PvP Frustrations (somewhat Mage-specific)

Yes, this is a topic that's probably an everyday experience in the lives of this forum's members.

I've only invaded in the forest and the Demon Ruins (with my "pure" mage), and while it started out incredibly fun, it has become a very frustrating experience.

Here are my primary PvP frustrations:

1. GLITCHY AS *** CHSM - I use it in PvP because it is fast to cast when someone misses their shot and I'm standing in front of them, which KO's them when I'm close enough, but it's main purpose (the "COME TO ME" counter) is completely ruined when invading as Darkwraith. I'm trying to rely on it less, but it's really the ONLY good spell that Mages have in PvP. It's disappointing that the best spell Mages have in PvP is almost destroyed by glitchiness.

2. LAAAAAAAAAG. Playing a mage I can definitely say it's my own damn fault if I cast something too close to an opponent and they step aside and run up and BS me, but when I'm WELL OUT OF REACH and get snagged once by a GS or UGS, stunlocks me, I'm boned... and that's just plain obnoxious.

3. One-shot kill nothing: I'm playing SL60 (with 50INT) and you can't be a ranged "squishy" character if your hits never catch. So how do you get the damn hits to HIT MORE OFTEN?

4. Bowing - I'm officially quitting bowing. I don't care if it's seen as dishonorable, I've been getting attacked while bowing so many times now that it's over. *** you, PvP jerkoffs that can't be honorable.

5. Phantom punches - What's with getting hit (not lagstabbed) when you're 20 digital feet away from the opponent? I'm not talking about the lag teleport, I'm talking about they're obviously far away from you and you snag some damage. Unless there's always an archer sitting in the bushes plugging you full of arrows, there should be no reason for this. This fits into gripe #2.

Now, some area-specific frustrations:

Forest - I don't mind 2v1 and it's what happens almost every time I invade, and I think it's very satisfying to win when the odds are very heavily stacked against you, but they REALLY need to fix the damn fog wall when you spawn while invading. You can't see anything in front of you and though most players won't come up to you and shank you immediately, it's still obnoxious to have to tweak the camera just to see what's waiting for you.

Demon Ruins - There's a new phrase I'd like to coin for this game: "Column Bitches." Look, if you're a new(er) player or someone who REALLY just wants to finish their playthrough without getting raped by an invader, I can understand being cheap/annoying and using the terrain to your advantage to win and/or get away from the invader, but if you are CAMPING, just waiting for invaders, FIGHT THEM FOR ***'S SAKE. Turtling behind a shield is one thing that you can get around, but when all you do is stand behind a fucking column OVER AND OVER AND OVER I just want to pull the plug (but I'd be a sissy if I did). Sometimes gaming is a complete waste of time already without you being a twat when you get invaded.

So to be any kind of challenge, do you really have to be a melee player or a cheap-ass WotG user? What does one do to combat/prevent/eliminate/strategize around the above gripes? I went from thoroughly enjoying PvP with my mage to get damn annoyed in about two days. I'm not entirely against starting a new toon; in fact I want to, but what the hell am I missing?

***RANT OVER***

demon ruins is not a place for pvp, in general. the "pvp" hot spots are forest (known for cheap hosts waiting for blues to easily kill), dark anor londo (again, lots of hosts farming darkmoons) and kiln which the best area for "fair" pvp.

pretty much all magic is easy to dodge, and punish.

when you invade in demon ruins, you are invading people just trying to beat the level/summon some help@ boss door (could be why they are human), so not much point in expecting them to play fair or not heal or whatever. carry lloyds talismans, easier to hit people with it when you dont lock on but are close. but with lag youd get backstabbed after that any way.

lag pretty much kills pvp completely, there will always be some type of lag, but I've had plenty of no-lag fights.

if you have a build thats capped at lvl 120 you have to either get a very good shot off or a "lucky lag shot" and instant kill the guy

You do know that there are many gaming styles and not all play the same as you do. Using the environment to your advantage is not cowardly, its just being strategic. People pay to have online and paid 60 bucks for their game which entitles them to do as they please with it.

"cheap-*** WotG user" SOMEBODY MAD. Seriously, Faith builds don't get to use their only viable damaging spell? I find it hard to respond to you since you're clearly biased towards anyone not playing the way you want. But I guess you could try Painted World. They tend to have decent PVPing there, with only a few times where I've had people with white phantoms bottlenecking you at the bridge (you can avoid this by invading close to the bridge to Priscilla as it spawns you in a different spot in their world)

Moved - please put pvp related threads in the correct place folks.

If only your character registers a hit but theirs don`t they still get 23 (?) dmg to "even out" the lagg. The same applies vice versa.

All good points folks - I guess my primary frustration comes back to lag. It's the only way I win and it's the only way I die. Oh, camera angles suck too.

mage builds are only good for 1 shotting people by surprising them, anyone who knows anything about those spells can dodge everything.

just try to be sneaky and ambush people i guess. chameleon is fun to play with. demons ruins be a great place.

Whoa, who did the art in your signature?

no idea sadly. saw someone post it in a chat room on twitch.tv (site that live streams a bunch of games, including dark souls). and instantly put it in my sig. just because it was so awesome. and perfectly fits this site.

If you have 45 Dex your casting speed increases.

Way to go Wyrm, you've brought this thread back for NG+

Use Chameleon. Often times on my mage I do it and soul spears really catch them by surprise.

KyleMelvin80 wrote:Use Chameleon. Often times on my mage I do it and soul spears really catch them by surprise.

Check the date on the post before Wyrm's.....

:oops:

Wyrm's secret identity is a catacombs necromancer

If you are going to be a caster, then you need the right combination of castings to increase the effectiveness of your build. These videos are of one of the builds that I use. One vid is a montage that demonstrates me using this build during active PvP. The other is more like an explanation of the pros and cons of my build. Using this build, I can hit my opponent about 80% of the time with whatever sorcery I cast. I hope my vids are helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ngdSSYDGI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGIAvO20Qj4

Oh noes another one falls for the necro!

My advice: The Demon's Catalyst is the best catalyst in the game. Should help your PvP game tremendously.

Awesome.

Gungnir keeps owning me. That reach is annoying.