PvP (Past and the Future Disbalance)
Hello Guys! (Sorry for my bad grammar coz I am not a native speaker)
First of all, I would like to express my best wishes, regards and many many thanks to all of you, who have created and participate in this marvelous forum. I didn’t participate in many interesting discussions and was just “observer†but what I have noticed, was that all of you are very friendly and tolerant to each other. Huge Respect!!!
A couple of words about who I am. I’ve been playing Diablo for almost 10 years (at tender age of 11) and started to be interested in pvp about 8 years ago. I had a plenty of time to play and study all characters but my main character for pvp during all these years was and is Necromancer.
I started to duel on Open bnet, where there were hundreds of cheaters as well as some great players that were playing honestly. With them we created the fist pvp clan of all the best and honest duelers. So we triggered the others to create other pvp clans on the Open Realm. Nowadays, the number of clans on open bnet is almost uncountable-)
I moved to Closed Battle net (Europe) more than 7 years ago searching for additional player killing experience.
In this topic I wanted to analyze the player killing tendencies and pvp disbalance. I would also kindly ask you to share your opinion about the stuff that I gonna mention. Hope that some critics will not be considered to be personal for anyone here.
Anyway, i judge the things from my subjective and personal point of view and everything that I mention, is my experience of playing on the European Realm only. I made it very short and focused on the main things only.
Disbalance, in my opinion, happens during certain periods of time when some character becomes much more stronger than the other. Sometimes these problems occur because of the skill tree changes and are fixed with the help of Blizzard changing the spells etc.
Also it happens when the stage of the strategically development of one specific character introduces the tactics skills, equipment built etc that can be hardly defeated by other character because of the absence of existence of some other approach that could give balance so that the players will have equal chances to win.
PvP –It is player vs player. It’s not the best equipment or higher level kills but the player who’s smarter and wiser. That’s why we all call it –duel. Now, let’s imagine- some character with enigma duels with other player who doesn’t equip this armor. The same would happen if some medieval archer will duel with guy with bazooka or machine gun. Theoretically, both can win, but who got more chances?
Diablo II
The first steps and changes dedicated to searching for appropriate pvp builds happened to amazons. It was during Diablo II times when Lance barbs ruled the earth and sword shield barbs were considered to be a bad pvp choice. It was the time, when Dexazons were invented and people were given a huge dexterity boost so that the amazon could kill quicker. Now it is called – “The times of damage is a kingâ€. I think that this very moment influenced on the first adaptation in history of player killing. Just as in real life. When the environment changes, the smartest animal will try to adopt to new conditions or the raptor will try to change his tactics of killing.
Disbalance happened when Lance barbs appeared to be much less effective against quick and deadly dexazons and that was the point when ss barbs with their blocking could give balance to the game again.
LoD
Today some people say that the approach - Life is a king was started during LoD 1.10, some say 1.11.
I think that the first idea of huge life that could be given to any character was used by Blizzard in 1.08. Anyone who was wearing 1.08 Shako and Arkains was turning into the monster. During my duels in the period of 1.08 suff I watched so many people get freaked out of some sorc or necr that can stand several ww and have enough life to continue. People who had that stuff ruled.
But what happened? This items could give so much life, that even some stupid lammer barb will have the best opportunity to chase and kill some skillful ama. And that’s only because of the equipment. That was not because of the clear mind and experience! In 1.09 this disbalance was felt much more. People who were still owning 1.08 stuff had no one to duel with. I also had Arkains and Shako but was using them only against 1.08 items players. But then, we all felt boring. Thousands of life were turning duel into marathon. You could make 2-3 even 4 mistakes and be alive only thanks to your equipment.
I personally was striving for these short, nervous duels where each mistake could worth you being killed and smashed. If the duel was long, it was because both players were of the highest and almost equal level.
I call it now, the era of the big disbalance. Some people didn’t wish to pk anymore. I was told many stories of great 1.08 players who just had no loses. I heard one specific story about best barbarian in Eroupe from Poland by the name – Ears Collector- he was tired of killing everybody with ease and decided to leave. It’s really hard to judge other players and to say that they could sell or not to use their equipment. They have found and deserved it. I think that Blizzard had to implement 1.09 stuff changes on all 1.08 items to reach the balance. However, maybe it would not be the best solution.
When I was describing the pvp tactics to my friends who were just starting to play this marvelous game, they though that there isn’t something special in duels because the highest or better equipment wins. I was always describing 1.09 Europe team duels as example. It was usally barbazon with buriza, life leech and full damage reduced stuff and barb with Fury sword, arreats/ gaze helm and also damge reduced stuff (stormshield etc). We were doing clans wars and team duels with approximately the same level 90-99 and everyone was owning almost the same stuff. But some how there were almost unbeatable players that owned the same stuff but with their strategy were killing everyone.
The same happened with my friend. Best pvp amazon on the European realm. Zero loses during 2-3 years dueling and many many many killings. Some people started to think that he had some super new characteristics but once the other member of the clan was dueling instead of him, it was the time when this ama lost at first. The idea of this story is that equipment and level is important, but what happens if you have equal stuff? Who will win?
As a necromancer dueler I can only say about 1.10 marrow walk bug- nothing to be proud. Everyone can kill with such synergy to BS.
In 1.11 disbalance against hurts. Enigma runeword gives any character the ability to avoid being hit. You don’t have to be sneaky or smart. Just teleport and shoot!-)
Engima character duels do not require so many things that were vitally important in previous years.
All the landscape pecularities and other tactics are avoided. I don’t say that all these people are playing bad. I am sure that there are always great players. I just would like to emphasize that engima makes you to kill harder at 200 percent no matter of you profficiency.
We used teleport on items so the number was limited, that could save you in a critical moment but you wouldn’t teleprot all the way long (in case you are not sorc-))))
Call to Arms- everything mentioned about 1.08 stuff can be also mentioned here. Everyone could have tons of life and make the duel last longer.
I mentioned only a few things because had not much time to write. I just wanted to ask you ,my diablomates, maybe you also felt this disbalance? Or any other points of view. What will happen next? To where pvp is going?
Would be happy to read your feedback,
Good luck!!