Let's talk about Snipers in Battleground

mandricus

First of foremost, my definition of "Snipers":

"People that simply stands still in one point, very far from the fight, that do not engage actively in the fight, and simply start sniping / poison injecting everyone, getting kills by doing almost nothing".

Yes, that is, they just stand still in one point, trying to not be seen by other players, spam two skills, and get kills.

Personally I found them very irritating to say the least. I find this gameplay one of the most tedious allowed at the moment in this game. Most of the times, if you don't have a ranged build, you can't really do anything. If you try to get to them, you get sniped in the way (expecially if there are more than one in the same team). Yes, if you manage to get them, they are very easy to kill. They are glasscannons, they have no defense and go down very easily. But, most of the times, you just can't get them. Because you get sniped in the way. And because 90% of the times they are also nightblades, so as soon as they realize that someone is chasing them, they just cloack and disappear. Puff, they are gone. They go away, find another very far position, and restart from the beginning. So most of the times the only thing you can do is just try to get out of sight and avoid to be sniped (almost impossible if some maps like Foyada Quarry).

When I'm put in a battleground and I realize that there are two or more snipers on the other team, I'm often tempted to just leave the battleground and get a deserter penalty.

Most of the times, I start simply ignoring the battleground rules. No matter if it's crazy king, capture the flag or domination. I just slot my detect potions, and I go with one simple and clear mission: kill the snipers, hit them as hard as I can, and teabag them all the time, until they disappear and respawn. I just ignore all the rest.

Yes, I know, I have a problem with snipers. I just can't stand them anymore. I'm to the point that as soon as I hear the "snipe" sound effect I start going nuts. This is probably related to the "Snipe + Sload" combo I had to face for so much time after the Summerset release. It was really irritating. Whenever I am hit by two or tre snipes coming out of nowhere, I'm always tempted to smash my keyboard into pieces, shut down my computer, uninstall ESO and quit this game forever. I think this type of gameplay shouldn't be allowed, or, at least, shouldn't be so rewarding like it is at the moment.

Most of the times, they are the ones with the highest kills / assist / score in BG. They allow their team to dominate the matches. They just hit two buttons, and yet they have the highest score, whitout actively engage in the fight and show combat skills. They snipe and defile the enemies from distance, and if they don't get the kills with two shots, the rest of the team finish the job and slaughter you with one last skill.

As more people are realizing this, they are spreading everywhere like a plague. Battleground are becoming every day more and more irritating for me.

But I know that I have a problem with snipers, and that I have a very biased point of view.
So I just wanted to ask: what do you think about this build type?
Are you happy with them as they are at the moment?
Do you think this gameplay should be less rewarding, or are they fine as they are at the moment?
Am I the only one that has a problem with this gameplay?

ak_pvp

I am also of the opinion that super easy and low risk playstyle shouldn't be nearly as rewarding. Zeni has snipe on the radar too thankfully.

The way you put it however... You are also probably going to get chewed out for it.

Fur_like_snow

They’re free kills most of the time. Often in the more objective based matches they won’t fight on flags or help retake relics. IMO they’re more of a hinderance than a boon on most teams.

Sigtric

They are easy kills...

kargen27

It is just as fun in Cyrodiil. Get near a keep wall and there is a good chance you will see your bar go from full health to zero health and then hear what killed you as you fall over dead. I don't mind the dying, it's going to happen. What does bug me is that I am dead before I know I am being attacked and it isn't from a one shot.

Icy_Waffles

This post is inappropriate. Also sniping is a viable gameplay choice.

mandricus

Man, I was clearly ironic. No offense if you are an Archer. It is legit gameplay (even if I find it very annoying).

otis67

Hmmmm, I was looking for a new playstyle for bg's. I think Im gonna give this a try.

Taleof2Cities

mandricus wrote: »

No offense if you are an Archer.

Well, opening up with a "[snip]" thread title isn't really going to entice players to not take offense ... is it?

I don't have any end game bow build PvP characters. Yeah, they are annoying in Cyrodiil and Battlegrounds.

But, you're right, it's a chosen playstyle for some ... and you have to find legitimate counterplay even if they're a long ways away.

[Edit for bait.]

madchuska83

"Let's talk about my butt hurt in Battlegrounds."

Fixed title.

mandricus

Fixed the title and the post replacing the "offensive" word with "Snipers"

ArchMikem

Using Lethal Arrow/whatever the other morph is has become a liability, since if anyone catches you using it you've just become a priority target, and you better pucker yourself cause you're about to be subjected to unhealthy amounts of rough buttsecks as both enemy teams tunnel vision you with red in their eyes.

You complain that Snipers are a problem, but those of use who use it are running a very high risk.

DDuke

Playing a little different snipe build (max 20m range due to Bombard's limitations), my favourite thing to do in BGs is hunt for other snipers ^^

Sneak up behind them, queue up Lethal Arrow, land Bombard before... adios.

Rinse & repeat.


You could try the same approach, although if you're not a vampire it's quite time consuming to do so.

I.e. sneak up behind them (or use LOS to get there if possible) and get in range for your AoEs/det pots before they realize what's happening.


Personally I find tank builds much more of a problem in BGs no matter which one of my characters I play (I do BGs on mDK, melee stamblade & bowblade). They'll take your relics, hold block at flags and just be almost unkillable. And if you do manage to kill one, it'll just respawn before you kill the next one and again interrupt any attempt of taking a relic or capturing a flag...

Tan9oSuccka

Fur_like_snow wrote: »

They’re free kills most of the time. Often in the more objective based matches they won’t fight on flags or help retake relics. IMO they’re more of a hinderance than a boon on most teams.

Hilarious when you run into an entire team of the flunkies with a wing-ready DK.

Ive had matches where they wouldn’t even attack me on a flag. LOL

Waffennacht

Just fix snipe for CS

Acrolas

The one thing I really don't like is the smart arrow programming. Arrows will follow you at a consistent velocity down hills and around corners. I can understand staff projectiles having some homing capacity as they're magic-based. But a basic infantry weapon shouldn't have that responsiveness.

So I probably would change all bow attacks from target-based to location-based. Because the location of your attack would not change after your attack even if your target did move. And that's the type of support archers bring. They rarely take out specific targets. I'm thinking back to the Stark-Bolton battle where Davos halted the archers because they'd wind up hitting some of their own men. You can choose where you want to attack, but at range you don't really get to choose who you get to attack. A lot can happen in just a few seconds.

I'd be okay with bow being a stronger but far less accurate weapon. The lack of friendly fire is already a bow strength.

That said,

mandricus wrote: »

Fixed the title and the post replacing the "offensive" word with "Snipers"

I mean, really, all you need to do is go have a little chat with a few English teachers and Special Education teachers from the high school you went to to understand how it's not socially appropriate to make thematic derivatives of derogatory word use.

Shinshadow

Did you say "Sniper no sniping" three times really fast??

runagate

Acrolas wrote: »

not socially appropriate to make thematic derivatives of derogatory word use.

Thematic Derivatives will be my next character name if they increase the available number of slots.

max_only

Well.

I came in here because I thought you were talking about people who used ranged (bow or staff) from their spawn point and not even drop down. I was going to wholeheartedly agree.

If they are on the field, target them, rush them or silver leash them. They have no defenses. This is coming from a self professed pve carebear.

Tan9oSuccka

runagate wrote: »

Acrolas wrote: »

not socially appropriate to make thematic derivatives of derogatory word use.

Thematic Derivatives will be my next character name if they increase the available number of slots.

Lexxypwns

Shinshadow wrote: »

Did you say "Sniper no sniping" three times really fast??

Can confirm this works

Palidon

Oh goodie another thread complaining about Bow Build players, this time in Battlegrounds. By the way get the definition of SNIPER right

SNIPER: to shoot at individuals as opportunity offers from a concealed or distant position and to provide support to other friendly forces.

Key words in the definition being, opportunity, concealment, distance, position and support.

Have a nice day and oh by the way I will be looking for you in Battlegrounds, IC and Cyrodiil.

Solariken

Sniping is a completely legitimate playstyle, no problems there. However if you want to talk about Cloak and stealth I will agree that sniping reaches super toxic levels. Bow skills are nearly perfectly tuned IMO, it's stealth plus Cloak mechanics that can create unfair advantage.

ChunkyCat

Lethal arrow spammers are the most annoying players in the game.

They die easy enough.

That’s pretty much all there is to talk about.

Next topic please.

Haashhtaag

ak_pvp wrote: »

I am also of the opinion that super easy and low risk playstyle shouldn't be nearly as rewarding. Zeni has snipe on the radar too thankfully.

The way you put it however... You are also probably going to get chewed out for it.

They’ve had it there for years yet no fix. You still get slammed with 3-4 snipes instaneous with no sound or knowledge and desync. The range is OP considering all the things the skill does.

mandricus

Acrolas wrote: »

I mean, really, all you need to do is go have a little chat with a few English teachers and Special Education teachers from the high school you went to to understand how it's not socially appropriate to make thematic derivatives of derogatory word use.

I'm not a native speaker. I didn't realize the word I used was so offensive. My apologies for that.

mandricus

max_only wrote: »

I came in here because I thought you were talking about people who used ranged (bow or staff) from their spawn point and not even drop down. I was going to wholeheartedly agree.

Yes, this is one of the many "playstyles" this kind of build allows. It's not hard to find snipers doing exactly what you described for a good part of the match. That's one of the problems. Irritating to say the least.

Thogard

Oh buddy this’ll be an interesting post.

Good players will come in here and tell you to learn how to play.

Bad players will come in here and defend their snipe playstyle

Either way you’re gonna get chewed out.

idk

mandricus wrote: »

"People that simply stands still in one point, very far from the fight, that do not engage actively in the fight, and simply start sniping / poison injecting everyone, getting kills by doing almost nothing".

If they were not actively engaging into the fight there would not be a reason for this thread to have been created. They are merely being active in the fight in a manner OP does not agree with.

Further, unless it is a death match then the sniper should be getting less medals and hence less benefit from their individual actions.

Everyone has different playstyles and in most every PvP I have seen I have seen some sort of sniper.

OP states only range build can do something about snipers, otherwise they just snipe you while approaching. I suggest sneaking up on them. Certainly complaining about them in the forums is not going to make them go away.

mandricus

runagate wrote: »

Thematic Derivatives will be my next character name if they increase the available number of slots.

You could always use a name change token

jcm2606

@Acrolas Eh, I'm gonna say no. Location based just doesn't work in an MMO, or really any game that has limited dedicated servers, especially a game with crappy dedicated servers. They'd be a royal pain in the ass to use with 250-350 ping, and outright impossible to use with anything above 350.

To avoid arrows following you down hills and behind walls, they should take line of sight into account. That way if I don't have a way to defend against archers, I could hide behind walls and obstacles to both prevent the archer from targeting me as easily, and throw off any attacks the archer does get off.