Introduction
Welcome All,
To my first installment of ESO PvP Guides. They will come in volumes by groups and will either be very long with lots of number crunching and theorycrafting or short with some basic thoughts/descriptions. I'm writing these guides up with knowledge of my time spent in Cyrodiil and by stealing other people's ideas which I'll link for credit purposes. A lot of this info is coming from some half-baked ideas and assumptions about gameplay, gear, etc. I'll try to keep these up to date with the latest patches and changes that will take place on the battlefield.
Please note, I'm not an expert of very good at PvP but I do enjoy all aspects of the game and systems they have in place.
Thanks,
Rusty aka (Yusah Sneakmuffin)
Volume 1 - Cyrodiil
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Location
Cyrodiil is the only PvP zone currently in ESO and as such can be quite scary for new players or players who don't usually take interest in killing other players. What makes Cyrodiil different than many MMO's is also one of the reasons why it's daunting to get into. Cyrodiil is basically the same size of The Elder Scrolls - Oblivion which is a massive game in itself. What's the main difference then? It has quests! Lots of quests!! I kid you not..You'll be traversing the entire zone trying to finish them. To make matters worse or more fun( if you're like me ) traveling isn't always easy in Cyrodiil, you know them pesky, sneaky, creepers who like to pick off people as they go for a nice leisurely stroll through flowing hills. Wayshrines are the only entrance and exit to the area while there is a transit network( think magical subway ) that ( like any mass transit ) isn't reliable and sometimes will only bring you 1/3 of the way to your quest.
So why are we here? What is the purpose? There are a few answers to this:
- To take control of the Imperial City ( coming soon )
- To kill other players and make them angry( best achieved while wearing only undies and wielding a big club )
- To crown our glorious leader(current player with highest Alliance Points( pvp xp/currency ) Emperor for our Alliance. ( more info in Chapter )
- To steal and control the enemy alliances' Elder Scrolls. ( more info in Chapter )
- Complete quests, Destroy Dolmens, Quest in towns, Delves, Skyshards and Random Events.
There is a whole slew of reasons to hop into Cyrodiil, but note while you're in Cyrodiil you'll notice some cool things and some disheartening ones as well. Remember...Cyrodiil is basically Oblivion, the time line of that game is far in the future and as such currently( ESO Time ) Cyrodiil is host to a never ending war between the 3 main alliances of Tamriel. Which can make questing and other things a little more difficult due to the threat of enemy players increasing as you journey away from your Alliance's Headquarters. Here is a quick view of everything in Cyrodiil.
As you can see....there is a lot of things to do! I'll do a write up of the PvE Elements in another Tome at a future time.
Chapter 2 - Who We Fighting?
The Alliances that take part in PvP are the same ones you have the ability to join when you create a new character. Here is a breakdown of each:
Daggerfall Covenant ( Rocks our Socks )
The Daggerfall Covenant is formed by the three races of northwest Tamriel , united by High King Emeric to fulfill a common goal and take back the Ruby Throne.
The Bretons have the gifts of magic and diplomacy. The Orcs are stalwart soldiers and talented armorers who manufacture the finest weapons and armor in all of Tamriel. The Redguards are supremely athletic, and raised to be outstanding warriors from the moment they’re born.
The Daggerfall Covenant’s varied talents make it a force to be reckoned with.
Ebonheart Pact ( Zerglings )
The Ebonheart Pact is the most unlikely of the three alliances. The Nords and Dark Elves have a long history of conflict, and the Argonians were enslaved by the Dark Elves for thousands of years.
It was the Akaviri invasion that forged a bond between them. Now they are determined to control their own destiny by defeating the Empire, while preserving their own fiercely independent homelands.
The Nords are the brash, boisterous front line of the Pact; fierce warriors and expert weapon masters. The Dark Elves have a natural affinity for magic. The Argonians are the best guerilla warriors in Tamriel.
The combined strength of these unlikely allies makes the Ebonheart Pact a fighting force of extraordinary power.
Aldmeri Dominion ( Itty Bitty Kitty Committee and Elves Too )
When word reached the High Elves of Summerset that the Imperial City had fallen under the control of the human supporters of Molag Bal, the Aldmeri Dominion was formed. The High Elves reached out to the neighboring races of Wood Elves and Khajiit with a plea that their combined forces might prevent the younger races of Tamriel from bringing disaster to the world, as they had so many times in the past.
The High Elves were the original settlers of Tamriel and created the common tongue used throughout the continent today. They are also naturally proficient with magic.
The Wood Elves inhabit the thick, near-impenetrable forests of Valenwood. They are supreme hunters, guides, and masters in sneaking and thievery. They are also the most gifted archers in all of Tamriel.
The Khajiit, a proud feline race, are fearsome warriors, proficient with bladed weapons. They stand proudly at the forefront of every battle.
The power and determination of the Aldmeri Dominion should not be underestimated.
Chapter 3 - Headquarters
Each Alliance has 2 Headquarters that are in a safe zone. These safe zones are where you'll find PvP Vendors, Crafting Stations, and PvP Related Quests. There have been a few reports of enemies breaking into the safe zones but the amount of NPCs there make it a non-issue. So this is the safe haven you want to be in when you go afk or log out. In each of the headquarters are two wayshrines that you can use to leave Cyrodiil. Here is a map to help you.
You may have also noticed that there are two gates and two scroll temples located behind those gates. These are where you home alliances' scrolls are kept. Only when the gates are opened can the scrolls be taken. ( more on this in a later volume ) For now we'll move on and wrap this tome up.
