PvP FAQ
What is PvP?
PvP is a mode of play that stands for Player Versus Player, as opposed to Player Versus Environment (PvE). When in PvP mode, you can target, attack and defeat other players, and be targeted, attacked and defeated by them.
I don't want to PvP. Do I have to?
No, you don't. PvP is completely optional. You will never, ever be forced to PvP in CoH/CoV. Bear this in mind.
Where in the game is there PvP?
There are three ways to PvP. There's the Arena, there are base raids, and then there are the new PvP zones. The Arena is covered elsewhere. We're going to look at the zones in this FAQ, as they're the most popular option.
So when can other players attack me?
When you enter a PvP zone, you are immune to other players' attacks for a period of time. You can see the timer counting down in the middle of your screen. It lasts for 30 seconds in total. While it lasts, NOBODY can attack you, hero or villain.
In Warburg, which is a free-for-all zone, there is one other level of protection. The hero base (a warship) and the area around it are a Safe Zone for heroes, while the villain base is a Safe Zone for villains. This means that while you are in those areas, your own side cannot attack you at all. You are still open to attacks from the opposition, though. So, if you a hero, you are safe from other heroes while you are within the hero base, but villains can still attack you if they make it that far.
My contact just sent me to a PvP zone! I don't want to PvP!
Don't panic.
This kind of mission is nothing but an introduction to the zone. It doesn't mean you have to do any PvP activity.
All you have to do to complete it is enter the zone, click on the contact, and leave. You can do all of that while the safety timer is still ticking down.
I want to try PvP. What do I need?
A thick skin, a long fuse and a good sense of humour.
Other than that, when you are starting out, it is a good idea to bring plenty of Inspirations, especially Break Frees. When you are held, slept or stunned, the opposition will pound you into the dirt. Remember, Break Frees give protection from these effects, they don't just break them once they've happened.
Isn't everyone going to be different levels?
The zones exemplar or SK everyone there to a set level. Bloody Bay is set to 25, Siren's Call to 30 and Warburg to 38.
Who can I attack and be attacked by?
This depends on the zone. Bloody Bay and Siren's Call are Hero Versus Villain. Heroes can't attack heroes, and villains can't attack villains.
Warburg is the only free-for-all zone in the game. Anyone can attack anyone. The only exceptions are that you can't attack members of your own faction in their safe zone, nor can you attack members of your team.
So heroes are attacking heroes in Warburg? What the HELL?
Sadly, this is the case. Warburg is the home to an immensely powerful missile system. With the temptation of that much power in front of them, some heroes crack. Other heroes have decided that nobody else can be trusted with the missiles, and have tagged any and all people in the zone (other than themselves) as threats to world peace.
As it was once said, power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
So, I'm in a PvP zone. Who do I attack?
That's really up to you! However, bear in mind that many people in the zone are in teams. If you go up against someone who turns out to be in a team, expect his friends to descend upon you like a ton of bricks.
Eight against one isn't very fair, how come that's allowed?
Nothing's stopping you from joining a team of your own, or assembling one. Besides, not everyone in the zone is teamed. Some people like to play the 'lone hunter' role.
I was just having a look around the zone and I got KILLED! WHY?
I'm afraid the simple reason is 'because you were a target'. Not all players will attack you just because they can, but many will. Bear in mind that PvP zones are war zones. If you go into one as a tourist, you have to expect to be shot at - so bring protection!
Isn't PvP supposed to be consensual?
Yes, it is. In CoH/CoV, you don't consent to each and every fight separately. Instead, you consent to enable PvP mode when you enter the zone. This covers all fights you might engage in until you leave.
So I got defeated, now what?
You get teleported back to the hospital in your safe zone. You don't get debt, and you don't lose anything except your meteor fragments or codes if you have any (see below).
So there's no debt in PvP?
No. None. So long as you are defeated by another PLAYER, you will not get debt. (There are rumours flying about that if a NPC hits you so much as once, and a player then defeats you, you will get debt. This is nonsense.)
Being defeated by a NPC in PvP will get you debt, and yes, it IS possible for other players to train mobs into you or teleport you into them. At time of writing, this is considered an acceptable (if unfun) PvP tactic.
I'm getting insulted/taunted/trash talked/whined at over broadcast/in tells, and it's really annoying.
This is a part of PvP wherever you go. There simply isn't any way to prevent this, sorry. It happens. What you can do is ignore it. People can rant all they like, but you can choose to remove it from your world with a simple command: /ignore.
Before we get on our moral high horses about insults turning the air blue, it's worth bearing in mind that insults have been a part of combat since forever. Some of the things the ancient Celts said to one another on the battlefield were quite unrepeatable. There's a reason why we have powers called 'Taunt' and 'Provoke', after all...
What is 'ganking?' Is it the same as griefing?
In this context, ganking is defeating an opponent in a situation where they had no realistic chance of winning or escaping. Boromir was ganked by orcs.
If a team of eight jumps on a solitary person, then that is ganking. However, it isn't necessarily griefing.
Griefing is when you go out of your way to make another person's playing experience especially miserable, above and beyond the usual expected moments of defeat. Attacking a person is normal; picking on them is griefing.
If you find that the same people are attacking you over and over again, try going to a different part of the map. They have no way of tracking you.
Gah! Why do people get a kick out of unfair fights?!
Who knows? Psychology isn't the issue. The issue is what you can do about it. Do a patrol and get yourself a stealth power. Travel in groups when you can. Stock up on Lucks, Break Frees and Respites. Most importantly, work out what you're in the zone for, and stick to it. Other people can't stop you, they can only slow you down.
I defeated someone else and I got Reputation. What's that?
Reputation is a tally of the people you've defeated. When you first start out, one defeat is worth one point of Reputation. If you're in a team, the Reputation is shared out between you.
As a player's Reputation builds, the Reputation you get for defeating them also increases. So, the best players out there are also the most rewarding targets to defeat.
In order to prevent people 'farming' Reputation by defeating each other over and over, there is a ten minute period following a defeat in which nobody who was involved can get Reputation from defeating the others. This counts whether you were the defeated player or the winner.
Reputation decays over time. (At the moment, there is a bug that removes large amounts of Reputation.)
So what does Reputation do?
Unlocks something, we're not sure what. Recluse hasn't told us. It also has an effect on the bounty system in Siren's Call.
What are the level limits for the zones?
Bloody Bay is 15, Siren's Call is 20, Warburg is 30.
So what goes on in the different PvP zones, and how do I get to them?
Each zone has a contact for your side, who offers missions. These missions are timed and will grant a temporary power the first time you complete them. In addition, successful completion of the door missions will buff your side or debuff the enemy. Doing these missions is a superb way to boost your side without risking your neck out on the battlefield.
It's a very good idea to run the patrol mission when you first get into the zone, as this will grant you a stealth temp power. The one in Warburg, Hyper Phase, is 30 minutes of old-style Phase Shift. That's complete immunity from all attacks, which is ideal if you want to sightsee or hunt badges!
Each zone also has unique mini-game elements to add to the fun.
Here's a rundown of the three zones that are currently in the game. The fourth zone, Recluse's Victory, isn't out yet.
Bloody Bay
The minigame in Bloody Bay is called Shiva Strike. The object of the game is to collect five ore fragments, which you then turn into a temporary power. This summons a Shivan Decimator, a very powerful boss. It has five charges. (At time of writing, the Shivan Decimator stays at level 25 no matter what your level is. This may or may not be a bug!)
How to get the Shivan task: Talk to the scientist close to your arrival point, and she'll give you an ore extractor. You then need to travel to each of the five meteors and extract ore from each one. They are marked on the map.
There's a catch. If another player defeats you while you have meteor fragments, they take them from you.
When you have all five fragments, you need to find a firebase to process them in. There are several firebases dotted across the map. Look for a structure like a bunker, with turrets all over it. You have to destroy all the turrets (both on the bunker and around it), then get inside and use the ore processor. There are two keyboards inside, so be sure and use the one that comes up 'ore processor' on mouseover!
Destroying the turrets can be a pain, as they respawn quite quickly, so it's a good idea to take a team.
Siren's Call
The minigame here is 'Battle for Siren's Call'. Arachnos is invading, and Longbow is trying to repel them. The battle plays out in a series of street frays. You can see who is winning by looking at the score meter in the nav bar. It fills up with red or blue according to which side is winning.
If you look at the map, you'll see a red splash like a mission pointer. This is the current 'hotspot'. If you go there, you'll find Arachnos and Longbow fighting in the streets. Pitch in and help your side! Whichever side wins advances their bar and diminishes the enemy's. When the bar is entirely red or entirely blue, the battle is won. (It resets to 50/50 after a while.)
Each side has a merchant close to their point of entry. If your side is winning, you can buy temporary powers from your merchant. All of these are useful in PvP. Some are familiar from the Arena, like the jet pack (which you can now use OUTSIDE the zone!) Others are unique to the merchant.
Note that while both sides get jetpacks and the like, the bottom powers on the list are exclusive to one side or the other. Heroes get IR goggles and cryonite armour, Villains get venom grenades and the Arachnos Mace.
Siren's Call also has a Bounty system. You are given enemy targets to take out, and collect Bounty for each one. This can then be traded for rewards back at your base.
Warburg
The Warburg minigame is Missile Launch. It features some of the best sequences and temporary powers yet seen in CoH.
Under Warburg is a labyrinth of tunnels called the WEB. (It has two entrances; the easiest to find is on the beach on the east side of the island.) There are trapped scientists down there. Defeat the Arachnoids surrounding a scientist and talk to him. Tell him to follow you, and he will. The scientist's bunker will appear as a nav point.
Take the scientist to his bunker. If you lose him on the way, go back and talk to him again. Other people cannot 'hijack' your scientist while you are alive, though if they defeat you they can grab him.
When the scientist reaches his bunker, he gives you a piece of code. You need three of these in total to launch the missile. At time of writing, if another player defeats you they take ONE of your codes, unlike Bloody Bay where they take ALL of your fragments.
When you have all three codes, it's time to choose your warhead. There are now three terminals on your map; the one you pick will determine which temp power missile you get. You can opt for Nuclear, Biological or Chemical. (Biological is a buff, while Nuclear is primarily damage and Chemical is debuff. Exact details forthcoming.)
Once you've chosen your warhead, you have five minutes to actually launch it into space. To do this, go to the launch pad and click on the terminal there.
Note: At time of writing, the missile temp powers don't seem to be working properly. Further information coming as and when available.
Another note: Most of the fighting in Warburg currently takes place on the beach. No sooner do heroes get off the boat than they start hitting each other. If you want to avoid becoming embroiled in that, then take the long way around. This situation will probably change as soon as there are some level 30 villains to fight.
Are there mobs in the PvP zones?
Yes, loads of them. They yield higher XP than their equivalents would in a normal zone, because of the additional risk of attack from other players.
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