I'm going to take the dissenting side here. Ganking isn't PvP as it was originally intended. It's an offshoot of an arguably necessary lack of rules around doing damage to non-threatening opponents. There is basically nothing fun about being the gankee, because you are going to lose, period. Short of the other person losing interest, you're going to lose. That's not a game, that's just being bullied.

And, frankly, I think people that say, "Ganking is part of the game and it's fun," are a good example of everything that's wrong with online gaming.

Ganking is NOT true PvP. It doesn't take skill for a level 70 to take out a level 35 and it never will. That is why there is a completely different term for it.

Pvp is against a target that has a chance to defeat you. A Gank is against a target that has no hope to win. I understand why people enjoy ganking lowbie, but it requires no real strategy, no real skill and therefore is not REAL PvP.

Especially in Warcraft. The name of the game implies that war is a CRAFT. It requires knowledge and skill. WarGank requires none of it and SHOULD be frowned upon because of it.

Have I ganked? yes. But I don't pretend it takes skill to do so or that it is fun for the person that gets ganked.

On the other hand, leveling on a PvP server is harder and creates a sense of awareness a player can never get on a PvE server. There is a heightened sense of play on a PvP server because once you are in contested areas, you are NEVER safe.This adds something to the game that cannot be replicated without the danger of the gank.

BitterCupOJoe I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. I think that 'ganking' is an essential part of the game as well as lore. Ganking or not ganking brings out the players true in-game (and rl) personality. I prefer the 'attack only if attacked' policy and thats how I run my chara. Now I am in no way shape or form a "RP'er" and I dont run around insisting ppl call me Rearadmiral (for plenty of reasons :P). But the horde hated the alliance and vise versa, just like in rl some ppl were able to accept the treaty and some ppl were not. All in all it is not fun to be ganked, but I think its an essential part of the game...dont like it dont play on a PVP server...plain and simple.

"Oh but you CAN frame ganking as true pvp. As the ganker your strategy IS to one shot your targets, your combat comes after the person you ganked brings his/her main/friend."

This is strategy?

....it's fun on both sides?

I love playing on a pvp server, cause the threat of being ganked is everywhere while you level, adding to the excitement...but during the act of being ganked, I wouldn't say I enjoy it.

Man, you need more hugs dude.

I play ally on an old pvp server, and 70% of our population is horde. Thus I have been ganked way more times than I have ganked. I pvp for gear, but I rolled on a pvp server for fun. I don't care if it's a lowbie, I don't care if they're in a fight, I just want them to lose and have to do a corpse run. God knows I've done it enough trying to quest in STV and outland...

In a sense, I'm glad the alliance is so overwhelmed by the horde's numbers- no matter how many people I grief, there will always be more horde griefs that I can atone for.

I guess the question is "Where do you draw the line for someone who has no chance of winning?" Aside from arenas and bg's, when is PvP really "fair".
If my level 70 priest is out of mana and wanding a mob to death in grinding gear, a rogue comes along and kills, is that really fair? A competent warlock, regardless of mana, can beat virtually any skilled mage with relative ease. How is that significantly different than a 70 vs. a 35? There is no amount of skill keeping my priest alive.

I frequently find on PvP servers that Rogues, Hunters are the primary benefactors of random world PvP, since both can avoid it relatively well, and both are at a severe advantage when they start 1v1 themselves.

I play Alliance on a server that's almost 2:1 Horde:Alliance. To most people, this would be frustrating. When I started playing on the server (I was there for my real life friend, who played -SURPRISE!- a hunter), I hated it. After a long while, my viewpoint has changed.

It's true, the sense of constant danger, being out-numbered provides an additional challenge to the game. The new dailies are difficult ENTIRELY BECAUSE I have to keep alive long enough to keep my flame up in Hellfire, while a "horde patrol" flies around scanning for me.

Some people like PvP servers, because they like dominating and destroying other people. Others enjoy playing a survivalist in a jungle of douchbags.

Your reasoning is wrong, but your words are right. Sorry, but ganking is a player killing another player. Or, in other words, Player versus Player. Sound familiar? I'm sorry, but just because it's not fair doesn't make it not PvP. I'm not promoting it, but it is legitimate under the term. PvP doesn't stand for "Test of skill between 2 equal characters." That's called Mortal Kombat, buddy. :)

I have to wonder why this post is being voted down. Sure, it's an unpopular opinion, and I don't share it (I hate ganking) but what did he say that's offensive or off topic?

Agreed with Mr. Rossi. There's nothing wrong with this guy's post -- It's a valid point of view.

Personally, I'm sort of in agreement. PVP servers give the potential to be ganked. Yeah, it's annoying, but if you don't want to be ganked, don't roll there. If you don't want to RP, don't roll on an RP server.

Get off my PVP/RP Server, you whippersnappers.

Matthew, haven't you noticed people downvote any post they don't agree with around here?