PvP - Where do I start?

[El Cid]

PvP - Where do I start?

After some searching on the forum I've scrapped together two characters with these templates:

Scribe Mage (LINK)
115 Eval Int
115 Magery
115 Med
115 Resist
115 Wrestling
100 Inscription

Necro Scribe Mage (LINK)
115 Eval Int
115 Magery
115 Resist
115 Wrestling
100 Inscription
60 Necro
95 SS

I can't afford any 120 PSs so there are left over skill points in both templates.

Anyways, after making these characters I was wondering how I'm supposed to use them. By this, I mean what are the most effective spells to be using and how am I supposed to be utilizing them. I've never done much PvP so I have no clue where to start.

1) How do I initiate a fight? What spells do I use?
2) What is my main arsenal of spells? How/when do I use them?
3) What spells should I wary of? How do I counter them?
4) What are the most popular templates I'd be facing? How do I identify & counter them?
5) What's the basic etiquette to PvP?
6) Where can I engage in friendly duels?

These are just a few broad questions that come to mind. I'm just looking for the basics on where and how to get started.

EDIT
-Added links to credit those I got the templates from.

 

[Blacula]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

It would take weeks to answer those questions, but here are some basics:

Spell casting:
* Always curse your opponent, because it drops their stats a little and lowers all elemental resists to 60, making your spells do considerably more damage.
* On your necro, it doesn't hurt to cast corpse skin because not everyone is immune to its effects (lowers fire and poison resists a great deal.)
* If your target is a mage, be sure to cast magic arrows, poisons, and weakens to interrupt them. A constantly interrupted mage isn't very effective.
* Against dexers/archers, poison is useful due to it wasting a bandage curing the poison.
* The good ol' explosion > mindblast/energy bolt/flamestrike combo goes without saying. If you cast this combo correctly, your second spell will hit before the first.

Duels:
* Just ask someone nicely to duel you; you'll find out who is honorable and won't res-kill you/gank you, and who will this way. There are public dueling rings at the Chaos and Humility shrines for this purpose, although I usually prefer to duel friends out in the woods for peace of mind.
* Also, NEVER drink potions in a duel other than Total Refresh unless your opponent agrees to this rule. Setting rules before a duel is always a courteous thing to do.
* Be a good sport, and don't make excuses if you die. No one wants to duel a crybaby

I hope this answered some of your questions. My character is Clayton Bigsby, and I can be reached via PM.

-Blacula

 

[Howl]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

If ya can't afford 120 PS, then I'd recommend removing Inscription from the second template and replacing with meditation as you probably won't have much MR on your suit.

Here's my current template:

115 Magery
115 Evaluate Intelligence
100 Necromancy
120 Spirit Speak
50 Meditation
110 Wrestling
100 Resisting Spells

I've been considering dropping Meditation by another 10 and eating my 120 Wrestling scroll, too.

I'm kind of a noob to mage PvP, but I'll try and answer your questions.

1) Initialising the fight? Some people run in with Explosion precasted and follow it with another offensive spell to put their opponent on the back foot. Others choose to curse first to maximise the power of subsequent offensive spells. Some try to paralyse thier enemy first and then drop big spells on them with EO and Paralyse, or a stam gank with EO and Pain Spike. Different situations and opponents call for different strategies.

2) Main magery offensive spells: Magic Arrow, Fireball, Lightning, Explosion. Drop in some Flamestrikes and Energy Bolts on the field whenever you can, and reserve smaller spells to all out 1v1s and duels, I'd say. Throw in a lot of poison to put another obstacle between your enemy and the goal of staying alive. Main necro offensive spell is pain spike. If you're a necro, always, always corpse skin people to maximise fire damage spells. Mind rot works pretty nice too, and strangle. Blood oath is excellent versus archers.

3) Beware of the aforementioned para and stam gank. If you get EOd, MA yourself to remove the curse. Carry refresh pots or make a macro to eat food to refresh stamina and avoid stam-ganks. If you see a gank coming, perhaps pre-cast a G-heal. Always bless after you're cursed to recover stats.

4) The best PvPers tend to run on scribe mages or necro mages, like the templates you're opting for. Just look at their gear if you have the time, and you'll soon pick up on who is who and what they do. I've already mentioned the stam- and para-gank. D.C. like to run archers and necro macers, with the former, be prepared to be mortalled, with the latter, carry refresh pots and get 'em disarmed and try to stam gank them to reduce their swing speed.

5) The rule of etiquette in PvP: there basically is none. 'Exhibition' PvP at BG is so lacking in etiquette that 10 people will gank you and think they did a good job, follow you to res-stations to res kill you, trash talk you when you die, trash talk you when they die... Most of the members of the prestegious guilds are pretty good. There are some conventional rules in duelling to observe - don't pre-cast before the Wall of Stone collapses; don't chug pots except for refreshment ones; don't use the wither spell (some people do though); don't use stun-punch.

6) Just find an ITP member and get them to take you to our GH, there's always a couple people online who would be more than willing to duel. If we had some duels, I'd reimburse you with insurance money after (if I won, that is!) I'm new to this game too, but I'm sure we can learn together.

 

[Blacula]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

I'd recommend removing Inscription from the second template and replacing with meditation as you probably won't have much MR on your suit.

I like necro/scribe mages a lot, but I do agree: that template is for people with amazing suits.

don't use stun-punch.

I've been dueling for a couple of years, and stun has been pretty standard thus far. Oh well

 

[Howl]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

It has?! I've been wronged for using it many a time =/

Also, is it possible to use them in staff-ran PvP events?

 

[lukin69]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

EXCELLENT. Ive needed this as well, thanks Blacula, Howl.

El Cid, I'd love to duel you. Really need the practice. PM me or talk to me, u can find me at Luna or BG alot of the time on David Lo-pan.

-L

 

[emoooo]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Also, is it possible to use them in staff-ran PvP events?

No, not with the default rule set.

 

[Blacula]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Howl: Most people are cool with stun-punches, but since you can't load specials while casting anymore (worst-decision-ever,) people don't use it that much.

lukin69: I hope that helped you as well sir, sometime this week I'll either write a big, long newb's guide on the forums, a UO book with details, or a semi- auto newb trainer macro. I'll let you know :>

 

[Howl]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

I was pretty upset about the specials and casting changes, I can't load AIs and holy light spam now. It's damn tricky to time them both right, takes a lot of my concentration away from the fight. But at least I don't get disarm spammed so much now.

If anyone has any questions I'm sure there are people more than qualified to answer them here => so ask away!

 

[El Cid]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Thanks for the extensive replies. I haven't gotten a chance to try any of this yet, but when I get some time to play I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Another thing I have problems with is targeting and keeping track of my targets, especially when running around on the field. I find myself spending more time trying to get my spells to hit the target I want than deciding on what spells I should be using.

How do you guys handle who you're targeting and make sure that you're hitting the person you want to be hitting? If possible, could you give a few example macros/hot keys you use to do so?

E.g.:
-Set Last Target, Target Closest Enemy
-Last Spell, Last Target
-Last Spell, Target Random Enemy

Are any of those even valid or am I not even on the right track?

EDIT
-Random question: I've seen people use Heal over GHeal in certain instances. When is it more beneficial to be spamming regular Heals instead of trying to get in a GHeal?

 

[D-Nox]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Thanks for the extensive replies. I haven't gotten a chance to try any of this yet, but when I get some time to play I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Another thing I have problems with is targeting and keeping track of my targets, especially when running around on the field. I find myself spending more time trying to get my spells to hit the target I want than deciding on what spells I should be using.

How do you guys handle who you're targeting and make sure that you're hitting the person you want to be hitting? If possible, could you give a few example macros/hot keys you use to do so?

E.g.:
-Set Last Target, Target Closest Enemy
-Last Spell, Last Target
-Last Spell, Target Random Enemy

Are any of those even valid or am I not even on the right track?

EDIT
-Random question: I've seen people use Heal over GHeal in certain instances. When is it more beneficial to be spamming regular Heals instead of trying to get in a GHeal?

Targeting is pretty mch up to you but i would recomend using a friend list and then usin target non friendly and attack last target

Gheals take much more time to cast so you can be disturbed much easier.
eg. you cant cast gheals while someoe is spaming harm or mas and fireballs on you but you can do heals.

 

[lukin69]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Targeting is pretty mch up to you but i would recomend using a friend list and then usin target non friendly and attack last target
.

please elaborate on "freinds list"....

 

[El Cid]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

please elaborate on "freinds list"....

In Razor under the 'Agents' tab there's a function called 'Friends'. I've never used it myself but I think this is the one he's referring to.

 

[lukin69]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

hmm nifty, never paid attn to that.

 

[JelloBiafra-]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

For targeting i find using the Ctrl+Shift bars works very well, It's pretty easy to pick up moving targets even with a spell pre-cast. Hope it helps.

Vilu accepts pure mage and soon mage necro duels and would love to practice/spar with anybody needing some practice in the ring.

I'm not one for running around fel paying ppl to gank me.. but when it comes to mage duels i know a thing or two. Some say Curse is bad in duels, they are wrong, It is very helpful, but it is NOT a must so dont get killed tryin to curse your target.
Also, nobody on Hybrid or Demise seems to acknowledge this rule, but when i was taught to duel.. I was taught not to spam any spell (other then cure and heal) more then 3 times. Let's face it.. Poison, Ma,ma,ma,ma,ma,ma,ma,ma is not skill.. just annoying.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Blacula]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Some say Curse is bad in duels, they are wrong, It is very helpful, but it is NOT a must so dont get killed tryin to curse your target.

I agree 100% with that statement. It's hard to get a curse off unless your target is poisoned, and has a magic arrow and a weaken hitting 'em

 

[Xeneize]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

I agree 100% with that statement. It's hard to get a curse off unless your target is poisoned, and has a magic arrow and a weaken hitting 'em

well, like you say, u should arrow, weaken and poison so u can curse.
but i think you really MUST curse before atacking.

 

[Howl]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Yes, I always poison before cursing.

 

[Tiruak]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

well, like you say, u should arrow, weaken and poison so u can curse.
but i think you really MUST curse before atacking.

He's talking about duels... if you try to curse before anything, you will probably die before you can get the spell to land, if your opponent is good anyways. Sometimes you may be able to do it, but in a duel I would just start with a weaken, a couple ma's, poison, etc.

Since the topic is pvp tho, what necro/mages or pure mages, think is a fast kill one man gank? lets say you have the surprise element to ur advantage and is trying to kill the guy in seconds before he reacts? Some guy at a spawn told me u can kill someone with a pre-cast explosion+mind blast+pain spike+lighting... not sure how much sdi would u need to kill with that tho.

 

[Howl]

Re: PvP - Where do I start?

Necro mage wins hand down in the field. Can't omen para or omen pain spike with a scribe mage. stun punch, omen para, corpse skin, explo, fs, omen, ps. Kill some people with just that. Or follow through with a harm spam and poison and some MA cause they'll probably be stammed.