How do you make Random Arenas fun not frustrating? - Guild Wars Forums

Srinivassa · Jul 01, 2009, 10:52 PM // 22:52

I don't think I need to elaborate, really, but some people may want more specifics.

Why does it always seem like fun for a few matches, and then you just get so POed you have to leave? Is there something you can do when team matchups are just so poor? Is there a way to study/figure-out what is wrong with your team or what is so good with theirs? How can you pick a build and learn to use it when a full 75% of the time your teammates or opponents or both make the build unworkable?

Seriously, I'm not trying to gripe. I really want to know becauase I want to practice in RA, but sometimes I can play for an hour and feel like I only got about 3 good matches in where I could work on executing my build.

Help?

**Marty Silverblade** · Jul 01, 2009, 11:11 PM // 23:11

If you're with 3 bad players against 4 decent/good ones there really isn't much you can do. If you don't have a monk, you're likely to lose against a team that does. It's just the nature of RA. Exceeding large amounts of stupid people helps screw up RA aswell. If you really want to play PvP, find a more organised form.

Need More Donuts · Jul 01, 2009, 11:12 PM // 23:12

Random arena is just that random sucess or failure
If you want organized sensible teams do team arenas

Gift3d · Jul 01, 2009, 11:28 PM // 23:28

9 times out of 10, the odds are against you in RA. That'll piss anyone off...

Helix Dreadlock · Jul 01, 2009, 11:36 PM // 23:36

Why do you pvp again?...

Teutonic Paladin · Jul 01, 2009, 11:44 PM // 23:44

You make random arenas fun by not sweating the losses. You know people are going to drop the ball and suck so why let yourself get worked up by it?

BadgerzFTW · Jul 01, 2009, 11:46 PM // 23:46

You just have to be good enough yourself, and then hope to hell your teammates are decent. Yes, it's depressing.

Evil Eye · Jul 01, 2009, 11:59 PM // 23:59

run p block against all the mb eles

Cammy · Jul 02, 2009, 12:10 AM // 00:10

Stop noob syncers!

Syntheticfibers · Jul 02, 2009, 12:11 AM // 00:11

Ok this is what you do.
You load up on a pvp w/mo with a controversial name that everyone will be pissed about, and then you run stance tank (dolyak sig, block stances, riposte, defy pain, healing breeze, stuff like that) and as soon as the battle starts, start flaming in caps. A 55 works as well. It's loads of fun.

Lux Aeterna · Jul 02, 2009, 12:25 AM // 00:25

Use a GvG build - get if off wiki, learn to play it well, learn to play it well. That way you make yourself a solid team member, and with 3 other solid team members you have a solid team.

Then you take your GvG build which you know how to play well, hit enter, just suck it up with losses till you get a decent team, and enjoy the pvp along the way.

Eventually let's say you get a hammer warrior, a ranger, a necro, and a monk, you might get 10 wins, but you don't even need a terribly balanced party to beat whatever random groups you meet. Remember that you may only win 1 out of 10 games, but everyone else there also has the same awful odds and only wins 1 of 10 games, based on this we can assert that if you have a bit of an idea what you're doing you're bound to get at least a few victories.

I've got 10 wins without a monk (beating 4-5 teams with monks along the way), 10 wins with a rit healer, beaten 2 monk teams without a monk, lost to a team while I had a monk then subsequently beaten them with all warriors, etc.

TLDR VERSION

1) Run a GvG bar. GvG bars will always be the best pvp builds by far.

2) Suck it up and play.

------------------------
This is what I use in RA, actually I made it myself after improving my self made hammer build for a month or so, so the fact that it's on wiki is only tangentially related to me. I'm quite good with it, and given the right circumstances will do a lot of damage to the opposing team. I run antidote signet for my optional, because although there are more interesting/ cool options it helps a huge amount against otherwise unbeatable bsurge else, blinding rits, etc.
http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Build:W/an...Hammer_Warrior

Don't get stuck in flail, noob.

refer · Jul 02, 2009, 12:29 AM // 00:29

How do I make RA fun not frustrating?

(no troll)

By not playing.

T RAND · Jul 02, 2009, 12:35 AM // 00:35

I'll second that. If you're unwilling to synch cheat, then you're hitting your head against the synch cheat wall. Stay out of RA. If a net doesn't care about it, then why should anyone else?

Thamior Shamus · Jul 02, 2009, 12:52 AM // 00:52

Become decent at a GvG build like Lux said. A good BA ranger can go far.... some of the time. Always remember it's called Random Arenas for a reason. If you feel you did your best, don't worry about. If you feel you made mistakes, learn from those so you don't have a repeat.

Windf0rce · Jul 02, 2009, 01:04 AM // 01:04

RA is fun when I take long breaks from PvP or GW altogether, and I come back to play a little. It's relaxed and I do have some laughs even losing.

However, when it comes to more serious play, trying to get Glad points and win, it can be EXTREMELY frustrating, lead you to rage really. If you play something damage, you get no Monk. You play Monk, you get another Monk or bad damage... And finally even if you get a nicely balanced team, you can still face a wtfpwnage team at the last matches (#9, #10...) that completely counters yours, or is made up of synchers, and be robbed of 2 Glad points.

It's just the way it works... Random is random.

Robbeh The Mad · Jul 02, 2009, 01:11 AM // 01:11

I find the very concept of being “good” at RA hilarious, based on the fact that it is totally random and there is zero strategy involved. It’s just four players banging and spelling away at each other and the ones with the flavor of the moment build wins. Screw GUILD WARS this is BUILD WARS!

Lux Aeterna · Jul 02, 2009, 01:28 AM // 01:28

Ranger is probably one of the easier classes to start pvp on since most meta ranger builds bringing condition removal + blocks, however you still need to be good to do well.

The time I got 10 wins without a monk, we had rangers who were obviously skilled and made a big difference - one of them actually beat two warriors by himself after everyone else was dead and all our signets burned.

Note that when I say "ranger", I mean "GvG build ranger" - any random skills you throw together isn't going to be a quality build unless you know what you're doing.

Either that or enjoy E/Me mindblastblockgay until it gets nerfed.

I see a lot of top guild people in ra, the other day I saw the leader of vR, and last time I got 10 wins we had a critscythe from yumy and a ranger from GlhF, also I saw chiizu once and he told me to read QQ.

PRO TIP: Play in the International district, because the players there are slightly higher quality there.

*Darcy* · Jul 02, 2009, 01:31 AM // 01:31

Lux is giving you great advice. Random Arena, Alliance Battles, Jade Quarry & Fort Aspenwood are all randomized teams. You cannot worry about what team you will have, you can only make sure that you have a good useful build and have learned to use it effectively.

The point of RA is to learn your build. Once you have that down, move on to less frustrating PvP. In the meantime, play until you start to feel frustrated, then switch to something else.

Chthon · Jul 02, 2009, 02:42 AM // 02:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux Aeterna

1) Run a GvG bar. GvG bars will always be the best pvp builds by far.

This is terrible advice. Good GVG bars (or HA or even TA bars for that matter) should and do include intra-team synergies, and frontline builds are designed assuming a competent backline (and vice versa). You can't count on any of that in RA... unless you're a synch cheater.

IMO:
Don't build around intra-team synergies, since the other half of the synergy won't be there. (ie Don't use GvG/HA/TA builds.)
Don't build around trying to carry awful teammates, since you're doomed anyway if you get awful teammates.
Do build around somewhat competent teammates, since those are the teams that might get somewhere. Assume offensive players will have passable DPS, but nothing that synergizes with your build, and they won't follow targets too well. If you've got a monk, assume you'll get some red-bars-go-up from time to time, but little or no prot or removal.

Twin Blade Warriror · Jul 02, 2009, 03:25 AM // 03:25

uhmm wat exactly r u running?

and if ur getting mad.. u must be in american dis? lol.. thats ur problem then

Jul 01, 2009, 11:11 PM // 23:11	#2
Marty Silverblade Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006	If you're with 3 bad players against 4 decent/good ones there really isn't much you can do. If you don't have a monk, you're likely to lose against a team that does. It's just the nature of RA. Exceeding large amounts of stupid people helps screw up RA aswell. If you really want to play PvP, find a more organised form. __________________

Jul 02, 2009, 12:25 AM // 00:25	#11
Lux Aeterna Jungle Guide Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: RAH Guild: Close Enough [XVII] Profession: W/A	Use a GvG build - get if off wiki, learn to play it well, learn to play it well. That way you make yourself a solid team member, and with 3 other solid team members you have a solid team. Then you take your GvG build which you know how to play well, hit enter, just suck it up with losses till you get a decent team, and enjoy the pvp along the way. Eventually let's say you get a hammer warrior, a ranger, a necro, and a monk, you might get 10 wins, but you don't even need a terribly balanced party to beat whatever random groups you meet. Remember that you may only win 1 out of 10 games, but everyone else there also has the same awful odds and only wins 1 of 10 games, based on this we can assert that if you have a bit of an idea what you're doing you're bound to get at least a few victories. I've got 10 wins without a monk (beating 4-5 teams with monks along the way), 10 wins with a rit healer, beaten 2 monk teams without a monk, lost to a team while I had a monk then subsequently beaten them with all warriors, etc. TLDR VERSION 1) Run a GvG bar. GvG bars will always be the best pvp builds by far. 2) Suck it up and play. ------------------------ This is what I use in RA, actually I made it myself after improving my self made hammer build for a month or so, so the fact that it's on wiki is only tangentially related to me. I'm quite good with it, and given the right circumstances will do a lot of damage to the opposing team. I run antidote signet for my optional, because although there are more interesting/ cool options it helps a huge amount against otherwise unbeatable bsurge else, blinding rits, etc. http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Build:W/an...Hammer_Warrior Don't get stuck in flail, noob. Last edited by Lux Aeterna; Jul 02, 2009 at 12:30 AM // 00:30..

Jul 02, 2009, 01:04 AM // 01:04	#15
Windf0rce Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2007	RA is fun when I take long breaks from PvP or GW altogether, and I come back to play a little. It's relaxed and I do have some laughs even losing. However, when it comes to more serious play, trying to get Glad points and win, it can be EXTREMELY frustrating, lead you to rage really. If you play something damage, you get no Monk. You play Monk, you get another Monk or bad damage... And finally even if you get a nicely balanced team, you can still face a wtfpwnage team at the last matches (#9, #10...) that completely counters yours, or is made up of synchers, and be robbed of 2 Glad points. It's just the way it works... Random is random. Last edited by Windf0rce; Jul 02, 2009 at 01:06 AM // 01:06..

Jul 02, 2009, 01:28 AM // 01:28	#17
Lux Aeterna Jungle Guide Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: RAH Guild: Close Enough [XVII] Profession: W/A	Ranger is probably one of the easier classes to start pvp on since most meta ranger builds bringing condition removal + blocks, however you still need to be good to do well. The time I got 10 wins without a monk, we had rangers who were obviously skilled and made a big difference - one of them actually beat two warriors by himself after everyone else was dead and all our signets burned. Note that when I say "ranger", I mean "GvG build ranger" - any random skills you throw together isn't going to be a quality build unless you know what you're doing. Either that or enjoy E/Me mindblastblockgay until it gets nerfed. I see a lot of top guild people in ra, the other day I saw the leader of vR, and last time I got 10 wins we had a critscythe from yumy and a ranger from GlhF, also I saw chiizu once and he told me to read QQ. PRO TIP: Play in the International district, because the players there are slightly higher quality there. Last edited by Lux Aeterna; Jul 02, 2009 at 01:30 AM // 01:30..

Jul 02, 2009, 01:31 AM // 01:31	#18
Darcy Never Too Old Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rhode Island where there are no GW contests Guild: Order of First Profession: W/R	Lux is giving you great advice. Random Arena, Alliance Battles, Jade Quarry & Fort Aspenwood are all randomized teams. You cannot worry about what team you will have, you can only make sure that you have a good useful build and have learned to use it effectively. The point of RA is to learn your build. Once you have that down, move on to less frustrating PvP. In the meantime, play until you start to feel frustrated, then switch to something else. __________________ That's me, the old stick-in-the-mud non-fun moderator. (and non-understanding, also)

Jul 01, 2009, 10:52 PM // 22:52	#1
Srinivassa Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Mar 2007	How do you make Random Arenas fun not frustrating? I don't think I need to elaborate, really, but some people may want more specifics. Why does it always seem like fun for a few matches, and then you just get so POed you have to leave? Is there something you can do when team matchups are just so poor? Is there a way to study/figure-out what is wrong with your team or what is so good with theirs? How can you pick a build and learn to use it when a full 75% of the time your teammates or opponents or both make the build unworkable? Seriously, I'm not trying to gripe. I really want to know becauase I want to practice in RA, but sometimes I can play for an hour and feel like I only got about 3 good matches in where I could work on executing my build. Help?

Jul 01, 2009, 11:12 PM // 23:12	#3
Need More Donuts Banned Join Date: Aug 2008 Profession: D/W	Random arena is just that random sucess or failure If you want organized sensible teams do team arenas

Jul 01, 2009, 11:28 PM // 23:28	#4
Gift3d Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Las Vegas Guild: Enraged Whiny Carebears [oR] Profession: W/E	9 times out of 10, the odds are against you in RA. That'll piss anyone off...

Jul 01, 2009, 11:36 PM // 23:36	#5
Helix Dreadlock Jungle Guide Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Imperial Sanctum Guild: Legendary Drunken Masters [DUI] Profession: E/Me	Why do you pvp again?...

Jul 01, 2009, 11:44 PM // 23:44	#6
Teutonic Paladin Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Feb 2006 Guild: TW Profession: W/	You make random arenas fun by not sweating the losses. You know people are going to drop the ball and suck so why let yourself get worked up by it?

Jul 01, 2009, 11:46 PM // 23:46	#7
BadgerzFTW Academy Page Join Date: Mar 2008	You just have to be good enough yourself, and then hope to hell your teammates are decent. Yes, it's depressing.

Jul 01, 2009, 11:59 PM // 23:59	#8
Evil Eye Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Dec 2007 Profession: P/Me	run p block against all the mb eles

Jul 02, 2009, 12:10 AM // 00:10	#9
Cammy Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: WA Guild: zulu Profession: Mo/	Stop noob syncers!

Jul 02, 2009, 12:11 AM // 00:11	#10
Syntheticfibers Academy Page Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: California Guild: All That Does Remain Profession: R/	Ok this is what you do. You load up on a pvp w/mo with a controversial name that everyone will be pissed about, and then you run stance tank (dolyak sig, block stances, riposte, defy pain, healing breeze, stuff like that) and as soon as the battle starts, start flaming in caps. A 55 works as well. It's loads of fun.

Jul 02, 2009, 12:29 AM // 00:29	#12
refer Jungle Guide Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: US	How do I make RA fun not frustrating? (no troll) By not playing.

Jul 02, 2009, 12:35 AM // 00:35	#13
T RAND Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: May 2005 Guild: The Axe Gang Profession: E/	I'll second that. If you're unwilling to synch cheat, then you're hitting your head against the synch cheat wall. Stay out of RA. If a net doesn't care about it, then why should anyone else?

Jul 02, 2009, 12:52 AM // 00:52	#14
Thamior Shamus Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: May 2009 Guild: Pshyco Ninjas [oGod] Profession: R/	Become decent at a GvG build like Lux said. A good BA ranger can go far.... some of the time. Always remember it's called Random Arenas for a reason. If you feel you did your best, don't worry about. If you feel you made mistakes, learn from those so you don't have a repeat.

Jul 02, 2009, 01:11 AM // 01:11	#16
Robbeh The Mad Academy Page Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: AFK somewhere in Kryta Guild: Raven Alliance Profession: W/	I find the very concept of being “good” at RA hilarious, based on the fact that it is totally random and there is zero strategy involved. It’s just four players banging and spelling away at each other and the ones with the flavor of the moment build wins. Screw GUILD WARS this is BUILD WARS!

Jul 02, 2009, 03:25 AM // 03:25	#20
Twin Blade Warriror Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2006 Guild: I was in a guild by myself with 2 of my other accounts..but im banned now Profession: W/	uhmm wat exactly r u running? and if ur getting mad.. u must be in american dis? lol.. thats ur problem then