#wpvp

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Automatic Flagging

The main difference between PVE and PVP servers is that ALL players are automatically flagged for PVP upon entering Contested Territory.  

While leveling, players will first encounter Contested Territory (distinguished by yellow text) around lvl20.  All max level zones, such as Warspear or Tanaan, are Contested by default. The only exception are Sanctuaries like Shattrath or Dalaran.

While flagged, members of the opposite faction are free to attack you at any time.  You, too, can attack anyone at any time. 

By rolling on a PVP server, you accept these risks! 

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World PVP

Attacking someone out in the world is called World PVP (WPVP).  WPVP is any PVP combat that occurs in the open world at any level, including max level.  Random WPVP is a daily occurrence on PVP servers.

But unlike Instanced PVP such as battlegrounds and arena, there are NO enforceable rules in WPVP.  

WPVP is about 1 thing and 1 thing only:

opportunity

That’s it.

This means if someone has an opportunity to kill you, they will probably take it.

There are NO RULES WHATSOEVER in WPVP.  There is no timer, no limits, no fairness, no mercy, nothing but opportunity.  Personal skill has little to do with how successful someone is in WPVP...  It’s 100% about finding opportunities and taking them.  

This is the most important thing to understand and accept when playing on a PVP server.

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PVP Server Ettiquette

Since there are no official rules, some players follow their own personal rules.  

They may choose not to attack, or only attack under specific circumstances, but all such decisions are completely personal and DO NOT apply to everyone. 

Some examples of personal PVP rules include:

Not attacking lowbies

Not attacking in groups “1v1 only”

Only attacking players from certain guilds

Only attacking certain races or classes

Attacking literally anyone “if it’s red it’s dead”

so many more!

Everyone follows their own rules! 

And because everyone follows different rules, being attacked is an inevitability! You should always be prepared for it.

You’ll eventually form your own rules too if you haven’t already.  Everyone’s idea of WPVP is valid -- it might not be to your liking, but their methods are as valid as yours.  

Remember: there are NO official rules in WPVP. 

There is NO WRONG WAY to WPVP.

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PVP Aware

So, it is very important to keep your guard up at all times while on a PVP server. 

Whether you choose to level on a PVP server or simply transfer a max level character, assume you are NEVER SAFE... because it’s true!

This sounds scary but WPVP is actually good practice for becoming a better player because, as it turns out, playing with the constant fear of DEATH is a great motivator!  

Not only are you forced to be aware of others, you're forced to be aware of yourself!  WPVP gives you an incentive to learn how to use ALL your abilities because you never know when you’ll need them to escape an encounter or just plain win.  You’ll carry this fear-forged awareness into everything: PVE, PVP, and other max level adventures.

WPVP also introduces you to the importance of positioning and using your environment (ex: don’t chase a shaman to the edge of a cliff..), critical for all types of max level combat.  

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Responding to PVP

Example: you’re out in Tanaan doing dailies at lvl100.  As you’re fighting an elite monster, an enemy player(s) attacks you.  You have two options:

Fight

Run

Both are acceptable choices!  Pick whichever one let you live the longest lol. 

But the truth is, you might die no matter how prepared you are... and that’s OK! 

Getting killed by another player (called “ganking”) is a completely normal everyday occurrence on PVP servers.  Remember, WPVP is about opportunity, not skill, not fairness, not anything else.  

Everyone’s been ganked before and it’s literally never a big deal UNLESS you make it a big deal.   Getting ganked doesn’t mean the other person is better than you or that you’re bad, it just means the opportunity was in their favor.  That’s why they took it.

So if you’re ever ganked (and you will be eventually), the best course of action is to simply respawn and carry on.  If your attacker(s) is still in the immediate area, mount up and go elsewhere temporarily. 

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Getting Camped

Since everyone follows their own rules, some players may camp you.  Camping is when your killer lurks around the area waiting for you to respawn so they can kill you again.  

Camping is generally frowned upon but it can happen to anyone.

If you’re being camped, the best thing to do is AFK as a ghost for a bit.  Get a drink, make some food, tab out and read something, or check auctions on an alt.  The open world is a big place and most campers will get bored and move on if you don’t rez in the next couple minutes.  

When you decide to rez, do it as far away from your corpse as possible and preferably behind a solid object, like a tree or boulder.  Don’t stop to heal, just mount up and RUN.

But what if they DON’T move on??

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Reporting Players

Unlike other situations, it’s very difficult to report players in PVP because there is ALWAYS a PVP solution to a PVP problem.  GMs will literally never intervene except in the most extreme cases (re: camping someone for 20hrs straight).

This means if someone is killing you on a PVP server,  it’s up to YOU to do something about it.

Examples of PVP solutions to PVP problems:

Fight back! many gankers are more bark than bite.  In equal circumstances, they’re often no better than you.

If you can’t fight back for any reason, find someone who can!  Call friends or guildies to rescue you.  Use your BTag list! 

Call in local defense/general chat for someone to come to your location. There is no shortage of people hunting for enemy players to kill lol.

Run! There is no shame in running away and re-engaging when the odds are in your favor. There is no shame in waiting for a good opportunity because that’s what WPVP is all about!

The great thing about PVP servers is you ALWAYS have the power to shift the situation in your favor. ALWAYS.

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PVP Mentality

To play on a PVP server you gotta put your personal survival ahead of everything (and everyone) else.

But sometimes survival means taking out threats before they take YOU out first.  You don’t necessarily have to start anything, but you should always be ready to finish it. 

If you are gonna start something, you should STILL be ready to finish it lol.  Doesn’t mean you HAVE to finish it or finish it alone, however...   It’s OK to choose your battles in WPVP!  If you don’t like the looks of a situation, don’t engage.  Being cautious is a great way to stay alive lol.  Be patient and wait for a better opportunity to attack. 

Folks are always complaining about fairness and “being honorable” in WPVP but NONE OF THAT WORKS because OPPORTUNITY is the only thing that defines WPVP!

Once again, WPVP is NOT about skill, fairness, being nice, etc.  You’re not trying to make friends, you’re trying to survive. (incidentally I’ve made a lot of friends and frenemies through WPVP over the years so I mean.. I guess it depends on how you go about it lol :P)

For the record, PVP or WPVP isn’t some kinda evil sport.  For many players it’s simply part of the fun. That’s why we choose these servers!  

So the only things you gotta remember in WPVP are:

Do whatever it takes to survive.  

Always be AWARE, always be prepared.  

Adapt (includes fighting back, running away, running to guards, etc).

Adhere to whatever personal rules you have for yourself in combat but assume your opponent will not do the same. Assume everyone wants to kill you until proven otherwise.

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To recap: ANYTHING goes in WPVP and you just gotta be ready for it.