In this video, I provide an update to my “Melee Mage” Esper PVP build for the PVP Drop 2 patch. I’m glad to report that the build is performing well :)
WildStar: Great Combat System, Horrible Endgame PVP Sytem
Editor’s note (2014/08/06): MuffinMan just announced that they are making changes that are almost identical to what I had suggested as Option C below. Way to go Carbine!
Like many #WildStar players, I am a huge fan of the game’s combat system but believe the 50 PVP system is horribly flawed.
Here are the major issues with WildStar’s PVP system:
- The gear scales too much between blue unrated, 1500 rated, and 1800 rated gear. The stat differentials from blue->1500 and from 1500->1800 are quite significant, to the point where a 1800-geared player will vastly outperform a comparably-skilled blue-geared player. That is, 1800 gear is a faceroll advantage
- The matchmaking (MM) system pairs blue-geared players up against 1500- and 1800-geared players
- You tend to lose more rating from a loss than what you gain from a win. There are plenty of people who have noticed this. I average about 14-15 rating per win, about 22-23 rating per loss. To maintain a break-even rating, I have to win ~60% of my matches. To raise your rating at a meaningful rate, you need to win the majority of your matches. Given that the overall win/loss ratio for the population has to be 50/50 (it’s actually worse, I’ll talk about this in a moment), this means that a lot of players will be losing rating the more they participate in rated PVP. The ELO rating change calculations seem borked
CM Storm QuickFire Rapid Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
Recently my wife’s been on a quest to reduce our EMF exposure. I’ve been using the built-in keyboard of my Sager gaming laptop, and she suggested that I switch to a keyboard accessory.
Therefore, I picked up a non-mechanical keyboard, the Logitech K740, from a nearby Staples. The main issue with the K740 is that it’s full-width and has a tenkey numpad I never use. From an ergonomic standpoint, the keyboard width forced the mouse to be placed too far off my center line, and this was not comfortable. So I decided that a tenkeyless (compact) keyboard would be the way to go.
Top (@unindel) recommended that I take a look at mechanical keyboards, which provide a more customizable and richer tactile experience relative to rubber dome keyboards. I found a good option in the CM Storm QuickFire Rapid – Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Cherry MX Red Switches
Posted in Product Review
Guide to WildStar Keybinds
Editor’s Note: I was going to wait until I hit level cap before publishing this guide, but people have been asking for it, and I recognize that sharing it sooner than later may help players who want to self-assess their keybinds before they become hardened in muscle memory.
I may tweak the keybinds as I level up and try different things – stay tuned.
As I wrote in my detailed Guide to Strafing and Keybinding, the default keybindings for every MMORPG (including and especially WildStar) do not support skillful play. To understand the implications of poor keybinding versus effective keybinding, please go read the Guide and watch its videos, then come back here.
OK, you’re back.
Before we talk about keybinds for WildStar, let’s consider the distinctions of this game relative to other MMORPGs in terms of the combat mechanics:
- The combat revolves around aiming of abilities, so you need to be able to fluidly and accurately target opponents who are moving
- Given that you have to aim by keeping a target in front of you, the old MMORPG technique of strafing sideways from a target and still being able to hit them doesn’t work
- There are a very limited number of abilities, aka the LAS (Limited Action Set). Gone are the days where a given class has 30+ abilities. This is the direction the industry is moving in. So we should be able to keybind most or all of our in-combat abilities without modifier keys
- To break out of stuns, you have to quickly hold down the appropriate random movement key: forward, backward, left strafe, or right strafe. So those directions must be bound
Guide to the Esper “Melee Mage” PVP Build in WildStar
This guide covers the “Melee Mage” melee DPS build for the Esper class in WildStar for Battleground, Arena, and World PVP.
The Melee Mage build differs from other melee lifesteal Esper builds in that it heavily emphasizes control and meaningful damage. In PVP, control + burst is what matters, especially when your opponents are skilled. In many cases, control is more important than your individual sustain, for both solo play and team play.
This guide reflects my perspective as an Esper with extensive endgame PVP experience – I’ve reached 1800 rating in 2v2 Arena and soloed RBGs up to 1791 rating – and feedback from (credible) veteran Espers on the discussion thread for this guide on the official forum. Thanks Zyoxo, vanisha, Centricity, and other Espers for sharing your knowledge :)
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