Fastest method for earning Balthazar faction in PvP?

Darmikau

Darmikau

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

Pun Goes [Here]

P/W

Is there a legitimate "fastest" method for earning Balthazar faction in PvP, or are the reward amounts comparable enough that I should just pick whatever PvP option I'd have most fun playing?

This is considering average Faction gains just from playing the PvP mode - not counting Zquests or bonus weekends.

LifeInfusion

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

Zaishen elite if all you're after is Balthazar faction (though it's capped per day).

*It's not "real PvP".

Star_Jewel

Star_Jewel

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2010

Denizen of Tyria since Feb. 2009

"Fastest" faction gain is hard to really estimate because of all the variables involved in PvP.

Wiki breaks down the rewards, but the speed and efficiency of your own faction farming depend a lot on your own skill and the skill of your teammates. You can make Balth faction hand over fist in GvG, but if you're not in a good GvG guild, you may struggle.

If you're more casual, I would remind you that the Imperial Faction from Jade Quarry, Fort Aspenwood, and Alliance Battles can be converted to additional Balthazar Faction, on top of what you'd be earning naturally from kills.

ETA: I just noticed your join date. Sorry for approaching you as if you're a noob. No offense intended.

hankey

hankey

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2011

JQ is pretty efficient, most people that go after the zrank for the pvp title in their hom (r2 only) do that, but there is no 'fastest' so yes pick the one you enjoy the most!

Xsiriss

Xsiriss

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by hankey View Post
JQ is pretty efficient, most people that go after the zrank for the pvp title in their hom (r2 only)
Rank 3 actually, 2 would be a piss take.

Anyway, if you're lucky RA is always decent and provides decent cash through strongboxes. But JQ is more reliable/fun.

LanaDarkess

LanaDarkess

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2011

Australia

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xsiriss View Post
Rank 3 actually, 2 would be a piss take.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiki
Allegiance rank is a term for a pair of title tracks: the Friend of the Kurzicks title track and the Friend of the Luxons title track. They are earned for your account through the transfer of Kurzick faction or Luxon faction. These titles can be displayed in the "Honor" monument from tier 4 onwards.
Quoted directly from wiki, is actually r4

As for the balthazar faction, I just tend to do what I like. I've never been one for GvG, but I enjoy FA. Was pleasantly surprised to find the imperial faction after not having a computer for about 4 months.

Cool Name

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2008

Shadowed Ones

E/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by LanaDarkess View Post
Quoted directly from wiki, is actually r4

As for the balthazar faction, I just tend to do what I like. I've never been one for GvG, but I enjoy FA. Was pleasantly surprised to find the imperial faction after not having a computer for about 4 months.
They are talking about the zaishen rank (using balth faction to buy keys to open the z chest) which is rank 3:

Quote:
Zaishen rank is an account-based title given to players who use Zaishen Keys to open the Zaishen Chest; five points are earned for each key used. This title can be displayed in the "Honor" monument from Rank 3 onwards.
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Zaishen_title

And I would agree the JQ is most reliable and efficient, esp. if you use your imperial faction for balth faction. Also, as mentioned, remember to farm 6k from zaishen elite everyday.

Bright Star Shine

Bright Star Shine

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2009

Belgium

Club of a Thousand Pandas [LOD???]

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by LanaDarkess View Post
Quoted directly from wiki, is actually r4

As for the balthazar faction, I just tend to do what I like. I've never been one for GvG, but I enjoy FA. Was pleasantly surprised to find the imperial faction after not having a computer for about 4 months.
r3 actually, they were talking about Zaishen, not allegiance...

Best Balth reward is still GvG on a GvG double weekend with GvG quest active...

Nah, easiest balth is usually do what the daily PvP thing is, and give in the quest as soon as you complete tier 1. Rince and repeat.

Gruff

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

England

Muppet Warfare [MvM] & 2nd in Servants Of Fortuna Ally

I would say FA/JQ would be the quickest seeing as you go to district press enter and don't wait to long for each battle, as opposed to getting 7 other people together or 3 with hench then waiting for a matchup that you will win.

chuckles79

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2009

FILA

P/

JQ is the most reliable, depending if you have open slots for PvP only characters or have a toon that can be set up for it easily enough.

FA on Kurzick is not bad, and I'll do it when I need a break or if it's the Z-combat for the day.

Zaishen Challenge and Zaishen Elite are good if you just need to grab a quick thousand points and don't want to work hard at it.

I only do AB on special weekends (like the coming one) and I almost never do RA and CA anymore. Syncing ruined RA and CA is only good if you know the people you play with.

BBA322

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2010

U.S.A

Cunning War Vixens [VixN]

Personally, I've found I like doing Fort Aspenwood for my Imperial Faction to convert into Balthazar faction.
Just keep in mind what nets you the most faction from what you do in the match is all. From wiki:
Quote:
-Kurzick players receive 30 times the completion percentage of Gods' Vengeance.
-Luxon players receive 500 for each unique gate destroyed.
-The winning side receives an additional 1,000.
-Players receive 20 Imperial faction plus 10 Balthazar faction per kill in real time.
The downside on the Kurzick side is you will have more people doing the fourth method too frequently, rather than other things that help toward winning easier for that +1000 faction win.

Luxon seems like it can be quicker for faction at times, if you're busting gates down real quick, or are able to blitz right to Gunther within a few gate busts since their winning doesn't rely on waiting for the bar to fill. Even if you lose, you can still get that 2,500 faction usually.
Mesmer AoE is great on Luxon side for mine capping and gate busting easily if you want to sweeten your pot for faction gaining. Likewise, Mesmer AoE is also great for mine capping and turtle killing on the Kurzick side (if the turtle is left unprotected)

Gerroh Darksyde

Gerroh Darksyde

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2007

Ontario, Canada

Il Skinny Puppy Il [SP]

N/

An average Fort Aspenwood match will get around 80 kills if you're playing on the Lux side.
That's 800 Balth and 1600 Imperial(Which converts into 533 Balth) for about 15 minutes at the most.
You can count your kills by checking your Balth before and after the match, divide the difference by 10 and that's how many kills your team got.
With this Month's flux, 90ish kills isn't rare.

Edit: That's kills alone, the additional bonuses from gates and winning can make FA a pretty good place to earn Balth, though I just do it mostly for fun.

Premium Unleaded

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

Between jq and fa, jq's turnover is better as you can get a decent win in about 7-8 mins on average, even push sub-7 min with a good team/vs. terrible opponents. The main disadvantage is that you're much more dependent on the other 7 people, whereas 1 person can make a massive difference in fa.