Norrathian Notebook: Ten must-see PvP arenas in Landmark

As soon as Landmark's PvP combat launch date was announced at SOE Live, a number of players dived in and started building arenas in anticipation. Not even hours after the update went live, there were fully functioning battle claims ready to welcome players to their death. Over the holiday weekend, that number exploded. In fact, there are now 10 (and growing) pages of PvP-labeled claims in the gallery to sort through with 50 claims per page. With so many choices already, how do you know where to go to check things out? Folks don't always have the time to mosey through all the choices themselves. That's where Norrathian Notebook comes in!

From the first PvP claim I poked my head into (live, no less!), I planned to visit as many as possible and build a guide to highlight these creations. So I've compiled a list of 10 -- of the many -- Landmark arenas that I personally think are worth a visit. Please note, this list is by no means all-inclusive, and narrowing down the field was no easy task! There are plenty more out there and more coming all the time, so be sure to explore any that catches your eye and send your finds to us!

The good news is that getting to the PvP action is super easy once you know where you are going. Open the showcase, either the using shopping cart icon on your UI or pressing B, and go to the gallery tab. Once there, you can search by tag (PvP) and then add the extra parameters like claim name or builder. Click on the claim and it gives you the option to port directly there! Using this portal method does not use a portal shard, so you can hop around and have a PvP binge at no cost... well, except maybe to your pride. It also makes it easy to rally friends and guildmates to come to the arena and join a match!

Additionally, soon the gallery will also show which PvP claims have active games going on right then. Players can also /join PvP or /join FNC for a world-wide PvP channels to find active matches.

Without further ado, here are 10 places you should check out soon, in no particular order:

1. Thunderdome!

• Where: Confidence, Pit

• Owner: Temna

• Game: Team Deathmatch (8-man teams)

If you are looking for a large battleground, Thunderdome has you covered. The arena spans six claims, three wide and two high. And trust me, it uses all the space. (Some of that space coincidentally is filled with spikes! Too bad they don't impale you.) The claim makes use of movers and many different levels to keep action bouncing around. Thunderdome! is especially good because it has become popular enough that there is a decent chance you can find a game in progress or ready to start during prime time hours.

2. ShyShadow's Sci-Tech PvP Arena

• Where: Confidence, Hilltop

• Owner: ShyShadow

• Game: Deathmatch (free-for-all)

A bit smaller in scale, this arena is just four claims in size. Where the previous mention is extremely busy with many different styles, this build has very clean lines and exudes a simple elegance. The arena is raised above the ground a ways and is open, so players have beautifully unobstructed views -- if they have a chance to enjoy them before death swarms!

3. Adjorr's PvP Mansion

• Where: Courage, Rapids

• Owner: Adjorr

• Game: Deathmatch (free-for-all, first to 20 points wins)

This arena nailed one element I was dying to see more of: It exists as a real residence. Specially configured arenas are great and all, but who doesn't want to participate in a smash-em-up fight in a homey atmosphere? Think of the stories that could come from it. And this mansion is beautifully done. You might even feel comfortable grabbing a drink in the bar or settling in with a book in between your battles. When destructible props are in game, this will be so much fun to blast through!

4. NogginFloggin's Arena

• Where: Rebellion, Scree

• Owner: NogginFloggin

• Game: Zone Control

OK, I totally admit that I jumped to this claim just because of the name! But once I got here, I was impressed by the simplicity and beauty of the design. I also very much love that the arena is situated below ground level and the outer walls are all glass so that spectators can easily watch the action. The only really big disadvantage was that this claim is not set to continuous PvP, so players who want to participate would need to get in touch with the owner in order to have a game turned on.

5. Fubar's Funhouse

• Where: Courage, Shoal

• Owner: Fubar

• Game: Team Zone Control (4-12 players)

This one makes the list not because it was my first arena but because of why it was my first. For one, the name itself drew me in. The PvP is supposed to be about fun, right? Then the accompanying picture of a glass enclosure sealed the deal. It was a bit disconcerting not being able to completely trust my eyes as I looked around during the fights (when did that hole open up in the glass floor?!), but that was a part of the charm. As a bonus, the building's being made of glass makes it easy for spectators to watch the matches from a safe vantage point.

6. CS:S de_dust

• Where: Courage, Delta

• Owner: Merma

• Game: Team Zone Control (4-16 players)

This arena stands out because it has a feel of brawling through the streets of a town at night. You hide behind crates, jump between rooftops, and duck into doorways and seedy alleys. One disadvantage is that this arena It's completely encapsulated, so sadly there's no way to get in and wander around appreciating the architecture without an active game. It does, however, have a few view holes spread around the perimeter for viewers to try and catch a match, and soon it will be completely encased in glass. I'm dying to see what hidden things might be tucked away in all those dark corners!

7. "La Forge" Ruins of Dark Elves Arena

• Where: Understanding, Gully

• Owner: PvPLaForge

• Game: Team Deathmatch

This arena had a leg up on its page-mates in that it both pays homage to the world of Norrath with Dark Elf architecture and utilizes ruins. I love ruins! I especially love the half-uncovered statues that are rising up out of the ground. The only thing I am not particularly a fan of is the building material; instead of formidable Teir'Dal structures, things all look like sand creations that will blow away at the first strong wind.

8. Fugazieds Dark Elf Invasion

• Where: Confidence, Pit

• Owner: Fugazied

• Game: Team Zone Control

Yay for Dark Elf themes! This arena, however, is not old ruins; it's just in ruins. With blasted out walls and smoldering piles of rubble, the atmosphere really draws you into this active battleground. Do you repel the invasion? Maybe you are the invasion! One unique aspect of this arena is that the creator expressly asks that participants do not use Lunar Anklets or Zephyr Belts. I am all for grounding the battles.

9. People who PvP in Glass Castles

• Where: Adventure, Terrace

• Owner: Tamrya

• Game: Team Deathmatch

It's a castle. Made of glass. Need I say more? Seriously, it is a beautifully constructed castle but with the added feature of being clear. As noted previously, glass does have some unique benefits. Feel like a powerful royal as you see the entire battle raging around you (even if getting everywhere is not as readily apparent).

10. The Grid

• Where: Determination, Timber

• Owner: Nojjokka

• Game: Deathmatch (possibly Team)

In stark contrast to the ornateness of the previous entry, this arena is relatively straight-forward and uncomplicated, though decidedly very Tron-esque. Due to the lumicite highlights embedded throughout, this arena is best appreciated at night. I am very eager to see how battle plays out on this field.

Arenas to keep an eye on

As noted above, some arenas do not have active games and can be played only when the owner is there to turn it on. Perhaps those claims are more for specially run events. If that's the case, you just might want to visit the claim to get used to the arena, then contact the owner to see when games will be scheduled!

In come cases, however, the claims are simply just not quite finished. Some works in progress (WIP) that I am that I am looking forward to testing out are Sideshows Skyway Battlegrounds (medieval ruins on floating mountains), Duri's PvP Try (many more levels than you'd expect and enclosed so less heroic movement bunny hopping!), a gorgeous PvP Colosseum (that may include PvE as well in its gladiator matches and comes complete with royal skybox), and Voxedil Hall (and the great Dwarven statues)... just to name a few.

The list truly goes on

I just listed 10 must-sees and then added some arenas to watch on top of that. But all that just barely touches the tip of the iceberg! There were so many others I wanted to mention, but there's only so much room. From glass tubes filled with water (Arrafel's Death Trap) to beautiful bridges (Battle for Atal Bay Bridge) to heavy machinery (Scrapyard Scrap), there are so many more to explore and participate in. What are your favorite arenas? Have you visited any of the ones mentioned here, or have you found others that you've enjoyed? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

The EverQuest realm is so big that sometimes MJ Guthrie gets lost in it all! Join her as she explores the franchise's nooks and crannies from the Overrealm to Timorous Deep. Running biweekly on Thursdays, the Norrathian Notebook is your resource for all things EverQuest Next and EverQuest II. And keep an eye out for MJ's Massively TV adventures!