Trying out PVP - a PVE perspective - Week 2

[Nappy 1,369]

When I ended week 1 ( http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/122280-trying-out-pvp-a-pve-perspective-week-1/ ) Body Control was at 20.81 and Fighting skill was at 1.07. To put that into proper perspective I was unable to ride a horse and if a large rat even looked my way well I was dead.

 

As week 2 closes out my Body control has reached 22.38 and my fighting skill is at 24.63. I can now kill large rats and lions and wolves. However anything bigger then that or multiple mobs are still quite the challenge. By the time this update ends you will have learned the story of my first death on epic.

 

I wanted to start this update by talking a bit more about the community again. I have been very pleasantly surprised to discover that the ratio of men to women on Epic Elevation is better then it was on either Exodus or Independence. There are more women playing on the PVP server. I am almost ashamed to admit that this surprised me.

 

In reflecting on why I was surprised I realized that most of the angry PVP posts you read on the forums are by men and unfortunately those posts do not reflect the reality of the population composition on Epic. 

 

The other interesting thing is aside from the forum wars you see where kingdoms taunt each other to try to provoke PVP the general atmosphere is very respectful. I think it is at least partly because knowing disrespect could result in a fight/death has a certain calming effect. For the stronger players the possibility of outright ejection from their community also helps as well. I think these two elements work together to reduce the stress found on freedom when people don't want to get along.

 

There have been three PVP events during my time on Epic so far. This represents about an hour of total time being in a potential PVP battle. The rest of the time has been very much like Freedom, gaining skill, working on deed, and going hunting (solo and with friends). The biggest difference is that so far there has never been a single moment when someone wasn't also on the deed working alongside me on something.

 

My first Epic death came as I headed towards the HOTA on Elevation. There seems to be better hunting that way and it's also possible to find more horses. Another new Epic player (unable to ride a horse yet) also tagged along so instead of riding a horse like in previous solo hunting trips this time we took a large cart. This was our first mistake, LARGE CARTS are SLOW.

 

The second mistake was venturing further and further away from base. As a result of this when trouble came it was much harder to escape.

 

About an hour into the hunting trip we had located a bunch of horses so I was now riding a horse and leading four more behind me. My friend took over driving the cart. At this point we decided to start heading back and the fun began.

 

As 11 km per hour it is hard to outrun trolls, hell hounds and their escorts. Together we killed our first troll when my friend had less then 2 fs and I had 14.5 fs. We likely got very, very lucky. A hell hound also died. After that it wasn't uncommon for him to be chased in the large cart with no less then two trolls, two hell hounds and a bunch of wolves, bears and lions on him.

 

Real life intruded at this point and he left the game. In a danger situation it takes five minutes to leave the world so for that five minutes I fought and lead trolls etc away from where he was standing. Red tunnel appeared 7 times during the next 30 minutes as I waiting for him to disappear and then later as I waited for him to return.

 

After 30 minutes I made the mistake of deciding to save the cart. Instead of riding a relatively fast horse I switched to the slow cart, left the open area we were in and started into the woods. For the first time ever since playing this game I discovered that in the thick woods while being chased by trolls, hell hounds and their escorts that I was very capable of losing my sense of direction and running in circles. Three times I came back to that field before finally setting off in what I thought was the right direction.

 

By now the simple hunting trip had become an epic fighting retreat. Wolves, bears and lions would attack and sometimes die. Most of the time I just kept that large cart moving. Finally I reached the border of a settlement and I could see towers.

 

This was the moment when I realized that all towers are not good. These particular towers were those of the enemy and a quick glance at the local tab showed me that I could see them which also meant they could see me.

 

The next mistake now occurred. Instead of running on my fastest horse, I stuck with the large cart until almost the bitter end. I managed to have a clear local for a bit however it was clear that the chase was likely already on. A minute or two later an enemy name appeared in local.

 

I jumped off the cart and before I could climb on to a horse to make my final escape attempt, two trolls and two hell hounds jumped me. About 15 seconds later I died.

 

After I died I learned that I was within seconds of dying a PVP death when the mobs killed me.

 

In thinking about that fight I've highlighted some of the mistakes made. It's also important to mention that the fight is different when you know that you could be engaging more capable opponents then the automated trolls and other mobs that have been fought for so long on freedom. That extra paranoia adds something significant to the game and makes every moment off deed that much more special and interesting.

 

Next update I will reveal the kingdom I joined and why I chose that particular kingdom. In that update I will be happy to include recruitment links for all other Epic Elevation kingdoms if they provide the link in a response to this update.

 

At this point I am having an absolute blast playing on Epic. Skills are slowly coming along (more on that in a future update) and I am beginning to feel more a part of the community that I have joined. 

 

~Nappy

Edited April 27, 2015 by Nappy

[Nappy 1,369]

I forgot to mention that during the fighting retreat mentioned in the original post above, three sol demons also decided to pay me a visit. Just that touch more interesting!

[Jukimo 234]

you must not be dedicating much time if it took you a week to get to 20 fs :S

[Nappy 1,369]

you must not be dedicating much time if it took you a week to get to 20 fs :S

 

You are correct. With Elevation recently resetting there is a lot of effort being expended right now building up deeds and defences. You can't be an effective part of a community if you don't do your part right?

 

I spend a bit of time every day building fight skill, the rest of the time is spent helping build the deed and other things the community needs help with.

 

Good question.

~Nappy

[Klaa 4,872]

Exploring on one(s?) own can be fun (also less prone to revealing embarrassing mistakes, heh); however, due to Wurm's gameplay I always strongly recommend hooking up with an established, experienced group.

It really helps to hit the ground running.

Also if said group is headed by "personality-types" one would prefer to avoid, there is always another group about. Just be careful about burning bridges (at least when we GET them!) unless its really warranted.

 

To massage my own ego, I'll use myself as an example. I tend to operate as a thief (allegedly ); however, I don't defecate where I sleep so to speak. Sure theres plenty of cynical and pragmatic reasons; however, I just don't rob those I like being around. Unless Im bored, then all bets are off (poor Gaeron, heh).

Edited April 27, 2015 by Klaa

[Nappy 1,369]

Just be careful about burning bridges (at least when we GET them!) unless its really warranted.

 

Did I do this somehow?

[Klaa 4,872]

Nah, most of that isn't pointed at you specifically. Rather to anyone reading it.
 
Granted most worrying about such things would naturally be less prone miffing off most of the pvp playerbase. Still I have seen it happen off and on over the years with some players, one memorable example actually managed to get kicked (in very dramatic and gloriously-filled fashion) from every single faction on the entire pvp Wilds server (we only had the one at the time).

 

That player is actually still around afaik, plays as a JK.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Klaa

[Lundu 293]

Was a good read. Glad you enjoy Epic. Keep it up

[Propheteer 7,139]

nice, keep it up, that large cart story is about me haha

 

you popped Fev's local and i chased you down, you died to the mobs before i could fire off my arrow :S

[Nappy 1,369]

nice, keep it up, that large cart story is about me haha

 

you popped Fev's local and i chased you down, you died to the mobs before i could fire off my arrow :S

 

In the next update we will see if Nappy almost fell to the Emperor of the Romans..... grin

[Mataleao 104]

I hereby resurrect this thread and make my demands: @Nappywhere be Week 3???

 

Have I missed it somehow?

 

Weeks 1 got me interested and Week 2's cart chase through the woods got me hooked. Damn it man, complete the saga!

 

Nice writeup and recount of life in pvp land. Gives us Freedom aristocrats and peasants a glimpse of what we be missing.

 

 

 

[Nappy 1,369]

Wow, I forgot about this old series on trying out PVP:

 

Did a quick search using Google and found the following entries: