Hey folks!
I’m opening this post because I recently get more and more bored by the current limitations in PVP. I know that there will always be a top meta build but I’m going to talk about my wishes anyways. My inner PVE/RP part can’t resist. I also know that combat gets an overhaul at the moment but I think it doesn’t cover this topic completely.
Conan Exiles: 'Look at all these fancy armors and weapons! Pick the ones you like.'
PVP meta: 'You need STRENGTH and VITALITY + X.'
-> Armor selection reduced to Darfari, Zingaran, Cambujan, Cimmerian, DLCs, Hyperborean, parts of SL.
PVP meta: 'Ok, but you know that mobility beats armor, right?'
-> Armors reduced to Darfari and Zingaran + DLC helmets since they let you still be in the light armor class.
Conan Exiles: 'Forget about the Zingaran armor since I don’t offer an armorer who let’s you craft Flawless Epic Zingaran armors. Sorry!'
-> Farming the armorer for Flawless Epic Darfari. I’m good to go.
Conan Exiles: 'Hey, you forgot to pick a weapon!'
PVP meta: 'Oh yeah, there is a wide variety of weapons to choose from: Acheronian Spear, Dragonbone Spear, Serpent-man Spear, maybe DLC spears and ofc some legendary spears!'
-> Ok, I got it now.
PVP meta: 'Almost. Don’t forget to set your controls to gamepad/controler style! You’ll see why. Trust me! Oh, if your server has target lock activated you might want to google for some neat scripts that will “help” you even more. Last but not least master “animation canceling”.'
Welcome to PVP!
What do I want (tl;dr)?
Remove stat bonuses on armors and make them applicable through craftable armor plates.
Remove Target-Lock function.
Make other character attributes and the perks great again by switching them around or revamp them.
Remove controler style option for mouse + keyboard players.
No freaking wonder some of my buddies can take some of you 4+v1 on. And then spears as weapons. That’s weird. Especially considering many of us found a way to get the target lock to stab where we used to be while moving around.
Server situation is currently nebulous for RL reasons, but the last meta we were going for was Kambujan with Axe of the Lion and Shield.
Still toying with the idea if full 50 STR is worth it for the perk or not. It seems to be powerful in 1v1, but having 50 VIT instead seems to be better in group PVP.
Sometimes we’d poke with a poisoned dagger for the first hit and follow up with the axe. But we were also using my Archery mod which added Throwing Axes and Javelins to the melee meta which got interesting.
Funcom really ought to let Throwing Axes and Javelins stack in the next update.
For me personally if we’re doing a large PVP encounter, I’ll run an encumbrance build. Jars and Orbs make people skittish for good reason. I’ll either use Flawless Heavy or Flawless Khitan Imperial depending on the climate.
One of the issues I have with Darfari is it can’t be used up north effectively without a legendary shield.
Thanks for the answers and especially for the neutral way you present them in. It’s often hard to discuss PVP topics because people are often quick with this ‘this guy knows nothing attitude’ and I always try to stay away from that, because chances are you’ve played in some “PVP echo chamber” or bubble for weeks and missed some meta shifts or innovations on other servers.
On Topic: I’ve seen some Kambujan guys with two-handed swords or Axe of the Lion and shield (like the SL build previously). But I consider it to be the old meta because atm in fights I see with 10 to 30 players I mostly see fast paced, very mobile combat. You don’t really have the time to raise your shield because you’ll get back-stabbed by two or three guys with spears. Players in heavy armor will get focused first by a group and eliminated quickly. The dodge-mechanic on heavies is just too slow and not enough. You actually don’t even stand still for more than two seconds. The light armors make you roll a greater distance and you don’t want to get hit anyways. Never. The motto is 'If you don’t hit me but I hit you, no need for much armor".
@Taemien Try 50+ STR. I play it exclusively atm. I see kind of glass canons play on even more STR. Some play on 60 to 70+. This is what I mean. Mobility > Armor. The other weapons like axes/maces and swords do have advantages in some scenarios but in open field battles with enough space you might get wrecked by a fast spear and high STR player. I haven’t been hit by an axe in weeks if I play concentrated and dodge-roll on time. Actually vs. an axe I don’t even have to roll a lot of times. Just watching him attack und step aside is enough. Might be hard to fight a one-hander + shield in a 1vs1 but in group fights…
Poisoned weapons is always a good idea. Haven’t seen anyone in weeks using poison on daggers but 100% usual on any other weapon. I don’t go to PVP without a stack of poison and re-apply it on my weapon very fast.
We use javelins even without a mod Found out that a javelin can bring in that kill the enemy didn’t expect when they are on low HP, but in first place we always have a javelin on us for people who jump into water and try to heal up or escape in deeper waters. Once hit, you stagger them to death.
As for the jars and orbs it really depends on the server I’m playing on. On the current server people often use jars in PVP. On the last server orbs were meta and thus Sandstorm masks.
Well, of course people make sure they are not building their base up in the north when they want to go Darfari. Since there are maprooms and 50 encumbrance builds now, there isn’t even a great reason to build in the north. But enough vitality plus torch and alcohol and the Exceptional Zingaran Armor can help fighting or raiding in the cold north temporarily.
Honestly I gotta admit the vitality/strength is indeed the stats to go for. You got that completely right.
Some players with grit builds also make it work, provided they got enough STR.
I disagree with the spear a little however. Really, the spears are the worst weapons that trades blows (better than the dagger, dagger has no superarmor). The only reason spears really shine is because of the range, speed and is the only weapon that can stop running people.
If someone trades blows with me while using a spear, I can virtually use any other weapon but daggers, I will out-trade him by 25% and apply sunder + cripple or cripple + bleed which is a GG as i will finish him with a spear after since he can not run or heal. The spear wielder will at worst apply one bleed on me at the end, but by then it is too late for him.
Another big reason players use spears is because it is friendly on group PvP, there is less risk of doing friendly fire.
I know there are a lot of light armor users out there but it has its own risks seriously. They have 0 room for mistakes. Dodges cost a LOT of stamina. If I try trrade blows with a light armor guy as a medium/heavy user, and he pokes with the spear and dodges, even if he hits me I know I have a lot more stamina left than him, this puts him in a heavy disadvantage.
Just my 2 cents, ever since the silent legion nerf the game has opened up a lot on gearing your build. You have to think of the temperature too.
Of course. There is a reason for the DLC armors to grant STR or VIT. Imagine they had ENC and SUR. People would have bought the DLC less and would have complained I guess.
Thanks for the insight on how you fight but I have to add that no sane spear fighter will ever trade blows with you. They chip you to death or backstab you with their mates. It’s very unusual that they do more than two hits of the combo but than again it also depends on how they move/play. If a player ever gets status effects like sunder or bleeding or becomes exhausted he did something wrong. You normally know how many hits and rolls you can do before you have to stop. You train that until it becomes an automatism.
You’ve got Set Antidote on your hotbar vs. poison and bleeding. Fighting with controler settings allows you to move very differently.
But back to my wishes before I lose myself in the discussion which might not find an end.
Wouldn’t you guys like to play a valid PVP build and having total freedom to wear whatever armor you want?
Found out that a javelin can bring in that kill the enemy didn’t expect when they are on low HP, but in first place we always have a javelin on us for people who jump into water and try to heal up or escape in deeper waters. Once hit, you stagger them to death.