PvP...Trolls, Gobblers, & Badges-What Fun!

I used to PvP for a little bit when I first started playing the game back in the day. Back in the day being when ANYONE (including those who didn’t earn them b/c it was outside their class or level) could still use Enchanted treasure cards, chain stunning of Myth, Fire, Ice and Storm teams, & Wild Bolt spamming. There were no Spritely pets, no blocking enemy chat, no Critical hits, or crafted gear (crafting wasn’t out yet).

I was using my Balance Sorceress, Alura HexCaster to PvP with. I started out in 1v1 and actually did pretty well. I was teamed up with players who were close to my rank and level (around Adept-Magus). I used the cards that I was trained in. I didn’t even use treasures for questing and chose instead to give them away to people for rewards (another topic, another day). I won a few matches and wanted to try team play.

Team Play-hmm well  I guess it works better when you are actually playing AS a team. I quested solo so it wasn’t like I had a TEAM of friends I could call upon to do PvP with me, therefore I mostly just quick-joined the 4v4 ranked matches. Not a good idea, trust me, especially when you don’t know the other players’ strategies and there is total lack of communication. Being a Sorceress, I tried to fulfill my role as a support player; shielding, blading, trapping, healing, etc to the person I thought was going to be doing the hitting. Only problem was that while I was helping them, I became a target for the other team and NO ONE on my team would shield or heal me in return. I felt dispensable and taken for granted.

It most definitely did not help when the jeering, taunting, name-calling, and cussing began. Words flew from the spectators, opposing team, and even my own supposed “team”. I can honestly say that I have held my head up high, even when my wizard had swivel neck. I have never fled a match, though I see others abandon their own teammates quite often.

I have even dabbled in the arena a little bit since the release of Celestia. I did a few 2v2 matches with Cassandra Dragonheart. My heart was in it, but my fighting spirit had waned. I was too busy worrying about other things to even concentrate on what I was doing right and wrong in the matches. I was scared that if we lost, it would be my fault because I was a lowly private who had no real experience. I worried that IF we did lose (my fault again), Cass would lose her points and rank. She assured me that it was okay, but it still didn’t set my mind at ease.

When we won, we were called names, mostly Noobs and cheaters. When we lost it was because I feared that I fumbled a play, didn’t train the right spells, or have the best gear or pet. Not that MY FEARS mattered to the other team or spectators who told us not to come back until we could play better. I presumed they meant me because Cass is awesome. 

So I didn’t.

Because of the attitudes of some of the people in the arena, I lost interest in that part of what is a very fun game…

…until these past few months. With the help of Kevin Battleblood, my “older sis” Cassandra Dragonheart, and my own dear Alric Ravensinger, I slowly gained a new insight on the arena.

Kevin Battleblood hosts weekend PvP parties at his Massive Fantasy Palace (MFP) so that ALL players (any level, any rank) can work on their strategies and just have fun. He knows plenty about PvP because he is a strategist, theorist, and he has played countless matches with his own Team Perfect Catch (TPC), earning his Warlord rank during the process.

Cassandra Dragonheart, also a Warlord, has several wizards who step into the arena. She has some great advice to offer on the possible strategies and deck set-ups for the various schools. She is also a member of TPC and has even taken to training individual wizards, such as myself, at her own MFP. These private tutorial lessons are helpful, educational, and fun. It’s kind of like Chiron’s school where he trains young heroes before they set out on their quests. You can train here with friends until you feel up to doing practice matches with strangers. Then advance into the ranked arena.

I don’t think I would have ever really gotten the gumption to even THINK about PvP again, let alone participate, except that Alric Ravensinger can be and is very charming and persuasive. I missed not hanging around with him and Cass and was invited to come watch other people play at the parties. When I finally got up the nerve to actually join in the battles he would root for me and joke with me even when we were on opposing sides.

I was still unsure of myself because to me, my wizards had flaws. Alura’s attack and resist wasn’t as high as I knew it could be. Brianna’s health was so low that she often died without even getting a single hit, especially when going second. Jordan’s fizzle rate was too high. Overall, it was their controller who had the flaws; I didn’t have confidence in my own capabilities. I was much more comfortable playing the support role secondary hitter rather than being the “hammer”.

This past weekend, I searched my legion of wizards and found the wizard I was more confident playing. Her name is Sabrina FrostShard and she is my Legendary Thaumaturge. She is also my co-founding wizard for the Unholy Trio, along with Cass’ life wiz, and Lady Blade’s Pyro, Autumn Fireblade. So this weekend it truly was the original wizards of the Unholy Trio plus our honorary member, Alric Ravensinger, who decided once and for all to start PvP-ing as a team.

Team C.A.S.A.-Cass, Autumn, Sabrina, & Alric. Taking on the arena and the trolls and gobblers that reside therein. In the process, we are having fun PvP-ing and earning rank and tickets. I have my heart set on getting to Commander and purchasing the Myth Imp for my wizard, Cori WillowHaven.

What are arena trolls and gobblers? By standard definitions a troll is a “simple and violent humanoid”¹  in typical folklore. By today’s standards a troll is someone, “who harasses, harangues, and starts arguments with others, but does not offer any substance to back up his words”²

I will tell you my own definitions. An arena troll is as the name implies, “a simple-minded wizard who repeats the same litany over and over because they are sore losers”. Any W101 player knows what a Gobbler is from having fought so many on Colossus Blvd. An arena gobbler is not much different. They permeate the air with their foul words spewing trash and sewer talk from both ends.

I can handle learning how to adapt my strategies to play against the various teams. I can handle the changes that KI makes to the game because of PvP complaints. I CANNOT, nor will I tolerate verbal abuse that some of these trolls and gobblers feel the need to emit. So if you are one, then beware and watch what you say.

I do enjoy playing against teams that do have nice attitudes whether they win or lose. It is not too much to say GG at the end of a match, even if you don’t always mean it. I try to give compliments to those, who did provide an interesting match. Whether because they stuck it out after their teammates fled or because they didn’t rely on only one strategy or spell set. Kudos to you players. You make this aspect of the game more fun, interesting, and enjoyable.

I am happy to say that over the weekend, Sabrina earned several PvP ranks. She reached Sergeant during a late night 1v1 session and was able to train in Conviction. She was later joined by Alric Ravensinger and both did a few 2v2 matches. Alric got his Sergeant badge and ‘Rina got her Veteran badge.

Yesterday afternoon ‘Rina did a couple more 1v1 matches and finally got Knight. She was able to purchase the Storm Elf, which she named Pebbles and will be giving it to Bri.

Last night Team C.A.S.A. did a couple more 4v4 matches. Cass is an Overlord (Warlord with 1000+ rank points), Sabrina is a Captain, Alric is a Veteran, and Autumn is a Corporal. Go, team, go!

Many thanks to the group of #twizards who come and cheer us on and offer support when facing the many Arena Trolls & Gobblers: Sir Winterbreeze, Diana Wildheart, Kelsey Fireheart, Timothy Lighttalon, and I am sure there are others I may have excluded.

Thank you all for making PvP a more bearable place for myself and others.

Until next time…

Follow Your Own Path

SorceressMiklai

¹ http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Troll

² http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=troll