Welcome,
fellow heroes, to Ten Ton Hammer’s introduction to
PvP action in Champions Online. Being a superhero game, Champions
Online can allow you to prove, once and for all, that your hero can
kick the ass of your friend’s character! Just like the age
old argument of who would win in a fight, Superman or Hulk, you too can
settle your grudges and claim bragging rights. (BTW, the correct answer
is Superman.)

The purpose of this article is
to show you how to get started throwing
down in PvP in Champions Online. Later articles will delve into the
higher tiers, different styles, and rewards. Please remember that any
suggestions given in this article are subject to possible changes in
the future due to patching, so no griping! My twin  .45s
don’t take kindly to smarminess.

Now, some people will wonder
why you should do some PvP when
they’re so many villains to fight. To those naysayers, my
twin .45s have a few arguments. First, it’s a heck of a lot
of fun to throw down against friends and strangers. It’s also
a refreshing change of pace from fighting computerized opponents. A
living, breathing opponent provides a more stimulating challenge.
Mostly, there’s just the fun of cracking heads for the sheer
joy of it! Who doesn’t love seeing some fool who thinks
he’s the best thing since Predator running from you in fear
as your lightning bolts pound him into the ground?

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Another great reason for
playing PvP is the challenge. Unlike other
MMOs, you don’t know what your opponent is capable of when
you start. You can’t just look at him and go, “Oh,
he’s a rogue, so I’d better back up and hit him
with some ranged attacks.” There’s no obvious
healer or ranged dps to concentrate on first. That pint-sized wimpy
dude might just be a damage dealing death machine with the ability to
tank thrown in. Forget your normal tried and true PvP tactics, my
friend. Champions Online throws those preconceptions out the window.
Lastly, there are rewards you can achieve through PvP. You can gain
access to costume pieces, perks, or vanity pets. Yes, there are
luchador (Mexican wrestling) costume pieces for you to grab!

Your first exposure to PvP
action will be the UTC Cage Match. UTC
stands for the Ultimate Tournament of Champions which represents
standard PvP play in Champions Online. After leaving the tutorial at
level 5, you can enter a queue for the Cage Match at any time by
clicking on the closed fist icon on the lower left of your mini-map on
the upper right of your screen. This will open the PvP menu. To join a
match, click on the Hero Games tab, select UTC Cage Match and then
click on join queue. No running to some capital city for some PvP
throwdown!

When a match is ready,
you’ll be notified and asked if you
wish to join. Doing so will send you to a locker room. From the
teleport pad in the corner, you’ll see right away if
you’re on the blue team or red team by the color of the
teleport pad and light. The goal of Cage Match is to be the first team
to score a total of 15 points by dropping your enemies.

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Once the match starts
you’ll want to make your way out to the
arena to fight the opposing team. There are three ways to get to the
arena from the locker room. The first is to use the teleport which will
take you directly into the arena. The second and third entrances are
two doors in the room adjacent to the locker room. If you walk straight
out of the locker room to the far door, that door will open onto a
smaller room that opens out into the arena. This is a good route to
take if the enemy is camping the other entrances as it allows you to
get a chance to scope out the action in the arena room beforehand. The
third option is to take the door at the far end of the adjacent room.
This door opens directly into the arena.

The arena itself is a large
room with a wire mesh cage taking up most
of the room in the center. There are several openings in the wire mesh
allowing you to go inside the cage and back out again. Remember! The
wire mesh does block line of sight, so if you’re getting hit
by somebody from a distance, you can just roll a few feet into the cage
and provide yourself some cover. Around the walls of the arena room are
various crates and barrels you can pick up and happily throw at your
opponents. If you get whacked, you’ll respawn back in the
locker room.

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Here’s some tips for
ya. First, use the wire mesh to provide
cover for you. You also need to keep in mind that with everybody having
a travel power, moving around can get extremely chaotic. The room
isn’t that high, but it is high enough for people to fly
around and try to hit you from a distance. If you’re pure
melee, you’ll need to pick something up and throw it at them!
If you’re really hurting somebody, keep on them -most of your
powers will continue to work as you move. Lastly, try to work with your
team. When you first start doing some PvP, expect to die a lot. Expect
to die a lot more if you don’t work as a team. An added perk
is that you can talk to your opponents during the match, so make sure
you have some good taunts ready to shatter their self-esteem!

Once a match is over,
you’ll be returned to where you were
when you entered the match. From there, just go ahead and join another
queue for some two-fisted PvP smackdown. Don't forget to check your
Acclaim in your character information window. You gain Acclaim based on
your ranking and whether you win or lose a match. After level 10,
you’ll gain access to other maps and some differing styles of
PvP action. Until then, make sure that you’re the one walking
out victoriously from the Cage Match! Make your foes quake in their
boots crying out that you’re their daddy!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Champions Online Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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