Details about the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online have emerged regarding the Imperial City, the upcoming PvP dungeon in Cyrodiil. The PvP dungeon will primarily be used for PvE purposes. Nevertheless, its influence on Cyrodiil is expected to be immense.
Last week, we already discussed the changes that the Imperial City, the new PvP dungeon, will bring to Cyrodiil. In a podcast on Twitch, Nick Konkle answered numerous questions and clarified the details.
Access to the Imperial City granted only to one faction
Although there will be three separate entrances through the sewers to the Imperial City and a large intersection in the middle, access will always be granted to only one faction. The faction that controls most of the 18 strongholds in Cyrodiil will gain access. This faction can invade the Imperial City and push back the currently dominant opposing faction to focus on plundering, raiding, questing, crafting, and other PvE activities.
In our last article, the question of access remained open because the layout of the sewers with the crossroads had suggested that multiple parties could simultaneously gain access rights to the Imperial City. However, this is not possible.
The process is reminiscent – as confirmed by Zenimax – of the Dark Age of Camelot PvP dungeon Darkness Falls. Brian Wheeler, the PvP lead at Zenimax, hopes that the introduction of the Imperial City will lead to greater power fluctuations and dynamics.
An example of a day in Cyrodiil when the Imperial City is present
If everything goes ideally, each of the three factions has something to do. Let’s assume a scenario where faction 1 has held the Imperial City for a while. Faction 2 has now captured the crucial stronghold, while faction 3 has been disadvantaged in Cyrodiil, suffering only dents in their armor.
- Faction 1 is currently in the Imperial City doing PvE with increased rewards. Most players want to do PvE peacefully and hope that others will hold off the new intruders from faction 2. Then it happens: Faction 2 attacks. Faction 1 either gets massacred one by one or puts up a fight. In the long run, it will be a lost battle as more and more players from faction 2 gain access to the Imperial City, while faction 1 can only decrease in numbers.
- Faction 2 has just captured the decisive last stronghold in PvP and is now pouring into the Imperial City. There, they will first encounter players from faction 1, whom they want to get rid of quickly to quest in peace. The question is: Will there be players who stay behind in Cyrodiil to hold the line and buy time for their fellow players in the Imperial City? Otherwise, the strongholds and thus access to the Imperial City could be lost quickly.
- Faction 3, which has no players in the Imperial City, should now be in the majority in Cyrodiil and needs to capture more strongholds to gain access to the Imperial City. Unless faction 1 loses access so quickly that they are already back in Cyrodiil to reclaim it. Or faction 2 has left enough defenders behind. If faction 3 successfully captures the majority of the castles or faction 1 makes a comeback, each faction will shift positions and the cycle will start anew.
By the way, players can log out in the Imperial City and log back in later, even if their faction no longer holds the Imperial City. When the new PvP dungeon will be released is still unknown at this time.
Mein MMO states: Today, without the Imperial City, the power dynamics in Cyrodiil are relatively static. Factions only thin out when they own more and more strongholds, thus needing to defend more land. In contrast, PvP with the Imperial City will be significantly more dynamic. Factions will shrink within minutes from being an “overwhelming force” to “scattered remnants while the rest greedily loots the Imperial City.”
The key will be that the PvE activities in the Imperial City are so lucrative that these mechanisms take effect.
