Some of the Closed Beta testers know that I've been playing on the PvP server lately. I have a level 26 Warlock there now. I purposefully chose the "weakest" class at the moment for the PvP server, and this is my third Warlock to date.
Why did I choose the PvP server? Well, for starters, participation on the Horde side of the Beta server has been low. Too many players decided to stay on the Alliance side - why you wouldn't want to see the game from the other perspective, I don't know. We'd be going back to the Alliance next push, and those chars will be waiting for you...but I digress. Secondly, I realized that it's not fair for me to keep knocking the PvP server when I haven't tried it - and the best time to try it is in beta when I can be able to evaluate it and possibly make suggestions.
The PvP aspect is far from completed. Right now, it's very much anarchy on the server - many new rules and regulations are coming into play in future patches to make things more sane. Neutral towns are complete warzones on the server. In the future, you won't be able to wage war in neutral towns without consequences, and there will be some sort of mechanism in place to discourage "ganking" - the annihilation of characters so many levels below you that it's a pointless fight.
I've only played to 26, which has brought me into three "contested" areas - areas where open PvP is allowed: Redridge Mountains, Duskwood, and the Wetlands. I entered Hostile territory once, when my level 20 Warlock quest required me to enter the Barrens. How are my experiences?
1) hate to say it, but the level of play on the PvP server is superior to that of the beta server. Players there are generally better overall, and it shows when playing in pickup groups. Sure, there are exceptions in every case - fantastic groups on the Beta server and crappy ones on the PvP server - but I'm speaking of averages. The largest example of this was on my Van Cleef run, which I engaged in when I was level 18.
We entered the Deadmines without a Warrior tank. We had a level 17, 18 (me), 19, 20, and 22. This is definitely an underpowered group; the level 22 was a Paladin and he acted as the main tank. Within 15 minutes I had determined that our group had an excellent chance of winning this instance, despite the fact that the level 19 (mage) had never even been down there before. It didn't matter - he knew how to play a mage, and played his role to perfection. We all did, really - I don't think I've ever been in a group where each role was played so well. Surprisingly enough, they even knew how to party with Warlocks! They would smartly let my Voidwalker handle adds, asked for Healthstones when they needed them, and let the Warlock control the flow of battle via the class' crowd control abilities.
For big fights, we'd stop and discuss strategy beforehand, and execute the plan. The run took about 3 hours due to our low levels, but we killed VC. What was even most impressive was the final battle - knowing that our group was not strong enough to win the overall fight, we developed a plan of attack that would get us Van Cleef's head. What was amazing was how well it worked, and how well executed it was by everyone involved.
VC comes out of his "shack" with 2 guards. My Voidwalker would lead the assault and keep VC busy. Knowing that the Voidwalker would only live for about 20 seconds tops, the goal was to neutralize (kill) one guard, while sheeping the other. This worked - as my Voidwalker died, the first minion was killed. The party members started attacking VC with gusto. I re-cast my Voidwalker and prepared for the arrival of the second pair of guards, while also setting up my DoT spells on VC. The mage kept the first guard sheeped.
As the two other guards appeared, my Voidwalker assaulted one to keep it busy, and I cast Fear on the other. The "Fear chain" tactic thus removed the two fighters from the battle. With the third one sheeped, the others could concentrate completely on VC. Things started getting hairy as all of us ran out of mana, but VC died before the guards killed the Voidwalker, the sheep wore off, and I had no mana to Fear the last. As we expected, we were slaughtered...then waited 10 seconds and used our Soulstones to rise and grab the loot. Victory! As anyone who has conquered VC would know, accomplishing that with such a party of lowbies was a great feat indeed. VC himself is 22+ and hits for monstrous amounts of damage.
Anyhow, that's just one example. Most groups I join up with have experienced players who efficiently work to their goal. I'd say my percentage of "good" groups is around 75%, when it's closer to 50-55% on the Beta server. This is likely caused by the fact that only the more "die-hard" players would put up with the ganking, etc of the PvP server.
2) I have only been ganked once. Just once, believe it or not. Mongo amusingly congratulated me at the time and declared it a "Right of Passage," which is true. Under its current implementation, you are GUARANTEED to be ganked at some point. If you can accept that and not let it bother you all that much, then it's no big deal.
***SO FAR***, I have found that the level of griefing on the PvP server roughly matches that as on the Beta server. People are jerks on both servers, and if you think it's not possible to grief others on the Beta server, you haven't been playing long enough. This comes with a disclaimer: I have not gotten high enough in level to be playing in areas with neutral towns, such as Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale. See, neutral towns give out neutral quests, so both sides are trying to complete them simultaneously. Better do them in groups. :)
People are also nice on both servers. Having to go to the Barrens for my level 20 Warlock quest, I asked in general chat while in Dustwallow Marsh if any high level characters wanted to escort me there. The Barrens is hostile turf - meaning that I would be unable to attack any enemies there unless they attacked me. It also means, then, that the enemy will always get the first strike. Right away, I had a complete stranger walk with me to the questgiver, who's in a tent very close to a Horde town (Camp Taraujo). The stranger also handed me a good drop of gloves they got from a monster we killed on the way. I've been told on the Beta server many times by strangers that if I want a drop, I have to pay them for it - despite the fact that they couldn't use it, we both worked on the kill, and he just happened to be the one looting that time on the round-robin system.
This goes along with my next point...
3) There seems to be more comraderie on the PvP server. You get a real sense of "this is our faction, let's fight them Horde guys!" Players will announce sightings of enemy players in any zone, and high level capped players will guard the towns of areas like Duskwood, to stop Horde players coming up from Stranglethorn Vale ruining the time of players such as myself. On the Beta server, there is more of a competitive attitude sometimes between characters of the same faction. Very little of that goes on here, since the "hatred" is directed outwards toward the other faction, and players will be more willing to assist a fellow faction member.
4) There is more excitement, but only if you get a thrill out of entering enemy zones. PvP sure makes that level 20 Warlock quest a heck of a lot more interesting. At level 20, you'll have to progress through Dustwallow Marsh, an area inhabited by level 30-35 characters, and then enter the Barrens, which is Horde territory and you WILL be killed on sight by anyone who sees you. Would YOU let a Horde member waltz through Elwynn Forest? Now, I know this isn't for everyone, but it does give me a "phew" sigh of relief when I'm able to port the heck out of there to someplace safe after successfully making it to the quest giver. I also /suggested to Blizzard that requiring a young Warlock to make that trip is a little ridiculous in a PvP system.
In conclusion, so far my PvP server experience has been a positive one, although I know I'm but a mere level 26. Things will get harder as more and more quests will start taking me into enemy territories. I'm also playing on the Alliance side, which is "safer" due to zone and quest design favoring that faction at the moment. Ask any Horde player who's tried questing in the Hillsbrad Foothills, and they'll tell you it's sheer hell, since Horde characters will go there in their 20's while Alliance characters will go there in their 30's.
Hopefully by the time I start getting to quests in neutral town areas like Stranglethorn Vale, Blizzard will be on the next patch and things will be a little safer there. No offense to the Lounging Lurkers, but we're a rather small guild at this point and we can't provide protection to our own members via numbers. All we have are the mighty Mongo and lemekim who, if they're around and not in an instance, might pop by to provide a smackdown if it's required. :) Right, guys?
-Bolty
Edit: fixed typo
Why did I choose the PvP server? Well, for starters, participation on the Horde side of the Beta server has been low. Too many players decided to stay on the Alliance side - why you wouldn't want to see the game from the other perspective, I don't know. We'd be going back to the Alliance next push, and those chars will be waiting for you...but I digress. Secondly, I realized that it's not fair for me to keep knocking the PvP server when I haven't tried it - and the best time to try it is in beta when I can be able to evaluate it and possibly make suggestions.
The PvP aspect is far from completed. Right now, it's very much anarchy on the server - many new rules and regulations are coming into play in future patches to make things more sane. Neutral towns are complete warzones on the server. In the future, you won't be able to wage war in neutral towns without consequences, and there will be some sort of mechanism in place to discourage "ganking" - the annihilation of characters so many levels below you that it's a pointless fight.
I've only played to 26, which has brought me into three "contested" areas - areas where open PvP is allowed: Redridge Mountains, Duskwood, and the Wetlands. I entered Hostile territory once, when my level 20 Warlock quest required me to enter the Barrens. How are my experiences?
1) hate to say it, but the level of play on the PvP server is superior to that of the beta server. Players there are generally better overall, and it shows when playing in pickup groups. Sure, there are exceptions in every case - fantastic groups on the Beta server and crappy ones on the PvP server - but I'm speaking of averages. The largest example of this was on my Van Cleef run, which I engaged in when I was level 18.
We entered the Deadmines without a Warrior tank. We had a level 17, 18 (me), 19, 20, and 22. This is definitely an underpowered group; the level 22 was a Paladin and he acted as the main tank. Within 15 minutes I had determined that our group had an excellent chance of winning this instance, despite the fact that the level 19 (mage) had never even been down there before. It didn't matter - he knew how to play a mage, and played his role to perfection. We all did, really - I don't think I've ever been in a group where each role was played so well. Surprisingly enough, they even knew how to party with Warlocks! They would smartly let my Voidwalker handle adds, asked for Healthstones when they needed them, and let the Warlock control the flow of battle via the class' crowd control abilities.
For big fights, we'd stop and discuss strategy beforehand, and execute the plan. The run took about 3 hours due to our low levels, but we killed VC. What was even most impressive was the final battle - knowing that our group was not strong enough to win the overall fight, we developed a plan of attack that would get us Van Cleef's head. What was amazing was how well it worked, and how well executed it was by everyone involved.
VC comes out of his "shack" with 2 guards. My Voidwalker would lead the assault and keep VC busy. Knowing that the Voidwalker would only live for about 20 seconds tops, the goal was to neutralize (kill) one guard, while sheeping the other. This worked - as my Voidwalker died, the first minion was killed. The party members started attacking VC with gusto. I re-cast my Voidwalker and prepared for the arrival of the second pair of guards, while also setting up my DoT spells on VC. The mage kept the first guard sheeped.
As the two other guards appeared, my Voidwalker assaulted one to keep it busy, and I cast Fear on the other. The "Fear chain" tactic thus removed the two fighters from the battle. With the third one sheeped, the others could concentrate completely on VC. Things started getting hairy as all of us ran out of mana, but VC died before the guards killed the Voidwalker, the sheep wore off, and I had no mana to Fear the last. As we expected, we were slaughtered...then waited 10 seconds and used our Soulstones to rise and grab the loot. Victory! As anyone who has conquered VC would know, accomplishing that with such a party of lowbies was a great feat indeed. VC himself is 22+ and hits for monstrous amounts of damage.
Anyhow, that's just one example. Most groups I join up with have experienced players who efficiently work to their goal. I'd say my percentage of "good" groups is around 75%, when it's closer to 50-55% on the Beta server. This is likely caused by the fact that only the more "die-hard" players would put up with the ganking, etc of the PvP server.
2) I have only been ganked once. Just once, believe it or not. Mongo amusingly congratulated me at the time and declared it a "Right of Passage," which is true. Under its current implementation, you are GUARANTEED to be ganked at some point. If you can accept that and not let it bother you all that much, then it's no big deal.
***SO FAR***, I have found that the level of griefing on the PvP server roughly matches that as on the Beta server. People are jerks on both servers, and if you think it's not possible to grief others on the Beta server, you haven't been playing long enough. This comes with a disclaimer: I have not gotten high enough in level to be playing in areas with neutral towns, such as Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale. See, neutral towns give out neutral quests, so both sides are trying to complete them simultaneously. Better do them in groups. :)
People are also nice on both servers. Having to go to the Barrens for my level 20 Warlock quest, I asked in general chat while in Dustwallow Marsh if any high level characters wanted to escort me there. The Barrens is hostile turf - meaning that I would be unable to attack any enemies there unless they attacked me. It also means, then, that the enemy will always get the first strike. Right away, I had a complete stranger walk with me to the questgiver, who's in a tent very close to a Horde town (Camp Taraujo). The stranger also handed me a good drop of gloves they got from a monster we killed on the way. I've been told on the Beta server many times by strangers that if I want a drop, I have to pay them for it - despite the fact that they couldn't use it, we both worked on the kill, and he just happened to be the one looting that time on the round-robin system.
This goes along with my next point...
3) There seems to be more comraderie on the PvP server. You get a real sense of "this is our faction, let's fight them Horde guys!" Players will announce sightings of enemy players in any zone, and high level capped players will guard the towns of areas like Duskwood, to stop Horde players coming up from Stranglethorn Vale ruining the time of players such as myself. On the Beta server, there is more of a competitive attitude sometimes between characters of the same faction. Very little of that goes on here, since the "hatred" is directed outwards toward the other faction, and players will be more willing to assist a fellow faction member.
4) There is more excitement, but only if you get a thrill out of entering enemy zones. PvP sure makes that level 20 Warlock quest a heck of a lot more interesting. At level 20, you'll have to progress through Dustwallow Marsh, an area inhabited by level 30-35 characters, and then enter the Barrens, which is Horde territory and you WILL be killed on sight by anyone who sees you. Would YOU let a Horde member waltz through Elwynn Forest? Now, I know this isn't for everyone, but it does give me a "phew" sigh of relief when I'm able to port the heck out of there to someplace safe after successfully making it to the quest giver. I also /suggested to Blizzard that requiring a young Warlock to make that trip is a little ridiculous in a PvP system.
In conclusion, so far my PvP server experience has been a positive one, although I know I'm but a mere level 26. Things will get harder as more and more quests will start taking me into enemy territories. I'm also playing on the Alliance side, which is "safer" due to zone and quest design favoring that faction at the moment. Ask any Horde player who's tried questing in the Hillsbrad Foothills, and they'll tell you it's sheer hell, since Horde characters will go there in their 20's while Alliance characters will go there in their 30's.
Hopefully by the time I start getting to quests in neutral town areas like Stranglethorn Vale, Blizzard will be on the next patch and things will be a little safer there. No offense to the Lounging Lurkers, but we're a rather small guild at this point and we can't provide protection to our own members via numbers. All we have are the mighty Mongo and lemekim who, if they're around and not in an instance, might pop by to provide a smackdown if it's required. :) Right, guys?
-Bolty
Edit: fixed typo
Quote:Considering the mods here are generally liberals who seem to have a soft spot for fascism and white supremacy (despite them saying otherwise), me being perma-banned at some point is probably not out of the question.