Iz dis good or bad? Requesting a PvP critique

tinythinker

I've been playing for a while and have had trouble finding a good thing to focus on for PvP. I like variety, so I am not looking to be a one trick guar, but I mean having a main character type/role out of which to diversify. I am looking for opinions, and while that can include "quit the game stupid scrub", I am only really looking for comments that are at least partially constructive. I don't expect people to read everything I just wanted to have info available depending on what area someone might want to address. Hence spoiler tags so folks who are kind enough to respond can pick and choose.

My PvP strengths/weaknesses...

Generally, I am OK at:
(7/10) effectively using siege, including predictive firing, placement, selecting the right type for a situation
(6/10) using AoE damage/heals as well as single target focus in open field (non-"zerg") skirmishes (i.e. situations where I am not the sole target and getting out of trouble if things go bad is easier)
(6/10) using experience with the game to know when to expect things in battles (dodging w/o even seeing or hearing a skill effect, etc because you know something is coming)

I am not so good at:
(4/10) dealing (high levels of) damage, even if I try my best to stack resources and damage effects with the gear I can get/the quality I can raise the gear to; it's like I am fighting with a rubber sword
(3/10) mitigating damage, even if I have lots of heavy armor, or try to dodge a lot, or stack every shield in the game
(1/10) fighting/surviving when I am alone, in 1 v anything; guessing that the two other "not so good" points above might be connected to this

I guess this qualified me to run around in a group of 60 to 100+ all of the time, but I mostly run solo or in a half to full raid. Huge blobs aren't my thing. I float from character to character but I never really feel like "Oh this is what I should be playing for PvP." This includes to supposedly "easy builds" for a given update.

For reference, the current state of the characters I've used most recently are below in the order the were created:

VR14 Argonian Dragonknight (Rank 19)

Summary: Recreated the name/appearance from beta and learned the game with this character, but never felt strong with it, even right after PC launch when DKs were "super-OP". Of course, I just used junk dropped gear back then. Only really have used cheaper dropped sets/crafted gear since winter 2015. This char used to be a 2/3 health 1/3 magicka tankish build, switched over to the old Twin Sisters with bow stam build before the nerf, and has mostly been retired since mid-fall 2015.

Gear and Attributes: Presently set up with 5 piece medium Hunding's Rage/5 Piece Ravager (3 jewelry, necklace only VR1), all VR14 except necklace, purple quality/glyphs, focus on maximum stam, but still only gets up to 26K or so. Unbuffed weapon damage is usually around 2000-2100. With purple food max stamina is around 25-26K (62 points into stamina).


CP: focus on physical damage (20% bonus), reduce stam costs, and some stam regen with magicka/poison/disease resistance and healing taken

Bars: Most recently tried dual wield/sword and board, prior to that ran two hander/dual wield and bow/dual wield. I usually have something to charge with (Invasion or Critical Rush), shielding (Igneous Shield, Hardened/Volatile Armor, etc), a heal (GDB or Rally), and a couple of single target damage/snare skills and at least one AoE damage skill.

Most successful thing in PvP: using bow from stealth against people on keep walls

VR14 Breton Sorceror (Rank 14)

Summary: Second character made, then left as a level 7 storage unit until Feb 2015. Leveled 1-50 in BWB, where for the two full campaigns he was in he lead his Alliance in AP by a mile but never got Emp. After 1.6/going to vet PvP, became mediocre at best, often weak, even in the era of the super-OP magicka Sorc. Definitely a magicka-heavy build.

Gear and Attributes: 4 piece Twilight's Embrace (VR14)/4 piece Martial Knowledge (VR 12)/2 rings Cyro's Light (VR14)/Totem of Y'ffre necklace (VR9, for spell damage); all purple with purple glyphs except the necklace which is green. Twilight's set includes resto/destro staves. Unbuffed magicka damage tends to sit around 2000-2100. With purple food (and no Inner Light or Bound Aegis) in this setup max magicka is around 31K (55 points into magicka, 7 into health).

CP: A big focus on spell cost reduction, a somewhat decent investment in elemental damage and magic damage, some points in spell crit damage and spell pen, and so on.

Bars: Always use a resto/destro set up. Skills that regularly show up include Crystal Frags, Velocious Curse, Mage's Fury, Hardened Ward, Crushing Shock, Power Surge, etc. Typical magicka Sorc stuff.

Most successful thing in PvP: leaving PvP, switching to a crit/AoE bar with heals on, and wrecking large groups of trash mobs

VR14 Argonian Templar (Rank 21)

Summary: Made this in early summer 2014 after reading a post about how Templars could, despite complaints, be good at PvP. Wanted to see for myself and try something new. I'm fond of the char but outside staying close to and healing other players it is largely useless in Cyrodiil. I've seen the "awesome Templar 1v1 and 1vX PvP" videos but that isn't what happens when I play. Definitely a magicka-heavy build.

Gear and Attributes: Usually runs a combo a Warlock (VR12, have 3 jewelry for Warlock) and Seducer, so that is a lot magicka regen. Can run it 5 heavy/2light or 2 heavy/5 light and usually it's the latter, with a resto/destro pair for weapons. All crafted stuff at VR14 and all upgradeable gear at purple (epic) level. Recently I've tried running 2 piece Adroitness (VR12, no necklace though too expensive), 4 Cyrodiil's Light (VR14), 2 Warlock (VR12), and 3 (with resto staff) or 4 (with dual daggers) Gift of Magnus. This Adroitness/Cyro's Light/Warlock/Magnus setup is 2 heavy/5 light and all purple. Spell damage is usually around 1100-1200 unbuffed but with this newer setup it is around 1500 for staff and 1900 for dual wield. With purple food (and no Inner Light) in the new setup max magicka is around 28K (44 points into magicka, 18 into health).

CP: Heavy focus on healing initiated as well as healing recieved bonuses, also on spell cost reduction; a decent amount as well in Elfborn (boosting crit healing and crit damage from spells) and in boosting shields, but these last two seem like they might be a waste

Bars: Mostly I use resto/destro but I've also tried resto/dual wield. Commonly used skills include Breath of Life, Toppling Charge, Puncturing Sweep, Purifying Ritual, Channeled Focus, Luminous Shard/Blazing Spear, Harness/Dampen Magicka, etc. Typical magicka Templar stuff.

Most successful thing in PvP: healing and support during siege attack/defense/ bridge fights, etc

VR14 Argonian Nightblade (Rank 11)

Summary: Leveled up this character in fall 2014 to try the class. Like all my VR14s has all the Alliance zones completed (except for group dungeons) and the PvE in Cyrodiil completed. Has the lowest Alliance War rank of all current VR14s. I am not a solo playing killing machine/ganker with this character (nowhere near, light years away), but in a group I can really help out with damage and healing using things like Soul Tether (stun!), Sap Essence, Refreshing Path, and Mutagen.

Gear and Attributes: Like the Argonian Templar above, often uses a good bit of Seducer for regen and cost reduction and tend to use resto/destro. Currently though this character is using 2 piece Adroitness (VR12, no necklace though too expensive), 4 pieces of Martial Knowledge (VR12), 2 rings of Cyrodiil's Light, a blue junk necklace (VR 10, reduce spell cost), and 3 (with resto staff) or 4 (with dual daggers) Torug's Pact. All gear purple except for necklace. Spell damage with this newer setup it is around 2000-2100 for staff and 2200-2300 for dual wield. With purple food (and no Inner Light) in the new setup max magicka is around 28-29K (62 points into magicka).

CP: Heavy focus on spell damage and spell cost reduction, a decent investment in spell pen, other points used here and there for minor bonuses.

Bars: Mostly I use resto/destro but I've also tried resto/dual wield. Commonly used skills include Crippling Grasp, Swallow Soul, Dark Cloak, Concealed Weapon, Double Take, etc. Typical magicka Nightblade stuff.

Most successful thing in PvP: see summary above

Level 26 Redguard Templar (Rank 6)

Summary: Made this character a few days ago. Normally I wouldn't include it at level 26 but I don't usually try stam builds since I need the healing and sustain that come from magicka builds. My initial impression is that even with CP and blue gear, my damage is weak and my defense is weaker. I can't just use Dampen Magicka for lame Lava Whip spam, for example, and my CC doesn't go through block. This char can be fun at times but is often frustrating. There is potential here and at times the char does very well. Maybe it will work better at vet rank.

Gear and Attributes: Using 4 piece Night's Silence (level 20)/4 piece Ashen Grip (level 20), junk rings and necklace for stamina cost reduction. 2 heavy/5 medium, all reinforced except for one training piece.

CP: heavy focus on medium armor, stamina cost reduction, and physical damage

Bars: Using weighted Bow and Two-handed Mace, have Poison Injection, Binding Javelin, Biting Jabs, Vampire's Bane, Power of the Light, Breath of Life and Critical Rush for morphed abilities to choose from, along with skills like Evasion, Restoring Aura (so close to morphing it into Repentance), Upper Cut, and Rapid Maneuvers.

Most successful thing in PvP: not sure yet, I guess using a fire ballista

(Not listed: Level 26 Argonian Sorceror and two storage alts.)

Reeko

You really like Argonian huh? Lol

Honostly, with as much experiance with pvp as you seem to have, i would just say that maybe pvp is'nt for you? Sorry if that is not very helpful but i really can't think of anything else that might help.

Rune_Relic

It was kind of refreshing to see you as a run of the mill player and not an OP god on the battlefield.
I don't think your problem is setup.
You will be wrecked by hard-core players that will be familiar with every trick in the book to increase DPS above and beyond the norm and educated by their team mates on any and all bugged skills/armour/weapons.
These players know the *** in everyone's armour that most people do not.
They also know skills that behave one way in PVE don't work the same in PVP.
They also put all that into practice as a tight unit to share out damage/mitigation.

If you need a punchbag to practice on give me a shout if you are EU server and Not EP.
[although I could/would start another character to help out if necessary]
Perhaps we can sort something out. PM me if you like.
You can experiment with any combinations and get experience/feedback on whats more effective in reality.
It will also help both of us improve to the best we can be without resorting to unsavoury tactics.
Cant help with the group coordination side obviously.
I am a night owl though so not normally on until 10pm most night.

I do not play an all out DPS either.
Nor do I kit out to play a pure tank.
I do setup somewhere between with similar attribute /mitigation/damage on my main as you.
I pick the kind of build I am comfortable with and try and make it effective rather than load FOTM build.

tinythinker

Rune_Relic wrote: »

It was kind of refreshing to see you as a run of the mill player and not an OP god on the battlefield. I don't think your problem is setup.

If you need practice give me a shout if you are EU server.

Thanks. I play on NA, but your offer is appreciated.

Reeko wrote: »

Honostly, with as much experiance with pvp as you seem to have, i would just say that maybe pvp is'nt for you?

Yeah, probably. Guess I've had enough time to find something that would work. Thanks for replying.

21jws10

@tinythinker I think we can all become good at it, I have gone leaps and bounds, but my PVE of course has suffered. I have NEVER done a dungeon, nor a trial or anything of the type, just love PvP too much.