I have read myriad posts regarding how criticals are ruining PvP, and amulets are making for super heals, etc, etc, etc... I've further seen posts about how you need to play below level 50 if you want "pure" PvP where strategy really matters. I decided to try a level 36 storm in that arena. I played 8 1v1 matches. None of my opponents were ice, yet 7 of them had global resist over 20%, 4 of them were over 30%, and 2 exceeded 50%. 5 of the matches had a pet with over-active spritely (defined as going off at least 5 times in a duel), and 5 of them were above commander level with me at private.
I simply have to say, I don't know what people are talking about. If you define "strategy" as obtaining arena gear, buying an epic bundle for crown gear, and/or hatching pets endlessly to get a massive stats edge, then yeah... I suppose its got a lot of strategy. In my opinion, this level is far less about actual strategy and far more about having rare gear and pets. By contrast, at the level 60 range, actual strategy can carry you quite far with items obtainable at the bazaar. Don't get me wrong here... to win at ranked you have to put in time prepping at any level. However...
What I don't understand here is why so many refer to it as 'pure' PvP. Its just as ridiculous (possibly more due to uneven ranked matching) as higher level PvP with criticals. When a level 16 wizard has enough resist to take three kraken hits without a shield and never needs to heal due to spritely, this is clearly not about strategy. If someone disagrees with me and would like to defend the idea that it is somehow more "pure" than legendary PvP, I'd be more than happy to hear your opening arguments...
Yea the universal resistance school kind of ties in to your "Irony of being the game's tank post"
To be honest I think pure PvP is pratice PvP or pvping with your friends at your house, because ranked pvp brings out the worst in people they do anything to win.
And this pet thing i completely agree with, people use their legendaries to get an insanely good pet with spell defy, and the 10% universal resistance and spritely and all that. And then you see people that are like veterans with the commander gear.. It is obvious that people who know a lot about the game are using that to their advantage to rule over what they call "Pure PvP" I never really minded it that much because I know they did some sort of work for that gear and that the gear will make up for strategy its kind of a cheap thing but it happens what are you gonna do you, you know. My problem is that people like that are ruining it for midlevel players who are probably just starting PvP.