Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference for the win.

Like Brave Sir Robin, I plan to run away from PvP content whenever I can. I despise PvP and never engage in it. Since Cyrodill will occupy 3 x the landmass of the other areas combined (I think I read that)... it seems likely that at some point I will have to / want to venture there.

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that there would be non-PvP things to do in Cyrodill to promote one's faction and if nothing else, I love to explore and that's a lot of land mass to leave UN-explored.

I guess my question / comment is two-fold.

First, is it even POSSIBLE to avoid PvP ~in the PvP areas~ if you wish to avoid it? CAN you 'bravely run away' or will it be practically impossible with knockdowns, snares, roots and other tactics that a PvP'er could use to FORCE me to engage in PvP?

Perhaps it would be possible to SNEAK through the PvP areas and avoid PvP that way (until you're spotted anyway)... but what if you're engaging in a rich story-driven PvE battle and someone decides they want to PvP with you? What options ARE there to avoid it?

Secondly, if I cannot avoid PvP combat, I don't plan to fight back at all. If worn armor / gear takes damage on death, then I'll be running buck nekkid through Cyrodill. While many PvP players want an engaging and "good" fight and would be disappointed to face a foe who clearly did not want to and WOULD NOT fight back, there are also many PvP folk who would "roflstomp" such a pacifist and proceed to perform whatever crude, insulting animations are available to them.

Some people will doubtless look down on me with disdain --- why are you even IN a PvP area if you don't want to PvP? Answer, of course, is that there is more to do THAN PvP in that area. At least I hope that's the case. I might even be good at PvP, I don't know... I just know I will not engage in it.

I suppose I could roleplay as a Priestess of Mara or some such, as a roleplaying explanation for my decision not to PvP... I help my faction through PvE missions where I can, I explore and harvest crafting materials, but I do NOT engage in combat with the other factions.

It gets a bit iffy when I will clearly beat the snot out of raiders, bandits and other NPCs and yet won't attack someone of an opposing faction ---- in the game reality, there's no distinction between an NPC and a PC so it would be weird that I would attack one and not the other...

Anyway, CAN be PvP be avoided and if I WISH to avoid PvP ~in~ the PvP designated areas, what kind of reaction could I expect to have to tolerate?

TL:DR ALL

I think you will manage, dont take the main road, cover your tracks, check your 6, and have stamina potions and you might make it across.

About the snares and CCs, I hope you will be able to get away with dispels etc, there will be balance hopefully.

Every class will have a CC breaker which removes all current stuns, snares etc and makes you immune for 8 seconds.

Thats great, that reminds me of a similar skill that was in Aion but nvm...

You could always travel with a few people be it faction members and while you explore they do the pvp an watch your back.

You shall join me in the zero lifetime alliance points club!

You might, but you'll definitely get harassed by enemies at some times. So I would expect to get killed by opposing players every now and then. Many will go into this area with a kill-on-sight mentality. There will, however, be indicators on the map, where battles are occuring. So steering clear of those parts is definitely a no-brainer if you want to minimize your risk of getting attacked.

As to how you can get away will depend on your skills (getting stun/snarebreakers and sprint abilities is advisable) and the attackers perseverance and also on the size of the opponents forces. If you saunter into a enemy army, there will likely be no chance of getting away. It might also help to stay near towns, villages or keeps where friendly NPCs are stationed. Lonely gankers might be turned off by this and you can safe your hide easier by running into such places.

I won't. I plan on approaching this game as a Single Player, and avoid the P2P as much as possible. I am not an MMORPG player (I hate hate hate the Level Grind). So, I never developed the need or desire to bang on another player's shield. If I go into Cyrodill and can't avoid the P2P, then I will either leave Cyrodill, or start a new character and stay in the PVE areas. I personally view combat as impediment to the real reason for playing the TES, exploration and uncovering the stories.

I honestly expected a more visceral reaction to my post; nicely surprised by the polite, helpful comments thus far.

I definitely will be avoiding ~intentionally~ placing myself in PvP-danger but there are going to be times when it cannot be avoided. In those cases, it's good to know there is a CC breaker and I will definitely look into various 'escape' means whether speed boosts or momentary stuns (which is SORT of PvP'ing but not really attacking a player with the intent to damage, just to slow so I can get away).

While I don't really - care - that people think less of me for refusing to PvP, I would RATHER people accept my choice and honor it. It would be amazing if I could actually roleplay as a priestess of Mara and explain that I was not interested in fighting, and have the would-be-PVP'er roleplay a grudging acceptance of my choice and peacefully walk away. Not that I expect that to happen... but if I cannot get away, assuming I live long enough, I'll attempt to roleplay my way out of the conflict. Roleplay and PvP aren't ~often~ used in the same sentence, but it never hurts to try.

you can hire myself and several members of my guild to help escort you to certain areas of cryodiil. we specialize in this sort of protection (for a fee ofcourse) we can allways help you and recruit you for our guild house and as a protected member youll recive good benefits

we love stealth and pvp so we will be helping you the whole path and be protecting you

Good to see such offers exist, but I am more of a loner and I can't imagine anyone would enjoy "tagging along" while I roam aimlessly over the hills looking for plants if there were no PvP danger around... seems like that would be boring 'guard duty'... and if the guards WERE busy, looks like I might risk getting caught in the fray myself. Seems hard to reconcile both playstyles at the same time.

Let us equate this with DAOC. There was more than enough content in each of the alliance controlled lands to get to Max Level. The only reason you 'needed' to get out to the wilds was for crafting vendors (Yes, the highest level crafting supplies were only available in open PVP zones, something I did not care for, but had to endure). I totally understand you'd like to explore all the land, and be a completionist, but, if it's like DAOC, you will need to venture where EVERYTHING IS KOS. So, level appropiately, and defend yourself against AI and players. I, myself wish for more co-op than PVP, but, you cannot perfectly cater to everyone in an MMO.

He was not in the least bit scared
To be mashed into a pulp.
Or to have his eyes gouged out,
And his elbows broken.
To have his kneecaps split
And his body burned away,
And his limbs all hacked and mangled
Brave Sir Robin.
His head smashed in
And his heart cut out
And his liver removed
And his bowls unplugged
And his nostrils [censored]
And his bottom burnt off
And his pen--


Brave brave brave brave Sir Robin!

If you choose to do this you will miss out on alot of character progression that is available to you after max level. The alliance ranks and the 3 AVA skill lines: Fighter, Siegemaster, and Warlord. This system is already being compared to Darkage of Camelot's realm rank system which let you keep building and improving your character for years. this progression also made you better at PVE which might be the same in ESO.

Long ago when i played Everquest I had the same feeling that you did towards not wanting anything to do with PVP. But that all changed when I played DAOC. In the PVP area there (which is suppose to be almost the exact same setup as ESO's Cyrodiil) you felt like you had purpose there, to protect your lands for your alliance. It wasnt just fighting other players, it was doing stuff like using my crafter skills to upgrade the keep door my guild owned or even just crafting in the keep as a lookout so i could warn my alliance if an enemy attack came. It was the unknown factor of what was out there or coming that made it fun. I would atleast give Cyrodiil a chance you might really like the feeling that area brings even if you dont like PVP

Yes of course you can try to hide. You can try to run away. But you WILL be killed if you enter Cyrodiil, and that's the way it should be. I don't see why it's difficult to understand that it wouldn't feel much like a war if you could just easily avoid battle IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WARZONE.

There's supposedly 600 hours of content outside of Cyrodiil. The idea that someone would complain about getting attacked within Cyrodiil boggles my mind. You don't want to participate in the war, then stay away. If you get near the war, you will be hunted down. Surely people who claim to love roleplaying can understand why that's so important to the feel of the game.