Which MMO is best for duel enthusiasts? We compare the PvP of the five candidates and pick a winner.
Sometimes we’ve had enough of computer-controlled opponents. We thirst for a challenging battle against other, real players. Because they have completely different ideas and tricks than the forest and meadow bosses we meet in raids and dungeons.
That’s why no great MMO should be without player-versus-player combat (PvP for short). But which MMORPG has the best PvP system? That’s exactly what we want to find out and have picked out the five biggest MMOs Final Fantasy 14, Star Wars: The Old Republic, World of Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls Online and New World.
We examine the MMORPGs all in different categories for their PvP suitability. Which MMO has the best combat system for duels against real opponents? Which participant offers the most exciting modes and what about rewards? Let’s find out now.
Table of Contents
The PvP modes in comparison
How diverse are the PvP modes? Let’s get the most important point out of the way first. In this category we look at how many different PvP modes the individual MMOs offer and how exciting they are designed to be.
World of Warcraft
Over the years, World of Warcraft has acquired a large repertoire of PvP modes. From the eleven different battlegrounds designed for 10-on-10 to 40-on-40 matches, to arena battles, to world PvP via war mode, there is something for everyone.
While there aren’t eleven different game modes, the battlefield size and layout make each one play slightly differently. For example, while in Warsong Gulch you have to invade the enemy base to get your flag and bring it home, in Temple of Kotmogu there are four flags and a much smaller area with no base of your own for comparison. In addition to capture the flag, you can also play point capture, collect resources or, together with your group, knock down the enemy leader.
The arena battles, as the name suggests, are somewhat simpler. You compete in teams of two or three against others in a small arena and try to eliminate your opponents. World PvP works in a similar way. Here you simply activate your war mode and can attack all players of the opposing faction who also use war mode. Alternatively, you can challenge players from the same faction to duels.
On top of that, there is rated PvP in the form of ranked modes. Although there are also 10 vs. 10 battlegrounds, the focus is on the arena battles, for which there are also official tournaments. Even if you don’t want to start out as an e-sportsman, you can still fight for a place on the ranking list in the respective PvP seasons.
Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 14 also has, at least on paper, a number of PvP modes. Although there is no world PvP and duels are limited to a small arena at the Wolf’s Lair, you can prove yourself in the front battles. These work similarly to the battlefields in WoW.
However, here you compete with a team of 24 players against two other teams of 24 members each. There are a total of four battlefields on which you can prove yourself. However, only one of the battlegrounds is active per day, which takes almost any variety out of the already small selection.
The steel swing mode is similarly lacklustre. Here, too, two teams of 24 fight against each other. The gameplay follows a classic battle arena principle, as you may already know from League of Legends or DOTA. On the map Astraglos, you try to destroy the enemy towers and, in the end, the enemy core with the help of minions before your own base falls. On the other hand, on the second map called Hidden Gorge, you fight for control of a loading station. There are no more maps than this.
Last but not least, FF14 also has an arena mode. Here you compete 4-against-4 for medals, which you take from your dead opponents. Unlike in WoW, you can re-enter after your death and continue fighting. The winner is the one who either has more medals at the end of the time or reaches 600 medals first.
While there are also rated matches in FF14, the PvP scene is basically manageable. Outside of the individual PvP seasons, it is particularly difficult to find competitive multiplayer matches. While you have more luck in the frontline battles, you rarely get a team together in the steel swing mode.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
In Star Wars: The Old Republic there are one or more PvE instances on each planet, depending on the number of players, as well as a fixed PvP instance. You can switch to these via the minimap and can attack characters of the opposing faction or be attacked by them at any time. On Tatooine, competitive fighters are also attracted to the open PvP zone Outlaws Den, where you are automatically flagged for PvP when you enter. Here you can compete against all factions – including your own.
Four different areas, two modes and four ship types frame the battle in space against the opposing team in Galactic Starfighter. You can upgrade your battleships, customise them visually and equip them with different crew members who, depending on the task, grant various bonuses or unlock actions.
But that’s not all. You enter the four war zone modes with eight-versus-eight player matches via the group finder. What is ultimately played depends on chance. From classic capture-the-flag tasks to creative hatball on three different maps, there is something for everyone. War zones, however, only offer unranked PvP. In Ranked PvP, you use the arenas designed for four-against-four player matches on six maps. They rely on team deathmatches as the battle mode.
If you want to try out the war zone modes with friends or guild members at your leisure, you can use the PvP group challenges. In addition, daily and weekly quests are available to all PvP fans. For Ranked PvP, there are additional seasons in which you can conquer the leaderboards.
If the PvP options offered are not enough for you, simply build your own: In the Rishi Stronghold, you can either use a PvP training arena or build your own PvP arena with decorative items such as lightning and fire traps, walls and obstacles on the associated ship area to fight against friends, guild members or guests.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The continent of Tamriel also offers plenty of conflicts. Duels against others are possible at any time. However, things are more orderly on the battlefields, where three teams of four people each compete against each other.
The three different battle modes, Deathmatch, Domination and Capture the Flag, are played out randomly via the group finder and the teams are mixed up from all three factions. By the way, your champion points don’t play a role here – only the skills, equipment bonuses and passive bonuses from the skill lines count.
For open-world PvP, venture alone or with friends into the different areas of the Imperial City of Cyrodiil. This area is teeming with nasty PvE opponents. Kill them and you will collect Tel’Var stones, which you can exchange for equipment and other very valuable rewards. This is where PvP comes in: if you kill human enemies in the area, you collect some of their Tel’Var stones. Likewise, you will lose stones if you are rammed into the ground without being pointed.
In four different campaigns, the three factions try to seize control of the Cyrodiil region around the Imperial City. In brutal mass battles, you conquer fortresses and settlements in close-range and long-distance combat and with various siege weapons, occupy key positions such as teleporters and make life difficult for your opponents. Depending on the campaign you choose, these conquests can take up to several weeks – without endurance and patience, you won’t get far in Cyrodiil, not least because of the steep learning curve.
New World
In New World you can activate PvP while levelling in the Open World and thus get the constant thrill of being involved in battles with other players at any time. To make sure you really commit to this mode, it can only be turned on and off in the safe towns and teleportation shrines.
For minor faction bonuses, you are also allowed to capture the eleven forts of the conquerable areas by marching in on the open world and holding the central control point long enough. A real siege mechanic, however, only exists in the thirty-minute 50-50 wars arranged with the defenders. Only through these can the forts and their territories be transferred to one of the other two factions. In these instanced battles, two parties fight over three control points in front of the fortress walls before they finally have to be overcome with cannons and blows. The final victory can only be achieved by capturing a point in the middle and holding it long enough.
https://www.global-esports.news/general/pvp-in-new-world-everything-about-modes-factions-and-mass-battles/
Finally, for the highest level players, there are 20 vs 20 arenas called Outpost Storm, which also revolve around three fortified control points. You can also upgrade these with thicker gates, boiling oil, guns and local team buffs using resources collected along the way, and must accumulate the 1,000 points needed to win within 45 minutes. As a little twist, you’ll also be allowed to summon PvE creatures or vanquish them for powerful buffs, such as temporarily freezing the enemy’s score.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 has two basic PvP modes, of which WvW (World vs World) is the most well-known. Each week, three servers are pitted against each other, which can earn points by capturing various objectives. You set off with your guild at scheduled times to fight for your server or set off on your own to find a group to run with. Without exact numbers being known, larger crowds of players meet here.
Currently, however, WvW is undergoing a restructuring process that is ultimately no longer intended to force servers onto each other, but rather guild alliances. However, Arenanet is still struggling with bugs in the respective betas and with the general system.
The other PvP mode is structured PvP, which features 5-against-5 fights in three different game modes and 2-against-2 or 3-against-3 fights in team deathmatch. Conquest mode is mainly about conquering and holding areas – with a few special touches depending on the map. In Fortress mode, you have to enter the enemy fortress before your opponents and defeat the fortress lord.
In the so-called sPvP, leagues are held regularly, meanwhile alternating between 5vs5 in Conquest mode and the smaller Team Deathmatch variants.
Our ranking
Similarly to our comparison of the best solo MMO, we are again awarding double placings this time because some candidates have a similar variety and individuality in their PvP modes. We cannot in good conscience place one ahead of the other.
Place 1
Star Wars: The Old Republic has by far the most and most individual PvP modes and thanks to the workshop, in which you can design your own maps, even a unique selling point compared to all other competitors.
Place 2
New World doesn’t come close to the diversity of SW:TOR, but it stands out due to its fantastically implemented open-world PvP. In addition, with the conquerable forts and the 100-player mass battles, it offers you an exciting added value and advantage over the lower ranked ones.
Place 3
Guild Wars 2 doesn’t offer open-world PvP, but those who want to punch other players in the nose will have plenty of opportunity to do so.
Place 4
World of Warcraft has quite a few battlegrounds, but apart from the map size and some small changes like the different number of flags or resources, not too much changes, which is why it is only good enough for 3rd place. Nevertheless, it does not have to hide behind the other participants with its lively PvP community and the exciting arena battles.
Place 4
Similar to WoW is The Elder Scrolls Online. It has fewer but comparable modes that offer roughly the same variety. For this reason, we also award it 3rd place here.
Place 5
Final Fantasy 14 lands on the last place because of fewer modes and little variety, as well as the daily fixing of a front fighter map. Add to that the problem with long waiting times and the lack of open-world PvP.
The battle system in comparison
Boredom or smooth immersion? In this category, we look at how well each of our contestants’ combat systems work and how they differ from fighting AI opponents
World of Warcraft
While WoW does not have a dedicated combat system for PvP, your play style will still change. For example, each class has a talent tree that is particularly well-suited for PvP, some special skills just for player-versus-player combat, and special PvP equipment that gives you bonuses to certain skills.
While in raids and other PvE content you usually follow a clear rotation for a particularly high damage, healing or tank output, in PvP it is more important to inhibit movement and abilities at the right time to prevent your opponents from fighting for as long as possible.
Together with the correct positioning of your character, teamwork and timing, fighting in PvP is just as strategic, if not more tractable, than in the big raids against computer-controlled opponents.
The only flaw in the whole system: Especially in unranked PvP, you can lose to your opponent despite good strategies because he has better equipment than you. This makes for frustration.
Final Fantasy 14
In contrast to WoW, equipment does not play a role in Final Fantasy PvP. From level 35 you can register for PvP and get started. However, you must first familiarise yourself with the new abilities, because all your spells and skills will change and be adapted to the PvP mode.
In principle, this is a clever idea, but Final Fantasy 14 is tripping itself up here, because the battle animations tend to be a bit more extravagant and longer, which makes the flow of the battle slow. In addition, the movement-restricting effects are usually short-lived, giving you little time for exciting manoeuvres.
In the end, however, it also depends on your position and your interaction as a team in this PvP. Here, some chat commands help to coordinate you with your group, because there is no direct communication between the players. In addition, there are always reports of cheaters who spoil the fun of the game for others.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
A few years ago, it was still important in the PvP of Star Wars: The Old Republic to have the highest possible competence value on armour and weapons in addition to the build-specific values. This extra value was abolished a few years ago, so that only the best possible equipment is necessary to remain a stalwart in PvP. Each subclass of the eight classes has a talent tree better suited for PvP, mostly through more damage-over-time skills, knockback, stun and rooting effects.
If you have already mastered the class skills in PvE, this is also an advantage in PvP: interrupting, slowing down or otherwise making life difficult for opponents at the right moment can quickly decide between victory and defeat, especially in the fast-paced war zones.
Low level characters can also participate in PvP as all participants are set to the same level. Characters with few levels on the progress bar lack some skills, but from level 20 onwards you are still basically provided with useful skills. After all, quick and appropriate reactions to your opponents’ actions have nothing to do with level.
In Galactic Starfighter, however, there is an extreme gap between beginner fighters and well-equipped professional ships. If all are put together in a combat area at very different equipment levels, beginner ships quickly end up as fair game. The learning and equipment curve is steep, and against well-rehearsed and well-equipped groups of opponents, things look grim for beginners.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The biggest opponent in PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online is not to be found on the player side, but comes with the ubiquitous server lag onto the battlefield. On some evenings, your battle experiences can be really fun, while on other days, the recurring delay in triggering abilities won’t win you a pot of gold. PvP in ESO is therefore often a tightrope walk between pleasure because of the diverse modes and possibilities and frustration because of the still technical deficiencies.
ESO’s active combat system brings – if it works! – brings a lot of dynamics into the fights through active blocking and dodging. If you invest champion points in bonus armour penetration and magic penetration, and if you carry weapons with the “sharpened” attribute, you are well prepared for combat against other players. All active skills levelled up to level four can be further developed to be pvp-ready through damage-over-time effects and other bonuses. In addition, you can use the two additional skill lines “Assault” and “Support” in the Alliance War. These not only give you bonuses for beating up other players or using siege weapons, some skills are also useful in PvE.
While the battlegrounds are relatively self-explanatory and you can make good progress in the Imperial City with a reasonably powerful group, the learning curve for the Alliance War is quite steep. Here you will have a difficult time getting used to the game, in which fellow players with developed PvP skills are clearly at an advantage. You can only survive the mass battles with practice and good reactions.
New World
The eleven weapons, each with two talent trees, some of which are more suitable for PvP than others, open up a variety of tactical and playful possibilities in the battles. Since the CC effects are limited to short slows, roots and stuns, and individual players fall down relatively quickly, the battles are entertaining and fast-paced.
Lower level characters are scaled up a little when they take on higher level ones, but equipment always plays an important role. Amazon also needs to tweak the balance between the different talent and equipment combinations to make it feel rounded.
Mobility and reaction speed form the core of the combat mechanics, because with active aiming, blocking and dodging it is more motorically demanding than in many other genre representatives. In addition to a good healer, one’s own skill in avoiding damage is crucial for survival.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 does not have its own combat system for its PvP modes, and yet it is advisable to adapt your builds compared to PvE. The same applies to your playstyle: instead of rotations, skillfully executed skills adapted to the moment are required, as well as a basic tactical sense and map knowledge.
Super: If you want to play sPvP, you don’t have to acquire any gear. All players enter the fights under the same conditions. Everyone has maximum level in sPvP and access to all class abilities, weapons, etc.pp.
Also in WvW at least your base stats will be raised to those of a level 80 character.
At this point, the dodge roll must be praised, which follows the principle of easy to learn, hard to master. While it makes the movement even more fluid and pleasant, you are invulnerable for a short moment.
Our placement
Which is worse? Cheaters and wintraiding or server lags? Since we consider both to be absolutely subterranean, the last place is shared by two candidates.
Place 1
You can tell that New World was once planned as a pure PvP MMO, because the different weapons with two talent trees each, as well as the resulting tactical possibilities and manoeuvres catapult Amazon’s MMO to 1st place here.
Place 1
Gild Wars 2 can also prove itself with a mobile and pleasant movement in PvP. While it doesn’t offer special PvP talent trees, you will have to retool compared to PvE, which demands new tactics
Place 2
In Star Wars: The Old Republic the combat is not as smooth and exciting as in New World, but the PvP skill trees also provide a lot of tactics, as well as an easy entry and a motivating learning curve, which only rises too steeply with the Galactic Starfighters.
Place 3
Unfortunately, in contrast to SW:TOR, it still makes a difference in World of Warcraft how well equipped you are, which is why it only occupies third place. On the other hand, you have a suitable PvP skill tree for each class, as well as a lot of exciting possibilities for tactical development.
Place 4
Final Fantasy 14 has an interesting basic idea with its own PvP skills and is also motivating for lower-level duelists thanks to the ignored equipment values, but the lack of communication as well as cheaters and wintraders spoil the fun of the game.
Place 4
The Elder Scrolls Online doesn’t have to deal with cheaters, but with server problems and lags, which is why it shares a place with FF14. If the technical problems weren’t so big, it could score more with its beginner-friendly learning curve and PvP bonuses.
The rewards in comparison
Why are you actually doing this to yourselves? Sure, fun is the main factor. But beyond that, what do you get for your efforts? In this category we take a look at which PvP is the most rewarding.
World of Warcraft
Those who prefer playing PvP over PvE have little to no need to cut back on rewards in WoW. In addition to a number of fashionable and useful equipment sets, you will also receive some anima and fame levels for your pact by completing daily and weekly PvP quests and tasks. You need these fame levels to get better PvP equipment.
You can buy equipment with honour or conquest points. Conquest points, however, are mainly gained by playing rated PvP, while honour is gained for all PvP modes. You will also receive extra good loot for playing Ranked matches each week in the large treasure trove.
Those who have fought a lot of ranked arena matches and reached a certain rating can buy even better equipment and will also be rewarded with special mounts and achievements. You can also buy old PvP armour with honour badges. These no longer bring you fancy status values, but they still look great.
Final Fantasy 14
The rewards for your PvP achievements in Final Fantasy 14 are not particularly extensive. For example, there is a race for the Ranked places 1-100 with a decorative armour as a reward, but if you are not so ambitious, you can earn wolf tokens, which you can redeem per season for mounts, emotes or some equipment.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Rance fans will get their money’s worth in Star Wars: The Old Republic: Jabba the Hutt’s hungry pet mount is one of the unique rewards you can earn in PvP. Depending on the bravery level you have reached, you can buy buff stims, lightsaber crystals, mounts and pets from the PvP merchants. Those who have diligently collected tokens in Ranked PvP can exchange them for seasonal rewards such as special armour, weapons, decorations, character titles and mounts.
The rewards in the Galactic Starfighter are more special, as you only receive equipment points as a reward. You can use them in the ship menu to upgrade your actively played ships or buy a new ship type to expand your combat capabilities. Apart from that, every PvP activity provides you with additional experience and credits through daily rewards. So if you only want to level up through PvP, you don’t have to bother with quests or dungeons at all, but go and fight a few rounds of fellow players on a regular basis.
The Elder Scrolls Online
Apart from experience points for everything you do in PvP, The Elder Scrolls Online provides all motivated PvP players with a large selection of fancy and, above all, exclusive armour and weapon styles, pets and mounts. In battlegrounds, you can earn extra gold and experience through daily quests.
When you fight your way through the imperial city, you can exchange the Tel’Var stones you collect there for more unique armour and weapon styles. Merchants and craftsmen, however, will leave them behind and grab waxed apothecary packs containing a selection of rare plants and Hakeijo runes, which you can either process yourself or sell to fellow players for plenty of gold.
The most outstanding reward, however, is only available if you take part in the alliance battle for Cyrodiil: The title of Emperor of Cyrodiil is awarded to the person who performs best on the battlefield while their alliance holds six fortresses – plus five strong, passive skills and a costume.
New World
Ruling the territories gives one of the three warring parties various comfort advantages, allows the controlling guild to expand the associated city and fortress, collect taxes from residents and crafters and at the same time live thirty percent cheaper themselves.
If you want to level up, you can gain many additional experience points and equipment drops in open PvP, while 60 characters mainly collect faction tokens, medium amounts of gold and the fast travel and crafting resource Azoth. You’ll also receive a reward box with a random piece of gear for completing each instanced PvP skirmish, though most people are likely to gear up specifically in PvE.
What New World doesn’t have is any form of PvP progression like ranks or leaderboards. For those who are not politically motivated to steal territories from other guilds or factions and who have no real need for gold, end-game PvP offers little incentive beyond the general fun factor. Especially since the area conquests only take place once or twice a day and with a maximum of 100 players due to the long lead time.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 PvP offers reward paths that you can follow for crafting materials or skin items. For example, if you actively play sPvP in the leagues, you can also earn upgraded weapons and armour for PvE and WvW. This saves you from crafting, but can also be time-consuming, depending on how successful you are on the road.
Our placement
Place 1
World of Warcraft fundamentally feels most rewarding when you’re playing PvP content. Thanks to the various equipment sets, mounts, achievements, titles and seasonal rewards, as well as the PvE progression through Anima and Fame levels, there is always motivation to jump into the next PvP match.
Place 2
Star Wars: The Old Republic doesn’t offer quite as much as WoW, but with its armour, mounts, lightsaber crystals and especially the ship modifications, it can also score well. Season rewards are also included.
Place 2
The situation is similar with The Elder Scrolls Online. Again, you get a whole bunch of pretty armour, weapon styles, crafting resources, mounts, Season rewards and a special reward for the best Alliance fighter.
Place 2
Guild Wars 2 offers reward paths that you can advance by participating in the PvP modes. These provide you with skins, really good gear, and crafting items, among other things.
Place 3
Final Fantasy 14 also offers mounts, emotes, equipment and ranked rewards. However, these are somewhat smaller than in ESO and SW:TOR.
Place 4
New World unfortunately doesn’t have any mounts and is also a bit down on equipment rewards. If you need a lot of gold or crafting resources, you can get a lot here, but in the long run there is little incentive for big PvP efforts.
Conclusion: What is the best MMO for PvPers
After we have evaluated all categories individually, it is time for the grand finale. Here you can see an overview of all categories and rankings:
This results in the following final rankings:
1st place: Star Wars: The Old Republic
2nd place: Guild Wars 2
3rd place: New World
4th place: World of Warcraft
5th place: The Elder Scrolls Online
6th place: Final Fantasy 14
The best MMO for PvP enthusiasts
For those who like to go into battle against other players, the galaxies of Star Wars: The Old Republic are the best place to be. Thanks to the varied PvP modes, which range from PvP instances to air battles and a workshop, there is no chance of getting bored.
Thanks to the slowly increasing learning curve and the motivating rewards, even PvP newcomers to SW:TOR will find everything a warrior’s heart desires, so that you can spend many hours playing in PvP mode without getting frustrated.
Depending on which categories you particularly value, it is of course also worth taking a look at the other MMORPG rivals such as WoW or New World, which play to their strengths in terms of rewards or the combat system.
Why is MMO x or y not included in the comparison? For the sake of clarity, we have limited ourselves to the five biggest MMOs. But feel free to post your favourite for beginners in the comments!
