It’s been a tumultuous few weeks for me since I joined a Zerg Guild. But honestly, I’ve never had so much fun PvPing in my entire life.
For the uninitiated, let me explain what a Zerg is. Basically, it is a large coordinated group of people working together in a PvP environment usually following the instructions of a single leader (or in our case, usually two). Zerg compositions and the number of people involved may vary but the result is the same, total carnage in their wake. And let me tell you, it’s exhilarating!
There’s nothing like being part of a horde of people going up against another horde of people and annihilating them with precision tactics and coordination. Or capturing a Keep where you’re outnumbered. Or running a scroll while chasing down another scroll. Even riding with a large group of people to battle on horseback gives you that epic ‘Lord of the Rings’ feeling.
The only real downside of running with a Zerg, especially one that runs in peak time, is that it does get pretty laggy. It’s not something that bothers me too much (most of the time) since I have plenty of experience with laggy Open World PvP playing The Old Republic. So I’m used to playing in laggy conditions. The main difference is ESO can handle a lot more people in one spot fighting better then SWTOR will ever be able to. So it’s a bit more tolerable–not that there aren’t bad nights where you’re continually getting kicked out of the game or aren’t properly able to execute your abilities. But all in all, it’s still fun.
Turning Grass off, reducing Maximum Particle Systems and Particle Suppression Distance down really low and turning Shadows down to medium has definitely helped me. I still lag out here and there but it happens less and I’ve yet to run into a ‘texture line’ bug since reducing my graphics.
When it comes to the community perception of Zergs, it varies. Much like the perception of ‘premades’ in pretty much every MMO with PvP, you either love them or hate them.
So inevitably, rolling with a large group of people tends to attract a lot of opposition and saltiness (even from your own faction???). When it comes to our Zerg, we’re not bothered by it or the consequences for that matter. We don’t care about the spies. The other factions knowing what we’re doing ultimately means more opposition and the increased chance of challenging fights. So we say, bring it on!
Lately, Zergs are also being blamed for recent heightened game performance issues in Cyrodiil. I certainly disagree with that assertion. As we discussed recently in our Discord, we’re simply playing the game as advertised. It’s ZOS’s fault that Cyrodiil is laggy and having increased difficulty functioning with lots of players casting abilities in one spot.
The primary role I’ve played since joining the Guild is Heals. I’ve healed on both my Templar and Warden and I have to say, I definitely prefer my Warden. I find Magicka management not only easier on my Warden but I enjoy the playstyle and feel of her better than my Templar. I have also played my Support Stam Sorc (aka Rapids spammer) a couple of times.
Our Zerg is probably the largest one on Vivec NA. On a typical night, we run with 48 people easily. Our large numbers and the casual nature of the Guild allows us to be less strict on classes and roles than other Zergs. It certainly allowed me to try out different setups and abilities on both my Templar and Warden healers.
The thing I love the most about the Guild is that it has a drama free, friendly and chill environment that I crave from Guilds. That isn’t to say that there aren’t some basic rules, recommended builds and abilities classes and roles are expected to run. But the atmosphere is very relaxed and it’s a great place to learn about PvP and ask questions. Perfect for someone like me who is still learning the ropes of ESO PvP.
If you PvP Pact on PC NA in Vivec and are willing to hop onto Discord to listen to instructions, I can invite you to <Army of the Pact>. We accept anyone regardless of their PvP experience.
