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PvP - Going first

AuthorMessage
Explorer
Aug 21, 2010
79
Lets not lie, when the PvP clock is ticking down there is only one thing on our minds. "Please may I start!"

Yes starting does (and always has) give you a HUGE advantage. Meanwhile the debate rages on, whether or not it should be changed, and how.

I have PvPed for a while (remember back when level 50 was the cap and Ice was so OP?) and I think that the advantage of starting has never been greater. I recently got my level 73 balance to warlord, and I can sadly say that I don't think I deserved it. I either fought level 90+ privates (you would not believe how these people got to level 90 as they have no idea how to PvP) or I fought people around my level in which case it all came down to who started. The extra power pip has done absolutely nothing to balance it. So many spells are designed so that it rewards starting, shields, dispels, healing, even hitting. Everyone who is anyone knows to have treasure towers (myself included) so if you start you can almost guarantee that you will always have a shield up. (With the exception of spells that hit and stun like Storm Lord, but those are rarely used)

So I think we can all agree one way or the other that starting is OP. How to fix it? That is the million dollar question.

There are many decent ideas, such as to allow manipulating who starts with spells. Personally I think that it should shift every turn. For example
Turn 1 - Player 1 starts, Player 2 goes second
Turn 2 - Player 2 starts, Player 1 goes second
Would make it more fair I believe, although there are doubtless problems with this idea such as people going twice in a row, but at least both duelists would have the same advantage.

I love the new PvP especially getting fights quicker, I think that little need to be changed, TC's AREN'T cheating or OP, as they are available to every player same as minions, crown items and the such. The problem with Warlord vs Warlord PvP is that it seems 90% down to luck, who starts. Yes you can win sometimes against someone who knows what they are doing, and these wins while glorious and exhilarating are few and far between. Yes the starting does balance out, I have found that it's usually 50/50 who starts but I think it takes something from the game when it is mostly decided before the first spell has even been fired.

I am amazed how even KI have managed to make 60+ PvP, (thank goodness for Wild Bolt) and having PvPed at this level or higher on almost every school, yes some have their advantages, but its all about how you use them.

Just my 2 cents... Enjoy :)

Champion
Oct 30, 2011
449
Powermauler on Mar 18, 2014 wrote:
Lets not lie, when the PvP clock is ticking down there is only one thing on our minds. "Please may I start!"

Yes starting does (and always has) give you a HUGE advantage. Meanwhile the debate rages on, whether or not it should be changed, and how.

I have PvPed for a while (remember back when level 50 was the cap and Ice was so OP?) and I think that the advantage of starting has never been greater. I recently got my level 73 balance to warlord, and I can sadly say that I don't think I deserved it. I either fought level 90+ privates (you would not believe how these people got to level 90 as they have no idea how to PvP) or I fought people around my level in which case it all came down to who started. The extra power pip has done absolutely nothing to balance it. So many spells are designed so that it rewards starting, shields, dispels, healing, even hitting. Everyone who is anyone knows to have treasure towers (myself included) so if you start you can almost guarantee that you will always have a shield up. (With the exception of spells that hit and stun like Storm Lord, but those are rarely used)

So I think we can all agree one way or the other that starting is OP. How to fix it? That is the million dollar question.

There are many decent ideas, such as to allow manipulating who starts with spells. Personally I think that it should shift every turn. For example
Turn 1 - Player 1 starts, Player 2 goes second
Turn 2 - Player 2 starts, Player 1 goes second
Would make it more fair I believe, although there are doubtless problems with this idea such as people going twice in a row, but at least both duelists would have the same advantage.

I love the new PvP especially getting fights quicker, I think that little need to be changed, TC's AREN'T cheating or OP, as they are available to every player same as minions, crown items and the such. The problem with Warlord vs Warlord PvP is that it seems 90% down to luck, who starts. Yes you can win sometimes against someone who knows what they are doing, and these wins while glorious and exhilarating are few and far between. Yes the starting does balance out, I have found that it's usually 50/50 who starts but I think it takes something from the game when it is mostly decided before the first spell has even been fired.

I am amazed how even KI have managed to make 60+ PvP, (thank goodness for Wild Bolt) and having PvPed at this level or higher on almost every school, yes some have their advantages, but its all about how you use them.

Just my 2 cents... Enjoy :)
Personally, I feel that the turns should be split, as in Pirate101 pvp-one player chooses, and then the other. This would take away most, if not all, of the advantage of going first. Sure, if a player is the first of the 2 and uses a OHKO insane bolt, then you still lose because of second, but the effects of second would not be as unfair or drastic.

Survivor
Feb 03, 2013
13
I prefer to go second instead of first, but going first is another perk for me. My Efreet is not only a life saver, but a delayer. My opponent has to choose between one or the other, heal off the Efreet, but still have the weakness remaining, or remove the weakness, but still need to heal, again, delaying attack. I believe there are more advantages to second than to first, but hey, I'm a strategic type of Fire wiz.

Survivor
Feb 03, 2013
13
Also you're idea on the taking turns going first is a bad idea. (No offense.) I believe people are just trying to find an easy way to win.

Survivor
Mar 16, 2011
23
Just from going on the message boards on and off for a few years,
Kingsisle has proposed and ultimately rejected the idea of messing with the turn based mechanic for a few reasons...

Given Kingisle's rampant success,
people apparently (a) like or (b) put up with the unfair system.

My personal theory on the matter is that people generally like winning against stronger players by going first than they dislike loosing to a worse player when they are going second.

That being said,
the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach has most likely come into play, and I highly doubt there will be a fundamental change like this one any time soon.