This HD video is narrated PVP footage of my level 50 Rank 1 Warrior in the MMORPG Rift in Patch 1.11. The opening clip is World PVP in Stillmoor and the rest of the video is a Port Scion warfront (queued solo).
I have updated my Riftblade PVP Guide based on my experience over the past week in 50 PVP. Here is the 1H Riftblade/Paladin / Vindicator spec used in the video:
http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0cLht.eGo0dsMGtdz.xxouos0o.i
Tips / Comments
- As discussed in the video, fresh level 50 players (i.e. Rank 1) need to adjust to fighting higher-Ranked opponents who have epic PVP gear. Your opponents will be significantly less squishy than you are as a new 50, so don’t be discouraged if the initial experience @ 50 feels “rough” – it’s par for the course in most games and Rift is no different until you get geared up a bit
- If you feel too squishy and are not using Vindicator as your 3rd tree, I highly recommend you switch to it and invest 5 points in Resilient. The -15% crittable noticeably improves survivability. I initially was playing a 38 RB / 16 Pally / 12 WL spec, and even though that spec has more avoidance and health, I found having 5/5 Resilient and Break Free to be significant difference makers in improving survivability
- I was told that my Riftblade/Pally spec would tail off in performance in the 30-39 bracket, then in 40-49 bracket, then in Patch 1.1/1.11, then at level 50. My experience thus far is that the spec has been viable through the leveling experience and now at endgame. Keep in mind that I reached 50 several weeks after the “hardcore” PVP players did, so I am evenly-geared or under-geared relative to other players in 50 warfronts. While I hope that Riftblade damage scaling is addressed in an upcoming patch, my damage at Rank 1 with the easily-obtainable Legionnaire’s Longsword (Tactician’s Longsword for Guardians) is still enough to apply meaningful pressure
- The most noticeable different in PVP at 50 is the strength of AOE healing. Some fights, especially at the Bridge flag in Port Scion, can last minutes with very few players dying. You just have to pick the right target(s) and hope other friendly players do the same as well
If you have questions, post them below.
Taugrim's MMO Blog 
great post taug im glad to see youre still viable at early 50 stage. I’m at 47 and look forward now to 50 knowing i wont be lost in the gear race.
on a side note i was in a warfront last night and some of the defiants were yelling that me and another warrior should go pray to our god taugrim haha
on a side note i was in a warfront last night and some of the defiants were yelling that me and another warrior should go pray to our god taugrim haha
That may be the weirdest form of in-game recognition I’ve ever heard of.
I’ve had people from both sides talk to me in warfronts, but nothing like what you mentioned.
Yeah from the other taunts that match I gather they were upset we kept burning through there lines and could only resort to calling us clones of you haha.
Also I was in Iron Pine Peak running around The Chancel of Labors and found it had a basement. It dawned on me that the whole building would make for a great 5 man warfront similar to the one in warhammer on the ship. Curious as to what you think about a warfront like that?
It dawned on me that the whole building would make for a great 5 man warfront similar to the one in warhammer on the ship. Curious as to what you think about a warfront like that?
5 might be too few. It would be basically group v group PVP, or an Arena match.
Do you still pvp on your protection paladin in World of Warcraft? I’m having some trouble and could use tips about what type of comps I should be running.
Nope.
Once a friend sent me a link to the Rift spec calculator and I spent an hour looking at it, I was sucked in.
This was right before Rift Head Start launched on Feb 24th, which ironically was also the day that the 4.1 Patch notes were released, including the introduction of a (ridiculous) cooldown for Word of Glory.
I was getting restless with WoW just a few months into Cataclysm, which was weird as I thought it was a great expansion. The issue for me was that WoW PVP was simply not enough to keep me interested. But Rift’s spec customization looked fascinating, and based on word-of-mouth from a gaming friend and a real-life friend, I decided to give Rift a shot.
In short, Rift greatly surpassed my expectations. Rift PVP has been incredibly fun for me.
Why? The spec system provides players with an unmatched degree of customization – you can basically build your own spec for any of the 4 archetypes (Cleric, Mage, Rogue, Warrior) based on your preferred mechanics and playstyle. On top of that, the PVP battleground in Rift are thoughtfully designed and encourage smart use of terrain and team-play.
E.g. my favorite WoW battleground, Arathi Basin, looks simplistic compared to Rift’s Codex battleground.
And in Rift there is World PVP, which I love :)
I just reached level cap last weekend, and the game continues to be a lot of fun.
That is what kept me away from rift =( I’m worried about getting too confused with the trees especially after playing in the bet, months ago
It takes time to sort out the talent trees, but given some time and talking to other players, you can figure it out.
This is actually the part I enjoy most.
I read your thread about the Rogue/Riftstalker exploits in Port Scion. I’ve seen this to a lesser extent myself, but its pretty obvious that people have now really begun to mine the exploits of 1.1.
I’m curious what people think of their server cluster. I play on the PvE Deepwood, but am clustered with Reclaimer and Greybriar, both PvP servers I think. Being Guardian I can attest that most people in my faction are not PvPers. Defiants on my server tend to be more PvP oriented than Guardian.
When you get into clustered lvl 50 WFs what usually happens is it will be competative until the players from the PvP servers enter the fray. They are usually much better geared and coem in premades, then the milk sours for the Guardians. The effect is pronounced as some games we’ll be up a couple hundred points only to see a swift reversal.
I’ve come to accept that Defiants on our cluster are generally going to win a majority of WFs because they are more dedicated and organzied.
On the plus side I have learned a ton about small group tactics from them.
There are a couple really tough Justicar/Shamans from Reclaimer. 8k health, gobs of healing and defense and they run in a pair, each selecting each other as their healer. In objective games they turn the tide single handedly. You cant DPS them down unless you have 3-1 or 4-1 odds on your side. In objective games they just bubble and cap points, and CC very ineffective as they cleanse or break very well. I have expieremented with a hybird Riftblade/Champ spec to get the healing debuf and it has been generally effective.
Another combination I have gone up against is a Cleric (Warden healing hybrid it think) Paired with a GoS using Pyro/Dom. They like to move to nodes, turtle there using GoS and the cleric Detaunts any DPS class attacking. Cleric heals away, breaking from CC while the Pyro burninates. I’ve seen them beat groups of 4-6 attackers at a time, while holding the Statue node in Codex. Incredibly effective.
Taugrim, have you used these tactics with Cas or anyother lately. What has been your expierence with Guard lately? I play on using it with my Justicar guildie when he gets to level 50. Does the extra damage you take out pace your healing?
I read your thread about the Rogue/Riftstalker exploits in Port Scion. I’ve seen this to a lesser extent myself, but its pretty obvious that people have now really begun to mine the exploits of 1.1.
After reading the responses to my thread, it looks like it may be an imbalanced mechanics issue with Riftstalker and not exploiting.
There are a couple really tough Justicar/Shamans from Reclaimer. 8k health, gobs of healing and defense and they run in a pair, each selecting each other as their healer.
Yep, such a duo can last forever and turtle nodes / flags. That being said, their damage output and CC will be limited.
Another combination I have gone up against is a Cleric (Warden healing hybrid it think) Paired with a GoS using Pyro/Dom.
This will continue to be arguably the best PVP pairing until GoS is balanced.
Taugrim, have you used these tactics with Cas or anyother lately. What has been your expierence with Guard lately? I play on using it with my Justicar guildie when he gets to level 50. Does the extra damage you take out pace your healing?
Cas went back to WoW since his friends missed him.
Guard is a good ability. Not sure what you mean by whether the extra damage outpaces healing – as long as you have a healer they are simply healing both of you when you have a friendly Guarded.
Where do I begin? I have been following your blog for a very long time, Taug, and I love it. I still play wow (though VERY sporadically now) as a pvp prot paladin. But soon I will be quitting to try out Rift.
That being said, I have a few basic questions that I hope you would be kind enough to answer (I know I could also look a few of these up myself).
1. Can you respec at will? Does it cost anything?
2. One of the most INFURIATING things about WoW is the inability for almost ANY dps class to kill a healer 1v1. Is it possible in Rift?
3. Healers in general (as you can see I hate them. Wow has totally made me jaded), do they have infinite mana ala wow as well? Nothing more frustrating that completely out playing a healer but all they have to do is stand there and heal indefinitely.
Thanks again, Taug. Great blog!
But soon I will be quitting to try out Rift.
Rift rocks, I expect you’ll enjoy it. But let us know either way what you think of it.
1. Can you respec at will? Does it cost anything?
It costs 50g at endgame, which is a small amount of coin, basically what a PVP daily battleground quest will cover.
2. One of the most INFURIATING things about WoW is the inability for almost ANY dps class to kill a healer 1v1. Is it possible in Rift?
Depends on spec and skill.
I’ve killed plenty of healers 1v1, but if I were fighting myself as a Healer, I wouldn’t be able to kill myself, at least as a Warrior. A Healer at endgame can choose to turtle and kite, if they know what they are doing.
3. Healers in general (as you can see I hate them. Wow has totally made me jaded), do they have infinite mana ala wow as well?
Cleric Healers and Mage Healer (Chloromancer) have mana, and yes it can and will run out if they are blowing big inefficient heals or are getting mana-drained.
Rogue Healers (aka Bards) don’t have mana, they have Energy, similar to Rogue’s yellow bar in WoW.
Great video! I’m so excited to reach 50 now =) Port Scion looks brilliant. I feel like a kid who got to see the inside of a candy story but doesn’t get paid an allowance for another week!
Completely unrelated, but today is my last day on the trail (been hiking for a couple weeks), so I will be back on RIFT in a week or so when I finally get back to town.
Been wondering what happened to you. Hope your hiking trip has been epic :)
Rogue healers!?
Fascinating…
Bards are Rogues who can heal and party buff. It’s a great support spec and very durable in PVP.
Oh Taug one more thing, if I may. Are they “dual specs” like in wow? As in, can you have multiple specs saved at once and change between them?
Can’t edit post. Are THERE dual specs in wow. Is what I meant to say.
Yes, right now you can have up to 4 specs and you can switch between them at will, even in a battleground (warfront) which AFAIK you can’t do in WoW.
I’ve heard in the next major patch a 5th spec will be added.
5th role has been added, pyros copped a big blow in the change to GoS. Alot of bug fixes and changes to pvp gear and rank set ups with set valor bonuses etc which are good. Seems they are Lookin to make rank gear easier to obtain, IMO, this will lead to skill play and not gear dependency if everyone gets access to gear in a short term (opposite to warhammer). I like it!
Riftjunkies have the changes on site.
pyros copped a big blow in the change to GoS
Not at all, actually.
GoS still provides:
– complete CC immunity
– a stun proc for damaging abilities
It’s still way OP.
Riftjunkies have the changes on site.
Yep, I tweeted a link to it last night.
Sorry, my impression was that it now only does 20% dmg reduction and 10% dmg output instead of the CC immunity and stun. Still very OP. I’m not against thier damage output if they actually have to move around and kite with stops to cast, the sitting still and free casting just has no skill IMO.
I dunno what “completely outplaying ” a healer means…. In my book that means stopping them healing and removing their hp. Not wailing with all the pew pew buttons willy nilly.
My other toon is a cleric healer, I rolled specifically to do warfronts with due to experiencing a chronic lack of warfront healing in my time on rift. My last three days off from work, I must have seen 4 healers on guardian..in about 30 games.
If they are so super op-imba, why are there not more of them? As a warden I can keep myself alive vs one, maybe two dps guys…but only if they are dumb and fail to shut my casting down. A lot of dps players just want to see the big numbers and wtfpwn the weak little carebear they see in front of them…
It’s refreshing that healers are not weak free targets in this game. Plus the only healers I have ever had trouble with in WoW was the crazy-overgeared ones…
I’m very much on the fence wether to continue with my cleric or not, if they nerf healing and make them free targets unable to survive, you know you will be lolfocused every game with 0% chance of doing anything. Plus the abuse you will get from your “team mates” will be refreshing…:)
Yeah the GoS nerf attempt is cowardly. They obviously dont want to chase away the A B A B A B Pyro players by nerfing them to hard. What’s more disturbing is the Justicar who can tank the entire raid and not die even once in a Warfront w/o a pocket healer get no mention what’s so ever. No other tank has the ability to mitigate so much damage at the same time fill their life and mana bar.
Warfronts are getting increasingly frustrating as these few niche build become more popular and are starting to dominate PvP in my server cluster. The same defiant player stay in queues all night and rack up huge favor/prestige rewards against more balanced PuGs they play against.
Yeah the GoS nerf attempt is cowardly. They obviously dont want to chase away the A B A B A B Pyro players by nerfing them to hard.
I’m not sure why GoS on Alpha 1.2 wasn’t nerfed more steeply. I think it may be due to Trion not perceiving that the main concern with Pyro in GoS is *not* the damage output it’s their being un-CC’able while being able to DPS and CC.
Here is a post on the Classes of Telara forum on the matter:
http://forums.riftgame.com/showthread.php?172515-Mage-nerfs-Not-really.&p=2226963&viewfull=1#post2226963
What’s more disturbing is the Justicar who can tank the entire raid and not die even once in a Warfront w/o a pocket healer get no mention what’s so ever.
As Dallin wrote below, Justicar has low damage and low CC capability. I just kite them or ignore them when there are squishier targets.
While I will certainly try out the game, the constant balance issues I’m reading here (as well as other places) are discouraging.
I understand any mmo with pvp will never be perfectly balanced. I get that. What bothers me is extremes. One of the biggest issues with wow over the last few years is that a spec can go from completely viable, to absurdly overpowered, to just plain garbage. Having an ability or two that may need tweaking is one thing. Changing classes from overpowered to terrible (or the other way around) is what bothers me.
I just hope Rift learns from that. I’m tired of being apprehensive of every patch in fear of some game breaking change to a class I play, or to another class I play against.
While I will certainly try out the game, the constant balance issues I’m reading here (as well as other places) are discouraging.
Some people will disagree, but overall I find Rift in 1.11 to be remarkably balanced for how old the game is, and currently as balanced for the most part as the much older title WoW.
There are things that need to be looked at, but balance is never quite what the players say that it is. E.g. most of the Warriors who told me their negative views of the spec I play have simply been way off the mark, and I believe it’s due to a lack of understanding and playing to the mechanics correctly.
So far i haven’t seen any dramatic nerfs outside of some bug fixes concerning Sabs and Champions, who seem to do fine these days. The problem is that they gave a huge buff to a soul that was already performing well, the Pyro and let it sit for too long while that soul has raced to the top of the leaderboards. The proposed changes to Controlle Opportunity and Ground of Strength will help mitagate that, but still leaves them as the premier DPS soul, with defensive abilities that is not found even in Tanking souls. Let’s see if the Void Knight buffs can be a counter to them.
Excelsior, I hope so mate. I have used one of my roles for that purpose exactly.
Excelsior, I agree with you about Pyro’s. However, the Patch is still very new and there is plenty of time to tweak things. As far as Justicar goes, I’m not sure why you would have a problem with them. Yes they have great survivability, but the worst damage in the game coupled with very little to no CC. If players are foolish enough to attack them, then that is their problem. If you want to beat a team with a Justicar, just CC him and FF the DPS. If you are in a premade, you can insta explode him with CC (silence/stun) and chew through his HP quickly.
In PuGs they are very hard to kill, but that’s the nature of pug wf’s. The one plus for Rift, is that a nerf to a soul doesn’t detroy the class as a whole, like in WoW. Balance overall isn’t horrible and games can be pretty fun. My biggest problem with 50 PvP is the premade vs pug games. Pugs really have no chance against a premade and it needs to change.