From PvE to PvP, my first 15 levels
by Adam Holisky 
Jan 27th 2008 at 1:00PM
I am a long time PvE supporter. The last time I played on a PvP server was two years ago when I created an alt to get a hold of a friend. I've never really enjoyed the idea of getting ganked as I try to level my lowbie toon. It just didn't seem fun for some reason. So in an effort to expand my WoW horizons, I'm headed off to create a shaman on a PvP server. In fact, not just a PvP server, an RPPvP server. This should really push my limits and make me look at things in new ways. There has been a lot that I've heard over the years about PvP servers: how awful it is to level a toon, how hard it is to find a group, having to find hiding places to log off at, never being able to complete some quests, etc... Then there is the ultimate insult to those of us that play on PvE servers: PvE carebears. Of course, having grown up in the eighties, I fail to see how that's an insult.
What follows is my personal account of the trials and tribulations from level 1 to 15, PvP style.
So I start out at level 1, a small Troll Shaman. Using whatever gray or white two handed staff I can get my hands on, I go forth into the world and start killing. After a few million boars are dead, I'm level 10. Nothing really different from the PvE game. Heading into The Barrens, I'm greeted with the infamous Barrens Chat. Good times had by all but me, off goes general chat. What's this? A quest to Ratchet. Off I go.
Pwnd.
A nice level seventy Alliance warrior (who shall remain nameless) was waiting for me on the way. I die. I rez. And I die again. Go and get a cup of coffee, and he's gone by the time I get back. Thank God.
I noticed some of the gear he had on, like pally legs from Underbog, Azureplate Greaves. On a warrior. Huh... he must be confused and gets his jollies from killing lowbie horde toon. Fair enough.
Ratchet is almost empty, expect when a group of level 30ish Alliance come by. I'm killed by them too. Annoying.
But luckily for me, that's the last of my deaths today. I finish out the first 15 levels on my shaman in a little over seven hours played. Not too bad a time, given all the death.
Next week I'm sure will be more interesting as I head to level 30. I'm going to need some help with this transition to PvP servers, I'm sure. So for your PvP server vets out there, what are some of your tips and and suggestions?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
George M. Jan 27th 2008 1:08PM
I started on a RP-PvP Server, Maelstrom. As a paladin it wasn't fun. I kept getting ganked. I switched to a PvE server at the first opportunity.
jtrain Jan 27th 2008 1:09PM
The Barrens are horde friendly...you can't get ganked there unless you flag. Unless of course you're flagging on purpose to get the 'true' feel of pvp. But at your level, thats exactly why the first several zones are safe. Ganking doesn't really start until you're in your 20's.
Siggy Jan 27th 2008 1:17PM
A little correction here: There ARE Warrior legs that drop in Heroic...Mechanar, I think? That have the same model as Azureplate.
Vanquisher's Greaves, I think it is.
Adam Holisky Jan 27th 2008 1:18PM
True.
However armory FTW.
dan Jan 27th 2008 1:13PM
hmmm... seems to me like to tagged yourself for PVP by attacking first.
In newbie areas like that your never tagged for pvp unless you attack first. Tsk tsk Adam, tsk tsk.
As for tips and suggestions. Always keep your mana and health at more then 70% in case of a rogue. Try to quest in a group to avoid gankage by people your own level. And never get mad at level skulls who gank you, pity them instead.
Adam Holisky Jan 27th 2008 1:18PM
You got me. ;-)
Tag, flagged, and subsequently bagged.
SimpleSurvival Jan 27th 2008 11:57PM
I'm confused...
you got killed by a 70 and a group of 30s... and you were suprised by it? maybe you shouldn't flag yourself when you aren't prepared for pvp yet... darwinism at work
I've played exclusively on PVP servers and I might be a minority here, but I seldom get ganked. I'm aware of my surroundings, careful when I'm in contested terretory, and don't try to kill any player who's name is red...
Also, RPPVP < PVP... I always wonder how most of them factor ganking into their RP story
auho Jan 27th 2008 1:20PM
Skip the Hillsbrad Foothills it is the worst place for ganking at peak times in the whole game. At least on Deathwing it is.
frank Jan 27th 2008 1:40PM
Hillsbrad is bad but STV in your 30-40 is absolutely horrible. There have been times that I've killed an average of 3 mobs before being ganked... release, rez, killx3, dead again. There's very little you can do about it if your Alliance. Every time I'm there the 70 horde outnumber the 70 Alliance about 2 to 1. I was once part of a raid of 10 defending the hunters camp; within 20 minutes we faced a raid of 20 horde.
Kesh Jan 27th 2008 3:59PM
Agreed. STV is always full of Alli and Horde, so ganking is the norm there. I pretty much expect to get one-shotted at least once when questing or gathering in there.
Generally, I don't mind. It's the level ?? corpse-campers that annoy the hell out of me. They aren't really accomplishing anything by ganking me, and 90% of them run like hell whenever anyone near their level comes to assist me.
Shinagani Jan 28th 2008 9:22AM
I loved STV, I hardly got ganked by high levels. But there were always Horde my level around so there was constant PVP. I probably won more times than I lost.
Nothing's better than fearing a potential ganker into a group of raptors and not having to kill him yourself.
Aticus Jan 27th 2008 1:37PM
It's funny that this came up because a few days ago, I too switched to a PVP server to join a friend. Everything was nice and easy in the Ghostlands but then I ventured to Tarren Mill... I was ghanked in less than three minutes.
I have noticed though that if you were to /wave to a passing other faction player, the chances of you having a fight is slim. Try it out; it can't hurt.
-Aticus, http://www.paladintales.blogspot.com
Exeter Jan 27th 2008 1:49PM
Yea, you flagged yourself, so of course you got swatted. There's no doubt that once you're in your early 20s and have to venture forth to Ashenvale or Thousand Needles you were going to make a lot of corpse runs, but NOT IN THE BARRENS. Unless, of course, you do something stupid, which, apparently, you did.
What bothers me about this article and prompted me to post (first time, although there have been numerous entries on this site that have annoyed me) is that you lead the reader to the incorrect conclusion that traveling to Ratchet is dangerous for a newbie Horde character. It's not, just don't attack anyone and all is well. Unless the RpPvP servers have a different ruleset than a normal PvP server.
Calybos Jan 27th 2008 1:36PM
PvP is for teenage punks, jerks, and losers. As a fellow PvE-er, I can assure you--you haven't been missing a thing. PvP is beneath us.
Thijz Jan 27th 2008 2:36PM
I think you got owned and now have a trauma. PvP ads an extra level of suspense to lvling and questing. You constantly have to watch your back for enemies and that's nice. Also, I enjoy a nice and fair fight against a player that is the same lvl as I am... I don't care if I die from it, as long as it's a fair fight...
Meira Jan 27th 2008 4:29PM
God have mercy on your soul. Think of World PvP has a Spice in lvling/grinding.
Butt if you were so ganked that left you so traumatize, learn to pop World Defense (to plan properly your travels), listen to the general chat, install a KOS addon (make sure it rings when a person in the list is in the radius, at least mine saved my butt many times because of it!) and, if you have to rest, only rest in towns, if that isn't possible, lay down behind a bush, a rock or behind a cliff/wall in a manner you are hardly spotted from main roads or paths. The probability of you being ganked drops a lot: just take some precautions and you'll be fine.
Paw Jan 27th 2008 9:53PM
Let me guess...you're the type who has never played PvP, but you know what you're talking about, right? I bet you would never drive an American car because they are junk...though you've never actually driven an American car...and you wouldn't drink diet Coke because it is disgusting...though you've never actually tasted it...and you would never move to New York City because NYC is full of obnoxious people and crime...though you've never even visited to get first-hand experience.
Why do people say such stupid things? You would have given yourself some credibility if you had said something like: "I played on a PvP server for 6 months before I switched to PvE. I've never looked back." That would have been constructive. Instead, you made yourself appear less mature than the "punk teenagers" you despise so.
anonymoose Jan 27th 2008 9:54PM
I started out on pvp servers and only moved to pve to find compatible raid times. Honestly, I much prefer the pvp environment, and I say this as someone who leveled a priest to 60 holy (preTBC) on a pvp server.
I have 3 70s, 2 leveled to 70 on the pvp server, 1 leveled to 45 on the pvp up until my time of transfer. If I had known how hard it would be to find a group to get anything done on the pve server, I would have left the 45 on the pvp server until hitting max level.
On a social note--I think pvp servers can have less same faction and interguild conflict, in part because there is always opposing faction to vent frustration with, and because cooperation within your own faction is required. My pve experience is that the drama is far higher, and skill level is kind of sad.
WTB pve > pvp transfers please.
Oh and for the record, I'm a working mom, a reasonable adult. I prefer the pvp server environment for a number of reasons--and bristle at the notion that there is something wrong or negative about me because of this.
Az Fish Jan 27th 2008 1:45PM
Since you are horde, avoid Hillsbrad Foothills when leveling 15-30. Tarren Mill gets destroyed almost non-stop.
Richard@Home Jan 27th 2008 2:05PM
I think some of you folks are missing the point. He's playing on a RPPvP server - everyone is flagged for PvP all the time :-)