How do PvP / Tower War Windows work


Pathfinder Online

Goblin Squad Member

We had some discussions last night, and lack clarity on how the window works for the towers

Is it first past the post, then the window closes. Or first past the post but you can still keep fighting for the fun-of-it, or last person to hit the counter wins?

i.e., the day after an already held tower is taken, when the window reopens, can the owners (or attackers) get their 1000 points, then be safe in their control until the next day, or can others continue to work to take it (and/or take it back) right through until the original window closes?

If control is secured by the first past the post, I presume the hex still remains free-for-all-PvP for the window's duration?

Goblin Squad Member

The way it worked in Alpha, and we shouldn't expect changes:

The first Company to reach 1,000 Capture Points captures the Tower and the PvP Window closes. Subsequent PvP in that Hex will have normal Reputation consequences.

Defenders cannot close the PvP Window early. Defenders don't gain Capture Points, they merely reduce other Companies' Capture Points, and then only when that Company is no longer gaining Capture Points.

Once a Tower is Captured, the PvP Window is closed for the day. So, once it changes hands, it can't change hands again.

Goblin Squad Member

Thankyou.

Goblin Squad Member

1 person takes how long to capture a tower if left alone?

How many towers can a sponsored company capture ?

Was the NAP for towers formalized and posted somewhere?

Dark Archive Goblin Squad Member

In Alpha I capped 7 towers for my company, I saw companies with up to 14 towers and I think you can go even higher.

Single capping took just over an hour IIRC.

Goblin Squad Member

Giorgo wrote:
1 person takes how long to capture a tower if left alone?

5,000 Seconds.

Giorgo wrote:
How many towers can a sponsored company capture ?

Currently unlimited.

Giorgo wrote:
Was the NAP for towers formalized and posted somewhere?

Yes. Official WoT NAP Treaty

Goblin Squad Member

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In Alpha, one company in a settlement could accumulate points in a tower during its pvp window that was previously claimed by another company in the same settlement. If this remains the case, and companies can "flip" ownership back and forth in order to close the pvp window as soon as possible, would that be considered an exploit to bypass the intent of WoT (more towers = longer pvp window for defending settlement) or an acceptable strategy for pvp-averse settlements?

Goblin Squad Member

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<Kabal> Daeglin wrote:
In Alpha, one company in a settlement could accumulate points in a tower during its pvp window that was previously claimed by another company in the same settlement.

When we tested this in late Alpha, it didn't work.

If you saw a Tower that was held by another Company in your Settlement, their name would show in blue instead of in red and you would not be able to gain Capture Points.

Goblin Squad Member

If a group wants to spend 83 man-minutes to close one of their own tower's windows instead of going next door to steal someone else's, I don't see anything wrong with that.


I can't imagine how an exploit like that would be acceptable to GW.

Goblin Squad Member

@Nihimon Good. Thanks!

@Guurzak 83 man-minutes is a cheap investment for some settlements. Max 30 players in tower means 30 pts/5 sec (assuming GW aren't holding the max rate at 5 pts/5 sec - I'm not clear on that at this point) means ~2.8 min to capture (~17 min with max 5pts/5 sec).


<Kabal> Daeglin wrote:
an acceptable strategy for pvp-averse settlements?

Strategy #1: Have someone else do your PvP for you.

Strategy #2: Be a company instead of a settlement and see #1.
Or, my personal favorite,
Strategy #3: Get rearpained.

Those are the only strategies of which I'm aware. ;P

Goblin Squad Member

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Kobold Cleaver wrote:
<Kabal> Daeglin wrote:
an acceptable strategy for pvp-averse settlements?

Strategy #1: Have someone else do your PvP for you.

Strategy #2: Be a company instead of a settlement and see #1.
Or, my personal favorite,
Strategy #3: Get rearpained.

Those are the only strategies of which I'm aware. ;P

I don't mind if a settlement does better cause of member numbers. I do mind if they do it by finding ways to hide. Glad that loop hole is closed :D

Grand Lodge Goblin Squad Member

Actually I timed it - Golarion seconds are slower. 5000 Golarion seconds are closer to 1 hour 27 or 26 minutes real time instead of 1 hour 23.

Once ended up in a tower with 998 points when the window closed and I should have had a few minutes spare. I timed it when my 'bonus' points seemed to slowly disappear. Was too far to get a second person moved in when I realized it would be close.

Not much of a difference for practical purpose as everyone has the same time and you have 23 hours - but around 5% slower.

Goblin Squad Member

Can a single company be working on claiming multiple towers at the same time?

Goblin Squad Member

Guurzak wrote:
Can a single company be working on claiming multiple towers at the same time?

That was true in Alpha, and we've been told there will be no changes.

Goblin Squad Member

Thod wrote:
Actually I timed it - Golarion seconds are slower. 5000 Golarion seconds are closer to 1 hour 27 or 26 minutes real time instead of 1 hour 23.

The makes little sense though.

Your company receives one point per person per round. A round is 5 seconds.

Goblin Squad Member

Guurzak wrote:
Can a single company be working on claiming multiple towers at the same time?

Yes. TEO may have been working 4 or 5 towers simultaneously today to claim the towers we lost after reorganizing our companies.

Grand Lodge Goblin Squad Member

Kyutaru wrote:
Thod wrote:
Actually I timed it - Golarion seconds are slower. 5000 Golarion seconds are closer to 1 hour 27 or 26 minutes real time instead of 1 hour 23.

The makes little sense though.

Your company receives one point per person per round. A round is 5 seconds.

Time it. And please remember this is a computer game.

Does the 5 second mean that at 0:00:05 points are distributed, then again at 0:00:10 and again at :00:15 etc

Or does it mean 5 seconds start when you enter the tower - so at 0:00:005 after you entered the tower that the server checked how many points you deserve, is doing calculationa and assigns it and the next 5 seconds start after that is done.

My timings seem to indicate it is the latter and that it takes around 250 millisecond each round for 'housekeeping' that you lose.

So it will depend on implementation if the 5 seconds are 5 seconds. Thinking about it - Ryan once talked about some 'buffer time' that was used for attacks and that was in the range of 300 milliseconds. So possible that the tower time works in the same way which makes a lot of sense.

And the buffer time is added to the 5 seconds and not part of it.


If a company is technically part of Settlement A, can they claim towers in the name of Settlement B as part of a mercenary operation? Or can they only claim in the name of the town they get xp from?

And this question is largely a refresher, because it's been ages: Can a company be comprised of members from Settlements A, B, C, and D? Or are companies limited to a strict one-settlement rule?

Goblin Squad Member

Towers are owned by Companies. The Company's towers are allocated to the Settlement the company has joined. If the company chooses to not be part of a settlement, or switches settlements, the towers remain a part of that company. As far as I know, companies can only join one settlement currently.

Goblin Squad Member

When a company claims towers, there are two possibilities:

1) They are allied to a settlement, and the towers go to that settlement
2) They are not allied to a settlement, and the tower hex goes 24 hour PvP.

It is not possible for one character to claim towers for two settlements without first quitting and moving to a new company. (and there may be a cool-down before they can be counted in the new company)

They can, however, help to defend the hex, by standing outside the tower with a bow and fighting off attackers.


I'm currently vetting an idea with some of the others in my settlement. If I work out a way in which it can work, so much the better.

CEO, Goblinworks

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We are investigating the case of a Company that leads a Settlement applying to join another Settlement. Since I am not sure what would happen in that case and it's possible that the result would be very bad, please don't do this until we determine what the outcome would be.

Goblin Squad Member

Ryan Dancey wrote:
We are investigating the case of a Company that leads a Settlement applying to join another Settlement. Since I am not sure what would happen in that case and it's possible that the result would be very bad, please don't do this until we determine what the outcome would be.

Yikes. Anyone who thinks that this is a good idea and attempts it should probably spend some time carefully re-evaluating their life choices.


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Somebody put me in charge of Tavernhold real quick. Why? Uh, no reason. Stop asking tricky questions. Just do it. C'mon. You can trust me.

You're not gonna do it, are you?

Goblinworks Executive Founder

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Ryan Dancey wrote:
We are investigating the case of a Company that leads a Settlement applying to join another Settlement. Since I am not sure what would happen in that case and it's possible that the result would be very bad, please don't do this until we determine what the outcome would be.

We need to try that on the test server. Two companies, each of which controls a settlement, apply to join the other settlement.

On the test server. All hail Zog.

Goblin Squad Member

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All hail Zog.

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