PvP Please help me understand this PvP encounter

[Deleted member 182079]

Returned to Founders World earlier from a mission in my cargo Python. Noticed this guy in a FdL sitting in the shipping lane 150ls in, not moving much, facing the station's direction - status was Novice (albeit Wanted), but the ship looked like your typical gankboat (4x plasma's, 1 railgun, prismatics, interdictor, shield boosters).

I decided to ignore him and passed him - lo and behold got interdicted shortly after. I managed to escape pretty easily, parked at Jameson's, and decided to test his skills (and mine! still a PvP noob) in my Corvette.

Turns out he was anything but a novice - the ship was engineered to the hilt (causing me 10% hull damage despite shields not dropping, and after I used my SCB he targetted that). Clearly he knows what he's doing, and I guess I fell for it.

Also learned some valuable lessons, primarily don't bring your PvE Vette to fight another player, as I made it a lot easier for him being such a big and slow moving target. Eventually I decided to bail as his shields were impenetrable, his ship outmaneuvered mine, the cops that are supposed to help me were useless and he kept shooting down my SLF's, while evading my gimballed weapons (as I said, it was a PvE loadout). Not much fun really so I left with 90% hull and 20% shields (he tried to interdict me again but I escaped easily) before things would become expensive.

Now what I don't get is... how can someone with Novice status run a ship like that, in Founders World?

Second account? Original E: D backer given he had access to Founders World? Don't think it's possible to stay on Novice rank even if you focus on Elite trade or exploring? I'm a bit perplexed as the only other option I can think of would be that he cheated, but I'm hoping there's a legitimate explanation for this that I can't think of. Would've asked him directly but he didn't show up again after I hi-waked and returned.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Odd. He must be a backer with a new account, or elite in trade or exploration, but has somehow become a PvP pro. Lol

Either way, don't assume someone's skill is represented by their rank.

 

[Iron Body]

I got to Elite exploration on my second pS4 account whilst still mostly harmless. Easy.

 

[Bigmaec]

Lots of PvPers don't raise their combat rank, because it's a mindless grind for no real gain (for them) and Elite trader is enough for both PvP sustaining money and entrance to Jameson

 

[Deleted member 182079]

Yep that's another lesson learned (although I was already aware of those who wipe their account etc.).

Thing is, if he's become Elite in Trade or Exploration, wouldn't that affect his overall rank accordingly?

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Second account is possible. Account reset is also possible. A kind letter to support asking for a rank reset is also possible. Needless to say it is quite well within the realm of possible. It’s also not that hard to earn credits and buy non-rank-locked ships, gain access to Engineers and even engage in Power Play and never deploy hardpoints.
Even rank-locked ships can be obtained by making rank from non-combat missions.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

I got to Elite exploration on my second pS4 account whilst still mostly harmless. Easy.

Ah I see. For some reason I thought the ranks from Explotrade feeded a lot more into the overall rank.

 

[MottiKhan]

I asked FD to reset my combat rank to Harmless a while back. They did. It could be what your opponent did as well.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

Lots of PvPers don't raise their combat rank, because it's a mindless grind for no real gain (for them) and Elite trader is enough for both PvP sustaining money and entrance to Jameson

Interesting - do PvP kills not alter your combat rank?

I asked FD to reset my combat rank to Harmless a while back. They did. It could be what your opponent did as well.

Out of interest, why did you ask for that?

 

[Deleted member 182079]

Interesting - do PvP kills not alter your combat rank?



Out of interest, why did you ask for that?

I suppose progression would be a lot slower if he didn't grind NPC's and only the occasional eejit like myself fall for it...

 

[777Driver]

Interesting - do PvP kills not alter your combat rank?

Only NPC kills alter rank. Sounds like the Cmdr had his Combat rank reset.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

At a guess:
- alt (or recently reset?) account with access to Founders through the easily maximised Trade or Exploration Rank (which would give plenty of money for an FDL)
- either wants to get their combat rank entirely from player kills, or is using the account entirely for PvP so isn't wasting time on NPCs any more than necessary
- is hanging around Founders for the player traffic

The only engineers directly requiring combat rank are Lori Jameson (who doesn't offer much of use) and Petra Olmanova (who doesn't offer anything unique and is in Colonia anyway). A few of the others would be challenging to unlock with only player kills, but not impossible ... other than Tod McQuinn, none of them provide anything that useful.

 

[MottiKhan]

Interesting - do PvP kills not alter your combat rank?

Yes, but it's very slow. The opponent was a Novice, which would be hundreds of PvP kills.

Out of interest, why did you ask for that?

It was to lure seal clubbers. They like to attack low ranked pilots. I got very few takers though. Less than a dozen kills and some were repeats.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

Only NPC kills alter rank. Sounds like the Cmdr had his Combat rank reset.

Oooo. Interesting. Thanks.

I'm slightly surprised that Frontier agree to reset CMDRs' combat ranking though, as it's just a wee bit deceptive. Are there any valid reasons, like mat-spawning likelihoods?

 

[Stealthie]

Odd. He must be a backer with a new account, or elite in trade or exploration, but has somehow become a PvP pro. Lol

Either way, don't assume someone's skill is represented by their rank.

It's not even really "Odd" any more.

Start an alt-account, farm a few well-known resources and you can easily gain trade Elite (Cr1bn required, IIRC) in a few days then spend a few more days unlocking engineers and you're set.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

I'm slightly surprised that Frontier agree to reset CMDRs' combat ranking though, as it's just a wee bit deceptive. Are there any valid reasons, like mat-spawning likelihoods?

The major legitimate reason is from when the AI went from "spins in space" to "aims and fires" between 2.0 and 2.1 - at that point a bunch of people who'd got their combat rank up the really easy way asked for it to be reset so that they weren't being chased by Deadly/Elite NPCs continuously.

 

[Morbad]

As noted, combat rank doesn't have much of anything to do with piloting ability.

Some PvPers do so little PvE content that they never advance in ranks very far and some experienced players have second or third accounts.

Also, Frontier has been allowing combat rank resets for a while, and many veteran PvPers take advantage of this specifically to lull novice players in to a sense of complacency.

The major legitimate reason is from when the AI went from "spins in space" to "aims and fires" between 2.0 and 2.1 - at that point a bunch of people who'd got their combat rank up the really easy way asked for it to be reset so that they weren't being chased by Deadly/Elite NPCs continuously.

Not wanting to face the consequences of rank gained by abusing the ineptitude of NPCs is not what I'd call a legitimate reason.

It's at least as silly as people resetting their rank to catch the ignorant and inexperienced off-guard.

Frontier doesn't seem to be too picky about handing out those resets, and no one with any sense pays them any attention, nor are NPCs of any rank a real threat, so I guess it's not worth complaining about, however.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

Thanks for the clarifications everyone.

Looks like my assumption that Exploration and Trade (and PvP kills) affected overall rank more than it does in reality was what caused my confusion.

 

[Hairy Polo]

OP, try to think of the rank of a pilot as only a measure of how many NPC's they've killed. I've seen master rank pilots that are great PvP pilots and I've seen elite pilots with clearly no PvP experience. The really weard thing to see is a Cutter being piloted by a harmless Cmdr!

 

[Deleted member 182079]

OP, try to think of the rank of a pilot as only a measure of how many NPC's they've killed. I've seen master rank pilots that are great PvP pilots and I've seen elite pilots with clearly no PvP experience. The really weard thing to see is a Cutter being piloted by a harmless Cmdr!

I'm Dangerous combat rank and have so far killed zero CMDR's Fully aware of the fact that rank doesn't equal ability, really was just wondering how the game allows one to keep their rank down when a player clearly has a fair bit of experience already - answered already by the various posts above.

PvP isn't really something I want to actively get into as I find the whole arms race a bit too grindy and over-specialised as min-max ships are essential to be competitive. Still prefer to play in Open though as the thrill of actual danger is something I do miss in Solo. While there are some really difficult encounters, you really only face them if you want to (say by picking a wing assassination mission, or aggro'ing pirates with gold in cargo in a HazRes etc.).