Why does ESO have such a bad PVP experience?

Avran_Sylt

They've had like 10 years to work on it.

Taril

MMO PvP is rarely ever a particularly good experience.

Usually because gear > skill. But also various balance concerns (Related to the "Holy Trinity" of Tank, Healer, DPS and how they all factor into PvP and the inherent problems that entire ordeal facilitates)

Even in MMO's that are explicitly PvP orientated, where the only end-game is PvP and/or every location has PvP always enabled and so PvP balance is a major concern. The experience still ends up being kind of mediocre at best.

For some MMO's like ESO or Destiny, you can sprinkle into the mix the decision to push people into PvP for specific non-PvP related rewards. So that PvP gets a bunch of people who would rather be doing literally anything else filling up the place, making the entire experience worse.

SkaraMinoc

Taril wrote: »

MMO PvP is rarely ever a particularly good experience.

Some good MMO PvP experiences:

UO Red vs Blues
UO Order vs Chaos
UO Factions
DAoC Thidranki Faste
DAoC Frontiers
WoW Alterac Valley
WoW Arathi Basin
GW2 WvW

Cyrodiil is good MMO PvP when all 3 faction scores are close. Otherwise it falls apart.

IC is good during Mayhem.

Battlegrounds are good when the teams are evenly matched and there aren't too many healers.

Taril

SkaraMinoc wrote: »

Some good MMO PvP experiences:

WoW Alterac Valley
GW2 WvW

Sadly, Alterac Valley hasn't been a good PvP experience in a LONG time. Heck, it hasn't been a "PvP" experience in over a decade... When people figured out it was better to do "Drek or kek" strats to farm honor, it became entirely about rushing the end bosses. Which even translated back into the Classic relaunch.

GW2 WvW(vW) has its ups and downs. Much like Cyro it has been continually prone to ballgroup metas (It is also very much dependent on battlegroup since there are plenty where one server is just more populated/active in PvP making them dominant)

reazea

ESO PvP used to be the best PvP I've ever played. Now Cyrodiil is a shadow of it's former self. It's a mystery why ZOS has chosen not to reasonably support Cyrodiil PvP when so many people love it so much when it worked properly.

Bammlschwamml

"Why does ESO have such a bad PVP experience?" That's a very loaded question, and i bet one day people will write master's theses and books about it. Short answer: Because it doesn't work as intended.

Cyrodiil could have been one of the best game modes in the history of video gaming. If it worked. But for me personally it's the worst experience i ever had in over 30 years of playing video games. Because i care too much and can't let go. I love it and i hate it at the same time.

It always seems like the game just needs a little extra work, and everything will be fine. Just a little push. Performance issues and bugs should be easy to fix. Other games can do it, so ESO will do it too, right? But somehow it just never works the way it should. It came close a couple of times, but there is always something holding it back and breaking the game.

Why? Who knows. I don't. But i am looking forward to know the truth one day.

Joy_Division

1. The unsolvable lag made ZOS abandon their original visions for PvP end game
2. A blatant favoritism toward defensive/healing gameplay
3. None of the people who make decisions at ZOS are PvP enthusiasts, let alone play it often to know what its customers go through every night

Avran_Sylt

Bammlschwamml wrote: »

"Why does ESO have such a bad PVP experience?" That's a very loaded question, and i bet one day people will write master's theses and books about it. Short answer: Because it doesn't work as intended.

Cyrodiil could have been one of the best game modes in the history of video gaming. If it worked. But for me personally it's the worst experience i ever had in over 30 years of playing video games. Because i care too much and can't let go. I love it and i hate it at the same time.

It always seems like the game just needs a little extra work, and everything will be fine. Just a little push. Performance issues and bugs should be easy to fix. Other games can do it, so ESO will do it too, right? But somehow it just never works the way it should. It came close a couple of times, but there is always something holding it back and breaking the game.

Why? Who knows. I don't. But i am looking forward to know the truth one day.

Was just talking about general balance, but yeah. Cyrodiil is an oddity.

I really don't like how a lot of its mechanics (like seige weapons, forward camps, repair kits) have AP costs, nor the heavy respawn restrictions on forward camps and flagged keeps.

Lower the cost of Forward Camps. Let players revive on them continuously but needing to wait a while before they can respawn at a FC (needing to wait half a minute before you can spawn at a FC if you just died, even if you haven't revived at it before).

Prevent transitus travel to flagged/resource capped keeps, but let the keep act as a FC you can revive at while within range (and after waiting for a little bit) While the inner door hasn't been damaged.

Keep the battle flowing, give defenders a reason to try and get into ground combat while the walls are being sieged instead of being a near mandate to sit on the walls.

Zodiarkslayer

Because the people responsible for it neither experience nor care for it.

The last stream was quite telling ...

Elendir2am

Because ZOS are doing such bad job. And when you give them critical feedback, they delete it at least.

Thumbless_Bot

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

They've had like 10 years to work on it.

Because they don't ask the people who actually play pvp how to improve the content... full stop...

Rohamad_Ali

The population has been reduced for 10 years. Servers hold less and less.

DemonicGoat

The recent bg livestream with the lead combat/pvp dev was illuminating.


EDIT: It appears they have pulled the VOD!

Artim_X

In hindsight, the nerfmire patch was a lot of fun...

Casul

Left ESO earlier this year and swapped to GW2. Honestly there are many similarities between WvW and Cyrodiil, but I think WvW (possibly due to rose glasses) pull ahead for me just because the variety of biomes and keeps. As well as the significance of resources and map control. There is a good amount of motivation to push people to spread out. Also, a significant +1 is that GW2 keeps everyone’s mount at the same level. So you don’t have the issue of an alt’s unleveled mount.

AngryPenguin

To me it feels like ZOS pretty much gave up on Cyrodiil in about 2019. It's a real loss and hurts the game enormously in my opinion.

BXR_Lonestar

I used to think ESO PVP was terrible, but then I finally got with a group who has taught me how to actually play PVP, make a proper PVP build, etc., and now I play PVP just as much, if not more than I play PVE. It really is a fun experience once you learn the ropes. But therein lies the key - and this is not meant to be a personal attack on you - but it really is an L2P issue.

PVP builds are very different from PVE builds. PVE emphasizes sustained damage output at all costs, whereas in PVP, you need a more well rounded character that gives you burst damage windows. Once you have the proper build, its all about recognizing when your burst damage window is open and pressing that window to finish off your opponent. You also need to have enough sustain and survivability to allow your burst damage window to come open.

Movement speed and sustain are also at a premium in a PVP build, because you want to be able to escape any situation before you get overwhelmed.

And having good teammates makes such a huge difference in PVP play, because if you are trying to play solo, or even small group it, you can get swamped very easily. But even a well coordinated small group of 4-6 players can become a mighty obstacle to overcome if they are playing together as a unit - which takes time and practice.

Sometimes, its just a matter of falling in with the right people to improve your gaming experience. After all, this is an mmo...

The_Meathead

I actually love ESO PvP, though maybe somewhat more conceptually than in execution?

When at its best, the way Builds function and allow tremendous customization really meshes well with the game's style of combat. Laugh if you wanna, because I know OPed Meta cheese absolutely ruins that at times and that Hybridization reduced the diversity and some of the necessary "rails" that made resources and careful planning extra valuable, but I still think it's pretty solid.

Like some others have said, Cyrodiil really should be a pretty paramount PvP experience for MMOs.

It's why many of us came to the game at Launch, visions of the best of DAoC combined with the impossibly detailed and rich setting of the Elder Scrolls.

Regrettably, also as others have said, the tremendously low pop caps (that came about when they moved calculations to server side rather than player side to avoid cheating, and the lag grew and grew) have really hamstrung what it could be. Combine that with Ball Groups/stacking mechanics only getting stronger while you have even less people to oppose them en masse, and a further dwindling population results out of frustration towards that and other mechanical issues.

I still play in Cyrodiil because I enjoy it, but it could be a LOT better. If it was, I think it would be ESO's crown jewel as originally intended, but for whatever reason it either can't or just doesn't get the corrections it needs to make that happen.

Here's hoping!

Avran_Sylt

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I used to think ESO PVP was terrible, but then I finally got with a group who has taught me how to actually play PVP, make a proper PVP build, etc., and now I play PVP just as much, if not more than I play PVE. It really is a fun experience once you learn the ropes. But therein lies the key - and this is not meant to be a personal attack on you - but it really is an L2P issue.

PVP builds are very different from PVE builds. PVE emphasizes sustained damage output at all costs, whereas in PVP, you need a more well rounded character that gives you burst damage windows. Once you have the proper build, its all about recognizing when your burst damage window is open and pressing that window to finish off your opponent. You also need to have enough sustain and survivability to allow your burst damage window to come open.

Movement speed and sustain are also at a premium in a PVP build, because you want to be able to escape any situation before you get overwhelmed.

And having good teammates makes such a huge difference in PVP play, because if you are trying to play solo, or even small group it, you can get swamped very easily. But even a well coordinated small group of 4-6 players can become a mighty obstacle to overcome if they are playing together as a unit - which takes time and practice.

Sometimes, its just a matter of falling in with the right people to improve your gaming experience. After all, this is an mmo...

Group play, totally, love it. Any game is better when played with friends for the most part.

Also love the gameplay where you’re engaging with other players, healing or damaging them

On the subject matter of a L2P issue, is it really a learn to play issue? Or a learn to gear issue?

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

Did ZoS just decide to make band-aid fixes through Cyrodiil gear that are a PitA to acquire and are a PitA to slot as needed thanks to the cumbersome loadout system and its inaccessibility in most PvP?

Avran_Sylt

The_Meathead wrote: »

I actually love ESO PvP, though maybe somewhat more conceptually than in execution?

When at its best, the way Builds function and allow tremendous customization really meshes well with the game's style of combat. Laugh if you wanna, because I know OPed Meta cheese absolutely ruins that at times and that Hybridization reduced the diversity and some of the necessary "rails" that made resources and careful planning extra valuable, but I still think it's pretty solid.

Like some others have said, Cyrodiil really should be a pretty penultimate PvP experience for MMOs.

It's why many of us came to the game at Launch, visions of the best of DAoC combined with the impossibly detailed and rich setting of the Elder Scrolls.

Regrettably, also as others have said, the tremendously low pop caps (that came about when they moved calculations to server side rather than player side to avoid cheating, and the lag grew and grew) have really hamstrung what it could be. Combine that with Ball Groups only getting stronger every update, and you have even less people to oppose them en masse and a further dwindling population out of frustration towards that and other mechanical issues.

I still play in Cyrodiil because I enjoy it, but it could be a LOT better. If it was, I think it would be ESO's crown jewel as originally intended, but for whatever reason it either can't or just doesn't get the corrections it needs to make that happen.

Here's hoping!

Reeeealy hope they just make mounts have the fastest speed in Cyrodiil. (Or make major gallop increase the mount speed by 90% while under the effects of Battle spirit).

Kinda annoyed that mount speed basically acts as a variable respawn timer when it comes to traversing to a flagged keep you died at when respawning in a nearby connected keep.

Taril

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

Normally it's because PvP gear and abilities will provide more access to counter specific things. Like providing more Defile to try and limit the capabilities of opponents.

Also, PvE DPS relies on maintaining DoT effects (Both debuff and ground based AoE based). Which PvP Tanks can cleanse and move out of, vastly reducing the damage these things do compared to your average PvE boss who just sits there taking them like a champ.

Then of course PvP gear and builds will want to stack Penetration in order to deal with enemy armour while in PvE this stat is basically useless because 90% of the existing armour on enemies is removed by Major and Minor Breach that has 100% uptime (While these debuffs can be cleansed in PvP too).

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

PvE Tanks rely on blocking every single attack that comes at them. The massive damage reduction from blocking is required to survive (Dodging can work, but it's harder and more Stamina intensive).

In PvP, armor itself provides a significant damage reduction. Meaning that a Tank who isn't blocking is still tankier than your average glass (Or balanced) build. So if you have to drop block to regain resources, you still maintain significant tankiness.

This is also why Penetration is so valuable in PvP because there is a need to get through this inherent tankiness, especially with Breach being less consistent (Due to cleanses and things like people not standing around inside Caltrops/Boneyard)

Avran_Sylt

Taril wrote: »

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

Normally it's because PvP gear and abilities will provide more access to counter specific things. Like providing more Defile to try and limit the capabilities of opponents.

Also, PvE DPS relies on maintaining DoT effects (Both debuff and ground based AoE based). Which PvP Tanks can cleanse and move out of, vastly reducing the damage these things do compared to your average PvE boss who just sits there taking them like a champ.

Then of course PvP gear and builds will want to stack Penetration in order to deal with enemy armour while in PvE this stat is basically useless because 90% of the existing armour on enemies is removed by Major and Minor Breach that has 100% uptime (While these debuffs can be cleansed in PvP too).

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

PvE Tanks rely on blocking every single attack that comes at them. The massive damage reduction from blocking is required to survive (Dodging can work, but it's harder and more Stamina intensive).

In PvP, armor itself provides a significant damage reduction. Meaning that a Tank who isn't blocking is still tankier than your average glass (Or balanced) build. So if you have to drop block to regain resources, you still maintain significant tankiness.

This is also why Penetration is so valuable in PvP because there is a need to get through this inherent tankiness, especially with Breach being less consistent (Due to cleanses and things like people not standing around inside Caltrops/Boneyard)

Informative, and more or less what I’ve experienced as I’ve been tweaking my glass cannon build.

BXR_Lonestar

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I used to think ESO PVP was terrible, but then I finally got with a group who has taught me how to actually play PVP, make a proper PVP build, etc., and now I play PVP just as much, if not more than I play PVE. It really is a fun experience once you learn the ropes. But therein lies the key - and this is not meant to be a personal attack on you - but it really is an L2P issue.

PVP builds are very different from PVE builds. PVE emphasizes sustained damage output at all costs, whereas in PVP, you need a more well rounded character that gives you burst damage windows. Once you have the proper build, its all about recognizing when your burst damage window is open and pressing that window to finish off your opponent. You also need to have enough sustain and survivability to allow your burst damage window to come open.

Movement speed and sustain are also at a premium in a PVP build, because you want to be able to escape any situation before you get overwhelmed.

And having good teammates makes such a huge difference in PVP play, because if you are trying to play solo, or even small group it, you can get swamped very easily. But even a well coordinated small group of 4-6 players can become a mighty obstacle to overcome if they are playing together as a unit - which takes time and practice.

Sometimes, its just a matter of falling in with the right people to improve your gaming experience. After all, this is an mmo...

Group play, totally, love it. Any game is better when played with friends for the most part.

Also love the gameplay where you’re engaging with other players, healing or damaging them

On the subject matter of a L2P issue, is it really a learn to play issue? Or a learn to gear issue?

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

Did ZoS just decide to make band-aid fixes through Cyrodiil gear that are a PitA to acquire and are a PitA to slot as needed thanks to the cumbersome loadout system and its inaccessibility in most PvP?

Regarding whether this is a L2P issue or a gear issue - it can actually be both. sometimes you just have to keep experimenting to figure out what build is going to work best for your playstyle, but understand that there is no singular playstyle to rule them all. They all have strengths and weaknesses - and a role to play on the battlefield. So your experience can even vary based on the particular battle/encounter. And a good/experienced PVP player will understand how to play a fight to their strengths and to avoid an encounter where they will be at a disadvantage.

With respect to a stationary block tank being unkillable - this simply isn't true. I have a block tank that I play when I want to troll people or try to bog down the enemy advance. It's an incredibly useful and overlooked playstyle IMO, but I am far from killable. I can tank a group of 20 unorganized players, but a group of 4 who know what they're doing can kill me. It's all about knowing what skills/abilities will force the tank to drop block, and then having a coordinated damage dump in that tiny window of opportunity that you have, because if you don't focus all your damage then, you will fail at killing the tank. So this is definitely an L2P/Coordination thing. It could also be a gear thing too if your setup doesn't allow for good burst DPS opportunities.

Thumbless_Bot

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I used to think ESO PVP was terrible, but then I finally got with a group who has taught me how to actually play PVP, make a proper PVP build, etc., and now I play PVP just as much, if not more than I play PVE. It really is a fun experience once you learn the ropes. But therein lies the key - and this is not meant to be a personal attack on you - but it really is an L2P issue.

PVP builds are very different from PVE builds. PVE emphasizes sustained damage output at all costs, whereas in PVP, you need a more well rounded character that gives you burst damage windows. Once you have the proper build, its all about recognizing when your burst damage window is open and pressing that window to finish off your opponent. You also need to have enough sustain and survivability to allow your burst damage window to come open.

Movement speed and sustain are also at a premium in a PVP build, because you want to be able to escape any situation before you get overwhelmed.

And having good teammates makes such a huge difference in PVP play, because if you are trying to play solo, or even small group it, you can get swamped very easily. But even a well coordinated small group of 4-6 players can become a mighty obstacle to overcome if they are playing together as a unit - which takes time and practice.

Sometimes, its just a matter of falling in with the right people to improve your gaming experience. After all, this is an mmo...

Group play, totally, love it. Any game is better when played with friends for the most part.

Also love the gameplay where you’re engaging with other players, healing or damaging them

On the subject matter of a L2P issue, is it really a learn to play issue? Or a learn to gear issue?

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

Did ZoS just decide to make band-aid fixes through Cyrodiil gear that are a PitA to acquire and are a PitA to slot as needed thanks to the cumbersome loadout system and its inaccessibility in most PvP?

Regarding whether this is a L2P issue or a gear issue - it can actually be both. sometimes you just have to keep experimenting to figure out what build is going to work best for your playstyle, but understand that there is no singular playstyle to rule them all. They all have strengths and weaknesses - and a role to play on the battlefield. So your experience can even vary based on the particular battle/encounter. And a good/experienced PVP player will understand how to play a fight to their strengths and to avoid an encounter where they will be at a disadvantage.

With respect to a stationary block tank being unkillable - this simply isn't true. I have a block tank that I play when I want to troll people or try to bog down the enemy advance. It's an incredibly useful and overlooked playstyle IMO, but I am far from killable. I can tank a group of 20 unorganized players, but a group of 4 who know what they're doing can kill me. It's all about knowing what skills/abilities will force the tank to drop block, and then having a coordinated damage dump in that tiny window of opportunity that you have, because if you don't focus all your damage then, you will fail at killing the tank. So this is definitely an L2P/Coordination thing. It could also be a gear thing too if your setup doesn't allow for good burst DPS opportunities.

Not splitting hairs, but, imo, not having the right gear would count as a l2p issue...

Also, there are troll tanks that can absolutely take damage from 4 sweaties and not die. The answer isn't to nerf these tanks and heal bots, it's to not reward them with medal score. Reward those actually doing damage. I think zos' philosophy on this is flawed and needs to be revisited for the health of bgs.

Taril

Thumbless_Bot wrote: »

Also, there are troll tanks that can absolutely take damage from 4 sweaties and not die. The answer isn't to nerf these tanks and heal bots, it's to not reward them with medal score. Reward those actually doing damage. I think zos' philosophy on this is flawed and needs to be revisited for the health of bgs.

The main thing is...

Such builds are basically what BG's wants.

Capture the Relic, Chaosball, Domination and Crazy King all have objectives that are directly more suited to having an unkillable tank.

Holding the Relic/Chaosball or sitting on a flag forever is literally what the game modes want you to do, which is most easily done by an unkillable tank.

Such is the nature of objective based modes (Even if we take into consideration other objective based modes such as payloads, that too promotes tanks to sit on the payload).

The only objective based mode I can recall off hand that didn't directly make Tanks valuable would be WoW's Strand of the Ancients BG as it was a Seige mode (Where the objective was attackers had to break down several gates and then reach a relic. Whereby tanks were useless because it was all about attackers nuking down the gates and defenders nuking down the attackers. No "Hold onto this objective" stuff at all)

BXR_Lonestar

Also, there are troll tanks that can absolutely take damage from 4 sweaties and not die. The answer isn't to nerf these tanks and heal bots, it's to not reward them with medal score. Reward those actually doing damage. I think zos' philosophy on this is flawed and needs to be revisited for the health of bgs.

Its funny you should say that because I actually play one of those troll tanks sometimes in BG's (and in Cyrodil). The last match I played, we lost, but the only two relics we captured were from me. I don't think they're getting rewards for not being killed, they're getting rewards for playing the objective - which I think is legitimate. The character is purpose built to capture points and run relics. That's what needs to be done, so I don't see this as a problem. It is not as if it is a guaranteed win, you can still do a lot of things to counter it, like negating and constantly bashing/crowd controlling the relic so that person can't get their hands on the relic. That is pretty much why I only scored twice, even though I was running unstoppable potions .

Honestly, I just think it is part of the game and people need to learn how to address the issue. Lots of good/experienced players know how to deal with this situation and some are still figuring it out. It doesn't mean its an illegitimate playstyle in an objectives based gamemode.

Solariken

reazea wrote: »

ESO PvP used to be the best PvP I've ever played. Now Cyrodiil is a shadow of it's former self. It's a mystery why ZOS has chosen not to reasonably support Cyrodiil PvP when so many people love it so much when it worked properly.

Well said!

It's still really fun most of the time, despite its mountain of balance issues.

Necrotech_Master

Taril wrote: »

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

Why can’t a fully kitted out PvE DPS toon take down a stationary blocking resource regen build PvP tank?

Normally it's because PvP gear and abilities will provide more access to counter specific things. Like providing more Defile to try and limit the capabilities of opponents.

Also, PvE DPS relies on maintaining DoT effects (Both debuff and ground based AoE based). Which PvP Tanks can cleanse and move out of, vastly reducing the damage these things do compared to your average PvE boss who just sits there taking them like a champ.

Then of course PvP gear and builds will want to stack Penetration in order to deal with enemy armour while in PvE this stat is basically useless because 90% of the existing armour on enemies is removed by Major and Minor Breach that has 100% uptime (While these debuffs can be cleansed in PvP too).

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

What fundamental differences allow such a tank to persist indefinitely in a PvP environment, Is that intended?

PvE Tanks rely on blocking every single attack that comes at them. The massive damage reduction from blocking is required to survive (Dodging can work, but it's harder and more Stamina intensive).

In PvP, armor itself provides a significant damage reduction. Meaning that a Tank who isn't blocking is still tankier than your average glass (Or balanced) build. So if you have to drop block to regain resources, you still maintain significant tankiness.

This is also why Penetration is so valuable in PvP because there is a need to get through this inherent tankiness, especially with Breach being less consistent (Due to cleanses and things like people not standing around inside Caltrops/Boneyard)

nerfing defile, and nerfing other unique anti-heal builds (like fasallas) is something i think is contributing to this negative environment

we also lost a CP that buffed defiles as well

on a whole anti-healing mechanics were nerfed hard, now they barely counter anything

the other thing is someone healing themselves as far as im aware, gets double buffed for heals (major/minor mending increases healing DONE, and major/minor vitality buffs healing RECEIVED, so if you were the source of the heal, your heal would by my understanding be buffed both my healing done and healing received)

defiles only counter effectively 1 of those buffs now, it used to be large enough to cover both buffs

other forms of anti-healing like heal absorption are very weak comparatively (at best can absorb 1-2 burst heals) and not reliable to apply because theres few sources and most of them have some kind of delay in application

snake in the stars was nerfed into the ground before it released, and can be OK only with very short bursts, and does not counter burst healing effectively (its more penalizing to hots), but the 4 second duration and 8 second downtime makes it very niche

Extinct_Solo_Player

Just give me Pre Dark-Brotherhood Patch PVP. I'd rather have that than the current mess we have right now.

blktauna

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

They've had like 10 years to work on it.

neglect is an ugly thing.

Deimus

Short list of issues that I think would go a long way to improving the ESO PvP experience if addressed:

• Poor class balance. Yeah balance will never be perfect, but it's rare to see such prolonged gaps in performance levels between classes in an active game. A class shouldn't be the best or worst performing for years in your game, and if over half of your PvP population is playing 2 out of your 7 classes then something is wrong.
• Glaring flaws in their combat system around healing. Most games have a dedicated stat for healing to guide players into building for it, but ESO could use the already existing penalties from the armor passives to mimic this. They could reduce healing you do on yourself and allies by 30% while wearing more than 1 piece of medium armor, and healing while wearing more than 1 piece of heavy armor only affects yourself at full strength while healing others at a 70% reduction. So you will have to wear 5 light armor pieces to build into being an effective healer. The other more glaring issue around healing is HoT stacking and cross healing. Heal stacking pretty much is like turning on god mode in PvP it eliminates the competitive aspect and removes all risk from the game. Limit heals to 1 unique instance per player with additional casts just refreshing the duration.
• Very slow responses to any imbalances if they are addressed at all. Remember Tarnished Nightmare with 60k damage procs for a month? That set should've been disabled in PvP until the bug was fixed soon as they became aware of it. Faster responses will make players feel like that area of the game is important and not an afterthought.
• While it has greatly improved from what it was 3 years it server performance can still crap the bed sometimes mainly when ball groups are around which also strips away the experience of open world PvP in general.
• Also if they want to get that +500 rapport boost with PvPers addressing bugs that require you feed yourself to the Slaughterfish or give Uncle Sheo a visit to remove would go a long way.