PVP PVE integration

Hello,
I have been playing Nightfall for a few days now and I'm starting to get the feel for the game. I'm trying to figure out exactly how PVP and PVE are integrated. I know that PVE allows you to leave the main common areas to quest in instanced zones to build your character from scratch. However, when you reach lvl 20 and decide to PVP, are you up against other PVE players who also built their toons, or are you playing against people who made PVP players that were automatically lvl 20 and unlocked with all skills...or both?

Are there certain arenas that are only for PVP created character players and others for PVE created character players or do they compete against each other?

Finally, is there any benefit in Nightfall to have a PVE created character over a PVP created character?

thanks!
cwconrad78 is online now Edit/Delete Message

Welcome to the forums and the game.

In PvP arenas, both level 20 PvE and PvP characters will be there, you cannot just decide to fight one or the other. So with your PvE toon you will be up against many PvP chars with perfect weapon mods, full unlocks, etc. You can generally tell the difference by their type of armors.

There aren't specific arenas for PvP chars and for PvE chars. Everyone is all together. Thus, the suggestion is to use a PvP char for all PvP unless your PvE toon has enough skills unlocked and high level gear - meaning, almost maxed or maxed mods, max armor, etc - for it to be competitive.

There is the obvious benefit of a PvE char over a PvP one in that the former can participate in PvE. But also in that, especially for new players, PvE is a way to unlock runes, mods, heroes, and the like. Doing that will allow you to build more competitive characters if you later enter PvP.

Thanks for your insight!
So PVE is still very important. A PVP player can only use runes and such if they have been unlocked on their account. In order to unlock them, you need to do the PVE side of things. I know you get runes through salvaging colored items.
PVE is definitely my favorite aspect of the game but I had just wanted to know how it was separated. I guess it's not

One last question, what are the battle standard icons that I have accumulated in my backpack?

It doesn't matter what campaign you have as they are all good but have all 3 gives you a more of a competive edge over just one like what you have.It was intended to have mostly PvE char playing in PvP for unlocking as there was no Faction when the game first came out.The PvP char.s are for experimentation for builds but it was intended to use your RP char to PvP with.In the end it is all the same.

You can also unlock items, skills and runes by gaining Balthazar faction, which you get in PvP for kills and such. I guess PvP is a bit co-dependent on PvE but they are really separate entities. I guess I just made this a bit confusing too =\

You can also unlock items with Balthazar Faction. You get 40 faction per kill in PvP, 1 skill costs 1000 faction (elite 3000)

Not really as you can unlock runes,weapon mods and skills with Balthazar Faction that you earn in say Random Arenas.

Do you mean Battle Commendations? They can be traded in for items with the sunspear quartermasters in the sunspear great hall