how to overcome pvp anxiety.

DarkStrifeYT · April 15

I noticed one thing in pvp over the years is pvp anxiety and I want to let people know who is anxious of pvp to not worry about dying in pvp. I know there are clips out there of people 1vX and such (which a lot of those are fake and staged) and wanted to let people know who are either new to pvp or scared to pvp its ok if you die in it. There is no penalty for dying in pvp (unless irs IC with telvar but even then you should be banking it every now and then).You don't even need to have a pvp build to be good in pvp. Sure while it may seem intimidating to go into pvp not able to damage players as high as others, as someone that has been doing pvp for over 10 years while doing the main game we do appreciate any kind of help from others. Unlike pvm there isn't a dps threshold, have fun in pvp. 99% of pvpers in all types of pvp don't even have a pvp build and aren't good at it.

Infact you being there is more help than staying behind. Its not just support of helping against other players but it also gives a morale boost to veteran pvpers and new ones together. Infact there is a multitude of ways you are helping by being there. You are helping intimidate the enemy. For example a lone ganker wont attack if there is more than one other player. You giving even a little damage can be a difference of your teammate or faction winning the fight or losing it. There has been numerous times where I 1hped someone and they managed to kill me and they survived because I was by myself. When i do have someone whos not even grouped up with me has helped me takeout that one guy with 1 hp every time and I didn't even get low on hp. Numbers intimidate the enemy. I've seen them run just because a second person was there even if they did nothing.

Also heres a few other ways you can contribute to help without feeling like you are harming your faction other than just being there. 1) Buffing allies, you don't even understand how much this helps, its more important than you'd even think about it. 2) Healing all around you, we all appreciate a medic, can be the difference of losing a fight or winning. 3) Charging into battle, even if you die you can just respawn nearby, you either helped get the other person killed or create a distraction that would punish the enemy more than you think, 4) Using counter siege in cyro, this helps so much, don't just use catapults, infact there is a ton of unique things you can use with siege to help. Even if that means making a keep get flagged and running will divert the enemies. Also using siege to take out other siege helps out a lot and I don't just mean oils. Ballistas are great at taking out other siege weapons, defensive trebuchets can be more devastating than oils in a keep, especially since you can hide behind keep walls with them and hit over. It will either force enemies even st longer ranges to move or take massive damage. 5) Especially for pvm tanks, be the front lines like you would in pvm and tank the enemies. This helps out more than you think. Being the damage sponge even not in a group random nearby players helps so much.

So don't worry if you aren't good in pvp, 99% of pvpers aren't even good in pvp, we all just go in blindly and start swinging till we hit something. Also ignore the toxic players. They are usually larpers who believe this is a real war. Have fun and experiment with abilities.

Also bonus siege tip for cyro: Different siege types do different things, so don't just use meatbag catapults, others help out as well, meatbags just slow down healing but oil will snare the enemies (and yes I have killed someone with an oil catapult) and scatter shot also makes enemies lose resistances and stays on the ground. Lightning and Ice ballistas also help out a ton, not just fire. Most people especially vampires usually have fire resistance enchantments on their jewelry, so these others can help. The stone versions also do more damage to other siege weapons and structures more. Trebuchets hit father and can snipe keeps. Experiment a bit and don't just stick to a single type.

Taarente · April 15

PvP anxiety usually comes from not knowing what “success” looks like.

If you go in thinking the goal is to win fights, you’ll feel outmatched very quickly. That’s normal — you’re walking into a system with a lot of variables, and most players you meet have been doing it a long time.

A simpler way to approach it is:

Pick a small objective (take a resource, complete a daily, scout a route)
Only take fights that are clearly in your favour
Leave when the situation changes — that’s not failure, that’s decision-making

In Cyrodiil especially, activity creates attention. The longer you stay in one place, the more likely other players will arrive. Learning when to disengage is as important as learning how to fight.

If you treat PvP as managing risk and achieving objectives rather than proving something in combat, it becomes much calmer and more predictable.

Lastly Cyrodiil is not an arena, it's a war zone, learn how to become better at blocking, healing, buffing, defending, stay healthy and buy yourself time.

JohnRingo · April 16

DarkStrifeYT wrote: »

I noticed one thing in pvp over the years is pvp anxiety and I want to let people know who is anxious of pvp to not worry about dying in pvp. I know there are clips out there of people 1vX and such (which a lot of those are fake and staged) and wanted to let people know who are either new to pvp or scared to pvp its ok if you die in it. There is no penalty for dying in pvp (unless irs IC with telvar but even then you should be banking it every now and then).You don't even need to have a pvp build to be good in pvp. Sure while it may seem intimidating to go into pvp not able to damage players as high as others, as someone that has been doing pvp for over 10 years while doing the main game we do appreciate any kind of help from others. Unlike pvm there isn't a dps threshold, have fun in pvp. 99% of pvpers in all types of pvp don't even have a pvp build and aren't good at it.

Infact you being there is more help than staying behind. Its not just support of helping against other players but it also gives a morale boost to veteran pvpers and new ones together. Infact there is a multitude of ways you are helping by being there. You are helping intimidate the enemy. For example a lone ganker wont attack if there is more than one other player. You giving even a little damage can be a difference of your teammate or faction winning the fight or losing it. There has been numerous times where I 1hped someone and they managed to kill me and they survived because I was by myself. When i do have someone whos not even grouped up with me has helped me takeout that one guy with 1 hp every time and I didn't even get low on hp. Numbers intimidate the enemy. I've seen them run just because a second person was there even if they did nothing.

Also heres a few other ways you can contribute to help without feeling like you are harming your faction other than just being there. 1) Buffing allies, you don't even understand how much this helps, its more important than you'd even think about it. 2) Healing all around you, we all appreciate a medic, can be the difference of losing a fight or winning. 3) Charging into battle, even if you die you can just respawn nearby, you either helped get the other person killed or create a distraction that would punish the enemy more than you think, 4) Using counter siege in cyro, this helps so much, don't just use catapults, infact there is a ton of unique things you can use with siege to help. Even if that means making a keep get flagged and running will divert the enemies. Also using siege to take out other siege helps out a lot and I don't just mean oils. Ballistas are great at taking out other siege weapons, defensive trebuchets can be more devastating than oils in a keep, especially since you can hide behind keep walls with them and hit over. It will either force enemies even st longer ranges to move or take massive damage. 5) Especially for pvm tanks, be the front lines like you would in pvm and tank the enemies. This helps out more than you think. Being the damage sponge even not in a group random nearby players helps so much.

So don't worry if you aren't good in pvp, 99% of pvpers aren't even good in pvp, we all just go in blindly and start swinging till we hit something. Also ignore the toxic players. They are usually larpers who believe this is a real war. Have fun and experiment with abilities.

Also bonus siege tip for cyro: Different siege types do different things, so don't just use meatbag catapults, others help out as well, meatbags just slow down healing but oil will snare the enemies (and yes I have killed someone with an oil catapult) and scatter shot also makes enemies lose resistances and stays on the ground. Lightning and Ice ballistas also help out a ton, not just fire. Most people especially vampires usually have fire resistance enchantments on their jewelry, so these others can help. The stone versions also do more damage to other siege weapons and structures more. Trebuchets hit father and can snipe keeps. Experiment a bit and don't just stick to a single type.

JohnRingo · April 16

Thank you @DarkStifeYT. Exclusively a long term PvP Player here. Cyrodil is quite inhospitable to new players however your advice is brilliant and spot on. One thing is certain, we all started wherever you are. The truth is that most players do not have the resolve to survive and thrive in PvP. End game PvP in its current state is NOT for most players. But the rewards of success are glorious. Onward.

Brakkish · April 16

Don’t let PvP anxiety or a lack of a "meta" build keep you out of PVP. In ESO, even if you feel "weak," you serve a vital purpose: you are a distraction, a morale boost, and the path of least resistance that allows veterans to get the real work done.

Whether you’re soaking up damage as a meat shield, providing basic heals, or just being a second body getting in the way of the enemy's LOS, your presence alone changes the math of a fight.

Thumbless_Bot · April 16

I think this is a great post.

MincMincMinc · April 17

The problem is in pve people are so afraid of dying its practically a mortal sin. Go do any vet daily and you will see people die and rage all the time. People getting so upset they log out for the day. You'll see someone fail to block a simple mechanic from 2014 and blame everyone else. Chewing the whole group out.

Just go make a basic attempt at a build and go play bgs where there's practically no consequences and quick learning. The only important part is golding your weapons.

monomyth
bloodspawn
Rallying Cry backbar + 2 jewlery + waist
Shattered Fate Frontbar sharpened

General guidelines for the rest of the build

Make sure your chest is a heavy piece. Then do 3 heavy 3 medium 1 light (rallying cry is your light waist)
Run 7 impen or 6impen+reinforced heavy chest
Jewlery should be infused with weapon or spell damage enchants
mundus should be shadow, because its literally two mundus bonuses in one.
Food go with jewels of misrule and if you have too much sustain change it to a more focused damage/sustain one like dubious camoran or go completely to a tristat like sugar skulls.

It can help to build in more speed at first to make up for bad pvp awareness. So you can throw on swift jewelry and just keep up your major expedition buff.

A major issue new players have is simply never blocking. Some people get into the habit of spamming roll too. Personally I block about 80% of the time I am on the backbar with sword and shield.

Rohamad_Ali · April 17

It is a positive post to encourage new people. Teaching people how to group and operate in a group will lend even more success. Never say 99% of pvpers aren't even good in pvp, though. That's not a real statistic and will lead to people thinking it's a cake walk when most nights it is not. All should come and learn though because it is fun when you win.

JohnRingo · April 17

Rohamad_Ali wrote: »

It is a positive post to encourage new people. Teaching people how to group and operate in a group will lend even more success. Never say 99% of pvpers aren't even good in pvp, though. That's not a real statistic and will lead to people thinking it's a cake walk when most nights it is not. All should come and learn though because it is fun when you win.

Yes. Fully agree (missed that).