Get ready to test out the PvP Arena before the full launch next week!
PvP Arena: Soft Launch
The PvP Arena is coming next week! Before we throw open the gates, however, we want to ensure that all the systems we’ve put in place are working as they should, so we’re kicking things off with a soft launch.
Participants will be able to earn Rank and Reward Points, but please note that these will be wiped at the end of the soft launch period, one week from now, to ensure that everyone gets a fair start when the Arena opens for real. For now, let’s take a look at exactly what you can access with today’s update.
Setting Up
You’ll be able to find opponents and set up matches in the same place you did in the Duel Arena. You’ll also notice a couple of new NPCs who will help you navigate all your new options. The 1v1 Tournament Guide will, of course, tell you all you need to know about the 1v1 Tournaments. If you fancy a one-off fight, however, then you’ll want a word with the Duel Guide.
Grouping
To sign up for a fight, you’ll need to check out the notice boards. Here, you can find a match or host your own tournaments – and if you’re on a dedicated PvP Arena World and know the name of one of the combatants, you can watch their fight from here, too.
The Emir desires that combatants face opponents of equal strength in a fair, controlled environment. When you sign up for a fight, you’ll be matched with players of a similar skill level using an alternative save game.
This system lets you get on with whatever other activities on any world you like while your match is being prepared, so don't worry about waiting around! Once the match is ready, you’ll receive a notification that it’s time to fight! You’ll be prompted to swap to the alternative save game world, giving you enough time to get to a safe place before you hop worlds and start the battle.
Because fights take place on an alternative save game world, your standard game profile is left behind along with all your levels and items.
Beside the Chat, Clan Chat, and Group Iron side-panels, you’ll spot the Grouping side-panel. We originally created this in 2014 to help players find groups for minigames, but it now includes an extra PvP Arena button. Click this, and you’ll open a new panel for… the PvP Arena! Who would have guessed?
Clicking the PvP Arena button will open the PvP Arena's side-panel, replacing the Grouping side-panel. The ‘Find’ button invites the player to look for a PvP Arena group.
From here you can register for either a 1v1 Tournament or 1v1 Battle where the game decides who you fight against. Alternatively, you can join a manually created 1v1 Tournament.
To succeed in the Arena, you'll need to adapt your playstyle and master multiple builds based on what the audience craves the most. The crowds aren't easy to please, however, as their tastes change on a weekly basis.
Each week you'll be required to use one of the following builds:
| Build | Attack | Strength | Defence | Hitpoints | Ranged | Magic | Prayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max/Med | 75 | 99 | 70 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 77 |
| Zerker | 60 | 99 | 45 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 55 |
| 1 Def Pure | 60 | 99 | 1 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 52 |
The Equipment tab will appear when you attempt to join a PvP Arena match, and is used to select which items you intend to fight with. Currently, there are around 400 items to choose from. You can only use equipment you have the stats for, so pay close attention to which build is currently in rotation!
You’ll also be able to use the following bits of equipment, which are only available in the Arena:
- Maoma’s Headgear
- Koriff’s Headgear
- Saika’s Headgear
- Calamity Armour
- Superior Calamity Armour
- Elite Calamity Armour
- Fighter’s Wristwraps
When the fight is complete, you’ll be returned to where you left off on your usual save. If you managed to defeat your opponent, you’ll also be rewarded with Rank and Reward Points.
- Rank points are used to determine your Rank. When finding a fight, the PvP Arena system will try to match you with another player of a similar Rank. The more points you have, the higher your Rank is!
- Reward points are used to purchase unique items from the PvP Arena Reward store.
If you lose your match, you’ll also lose some Rank Points. The Rank system works just like it does in the Burthorpe Games Room, where your loss/gain depends on your opponent’s Rank. Beating a higher-ranked player will reward you with more points.
You’ll also get more points for consecutive wins. The idea here is that skilled players will be able to gain high Rank quickly, so they can start fighting opponents their own size sooner.
Please note that you will not receive Rank or Reward Points when participating in manually organised events.
Think you’re ready to go? Well, let’s take a look at your options!
1v1 Tournaments
Until now, Tournaments have been exclusive to the Deadman finales, so relatively few players ever get to experience them. With the introduction of the PvP Arena, we’re making Tournament-style play available to everyone!
Tournaments offer a way for players to participate in a series of 1v1 fights in succession - if you're good enough to make it to the next round, that is! You can let the game form a tournament group for you, selected from the pool of available participants, or have a go at organising one of your own!
To enter a Tournament, simply register your interest via the PvP Arena side-panel. Once enough players have signed up, the game will proceed to create a 1v1 Tournament for successful applicants.
Each Tournament consists of anywhere from 4 to 64 players. Each round is split, until there are only two participants left. Here's how this might look for a Tournament of 16 players:
- 16 players are divided into eight 1v1 battles.
- The eight winners from the first round then fight in four 1v1 battles.
- The four winners from the second round then fight in two 1v1 battles.
- The final two winners then fight each other for the victory.
You’ll receive Rank and Reward Points based on how you place – so give it your all!
Fancy creating your own Tournament? Well, you can! Please bear in mind though that participants in manually-created tournaments will not receive rewards – it’s just for fun!
Ranked 1v1 Duels
Hungry for battle but don't want to commit to a full Tournament? You’re after Ranked 1v1 Duels! These are one-off battles where the game will automatically pit you against an opponent of similar rank.
Just like tournaments, the winner of a 1v1 Battle will receive Rank and Reward Points.
Unranked 1v1 Duels
In Unranked 1v1 duels you’ll choose the opponent you want to fight, mano a mano. You won’t get rewards, but this kind of fight is great for trying out new Combat style combinations, or just getting in some practice ahead of a big Tournament! You can also have unranked duels in non-PvP Arena worlds using your own gear by clicking your opponent's Challenge option while you're both standing in the Arena areas.
Rewards
The Reward Shop will be open for the duration of the soft launch period, but please note that you will be unable to purchase anything from it until the real launch. Remember, also, that any Reward Points you accrue will be lost when the soft launch period ends.
That’s all for this week! Like we said, the purpose of the soft launch is to make sure that everything’s running smoothly – so we need you to hop in game and put the PvP Arena through its paces! We’d also love to hear your thoughts on grouping, the available load-outs, or the battles themselves, so feel free to share your feedback through the usual channels.
Other Changes
- Some basic trees near the Bank chest in the Woodcutting Guild have been removed, as their ops could be inconvenient.
- Clan notifications are no longer sent when a player ticks off Shayzien Armour pieces on their Collection Log, as there are an awful lot of those pieces, and it could get spammy.
- You must now confirm your purchase if you try to buy over 10 Pet Reclaim tokens at once from Probita. Just in case someone accidentally tries to buy the maximum amount...
- The Steel Key Ring now warns players if they try to drop it while it still has keys on.
- There is now a Bank deposit box in the Grand Exchange.
- A food shop icon has been removed from a Hosidius stall that does not, in fact, sell food.
- There is now a right-click Take-all option on the Seed Packs.
- The Clues relating to Sedridor and Traiborn have been updated to reflect their full names.
PvP World Rota
The PvP rota has moved to Period A:
- 539 - (US) - PvP World
- 548 - (Germany) - High-Risk PvP World
- 577 - (US) - Free-to-Play PvP World
- 559 - (UK) - LMS Competitive
World 390 (AUS) for LMS Competitive has been de-activated with this rota.
Discuss this update on our official forums, on the 2007Scape subreddit, the Steam forums, or the community-led OSRS Discord in the #gameupdate channel. For more info on the above content, check out the official Old School Wiki.
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