I think most players agree it is considered bad form to use pvp artifacts when reg pvp hunting. Obviously they are fine in war. But what do others think via a simple retaliation? I don't bother retaliate myself since I usually find it wasteful of energy (why bother with a rank 500 when I can badge a rank 280). I have no issue with other players hitting me with artifacts if I disabled and raided them. Any thoughts on this? I'm seeking clarification on this for others. Thanks.

Since I probe people I wonder about, if they're stronger I hit em with an EMP or two, I like a levelled playing field

someone used pvp artifacts oh god no they played the game how it was intended they must be punished alert them then have them zeroed cause you totally wouldn't have died if they hadnt used them

how most people react

I don't think using artifacts in daily pvp is unfair, especially if someone is trying to disable someone slightly stronger than themselves. I am usually blasted by people I've disabled as well. Jammers and emp spheres, usually I'm online to defend myself so it's not an issue. In the end, it is part of the game.

I find them distasteful defeats the point in making a strong ship if someone 500 ranks lower than you can just drop a few emp's on you and disable you, personally i zero anyone who used arties on me idc if they disabled me just find spamming arties to be a cheap cop to hide the fact they have a weak ship.

I don't understand why, if someone is that much stronger that you feel the need to hit them with artifacts, you don't just choose a weaker target. The only time I understand artifact usage is when a person is attempting to retaliate, and they have such a weak ship it's obvious they couldn't kill just about anyone without artifacts.

... I don't think i ever used artifacts against opponents, i can only recall firing a cm at someone who requested, and that's pretty much the only time i used a cm. I just use EMPs and disarming bombs on bosses.

Ever since i was rank 80+ i retaliated every time i experienced an incursion except on two occasions where the opponent was GoddessofWar. Now that i think about it, i've never been alerted to a legion and i've never lost a planet before

Usually the stronger targets like to dance after taking them down, battling back and forth is more fun for me

Show them you're actually a worthy foe by taking them out without artifacts.

First time use arti's, gets 'em angry, from then on none, unless it's war and I need to go through as many targets as I can for the least amount of energy

If they're strong with a good rep, merely the disable would be enough to grt them to hit you back. Doing it without artis would just attain their respect.

War is a good reason to use artifacts.

Use of artifacts is normal gameplay. i don't use them on bt as ships i see are weaker than me- i only moderately buff my own ship usually (+10 guns, +20 defence, shield buff) to save energy

If someone hits me and the are tough enough that i need to debuff them to kill them efficiently- such is life. If the alert me then i have more targets when i log on next time

There is no harm in having your own set of ethics in how you play the game- but for goodness sake stop expecting others to behave like you do

Cheers

Well said.

I'll also point out that after, oh say 700, a flare is required to get a hack. Simple math. Ship maxScan is greater than ship maxCloak. Forcing you to use a flare on nearly all targets at the high ranks just to have a hack button.

The flare point is perfectly valid.

This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill. Use of deadly force is authorized. Fire everything you can at your target.

I use them all the time when I go on pvp runs for a couple of reasons :
1. it makes people mad, mad people like to alert to legion
2. they normally feel the need to retaliate, i get punching bags lined up for days
3. they make the mistake of assuming I needed to use them to get a disable, ^^ I get punching bags lined up for days
4. I am a slow ranker, energy is a disposable resource and EMP's dont give xp.

The only times I use debuffs, is to annoy people and on Anzid/Goddessfwar/Darthbunny, I zero people for using debuffs on me, cause it means I have a perfectly good excuse if people start whining.

I mostly use them so I can hack people. If I'm really ticked at them I'll use the rest of the debuffs. Otherwise I don't use them, strictly out of habit. My views of using them are that they are part of the game and if someone has to use them on me to bring me to their level then it shows who the stronger is.

You should say that to XBDSxRobocop