I think there is too much of an emphasis on pvp and it's importance. If you are ranked 1 in all reality so what. Also sooner or later someone will knock you off the pedestal and then what? I am of the opinion that it's just pointless killing. It has caused the class fighting in this game and has caused bullying and other problems. It doesn't give the player any experience points or items. What is the point really?

Virtuous Dante Ramsey

Row4n412 on Oct 28, 2014 wrote:

What does that mean? Are you asking Ratbeard to change P101's combat system to reduce the randomness in it? If so, not only would that require a tremendous amount of work for him, it would likely result in a LESS realistic combat system than he already has. Admittedly, real combat is almost nothing like playing P101; but many of us like the "board game" feel here. Even though almost nothing is truly random in actual combat, only God has enough understanding and clarity to see through the Fog of War enough to percieve many combat phenomena any other way than somewhat random.
I completely agree that luck is a huge factor in PvP, but instead of trying to remove its significance I suggest you simply take each duel less seriously. Remember this is a kids' game, with talking dogs an such things!
If you really need to be able to establish who is the better PvP duelist, the scientistic approach is to play more duels. Scientists have agreed that larger samples and more trials are the best way to eliminate variables that are uncontrollable otherwise. and what in P101 can be more variable than a critical hit or relentless roll?

Keep in mind though, I'm not asking Ratbeard to do anything, so let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I'm only stating the possible issues that will most likely escort ranking the PvP-combat system. Now I'll have to disagree with you when you say this game is for kids; I fully understand that P101 was "made" for kids, but really, who plays it the most? Can we call 15+ yrs old players kids? Perhaps, but what about the adults? My best friend in the game is a 27yrs old guy, another friend of mine is a 22yrs old who is finishing (if hasn't already finished) college to become a Navy Officer, and another one is an 18yrs old whose goal is to major in Political Science; apart from the fact that I've met tons and tons and tons of adults in this game, who are single, which means no kids are involved at all. So once again I say, how about we deal with the reality?
You know before I edited my words, the original line was like this: " Serious players are going to hurt, and end up acting recklessly." The refinement helps us focus on the issue, and not the cause of the issue. Truth be told, there are a lot of players who aren't even into PvP, but, there are those who love PvP so much. You should know that once the ranking system comes, PvP will no longer be played for fun, it'll be played for challenge; that's why I said what I said. After all guys, I'm not charging anyone with these facts, the whole point is to share!

:P

anecorbie on Oct 29, 2014 wrote:

When PVP comes to P101, it won't be played for strategy, but for status. The ranking badges that I see in W101 are proudly displayed, it will be the same here. Also throw in the tickets that you get which can be used to purchase unique items.
You mentioned that a player with good gear and strategy could 'face a cheap defeat' due entirely to luck, this will certainly lead to negative experiences, because very few young people ( I group those 18 and under in this category ) have the maturity to deal with a defeat. Even a few adults have trouble with it.
The point being, PVP is already very competitive, it will become worse with ranked.

Couldn't agree more. Except, it doesn't require maturity to deal with a defeat, it requires the disinterestedness in possessing what you've earned.

anecorbie on Oct 29, 2014 wrote:

When PVP comes to P101, it won't be played for strategy, but for status. The ranking badges that I see in W101 are proudly displayed, it will be the same here. Also throw in the tickets that you get which can be used to purchase unique items.
You mentioned that a player with good gear and strategy could 'face a cheap defeat' due entirely to luck, this will certainly lead to negative experiences, because very few young people ( I group those 18 and under in this category ) have the maturity to deal with a defeat. Even a few adults have trouble with it.
The point being, PVP is already very competitive, it will become worse with ranked.

Although I am severely detached from both the PvP community and this very thread,and the whole issue heree,some part of me still wants to respond here.
There is a great inbalance in PvP that can easily be encountered.There is always a chance for puppeting,there is always a chance for meanness,and there is always a chance for randomness to win over strategy.

Overall,this is a game of chance(Sure hit VS Fizzle/dodge/Miss; Critical VS Regular Attack etc.) that is coupled with strategy.Something as overpowered as Blood Flames can be countered with Shadow Step,or an amazing Mighty Charge can bring down Valor's Shield,etc. so clearly it isn't purely randomness.

I will also emphasize that the first thing before even balancing the classes on Ratbeard's to do list is to create arenas in higher level worlds.If a level 5+ cannot access an arena for level 55+ obviously,the odds of puppetting are lowered.

But a higher level can still be in a lower level arena...right?I'm not sure...they may be there purely as spectators incapable of participating perhaps?

Now,PvP offers a challenge for most players fighting constant AIs.The AI has a few rules governing it most players do not.The AI will always try to take down the enemy with the most threat(El Toro,Kan Po,Zeena,Bonnie Anne,Monkey King are all very high on an AI's priority list.To quote Ratbeard:Protect yer Squishies!!!)

And many AIs won't heal.Those that do(Bosun Budd,Long Legs,Insensitive Faye Jennings...) heal only if they detect low health,or if there health drops or through other needs are met,even though a player can heal anytime as long as he/she wants to.

This is why many people like PvP.

Then comes the fact that so many players are rude.I won't deny that:You will always find Trolls,you will always find people saying:''Hurry up!We wanna play too!'' or worse stuff.As menu chat,I don't struggle with that.THough,listening to Misty,I understand why this is very very very displeasing.There is an ''Ignore'' and a '''Report'' button,both of these are gifts from KI,along with the ability to change realms.If you're fighting strangers,I hope they are kind.If they aren't ignore them.If you're dueling friends,go to an empty realm,believe it or not there is NO ONE in the Spar Chamber in Realm Vadima...ever.

The next issue is the imbanace of classes:this will be fixed.The new changes to Hide are meant to make swashbucklers shine in what they are supposed to do.It may seem OP,but it is a first step.Trust me,more is coming up.1 VS 1 has an extremely different format than 2 VS 2, etc. because the weaknesses that come with the pro's of some classes don't even get to shine at all.

(continued below...)

Moo Manchu's Hat and Boots
His hat and boots are really powerful,they deal minor damage but prevent locomotion.The boots prevent melee players from doing anything for one round,the hat prevents ranged players.When used correctly,it is an amazing tool for defense,with the twist that it can only be used once in battle.It is fairly balanced and I think needs not be banned.
The Mask of the Lotus
Esperanza,it'd be weird if I didn't bring this one up,eh?Anyways,the mask comes with charming gaze:an epic that sways an enemy to your benefit the moment they arrive too close,by charming them.This exact same thing is present in pets(like,say,my kitten Heidi) and is a useful tool.Using charm is an effective thing, regular witchdoctor can charm an opponent or his companions into doing serious damage to their allies.In fact,I once had someone's Itzeen Kaan heal ME!So,we can see how wonderful and annoying this thing can be,even though witchdoctors can only use it once per battle.However,this mask enables one to charm any who come too close,and while it still a game of chance,there is always a chance that your hit may backfire,and end up harming you.Whether or not it should be banned from PvP is a different topic.

Captain Blood's Jacket
Musketeers can use Blood Flame and it is a very special,but with everyone being able to do it with a simple piece of gear makes reaching the opponent if you're melee is becoming a lot harder.Ultimately,one can avoid the trap by Shadow stepping,but ultimately,this little item is pretty interesting.

I'm sorry guys,I'm fever-ish so if I said something really incorrect/really unhelpful,please forgive me.Now that I can't type anymore,I'm gonna go to bed.Best of luck to ye!

Also if there are "tickets" for winning and that allows me to get better gear that can't be available in-game I will feel the need to enter the arena so that I can keep my skills and stats up. I don't want to be coerced into this type of battle. I am a formidable foe and as such I don't like what I turn into when I go into this situation. I gain the need to kill you mercilessly. I must admit I hate both winning at this and losing at it. Neither makes me feel good.

Hulk.....SMASH!

Virtuous Dante Ramsey

Ratbeard on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:

It's certainly possible for two very evenly matched opponents to come down to a single "bad luck" roll. But that's not usually how it works out. Usually, the randomness of combat evens out over the course of a battle-- some good rolls, some bad rolls, but mostly you can count on things being "about average."

That being said, you should realize that it is an integral part of P101 "mastery" to learn how to manage the random factor.

The best example I can give is when you have an opponent who is almost but not quite dead-- should you send just one of your units after that opponent?

• Is your accuracy high enough to make sure you hit?
• Is your damage high enough to make sure that if you do hit, you do enough damage to finish the job?
• Are you counting on Relentless, Burst Fire, or a high critical chance?
• Or should you send two units after that opponent, just in case?

A true P101 expert knows exactly what his chances are of success for every single command he issues to his units, and he includes the random factor in his strategy.

Control what you can control, but plan for what you can't control.

I absolutely agree with what you're saying about what an expert should count on and expect in every turn, it's actually true, and that's exactly what I do; I even over-think and miss my turn sometimes! Honestly though, I would've said that your reply is something that I don't already know and should try out to see what would happen, but I wouldn't have started this subject if I don't already do all that and even more. I'm talking about personal experiences, sometimes we face "WOW!" moments. If only I can remember how times I've shouted the word "nonsense" before in PvP, then you'd probably believe me when I tell you that even after counting on every single thing, still sometime I get a slap on my face, saying: "I'm luck, you can't do anything about it!" In such rare cases, there is nothing to learn from, I'm saying that there was no mistake done at all.

To the best of my knowledge, Buccaneers have low dodge, average accuracy, and high armor; Swashbucklers have low armor, below-average accuracy, and high dodge. Sometimes these terms don't apply perfectly. For example, a Hawkules with one Espirit de corpse buff, ends up killing an El toro who has two Espirit de corpse buffs. It's not El toro against a Musketeer or something, it's just a Buccaneer whose strength comes in armor, not accuracy. So compared to a Swashbuckler's high dodge, a Buccaneer shouldn't be able to hit a lot. Now that could be a whole new subject concerning Classes, but somehow, it relates to this subject.

Alex Hawkins on Oct 31, 2014 wrote:

The point about the luck rolls averaging out throughout the battle is excellent, and one that many people seem to forget.

PvP players like to selectively remember just those criticals/relentless chains that go against them, but conveniently forget those that went in their favor earlier. My favorite is when fighting someone who has been getting critical hits all game long, but the moment you land a critical that changes the match around somehow you won just because of "luck".

While luck is definitely a big part of the game, it doesn't play as much of a role in deciding battles as some players like to argue. The longer the battle goes, the more these luck rolls average out. One critical hit here, a miss there, etc.

In the example Ratbeard gave, I can't remember the amount of times one of my companions has missed a turn because their target died. Even when the enemy has 100 health left, I will send two companions (unless I have a guaranteed hit of course) just to make sure the job is finished. Of course, even then, there is a chance I get unlucky and both my companions miss, but this chance is much more less than if I was to send just one companion. This, in essence, is what PvP is all about, you either minimize or maximize the "luck" based components of the game. The best tip I can give PvP players is to always play every turn as if you will not get a single relentless or critical. Don't rely on the luck factor of the game and don't put yourself in a vulnerable spot in the duel because of it.

If Ranked was to come out right now, there would be bigger issues than just "luck" plaguing PvP. The top one that I can think of being doubloons. But Ratbeard has mentioned how he hasn't started to balance the game around PvP just yet and even mentioned that he would look into doubloons in Ranked. So for now I would hold on to see what he has in store.

the only problem I have with ranked pvp is the use of doubloons, someone with full tower gear and max companions could easily lose to a lvl 50 using doubloons like the aquilan summon doubloons or gale, one doubloon even does 1000 damage to a companion at infinite range, doubloons should be banned from ranked when it does come because its not like wizard card, you can use a doubloon and another move in the same turn

Alex Hawkins on Oct 31, 2014 wrote:

The point about the luck rolls averaging out throughout the battle is excellent, and one that many people seem to forget.

PvP players like to selectively remember just those criticals/relentless chains that go against them, but conveniently forget those that went in their favor earlier. My favorite is when fighting someone who has been getting critical hits all game long, but the moment you land a critical that changes the match around somehow you won just because of "luck".

While luck is definitely a big part of the game, it doesn't play as much of a role in deciding battles as some players like to argue. The longer the battle goes, the more these luck rolls average out. One critical hit here, a miss there, etc.

In the example Ratbeard gave, I can't remember the amount of times one of my companions has missed a turn because their target died. Even when the enemy has 100 health left, I will send two companions (unless I have a guaranteed hit of course) just to make sure the job is finished. Of course, even then, there is a chance I get unlucky and both my companions miss, but this chance is much more less than if I was to send just one companion. This, in essence, is what PvP is all about, you either minimize or maximize the "luck" based components of the game. The best tip I can give PvP players is to always play every turn as if you will not get a single relentless or critical. Don't rely on the luck factor of the game and don't put yourself in a vulnerable spot in the duel because of it.

If Ranked was to come out right now, there would be bigger issues than just "luck" plaguing PvP. The top one that I can think of being doubloons. But Ratbeard has mentioned how he hasn't started to balance the game around PvP just yet and even mentioned that he would look into doubloons in Ranked. So for now I would hold on to see what he has in store.

You guys are clearly missing out the point, I'm not talking about my luck. I'm talking about luck in general.
Let me give you the roots of all this, let me tell what the point is;

*luck doesn't happen a lot, but a lot happens when luck does.

anecorbie on Oct 29, 2014 wrote:

When PVP comes to P101, it won't be played for strategy, but for status. The ranking badges that I see in W101 are proudly displayed, it will be the same here. Also throw in the tickets that you get which can be used to purchase unique items.
You mentioned that a player with good gear and strategy could 'face a cheap defeat' due entirely to luck, this will certainly lead to negative experiences, because very few young people ( I group those 18 and under in this category ) have the maturity to deal with a defeat. Even a few adults have trouble with it.
The point being, PVP is already very competitive, it will become worse with ranked.

Nobody is forcing you to PvP. If you don't like PvP simply ignore it. The ONLY reason I play Pirate101 is because of PvP, do you even know how hard it is to find a pvp match such as a 3v3 or a 4v4? Pretty sure with ranked coming out finding PvP matches will be a whole lot easier.

anecorbie on Nov 8, 2014 wrote:

Did I say or even imply that pvp should be removed? I understand that there are many who enjoy the competition; my point was getting ranked pvp needs to be balanced, especially if KI intends to include status badges and prizes.
Question: if the only reason you play P101 is for the pvp, where does your gear come from? PVE, that's where. So you must participate in pve more extensively than pvp, ( especially farming for the optimum gear ).

with the addition of the tower you only need to run it twice to get the gear a privateer needs if you get the max lvl versions, boots, hat, ring, and totem, the weapon from crown shop or from tower, only things that need to be actually farmed are the robe, charm, and eyepatch

anecorbie on Nov 9, 2014 wrote:

Some players aren't so fortunate as to gather all these 'goodies' with just two runs. I finally got the nefarious Knives after thirty-five tower runs. I think you're missing the best gear by concentrating on the rare gear.

i am missing only 3 sets of rare gear, guy fox, red fox, and captains swings, I also have roughly 40 pieces of no auction gear for EACH class, In my opinion i'm not missing the best gear