Destiny House of Wolves PvP for Newbies (A guide for low KDR Guardians.)

So, another Iron Banner is getting close to an end, and this time, I went and sacrificed all my characters on the altar that is Rank 5 (Etheric Light is crack). In the process, I somehow have gotten two of the three characters to positive KDR, and the other one is close to being there, too.

I've improved my game considerably, not just through trial and error, but by paying attention to the players on my team doing well, and the players on the other team beating me.

I've decided to throw together some of the more encompassing tips I've learned. For the most part, these should apply to all maps, and all classes.

This is NOT a high-level play guide. This is what many would consider basic, but might be new info to fresher Guardians, or people who prefer PvE and just step into Iron Banner for that sweet, sweet Etheric Light.

So, without further preface, this is what I got. Hope it helps.

Use weapons you are comfortable with.

Yes, Hand Cannons are currently in the game's spotlight. Yes, Auto Rifles are underperforming right now. The thing is, I was slaughtered by both relatively frequently over this past week.

Any weapon in this game is gonna require practice with. Each type has quirks, and each specific weapon within that type has quirks (especially exotics). Using a weapon where you can reliably put rounds on target is much more useful than trying to force yourself to use a weapon that you aren't comfortable with.

That said...

Understand weapon strengths and weaknesses.

Auto Rifles tend to be good for assists and pick-up kills, and do best with their damage supplemented by an appropriate grenade. Hand Cannons are amazing at close range DPS, coming behind only Shotguns and, possibly, a skillfully wielded Fusion Rifle. Pulse Rifles are excellent weapons, but very tricky to use. Scout Rifles are NOT Sniper Rifles, and can be shut down hard by a skilled sniper.

Each weapon has a few roles it excels at, and a few where it is lacking. Acknowledge these, and act accordingly. If you are wielding an Auto Rifle, and someone with a Hand Cannon closes range, it may be best to make some more distance between you and them, or disengage entirely. If someone is putting Pulse Rifle rounds on you, and you are using a Scout Rifle, unless you are certain that you can land nothing but headshots, you will likely lose this engagement. Run.

That leads to...

Running is often an excellent option.

This game is won by getting points for kills. While getting kills yourself is a great thing, denying kills to the enemy team is almost as good. If you take damage before you even know where the enemy is, run. Head to the rest of your team, because more friendly bullets are better.

This may seem cowardly, but it is simply tactics. You want to engage an enemy on your terms whenever possibly. The other guy did it to you, that's why you're currently getting shot. Instead of playing by their rules, make your own.

Use terrain.

Way too often, I'll see Guardians running out into a nice, flat, open area while they run in circles shooting at each other. Yes, engagement in open areas is sometimes unavoidable, but usually, you can take advantage of the terrain instead. Run from cover to cover instead of charging someone. Dip aside as you reload. Hide once that first Thorn round hits you.

Higher ground can decrease enemy movement relative to your position, granting an easier shot. Stairwells can give you site on your target before they see you. Walls give you SOMETHING TO HIDE BEHIND. WALLS ARE OP. Use terrain, people!

Shotguns are tricky.

Yes, a decent Shotgun can one-shot a Guardian at surprising ranges. However, they take a specific skill set, and it gets easy to see the practiced shotgunners in comparison to the, well, less so.

Newbie shotgun users tend to charge their target, absorbing rounds, and fire just before they die. This can be countered with careful, quick headshots, or a Fusion Rifle.

Good shotgunners, however, are much scarier. They will implement terrain advantages, circling around obstacles to close the gap. They will utilize class movement abilities to their limits, dropping directly on your head, or blinking through you only to fire on your back. They make the slide shot a truly deadly thing.

Really mastering shotgun use takes, like everything, time and persistence. If you wanna use one, awesome, but be prepared to learn it, or just be frustrated when you die a lot.

Right after Heavy Ammo drop is a DANGEROUS TIME.

Yes, maybe you just picked up your shiny rockets, or your clip-full of Machine Gun rounds. Well, so did everyone else. It is tempting to charge out looking for your next murder, but now is the time to be cautious. Move with your team, but not too tightly, so you aren't easy rocket targets. Take corners careful, and try to spot the enemy before they see you. Rockets have great range, as do most Machine guns. If you die, you lose all that ammo. Instead, live, and make those shots count.

On that...

When possible, WAIT FOR YOUR TEAM TO PICK UP HEAVY AMMO.

Do you like winning? I do. And because of that, I want as many team mates as possible to have heavy ammo. In case you didn't know, when you get that beautiful purple chest, everyone standing near it gets Heavy ammo. Make it count, and ensure your team is loaded for bear.

There are exceptions, obviously. If you see red on your radar, it makes sense to pick it up to make sure the enemy team doesn't get it. Similarly, I'd you are making a mad dash to pick up the enemy Heavy drop to deny it to them, just grab it and run.

However, if the coast is clear, give it a bit for your team mates to get there. It will make a difference.

And while we're talking about teams...

Remember you have a team!

Going lone wolf is tempting, but it more often pays to stick around a team mate or two. Flanking maneuvers are AMAZINGLY effective, and two guns are better than one. Also, if an enemy is chasing you, running back to your team is a lively way to immediately change the advantage.

The teams I have always had the most trouble with are the ones obviously communicating and working together. They win more games, period.

And finally...

Learn how and when to disengage.

This may seem like a repeat of the "running away" one, but it's a very different bird. It is easy, after a few kills, to get caught up in the momentum of the engagement, and just roll onto the next target. This can work, but you have to be sure it is still the smart move.

First, if you have lost any shields/health, wait to regenerate to full. Starting an engagement with less than full durability almost ensures loss. Take a breather behind a rock.

Second, do you have some kind of advantage on the target you are approaching? If it is a single target, are you currently unnoticed, out of range, or ready with a grenade? If it is multiple targets, do you have some way to drop them quickly, like a rocket, super, or a sniper rifle (and the skill to snipe)? If not, disengage, and wait for the situation to change. Get team mates, or get heavy, or wait for that super.

But most important of all, TRY TO STAY ALIVE. Kill/Death ratio has two components, and one of those is your deaths. Staying alive starves the enemy of points for killing you, and maintains your presence with the team, keeping player numbers even. Practice everything else here, but ALWAYS PRACTICE TRYING TO STAY ALIVE.

That is all I'm going to go into here. These are basics, and should help you get your KD positive, and keep it there. For more advanced techniques, there are far better people to learn from than me.

As for all you Newbs, Plebs, and Scrubs, I'm there with you. Keep at it, and you'll get better. Good luck.

And any of you people better than me, feel free to comment with tips. We need 'em. ;-)

EDIT: Smehow formatting replicated a passage. This has been removed.