The PvP in Final Fantasy XIV is finally fun, now it just has to survive
PvP in Final Fantasy XIV is currently more popular than it has been in years. But the developers must now take care of the burgeoning problems before it’s too late.
If there’s one thing that’s received with a lot of resentment across much of the FFXIV community, it’s PvP. Hardly any type of content is as unpopular with the players of the MMORPG as the competitive modes in which they can beat each other’s heads.
Or at least it used to be. Because on April 12th the new patch 6.1 was released and with it huge revisions for PvP. And suddenly… it was fun.
The new Crystaline Conflict PvP mode, large scale changes across all classes, and some really cool new rewards have brought tons of players into FFXIV PvP.
PvP hub fuller than it has been in years
When the reworks and the new mode were announced in November 2021, they immediately piqued my interest. I’m a self-confessed PvP muffle and my experience with PvP in FFXIV so far has been more than modest.
But the new systems sounded great, at least on paper, and so a few days after the update’s launch, out of curiosity, I teleported to the Wolf’s Den Pier, the game’s PvP hub.
And I was amazed. The area, which had been almost completely empty for years, was now packed with people.
I stopped spitting. FFXIV players played the new PvP mode. And they even seemed to enjoy it. People stood by training dummies, trying out their new skills, changing jobs to see what suits them better. The Hub hasn’t seen activity like this in years.
You can also read a lot of positive things about the new system on social media and in the forums. Players exchanged their experiences and possible meta or showed their epic kill highlights:
- “I hated PvP. Now I’m hooked.” – Sayo Tharonel on Twitter.
- “Okay, 1 [Match] more… 5 hours later.” – Stark Lance@tonberry on Twitter.
- “I’ve never seen so much interest in PvP content from the community here, it’s so nice.” – Augustby on reddit.
- “FEAST sucked. But I’m having quite a bit of fun here.” – Raige on official forums.
These are brand new sounds. Although there has always been a very dedicated PvP community in FFXIV, which has organized events for the Rival Wings MOBA mode, for example, it was far from a mass phenomenon. At least until now.
Good first attempt that badly needs balance
The overhauls to PvP are basically simple. First and foremost, the old 4v4 competitive mode FEAST has been completely removed from the game. In its place was a new, fast-paced mode called Crystalline Conflict, which works similarly to Overwatch’s payload.
- In a 5v5 arena, players must push a large crystal into the opponent’s base. This is done by standing alone (no enemies) in the crystal’s hitbox.
- They not only beat each other up, but also have to pay attention to the environment. Some maps have explosions and hurricanes that make fighting difficult.
- Matches last 5 minutes, with possible overtime in the event of a tie.
So it’s a fast, snappy mode that’s great to play “in between”.
In addition, the PvP skills of all jobs have also been overhauled. Their amount has been reduced, and at the same time, all of them have received new skills that increase their chances of surviving in a match, such as a strong heal and shield.
Not only is one no longer as dependent on healers in PvP as it used to be. The FFXIV team also modified the skills to preserve job identities. They feel fresh and fun.
- Dragoons now have a “real” jump like in previous FF games, making them invulnerable for a short time
- Like the Primae Odin, samurai can easily dismember their opponents with one blow
- Machinists get a damn cool sniper rifle
There are now truly epic PvP moments back for people to share with their friends on FC or social media.
In addition, the rewards in PvP have been adjusted and expanded. The GARO event with its cool mounts and glamor outfits is back and the new currency crystal trophies can be exchanged for a lot of cosmetic stuff. There’s just something for everyone.
The teething troubles of the new PvP
But of course it’s not all flowers and sunshine. Immediately after a week, the first problems emerged. On the one hand, there is the balance between the individual jobs, which in some cases leaves a lot to be desired.
The samurai and white mage are already calling for nerfs. The two jobs are too strong compared to the rest and especially in the upper ranks of the Crystalline Conflict you are lost without them. The physical long-range fighters like Machinist or Bard, on the other hand, could use more love.
The call for the nerf to the crowd control effect is also getting louder and louder. In FEAST, players built up resistance to CC after a while. This is no longer the case and with a bit of bad luck you will stay under permanent stun for a good 10 seconds, if you survive that long at all. It’s insanely annoying.
Also, signing up for the new mode is solo only. Players who would like to play Crystalline Conflict with their friends will get nothing.
While I don’t think duo or trio registrations for ranked will come in the future. With this, completely random groups are completely dismantled. But an option for group ranking should definitely be found. After all, FEAST also had them.
On top of that, there are various bugs and exploits that are extensively exploited by the players. Like the White Mage’s Cure 2 bug or unintentional duo and trio logins that shouldn’t be possible.
There are more complaints and in general I agree with many of the major criticisms floating around at the moment. But they’re not what worries me about the future of PvP.
Hey FFXIV team, take care of the cheaters
The world would be a much nicer place if people could do without cheating. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, which is why cheaters are a problem that almost every PvP game and mode has to contend with.
It’s the same in FFXIV. The earlier competitive mode called FEAST was notorious for this Cheating and win trading. In the official forums, on reddit and YouTube, there have always been big discussions over the years that nothing seems to be done about the cheaters.
And that now seems to be leaking into Crystalline Conflict as well. Less than a week after the launch of 6.1, the first videos appeared on Twitter:
In my opinion, that is the main problem. Balance issues, crappy meta, exploits, they’re all things that can be fixed with enough time and patches. The fight against cheating, on the other hand, is a marathon race that never ends.
SE lost that race by a mile at FEAST, which worries me a lot for Crystalline Conflict. There’s nothing more frustrating when you don’t stand a chance in a match, not because your opponent is better, but because they’re immune to all CC effects or can sprint continuously.
Therefore, this is the point where devs should start as early as possible before it gets completely out of hand.
The problem has already been discussed on reddit, although the mood there is rather pessimistic. The reaction says a lot about SE’s ban policy in recent years. What is badly needed here is a signal to PvP fans that the developers are taking the problem seriously and will address it.
Personally, I’m not really affected by it. I’m a total sucker at PvP and don’t play at the high competitive level. But it’s really a shame for the people who like to beat each other in the head and aim for the upper echelons.
After many years of being neglected, they deserve cheater-free competitive PvP. Or at least some PvP where you can see the FFXIV devs are actively trying to protect it and doing ban waves.
So I really hope Crystalline Conflict doesn’t suffer the same fate as FEAST.
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Reference-mein-mmo.de