Is ESO the better game to solo roam?

Galel · April 2015

Hello guys, i bought ESO last year, played a month and went back to GW2. I have my concerns with staying in GW2, even though there is an Expansion is on the horizion for it. I really started to like the RvR equivalent in GW2, even though i used to be an arena fan.

I have some problems with Gw2's RvR and im wondering if you could help me, by telling me how it is in ESO.

GW2 also has megaservers, but you are still assigned to a server. Because the ONLY place were your home server matters is RvR. In the campaigns 3 servers are set up against each other and are taired. The problem now is that some servers are plain better and fuller. This leads to guilds switching servers alot and if you are on a low profil server you hardly encounter any enemy at all.

If i roam the map for 1-2 hours and really lucky i get 2-3 fights. Sure there are your zergs/blobs/raids, whatever you like to call it, but im more into 1v1, 1vX or small scale group battles.

So here is my question, if you run around in ESO's pvp, how many people do you encounter solo or in smaller groups, in a given time from 1 to 2 hours?

To make things worse, not every class is mobile. Gw2 has no mounts, and not every class can have a passive +25% movementspeed. And not every class has gapclosers and mobility skills like charges, teleports etc. So even though Gw2s pvp map/s is smaller you take ages to get around, or suck it up and play one of the mobile classes for pvp. It is really annoying to not get away or beeing able to chase someone down at all, because you run at normal speed and he is passivly faster and jumps around.

There are also many different maps/campaigns for the pvp+arena+the other gamemodes, which also explains the emptiness you are bound to face.

Anyway, i hope you guys can give me a rundown on ESOs pvp.

Poxheart · April 2015

As somebody that switched from GW2 to ESO over a year ago, here is my perspective:

There was a time when you could find 1v1 & 1vX fights all the time; these days it's still possible to find those fights, but harder because folks tend to run in packs. In an hour you'll have the opportunity for more than 2-3 small fights. When you do find one or two people who look to be alone there's a good chance that there are 4-10 more hiding nearby OR a bunch of people will show up once you engage, so it pays to play a class with escape tools. That said, I'm never going back to GW2. For all it's problems (and there are a lot), the PvP in ESO is much better.

Each faction zergs depending on the time of day. As somebody playing on the DC faction in the PST timezone, the hierarchy of zerginess is EP, AD, DC. That said, AD seems to have a larger number of "gank groups" of 6-10 people hiding along main travel corridors that only engage 1 or 2 people. EP used to have a good small man group, but they appear to have joined the EP zerg.

Class choice doesn't matter much for soloing when playing in the non-Vet campaign (which I think is a better PvP experience all the way around). However, once you get to veteran rank class choice makes a huge difference when soloing. Right now I'd rank the classes for their solo capabilities as follows: Sorcerer, Nightblade, Dragonknight/Templar (tied). Sorcerer has the best escape tool in the game.

Galel · April 2015

Thanks for the reply

Could you, or someone else elaborate why ESO's is much better? I would love to hear some additional pros. Its just that in order to play it myself i would have to go through alot of grind first. Even though the grind would be awesome, since i never had so much fun questing like in ESO, im just really slow since i really delve into the story.

I already have a level 15 something sorc and would continue to play it, the mobility is such nuts, i love it. The whole class to be precise.

One thing thats also really bugging me by playing GW2s RvR is the server switching, it costs hefty 20€. For a little life improvement. Don't get me wrong, i regularly buy ingame currency to purchase stuff, but shiny stuff. Not a server switch just so i can play the gametype i like, with the constant fear of doing it again when big guilds hop servers again.

Mojomonkeyman · April 2015

Galel wrote: »

Thanks for the reply

Could you, or someone else elaborate why ESO's is much better? I would love to hear some additional pros. Its just that in order to play it myself i would have to go through alot of grind first. Even though the grind would be awesome, since i never had so much fun questing like in ESO, im just really slow since i really delve into the story.

I already have a level 15 something sorc and would continue to play it, the mobility is such nuts, i love it. The whole class to be precise.

One thing thats also really bugging me by playing GW2s RvR is the server switching, it costs hefty 20€. For a little life improvement. Don't get me wrong, i regularly buy ingame currency to purchase stuff, but shiny stuff. Not a server switch just so i can play the gametype i like, with the constant fear of doing it again when big guilds hop servers again.

Up to 1.5 I wouldve said, do the switch, try it out. With 2.0 ESO is the most frustrating and cheesy experience ever. I`m seriously considering going back to GW2 and playing structured ESL with my buddies.

Imagine if every class in gw2 would have a spring 2014 warrior build/PU mesmer build (maximum cheese) without a single dev caring, thats what eso is now.

I was only solo/duo roaming and tpvp in gw2.

Poxheart · April 2015

I suggest taking your level 15 Sorcerer to the Blackwater Blade campaign to test the PvP for yourself. I recently started playing my sorc (of similar level) on that campaign and have been having a blast. The game feels more balanced at the non-vet level.

Can't comment on mojomonkeyman's criticisms.

cozmon3c_ESO · April 2015

In guild wars two when i played it a couple years ago, the pvp felt terrible, there was little to no damage done with my damage attacks as an elementalist, it just felt wrong. in ESO i have always felt like my attacks do some damage (except for this nirnhoned set bonus giving ridiculous amounts of spell resist). the damage seems all over the place in a good way though, if people dont play smart in this game and dodge or block then you get pwned.

The lack of good fights after the first month of the game really turned me off to GW2 as well, in the begining the pvp was full all the time, then after a month it was totally empty, especially if you are paired with a server that doesnt pvp at all. it was tough to find 1v1 fights at all in there AvA. In ESO i find 1v1's all the time for this past year (not as much since the last update though as everyone is running around like a school of fish). i even won a 1v9 the other day because of skilled play, and they were total noobs who didnt know how to block or roll. it felt good, GW2 never gave me that feeling ever.

ESO has also kept me playing an mmo for a year and a half now nearly every day. guild wars 2 only kept me for a couple months. IMO ESO is better, requires more skill, and skills have more impact.

golfer.dub17_ESO · April 2015

There's really only a small handful of situations you're going to encounter players in 1v1 situations:

1. You and someone else are in a questing town. Half the time the people there try not to bother each other though.
2. You meet someone grinding a cave in their own territory.
3. You get ganked traveling between your keep and a flagged keep by some wannabe roadside bandit.

Flawlless · April 2015

I personally only run solo these days, it's much more fun than the zerg vs zerg fights you get with grouping.

Yuke · April 2015

ESO is the solo-friendliest MMO that i have played so far in PVP (in 16 years of MMOs).

Gap between bad players and good players with much knowledge of the gamemechanics is often so *** huge that you can easily handle up to 4-8 players.

ToRelax · April 2015

From my perspective it's pretty easy nowadays - I have played a year, all styles of PvP, I'm an experienced dueler with a class that is optimal for a magicka based solo player (sorc). I just roam the "lanes" between the keeps, not nessecarily "ganking", often just tag some enemies and let them get out of horse stun for a fun fight.
I do, however, remember the days after launch, when I joined with a low level character and pretty much didnt stand a chance against any V6 + players for weeks.
So I guess it would be a bit like that, trying to get into solo/small scale PvP now, but I think pretty much everyone can get to a point where it works really well if he just tries and asks for advice whereever he can get it, in a reasonable timeframe.

Mojomonkeyman · April 2015

Yuke wrote: »

ESO is the solo-friendliest MMO that i have played so far in PVP (in 16 years of MMOs).

Gap between bad players and good players with much knowledge of the gamemechanics is often so *** huge that you can easily handle up to 4-8 players.

I wouldve said the same until CP was introduced. But right now, with a demanding full time job I´m sitting at 93 CP, while others are close to 200.

Result is, many "others" who never ever caught my attention for being good within the more balanced 1.5 scenario are now suddenly fearsome players, because of stat difference...or maybe they have just increased their skill immensely "over night". I just can`t tell anymore.

I stopped GW2 because of power creep with ascended in wvw and dominance of cheese builds.

ESO is not a game anymore where a good player can be competetive without daily CP grind. I didn`t have the time & motivation to grind undaunted (I hate pve) and don`t have the gold to get Nirn gear (hello tripots).

All that together makes ESO become less desireable to play to me as someone who expects to have a competition based on skill, not stats.

Cogo · April 2015

This is not GW2.

"-WHAT! No droids in Star trek!?!? But there was droids in Star Wars?!!"

VincentBlanquin · April 2015

i dont play for a long, but from my perspective, there are fights 1vs1 or similar, in cities or delves, but due to big differences between characters, you get ganked, roflstomped and possibly laughed upon your corpse or you roflstomped the other if you are already experienced and powerfull, for example kill him from behind when he fight mobs. so hard to say, i also prefered instanced pvp, there is a good chance game created instance from similar strength characters. its superior experience for me and nothing in eso is anywhere near it. i played over two moths totally....

what is great in this game is sneak mechanics, so if you plan use it a bit, you get great adventurous ava experience, but zenimax need solve the lags, bugs and imbalances. there is no time for game to let breath as Firror pointed with 1.6 launch...

bloodenragedb14_ESO · April 2015

golfer.dub17_ESO wrote: »

There's really only a small handful of situations you're going to encounter players in 1v1 situations:

1. You and someone else are in a questing town. Half the time the people there try not to bother each other though.
2. You meet someone grinding a cave in their own territory.
3. You get ganked traveling between your keep and a flagged keep by some wannabe roadside bandit.

4. A vr14 player is hiding at a quest hup, waiting, watching, breathing down your neck, just to spring out and kill you at just the moment you turn in a quest

Dositheus · April 2015

bloodenragedb14_ESO wrote: »

golfer.dub17_ESO wrote: »

There's really only a small handful of situations you're going to encounter players in 1v1 situations:

1. You and someone else are in a questing town. Half the time the people there try not to bother each other though.
2. You meet someone grinding a cave in their own territory.
3. You get ganked traveling between your keep and a flagged keep by some wannabe roadside bandit.

4. A vr14 player is hiding at a quest hup, waiting, watching, breathing down your neck, just to spring out and kill you at just the moment you turn in a quest

Experienced it. Done it. Loved it, both scenarios. Also... it can be really really fun to go and sit in the dungeons.. by the bosses. And wait for a player to come in, engage the boss... and then kill them. If you pick the right dungeon, you can get like 5 or 6 kills an hour while drinking a few beers.

olsborg · April 2015

As a sorc, solo roaming in cyrodiil is extremely fun.
We also have a relatively big dueling community on the EU server (also on the NA server) so you can get as much small scale pvp as you want.

Davadin · April 2015

there's no server switching.

because... there's only one server.

dRudE · April 2015

Davadin wrote: »

there's no server switching.

because... there's only one server.

PVP campaigns actually have seperate servers.

On topic, I rolled a sorc from day 1 and am happy to solo/zerg/raid/gank with him at any time of day. As always stated roll a class YOU like the feel of and then everything becomes so easy.

You need to check the map in cyrodiil a lot, it's like a FPS game kind of, the action is always moving around the map, ya just gotta keep up

Sanct16 · April 2015

there is barely any enjoyable small-scale to find nowadays. I'd you get.lucky you . might find some but other times you ruin around for hours without finding anything. and usually when you found someone his 10 friends just show up some seconds later.

Ryuho · April 2015

Sanct16 wrote: »

there is barely any enjoyable small-scale to find nowadays. I'd you get.lucky you . might find some but other times you ruin around for hours without finding anything. and usually when you found someone his 10 friends just show up some seconds later.

Yes exactly this. You might find some 1 vs 1/x nice situations but it's rare (at least prime time).. Ppls are really grouped, all mighty zergs evrywhere.. I just play only on my sorc and nb, casue without escape its impossible to try to do "small scale"..

MiyaTheUnbroken · April 2015

I usually run solo, occasionally I duo, but I've never been in a PvP group or raid, and I try my hardest to stay out zergs, both on my team and others. I've also never gone to a quest location with the intention of doing anything other than completing the quests. Yet, I never really have trouble finding small scale fights.

If you hang around a keep after you've defended/taken it from a larger force, there will always be stragglers left behind, and with a detection potion and a bit of patience they aren't hard to find. You can also stalk gankers. They usually run in small groups, so you might want a bit of back up, but you usually don't need more than 3-4 people. You can also kill time scouting your home keeps, and often you catch those sneaky preppers trying to 50/50 a keep. I really enjoy killing them. Then there's the guys that just run around in small groups taking resources as a distraction/farm. If you can get ahead of them the AP will flow.

My point is solo ESO PvP is not only possible, but it's a lot of fun. You just have to learn where to go and when to go there.

stojekarcub18_ESO · April 2015

If you want 1v1 pvp, just hide along the route between a flagged keep and its nearest unflagged keep (of that alliance). Gank everyone running back to their flagged keep after they die. A lot of people run alone, and those that don't rarely stop to help someone getting ganked. Depending on your personality, you may also develop a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that you've literally just ruined their entire day by making them have to start their supposed care-free run back to the battle all over again.

golfer.dub17_ESO · April 2015

stojekarcub18_ESO wrote: »

If you want 1v1 pvp, just hide along the route between a flagged keep and its nearest unflagged keep (of that alliance). Gank everyone running back to their flagged keep after they die. A lot of people run alone, and those that don't rarely stop to help someone getting ganked. Depending on your personality, you may also develop a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that you've literally just ruined their entire day by making them have to start their supposed care-free run back to the battle all over again.

2:42 -3:27
How I feel each time getting ganked by Nightblade sitting on road between keeps.

Soris · April 2015

ESO 2.0 is a game which people with lots of time and gold are the king
And
It's a game which contains tons of insta gib abilities and godlike damage shields.

Is there fun inside? Yes, for who loves to oneshot things. No, for everyone else.

Yasha · April 2015

OP I also play GW2 (just for the pvp). I have found the ESO non-vet campaign (for players under level 50) to be quite fun. It is quite possible to run with small groups and have small engagements, in fact cutting off reinforcements as they straggle in provides an almost endless stream of this kind of pvp depending on the time of day.

You won't have to worry about transferring servers, which sounds like it will be a bonus for you. You also are playing what I think is now the strongest pvp class (sorc), especially for small scale pvp (great burst, survivability, mobility, and escape- almost the perfect pvp class). The only issue with sorc is you need the higher level skills to be really strong.

The overall style of RvR in ESO is also really amazing, the stealth mechanics, siege, supply lines, chokepoints- it just works really well.

The downside for me is that it is not really skill based compared to GW2, and a lot of what makes you strong is I guess "abusing" game mechanics (it seems to me like bugs that can't be fixed so have just been accepted as game mechanics), gear, and knowing how to leverage rules that are kind of "hidden".

Some examples of this are casting while blocking and animation cancelling (stacking a light attack with a skill for more damage or damage while doing a heal etc), gear/power is obvious- although the gap in vet campaigns is absolutely huge so enjoy grinding to VET14 until you can have fun in 1v1, and in terms of rules- for example in the non-vet campaign the rules for how gear works are completely different, but not explained- almost "hidden". Once I started piecing these rules together (thanks to many helpful people on forum and in game) I vastly improved my performance.

Oh yeah, then there is the UI. Very bad for pvp compared to GW2; can hardly tell what's going on even with a few combat addons, a lot of bugs, and much more instances of lag and other annoying things like getting stuck in walls etc.

Despite all that (and there is more, haha) I still love the non-vet campaigns, totally brilliant pvp. Just seems to come together really well even with the rough edges.