User:Alyko/Sandbox
PvP, or Player-versus-Player, allows players to battle each other in various contests of skill and strength. Currently there are 3 PvP modes, Crystalline Conflict, Frontline, and Rival Wings. Free Trial players do not have access to PvP. Players must reach level 30 and complete their Grand Company-specific version of 
A Pup No Longer to unlock the Wolves' Den Pier, the PvP hub area, which will allow them to unlock other PvP modes.
Crystalline Conflict is a 5v5 arena where players push a payload from the center to the opposing base, while Frontline is a large battlefield consisting of 3 opposing alliances battling under the banners of Grand Companies, and Rival Wings is a MOBA-inspired 24v24 mode. In PvP, players have special Actions and Traits and can obtain unique gear with the PvP currency, 
Wolf Marks. Beginning in patch 6.1, Series Malmstones were added as an additional reward system. New items can be purchased with the associated currency, 
Trophy Crystals.
Progression
PvP progression consists of three components: PvP Rank (introduced in Patch), Series Rank (introduced in Patch 6.1), and individual player skill, which improves naturally through experience.
PvP Rank
PvP Rank is the original progression system tied to a player's Grand Company. Previously, PvP rank granted Action Points to enhance PvP abilities and traits. Today, PvP Rank mainly serves to unlock achievements and associated titles. The related currency, Wolf Marks, can be used to purchase PvP-exclusive glamour sets, GARO gear, and various other rewards.
Series Rank
Introduced in Patch 6.1, Series is the current progression system. Players earn Series EXP that unlock Series Malmstones as they progress. Rewards include the currency Trophy Crystals and exclusive mounts, adventurer plates, and glamour sets. Trophy Crystals can be used to purchase glamour sets and other decorative items from the Crystal Quartermaster or exchanged for Wolf Marks by purchasing Wolf Collars from the Collar Quartermaster.
Series Rank resets with each major patch, retiring the current set of rewards and introducing new ones. However, older rewards may become available again; for example, Patch 7.2 reintroduced rewards from Series 1.
Player Skill
Though not explicitly tracked by the game, skill on the part of the player forms a critical component of PvP progression. PvP combat is fast-paced and punishes poor positioning or decisions harshly. Players naturally improve by engaging in matches regularly, learning effective strategies, positioning, and their job-specific strengths and weaknesses.
Combat
PvP combat is accomplished through the use of PvP actions. All PvP actions are learned at Level 30. Each job's PvP action toolkit is entirely separate from their regular PvE actions and therefore requires players to reassign their hotbars for PvP. Most combos are consolidated into one button. Job Gauges are absent in PvP, and Limit Break functions as a personal resource rather than one shared among the party, with each job having a unique Limit Break action that reflects its core identity. Overall, jobs are generally highly dissimilar in playstyle compared to their PvE counterparts. Several existing PvP actions also reference previous PvE actions and effects that have been removed from the game.
This distinctiveness is especially apparent in Limit Breaks, which exemplify each job's PvP role and flavor. Examples include:
- A Machinist might look for opportunities to pick off vulnerable enemies at extreme range with
Marksman's Spite. - A Warrior might create opportunities for their team to move in by disrupting enemy groups with
Primal Rend and following up with 
Primal Scream, culminating in an AoE damage and Bind with 
Primal Wrath. - A Summoner might look for teams grouped too closely together and inflict massive damage with
Summon Bahamut.
Areas where PvP actions are allowed to be used are indicated by the "crossed daggers" icon to the far right of the experience bar, as shown below:
PvP combat can be best described as fast-paced. Most PvP actions are instant. Players are expected to heal themselves with the action 
Recuperate. Any healing from other players is mostly incidental from their AoE abilities. Most "burst" actions are on a 30-second cooldown.
Balance
Balance is primarily centered around each job's Crystalline Conflict win rates. Square Enix monitors this metric and periodically adjusts PvP action values based on their interaction with this game mode, and provides reasoning on their PvP actions page. For example, 
Guard's duration was shortened in Patch 7.18 due to issues with stalling around the Crystal in the final moments of a match. [1]
Major overhauls take place in the x.1 patch of an expansion. These overhauls retire actions, add new actions, and can greatly alter the playstyle of a job. Patch 6.1 saw the introduction of job-specific Limit Breaks and Patch 7.1 affected each job differently:
- Some, like Black Mage, were totally reworked.
- Others, such as Monk, only saw minor tweaks.
- Yet others saw a drastic simplification in their toolkit, particularly Gunbreaker, who is no longer required to
Draw and Junction enemies in order to access different abilities.
If balance negatively affects a map, Square Enix may elect to remove it from the rotation while reworks take place. This was most recently the case with The Borderland Ruins (Secure) until Patch 7.2, where the introduction of knockback abilities to many jobs led to issues with easily punting enemy players off the raised center platform of the map and scoring easy kills.
Status Effects
Crowd control status effects are short-lived, but a few seconds is often all it takes to KO a player. As of Patch 6.1, there is no protection against repeated inflictions of these status effects - for example, a player can be Stunned repeatedly. The common actions 
Purify and Guard protect against most crowd control actions, but are on a relatively lengthy cooldowns and players should know when to apply these actions to protect themselves.
Character Attributes
In PvP, standard PvE attributes are irrelevant. Characters at level 30 perform identically to level 100 characters with high-level gear. The only necessary PvP equipment includes a primary weapon and a Soul Crystal.
Offensive Attributes
Unlike most combat in the game, PvP damage consists of a fixed calculation wherein 1 potency is equal to 1 HP. Patch 6.1 removed random damage variance for either attacking or defending. Instead, the flying damage text seen when attacking an opponent now indicates the following:
Defensive Attributes
The only defensive attribute in PvP is a character’s HP. This is determined by a per-job basis. Also, as PvP is primarily balanced for Crystalline Conflict, the development team has opted to apply damage reduction (also on a per-job basis) in Frontline and Rival Wings.
PvP Profile
Players are able to see their PvP Profile while in the Wolves' Den Pier (or by opening the PvP profile menu) to see things such as their PvP Rank, Series Malmstones, standardized job actions, as well as their ratio of wins and losses in Crystalline Conflict, Frontline, and Rival Wings. Players can also set PvP actions to their hotbars from this menu. Finally, players can also assign Quick Chat options to their hotbar for Crystalline Conflict.
Wolves' Den Pier is the hub area where players can unlock the various PvP duties, as well as engage in Dueling, 1v1 battles. Players can also practice their Job's PvP Actions on the Training Dummies or exchange their Wolf Marks, Trophy Crystals, and other PvP-related items for gear, mounts and minions.
Dueling
Unlocked via 
It's Time to Duel, Dueling allows 1v1 combat in the Dueling Circle at Wolves' Den Pier.
Crystalline Conflict
Crystalline Conflict is a PvP duty that pit teams Astra and Umbra against one another in tactical confrontations. Each team will have up to five players, with no role restrictions, for a total of ten match participants. Teams are challenged to maintain control over a tactical crystal, which must be transported to a designated location amid the heat of battle.
Unlock
Crystalline Conflict is unlocked via The Crystal (Line's) Call from Gungi Zelungi in the Wolves' Den Pier (X:4.9 Y:6.4).
Maps
Frontline is a large battleground featuring 3 opposing forces of the Grand Companies. Up to 72 players, 24 players on each team, will be able to battle for supremacy. It was first introduced in patch 2.3 with a single map: The Borderland Ruins (Secure).
Unlock
Frontline is unlocked via Like Civilized Men and Women from your respective Grand Company.
Maps
The naming scheme for Frontline is technically Map Name (Mode Name), though with retirement of the (Slaughter) mode on The Borderland Ruins there is functionally no distinction anymore. Map/Mode combos are commonly referred to by either separate part by the player base.
The Borderland Ruins (Secure) is a PvP mode introduced in patch 2.3, as part of the A Realm Reborn expansion. As of patch 6.4, this Frontline map has been made "temporarily unavailable".
- The Borderland Ruins (Slaughter) was a deathmatch version introduced in patch 2.5 and retired in patch 4.0.
- Seal Rock (Seize) is a PvP mode introduced in patch 3.05, as part of the Heavensward expansion.
- The Fields of Glory (Shatter) is a PvP mode introduced in patch 3.3, as part of the Heavensward expansion.
- Onsal Hakair (Danshig Naadam) is a PvP mode introduced in patch 5.15, as part of the Shadowbringers expansion.
Rival Wings is 24 v 24 mode where players use Machina to destroy Magitek barriers and destroy the opposing party's crystal. It is conceptually similar to a MOBA. It was first introduced in patch 4.15 with a single map: Astragalos.
Unlock
Rival Wings is unlocked via Earning Your Wings from Softknox in Wolves' Den Pier (X:5.7 Y:5.5).
Campaigns
- Astragalos added during patch 4.15 of Stormblood.
- Astralagos was disabled in patch 4.55 with the launch of Hidden Gorge, and is still disabled as of patch 7.1.
- Hidden Gorge added during patch 4.55 of Stormblood.
The Feast was a ranked competitive PvP mode featuring 4v4 battles between two light parties consisting of a Tank, a Healer, a Melee DPS and a Ranged DPS. Players can queue for The Feast either solo or in a PvP party.
Maps
- Feasting Grounds (only available in custom Feast matches)
- Lichenweed (only available in custom Feast matches)
- Crystal Tower Training Grounds
Custom Matches
Custom Matches allow 2 teams of 4v4 or 8v8 to freely battle each other in The Feast.
Spectator Mode
Spectator Mode allows players to spectate Custom Matches in parties up to 8 players.
The Wolves' Den / The Fold
The original light party versus mode was located at the Wolves' Den Pier, and was simply referred to as The Wolves' Den. This mode was introduced in patch 2.1, renamed The Fold in patch 3.21 with the addition of The Feast, and finally retired in Patch 4.0.
Achievements
Main article: PvP Achievements.
PvP is associated with several achievements.
External Links
Official PvP Guide on the Lodestone
| Wolves' Den Pier | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontline | |||||
| Rival Wings | |||||
| Crystalline Conflict | |||||
| PvP currencies | |||||
| PvP tokens | |||||
| PvP Rewards | |||||
| Image | Description |
|---|---|
| File:GuardActive.png | Attacking a target with Guard active |
| File:GuardNotActive.png | Attacking a target that does not have Guard active |
| File:GuardRequirementMet.png | When an action-specific requirement is fulfilled when attacking enemies suffering from a relevant enfeeblement under the effect of Guard. Example: A Machinist uses  Analysis followed up by  Drill.
|
| File:RequirementMet.png | When an action-specific requirement is fulfilled when attacking enemies suffering from a relevant enfeeblement.
This number is not currently displayed; instead, fulfilling these conditions will result in a single exclamation point, regardless of whether the target is Guarding or not. |
- ↑ See the Previous Patch Adjustments page, "In an effort to improve the tempo of matches, we have reduced the effect duration of Guard for all jobs."