How to Vent After PvP Without Hurting Yourself or Others
Now, if you’ve ever done pvp before I’m sure that you can understand that it can be extremely frustrating sometimes. Be it a string of losses in succession, never being able to go first, or the pet that you’ve lovingly and painstakingly built decides not to heal…at all…we’ve all been there. And while for some people, this is not a big deal in the least- they just shrug it off and go on their way -for others this frustration can manifest itself as red-faced, righteous fury fueled by the power of a thousand suns. (If you’re one of those people, don’t feel ashamed. You can harness the power of a thousand suns! How cool is that!) Now, the main problem with that- or of course if you simply get angry, not necessarily start tapping into suns -is that it can make you get pretty mean or worse, get you into trouble in-game. So, today, I’m gonna share some tricks for how to effectively vent all that frustration without hurting yourself or anyone else.
Technique #1: Breathing Exercises
Now, this is actually something that I’m going to focus more heavily on later, but breathing actually runs through everything we’re going to talk about here and despite my humorous tone (and the fact that this article is semi-satirical) is a legitimate calming technique. The exercise I utilize most often goes like this:
Breathe in through your nose and count to ten [slowly – ie. 1 one thousand, 2 one thousand] and fill your lungs. The goal is to have your lungs completely full by the time you reach 10. Not before and not after. Hold for second or two, then release your breath through your mouth, again to a count of 10. Again, your goal should be to have all of your breath out of your lungs by the time you reach ten. Again, not before and not after.
Technique #2: Try to make friends
This can be impossible at times, especially against an opponent who you feel has played cheaply or wronged you in some way. However, when your frustration comes from another source, say a losing streak, you can try and make friends with your opponent. Saying something funny or complimentary can usually get that conversation started. You never know! This could always lead to a killer 2v2 team!
I learned all these techniques from a goat monk friend of mine! (just kidding)
Technique #3: Remind yourself that this is just a game and your rating is only some numbers.
This can be a very effective technique, but also a difficult one after a certain point. For some, this technique comes naturally, for others it’s nearly impossible. If you’re finding it hard to keep calm and accomplish this, take a deep breath first: In through your nose and out through your mouth. Don’t feel bad if you find yourself getting angry though, it might just be a game but it’s not always fair and sometimes we wanna be frustrated.
Technique #4: Port Away
If you find yourself in a position where you think you’re going to completely lose your temper on someone, just port back to the arena as quickly as possible. Of course, you can accompany this action with a little deep breathing, or even just yelling at your computer, just try your best not to let out your frustration in-game.because that is a really excellent way to get banned…seriously though…
Julia demonstrating how to correctly port (oooh ahhh)
Technique #5: Just yell…at your computer
This one is most effective when there isn’t anyone else around. Let out all your frustrations. Just shout! But don’t type. If you do happen to have other people in your vicinity, having a pillow nearby to yell into is very helpful.
Technique #6: Resign yourself to your fate
Don’t get mad, get sad. In this technique, instead of getting angry about your loss, you start to get depressed. This usually comes after a little bit of anger and especially if you find that you’ve lost your previous rank. Now, you may be wondering, when is becoming sad a good thing? Because when you’re angry it’s more difficult to find a way to improve your mood- All you want to do is break things and yell at people. When you’re sad you can always improve your mood with some hot tea and cookies! I also find that I’m less inclined to rage at people in game when i’m sad/appeased by cookies as opposed to when i’m angry…
Technique #7: Become a pvp hipster
This technique is usually most effective for those who love pvp and refuse to let a seemingly eternal losing streak get them down. For this technique you must accept that you’re actually a part of an exclusive club- the “Private’s Club” -and buck the system. Can a warlord say they have a perfectly equal number of wins and losses? No, they can’t. We’re pvping no matter what- however and whenever we want. Show off your private pride proudly!
– contributed by Catherine Lionflower
Poor Cat’s 3rd age stats demonstrating her private pride – to be fair, she was a warlord in the first age, a commander in the second age, and gave up in Darkmoor in the third age and therefore does not have the gear necessary to advance beyond private…lol
Of course, you should always attempt at least a half-hearted “gg” after a match, however, when that’s simply not possible, I hope you think twice about raging at an opponent. Take a second and pick a tip. Your opponents are people too even if they’re only able to win through cheap methods and no one likes getting muted. Can you think of anything I might have missed here or have some tips that you utilize yourself? Please share!
