Ask WoW Insider: The joy of ganking
by Mike Schramm 
Nov 10th 2008 at 5:00PM
I was going to ask a question today about dual-heading (that is, using more than one monitor to play the game), but Amanda has already covered that topic very well. So instead, we went to Twitter for a question, where sw0rdfish came up with paydirt:Hey WoW Insider. What's the joy in ganking lowbies over and over?
-sw0rdfish
I agree, great topic for you readers to break down for us today. What's with all the ganking? It's just a standby on PvP servers -- you're going to get ganked, and at least once, you're going to get camped again and again and again. I play mostly on PvE servers, so I've never had to worry about this stuff, but if you've ever done it, what exactly is it that drives you to camp lowbies? Are you doing it just for fun, are you just completing the circle of ganking because you were ganked while a lowbie, or are you just doing your part and grabbing your sword to fight the Horde?
Good question. And there are definitely certain times when a fragile truce arises -- usually when new content shows up (expect a PvP truce in early Northrend later this week). What say you, readers?
And if you have a question for the readers of WoW Insider (we need as many as you've got -- the buffers are low!), drop us an email at ASK at WoW Insider dot com, and you might see it here next week.
Previously on Ask WoW Insider...
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, PvP, Ask WoW Insider
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Gavin Nov 10th 2008 5:08PM
personally, I try to take the high road... Tarren mill was horrible as a lowbie horde on my server. I am hoping to grind to 80 in relative peace... if not, well the frost hammer will fall. :: squish ::
Tony Nov 10th 2008 5:09PM
I think it's because higher level characters are so powerful and they like to flex those muscles. I mean, being able to 1 shot an alli makes you feel like you've come a long way. Or you can pretend that low level toon is that guy that keeps owning your face in WSG.
HerriPaul Nov 26th 2008 3:07PM
Some players are just bullies and are probably exerting a sense of 'power' that they lack in RL.
James Nov 10th 2008 5:10PM
Tich is gonna be crazy, I dont think any sort of truce would work...
Gavin Nov 10th 2008 5:13PM
Yeah that is what I am afraid of. lol Tich is a rough server and high volume to boot. Should be interesting but I am still trying to be an optimist. Luckily I am in a big guild and we can back each other up if it gets too crazy. :-)
James Nov 10th 2008 5:16PM
Yeah it's gonna be fun... I hope the server stays online because I took off work to play for the week. There's gonna be people who choose ganking over leveling, I know it, just the way Tich is. Hopefully someone corpse camps Steelballa, I'm alliance and it's so annoying how all the kids in /2 suck him off every day.
Beli Nov 10th 2008 5:17PM
The truce should be easier this time than when BC came out. If they're smart about it, 95% of the alliance will be in Borean Tundra, just because it leaves from easily-accessed SW and there's strength in numbers (why port to IF to fly to Menethil Harbor to take the boat when you can just port to SW?).
Likewise, the Horde will take zeppelin from UC to Howling Fjord, because who wants to arrive and be faced with a few hundred alliance? If they both mainly stick to those different zones to start with, it really should help... for the first day or so.
Of course, this all hinges on the players being smart about it, which as we all know isn't necessarily true.
Rain Nov 11th 2008 1:42AM
I think on Tich we can guarantee that people WONT be smart about anything
Shamanana Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
I know I personally don't attack Ally unless they attack me/group members/guildmates first. I remember how much it sucked getting camped as a lowbie and I never camp people. I know it is part of a pvp server but it just isn't something I'm into, I am too empathetic I suppose. I do have guildmates that will /dance with any allies they see and if they dont /dance back, they will then proceed to gank them. In fact I have heard a few rediculous rules for when someone will and won't gank. I met a guy who only ganks people if they are in Outlands (he likes flying down on unsuspecting people). I met another guy that will only gank gnomes (I'm considering taking up this idea, I HATE gnomes, especially gnome DK's. Does it get more rediculous than that?)
Henry Nov 10th 2008 5:14PM
I don't normally gank, but one time (on a PVe server) I was in STV @ level 70 and I saw a level 5 undead that was marked for PVP.
I just had to kill him, there was really no internal debate.
dmendro Nov 10th 2008 5:14PM
Retirbution for past ganks. STV was not fun for me. :P
TehAlx Nov 10th 2008 6:20PM
Seconded.
To every possible level there is, this is the exact reasoning I have for my occaisonal ganking sprees.
I try not to, because it sucked so much. But sometimes, I just need to get my frustration out on a poor, defensless lowbie.
Tankin Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
I play on a PvP server and probably shouldn't. Friends of mine would wipe out the Chillwind Camp area and repeatedly gank lowbies in order to bring about some world PvP with higher level characters. There was some sense of fun they derived from it as well.
Sometimes it's a guild thing. Which one you're in and which one their in.
Other than that, I've never truly understood it.
Bumwaller Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
I am guessing the majority of the "gankers" out there are compensating for something...
plastixblue Nov 10th 2008 5:17PM
This
rogue Nov 10th 2008 5:39PM
Yes... compensating for being bored... :)
brucimus Nov 10th 2008 7:39PM
yep, most of them are RL cowards who wouldnt even think of engaging a real person.
Coldbear Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
fun
eventually some challenging competition will show up
it weeds out the people you don't want at endgame on your server
it gives you a bad name, which you'll need if you want some real world pvp eventually
everyone, no matter how much they deny it, like a little OP godmode once in a while
being in a pvp environment where everyone's a bloody carebear isn't very fun for a lot of people, this kind of behaviour works to eliminate that risk
it's exciting to be in an immersive world where you have to look over your shoulder every second - if you don't stoke the world pvp fires in a player's soul while he's just a newb, then there won't be much excitement for you when he gets to endgame
MetasynMan Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
Up until a few patches ago, I would assume corpse camping was just a mild form of entertainment for some people. However, now that the Honor DR's have been removed, I can get the same amount of honor every time I kill someone. Normally I don't condone camping all that much, but if you're a gnome fishing in Orgrimmar, you can bet your arse I'll make sure you don't catch [Old Crafty] before I do.
Kakistocracy Nov 10th 2008 5:27PM
As a Gnome trying to fish in Org, I am bothered by that sentiment, even more so, because I let hordies fish in IF when they need to.
Though it is a little flattering to see a couple 70's waiting for back up before attacking me while I am wearing my brew fest gear.