Some Tips for Beginners in Cyrodiil.

Thudunblundur

Noticing there were a few new names around I was giving some tips in chat when asked to put them here because chat scrolls so fast. These are not intended to be a detailed guide, just some very basics that beginners may not know.

1) Do the Tutorial. Not only does it give you some free practice with siege weapons, but it gives you 2 skill points, at least one of which should be spent on an Alliance War skill. Siege Shields would be my recommendation because they are very useful, and there are rarely enough. You also get a Limited Forward Camp at some point around now. Save it. (Please note that if you missed the Tutorial and have got to Rank 2 Alliance War you won't gain by going back to do the tutorial, since what happens is you gain the first 2 ranks by doing the tutorial as far as I know. You might get the camp but it's pretty awful as it only allows about 5 respawns.)

2) Stone Trebuchets and Faction Ballistas are best against Walls and Gates. Meatbag Catapults are very good anti-personnel weapons. Fire Ballistas are very good against siege weapons and players. There is a weirdness in that it seems when shooting at a Postern Gate, you should not shoot the door itself, but the wall just next to it (bugged iirc). Siege Weapons can be bought from Siege Merchants who are found inside Keeps near the Transit Point and at Resources (Mines, Farms and Lumber mills)

3) Oil Pots need a long drop to work (at least 6 metres). At present it seems they are only good for defending the walls of Inner Keeps and Flag Rooms in Keeps. (Each Keep has 2 flags in adjacent rooms. To capture a Keep you need to capture both by having friendly players close to them for a period of time). Oh, and Oil Pots are the cheapest siege weapons you can buy at 800 Alliance Points.

4) Rams are specialized siege equipment for attacking main gates. They need 6 people to man them and these people need to be close to the ram to affect it. Ideally they need to be inside the ram - I think you get an extra 10% effect for being inside holding block, but I'm a bit hazy on the exact details.

5) There are a LOT of Vampires in Cyrodiil. Give serious thought to your Fighters Guild skill line.

6) Get a Horse. Cyrodiil is big. At present everyone thinks they need maximum speed horses but these make you very vulnerable to being ambushed. It might be that some stamina would be of benefit.

That's a start anyway. Hope you find the above points useful. More experienced players, please feel free to add your own tips.

(Edited for Update 5)

mikedirtbike

Also if running in a group dont be the first or last player when traveling from point A to point B ....you are easy targets lol....nice info^^

Sallington

What's this tutorial? I'm just about PvP rank 15 and I don't think I knew about that.

Thudunblundur

Oh blimey - you get pointed at it when you first go but I can't remember who exactly it is gives the initial quest. One of the NPCs in the Gate areas.

Gaettusk

If you're NA EP, then get in contact with me: I'll get you FCs if you need them.

@ Gaettusk is my @name

Fillem_Fulla

2)Firepot trebs can actually just as useful if not more useful than stone if your a de dk. Their damage is only 280 less but can be used to switch to counter seige on walls.

3) if u c someone setting up an oil pot farm use purge from alliance war line. Also to counter a tower farm either knock the tower down prior to capturing or using barrell roll on initial entry will help u get to stairs.

6) dont forget to feed that horse lots of apples. Slow horse = ganked player

Dreyloch

#2, for the love of GAWD. #2. Leave Cyrodiil if you think that fire ballista will do ANYthing to a wall. It drives more veteraned players to punch babies and kill puppies when you do that.(ok, not in RL, but you get the jist) lol.

Thudunblundur

Dreyloch: Think you've misread. I said Faction, not Fire...?

edit: However, beginners might like to note that your description of the reaction it causes when misused is entirely as written

Cody

don't argue in zone chat all night like a drunken idiot.

best advice I can give in regards to teamwork

driosketch

Dreyloch wrote: »

#2, for the love of GAWD. #2. Leave Cyrodiil if you think that fire ballista will do ANYthing to a wall. It drives more veteraned players to punch babies and kill puppies when you do that.(ok, not in RL, but you get the jist) lol.

It still does damage, just not much. I would say don't set it up in the primary spot to start. But after the siege is going, and you're still under the 20 cap, by all means, the more the merrier. I'd rather have someone on a fire ballista who knows to hit the wall than someone on a proper siege aiming at the door.

This is after all a thread on tips for beginners, not those who already earn AP at a decent rate.

With regards to FCs. Before update 5 hits, you can still get a free one from the tutorial. Save it for when you are the last one to use up the FC. After 1.5 you likely won't be able to buy a replacement until you hit PvP rank 6 anyways. If you are the last one through in this case, let people know in chat right away, so they can either mail you one, or someone can run back to replace it.

kijima

If you are a low level player, you'll be best utlized on the trigger end of siege equipment in a keep defense, and if you don't have any siege, ask in zone for some. There will always be PvP vets happy to drop siege on a wall for you or just send it to you to use.

A VR14 DK as an example is built for being out on the field in front of you munching up players, so if you are a level 10 in Cyrodiil, don't think for one second you can drop of the wall and enter the battle be be devastating. You'll be more effective on siege, fertilizer if you try anything else.

Also, if you are in a defense group in a keep, rez to the keep if the wall is above 50% and not the forward camp burning though the FC's %

sirston

If your getting jumped by 5+ people and you see teammates that are in stealth Don't run towards them they may be in a guild and you might lead the group of people into them which may get them killed and get you hate chat.

-Best bets is if your jumped and your allies are in stealth your already dead to them.

MiyaTheUnbroken

sirston wrote: »

If your getting jumped by 5+ people and you see teammates that are in stealth Don't run towards them they may be in a guild and you might lead the group of people into them which may get them killed and get you hate chat.

-Best bets is if your jumped and your allies are in stealth your already dead to them.

I agree very much with this. I have no hp, I can not help you. I'm very sorry, and I'll be happy to res you if they leave, but please stay away from me when you have a train. I can't res you if I'm dead too.

Insurrektion

The "siege merchant" aforementioned is called the * Quartermaster, where * is the faction you're in - Covenant/Pact/Dominion, respectively.

Sestar

1) Missing the tutorial does not make you miss skill points!

Doing the tutorial is very helpful. But, it is easily "missed" if you click through the first quest giver's talk to quickly and do not notice that you have to "pick" how to continue and went to the closer quest marker...
The so called "skill points from the tutorial" are actually skillpoint for advancing your alliance war level, which can be done fine without the tutorial.


2) Repairing siege, camps and walls.

If a siege weapon or forward camp is burning, you can go close to it and "use" it, to douse the fire. Then use a repair kit to fix it!

Carrying 2 siege weapons of a type and a stack of siege repair kits uses much less inventory space than a dozen siege weapons; if you remember to repair between firing bolts you will not run out of siege weaponry at criticial moments.

The "heal more below 30% health" Restoration Staff passive skill, the combat medic Aliance War passive skill as well as the Ritual do affect the repair ammount.

(considering the other posting before about dragon knights and fire trebuchets I wonder if this application of buffs works for other classes' buffs for siege weaponry as well..)

Juoppo

There's a tutorial that gives 2 skill points? o.O

KenjiJU

What are some good sources of getting PvP XP/AP? Eg. if I never use siege weapons, am I missing a lot of PvP XP? Quests?

I can never seem to be on at the right time to manage the keep and resource quests. Last time I was seriously seconds away from reaching a cap point for a quest, so they've been frustrating for the most part. Are these important quests or do they reward the same insulting 1k AP/handful of gold like everything else?

What's this Reward Tier thing mean?

Thanks if you can answer these.

FluffiestOne

KenjiJU wrote: »

What are some good sources of getting PvP XP/AP? Eg. if I never use siege weapons, am I missing a lot of PvP XP? Quests?

I can never seem to be on at the right time to manage the keep and resource quests. Last time I was seriously seconds away from reaching a cap point for a quest, so they've been frustrating for the most part. Are these important quests or do they reward the same insulting 1k AP/handful of gold like everything else?

What's this Reward Tier thing mean?

Thanks if you can answer these.

Kill stuff. I only really do the bounties, they still give 1k. Reward Tier is at the end of the campaign based on your tier 1-3 you get more gold or not.

Keron

Objective cap quests and spy quests give anything from 250 to 500 AP each and you can do only one each per day (not like bounty which are extended to 5/day). Even scroll quest only awards 750 AP.

For AP, the quests except for bounty are completely useless. They do give Veteran Points in line with veteran zone side quests for your respective veteran level, but that's about all you get from them.

As Fixate said, killing and objective-defense are the most effective sources for AP.

Thudunblundur

My response to the easiest way to get AP as a beginner in Cyrodiil is:

1) Find a Keep of yours that is frequently attacked and defend it. Use the Limited Forward Camp you get doing the Tutorial as a replacement if you are last out of the Camp when you respawn after dying. Use bows or spells from the walls, or siege weapons if you can afford them.

2) Join a group defending that keep by typing lfg (name of keep) in zone chat. Might take a few tries. Say you are a beginner and someone will probably take you under their wing. Go with the group.

3) If there are no groups around, or the groups are guild and /or full, do a few Keeps defences. Once you have a little experience of what it's like in defence, then join attacks on Keeps. It'll be easier when you've seen the sort of thing attackers do from the defenders' point of view.

4) Better mention def ticks at this point. def ticks are Defence ticks, which are the moment the game awards you points for the defence of a keep. This happens a minute or two after the fighting ends and you only get it if you are in or very close to the walls of a keep. Don't rush out to take the resources until you've got your tick. As a beginner in particular, this is where the big points are.

Haxnschwammer

Some more basic tactics and informations

types of players
Not every member of your faction is your friend. There are five types:

- The quester
not necessarily interested in PVP, he is after skyshards, dungeons, books.
Will likely not help you

-The leecher
Stays in keeps and shouts at other to "push enemies". After a fight there are AP-ticks.
That means if a keep is defended and the fighting stops it takes maybe a minute and all the
people inside keep defense range (the keep and the small area where npcs patrol) will
get a reward. The amount of AP will be distributed evenly. If people move out to chase
the enemy the don't get anything and the remaining ones get more. A long defense with many
kills grants high rewards.
The same is for attackers, if you manage to grab a keep (or resources farm,mine,lumber)
there will be a reward.
Leechers are selfish, but sometimes -after- the ap-tick they may help you.
But usually they jump from keep to keep to leech.

-The killer
Doesn't care about alliance, keeps, anything. Just looks at his personal kill count.
No help at all. In form of a ganker he lies low to capture the unprepared, is often
after questers because they are easy targets, especially when fighting npcs.

-The farmer/harvester/zerger
A bit like the leecher he is after AP. But he usually relies on teamwork and tactics
to kill many players as quick as possible. Uses knowledge to lure even big groups
into traps.

-The patriot
His target is to help his alliance to win the war. Getting keeps, scrolls, defending.
Whenever someone calls "blue train inc chal" it will be him.
He takes AP to buy siege equipment, repairs walls and burn APs with a lot of camps.
Patriots will often stay alone in keeps to keep an eye on possible attackers and inform others.
They are the most helpful type of players.

The traitor
He is a secondary char of a player who plays for a different alliance. He watches the map
and reports camps, hidden players, scouts, anything to his mates.
Months ago they just grabbed your scrolls and carried then to the enemy
Is often used so DKs can "dragon-leap" into keeps without sieging.
As there a absolutely no countermeasures traitors are really hated. Even if you know
someone to be a traitor you can do nothing against him.

Basic tactics/knowledge:

Edit:
-Resurrect
Really, resurrect you fallen brothers! You save a lot of camps, the
players don't have to run from a nearby keep or a camp far far away.
And you get some AP. As a templar you have a 50% chance to get a
soul gem back (if skilled). Resureccting costs a soulgem like in PvE
but you can't resurrect yourself when you've been killed ba other players.
If you died by the hands or claws of some npc, you can.

-Alliance points
APs are the currency of the war. With AP you gain PvP levels (and skill points), you
can spend them for siege equipement and PvP sets.
Also gaining APs/PvP levels enabls the Assault/Support skills

You get AP by
killing
defending resources/keeps
conquering resources/keeps
healing and resurrecting
repairing walls and doors

You can easily gain APs by healing people who jump down walls (and get damaged by falling).
I usually get 100 AP per jumper. Hint: Onl the first healer gets the AP and you can't
spam heal to leech, there is a cooldown.
You can buy APs with money. Really. The Siegemerchants sell repair kits, for APs and for money.
That means if you spend 300 AP to buy one, you get 30 by using it. You extend your APs by 10%.
If you buy them with money you pay 30 gold, and get 30 AP. You turn gold to AP, congratulation.
(Maybe I mix prices here, but I think you get the point)

-Share information:
Have zone chat on!
Unlike in PvE this is an important information channel
Learn what is meant:
Blues/Smurfs :Daggerfall Covenant
Yellows/Bananas: Aldmeri Dominion
Reds/Tomatoes: Ebonheart Pact

inc : incoming
know locations:
Ash = Fort Ash
Chal = Chalman
BRK = Blue road keep
...

Want to send a message? Be precise and short!
blue train inc chal lumber = DC team near/moving to chalman lumbermill
yellow siege 5 brk east = AD sieges blue road keep with 5 sieg engines, they are at east wall
brk outer 20% = blue road keep outer wall is down to 20%

-Keep porting
You can respawn at any friendly keep that's not under attack
You can travel between any keeps as long they are not sieged and the three resources aren't taken

-Blood porting
You can respawn at any friendly camp after you died, no matter how far away.
Many will suicide at an enemy resource instead of running.

-Farming
Getting a lot of APs, usually by luring groups into traps or rolling over unprepared players with a zerg

-The train/zerg/zergball
You've seen it: a group of players rolls over a place killing players left and right without taking any damage.
There is no bug using, it's game mechanics. It's teamwork by people knowing what they're doing.
There are 3 roles inside a zergball:
support: keeps shields up, purges, buffs, all the time
heal: spam heals, resurrects any fallen immediately, no camp needed
damage: spams impulse, DKs reflect, AOE damage only

A Zergball deals massive damage through impulse/fire ring spam. Enough to kill many players in short time.
At the same time they take less damage because debuffs, and DoTs are constantly purged. AoE damage cap
divides the incoming damage on many players while healing negates it. If massive damage comes in
DKs place a Standard, Vampires start bat swarm.

Countermeasures:
As a single player? Ignore it if you can, move out of the way. You are just feeding them APs.
As a PuG? The same.
As a Zerg? Roll into it, numbers will decide who wins.
As a organized group: Take down healers first with negate shields, burst damage, NB stealth attack, simultaneous soul assault
Use massive aoe damage. Many zergballs have vampires, use fire. Fire Ring, fire ballistas, if a zerg can't move away
like inside a keep, use oil. Use massive heals to counter their damage.
The same mechanics that protect them will also protect you: many players on a small space.

Warning! Zergballing with impulse spams cause a lot of lag. Be prepared for crashes.
AoE Cap will be removed soon, that reduces lags and will change zergball tactics...

-The tower trap
Often a resource is captured and the attackers hide in the tower. Or a keep is attacked and they
hide inside. When a few players arrive they storm outside and kill everyone. Rinse repeat.
Or they wait for you to come in to be welcomed by 8 oil pots. Instant grilled chicken.
Sometimes a zerg is hidden/stealthed at a keep flag. When you want to capture the flag
they roll over you.

Counter:
Don't fall for the trap. Leave them inside. Siege the tower if you want, they will come out, of course
not the front door, they will jump from the backside and attack you from behind or side.
Use anti-zerg methods.

Thudunblundur

Thanks Hax. Lot of good information there.

thelordoffelines

Best tips for beginners:

1. Scattershot catapults. Always. Walls? Scattershot. Players? Scattershot. 1v1? Scattershot.
2. Rawr in zone chat as soon as u enter cyrodiil.

FluffiestOne

Avoid standing in any red circles too.

Thudunblundur

Chuckle. I'd like this to remain relatively un-cynical. It is intended to help new players in Cyrodiil. They may not always find it easy to know what is serious and what is not, especially those for whom English is a second language.

FluffiestOne

Thudunblundur wrote: »

Chuckle. I'd like this to remain relatively un-cynical. It is intended to help new players in Cyrodiil. They may not always find it easy to know what is serious and what is not, especially those for whom English is a second language.

I was being serious, I'd say 62% of my kills are because people stand in my standards and fire rings.

Thudunblundur

My comment was mainly aimed at the one above yours. Regarding yours, I'm surprised, but I accept the correction. Thanks for the point.

Juraigr

This is a lovely thread very helpful for beginners

Rainingblood

OP- Great thread! I'll ad my 2 cents...


As mentioned before, but so important its worth saying again: the importance of reviving dead players is hugely underestimated. You can rez in-combat and it conserves forward camp spawns(which will be even more important when 1.5 hits), and it gets your ally back in the fight instantly without having to run from a camp, or worse.

Something that also will be more significant soon and that I see happen way too often is players spawning at forward camps that are placed inside keeps at which you can already spawn. This is a HUGE waste. These camps are placed so the faction players can make a hasty defence and using the camp charges up can be a deciding factor in a keep's defence.

Also, I hear lower level players often say how they can't compete, they die too easily, etc. My advice to players frustrated by this is first of all make sure "battle level" is checked under your settings while you are outside Cyrodiil. It helps. Even with this on, do not expect to be able to 1v1 a V14... You will die. But with that being said, support rolls are HUGE. Use some of the tips in this thread and;

Go with friends- multiple rolls in a group will survive longer. It seems like common sense, but many think that they should be able to solo everyone when they're level 10.

Be a healer- healers are the key to success in large and small fights (and they get great AP).

Repair: you can buy wall repair kits with gold and repairing helps secure your recent conquest while giving you AP to boot! Traveling from keep-to-keep and checking walls to repairs may end up getting some great AP and perhaps some good fights.

And as I said previously, Rez!: buy soul gems and invest in skills that fill them. Reviving players in battle is crutial and is newer players do this, you will be helping the faction out more that 80% of veteran players that still don't understand this point.

Lastly, there are usually a mix of pugs (pick-up groups) and organized groups roaming around. While you can get into some good pug, take advantage of opportunities to get into some of the organized groups that are LFM. They will usually post that you need Teamspeak, Vent, RaidCall, etc. If you can hop into one of these, make sure you follow directions and do what the leader says. You'll learn a TON running with groups like this...

Rylana

Do not come anywhere within 8 meters of Rylana on any toon.

Seriously, all you crit charge/rapid strikes people that feel this need to get right up in everyones face are just fodder that dies in three button presses to me as I generate ultimate and drop another ultimate on your head.

Stay, away. It boggles my mind how many people feel this insane desire to literally dogpile on my DK, you realize youre only making me stronger, right? You really think superior numbers are a problem? I can normally drop 6-8 people simultaneously within five seconds without even dropping a standard. Its even worse if I have a healer running with me spamming repentance to regen my stamina as you drop like flies. (in that situation the chances of you killing me with even 10 people are slim without massive ultimate drops and probably negates)

Stay away from DKs, especially bomb spec DKs, youre just going to die.

Bane_of_Fringe

Bleh, with the pvp skill and my NB speed boost, I never needed a horse. They were pointless when the game first started off, though the faster horses could outrun me in the end.