But fans of Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 might disagree; when you add into the equation the characters and classes and fast-paced action, you are in for a treat, no matter which of game. 

When you compare BDO to other MMORPGs on the market, Guild Wars 2, published by NCSOFT and developed by Arena Net, has a long lineage dating back to the first version of The guild wars game released way back in August 2012. This game was so popular that pre-purchasing gave other g a 3-day advantage on anybody on the day of release.

These are two of the biggest titles in the MMORPG realm, so we decided to compare the two.

Black desert vs. Guild Wars graphics

When discussing the graphics in BDO, you’re talking about a game that provides both feel and excellent gameplay results while combining textures, animations, and models unlike any other MMO on the market. The developers of BDO achieved this by creating their gaming engine. This is allowed them to bring game players graphics unlike any other game on the market what you’re talking about your class foliage, cloud water, or textures. 

The developers are pushing the boundaries of where technology could possibly take them in terms of graphic capabilities. Whether you find yourself facing a different monster or creating your models are character wandering through different environments are entering different buildings, the graphics can only be described as slick. 

Offering attention to detail that even goes as deep as the skin pores on your character’s face, breathtaking realism makes you feel like you’re watching a trailer rather than playing an MMO. This is a high praising deed considering. 

There have been many times while playing this game I sat back and admired the graphics when you combine this with the ability to fully customize your characters.

When the first version of Guild Wars was first released, it revolutionized MMORPGs largely due to its introduction of dynamic quests. These dramatically reduce the length of time spent trying to find a group allowing players more time to relax enjoy the game, while this aspect of gameplay may not be for everyone. 

Guild Wars 2 combination of the graphics sounds and environment of the game are top-notch and feel well designed and thought out from start to finish. It does grind a bit of time and comparison to be the home, but there’s no denying it’s an excellent game. If you’re a fan of this genre, it’s comfortably still one of the best MMORPGs I’ve ever played.

Black Desert vs. Guild Wars 2 classes

Develop your character as you want as the processes as dynamic as reactive combat systems also offer regular surprises depending on the class you choose. They’re continually releasing more classes that feature increased abilities and boosts in aesthetics, making each class more and more attractive.

GW2 differs slightly from BDO as it allows players to choose skill sets after choosing their race, then they pick their class and are a profession you can choose from one of eight professions currently, and a night one is due to be released in the first expansion pack. Choosing your class and developing it in guild wars 2 is not dissimilar to other MMORPGs such as final fantasy. The weapon you choose will be directly related to your hero’s class or profession.

Black desert vs. Guild Wars 2 gameplay

The primary focus of gameplay and BDO is combat action. During this, you’ll have to utilize your ability manually. This is not dissimilar to the style of play found in some of the most popular third-person shooters. Well, you’re not fighting. You’ll find yourself either housing, fishing, trading, or farming. You can participate in a wide variety of different events that will suit everyone, from advanced players to beginners.

Choose a quest and use this to develop your character in greater depth. Take part in large-scale PVP events involving battles and even castle sieges. Whatever approach you choose to take to this game, your experience will be unlike any other game in the MMORPG market. The popularity of BDO relies heavily on its impressive gameplay and its ability to immerse its users in an impressively developed world.

The first thing you’ll be asked to do when you’ve signed up for gw2 choose your race then you’ll be offered a series of choices when it turns to your professional class. Currently, there are nine classes available and more coming in future expansion packs. You can choose from tons of options to create unique characters with features that can stretch from their face to their height. Even sliders in their body build the whole character creation process couldn’t be easier. Buy one unique characteristic that can only be found in gw2. You will be asked to answer five multiple-choice questions. This will be used, then choose your character’s personality and create their background story. This will serve as your Heroes biography why they don’t massively impact your in-game capabilities. They do affect your storyline and occasionally the crux of the in-game dialogue, primarily how you will interact with other NPCs as you wander your way through the game.

Black desert vs. Guild Wars 2 PvE

Guild Wars 2

You can’t describe BDO in terms of conventional a PVE game. Many people who buy the game are fans of dungeons, or other PVE type raid games are disappointed. However, the developers’ conscious decision as it’s not a direction they wanted to take the game in, so be warned you cannot expect to be involved in some substantial PVE or group activities been playing BDO. However, there are lots of big group PvP activities such as siege and node wars. More group content has also come out recently for lifeskillers and PvE grinders as well.

Black desert vs. Guild Wars 2 PVP

If you want to dive straight into play pure PvP in BDO, start at Level 40, you will face different PVP come-back sequences as you find your way to a different territory. You will enhance your PVP combat skills without the restrictions placed on many beginners. Anyone new to the world of MMO RPGs should start below the 35th level. This allows you more than enough time to enhance your skills and practice against players of a lower level once you master it, then move your way up to level 40 and truly enjoy everything that the BDO gaming World offers. Whichever route you take, you’re going to enjoy some unique game-playing experiences BDO outstrips GW2 in this fashion is eight offers a unique approach to this aspect of gameplay.

Gw2, on the other hand, provides players a wide variety of PVP modes, from the downright silly to beginner. Whether you are a serious PVP player or a beginner, you can jump straight into the worldview world combat experience gw2s online open-world gameplay. If you’re new to the game, we advise that you practice in its classic PVP mode as you run through the different scenarios and activities that are built into the game; you can enhance your PVP skill set and avoid the monotony of PVE play at the same time.

GW2 has legions of loyal fans, and rightly so. Many have been playing the game for nearly a decade. But with it comes to a pure MMORPG gaming experience, it’s difficult to see past the wonder that is Black Desert Online. 

And on the other hand is Black Desert Online, the giant sandbox MMO first launched in Korea, 2015.

And then, there’s you.

Looking for a great high-fantasy MMO to quench your thirst for a great game, you can play for a long time.

Unsure about whether you should pick up Final Fantasy XIV or Black Desert Online.

Well, I’m here to help you extinguish your doubts! These are the differences between these two popular MMOs:

Combat

Final Fantasy XIV‘s combat is one you might be familiar with if you’ve played a few MMOs before.

It uses a tab-targeting system, where you can target an enemy and attack it without the need to aim. You cast fireball, and the fireball automatically follows your target.

Meanwhile, Black Desert Online’s is one that has grown in popularity over the last few years. It is action-based and fast. No autotargeting enemies with your abilities and attacks, you gotta aim everything. It also has a lot of moving and dodging around.

Final Fantasy XIV FFXIV Character Creation

Final Fantasy XIV offers great character customization, in both how your character looks and what cool powers he can use. On it, you can choose between 10 Basic Classes that can advance to a more powerful version of themselves, called Jobs. They are:

• Marauder; Warrior
• Gladiator; Paladin
• Lancer; Dragoon
• Pugilist; Monk
• Rogue; Ninja
• Archer; Bard
• Thaumaturge; Black Mage
• Arcanist; Summoner or Scholar
• Conjurer; White Mage

The game’s expansions also added new jobs exclusive to them, which are:

• Dark Knight
• Astrologian
• Machinist
• Samurai
• Red Mage
• Gunbreaker
• Dancer

And there’s even a limited job (forbidden from accessing certain content), the Blue Mage.

But you don’t choose just your race. Final Fantasy XIV also has eight unique races to choose from:

• Hyur – Human-like race
• Elezen – Elf-like race
• Lafallel – Small, child-like race
• Miqo’te – Cat-like race
• Roegadyn – Large, barbaric race
• Au Ra – Dragon-like race
• Viera – Female-only rabbit-like race
• Hrothgar – Male-only lion-like race

You also get to choose which deity to follow. There are 12 different choices, two for each of the elements (Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, and Rock). Depending on your choice, you will gain a different elemental resistance bonus.

The character’s appearance is also hugely customizable. With dozens of hairstyles, hair colors, different faces, and much more, you can spend hours tinkering your character to your liking.

Black Desert Online BDO Character Creation

And then, there’s Black Desert Online, with its 18 different classes, that like Final Fantasy XIV, can also evolve to a new class, called Awakening. They are:

• Dark Knight
• Striker
• Mystic
• Warrior
• Sorceress
• Ranger
• Berserker
• Tamer
• Ninja
• Musa
• Maehwa
• Valkyrie
• Wizard
• Witch
• Kunoichi
• Lahn
• Archer
• Shai

Black Desert Online technically has three races. However, you can’t choose any of them, as they are restricted to specific classes. For example, the Berserker is the only Giant, while Rangers, Archers, and Dark Knights are Elves-only. Most other classes are Human-only.

Black Desert Online classes are also gender-locked, meaning each class has a specific gender that you can’t choose or change. Many classes have both Male/Female variations, though, like Wizards and Witches.

Where Black Desert Online’s character creation truly shines, though, is in the appearance customization.

You can make your character look like anything you want.

Seriously, go ahead and try it.

You can try to recreate a dear friend of yours, a fictional anime or video game character, or even famous people.

Gathering and Crafting

Final Fantasy XIV has eight Disciplines of the Hand, which are crafting professions. They are:

• Alchemist
• Armorer
• Blacksmith
• Carpenter
• Culinarian
• Goldsmith
• Leatherworker
• Weaver

You can perform as any of the crafting professions, as long as you have the necessary tool item equipped.

Crafting is an essential part of the game, as the Culinarian can make Food that buffs characters (which is practically required in the endgame), it lets you make equipment for combat and repair your own gear.

You can use the Disciplines of the Land, which are gathering classes, to help you gather the necessary resources and materials to craft equipment. The three Disciplines of the Land are:

• Botanist
• Fisher
• Miner

Black Desert Online professions, also known as Life Skills, are the following 10:

• Alchemy
• Cooking
• Farming
• Fishing
• Gathering
• Hunting
• Processing
• Sailing
• Trading
• Training

Like Final Fantasy XIV, you can also perform each of the professions without being restricted.

Many Black Desert Online’s Life Skills can be used while AFK (Away From Keyboard), and mainly how they’re used. Since killing enemies will reward you more money per time invested, Black Desert Online’s professions usually are only performed when AFK.

Player versus Player (PvP)

Final Fantasy XIV has six main PvP modes:

The Wolves’ Den – 4 vs. 4 arena

The Feast – The only one with a competitive ranking, 4 vs. 4 or 8 vs. 8

Rival Wings – 24 vs. 24 battle

Frontlines – Three team battle, 24 vs. 24 vs. 24

Seal Rock — Like Frontlines, it is a 24 vs. 24 vs. 24 team battle

Field of Glory – Similar to the previous two, it is a 24 vs. 24 vs. 24 battlefield

Dueling is also available in the game, but it is restricted to the Wolves’ Den Pier zone.

The game doesn’t feature Open-World PvP.

Despite the many modes, PvP isn’t a top-rated attraction in Final Fantasy XIV, as players generally focus on PvE (Player versus Environment) instead. It can, however, be a lot of fun. Jobs also have PvP-only classes that can lead to different playability.

Black Desert Online has four main ways of doing PvP:

Open World PvP: Players can fight and kill other players when outside specific zones. If you kill players who are not in PvP mode, you accumulate Karma Points. When you have enough Karma Points, you get several different weaknesses, such as dropping your items when you die.

Guild Wars: When Guilds declare war on each other, you can kill players from the enemy Guild without receiving any Karma Points.

Sieges: This is the most significant battlefield of Black Desert Online, where you can get over a hundred players, all fighting for control of a castle, which grants you the ability to set taxes and profit from its ownership.

Caravans: Players that use caravan to make money also put them at risk, as other players can try to rob it. Whenever a caravan is being stolen, its owner will be incentivized to defend it, triggering a PvP conflict.

Quests, Dungeons, and Raids

Final Fantasy XIV sports a traditional system of Quests, Dungeons, and Raids. Players have access to hundreds of quests, which can be completed for gold, items, and experience.

It also has a normal Dungeon and Raid system.

Dungeons are private instances that can contain a group of up to 4 players, and they are unlocked through questing.

Raids are the most essential part of the endgame. It has the most exceptional items to reward players, and they’re also the most challenging encounters you’ll find in the game. Normal Raids have 8-player groups, while Alliance Raids have 24-player groups. Regular Raids can also increase their difficulty by choosing the higher-difficulty Savage Raid and the Ultimate Raid.

Black Desert Online is very different, though. It is a sandbox game with little care for Quests, Dungeons, and Raids.

Quests are few and far between, and although they can give you some pretty sweet rewards, they don’t award you Experience Points. You need to kill monsters to level up.

It also doesn’t have normal Dungeon or Raid systems.

The only two dungeons: Aakman Temple and Hystria Temple are just grinding zones, they don’t require groups, nor are they particularly tricky. 

Black Desert Online doesn’t have any raids. No epic dungeons with legendary rewards that need big groups to be completed.

Instead, the endgame is mainly focused on PvP activities and interactions between different groups and guilds.

Platforms

Final Fantasy XIV is exclusive to Microsoft Windows.

Black Desert Online, unlike most other MMOs, isn’t a PC exclusive. It is also available on PS4, Xbox One. And that’s not all, it even has a mobile version for Android and iOS!

Conclusion

So, which one caught your attention more?

The PvP-driven sandbox world of Black Desert Online and its many platforms to play on?

Or Final Fantasy XIV‘s solid all-round MMO that has a little something for everyone?

Whether it was Black Desert Online or Final Fantasy XIV, you do have another option…

You can always try out both of them!

At the end of the day, there’s no better way to see if you like a game than to play it!

Sources

https://www.blackdesertonline.com

https://wiki.blackdesertonline.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

https://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/

https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/FF14_Wiki

If you’re looking to pick one of the two, but you’re not quite sure about which MMO you should choose, this is the article for you.

Here are 6 Black Desert Online vs. Elder Scrolls Online comparisons:

Combat

Black Desert Online’s combat is fast-paced, energizing and quite unique.

Unlike most MMOs that have you target an enemy and repetitively use your skills that automatically hit the target (tab targeting), Black Desert Online has action-based combat with manual attack aiming, lots of dodging, and lots of combining your skills together.

And The Elder Scrolls Online doesn’t fall behind. It also employs high-action playability, with aiming, dodging, different non-skill actions (Light Attack, Heavy Attack, Interrupting, etc.)

I would say the only drawback ESO has is its combat

Character Creation

Black Desert Online lets you choose between an astonishing 18 different classes, and each class has its own awakening that significantly changes the class. The classes are:

• Dark Knight
•  Striker
• Mystic
• Warrior
• Sorceress
• Ranger
•  Berserker
•  Tamer
•  Ninja
•  Musa
•  Maehwa
•  Valkyrie
•  Wizard
•  Witch
•  Kunoichi
•  Lahn
•  Archer
•  Shai

But that’s not even the best part about the character creation. 

The genuinely unforgettable part about Black Desert Online’s character creation is the amount of customization you can give your character’s looks.

You can sink in hours and days, just having fun with the character creator. You can make your character look like absolutely anything you want. 

Want to be a beautiful and magical girl? You can do it. 

Want to have the appearance of a beloved celebrity? You can do it. 

Do you want to create an ugly abomination that makes other people look away? Well, you can do that too.

Black Desert Online’s character creation does have a flaw though, some classes are gender-locked, such as the Warrior (male-only) and Dark Knight (female-only)

The Elder Scrolls Online is entirely lacking in class options when compared to Black Desert online, with only six playable classes, two of which are DLC-exclusive. They are:

 • Dragonknight

 • Nightblade

 • Sorcerer

 • Templar

 • Necromancer (Elsweyr DLC-exclusive)

 • Warden (Morrowind DLC-exclusive)

Although this may look disappointing, two significant differences make up for it!

One, each class has a lot more customization and build options. 

Not only does each class have a bunch of different skills and skill lines, but every class in the game can use any weapon or armor type in the game, which leads to a lot of different and unique playstyles.

The second point is the race. The Elder Scrolls Online has 10 playable races (One of them is DLC-exclusive though). Every race has unique racial skills that further increase the number of different playstyles and strategies. 

Each DLC race is part of a more prominent Faction. They are:

 • Daggerfall Covenant, which is comprised of Bretons, Redguards, and Orsimers (Orcs)

 • Ebonheart Pact that is made up of Nords, Argonians, and Dunmers (Dark Elves)

 • Aldmeri Dominion, which has Khajits, Bosmers (Wood Elves) and Altmers (High Elves)

The only race that isn’t a part of a Faction are the Imperials, the DLC race, they are independent.

Crafting and Professions

No MMO is complete without having the stuff to do in the downtime.

Collecting herbs for potions, relaxing with some fishing or mining precious ores for your next epic weapon.

In Black Desert Online, Professions are called Life Skills, and there are 10 of them. They are:

• Alchemy
• Cooking
• Farming
• Fishing
• Gathering
• Hunting
• Processing
• Sailing
• Trading
• Training

You can do none or all of them if you want, and every time that you participate in a Life Skill, you’ll increase that Life Skill Level, and therefore, your Life Skill Mastery, which is the sum of all your Life Skill Levels.

Some Life Skills, like Fishing and Cooking, can be done while you’re AFK (Away From Keyboard). In fact, the main benefit of Black Desert Online’s professions is that you can make money with them whenever you can’t play since you can just AFK practice them.

The Elder Scrolls Online offers an engaging profession system. You can’t use it to AFK farm, but it does have benefits besides making money, such as cooking Food or Drinks that buffs you.

It has seven different Crafting Professions, they are:

•  Alchemy
•  Blacksmithing
•  Clothier
•  Enchanting
•  Jewelry Crafting
•  Provisioning
• Woodworking

Although you can level every single Crafting Profession to the maximum level, doing so is extremely difficult, and most players focus on just one or two professions, making professions an extra choice you have to prepare for your character.

PvP

Black Desert Online features open-world PvP, meaning you can fight with other players in almost every part of the game, safe for individual settlements and regions.

Players have a PvP mode that can be turned on or off. If someone kills a player that has its PvP mode disabled, that player will accumulate Karma Points. Once your Karma gets too high, your character will get significantly impaired as you will be attacked by NPCs, and you will lose more XP and possibly drop items whenever you die.

The game also features Guild Wars, Caravans, and Sieges.

 • Guild Wars: When two guilds start a war, players who kill players from the enemy’s guild won’t be penalized with Karma Points.

 • Caravans: Players can use traveling caravans to make money in-game. You can try to steal the caravan of other players, many times forcing them to go to its rescue, forcing a PvP battle.

 • Sieges: A massive battle with dozens of players defending/attacking a guild castle. Players can use siege machines to weaken the enemy’s defenses.

The Elder Scrolls Online PvP is divided into four different modes:

 • Cyrodil, the heart of the Three Banners War, where the three factions the Daggerfall Covenant, Ebonheart Pact, and Aldmeri Dominion, all fight each other for power. Here, you can represent the Faction you chose in Character Creation in a massive field of battle that can field over 100 players simultaneously.

 • Battlegrounds, a system to quickly find PvP battles where you join a team of four players and fight two other teams of four players (4v4v4).

 • Imperial City, a DLC-exclusive city that is envied by the three Factions. This PvP mode has not only small-scale PvP action but also PvE fights.

 • Duels, you can just invite a nearby player to fight with you.

The game does not have any sort of Open-World Player Killing, or some sort of Karma Points like Black Desert Online does.

Questing

Unlike almost every other MMO to ever come out, Black Desert Online doesn’t reward you Experience Points for completing quests, you only gain them by defeating enemies. In fact, doing quests in Black Desert Online is entirely optional, though they do grant some benefits. 

Also, to be completely honest, Black Desert Online’s questlines and stories aren’t particularly engaging or exciting. 

The game went all-in on making its combat feel as good and responsive as possible, but not so much its story.

Collect resources, talk to people, and kill monsters. The Elder Scrolls Online has all of the traditional MMO questin experience. You can use it to level up, get powerful items and gold. Not only that, but the game is filled with beautiful and immersive storytelling that will get you to forget you’re not actually inside the game.

Dungeons and Raids

Join your friends, face powerful enemies in a dungeon or raid, and get fantastic rewards.

Dungeons and raids are one of the most quintessential parts of MMOs. Here’s how these two titans of gaming compare in Dungeons and Raids:

Black Desert Online has two dungeons: Aakman Temple and Hystria Temple. However, they are not the traditional instanced dungeons to play in groups. They’re called dungeons, but really, they’re just farming spots. 

Black Desert Online is a sandbox with great focus on solo grinding and PvP, not so much PvE (Player vs. Environment) content, as seen in the questing section. As such, it doesn’t have Dungeons and Raids that MMO lovers may be accustomed to.

This is another aspect in which The Elder Scrolls Online is a little more traditional. It has four-player private instances that you can delve into for experience, riches, and items.

They also have something akin MMO Raids, in the form of Trials. Designed for 12-player groups, these Trials will reward you with unique and powerful items and resources, skins, and much more. They also include a leaderboard where you can compete with your 12-player group against other 12-player groups.

So.. Which MMO is Better?

Well… it depends! 

One is a Sandbox game with heavy PvP mechanics implemented into the game’s core experience.

The other is a more traditional jack-of-all-trades MMO, with the right mix of PvP and PvE.

It depends on what you’re looking for in an MMO.

Do you want a different MMO experience with constant PvP and super fast-paced combat that is heavily focused on player interaction? Go for Black Desert Online.

Do you want a dependable and traditional MMO that lets you explore dungeons, appreciate story and plot, and maybe even engage in some PvP? Go for The Elder Scrolls Online.

Or you can just… play them both.

Test them out.

See what you prefer.

You might see or experience things you didn’t expect and end up enchanted with one of them.

Enough to have fun for months or even years.

After all, what matters the most is:

What’s the most fun for YOU!

Sources

https://www.blackdesertonline.com

https://wiki.blackdesertonline.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us

https://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Elder+Scrolls+Online+Wiki

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Online