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by Adam Holisky 
Apr 12th 2008 at 9:00PM
One of the larger complaints about the ability to transfer servers is the lack of PvE to PvP transfers. You can transfer your character from a PvP server to a PvE server, but not the other way around. Some folks see this as discriminating against the PvP servers, while others see it as a good thing.Blizzard is firmly on the side of those that see it as good. In a recent blue post Bornakk has came out and said that while the option is there, they have no plans to allow it. Apparently this has "been on the table" for the past two years.
Personally, I'm glad they won't be allowing this. The ability to transfer from PvP to PvE makes sense since you won't be disrupting the gearing balance. But think about what would happen if you could transfer from a PvE to a PvP server. Everyone would level their characters on a PvE server, and then transfer them to a PvP server at 70. This would make it nearly impossible to get a group or have any pre-70 game play on the PvP server. I know some of you are going to say that it already is impossible, but it would just become more difficult. So I'm with Blizzard on this one.
What do you think? Is it a good policy, or should Blizzard change their ways?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, News items
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Whitt Apr 13th 2008 7:20AM
It's a pain... I've wanted to transfer to a PVP server to play with friends but it's not allowed. I want to hang as my current toon with them, not reroll an alt. While there is a point that levelling on a PvP server is more difficult, maybe they could do something with honor? You get a certain amount of honor when you ding on a PvP server, so there's an immediate advantage over anyone who levelled on a PvE server then transferred.
Kathy Apr 13th 2008 8:32AM
Personally, I think it should be an option if you transferred from PvP to PvE at 70 and the server you found was just not working out for you. One of my officers lvl'd his pally on PvP and wanted to try a transer to maybe do end game faster, he got to his PvE server and the guilds he tried were not a good fit for him. He has a mage and a warrior on a PvP server but cannot xfer back. I feel those situations to be different since he lvled on a PvP. But realistically, I do realize that Blizzard cannot weed those out.
bumble Apr 13th 2008 7:50AM
a workaround would be to only allow transfers right before an expansion is released so those who transferred do have to level on a pvp realm.
Pavid Apr 13th 2008 9:17AM
You act as if leveling on a pvp server is any different than leveling on a pve server. I've leveled several characters on pve and pvp servers and there was absolutely no difference. There just wasn't. Instead of high level players ganking me they would actually -help- me. They'd one shot whatever mob I was killing and then /wave emote at me. I only got ganked like 4 times in STV and I was there for like 12 levels. And the people who ganked me were the same level as me. They weren't 60s or 70s. People who've never played on a pvp server think everyone just ganks each other all the time. It simply isn't true. Two flagged players will simply run past each other as if neither existed 99.999% of the time.
And no, nobody will level on a pve server and then spend $25 to transfer to a pvp server at 70. People aren't big enough losers to do that and there's no need for it. The only people that will transfer from pve to pvp are the same people who would transfer from pvp to pve. They got accepted by a guild, they wanted to play with friends, or they're pvp addicts like me and would rather play on a pvp server. I leveled my first character (a warrior) on a pve server (cenarius) because that's what the game recommended to me. But since I love pvp I'd rather have my warrior on a pvp server.
Calybos Apr 14th 2008 5:14PM
Can someone explain the attraction? Why would anyone WANT to suddenly transfer to a PvP realm, if they didn't start out that way?
It's like begging for a transfer from New York City to Morowi, Nebraska. What the heck is behind this "demand"?
Kolina Apr 13th 2008 11:17AM
Personally, I'd love for there to be transfers from PvE to PvP. I started the game out, afraid of PvP so I decided to take the PvE route so that I could get comfortable with the game. As it turned out, as I lvled I started to get bored with how easy the PvE was and now I have a lvl 65 Hunter just rotting away on a PvE realm while I lvl up a new hunter on a PvP realm. I'd much rather just transfer the hunter I've already worked on, over, but alas, I can't. It sucks really.
vildand Apr 13th 2008 6:58PM
I recently transfered one of my old horde characters to a pve server from a pvp one because a gang of rl friends did a guild thing there.
I've been on pvp servers since the game released, but I've never had more actual outdoor pvp than I've had on the pve server. All in all the only real difference between pvp and pve servers seem to be the ganking.
gundamxzero Apr 14th 2008 10:58AM
I think its pretty lol that everyone thinks its such a big deal. I have leveled on each type and getting ganked is hardly a problem even on PvP I think in STV it happened like once or twice. And to honestly think that everyone wants to spend the 20 bucks extra when they can still just pvp on a PvE server?
Over-analyzation FTW!!!!
Aladek Apr 14th 2008 6:54PM
I would actually be ok with a Normal to PVP transfer... on a few conditions
1) The account already has a 70 on the server intended to be transfered to (1 transfer per 'home grown 70')
2) Some random fee charge
3) The toon is transfered Naked! - no gold, no equipment, no nothing... skills? maybe professions? but nothing else...
bradv10 Apr 14th 2008 8:52PM
how about one time one character?... pwease?
Arch Apr 15th 2008 10:54AM
I just don't see the big deal... $25 will keep away the riff-raff from any transfer, and they could just double or triple the price if they see "abuse" of level and gank.
At the end of the day, it is to Blizzard's advantage, and the game culture in general, to let people transfer to be with friends. It keeps them engaged and involved (and paying).
Tom Apr 16th 2008 10:16PM
I have played both server types as alliance and horde. I personally did not see a difference. Mind you I was willing to play with PVP flag on at all times on the PVE server. And with the new leveling changes I don't see much of a problem for people to get to 70 on a PVP server.
Also these PVE players get their PVP gear the same way as the PVP players and that is through fighting within their battlegroups, which last I check is a mix of all server types.
I think more people to kill the better I don't care where or how they got their gear.
Stupidhuman Apr 18th 2008 2:04AM
Blizz has a unique opportunity when WotLK comes out, to allow players to X-fer to PVP servers in the months prior, then cut off new transfers after the Xpac.
Seems to me that this would circumvent the issue of people leveling PVE and transferring to PVP. Also the focus at release for most everyone will be leveling to 80, not ganking lowbies or whatever it is that blizz thinks PVE'ers will do.
I agree with the many previous posters, I've leveled 3 70's on PVP, and 4 on PVE, and the leveling speed/difficulty is almost exactly the same. I sure would like to take my tank over to my wifes guild to help out, but the darn server types don't match :-(
Reptile Apr 27th 2008 12:28AM
Why does everyone cry about how hard it is to level on a pvp server? I was on a pve server for 16 months, had four level 70's and six level 19 bg twinks. I came to this game from Unreal Tournament and thought hey, I want to try out pvp now, since a friend suggested pve in the beginning when I was new. I have 12 days played on a level 65 Warrior, running right on par with the same amount of time it takes me to hit level 70 on a pve server, 15 days.
So I don't understand, why is it unfair to level up on a pve and transfer when I'm able to do it in that same amount of time. I hardly ever see alliance and when I do, most of the time they do as I do, just blow right on by because they are trying to level like I am. I've been ganked by an opposing faction less than ten times on my way up so far, so I say let it happen. I think the people that complain about how hard it is to level would suck at leveling on a pve server, they just haven't gotten it down yet and would have a rough time wherever they are.
It's no harder to level on a pvp than it is on a pve server, and actually might be faster on a pvp because everyone is trying to get to 70 faster, whereas on a pve the atmosphere is more layed back and tuned to instances.