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Age of Conan PvP Guide: “Mama Said Knock You Out ”


Written on July 7, 2008 – 2:29 pm | by ageofaonanpowerleveling

Age of Conan PvP Guide:
“Mama Said Knock You Out ”

PvP Levels
Summary

Introduction
Don’t call it a comeback. I’ve been here for Years!! (Music to kill by!). That’s my feeling on PvP. Fueled from my first experience on EQ1 and seasoned in games like DAOC and SWG. However,Age of Conan Power Leveling WoW became the dominant force in MMOs for 3 years and as such, WoW PvP became the standard …but was it an improvement? For me, it seemed to fit well with the theme of World of Warcraft…grinding for loot. Without purpose and eventually confined to instance games where nothing is truly won or lost.

AoC has come. The playerbase is working their way up, guilds have been forged and cities are being built. We all know that conflict is coming …but will it be a true break from the past? Here is to hoping.

This article is a primer on strategies for your survival in PvP on the PvP servers or as clashes erupt on PVE. It will not make you the dominant player on your server, but it is my hope that it will give you insight and clues as to how to handle yourself against a worthy enemy…your peers. Below gives you a place to begin and a few tips and tricks from PvP players. Don’t think that we are being nice or motherly. No, we are tired of culling the herd of the weak. Read this, work hard, and give us a challenge!

To see other articles I wrote about Age of Conan, try these
Age of Conan Review: “A great game with a fatal Flaw”
Age of Conan Vs Warhammmer Online
Age of Conan Lev 1-20 Tortage Walkthrough
Age of Conan Lev 20-40 Walkthrough: “Life as a Hyborian Tween”
Age of Conan Crafting guide: “Harvesting for the decapitated”

So, with that introduction, lets begin.

Setting the stage for PvP
Note that PvE skill does not correspond to PvP skill. This is the one of the most obvious facts to those who have played PvP before. Yet is the most common mistake players first make. I know we have been grinding for 80 levels and are used to charging in to 2-3 mobs and defeating them with over half our HP remaining. I know that Conan himself is used to killing armies while sipping latte (DON’T SIP LATTE!). PvP is different. Consider every other player like a elite mob …one wrong move and your dead.

However AoC is a significant break from past MMOs (DAOC, WOW, Etc). In those games as you gained in levels you significantly increased in power over those lower level that you. NOT THE CASE in AOC! You gain a level and you get a few more HP (perhaps 30) and that’s about it! No more superior evasion and huge damage bonuses because your 1 level over somebody else. Consider yourself potential prey to those 2 to 3 levels below you and stay on guard.

Prepare yourself
The best PvPers are the ones who are never out of the PvP mindset. Surprise is one of the biggest attacks out there and with everyone having the Stealth ability it is equal across the board (somewhat). You should always be ready for combat any time you leave the cities (where PvP cannot take place), entering an instance, speaking with a quest NPC, walking leisurely down the path smelling roses (DON’T SMELL THE ROSES!) and even when you rez. Attacks can and do come at all these times. Be ready!

Your ability BAR
The first thing you need to do is setup your PVP UI. You should have a BAR dedicated to PVP and a separate one for PVE (As a caster I had a third one just for buffs). Often I keep my PVP bar on Bar 0 (SHIFT-0), and PVE on Bar 1 (SHIFT-1). Use whichever works best for you. The PVP bar should be set up so that you can easily activate abilities and items as you see fit. I kept my attacks on the main bar (1,2,3,Q,E) and spot 4 and 5 were set for Potions.

Potions
Buy potions. Always buy potions. They’re cheap, and will save your life. Use potions, Always use potions. This is not like some other games where players say using potions somehow lessens the victory. Pots should always be used…and used early! Potions work over time, do not save them to the end, if you’ve been ATTACKED the first things you should hit (even before looking to see who attacked you) Age of Conan PowerLeveling are your potions.

Using Health potions is obvious. For PvP, Stamina runs a close second. Even for casters stamina may make the difference between keeping distance from your foe and finding how well you don’t melee with that piece of bamboo you call a staff. Although it varies from player to player, I honestly don’t find that Mana potions are all that useful in PvP even for casters and obviously not for pure melee. Usually a fight over quickly and often with mana to spare (especially for one on one). The main exceptions are in Group PvP which last longer or if your a caster without a singificant amount of burst DPS (priests). But, if your ability bar space is limited…If there is one potion you could do without, its likely mana pots.

Camera, keyboard, and graphics setup
At this point in time there is no way to macro sequences and moves. Keyboard binding is limited but you should make take advantage of whatever you can. Speed is a major factor in PvP. You want abilities bound to keys, accessible at a single push of a button and NOT have to visually search, select and click icons.AOC Powerleveling

Go into Camera options and change the camera following mode to “NEVER” from smart. This way you can spin the camera at will and it won’t keep snapping back to the zero position by default. It is a handy way to immediately turn direction with a simple click of the mouse. Use and practice this.

For casters, work on moves like running, spinning the camera 180 degrees, targeting people chasing you, and then instantly turning around by clicking both mouse buttons at once + starting a spell cast. Then during your spell cast spinning the camera another 180 degrees and the second your spell finishes casting click both mouse buttons to run the way you were originally going again with zero time spent turning around.

For melee, Unbind “turn left and right” from the A and D keys and re-bind these keys to strafe left and right. you NEVER turn with your keyboard ever. It’s substantially slower than mouse turning. From here on out , steering of your character should be with the mouse. Using A and D strafing along with the mouse look will allow you to turn around your opponents in a circular motion …this is called circle strafe.

Many players, particularly in melee combat, use Circle Strafe. This seems to be an effective technique for both avoiding damage and keeping your opponent off balance. It takes practice and skill to pull off effectively. Melee classes should use and practice this.

Because the game is graphically intense, you do not want the system to lag you out as you are fighting. Make sure you set your graphics to the minimal amount of fluff yet the largest amount to see players at a distance. It may be a good option to maximize your view distance but minimize the high quality view distance and the particle effect distance in Advanced video controls. Also disable grass and foliage around your character. Increasing the contrast usually makes it easier to see foes in the shadows of night.

PvP Gear and Equipment
Gear and equipment are surely to change over the short and long term of this game. Right now there is a belief that gear does not effect PvP situations. This mostly stems from the dev posting HERE. However this is not entirely acurate. When people look at PvP equipment they mainly look at Attack Rating, Defense Rating, Magic Rating (this includes specialized Magic Ratings) and Magical Resist. However, the positive or negative damage multipliers normally associated with offensive and defensive rating comparisons are completely ignored. All other stats work normally in PvP. It is simply that “scaler” functionality which is normally in place to dynamically adjust gameplay based on level differences is removed in PvP to allow for a fairer matchup of player skill and ability.

So in the end, +defense wont help you that much, nor will +attack. However, +health, +mana regen, +dex and all the other stats will work normally. This does cater to the more casual gamer. For those who does not have the time to run raids and pick up some of the higher tier items. The effect of quipment is lessened ..perhaps a little too much. This means your skill in play is going to be paramount.

Know thy Enemy
The most important paths to PvP success is knowing what you can about your opponent. You should want to identify his/her class based on first look. Knowing that, then you should know exactly what they are capable of. As in all MMOs, things change. I will work to keep up this list but it is ultimately up to you to stay on top of changes to your enemies class. I know there are some areas that are blank below. As I gather more information and review the comments made to this article I will update them. So check back!

Mage Classes
AOC Power Leveling
Necromancers
(aka Necros) Demonologists
(aka Demos) Heralds of Xotli
(aka HoX ..if female ‘Hot mama’)
Recognized By: Posse of zombies Recognized By: Posse of Demons Recognized By: Anyone wearing cloth and trying to melee..especially with a 2H sword or Axe
HP: ~3000
Biggest Damage:
Pets…and a lot of them
Weakness:
Lack of burst DPS, Low HP, Stinks at 1V 1, dependency on pets. HP: ~3100
Biggest Damage:
Fires of Gehenna
Weakness:
little defense, weak against holy damage, lack of CC HP: ~4000
Biggest Damage:
Molten Steel Slash
Pillar of Flame
Weakness:
Only 1 stun, lack of ranged attacks, utter dependence on DPS for survival, weak against CC, Cast bars on Combos

Priest Classes
Age of Conan gold
Tempest of Set
(aka ToS…aka FOTM-1) Priest of Mitra
(aka PoM …aka FOTM-2) Bear Shaman
(aka …er…bear shaman)
Recognized By: Stygian caster in armor Recognized By: Aquillonian caster in armor Recognized By: Cimmerian caster in armor
HP: ~4000
Biggest Damage:
Storm Field
Weakness:
Timer dependency for dps, weak against CC HP: ~4000
Biggest Damage:
Smite
Repulse
Weakness:
Lack of burst DPS. low HP HP: ~4.1k
Biggest Damage:
Shrewd Blow
Armor crush
Weakness:
Lack of HP, Lack of DPS

Rogue Classes

Rangers
(aka Legolas Wannabe) Assassins
(aka sins) Barbarians
(aka Conan Wannabe)
Recognized By: Anyone who using a bow against you Recognized By: Anyone who dual wields daggers Recognized By: Anyone who dual wields or uses a 2H yet doesn’t have shiny metal armor
HP: ~5000
Biggest Damage:
Salvo
Heartseeker
Weakness:
Low armor, Susceptible to stun, Mez and snare trap durations are short. Cannot use mez arrow while in combat. HP: ~3400
Biggest Damage:
Swift Strikes
Weakness:
Lack of defense, Low HP, daggers have small attack radius making it difficult to hit moving targets, No snare HP: ~4200
Biggest Damage:
Cyclone of Steel
Savage rage
Weakness:
Difficulty to catch classes at range, Relies heavily on CC (stuns and knockdowns), Low defense and no healing

Soldier Classes

Conqueror
(aka Conqs) Dark Templar
(aka DTs) Guardian
(aka G-men or FOTM-3)
Recognized By: Recognized By: Anyone who willingly wears a shield and lifetaps you in PvP Recognized By: Anyone wielding a polearm
HP: ~7500
Biggest Damage:
Whirlwind
Hail of Furious Strikes
Weakness:
Difficult to catch classes at range, charge on 1 min cooldown HP: ~6100
Biggest Damage:
Mystical Bane
Blood for Aid
Weakness:
Difficulty to catch classes at range. Lack of ways to get out of CCs. Low DPS HP: ~8500
Biggest Damage:
Dulling Blow
Weakness:
Difficulty to catch classes at range. Lack of sustained DPS

Know thyself
Its easy to think you have the edge in PvP if you know your opponent. And its true, however the best PvP players also know the limits of what they can do. Understand your class better than anyone else. Think outside the box. As in all MMOs, things change. I will work to keep up this list but it is ultimately up to you to stay on top of changes to your class. I know there are some areas that are blank below. As I gather more information and review the comments made to this article I will update them. So check back!

Mage Classes

Necromancers
Demonologists
Heralds of Xotli

Hard Targets: Tempest of Set, Priest of Mitra, Rangers
Easier Targets: Assassins
Useful feats for PvP: Master of dead, Unholy Hands Hard Targets: Priest of Mitra
Easier Targets: Most Melee Classes
Useful feats for PvP: Hard Targets: Demonologists, Barbarians, Range classes
Easier Targets: Assassins
Useful feats for PvP: Improved hellfire breath, Avatar of Xotli, Fire Lance, Visage of Xotli, Burning words, Mindless brute
Useful PvP Strategies: Useful PvP Strategies:
Perform Fiery torment –> storm chains Useful PvP Strategies:
When fighting Necros, cast Avatar of Xotli then Phoenix cloak then AoE down the pets.

Don’t stand still in PvP combat unless your combo cast bar is up.

Priest Classes

Tempest of Set
Priest of Mitra
Bear Shaman

Hard Targets: Herald of Xotli (well played), Guardians, Necromancers
Easier Targets: Barbarian, Assassin, Demonologists, Herald of Xotli (poorly played)
Useful feats for PvP: Improved Cobra strike, Visions of Hatred, Puppets of Set Hard Targets: Barbarians, Tempest of Set, Guardian
Easier Targets: Conqueror, Herald of Xotli
Useful feats for PvP: Avatar of Mitra, Vengeance of Gods, Improved Repulse, presence of mind, Hard Targets: Soldier Classes, Mage Classes
Easier Targets: Assassins, Rangers
Useful feats for PvP: Rune of grounding
Useful PvP Strategies:
Lightning strike –> stun –> Lightning Strike –> Column lightning –> Lightning strike Useful PvP Strategies:
Vengeance of Gods –> Clarity of Minds –> Smite

Condemn –> Clarity of Mind –> Smite

Rotate the CC stay out of melee Useful PvP Strategies:
Range damage when in melee combat to trigger renewal then sprint to gain distance for healing.

Rogue Classes

Rangers
Assassins
Barbarians

Hard Targets:
Easier Targets:
Useful feats for PvP: Sniper Stance, Agile Mind, Excellent Balance, Escape Artist Hard Targets: Guardians, ToS, Conquerors, HoX (played well)
Easier Targets: Bear Shaman, Demos, Barbarians
Useful feats for PvP: Lunge, From the darkness, Death’s Gaze, Avatar of Death, Excellent Balance, Escape Artist, Agile mind, snap kick, Curse of the lotus, golden lotus Hard Targets: Any Caster Class
Easier Targets: Assassins, Rangers
Useful feats for PvP:Paralysis, Insanity, Earth Shatter, Unstable Mind, Scatter Foes, Thirst For Blood, Excellent balance, Escape artist, Agile mind
Useful PvP Strategies:
Focused Fire –> Critical Aim –> Marked for death.

Make sure you get the first hit, if you don’t get it, trap the melee players then run away and hide.

Attack targets from behind from a good range with the slow shot then unload all your dps
Useful PvP Strategies:
Lunge + From the darkness –> Swift Strikes,

Death gaze –> Any Combo

Corrupting Strikes + Avatar of death + Lunge –> Swift Strikes

Work on being able to move and circle strafe while executing combos

Grim Corruption –> swift strikes

Use Lotus extract + cats paw + excellent balance early to get heals early in fight. Useful PvP Strategies:
For Casters: Clobber > Finishing Blow > decap. If you miss your Clobber– Stunning Punch (w/ comatose) > CoS > earth shatter

In PvP, unfeated CoS hits practically as hard as a feated CoS, consider this when you chose your feats.

Soldier Classes

Conqueror
Dark Templar
Guardian

Hard Targets: All Caster Classes
Easier Targets: Assassins, Rangers
Useful feats for PvP: Cunning Deflection, Improved Frenzy, Cunning Deflection, Annihilate, Improved Inspire Hard Targets: most DPS Classes
Easier Targets: Rangers, Assassisn, Necromancers
Useful feats for PvP: dark Burden, Mind Wrack, Mind Shatter, Dooming Presence Hard Targets:Tos, PoM
Easier Targets: Assassins, barbarians
Useful feats for PvP:
Bloody Vengeance, Momentum, Skewer
Useful PvP Strategies:
Burst of Aggression –> Charge –> any Combo — > Stun again

Know when and how to change stances in combat

Spec Carnage for most PvP useful feats

Great Strategies HERE Useful PvP Strategies:

For Necromancers , Improved Aura of infusion with all there pets hitting us doing shitty damage just makes our health go up faster then they can take it down

Stay in the back of ur pvp group spamming martydom and wait for your teammates to do all the damage and when someones at like 25% pop on frenzy and attack

use blood for aid 5 + frenzy and attack, stun with mind shatter then MBIV Useful PvP Strategies:
Use Momentum+Overreach,

Bloody vengeance and Strike and Guard. You should really include Bloody Vengeance its too good to give up.

To attempt to one-shot a player try Frenzy + Juggernaut + Momentum + Overreach

Volcanic rage –>Juggernaut –> Stunning Charge –> Knockdown –> High hitting Combo

Key Strategy: The use of the generic STUN BUFF is rarely used by the melee classes. Double tap ‘W’ (as described below) and your next hit is very likely to stun. When chargeing a caster, hit the W twice before you arrive, and you have the chance to interupt the spell that caster is tring to throw at you.

In the fight!
You are attacking!
That’s my boy…sniff sniff, they grow up so fast. There are a few things you should always know about the battle. First is that PvP should not be a “lets see what happens” kind of experience. You should know what your going to do before you engage. Your moves should be as second nature as they are in PVE grinding. Practice your moves! Know your sequence, anticipate what your opponent may do and easily transition to plan B and C. Don’t worry about the ADD. If someone unexpected attacks you …it sucks, it happens. CC em if you got em otherwise keep your focus on your main target. Don’t ever switch targets (except for CC).

Hide, Hide, Hide. H is the default key for hide. You will drain stamina if you move while hiding unless you are a rogue class. But you can remain stationary in hide for as long as you want. The best way NOT to be targeted is not to be a target! This is especially true in group PvP. Healers and casters stay out of sight for the first seconds of combat. The first seconds is where everyone looks to find the healers and “easy pickings’ ..if you are either of these, staying stealthed even for a fraction of a second longer may mean you are passed over and thats is a VERY nice place for any caster (or ranger) to be. The best way to succeed is to choose your location and your opponent AND have first SHOT.

If you are fighting then you should be MOVING. This aint checkers! Dance around and move around. Stay still only when you have to. A stationary target is your foes best friend…DON’T BE HIS FRIEND! This is why stamina is so important.

You are attacked.
Oh no! What will I do…who, what, where, why…what about my children! Do I have enough insurance?!?! These are all questions that should NOT be going through your head (curse you Metlife!!)!! This is your time to shine…bear that evil grin…someone just made a mistake!

In AoC players have control over the chance to dodge, parry, active block, and missed attacks yet they are rarely used! This may come from our last 3 years of WoW’s Autoattack PvP..where many fights were players walking up to each other and enjoying stationary autoattacking…then the one with the best equipment wins. AoC is striving for tactics >> class >> equipment. I’m not sure we are there yet. But you should use everything this game gives you to win…nothing is an automatic loss.
When you are attacked hold down ‘x’ to active block. Significantly cuts down the incoming damage, but you can’t attack, cast or move. This costs stamina and that’s being covered by your stam pot. Use this ability while you locate your opponent.

If you are attacked by a melee (Assassin, barbarian, tank), Double tap ’s’ (back) to get a short 5 second buff that increases your evade chances. It costs a small amount of stamina. Casters should sprint out of melee combat and zigzag with quick changes in direction, this requires a percentage of your stamina to use but does affects your melee attacker (whose sprinting to catch up) a LOT more than it does you.

Set your shields! We are all aware of PVE mobs have shields up to diminish the damage coming from melee. Well, so do we! Its defaulted to 1 shield equally on the left, right , and top ..this is exactly what you DON’T want. Obviously you cannot anticipate every move and change your shielding before the next strike. However, you can put up three shields on one spot specifically to take away your melee opponent’s big move. Shields are easily and quickly set by hitting Ctrl-1 (3 shields left), Ctrl-2 (3 shields top) and Ctrl-3 (3 shields right). When you see someone melee-ing you, you want to quickly identify what class and set your shields to STOP their big move.

Dark Templar – Set shields UP (CTRL-2)
Conqueror – Set shields Right (CTRL-3)
Rangers – Set shields Up if bow (CTRL-2), Set shields Right if Crossbow (CTRL-3)
Herald of Xotli – Set shields Up or to Left (CTRL- 1 or 2)
Assassins – Set Shields Up (CTRL-2)
Barbarians – Set shields Up or to Right (CTRL-2 or 3)
Guardians — Set shields to Right (CTRL-3)
Bear Shamen — Set Shields Up or to Left (CTRL-1 or 2)
Key Strategy: For me, As I travel about I always have my shields set as 3 up top Ctrl-2 to prevent as must damage from from Assassin’s major stealth attack. Also on average , it just seems a better choice.

If you are attacked out of stealth by a caster (Mage nuking from afar), Double tap ‘a’ or ‘d’ (left or right) to get a short 5 sec immunity buff that increases your resistance. It also costs a small amount of stamina. If you’re a melee (muy machismo) fighter, I like to move in with a double tap ‘w’ (forward) to get a short buff that increases the change of stunning your target. Even if your already face to face with him. Costs a relatively small amount of stamina and stuns can be a difference maker.

PvP Server Insight
Travel in a pack. This one is probably the most obvious. There is strength in numbers, and four people in your group will make that ganker five levels above you think twice before trying to kill you. Make friends and get into a guild. Makes the above suggestion much easier to accomplish.

Hide early and often. While not every class gets Hide at an early level, it is the single easiest way to avoid unwanted confrontation.

Use nearby zone borders to escape. Often upon zoning into a new area you will encounter a battle already underway or someone waiting to try and kill you. If you feel overmatched don’t be afraid to zone right back out and run for it. Some might think it cheap, but it’s a better chance at survival.

Never stand still. All those stealthers around you don’t move very fast when hidden. Don’t give them a chance to line up that perfect strike!

Use the environment (trees, vegetation) to hide

If being repeatedly ganked when rezzing, change rez points, if still being ganked at all Rez points, change instances.

If you have stances, always travel in a defensive stance

The Fugitive system
Now entering the ring in the Blue corner and wearing maroon boxers, sponsored by Wonder bread…The Fugitive System. This is a system to stem the rampant griefing that emerged soon after the games release…presented in a set of colors very similar to those used by National security (coincidence?.. I think NOT!) defining your fugitive status – from blue to orange and eventually the deadly red.

Everyone is by default classified as “blue” (and cuddly), but your actions as a player killer will affect your fugitive rating. If you kill someone way under your level, you will notice that you will very quickly move to red. So will actions such as killing someone repeatedly, or other general unfairness. The more serious the crime, the quicker you rise in fugitive. In a nutshell, if you kill gray players over and over you go red.

Obtaining red status will be quite painful to you. This means that other players can kill you without rising in fugitive level, and if they manage to kill you while you have red fugitive you will actually drop one of your better items and gold that they can loot!

PvP Levels
There are plans to now activate PvP levels. Soon you will be able to gain PvP levels by simply engaging in such activities, and there will be 10 such PvP levels in total. Fighting other players will lead to gaining PvP levels, just like fighting Mobs will lead to gaining of XP levels. Once you have reached the 10th PvP level you will be able to earn special PvP ranks beyond that. These are supposedly hard to acquire, and you will lose ranks if you get defeated so it’s a constant battle to keep you rank up. And you will want to both gain PvP levels and keep your PvP rank up, as this will give you very exclusive benefits…which I have it on good authority they will be giving out exclusive Webkinz! Ok, Ok its actually PvP specific gear out a special vendor which I hate to say…sounds very much like World of Warcraft (Boooooo). PvP gear will come in all shapes and sizes and some will be class and race specific

SIEGE!
Expect something about the siege system here soon. However because there are still a lot of issues and its kinda developing as we play the game. No reason for me to write something and then have to change it/ revise it every week. Once things seem stable I’ll put something down.

Summary
–Always be ready for a fight
–Always use potions in a fight
–Identify the class of your attacker quickly. Know the other classes strengths and weaknesses. Know yours as well
–If you are being melee’d, always set your shields to limit their burst damage
–PvP is better with friends. Groups are the best way to PvP success
–Don’t Gank gray con players.
–Be Fearless. Nothing is won by the timid. Being fearful in PvP leads to your death from behind
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