Opinions on what to do when summoned by farmers

Everything you said sounds right to me, except possibly one small thing: "I will also help the host against an invader in these areas should things be grossly imbalanced (host is getting thrashed)." Maybe I'm misinterpreting this, but if you're saying that you stand back until the host starts losing, please stop doing that. I hate it when a host or a phantom bows, starts off 1v1, then gangbangs me as soon as one of them starts losing. It's like they're saying "we're all for a good honorable fight as long as we win!"

Of course, I could be misinterpreting what you wrote.

Or when the host bows, no one interfere, 1 vs 1 fight, and the host starts to chug 20 estus when you stunlock a phantom

If I obviously get summoned by farmers, I boot myself out and start invading, and if/when I run into the group, all etiquette goes out the window and I do what's necessary to shut them down.
Otherwise, I just stand back and let the host do his thing, or if I he signals for it to be my turn, I'll go with that and if anyone else joins in I'll back off. But if the invading phantom tries to attack me while I'm simply standing back and watching (which has happened) then it's kind of "you get what you ask for" time.

Black Separation Crystal.

For me, it's simple. If I'm summoned to do a boss run, I'll do whatever I can to help out the host. If it's obvious that we're ganking people, then I'll black crystal out.

If the host is farming invaders and i'm summoned, i go aggro mobs and lead them to the host. See how they like a 3v1, or 4 or 5 or 6v1. But i have no problem with how you handle it. I simply find farmering as despicable as random invasions, and go out of my way to make trouble for both groups.

I'll farm in Dark Anor or the Forest, simply because there is so much action and a good chance of 2 or 3 invaders at once. Anywhere else and I black crystal out.

I don't agree, If I lay down my sign, is to help anyone, under any situation, I don't care if they are bad or not. I'm going to help them, because that's my objective as a phantom. If you only help people in certain situations you shouldn't put your sign at all.

My Opinion:
It's like a promise for me, when I put my sign, I'm going to help the hosts, however I can, I'm going to do everything I can to ensure his success in what he is doing, unless he tells me not to.

I'm no one to decide how people choose to play his game. There are lots of people who farm for hours mobs early in the game and get to lvl 70 even if they are only in the depths. But when someone start farming people it's bad? They are invading, and, as an invader, you too should make anything you can to kill the host. If you heal or not, it's your decision, and your POV of what's a honorable duel.

They are killing other players to get souls, they are just doing what's faster, and I don't believe that's a bad thing. Even if they summon a phantom, the phantom it's helping the host and that's not bad. People think it's bad only because there a lots of people wearing full giants with a phantom, and while you're level 20, you can invade those guys who are level 60. It's the same as the Red Eye Orb. You accept the challenge. Don't cry if you invade someone stronger than you and lose.

Really if you only help people "you like" (because you have to like how they act aka they don't farm), then the fact about helping people losses it's meaning.

Aural decoy and mimic chest are my ordinary equipment when "aiding" farmers. I mostly just spam aural decoy and toss prism stones.

I made a thread about my farming experience. I came to believe that this isn't a completely bad practice and learned a lot from it. ChizFreak has got a great point about putting the sign down is similar to a promise to help. I think of it as a promise to evaluate and potentially help. My main point is that if the game has it in the programming than it's fair. 3v1 is in there so it's part of the game. I summoned two phantoms in one playthrough for O&S as I was getting a little lazy but no one would say that I did anything unfair in that situation. Just because a puppet has a human controlling it doesn't mean you should change your views on a fight. This game is like a microcosm of real life warriors. There's always groups of weaker fighters that band together for strength and there's always warriors who choose to go it alone. You enter the game knowing you may come across anything so be prepared for anything and accept it as your path. For what it's worth and to provide another answer to the main question.....the group I was in started as honorably as can be expected for a 3v1 setting. I ended up as the frontman sorta and demonstrated to the host and other phantom each time that I was choosing to show respect to invaders by bowing as they entered and allowing a few seconds for preparation if needed. They ultimately used my sign of respect as an assassination tool which I did not agree with. I chose to remain in the host's world to steal a phantom slot allowing for a max 2v1. In other words, I griefed the host as I intentionally thwarted his goals and allowed him to be killed. In another instance (with the same host actually) I abandoned him in the same manner (still taking a slot) after he bragged to me through a message how good he was. This occurred after I had to bail him out of a fight. I decided he needed to demonstrate his worth to me.
He was destroyed almost immediately.

That kind of my problem with farmers. farmers 'farm' in the pvp hot spots where many are looking for honest 1v1 fights. i put down my sign to help you advance and you instead prey on honest duelists? Its insulting and undignified. Give the chance, i invade that same group to show then what a real fighter can do.

I am a little curious, I am new to the community so what constitutes camping, is it only when a 2 or 3 v 1 ensues or is it as soon as there is a host and a phantom together. Because personally me and my brother would host fights where the phantom would initiate a 1v1 and upon losing whoever was the host would go for the second 1v1 after giving the invader a chance to pop humanity. I am sure I saw this same thing happening in demons souls, so has it suddenly become distasteful to the community, or is it that camping is only as soon as more than one player joins the fray against an invader?

I believe that camping is sitting on invader spawns and 2v1 or 3v1 them.

its summoning phantoms in popular pvp areas and then waiting for invaders to kill with your 2 buddies.

Forum Pirate wrote:That kind of my problem with farmers. farmers 'farm' in the pvp hot spots where many are looking for honest 1v1 fights. i put down my sign to help you advance and you instead prey on honest duelists? Its insulting and undignified. Give the chance, i invade that same group to show then what a real fighter can do.

100% agree w/ this. When I put my sign out it's to help defeat the boss unless it's the forest or dark anor londo. It is not a promise to farm, it's not a promise to trade, and it's not a promise to be involved in their PvP setup.

Forum Pirate wrote:That kind of my problem with farmers. farmers 'farm' in the pvp hot spots where many are looking for honest 1v1 fights. i put down my sign to help you advance and you instead prey on honest duelists? Its insulting and undignified. Give the chance, i invade that same group to show then what a real fighter can do.

If you want honest 1v1 go to Kiln. Otherwise don't expect a fair fight. Also in Kiln there will be sometimes gangs but most of the people there kill Gwyn quickly or do 1v1.

Although if you want to be technical, A farmer could also just as well be one highly skilled player who sits in the same area "farming" the lesser skilled players for their souls.

I'll Black Crystal out. When I put down a white sign I'm promising to help kill the boss (and get through the area first if necessary.) (just like Pirate and Ace, ninja-posters) I'm equipped for PVE and I'm expecting to earn humanity if I succeed, and everybody gets what they want. I do not enjoy farming invaders, so I won't do it, and a farmer is looking for a greif partner anyway, so we'll both be dissatisfied.

Forum Pirate wrote:That kind of my problem with farmers. farmers 'farm' in the pvp hot spots where many are looking for honest 1v1 fights. i put down my sign to help you advance and you instead prey on honest duelists? Its insulting and undignified. Give the chance, i invade that same group to show then what a real fighter can do.

I disagree, No one invades the Forest or Dark Anor Londo expecting a fair fight anymore (or at least they shouldn't). I still invade there because I can win 1 out of 5 fights against farmers (now closer to 1 of 2) and it's a great feeling to see TARGET DESTROYED just as a golden boy is lagstabbing you to death.

Also, all honor is out the door if I'm up agaisnt a duo or trio of farmers. If I do actually end up in 1v1 against an actual player I'll bow and wait and be polite and it's a lot of fun. But I'll launch a CSS as soon as I can at your bowing a** if I can see golden Havel and Mr. Lagstabber waiting in the wings.

Okay so, I Forest invade constantly, so after every invasion I toss my White sign down for Sif helping.

When summoned by Farmers I normally stick around and help them but I don't gang bang, I either get the host to let me 1v1 or if the host is to stubborn and tries backstabbing or whatnot while I pvp I'll drop back and let the invader 1v1 the host.

I have on occasion stopped an invader from finishing a host, mainly when I feel the invader is being cheap as in BS circle or WotG spamming.

And its a lot of fun to 2v2, rarely get that as an invader.

well, if it is 1v1 i don't fight unless host is nowhere near or if host is obviously trying to reach boss fog. but, if host is near, i simply start doing my unique gesture and watch (equip bow and switch arrows at random... aka. but scratching;). lot of farmer hosts get pissed off by that;)

Personally i do not farm other players by means of 2v1s or 3v1s. If i'm farming players at all, it would be 1v1s that are "fair".

If I get summoned I do w/e it takes to support the host. We have all been farmed so its nothing new. If thats what he is doing I'll support him. I will try to 1v1 the invaders if the host will let me. Sadly most hosts just want to gank, and I'm not going to turn down free souls if I need them. I don't put my sign down to gank, but I do put it down as a promise to assist. So assist I shall. Besides, it starts to get fun as the host gets low on flasks and the invaders are doubling up on you. Gets pretty intense sometimes. All's fair in this game. End of the day, invaders signed up knowing full well they could get ganked, alot of them relish in the 2v1 and 3v1 scenarios, who am I to deny them that?

All that said, my friend an I regularly summon each other for forest PvP. Though in our situation the host will fog ring and hide allowing the phantom to 1v1 the invaders. We don't give chase if they run, we just stay in our spot and gracefully bow/wave at invaders awaiting a duel. Alot of the times a second invader will actually stop and wait his turn, if not the host will engage to even the odds. Though this is more like hosting duels, not sure if that counts really.