The KORT PvP Tutorial

written by Sylphee, KORT Guild Champion

INTRODUCTION

This tutorial is intended to explain what PvP is, and to offer some tips on how to survive PvP. It is written to be short and simple; there are many more things that could be said. If you are interested in practicing or learning more about PvP, you should talk to your Guild Champion.

1) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.1) What is PvP?

PvP (Player vs Player combat) is when one character casts spells at another in combat with intent to kill. Accidentally hitting your friends with a poorly aimed fireball, casting cure spells, and casting spells on other characters at an inn are not usually considered to be PvP. Casting spells intended to harm or annoy another character without killing them is not PvP, it's harassment.

1.2) How can I PvP?

First, memorize some spells or get some scrolls. If you are not a Cleric or Magic User (or a high level Ranger, Paladin, or Thief), you cannot cast spells, so you cannot fight PvP. Second, start or join a fight in a PvP region. This is done the normal way; PvP battles are no different than regular battles. Third, cast spells at the other characters. Try to kill them quickly; you need to kill your opponents before the monsters (or your opponents) kill you.

1.3) Which spells are the most powerful for PvP? Minor Globe of Invulnerability is probably the most powerful, since this one spell affects every aspect of PvP strategy. Lightning Bolt does more damage than any other spell, and would probably be the most powerful if Minor Globes didn't exist. Dispel Magic and Silence are so effective that using them is essentially considered cheating. Slay Living is also a possible answer, since it is capable of killing instantly, but will do damage even if it fails.

1.4) What if I don't want to fight?

KORT does not require its Knights to fight PvP. If you never travel more than three regions away from Neverwinter City, you'll never have to worry about attacks from other characters. Some of the regions farther from Neverwinter are designated as "PvP regions"; in those areas there is little if anything you can do to prevent evil characters from attacking you. There are honorable and dishonorable ways to react to unwelcome attacks. Any Knight who travels in PvP regions should know what KORT recommends for those situations.

2) PREPARATION Other characters are more powerful, more intelligent, and more aggressive than any monsters in the game. Your chances of survival will be much higher if you are properly prepared. To be successful you will need a powerful character, magic items, and a good selection of spells both before and during the fight.

2.1) CREATE A GOOD CHARACTER The most powerful class by far for PvP is the Level 10/11 Human Cleric/Magic-User, since that class can memorize more spells than any other. All the advice in this document assumes that players will be using Cleric/Magic-Users (C/MUs). Human Paladin/Magic-Users (P/MUs) are also viable for PvP in controlled situations, such as tournaments. But they will need plenty of scrolls and magic items to compensate for their lack of Cleric spells. Some other classes, such as Ranger/Magic-Users and Elven Fighter/Magic-Users can be quite good at PvP, but they will always be at a disadvantage.

Your character should have an 18 Int and an 18 Wis. High scores for Dex and Con are important only so far as they affect your hit points and armor class, but 18 Dex is generally considered essential for every character, in PvP or not. Str and Cha have little or no effect on PvP. High hit points are also an advantage. A C/MU should have 80 or more HP; some have over 90. A P/MU should try for at least 120 hp. If you roll low hit points, you should consider re-rolling your character.

Note: These are not hard and fast rules. My character has 76 hp, and does not have 18s in Int or Dex. Yet I still did well enough to win the title of Guild Champion.

2.2) GET MAGIC ITEMS TO HELP YOU You want to wear the best ring and cloak of protection you can get, to give you the best possible saving throws. A good armor class is also nice. Elves usually wear magical Elven Chain Mail, a magical shield, and a Cloak of Displacement; other characters should wear Bracers of Defense and a Cloak of Protection. A Cloak of Displacement aids saving throws and armor class just as much as a Cloak of Protection +2.

You should also carry as many scrolls as possible. Some characters even travel without a weapon, just to have one more slot to carry a scroll. It's best to get scrolls that have two or three useful spells.

The best spells to have on scrolls:

Many of these spells have shorter ranges when cast from scroll rather than from memory. Spells that are also less effective when cast from scroll are marked with *.

Generally, 5th level spells cast from scroll are as effective as the same spell cast by a 9th level Magic-User. Similarly, 4th level scrolls work at 7th level effectiveness, and wands work at 6th level effectiveness.

Cause Serious/Critical Wounds

Cure Serious/Critical Wounds (unless you have an Amulet of Healing)

Ice Storm

Slay Living

Dimension Door

 Flame Strike

* Hold Monster

* Fumble

* Minor Globe

* Fireball

* Lightning bolt

* Cloudkill

Also handy, if you have room:

Dispel magic

Poison

Neutralize Poison

Feeblemind

Confusion

Mirror image

* Magic Missile

* Cone of Cold

2.3) SPELL CHOICE

The Adventurers Journal explains the effects of all the spells; you should study all the spell tables and spell explanations if you want to know exactly what effect each spell has.

Charm Monster does not work; Cone of Cold and Confusion do not work properly. Sleep and Sticks to Snakes work only on low level opponents. Blink and Invisibility only work against monsters, when they work at all. I

mproper use of Confusion, Feeblemind, Silence, and Dispel Magic is considered to be very bad form, even among evil guilds. KORT also has policies which restrict the use of these spells; you should understand that policy before using any of these spells in combat.

The best spells to memorize are:

C1 Prot Good, Prot Evil, Resist Cold, 3 others.

The other three spells are a personal choice; I like to carry a second Prot Evil because casting that spell can sometimes trick my opponents into thinking I've cast Minor Globe. Cause Light Wounds is also a good choice.

M1 Shield, Enlarge, 2 others.

Shield is essential, since it stops magic missiles, but you have plenty of options for the other spells. Friends will make the monsters more likely to chase your opponent rather than you. I like to carry Charm Person since it has a very long duration. Burning Hands has no saving throw, but Shocking Grasp does more damage. Magic Missile has a long range, and does the most damage, but won't damage anyone who has a Shield spell up.

C2 Resist Fire; 5 others.

I like to carry one or two Silence spells, but many players don't. The remaining slots should be Hold Person spells.

M2 Mirror Image; 3 others.

You should usually carry one Invisibility and one Stinking Cloud. The last slot could be Ray of Enfeeblement (it will hit a mirror image at a range of 12), but you might prefer a second Mirror Image, Stinking Cloud, or Invisibility.

C3 Prayer; 3 others.

I recommend one Dispel Magic and two Bestow Curse. Cause Blindness, Remove Curse, or a second Prayer are sometimes good choices. M3 Haste; 3 others. I like to carry 2 Lightning Bolts and one Fireball. Since Lightning Bolts are so effective, some players actually carry 4 Lightning Bolts. Some of the other spells are useful in specific situations.

C4 Four Cause Serious Wounds; 0 others.

You could choose Poison spells instead if you plan to use an instant-kill strategy, but Poison rarely works. Cure Serious Wounds is also sometimes useful.

M4 Minor Globe; 2 others.

It would be nice if you could memorize ten spells at this level. Since you can't, you'll have to make some painful compromises. Many players like to carry 2 Fumble spells. Carrying a second Minor Globe is also a good idea. Ice Storm is excellent for damage, since there is no saving throw. In certain circumstances, Dimension Door is essential.

C5 Two Slay Living; 0 others.

Almost everyone takes two Slay Livings, but Cause Critical and Cure Critical are also good choices.

M5 One Cloudkill, two Hold Monster; 0 others.

Some players take three Hold Monsters, but I don't recommend it. In some circumstances, you might be tempted to take Cone of Cold in place of Hold Monster since it can do damage. But Cone of Cold almost never works.

2.4) CAST PREP SPELLS If possible, you should cast the following spells before combat: Bless, Prot Evil, Prot Good, Resist Cold, Resist Fire, Prayer, Enlarge, Friends, Shield, Mirror Image, Haste, and Minor Globe. Protection spells are not cumulative, so there's no point in, for example, casting Prayer twice. Bless, Enlarge, Friends, and Haste are useful only when you are forced to deal with the monsters, so they can be considered optional. A common variation is to cast Invisibility instead of Minor Globe, so that you can safely move away from the monsters during your first round. If you do enter invisible, Minor Globe should probably be the first spell you cast in combat.

A P/MU always has Prot Evil and can get Resist Fire from a Frost Brand Sword, but cannot cast Prayer. All the other prep spells can be cast by a P/MU.

3) TACTICS

Luck is a big factor in every fight, but most avid PvPers will be all too happy to tell you that skill is also a large facter. At the end of a PvP, the participants can usually agree that the player who won also used the best strategy.

3.1) STRATEGIES

There are three basic strategies: you can reduce your opponent to zero hit points, slay your opponent instantly, or get the monsters to kill your opponent for you. The first strategy is the most reliable but takes a while; the second strategy works only if your opponent fails a saving throw. The third strategy is difficult and risky, is possible only when circumstances are just right, and is mostly beyond the scope of this tutorial. It's best to decide which strategy you'll use before the battle begins, so you can memorize the most appropriate spells.

3.2) POSITIONING

Positioning your character properly can give you an edge in combat. Most players cast Haste before combat just to have more choice in where to stand. Usually, you should just try to keep your opponent between you and the monsters. Sometimes it's good to stay out of range of your opponent's spells. Standing in a corner is often the safest place to be. In a group PvP try not to stand too close to the other characters, so you won't get caught in an area-effect spell aimed at someone else.

3.3) STAGES OF COMBAT

Like most games of chance and skill, PvP can be divided into beginning, mid-game, and end-game phases. The mid-game begins when your opponent runs out of mirror images; the end game usually begins after 11 rounds, when your opponent's globe wears off.

3.3.1) KNOCK DOWN MIRROR IMAGES

This stage usually takes at least four rounds. Many players try to skip this stage, with little success. Fireball can be useful if you have a sneaking suspicion that your opponent is not globed, but most spells will hit mirror images whether you want them to or not. Fumble is the most popular spell for hitting images, since it can hit an image and still slow the target. Low level spells are also a good way to knock down images. Cause Light Wounds, Hold Person, Bestow Curse, Cause Blindness, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Lightning Bolt, Stinking Cloud, and Ray of Enfeeblement are low level spells that will hit Mirror Images even if your opponent is globed.

3.3.2) WEAR DOWN YOUR OPPONENT

Only high level spells are effective while your opponent's globe is up. If possible, try not to cast your Slay Livings until after round ten, when your opponent's Prayer spell wears off. If you are pursuing a hit point strategy, you should cause damage every round; try not to waste rounds by casting Fumble, Hold Monster or other non-damage spells.

3.3.3) FINISH YOUR OPPONENT

This stage usually starts after round 11, when your opponent's globe wears off. Your opponent should be low on hit points by now, so a few fireballs or lightning bolts should be all it takes to finish him off. If he has plenty of hit points left, try Hold Person or Charm Person. If your opponent casts a second Minor Globe, you will probably have to resort to scrolls to finish him off.

If you manage to hold, fumble, or dispel your opponent before round 12, this stage may start sooner. If you held your opponent, try to lead the monsters to him. If he's fumbled, cast a Cloudkill next to him then continue your attacks.

If you find yourself with very few hit points left, you may have to try something desperate, like a Hold, Poison, or Slay. If you have any Cure Critical spells, you might use them to buy yourself a few more rounds.

A dissed opponent will usually lose his Prayer, Prot Cold, Prot Fire, Prot Good, and Prot Evil, making his saving throws much worse. He also will likely lose his Minor Globe, Shield, and any remaining Mirror Images, which would have protected him from damage. A dissed character therefore has a very short life expectancy.

3.4) VARIATIONS

3.4.1) MISC TIPS

Learn to count to 11. Minor Globes wear off after 11 rounds.

Stay away from the monsters! If a monster stands next to your opponent, or you suspect it will soon, consider casting Silence on the monster.

If you're outnumbered, you'll probably lose.

Luck is enough of a factor that any match you consider important should be at least best two out of three, rather than a single fight.

Know the range of your spells, so you won't try to cast a spell while you're too far from your target.

Be sure to Encamp while casting your prep spells, so your opponent can't suck you into combat before you're ready.

Resting for five minutes to start a battle will use up five rounds of the duration of each of your prep spells. Repeatedly moving into a wall to start a battle will not reduce the duration of your prep spells.

Avoid prepping your opponent. Try to cast Prayer, Haste, Invisibility 10'R, and other area effect spells before moving to the battle site, or before your opponent arrives.

Try to borrow prep spells from your opponent. If you are in the right place at the right time, your opponent's Prayer, Haste, etc. spells will effect you. You can either save your own area effect spells for later in the combat, or memorize other spells in their place.

3.4.2) GROUP PVP

If a teammate is held or fumbled, cast Dispel Magic on him. He won't live long after that, but at least he'll get one or two more rounds of attacks. If you can cast the spell so an opponent is also in the area of effect, so much the better (that is called a 'bonus dis').

Try to get your team to attack your opponents one at a time. Usually, it's best to have everyone attack the weakest opponent. Sometimes, you'll want to gang up on your strongest opponent instead.

Don't bunch up, or make yourselves easy targets for area-effect spells.

Hold Person is a good spell for the first few rounds, since you can hit images on several opponents at once.

Only one member of the team need memorize Haste, Prayer, and other area effect prep spells.

3.4.3) TOURNEYS

The rules of honorable combat do not generally apply to Knights during tournaments, jousts, challenges, and other contests. However, most tourneys will have rules similar to KORT's rules of PvP.

Usually, killing yourself or the last monster is counted as a loss, even if your opponent dies at the same time.

Usually, if an ally or guild member of a contestant enters a fight, that contestant forfeits the fight.

3.4.4) OTHER STRATEGIES Consider casting Prot Evil when your globe wears off. Your opponents may assume that you cast a Minor Globe. Move into a corner and cast Stinking Cloud next to yourself. Then watch from safety while your opponent attempts to deal with the monsters. Stay invisible and watch while the monsters chase your opponent. Cast a couple Fumbles on your opponent so it will be easier for the monsters to catch him. Enter combat unglobed. Then cast Minor Globe just about the time your opponent runs out of high-level spells.

4) GLOSSARY OF PVP TERMS

ADVENTURER - a Player or a Character. Not an NPC.

AOL - America On-Line. The online service that hosts the Neverwinter Nights game.

ARENA - the arena is in the Southeast section of Triboar.

BONUS DIS - including a character in the area of effect of a Dispel Magic when the spell is not aimed at him.

CAD - pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete to reset your computer during the game.

CHARACTER - your in-game persona. Players are OOC. Characters are IC.

CLAM - a human Cleric/Magic-User.

COORDS - Coordinates; your position within a region. '15,3' is an example.

DEATHMATCH - a PvP battle where the players agree that the loser will delete his character (real death).

DEATHMATCH AREA - 15,14 Triboar. If you die at this location, you must reroll your character.

DIR DIS - Direct Dispel Magic. To cast Dispel Magic directly at another character.

DIR SIL - to cast Silence 15' Radius directly on another character. DOWN - a spell effect that has ended ("Was his globe down?").

DUPE/DUPING - cheating by creating copies of magic items without altering your software. It should be impossible, but careful timing of certain actions, including CADing, may make it possible.

ESP - to send a private message or messages to another, specific adventurer. The other character could be nearby, or far away in another part of the Realms.

FEEB - to cast the Feeblemind spell.

THUD! - what an evil character yells after successfully feebing someone.

FLEE - to exit the fight off the edge of the combat screen before all the monsters are dead.

HACKING - vaguely defined as altering the software on your computer. Similar to what hackers do. A TOS violation. Duping is not hacking.

HILLS - the Lost Hills, a region between Crossergate and Triboar. A popular area for PvP.

IC - In Character. Not OOC. When you are role-playing. When you talk and act like your character would, about in-game events or topics.

JUMP - to enter (or start) a combat and attack the other characters by surprise, or when they don't want to PvP. This is a TOS violation except in PvP regions.

LADDER - an ongoing PvP competition where characters are ranked from best to worst. Characters compete to rise to the highest rank (the top of the ladder).

LOCATION - Region plus Coords. '15,3 Triboar' is a location. Some locations also have names, such as 'the map shop' for '6,3 Warehouses' or 'the Southwall arena' for '5,5 Southwall'.

LOG - to log off. To QTS so the player can get on with real life. If you plan to be back in the game within an hour, you only QTS, you didn't log.

MELEE - fighting with hand-to-hand weapons. Melee combat does not work against other characters, only against monsters (try it!).

NON-PVP REGION - regions where non-consensual PvP is not allowed, not even for the most evil characters.

NPC - Non-Player Character. Any monster.

OOC - Out Of Character. Not IC. When you the player speak or ESP to another player, as yourself rather than as your character.

PC - Player Character. Same as CHARACTER, but more explicitly excludes NPCs.

PLAYER - a real human sitting behind a screen and a keyboard, controlling a character. PUNT - when a computer error causes you to unexpectedly exit the game.

PUNT MONSTER - since 'computer errors' don't exist IC, this is the IC explanation for punts.

PVP REGION - regions where evils are allowed to jump you. QTS - Quit To System. The Quit option on the Encamp and Combat menus.

REALMS - All the known regions taken together are called The Realms.

RE-ENTER - to return to a battle after leaving it (after dying, fleeing, cadding, or punting, for example).

REGION - one of 30 (+ or -) 16-by-16 areas where you might travel in the game. Neverwinter City is one region. Southwall is one region. Triboar is one region. Triboar Under is one region.

ROLEPLAYING - Talking and acting like your character would.

ROLL-PLAYING - Playing the game exclusively OOC, like a competition, always trying to maximize your statistical chances of victory. Usually derogatory, and used in contrast to Roleplaying, even though everyone roll-plays to some extent.

SPEAK - to type a message in the game. Only nearby adventurers can hear these messages. ESP usually does not count as speech.

TALK/YELL/UTTER/SAY/other synonyms - see SPEAK.

TOS - Terms Of Service. America Online's very official rules. Follow these rules or lose your AOL membership.

TOS WARNING - When an AOL or NWN staff member warns you that you are violating TOS. If you persist after receiving a TOS Warning, your AOL account may be terminated.

TRAINING - practicing PvP, especially with friends. Sometimes has other meanings.

TWIN - often refers to someone who has re-entered.

UP - a spell effect, such as a Minor Globe, that is still active.

WOODS - the six regions east of Nightsedge and west of Longsaddle. The West Central Woods is a popular PvP area.

WUSS - the most over-used, non-creative insult in all of Neverwinter. Is it IC or is it OOC? Nobody seems to know.

KORT PvP Tutorial Version 1.1