PvP
PvP in Blade and Soul is categorized into two types, a personal PvP called Arena and a large-scale PvP called World PvP.Player vs Player in Blade and Soul is divided into two modes of play: World PVP, which is based on an optional flagging system regulated by specific costumes, and Arena PVP, which is based on 1 vs 1 or 3 vs 3 matches.Blade & Soul is going to release in the west in January 2016 while its closed beta is ongoing currently. The game has a good world PvP system as well as an Arena where you match players with similar winning rate. But what are the best PvP classes? Technically there's no "best" class but most suitable class. However, I still try to do an analysis on each class' advantages and disadvantages in PvP based on my experience in the Chinese server (the NA and EU version should be very close to the CN version in terms of class balance).
Arena PvP
Arena is one of the best ways to hone martial artists’ skills through fighting with another fellow martial artist. With it, one will learn the best way to use a skill rotation performingserial sequences of combos in order to finish an opponent as fast as possible while having a spare room for survivability skills.
Arena in Blade and Soul is fair fight. Only martial artists with equal levels, equipments, and ranks will be matched up together. The system will automatically scale up a player’s character level automatically to make sure both parties have the same conditions as much as possible. For example, a level 25 player will have a temporary level increase when sparring with a level 30 player. However, reaching the level cap is still necessary if any martial artist would like to be a competitive arena player.
The Arena rewards martial artists with “Zen Beans”, a special currency only given through PvP related features such as Arena, World PvP, PvP daily quests, and so on. It can be used for various purposes such as upgrading some skills, crafting, and materials. And of course, a PvP winner will receive a lot more Zen Beans than the loser.
Press “F9” to enter the Arena. Within here, martial artists will have an option to duel with a random player or specify their own opponent by stating the name (case sensitive) at Arena Lobby. Once the opponent is confirmed, martial artists will be automatically moved to the Dueling Grounds for a preparation. There are only 30 seconds during this stage to adjust all skills that can deal the most dps while giving great survivability as well. Press “SHIFT+F” to start the fight.
PvP rules and regulations in Blade and Soul is quite similar to boxing. It consists of 3 rounds, 3 minutes each, and whoever knocks down an opponent first will be the winner.
There are also other 2 options for PvP in Blade and Soul. The first one is called “World PvP”. It’s a war between 2 factions where all participating martial artists must wear a uniform representing their own faction. Another one is a competitive PvP system called “Seasons”. However, it’s still being developed.
World PvP
In the beginning of the game, Blade and Soul players must reside with either the Cerulean Order or the Crimson Legion, the two ruling factions in the Earthly Realm. Because of a great difference in philosophies, these two factions regularly fight against one another. Do you support a freewilling philosophy from the Cerulean Order? Or do you believe that the military can bring real happiness to the realm? Choose your decision well.
After joining a faction, a player will be given a faction uniform. It must be equipped in order to join the World PvP, do daily faction quests, or use a faction Windstride port.
Most of the time, these two factions are fighting because of resources. If a martial artist would like to join a World PvP, they should open the map, look for faction symbols, travel there, and equip a faction uniform.
Build Up Your Reputation through Prestige Points
World PvP rewards you with a temporary currency that only lasts a single play session called “Prestige Points” after killing an enemy from another faction. And, yes, a martial artist will lose these points after being slain by an opponent as well.
Prestige Points can be used to build up a reputation within your chosen faction. All martial artists will have a reputation at Rank 10 when they first join a faction, and the highest rank is Rank 1. The higher rank the martial artist is in, the more worthy and precious rewards will be unlocked. On the very moment a martial artist changes a faction, the Rank will be immediately reset to Rank 10.
Remember that Prestige Points only last for a single play session. A martial artist should spend it all before removing a PvP flag. Not only that, changing channels, using Windstride, leaving the game, un-eqipping a faction uniform, and so on can reset Prestige Points.
Gaining Prestige Points does not limit to only killing a player from an enemy faction, slaying an NPC can also give these points as well. In order to find a non-player opponent, a martial artist should travel to a faction camp and do PvP quests there.