Talk:Random Arenas/Archive 2

To TA

That small feature needs to be removed. I've decided to pick up low-level PvP again over the past few days, and I frequently get teams that get to ten wins, twelve max, then we don't get a next match because very few groups come out of TA, which ruins the excellent group and streak, making us lose potential glad points, etc. It's very annoying to get on a roll then have it stall into nothing. calor (talk) 02:47, 16 January 2009 (UTC)

And then you keep farming the other RA teams for 30+ glads in a single run, amirite? Maybe push the TA entrance back to 15, but removing it would be bad. The whole idea is that if your team can get 10 wins in RA, they should be in TA. It stops syncers from farming mass glads as easily. --Gah Eat my uber regen. 14:15, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

My suggestions

..are that RA be given a mechanism in which certain professions/builds are required to compete in Random Arenas. For instance, if the next pending team has x amount of melee and casters but no monks, rits, casters, etc.. and the timer's about to hit zero, prompt players that a healer is needed to play and reset the counter. Likewise, if there're too many monks, rit's, casters awaiting the next match-up, let players become promtped that melee's are needed to compete, etc.. All teams can become auto-balanced so that it minimizes raging or hostility. Another good idea is that inferior builds should be prohibited. If a ranger carries firestorm, or an ele carries orison, they cannot enter. Instead, let them be prompted to go ele or monk primary for more benefit. It'd be best if all inferior skills would be non-selectable in my personal opinion, but that might be too much work programming it. Whatever the case, I'm just throwing these ideas out there in hopes of influencing the 'live' team to support and improve the Random Arenas and its positive activity levels therein.

This system retains the same randomness of clicking and playing with random players while instilling a sensible balance because the following fact is prominent: No monk effectively reduces your chance of winning to about at least 50% (or less). This system would also eliminate 2-monk teams that bog the gameplay down a whole lot. It'd reduce grieving as the chance at winning and actually competing would come to an all-time high!

Hope this suggestion helps! :) --Ulterion 15:28, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Go to TA and PUG. Misery 15:33, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Misery, your user name fits you perfect. You can go to TA if you want to and deal with 3 monk smiteway teams with a derv or warrior running around spiking your whole team if you'd like. I'm trying to suggest positive change and you're sitting there promoting hostility, grief and a lack of competition by the statement you've just made. You like fighting imbalanced teams with no monk? Have you any competitive bone in your whole body? Or do you like players rushing in to die, or watching them run shit builds purposely to cause anger and turmoil and then laugh at them outside in the lobby while they're hexed with 'dishonor'? Or a more fitting question: Are YOU one of THOSE that carry out any of those abusive trends? From the comment you've just made, you lead me to believe that you in fact ARE one of them that report those that only wish to /resign and reroll. What is the resign function for, anyhow? Is it to make them stick out like a sore thumb so that they can be reported abusively? GTFO with you and your 'Misery' of a suggestion. You're just another miserable supporter that can care less about competing. Instead, you probably get off watching other players suffer. You're a sad case, truly. --Ulterion 16:01, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

I think the issue is: you want random arenas to not be.... random. --JonTheMon 16:04, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Actually, no. I never resign unless there is a slow loader/leaver because I go to random arenas because I like playing in random teams. I don't report someone for leeching unless they are leeching. If you want a less random team with people you don't know, PUG in TA. You don't get to pick your team mates, that is the point of random arenas and why I play there. It's less serious than other areas, I can mess around with different skill combinations and practice things for other modes of play. You talk about running in and dying on purpose when you don't get a monk, yet you accuse me of griefing when I enter a random arena and play with a random team. Interesting. Misery 16:05, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

On a side note, I do have a competitive bone in my body, which is why I play GvG and go to Team Arenas. Misery 16:07, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Hey, I tell it like it is. I currently do that shit because RA just isn't balanced and it's just plain irksome. If you don't resign when you KNOW FULL WELL you're going to lose, that's your prerogative. You can care less to win, anyway. I'm just suggesting an instilled balance while keeping it random in the sense of random players coming in and gaming with you. Randomness is not compromised just because balanced is introduced. TA sucks because smiteway wins all. I hate going in there with the most versatile team only to get leveled by an OP'd smiter team of 3 monks and a melee (no matter what anyone does, it's near-undefeatable). --Ulterion 16:13, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

On a side note: STAY in GvG and TA; don't worry about RA, then. --Ulterion 16:13, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

I enjoy RA when I don't have a team formed up, so no. Don't worry, I'm probably one of the best team mates you'll ever get, even if I am running a joke bar. Misery 16:15, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Also, be less bad at TA. Misery 16:18, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

LOL at that last statement. It's a dousy! LOL It's okay to wake up, now. Be less bad at common sense and reality. --Ulterion 16:20, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

You prolly one of them that role that Smiteway BS in TA, which is why you TA. You only support RA's current randomness because it fails vs suped up TA smiteway teams and you win often enough. You'd just hate to lose that and so you come here trying to rain on this parade. --Ulterion 16:23, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Side Note: Change is Guuuud! --Ulterion 16:23, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

TA sucks because smiteway wins all. I hate going in there with the most versatile team only to get leveled by an OP'd smiter team of 3 monks and a melee (no matter what anyone does, it's near-undefeatable). This statement is full of fallacies. Firstly, smiteway is seldom run in TA any more, hexway and dual monk backlines are far more common. Secondly, it was far from unbeatable by any team even before Smiter's Boon was adjusted. Thirdly, good players still run balanced teams occasionally but a lot of good teams are running things like necro, primal rage, BA pew pew and a monk or a second healer of some sort over the necromancer. My major point is, just because your playstyle in RA doesn't agree with mine and you don't enjoy having to play with me, doesn't mean my playstyle is less valid. I get annoyed when I go to RA and get 6 teams in a row where everyone resigns/suicides because we didn't get a monk. Misery 16:30, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Ulterion, have you ever played vs any balanced team that is competent? Because from what you are saying, it doesn't seem that way, anyone with a fucking brain knows that any good balanced team will roll Smiteway, which is a terrible team for people who are like g2 or something and can only beat unranked fuck ups or people who have gotten through RA every so often, so don't start talking shit like you know something about this game when you are obviously a retard. --87.102.13.190 16:38, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Besides what Jon says, I'd also like you to try writing a system that can analyse every build out there and tell how it would fit in. Which works flawlessly. Preferably by noon. Backsword 16:34, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

87.102.13.190 .. Look who's talking. You're a retard for simply opening your mouth to me. Rank means NOTHING. It's all about what you know and how you execute! I know how to play, so you can just GTFO with your useless insults. Learn to register, --87.102.13.190. --87.102.13.190 is just another number and is as competent at gaming as he is at registering. I don't just talk shit, I'm ABOUT shit, f00!. PvE -------> way! --Ulterion 16:47, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

You know how to play, yet you can't beat smiteway. k. Misery 16:50, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

And ranks show that people have actually won in a particular area, so if you aren't winning, you won't have ranks. If you have no ranks but say you are amazing you are probably lying. --87.102.13.190 16:51, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

By the way, I know how to register, I just don't want to because I don't contribute often. Also, bringing a completely irrelevant point into the argument is just proving how much you actually understand about the game. --87.102.13.190 16:53, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

I don't just talk shit Actually you do. --87.102.13.190 16:56, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

I never said I don't talk shit. What's your point? FYI Ranked accounts can be bought. So, your point is? Smiteway has too great a range and the RAers I often carry over to TA with don't understand how to beat Smiteways and so they fall prey to AoE damage. TAing even, Smiteway is just too good with it's AoE damage and their healing bogs down trying. Dual-stanced assholes also stall entirely too much. Onoes I gots MoI on meh? D: *Smite Hex!* Plow! Half your team just got bombed. Conditions? *POW!* 100 damage in seconds followed by warrior or derv just hacking away at us. GG? If you beat them, it's because they failed to execute properly. --Ulterion 16:57, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

"have you ever played vs any balanced team that is competent? Because from what you are saying, it doesn't seem that way, anyone with a fucking brain knows that any good balanced team will roll Smiteway, which is a terrible team for people who are like g2 or something and can only beat unranked fuck ups or people who have gotten through RA every so often, so don't start talking shit like you know something about this game when you are obviously a retard." What do you call this piss? --Ulterion 17:00, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Keep it coming. I got all day with you jerks. --Ulterion 17:01, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Ok, let's all step away for a bit and calm down. --JonTheMon 17:03, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Lol Ulterion, tbh I really don't see where your argument is. Triple Monk Smiteway used to be average/good when Smiter's Boon was still in it's good state, but now all you have to do is either outpressure them, or just spike on recharge. And to the POW against your full team? With 4 people, I'm struggling to see how it can be that hard to not ball up, or am I missing something here? --87.102.13.190 17:06, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Please watch the personal attacks Ulterion, I don't appreciate being called a jerk. Misery 17:09, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Apologies to you, Misery. I can cowboy up to humility if others are willing to see the same light. To Mr. IP on the other hand, you've lashed at me directly and have yet to withdraw your disrespect. Until you man up and admit you're wrong for that, I cannot extend the same to you. "Within the area" is kind of hard to avoid. That's the next greatest range aside from earshot, spirit or compass range. If you're team isn't knowledgeable enough (and mine weren't.. hence, they were nuked to death..) they will be brought to their knees with AoE and spike attacks over time. Your team will sustain so much damage that the monk will just stop healing and just sit there, awaiting the next match up because it's far too overwhelming to be countered. Again, if the smite team fails to execute properly, it IS beatable. It is a bitch, however, to overcome and the smiteway build is a big no-brainer when it comes to its usage. It can be stopped, but it takes the right composition, knowledge and execution to counter as well as entirely too much effort when compared to the ease of smitway's usage. --Ulterion 17:50, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

There really is no point arguing with you tbh, I don't see how you can't grasp the concept that smiteway is and never was an unbeatable team, a proper balanced with people who play together frequently will beat a good smiteway within 2 or 3 minutes, an average/good balanced will take like 4/5 minutes and some bad PuG team is still in with a chance of beating it. --87.102.13.190 17:59, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Man, how did I sleep through all this drama? I need to get a butler to watch all the sites I visit who'll wake me up if I'm missing an opportunity to make things worse. --Jette 18:29, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Once again: I KNOW IT'S BEATABLE! It's entirely possible with a group aware of it's counter. Even then, it's still a BIOTCH to counter. Despite it's defeatability, it remains a very overwhelming team build to go up against for its far-too-easy execution. It's too easy to target your war or derv and smite away at hexes or conditions to level the team completely. Also, depending on how narrow the areas are, you can undergo complete devastation if not fully aware of the impending dangers of balling up! You can almost never stack because you will pay hard for it! Conditions are almost mandatory, and having a fucking Resilient Smiter draw conditions and smite shit out of your existence while their one (1) SoH-enchanted melee's pommeling you is fucking ridiculous bullshit! It's too easy! It needs to go the way of the dinosaurs, FAST. --Ulterion 21:43, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

You mean you want them to have Twisting Jaws? --Jette 22:57, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, they really need to do something like nerf Smiter's Boon. That would help make the team easier to beat. Misery 23:00, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Reading this sentence may actually help you realise what I am talking about."a proper balanced with people who play together frequently will beat a good smiteway within 2 or 3 minutes" --87.102.13.190 23:29, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

If you want, I'll explain a bit more for you. A 'BALANCED' team can easily beat smiteway in 2 or 3 minutes. BALANCED is the important term I am using because it shows that you aren't running a counter/gimmick build to just beat smiteway, when you learn how to do this magical thing they call comprehension, I will maybe take what you say seriously. --87.102.13.190 23:31, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

>BAWWWW! I lose in RA because it's random! It should require a healer for every team to encouraged balanced play, because I can't take defensive skills!

k.

I'm not one of those people who says "I'd rather have ANet working on GW2" for every suggestion. But frankly, don't fix what's not broken. RA exists so that everyone can play PvP from the get-go, no matter how good or bad a player you are. It is the place to go to experiment with whatever the fuck you want, and you can even win glad points with Mending or just an empty skill bar. If you don't like that, go to TA, or sync, or something. Vili 04:30, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

I lose in RA because it's imbalanced (no one to make red bars go ^); not so much because it's 'random'. Random players you don't know DO play alongside you so the 'randomness' would not be forsaken. The suggestion I make is to add this thing called 'balance' so that players can actually compete better and more successfully instead of saying, "Cripes! Here goes yet another 'x' amount of minutes going to waste because we have no one to make our red bars go up and/or protect us." Then, you'll watch them brag about how they beat your team (which didn't have a monk) with their team (which did have a monk). It's completely STUPID as well as USELESS to even waste any effort in taking down teams of 1-3 monks if your team has NO monk. It is also very seldom that no-monk teams beat teams that have one. Their cocky comments are often void if and when the match-up is not 'balanced'. Hence, I suggest 'balance' be implimented to:

• decrease rage-quitting
• increase competitiveness
• minimize hostility

This is why I vote that RA be made in TA's likeness, only with one difference.. and that is to click 'enter' and recieve a random (BALANCED) team. It's kind of like the lottery, you get to either pencil in your numbers, or you can do 'quick-pick' to auto-select for you. Do ya'll understand my point of view? This suggested change would far-outweigh RA's current conditions and settings. --Ulterion 15:42, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Oh, and just taking defensive skills STILL doesn't cut it. In fact, it cuts into your damage-ability because you could've used that 2-3 skill slots spent on defense tomaybe fit in more attack skills, interrupts or damage boosts. Your defensive skills should only be 1-2 slots at the most! Any more than that and your build is probably degraded and inefficient to take down balanced teams. --Ulterion 15:47, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

To be honest, I've beaten monked teams with no healers. I've gotten ten win streaks with no healers. I've lost first match with two monks. I've done all those things with GvG builds with no modifications for arenas, with dedicated arena builds and with joke builds. Why, because Random Arenas are... random. It's not designed to be "a competitive arena", that is what TA is for. It is supposed to be entry level pvp. Low stress, low skilled and fun. If you are complaining that after three years you are sick and tired of RA imbalance, you shouldn't be playing in RA any more. If you are farming RA for glad points, you are doing it wrong. Misery 15:49, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

While it might be nice to have "balanced" RA teams I still don't think it's practical to program. Cost/benefit ratio would be way off. And if you have 4 non-monks, chances are that extra 33% damage from a 4th person would well offset any reductions in your own damage from taking some defensive skills. --JonTheMon 15:52, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

That was the point. Let's say you are playing as an Asssassin and you spec into...14 Critical Strikes and 13 Dagger Mastery, take 6 attack skills, Critical Eye, and Dash. Well, you are assuming that you'll have a Monk, or a Rit, or any sort of defensive dude join with you. And knowing full well that random arenas is random, that's just stupid. (I mean, res sig is pretty much an obligatory slot precisely because you can't rely on a hard res/they are too slow...) Making some simple changes to add Critical Defenses and Signet of Malice, for example, increases your survivability 100% and barely impacts your damage at all. There are too many people who make builds without thinking that way, and then QQ about how "if only we'd had a Monk". Now, I'm not saying that you can beat a 3-monk team without a Monk (unless they are all axe monks?); you could perhaps stalemate (seeing as Monks don't have much for damage, other than smite, and that's lol). But, if it's a no-monk team versus a team with one monk, it is still worth playing, because you can win. No monk versus no monk works the same way, and in that case it becomes even more important to have some form of self-defense/healing.

As to hostility and e-peen, I would simply advise that you not let it get to you. It's Random Arenas, where you can win glad points with Echo Mending; so any claims of "owning" others are automatically null and void. Vili 15:58, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

If you are complaining that after three years you are sick and tired of RA imbalance, you shouldn't be playing in RA any more. Well, Anet inplemented the DCS (Dishonor System) 2 years after the fact. They made changes to GvG, HA, HFFF, etc.. all late in the game. So, what's so different about adding balance to RA now? It's the same thing. Asto the assassin example: Crit Defenses and Sig of Malice are within that 1-2 skill slot range I prescribed, so you've fundamentally regurjitated what I just implied on my last post. Lastly, echo-mending is not FTW. You might get by during N-Hour (aka Newb Hour) if you're lucky. Not all matches are null and void; they're each based on the level of balance given by RA's current 'luck-o-tha-draw' method. If RA brings balance to RA, it'll make things a whole lot better and any of you that speak against it are simply wishing for RA to stay garbage and don't give a flying **** about sh*t. I care about RA. Who cares if it's the first accessible arena in PvP, that don't mean a godd--- thing! RA's no bastard child. It's a fast-fire way to catapult into combat without having to stay in the lobby spamming LFP, LFThis, That, The Other until you get one, only to find that one of your guys left while you were waiting for that last person. Then when everyone's finally ready, you face a 3-monk smiteway and get nuked out of the arena and realize that all your waiting around to recruit, carefully plan out team builds, etc.. was a big waste of f---ing time!? I hate TA and RA could be alot better if Anet's 'Live Team' looked into it and regulated! I sure hope they do because I know that if they pour themselves onto a task, 'Live Team' will succeed. --Ulterion 16:25, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Looking for party... No monks found, restarting timer... You don't want RA to be changed, you want an all new arena and RA to be removed. Misery 16:29, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Okay, let me break it down for you in lamest terms there, Misery. Random People and Builds(Random Arenas is Random *still*). Balanced Teams (to actually make competing worthwhile and fair). No reason to Rage (ever). Less Rage-quitting and hostility (/sigh.. I sure wish we can have that in RA). Kapeesh? Random stays Random. It doesn't go away. The only thing that goes away is the IMBALANCE. --Ulterion 16:38, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Your monk brought Healing Hands, no rage because at least you got a monk... Just like the other team who got a dual stance WoH monk. How would you classify a Dervish Healer in your "balanced" environment? How would a system detect that monk is a melee monk? Misery 16:46, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

lol@phonetic spelling of an Italian word. --71.237.88.85 16:49, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

It's the American way, capiche? Vili 16:57, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

That's what I'm talking about, Misery! :D Good questions, indeed! It'd take some time and inputs from all of our players to answer all the questions and get all the bugs out. I'd imagine the Live Team having scripted skill-detection so that any skills/attributes detected in healing lines would automatically be fitted into the healer's spot. There's still the chance that a melee monk might bring 9 healing and attack skills, but hey! At least we'd have a system capable of balancing. So, maybe next match? If a monk's being retarded on purpose, /report him and get him hexed up? If there's a shadowstepping self-healing runner (once again) /report-spike his ass so that he gets the hexed up and can't play for a hot minute. We have to enforce good gaming by actually using the /report system instead of just allowing runners, botters, grievers, etc.. to continue doing what they do. If we don't act upon the above violators then WE are to blame, not Anet. If report them all the time by the numbers and they're not banned after weeks or months, that is where Anet needs to take action. --Ulterion 16:57, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Ban bad and new players from playing the game! An excellent idea! That will generate many sales. Misery 17:00, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

I am scared to think of the epic rage that would occur, if ANet started to ban people for "Code 9001: Your build sucks too much for RA". Since, you know, even if they have WoH that doesn't mean they will know how to use it properly (PvX syndrome and all). I don't think the /report system was ever intended to be used to punish players who are unintentionally bad at the game, because they are Newbs (not noobs). Vili 17:01, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

So running Wammo builds with defy pain, patient spirit, etc.. doesn't seem dumb to you? Are Shadow Arts/Healing Shadowstep Sins acceptable in RA? It's random sh*t, isn't it? Might as well go in with an empty template if you're doing that because you're just a big waste! I never, EVER.. suggested that Anet ban players for having bad 'builds'. Bad players will bring bad builds and that's fine so long as no ill-will is detected. In other words, if it's inferior, but still effective and shows no signs of game-delay (like a build full of self-heals, block, damage-mitigation, etc..) then no /report is merited. It's okay to suck in RA; there's always next match-up you can look forward to (WITH Balance System in effect). If there is NO BALANCE then it steals both your time and hope for next match-up to be any better. WITH BALANCE, you'll have hope in the next match-up as it will attempt to bring balance (WITH Balance System in effect). Banning isn't necessary for those that legitimately suck. But to those that come in the arena to stir up grief? /REPORT them for that shiet by all means! Don't be passive about it or allow them to bullshit around and/or leech, bot, etc.. --Ulterion 17:23, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Griefing, sure, but some Escape Rangers, is that griefing? They trade damage for survivability. Where do you draw the line? Does everyone make the call individually? Ok, I say that playing a warrior without an IAS/IMS is griefing, being bad on purpose. I will report everyone I see doing that from this day on. Misery 17:26, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

/reporting implies banning, is all I am saying. Unless you just want to stick them with Dishonor points or something. Vili 17:34, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

It's completely normal for you to have questions about it. I don't think it's impossible for the Live Team to carry out this task. I believe there is no task too great for Anet to take on and that they'd do extremely well with it if they decided to take it head on. You're right about melee and IAS/IMS, but some just simply don't know that and must be taught, not reported. A simple PM to them telling them what's good would go a lot further than to report them maliciously, though. Escape rangers aren't grievers. Whoever came out with the S-way ranger's a flippin' genious tbh. However, there IS that drawback of lacking that extra damage and crit % rating that a normal derv with 14 Scythe would have. Not to mention the 12 second recharge of Pious Assault is terribad compared to a Derv's WS (which has 3 second recharge AND a cover condition). The line can be drawn when you have any evidence of game-delay when a player's bar consists about 75-100% heals and blocking/mitigating damage. Even a newb's build typically doesn't have that much healing/blocking/mitigation. it's more around 50% or less. --Ulterion 17:40, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

I think if this were implemented, you would quickly discover the problem isn't "imbalance" as you put it, but actually terrible players. Misery 17:43, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

I think that it's hard to draw a hard-and-fast line, especially if ANet were the ones deciding it. Since their track record on skill balance is, you know, impressive. Vili 17:45, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Banning is applicable only in repeated offenses (like racial slurs, harrassments, etc..) or one-time 'serious' offenses (like botting/duping, etc..). It need not apply to build-related offenses. We cannot rid of terrible players, but we can at least offer up the opportunity of fair match-ups via the suggested 'Auto-Balance' script. I'm not impressed by their skill balancing either... I agree on that, but WE are to blame for that (because of our abuse). --Ulterion 17:47, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

You made me choke on my pizza. Misery 17:49, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Skill rating system. Damage/Offensive Utility/Defensive Utility/Offensive Support/Defensive Support/Healing/Ease of Use. Orison would be 0/0/0/0/0/3/4 (all out of five), for example. Flare would be 3/0/0/0/0/0/3. Test of Faith would look something like 2/4/3/0/0/0/1. Total from a bar = player rating; total from a team = team rating. Of course, such a system wouldn't be able to evaluate synergy, but it could make teams a little more balanced in terms of output.

Now, one question that comes to mind would be players entering with, say, airspike bars. That's a lot of damage; should the rest of their team be picked from people with low damage ratings? Or should the team (as a whole) be allowed to have relatively high offense in exchange for some other factor? I think the ideal would be to allow whatever, as long as the totals for each were within certain limits. That way, you wouldn't see three-monk teams (not enough damage), or teams with no healing (not enough healing), or teams with three sins (too much damage), and such.

Allow me to emphasize that this should not be added as a part of RA; make it a new arena. Recycle the maps, even recycle the RA outpost. Just add a new little island on the map: "Balanced Arenas". Raine - talk 19:33, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Well even then you are operating on completely arbitrary and probably bad (read:ANet) standards for damage/offensive utility/etc. And skillbars are always more than the sum of their parts. :\ Besides, what stops you from "fooling the system" by sticking a random skill on your bar to change its rating? For example, taking Kinetic Armor on an airspiker. Vili 00:54, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Nothing would stop a player from doing that except for the fact that they'd be wasting a skill slot. Unless, of course, they spec into Earth for Kinetic Armor, in which case it wouldn't be "fooling the system" so much as appropriately increasing your defensive rating. I suppose also checking attributes to determine rating (airspike with 4 air magic is a lot less offensive than airspike with 15 air magic) wouldn't be bad. And again, a bar is not equal to the sum of its parts, but a rough estimate is less random than... well, random. Raine - talk 01:39, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Well then...how does one assign a powerlevel to skills like Master of Magic, Symbols of Inspiration, Arcane Mimicry, Signet of Illusions, etc? Vili 01:55, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Symbols of Inspiration would be hard, and skills like that. But for SoI (and MoM), setting the affected attributes to your illusion attribute (or 12) would work. Just like the healing on other skills would have to be adjusted if one brought Healer's Boon. But for arcane mimicry/thievery/larceny, I honestly couldn't propose a way to determine that. Raine - talk 01:59, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

ARE YOU COUNTING ON PEOPLE TO READ THIS LOOOOOOOOONG TALK ???Tiberium 18:27, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

What do you want people to say to this? Should they stop discussing things with each other because the disccusion got long? I don't imagine the primary purpose of discussing people is for people that don't want to read a lot of backchatter to jump in. --Star Weaver 21:49, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

Bottom line is that this suggestion suucks. This is RANDOM arena, it should and WILL stay random. 213.233.88.154 11:15, 4 August 2009 (UTC)

lol I did read almost all of it. And I think it's a bad suggestion because it doesn't address anything - people will still rage, not because they had no Monk, but because they had a bad/inexperienced Monk and so on. If he wants to play balanced, he should find a PvP guild, do TA, GvG, HA. If he insists to play RA, frustration can be minimized (a little) by learning to play Monk and being good at it instead of always hoping to get one. But then again, you are almost in the same position as you were before: instead of expecting a good Monk, you will expect other things from your team now: that your team won't have 3-4 healers, that they will have enough damage/shutdown, that they won't just 'monk stomp' and let Mesmers completely shut you down, and so on. Even playing Monk, being good at it and getting a relatively balanced team can lead to a defeat, as the other team can still bring hard counters to yours, which is unfortunate but can happen. And surprisingly, this sort of unpredictability is what makes RA so much fun, because nothing is guaranteed. There's both luck and skill involved. --Sensei 17:01, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Not sure I agree to take out healers / softies first

Yes on a superficial level it makes sense, but this is why you always have super spikers teleporting in trying to take out the healer, overextending themselves and dying. This leaves your defense wide open for their deliberate attack to come in and put pressure on your softies.

There are other better tactics such as removing pressure from YOUR softies first, keeping a defensive line and only attacking once their pressure has been removed. The point is, There are many tactics and I'm not sure to champion "taking out healers first" is a good idea since it leads to foolish play.

-- anonymous

Foolish players will be foolish regardless of what advice is on a wiki page. But you do have a point in that most "softies" these days are smart enough to take some form of self-defense, so it can end up being counterproductive to insist on taking them down first. Vili 01:57, 16 February 2009 (UTC)

I only agree with the idea of "don't take advice from wiki for RA", not worth it, and you don't know what players will you have, maybe you won't have healers and you will win, just like in most cases.Tiberium 18:18, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

Go after people who obviously look like they know what they're doing first? *shrug* --Star Weaver 21:51, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

I find killing the over-extended Sins and Warriors works well. Ignoring over-extending monks works well too, since they're usually trying to get you to attack them.Miss Innocent 04:43, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

The only real solid tactical rule is "Know as much as you can about what is happening, and what is going to happen next. Target wherever your skills will have the best effect for your side." In other words, use experience, communication and judgement. Get a few random high-rank gladiators together and it looks like targets are being called for a gank without any communication. Stating one-dimensional rules like 'attack monks first' just holds people back from cultivating their experiences; there is no substitute for situational awareness and judgement.

A few poorly-covered concepts...

After a short waiting period (with intervals of 30 seconds), you will enter one of the 13 randomly chosen arenas. The next battle can be on any of the other 12 arenas available

Erm, no. It is entirely possible to get in the same arena twice in a row.

If you want to counter syncing, go to a Random district that is known to have syncing players and Enter Battle to make it more difficult for them to form their 4 man teams. Be warned that syncing players may become irritated at you for ruining their sync and report you for leeching so that you will not interfere with their syncs in the future.

You're advising players to do something that will get them Dishonorable points. I advise the removal of that "tip".

Because the vast majority of rounds are deathmatch, players are strongly advised to bring some form of quick resurrection skill (with the notable exception of builds dedicated to keeping the party alive to begin with). It is more efficient to raise a player with 8 skills of his own (while preventing the loss of the match on deathmatch maps) than to bring along any other non-resurrect skill. Resurrection Signet is by far the most popular choice; those that bring a hard res tend to choose Death Pact Signet for its short activation time, or Resurrection Chant for Mesmers with high Fast Casting.

Rarely do players use these skills anymore. FomF is far more popular among mesmers and rits.

With very few exceptions, characters in RA should try to take out healers first, then dropping to low-armor soft targets such as Mesmers and Assassins, leaving Warriors, Rangers, and other difficult-to-kill characters until last. healers of one flavor or another, though many Ritualists and few Dervishs or Paragons can also do the job as well. As of August 2008, however, the Arenas metagame has shifted toward monks with self-defense stances and no energy management; often you can apply more pressure by attacking another soft target with no stances.

The note contradicts itself.

A basic player tactic that can be used to increase your lifespan in RA is kiting, try to learn this tactic as soon as possible.

At least write a brief description of it... "It's great to do this thing you know nothing about, find out how to do it."

More to come later, if I ever decide to care. --Gah Eat my uber regen. 13:48, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

RA shouldn't even have skill or fighting tips, since no two matches are ever going to be the same. And it looks like there's been a long winded discussion about one of those tips. I'll leave the notes there for now, but I'll do what I can to clean it up. (Terra Xin 14:51, 23 March 2009 (UTC))

I was trying to condense the article, but I made it longer instead. :S I'm not 100% happy with it, but it looks a little less confusing now (I didn't realize RA had that much info.)(Terra Xin 16:54, 23 March 2009 (UTC))

Q.Q

This is Random Arenas, you can talk / whine / swear / jump / roll / laugh about it. IT WILL STAY RANDOM FOREVER.

Don't try to come up with "balanced" ideas, from my experience you can still hit 5 wins even if you're the only one with skill (remember that word? not implemented at pvx wiki) at the party while not having a monk.

Know your stuff, don't leave after 1 win because you QQzomgnomonk.

Cheers. --Horheristo 06:18, 29 April 2009 (UTC)

"derp derp derp"
--Jette 06:29, 29 April 2009 (UTC)

I never use builds from PvX wiki, I always create my own (who said Mending suucks ?!? :D :D )Tiberium 18:23, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

/coughblueperception/cough InfestedHydralisk 20:28, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

almost as fun as winning is using builds that you "officially" should not use in RA... then having the losing team QQ you on their way out... random arena is random... best way to do good at it is know the common builds... read your enemys skillset fast... and go after the weakest most squishy target your team can take then move up the line... if your good you can do that before the opposing team does it to you... MrPaladin 20:31, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

hydralisk's comment made my day. - Wuhy 12:58, 26 October 2009 (UTC)

HB maps

I wish they were back. --Bive 22:59, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

no InfestedHydralisk 23:01, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

I can't remember them that well. Were they fun? Because fun would be nice but ANet seems to be firmly against it. --Jette 00:57, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

ridiculous arena

It's an absolute joke that in random arenas now you find mostly teamed up groups. People farm glad points simply cheating, and no one seems to do anything about it. Yesterday there was even an RTL team, they don't even try to hide it, just show it as most obvious as it's possible. There is no rule against it? There no way how to report it? There is no punishment for it? Well for me you're a bunch of losers that cant handle Team arena and NCsoft should do something about this asap -.-; --Vital Spark 11:41, 11 July 2009 (UTC)

Just wanted to state that I agree 100%. It's bad enough that the typical group ends up doing so well or poor because of their healer or lack thereof, but to have so many groups out there that have NOT been randomly formed.. it just destroys the quality of the arena. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it too, just saying it shouldn't be doable. --75.16.242.128 17:32, 5 August 2009 (UTC)

Disable access to Chinese / Russia / international / any country that has 0.1% activity, and best people will come up with are two syncers that usually won't make that much of a diff.--84.229.117.164 09:06, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Melee Is Completely Obsolete In RA

Blind, an infinitely maintainable and easily spammable condition completely negates all melee damage. Don't give me the 90% shit either, it's effectively 100% especially on slow swinging or firing weapons. Empathy + Insidious is on every team and warriors can never do fuck all. Congratulations, ANet, on killing melee from RA and PVP in general. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 174.112.239.236 (talk • contribs) at 23:21, 31 December 2009 (UTC).

Sign your comments --ScorpySEH 03:17, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

I find it funny you post that a good 2 and a half months after the original poster. --Draygo Korvan 16:48, 7 March 2010 (UTC)