[i]Edit 3 (Edits 1 & 2 below): I'd like to thank everyone who's responded and been complimentary. I wrote it to help others see that they can get better at PvP if they just see the problems they have and put forth the effort to fix them. For those reading this for the first time, there is a wealth of knowledge that has been dropped by those who know how to do this so I implore you to read through the comments and check it out for yourselves. Again, thank you all for responding and thank you to those who have defended me against the haters who only wish to bitch and not be positive.[/i] Guys, Iron Banner returns this week (or so I've heard) and I cannot wait to jump in there and kick some ass, and this is funny considering that when it first came around I did it sparingly since, the sad truth was, I was [i]terrible[/i] at PvP. I'd ditched the [i]Thorn[/i] bounty three times because of the crucible part and the same was done with [i]Invective[/i]. I'd read of others ditching these bounties and/or avoiding the PvP altogether for the same reasons as I and I just let it go as a part of the game I would never be a part of. But then I got the Invective bounty again ([i]A Dubious Task[/i]) and, as I was half way through discarding it[i]--I stopped[/i]. Looking at the screen and that elusive gold square looking back at me, I had a revelation: I was going to f*cking figure out the PvP one way or another and get that gun! I went to the crucible and got my ass kicked again and again, but this time I didn't mind because I wasn't there to win, I was there to learn: what were the guys who were killing me in firefights doing to beat me, even when I'd gotten the jump on them? How was it that I kept getting caught flat-footed, even from cover? Why wasn't I killing these guys even though I had blasted them dead on center mass (or so I thought)? [i]And how in the f*ck does that damned radar work???????[/i] These questions and others haunted me, but in time, through ass beatings, forum posts, ass beatings, YouTube videos and more ass beatings, I started to figure it out. Slowly, very slowly, I started not to get killed so much and then I started to hit back. I never got that much of a high score, but I was starting to get [i]a [/i]score...and soon things started to change. It took awhile, but I started getting better, and then, on 11/1/14, this happened: [url]http://i.imgur.com/SVxrZ12.jpg[/url] Yes, as shocked to sh*t as I was, I was the lead scorer on a winning team (I'd come out on top of a few losing teams before that, but this was the one that got me the most). I couldn't believe it! Was this a fluke? Well, no, it wasn't. I haven't done it often, but I came out on top a few more times on winning teams and yesterday I did something extraordinary (the impetus for writing this post): [url]http://i.imgur.com/IlkIYpA.jpg[/url] Yes, that's 32 kills which included a 12 victim long killing spree. I f*cking dominated that match and I had so much fun doing it that I thought I should write this post for those of you who suck at Crucible but wish they could join. The RNG sucks to high heaven, yes (it wasn't until two weeks ago that I got a legendary prize[i]--and from a Blue engram of all things[/i] (Final Boss--f*ck yeah!!!) and the matchmaking is kinda lopsided (one match your team dominates, the next you're getting ass--blam!-), but the fun I have is more then enough for me (though watching that dude in forth place on our losing team-[i]-which I topped--[/i]get Thunderload [i]really [/i]pissed me the f*ck off). So, some words of advice: 1-[u]Don't f*cking stand still--EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!![/u] I can't tell you how many time I've gotten kills from guys who just stand there and shoot at me. In the words of the great Muhammad Ali you gotta [i]'Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee'[/i]. Bob and weave, move your feet--keep moving. All of the best I see constantly keep in motion as it's so much harder to get all those hits on them. 2-[u]Figure out the radar[/u]: it may seem like a challenge, but it's much more simple then you may think. This video will help you out with that: [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDumLvofnLc[/url] 3-[u]Bring the proper guns!![/u] I know you may love that pulse rifle in PvE, but in PvP, it'll likely get you dead (if you're not good to begin with). Hand Cannons & Auto Rifles are good Primary weapons for the guy who's still learning (leave the Scout Rifles for more polished hands, okay.) For Specials, [i]Shotguns [/i]get a bad rap and some of it I think is deserved, but it'll get you through a tight spot for sure. [i]Snipers[/i]? Don't even bother as those take a practiced hand (and the distances in the majority of matches negate it's pluses [i]except for the very gifted[/i] (which, if you're taking these words to heart, you are not). [i]Fusion Rifles?[/i] I'm an FR lover [i]for sure,[/i] but these also take a talented hand to use and I don't really recommend them for the guy trying to get good. Remember, you're not trying to win every match off of the bat, you're just trying to figure out the essentials so that you'll have a base of knowledge [i]from which you can build on[/i]. 4-[u]Most importantly--Small chunk it[/u]: That's right. Don't go all in trying to win the match or get a high score, go it to answer the questions you're having problems with like [i]I can't figure out the radar-[/i]-go and just try to figure out how it works, f*ck how many times you die doing it. [i]I can't hit these guys in the head-[/i]-spend 5 or 6 matches just trying to figure out the mechanics of the headshot. [i]I can't this, I can't that-[/i]-take your time, take a few matches and figure that aspect out, too. To get good at the Crucible (or anything for that matter) is simply a matter of getting down the various aspects that make it all work (i.e. The Fundamentals). Each part exemplifies the whole and when you take them apart and learn how they work, you start seeing that this isn't that much of a mystery at all, it just seemed that way because you weren't taking the time to learn the language. Do these things and you will get better[i]--I did and you can[/i]. And though I'm nowhere near the best, I have a great time doing it now and that's more important than anything. To all those who have figured this out, please feel free to comment on what you think others can do to get better. Thanks for reading, guys. Enjoy [i]Edit: BTW, I forgot to mention that not only did I get Invective, but I good Thorn soon after. :-D Edit 2: I want to thank those who have complimented me on this post, especially those that are already good at PvP. If you look at my K/D across my characters, you'll notice it's pretty bad, but then that's because of how [i]abysmal [/i]I was in PvP for so long. Those photos don't lie though and they're not the only ones of got of me being top dog (and those are only of the times when my team [i]won[/i]). I wouldn't still be playing if I hadn't improved. Stay strong and persevere.[/i]