So you want the glory and excitement of killing other players?  No other
form of gameplay offers more challenge than taking on non-AI avatars in any game
and DC
Universe Online
gives players several way to find this PvP rush.  Find
out how you can get your player killer taste of blood and brush up on the basics
of DCUO PvP in this PvP Primer.

Option #1 - PvP Server

We've got good guys and we've got bad guys.  This is the perfect mix for
faction on faction PvP!  DCUO will launch with open world PvP servers and
when we say open world, we really mean open world.  There are no areas in
the overland world in which villains and heroes cannot mix. Something that
may not really matter on the PvE servers but something that matters a whole lot on
the PvP server.  Your only real safety is within the safehouses, instances,
and protected rally points.

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Looking for more challenge? PvP is where you can find
it.

While the world is basically a free-for-all of bloodshed, there are some
tricks that new players can utilize to stay slightly safer while you level. 
First, don't stray too far from home.  The new player areas keep good and
evil players somewhat separate and while there will always be PvPers who go out
searching for trouble, most players just want to level up a bit and get some
skills under their belt prior to taking on other players.  Second, steer
clear of the other faction's safe areas: police stations for the good guys,
night clubs for the bad guys.  Obviously you are more prone to getting your
butt kicked if you're standing around checking out an investigation icon outside
a police station if you're a bad guy.  Third, watch the mini-map! 
Green diamond-shaped icons are other players of the same faction whereas red
diamond-shaped icons are players of the opposing faction.  Use these
indicators to either avoid or hunt other players while you play.

Top tip:  Besides leveling quickly to avoid being the target of high
level gankers, use your /shout chat to get help if you're struggling with other
players getting all up in your kool-aid.  Ganking lowbies happens in pretty
much every PvP game, you just have to make friends and get crafty to avoid it.

Option #2 - Arenas

For most players, a little PvP is far more appealing than dealing with open
world PvP.  Thankfully, you can opt to play on a PvE server and get your
bloodlust fix by checking out the arenas.  Once players hit level nine,
they have mini-games available that allow them to team up with other players to
take on the opposing faction.  You'll notice that missions for arenas will
drop into your journal at certain levels but you can also queue up for an arena
match by hitting your "Y" key.  Play games such as king of the hill (four
versus four), capture the flag (five versus five), or perhaps capture and hold
(eight versus eight) games.  These scenarios challenge, not only your
player killing skill, but also your teamwork.

Practice makes perfect!  Try out all the games to find your favorite map
and queue up for the ones that you just love or queue up for the first available
to get in on the action faster.  You are well rewarded for your troubles;
earn various tokens to buy super sweet items including PvP specific armor that
will end up giving you a mad edge in arena battle.

Top tip: If you plan on being a arena PvP contender, get in on arenas as soon
as you hit level nine.  Skill helps, but having a full set of PvP gear
helps even more!  There are stats on PvP gear that you just cannot get on
PvE gear and it can make all the difference when you face off against other
players.

Option #3 - Legends Matches

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Choose your legend for each match.

DCUO PvP is good, but combine that with the game's unique ability to play as
legendary characters from DC Comics, and you have a winning combination that
every player should check out.  Unlock the Batman, The Joker, Harley Quinn,
Nightwing, Robin, Bane, Huntress, or Arkham Asylum Joker and play as these
iconic characters.  Once you've picked your skin, you can queue up for
mini-games that take you into some very cool venues such as the Batcave and
Arkham Asylum that pit two or more players against each other.  Just like
in the arena matches, you can earn tokens that allow you to buy some of the best
items in game to become even stronger as your chosen hero or villain.

Unlocking the legends is more of a trick.  You will get some in game as
rewards to get you started and then it is a matter of earning your legends or
buying them.  It does seem that it is possible to collect all of the
legends that currently show available and I suspect that more will be incoming
after launch through more methods such as purchase rewards and possibly
available through the marketplace.

Top tip: All legends are NOT created equal.  You may enjoy playing
Batman for aesthetic purposes, but you may find that you click better
technically as another legend.  Gather as many of these bad boys (and
girls) that you can and try them all!  Word on the street is that some are
clearly more powerful than others (something that will likely be constantly
changing), so you'll want to know who can do what.

Now that you know the PvP basics, be sure to jump in game on launch day,
January 11th 2011, to make good use of this info by unleashing your mad skills
on unassuming players.  Remember, even if you can't win, you can still have
fun trying.

 Do you have tips and tricks for PvP gameplay in DCUO?  Be sure to
stop by our forums to share your expertise with our readers!


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

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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