Unlikely Allies
by Mike D'Anna 
Jun 19th 2006 at 1:31PM
Over the past weekend, I was leveling my Night Elf Hunter, grinding him through the early 50's, mostly solo, but I ended up finding help in some of the most unlikely of places; on two separate occasions this weekend, I found myself 'grouped' with the most unlikely of allies, the Horde.Playing on a PvP server, I run into the Horde quite often, and the meetings are, as you can expect, usually less than cordial. I do occasionally meet a member of the opposing faction who doesn't immediately want to kill me, but it's a rare event. So, I was all that much more surprised the other day when I found myself being beat down by an elite MOB at the Altar of Zul, only to suddenly that there was someone behind him helping me kill it. It was a close fight, and I was grateful for the help, but after it was over, I was shocked to see an Orc Warrior standing beside me, smiling & waving politely...
I'm a peaceful hunter by nature, and I rarely attack unless provoked, so I returned his greeting. He then pointed to the next nearby MOB & then pointed at me, like he was telling me to go ahead & pull it over, so I did. He helped me kill that one, and then the next one he attacked first & I helped him with it. We went on like this, room by room, taking turns on MOBS and clearing the entire temple; I would never have completed it alone without his help. We were unable to fully communicate, but our gestures & actions worked just fine to bridge the gap. both of us had a blast & waved each other a hearty goodbye when it was done.
The next night, as fate would have it, the very same thing happened to me in Felwood, taking on the Jaedenar with a pair of Taurens & another Orc. I came across the two of them hunting & saw that they were in trouble from 4 swarming demons, so I sent my pet in to the rescue without thinking twice. They were most grateful, and allowed me to get the next kill, after which they took a turn, and so on & so on. By the time it was all over, I almost felt like an honorary Horde member, and I certainly gained a new respect for my old enemies.
Have any of you ever tried to 'befriend' someone of the opposing faction? Have an unlikely team-up story to tell? Random acts of Undead kindness? Chime in with your stories, if you have 'em.
And a big shout-out to Bullblack the Taruen; you're the tops, buddy!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sean bonner Jun 19th 2006 1:37PM
I'm pretty sure that's a Tauren in the screenshot, not an Orc.
Gank You Jun 19th 2006 2:12PM
I have one word for you and it fits you like a glove.
Carebear.
Andy Jun 19th 2006 2:33PM
As a new player, I have yet to be killed by a Alliance Player yet (lvl 23 Orc warrior on BB). Granted I have not done to much time in Contested terrority. I have seen Allies, kill every member in my party, but me, then laugh. I think it's harilous, my partners...not so much.
Ghostle Jun 19th 2006 3:06PM
Sorry to say this, but come on, thats just carebear thinking. Now you probably think I am a very naughty person (don't want to use bad words), but it is world of WARcraft. I am on a pvp server as well, and I follow the dictum of red = dead. Now, its not always the case, I won't hit anyone thats grey, that just unfair, and I had it happen to me when I was leveling. But anyone that is still green is getting hit. The reason, cause your nice mentality is not followed by the other side. Do unto others before they do unto you.
Mike D'Anna Jun 19th 2006 3:18PM
I'm not saying that's the way everybody should play on a PvP server, of course there should be conflict...I just found it to be a pleasant surprise, especially that it happened twice in a row. Now come over to Lightninghoof as a Horde & call me a carebear ;)
PodMonkeys Jun 19th 2006 3:52PM
I've occasionally "grouped" with Horde. I think most of this I've done in the Western Plaguelands, but occasionally else where. I think its kind of neat. I do play on a PvE server tho.
Ramzi Jun 19th 2006 4:17PM
I'm an alliance night elf hunter. I had made the trip to Barrens during my early levels specifically to tame Humar (black lion), since I wanted a rare pet that I could level all the way to 60 and be proud of it.
Then I found out everyone and their mother had one since it was easy to locate and tame.
Much to my dismay, I kept him regardless, since he was cool to look at anyways. But when I heard about Echeyakee and his glorious white coat, I had to have him. Him being restricted to horde only quests made him more appealing and rare.
So I camped that spot for a day. Finally I see a level 16 rogue come by and spawn Echeyakee. I rush over and try to gank the poor guy (I'm a carebear usually)... And realize Barrens is horde territory. He wasn't PvP flagged... Oops.
I wait for the next guy, and try to train some mobs on him after he spawns the lion. No good, they always manage to kill him before going down themselves.
I try to tame while he is being killed. The tame action is broken off once the horde hit Echeyakee.
In the end, I tamed one of the regular lions around the area, called it "HelpTameEch", and then immediately asked a hordy who's about to spawn Echeyakee to /wait, /point at my substitute pet, and then /beg.
Finally a mage cooperated. He even sheeped him for me while I tamed :D
I love you mage!
Vlam Jun 19th 2006 4:36PM
Well as my grind to 60 went on (I hit 60 saturday night), My mage has run into some allie of both good and evil. I have fought and killed alli but usually If they don't attack me on sight, I'll try to help them. This has back-fired before with helping some lowbies in STV but they were done away with quickly.
praiseshiva Jun 19th 2006 5:54PM
I'm on Twisting Nether, RPPvP, "I am Forsaken". I have never been helped by or buddied up with an Alliance. I follow the "Red means Dead" mentality also... I don't stop short on the gray folks though. Simply because, in all the time I was leveling I can count twice "only twice" that a skull Alliance didnt beat the crap outa me. So what goes around comes around...
Now, if I'm focused on doing something, heading somewhere for a quest, looking for a particular mob, etc. I may ignore an Alliance... but there's no way I'm saving one, let alone teaming up with one...
I see a creature tearing an Elf up and I help the creature. Hehe.
James Jun 19th 2006 6:36PM
Last night I was grinding the Shadowsworn in the Blasted Lands, and a 60 human warrior charge-stunned me. I'm level 52, it was really late, and I just wanted to finish the stupid warrior quest so I figured I would just sit there, let her kill me, and rez. It was taking forever, though, she was only 1H me, and must have been prot-spec. Just when I was about to use a health potion and start fighting to speed up my certain death, she /cry'd on my shoulder then mounted up and left! I was moving around a little bit during the fight, but not much, so I don't think she thought I was AFK. I guess she just didn't have the heart to kill me. :P
Kallell (Kalecgos)
Sid Jun 19th 2006 8:03PM
I've met a few Allies in Desolace on my druid who weren't too aggressive. I remember a mage in particular over in one of the centaur camps, who waved and smiled to me, to which I returned the favor. Not unexpectedly, five minutes later her and this warrior totally bum-rushed me while I was in the middle of fighting a mob, and I had no chance to fight back. They spitted and laughed a bit, and apparently were trying to camp me.
Of course, this idea doesn't work too well when there's a 60 hunter on my friendlist who's all too eager to drop them and park a scorpion on their corpses.
Rohsan Jun 20th 2006 7:36AM
I play on a PvP server, and i occaisonally help out opposite faction dudes if they're in heaps of trouble, because i know i would appreciate it if it was me. But it really sucks when they attack you afterwards, as has happened to me in STV.
Rotface Jun 20th 2006 11:00AM
Playing on an RP server isn't nearly as risky as playing PvP, the threat isn't there, but my lovely Tauren hunter has done her fair share of good, as I've had it done for me.
The only time I've gotten downright mean was when two Allies tried to take out whats-her-name in STV (the 40 tauren chick that roams), of course I step in and clean up. It lead to some damned entertaining PvP action later in Nesingwary's where I was, unfortunately, after using /no and just sitting down after being hit, corpse camped twice over.
Its all good, we show the Alliance what for, have a good night of it and continue on.
twh Jun 20th 2006 11:18AM
Carebear or not, they are usually more fun to play with than gankers.
I play on a PvE server, so you don't fight unless you want to. So, that puts me a in position to be able to assist Horde players whenever I want. And you know what? Factions be damned, because if I see someone in trouble, I'm gonna help. And if I'm tagged for PvP and they decide to return a backstab for my help, they're the ones that bear the shame of it. Granted, it's only a game, but still. It's a somewhat decent way to show what kind of person you can be by how you play.