Free for all PvP.

Shadowasrial · March 9

I have had an idea for a new form of PvP server, one that will possibly increase PvP population and by extension increase the population of normal cyrodil.

My idea is a free for all PvP zone. Where any and all players of any alliance are free to attack eachother. But on top of that the ability to group up with any alliance up to 4 players. In concept kind of a super sized battleground. Instead of keeps to capture the landscape would be dotted with a variety of outposts and resource camps. (Once again destroyable as they were at game launch. That way small groups can defend the various resource camps and outposts they capture) the more resources and outposts you own the more points are added to your leaderboard. If you are grouped you no longer harm your group members just like in a battleground. This map would be smaller than cyrodil by about 50% of the map size as there would be much smaller scale combat and we wouldn’t need to traverse miles of open terrain.

The reason I say that this new free for all PvP server would increase PvP activity is that many smaller guilds who want to get involved in PvP will be much easier to get groups together when you only need 4 players and you no longer need to be the same alliance. So all guilds can play on any alliance any character. (No need to build a yellow healer if you have a blue or red healer) small scale is a lot of fun and the main allure of battlegrounds but you have to wait for enough people to be queued for the match to begin. With this being an open zone server you just queue for the server and so long as the server isn’t full you can enter freely. There can be new PvP ranks relevant to the campaign thus giving older PvP players something new to farm for. Maybe even a new form of emperor, a Champion if you will. A Daedric champion?

In regards to the zone maybe some pocket realm of a Daedric prince. A zone of constant war and turmoil. This could open the door for a new Daedric relic to be introduced for this zone.

Desiato · March 9

This idea has been suggested at least a few times over the years. I think it could have worked when there was a larger PVP audience in this game, but would be too niche now.

The problem with what you're proposing is it would require a larger audience of PVP focused players who want to fight against other PVP focused players instead of farming players much less capable than they are. The typical ESO player wouldn't be interested in this mode.

Unfortunately, I would say most players who currently play in Cyrodiil don't have a true PVP mindset, even if they have good fundamental ESO skills and have success in this game.

I say this for several reasons. First, stalemate builds are everywhere. So many experienced players with decent ESO skills build to avoid losing. They roam in groups like this. For example, I recall one group of 4 43k hp wardens who could only kill the weakest of players. They were only a hassle once inside keep walls, barely getting any kills. I honestly don't know why they even played. It's impossible to play without encountering some form of this group right now.

Secondly, even many good PVP players put the emphasis on good fights instead of AP? How many good groups look for each other? How many good groups want to actually compete vs farm randoms? Not a lot.

What you see in a healthy PVP game is clans and guilds constantly competing with each other, night after night to assert themselves as the best. Not here!

I think that the biggest problem limiting PVP is that truly PVP focused gamers generally won't want to invest the time necessary in the PVE side of the game. Especially if they want to compete with arena weapons and trial sets.

It's a shame, because the game was originally designed to allow PVP focused players to progress only in Cyrodiil without being at a competitive disadvantage.

Durham · March 19

Just add a criminal/pirate faction this faction can kill each other unless you are in a group. You take damage from any player outside your faction.

1. You take double guard damage.
2. Wall and door strength is X2 your siege.
3. Your siege damage does half damage to players
4. Your spawn point will be special town and you cannot be killed by by your faction in this starting town but any of the other faction can kill you inside this town.
5. All other factions get a bonus for killing you.
6. You get gold rather than AP.

React · March 19

Would love to see FFA pvp with a lower group cap enter the game. I think it's the exact format that has been missing, and with a meaningful reward system attached to it, could be very successful.

I wrote a very detailed post a while back suggesting how imperial city could be reworked to adopt this format of PVP, which I'll share here. I still think it would be best applied to that zone as there are already meaningful reward systems in place, a well designed pvp environment with diverse and dynamic areas to fight, and because the zone itself is nearing a decade old and definitely could use a refresh.

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/620139/in-depth-imperial-city-rework-idea-the-pvp-content-eso-needs-in-2023/p1

jaws343 · March 19

I've been saying that there should be a free for all BG mode since BGs launched. Just 12 players all against each other.

LunaFlora · March 19

Elder Scrolls Battle Royale seems unlikely,
however Boethiah's realm would probably suit this if it were to happen

Necrotech_Master · March 20

if this happened at all, it would likely end up being some kind of new BG mode

Araneae6537 · March 20

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

if this happened at all, it would likely end up being some kind of new BG mode

I would not enjoy it as part of random BGs, but I suppose I could leave without feeling I was letting anyone down if there were no team.

I enjoy deathmatch and most of the objectives (main determining factor in whether I enjoy BGs is whether I’m up against players of similar ability) and additional modes mixed in could be fun. I think they should probably still be team based — Cyrodiil you can fight alone or with a group of any size up to the limit. A alternative deathmatch without respawn — so last team with someone standing, could be interesting. I recall SWTOR and GW2 had some interesting modes (but NOT Huttball, lol) and I liked the options of reward tracks in GW2.

xylena_lazarow · March 21

FFA or a Cyro pirate faction is content that I would pay for.

DrNukenstein · March 29

One ape brought fortnite to their MMO and it seems to have gone over very well

So it's not far fetched to think that the idea will be aped in other MMOs

jaws343 · March 29

DrNukenstein wrote: »

One ape brought fortnite to their MMO and it seems to have gone over very well

So it's not far fetched to think that the idea will be aped in other MMOs

You realize FFA PVP outdates fortnight right? By decades.

JanTanhide · March 29

I would like a server like that!

reazea · March 29

Instead of adding a new PvP mode ZOS should focus on bringing back the former glory of Cyrodiil that we used to love.

React · March 29

reazea wrote: »

Instead of adding a new PvP mode ZOS should focus on bringing back the former glory of Cyrodiil that we used to love.

They have spent literal years trying to do that, and have failed every single time. It isn't going to happen, and it's time they shift their focus away so that we can receive some actual playable pvp content. It's now been over 5 years since the last PVP content (a bg map), btw.

CameraBeardThePirate · March 30

React wrote: »

reazea wrote: »

Instead of adding a new PvP mode ZOS should focus on bringing back the former glory of Cyrodiil that we used to love.

They have spent literal years trying to do that, and have failed every single time. It isn't going to happen, and it's time they shift their focus away so that we can receive some actual playable pvp content. It's now been over 5 years since the last PVP content (a bg map), btw.

Easily the worst BG map, I might add. Way too big, to the point where every match on that map just turns into a "where's Waldo" game where you're looking for players to fight the entire match.

Sporigudinai · April 12

"Desiato wrote: »

"I think that the biggest problem limiting PVP is that truly PVP focused gamers generally won't want to invest the time necessary in the PVE side of the game. Especially if they want to compete with arena weapons and trial sets.

It's a shame, because the game was originally designed to allow PVP focused players to progress only in Cyrodiil without being at a competitive disadvantage.

I´m with you on that, and its something that always came to my mind. ESO can´t be a game where you only focus on PvP because if you do that, how would you get the dungeons sets, mythics, Psijic, etc...
It can be frustrating if you only play ESO for PvP, but have to do lots of PvE. I do PvE only when i really have to, i know this makes me weaker, because lots of things that i would use in PvP i can only have if i do lots of PvE content.
That´s ok for me, i play ESO for a long time and i´m used to it. But hard PvP players that would love to play ESO maybe don´t try it because of it.

xylena_lazarow · April 12

React wrote: »

They have spent literal years trying to do that, and have failed every single time. It isn't going to happen, and it's time they shift their focus away so that we can receive some actual playable pvp content. It's now been over 5 years since the last PVP content (a bg map), btw.

Exactly, it's not like the devs "don't care" rather their vision seems to be for everyone to run in highly organized 4-12 person groups, powercreeping group buffs and nerfing solos/pugs patch after patch, but this simply isn't how most players engage with this PvP and never will be. They need to stop trying to force a square peg into the round hole.

Vaqual · April 12

They had small FFA zones in SWTOR, but I played on a PvP server at the time, so the demand was basically non-existent. When I the servers where merged and I ended up on a PvE server nobody was using them either though.

I could see it work, even though the map design kind of needs to make sure it doesn't end up being a ranged spam/gank *** with everyone camping stealth until one fool pops out. I also think grouping is really OP in a scenario like this, since it is not immediately evident if the 3rd guy jumping in is actually going to hit your and your target in the cleave or if he is just here to beat you up. I can see grouping be a real deal breaker in an FFA mode, especially for people who just want to jump in without organizing a group.

If it goes in the direction of battle royal then I'd not be interested, I think that is time wasting crap.

Braffin · April 12

Vaqual wrote: »

If it goes in the direction of battle royal then I'd not be interested, I think that is time wasting crap.

You just put the idea of a global battle royal event into my mind.

The top of WGT would be a lovely final location to reach.