PvP, short for Player vs Player, denotes combat with other players as opposed to PvE, which forms the bulk of content in ESO. PvP is entirely optional and you are not obliged to participate in it. However participating in the Alliance War, Imperial City, and Battlegrounds awards you Alliance Points, which advances your Alliance Rank. AP is also used to purchase gear, siege weapons, and other useful items.
Current PvP includes:
- The Alliance War in Cyrodiil, where players of the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact fight to win campaigns by capturing keeps, towns, and Elder Scrolls. The Alliance with the highest score by the end wins.
- The Imperial City add-on combines PvE with PvP as Alliances seek to control the Imperial City. This has no effect on the Alliance War in Cyrodiil
- Battlegrounds, added with the Morrowind chapter, where three teams of four players battle it out in arenas with a variety of game modes and objectives.
- Dueling, a system where players can challenge each other to impromptu duels in any PvE location.
Notably, Cyrodiil and the Imperial City also have substantial amounts of PvE content. There are repeatable PvE quests, dolmens, and delves throughout Cyrodiil, and the Imperial City has its own set of story missions. However, bar a few safe zones in the Imperial City, you can be attacked and killed by any player without warning.
