy who leads the charge when everyone else hesitates. Sometimes you might need to be the one who speaks up if a bad call is made or you see something others missed. This largely falls back in line with Communicate, but don't be afraid to make a bold play for the right reasons. Be aware, of course, of what you can and can't do within your given role, but don't be afraid. He who hesitates is lost.

I wish you all the best out there!