PVP - What's it like?

[Addywat]

First post here!

Experienced MMO gamer (SWG, EQ2, WOW, GW2)

Although PvE is a focus for me, there was always a thrill walking through open PvP Zones in WoW and stumbling accross Horde, or bringing down a Overt Jedi in Star Wars Galaxies.

I understand FF14 will always have a PvE focus, but what is your experience of PvP? I only briefly experienced the large PvP games before i left the game a few years ago. I have recently returned to FF14 and i'm grinding away to the level cap.

Whats PvP like at max level? Long queues? engaging? fun? fair? rewards? ranks?

Im asking from a perspecive of both the PvP raids and the Arena (if this exists?)

All comments appreciated!

[Chaelyn]

Queues just recently decreased in wait times dramatically, I haven't waited longer than 2 minutes for pops.

For FFXIV PvP there are 2 kinds: Arena style 4v4 (soloq and party) and Large scale PvP (8v8v8 or 24v24v24).

If you are just starting out I recommend trying out Frontlines which is large scale PvP and the games currently popping are 24v24v24 so your individual impact won't hurt your team heavily if you are scared of performing poorly.

Compared to other mmos, there are pvp specific abilities for each job so I would look at your spellbook and go to the PvP tab and read those abilities before you start.

[Ragology]

Queues are short right now, under two minutes it feels like.

Lots of speed hackers though. It sucks when they can move at sprint speed without sprinting and sometimes even faster.

[Zojha]

Whats PvP like at max level? Long queues? engaging? fun? fair? rewards? ranks?

To make it short:
1.) Normally long queues, but thanks to the recent Garo gear and the Frontline Freelancer option short queues. It's best to take advantage of them while they last. However, even before the event, 8vs8 managed to get decent queue times - 4vs4 receives swift queues at the start of a season, or at least so I've been told, I haven't done 4vs4 in a long while.

2) Definitely engaging - it gets your blood pumping quite nicely.

3) Subjective. By far the most fun games I had as DPS were 8vs8 without, or with only 1 healer on both teams. Healing itself is relatively fun if you got that masochistic spark.

4) Yes and no. The job balance is overall quite decent, but as always, some options are better than others. NIN and DRK in particular stand out as "meh".
Teams outside of ranked no longer have any role demands, so this can skew games in one teams favor. Healers in particular are an issue - if you got none and they do, you'll usually have a very hard time.
It is possible to queue as premade into frontlines, this can also heavily skew a match. Less so now with 72 man frontlines, but it'll become prominent again once the queues slow down and 24 man frontlines become common again.

5) Rewards are only glamour - you either like them or you don't. Ranked gets special rewards for the top 100 in solo ranked or top 30 in team ranked at the end of the season. Also, certain maps have achievement rewards associated with them. That aside, you get the most recent tomestones for participation.

6) Ranks exist in the context of ranked 4vs4 - Solo or Premade. It's currently under heavy iteration and season based.

[Marxam]

PVP - What's it like?

[Addywat]

This i do not understand ^_^

[Laurima]

It's Salt, and it is what you will get sometimes if you make mistakes from 'the people who never make mistakes and never lose' ignore them

[TiaHariberux3]

To make it short:


4)
It is possible to queue as premade into frontlines, this can also heavily skew a match. Less so now with 72 man frontlines, but it'll become prominent again once the queues slow down and 24 man frontlines become common again.

Frontlines is pretty much unfair against a premade even with only 72man popping atm premades can sit on 90+% winrate. Battle High and Fever are also a "unfair" mechanic since it makes good players even better.xD

[Addywat]

Thanks for this!

Very helpful.

Do you think I will get a similar buzz in the arena to the arena in WoW? (if you played this)

[Laurima]

you'll get a buzz, I always get a buzz but unless you're very lucky and have good people around you who don't run off like headless chickens, you will die a lot and that can dampen any buzz/

Best tip for frontlines would be stick to the main group as much as possible, don't run off solo anywhere, you're learning, even in a full group, you can be picked off if the other people are good enough, but just stick with it, learn things.