Just started out, should I go PvP or not?

[nidanone]

Hey guys,

Brief background about me... I'm 30+ , have a full time job, not really into games before (so slow learner probably), but looking to start playing WoW. I won't have hours and hours a day to devote to it, but here and there I'd like to play.

My question is whether I should select the PvP or normal server. On one hand, it sounds like I may be missing the point of a massive multiplayer gaming experience if I select a normal server (?)

On the other hand, it sounds like on the normal server there are opportunities to switch to PvP, and with my inexperience it will probably take me a long time to learn the game.... so maybe I'm better off in a "safer" environment?


If I choose PvP or Normal server, and later change my mind is there a way to switch to the other or am I completely stuck?


Thanks
nidanone

[xDarkDrifterx]

I usually suggest that people asking this question (usually so b/c the thoughts of world pvp intrigues them) should go PvP first as I feel that those realms give you a more "real" feeling within the game. You're contantly watching your back, able to take revenge, able to attack when desired, etc. But the one main point is that if you go PvP first and hate it, you can always switch to a PVE server but if you decide that you hate PVE and want to go PvP you can't (well you can, but you'd have to start fresh - you couldn't transfer your main). Also, you could try each out as you can have (iirc) up to 50 characters across all the realms. So that's a lot of options, though as you said you don't have that much time.


A Horde shammy attacked my 33 preist near Darkshire just as some people came by and he ran off . . . later while I was entering Stranglethorn Vale guess who I see? That same shammy. I attack him, he purges, I bubble he heals and hits me with a shock, I heal and hit him with a mindblast, then a psychic screen and mindflay . . . we go back and forth (same level) and then I do a few mana drains on him (he's almost out of mana) . . .and get his life down to about 1/4 . . . he then throws a grounding totem - switched to ghost form and runs - I toss on a fresh shadow word pain - I give chase down the road and over the hill I stop and wait hoping that he will think I stopped following him (cause I can't catch him in ghost form) then I go up over the hill and as I get to the top I see +1 Honor on my screen . . . darn . . . he ran into a group of mounted allies coming down the road . . . lol

Oh well, didn't get to get him, but that fun battle / chase scene scenario could not happen on a PVE server unless we were both flagged and running around playing that way. As opposed to always being flagged on a PVP.

Also, just to hit the other side of the barn . . . I'm in STV leveling and I get jumped by a (skull +15 levels over me) horde and proceed to get camped (unable to revive at my body as everytime I do he kills me again in one hit) for the next 30 mins thus preventing me from finishing my quests in the area so I am finally able to hide behind a tree and hearthstone (send me back to my home). I fly to another area and continue questing there, it cost me about 40 mins of my evening. That too, would not happen unless I was on a PVP server. If I was on a PVE server that horde could not have ganked and camped me. My time would not have been interupted.

So there's two examples for you. With limited time a PVE server may be a good choice for you, but again . . . PVP rocks IMO and is well worth the occasional frustration - though we all have our views on this topic.

Hmmm, decisions decisions . . . well either way, welcome and good luck with your choice.

:smiley:

[Kaldresh]

Everyone has their own opinion on which is better, but as a person with a similar situation as yours, I suggest PvE. The reason is very simple - if you aren't a big gamer and don't have a lot of time, being interrupted while trying to quest can really be irritating. It's entirely possible to have someone camp your body (sit there waiting for you to return from the graveyard to claim your body) and continuously kill you for no reason except that they can. Or to have an invasion of the area you are questing in where they kill all the NPCs and you can't fly out or turn in quests.... much suckiness. From my perspective anyway.

The exception would be, of course, if you have friends that play and you play on their server. Then you could group up and wouldn't be a lone target. Of course, you aren't a target when you first begin - there are "safe" areas... PvP doesn't become an issue until like what... level 20 or so? And by then maybe you'll have enough of a grasp of things that the constant threat of imminent battle wouldn't bother you - in fact maybe you'd prefer it....

So I've apparently argued both sides of the question.... and the answer is still it's going to depend on you and what you find enjoyable. If you want to follow the quest lines, etc. go with PvE; if you want to just play and kill things whenever and wherever possible, go PvP.

I've got to admit though, the funniest and/or most interesting stories about in-game play invariably come from a PvP server.

[nidanone]

Thanks for the advice so far. I don't have any friends who play WoW, so grouping up is not an option for me.

PvP does sound more exciting though, I can see myself getting frustrated if people are killing me for no reason but at the same time it would motivate me to learn the game better to be able to retaliate or survive, and make it more meaningful since I'm competing against other real players.

In PvP, If my quest area is targeted and all the NPCs have been killed, I assume I can come back later and find them right?


How do I "pause" the game if I go with PvP (or either server) ... for example, if I'm interrupted by a phone call or something... do I have to log off the game completely or is there a way to safely pause it somehow? If I log out, where do I start again when I log back in?


Thanks again,
I haven't started playing yet but I can already see how this gets addicting ;)


Nidanone

[xDarkDrifterx]

In PvP, If my quest area is targeted and all the NPCs have been killed, I assume I can come back later and find them right?
Nidanone

Yes, the NPC's respawn

How do I "pause" the game if I go with PvP (or either server) ... for example, if I'm interrupted by a phone call or something... do I have to log off the game completely or is there a way to safely pause it somehow?

Wow is real time in every sense of the word. You would have to go stealth in a corner if you're a rogue or use shadowmeld if you're a Nightelf. Other than that, it's find a good hiding spot or find a safe spot and log out for the moment. There is no way to "pause" the game.

If I log out, where do I start again when I log back in?

Right where you logged out. Most people log out in an Inn for the evening as when you're in an Inn or just a major city in general you will get "rested experience" which will allow you to get double experience until you've used it up and then begin to get regular experience again.

[Kaldresh]

Thanks for the advice so far. I don't have any friends who play WoW, so grouping up is not an option for me.

You'll make some. :)

PvP does sound more exciting though, I can see myself getting frustrated if people are killing me for no reason but at the same time it would motivate me to learn the game better to be able to retaliate or survive, and make it more meaningful since I'm competing against other real players.

Then you should probably roll PvP.

In PvP, If my quest area is targeted and all the NPCs have been killed, I assume I can come back later and find them right?

Yes, you can come back at a later time.

How do I "pause" the game if I go with PvP (or either server) ... for example, if I'm interrupted by a phone call or something... do I have to log off the game completely or is there a way to safely pause it somehow? If I log out, where do I start again when I log back in?

You know... I've never tried to pause the game so I don't really know... it seems like it pauses when you hit esc which brings up the options menu, but I wouldn't think this would work if you were in the middle of a battle...

As to where you start again, you start wherever you were when you logged out. Just a tip: Always go to an Inn before you log out - there's this thing called "rested experience." You earn rested experience when you are at an inn while logged out. The longer you are logged out, the more rested experience you will get when you log back in. What this means is that you get more experience per kill if you're "rested" than you otherwise would, which would be very handy for the person with not alot of time to play.


Thanks again,
I haven't started playing yet but I can already see how this gets addicting ;)

Extremely addicting! And get started already! :)

[odinsnephew]

Hi Nidanone and welcome :)

Good advice there already but I would have to say a PvP server. Its a hard learning curve but that first encounter with an enemy player where you beat them is a priceless moment. Especially if they initiated the fight ;)

Good luck :)

[Tikki]

All great advice.

I'm only going to be saying what already has been said, but here I go.

Firstly, you should really play what you think you're going to like. PvP is great. AMAZING. it's a blast, and really offers something different to the game. What's great about starting on a PvP server, is, like others have already said, that you can switch to PvE. The downside of PvP is that oftern, if you have a limited amount of time to play, you don't get to level as quickly. Often in PvP, your play is slowed down by the other fractions (this can also happen in PvE), but in PvP, you have no control if you get ganked or camped by players. At the same time, lots of people (myself included) thinks this adds to the game and is half the fun. But if you're looking to level up quickly, and enjoy the end game content, PvP may slow that process down...then again, it may not!

PvE servers really let you level up at whatever speed YOU want. You can also toggle the PvP action on. I'm not sure how much PvP you'd acutally get into to, but you do have that opition.

As for friends- you'll always make them! You can check out people on this site and see what servers they're on! lots of us play- but, I'm sure that's not a surpise! :)

[swaldman]

Bear in mind that characters can be transferred from PvP to PvE servers, but not the other way round.

You may get a character to a mid-high level on PvP and transfer it because you hate it - but if you start on PvE you'll always wonder.

[Zendarin]

There are definitely pros and cons. I believe a PVE server is the only place for someone relatively new to gaming to start - you can still choose to PVP if you want but you will actually get a chance to learn the game at your own pace this way. If you later decide you want to try a PVP server you can then go and create a character there.

On the other hand if you start out on PVP, as has been said, you can transfer your character over to a PVE server for a $25 fee.

There are certain areas you can pretty much write off as far as leveling goes on a PVP server. For example Stranglethorn Vale. The prime leveling spot for level 30-40 but if you are on a PVP server you had better start looking for alternative place to level because it is gank city on a PVP server. You will just get killed repeatedly by high level players over and over if you try to quest there.

If you are Alliance you can also write off Southshore and 1K needles - also good 30-40 areas - as Horde camps those areas as well.

Then again once you achieve max level (70 at this time) you have a choice of getting involved in Battleground or Arena combat (which is PVP) or raiding and some people don't like either one and get bored on the PVE servers whereas they are far more likely to keep playing where world PVP is a constant danger.

I have quite a few friends who are relatively new to MMORPGs and they all tell me they are sure glad they cnose a normal (PVE) server as they would have gotten frustrated and quit long ago if they were always getting ganked by other players, but if you like shooters and do well with them you probably want PVP for the additional action. Only you can choose.

[swaldman]

There are definitely pros and cons. I believe a PVE server is the only place for someone relatively new to gaming to start - you can still choose to PVP if you want but you will actually get a chance to learn the game at your own pace this way. If you later decide you want to try a PVP server you can then go and create a character there.

It's not that easy though - by then you'll have a lot of time invested in your PvE character(s), and probably have good friends in (or out of) a guild - you'd have to abandon all that to try the other side.

I wish I'd started on pvp; I'd like to give it a go, but I'm not abandoning a raid-geared 70 and everybody that I know for that purpose, when there's a good chance that I wouldn't like it anyway.

[nidanone]

Make sense thanks guys!

Ok I think I'm sold on PvP :)


In terms of what server to play on, I'm the same character no matter which server I play on, and I can switch to another server at any other time right?

Or does changing the server put me on another "parallel world" where I'm starting over ?


Nidanone

[swaldman]

In terms of what server to play on, I'm the same character no matter which server I play on, and I can switch to another server at any other time right?

Or does changing the server put me on another "parallel world" where I'm starting over ?

It's a parallel world where you're starting again, unless you pay for a once-off paid character transfer. These transfers are not allowed from PvE -> PvP.

[Zendarin]

It's not that easy though - by then you'll have a lot of time invested in your PvE character(s), and probably have good friends in (or out of) a guild - you'd have to abandon all that to try the other side.


You don't have to abandon anything. No one says you have to stop playing your existing character to roll a toon on a PVP server and check it out.

Of course if you are level 70 and at a point where you have an active Raid schedule you may not have a lot of time to try a toon out on a PVP server, but if you some free time on your hands when you are not raiding or preparing to raid roll up a toon on PVP and try it out. You can get up to 20 in 1 or 2 play sessions and then you will be able to head out into contested areas.

[swaldman]

You don't have to abandon anything. No one says you have to stop playing your existing character to roll a toon on a PVP server and check it out.

Of course if you are level 70 and at a point where you have an active Raid schedule you may not have a lot of time to try a toon out on a PVP server, but if you some free time on your hands when you are not raiding or preparing to raid roll up a toon on PVP and try it out. You can get up to 20 in 1 or 2 play sessions and then you will be able to head out into contested areas.

This is true, I didn't word it well. But what if you like it? Starting from scratch is a pretty huge disincentive.

[odinsnephew]

Make sense thanks guys!

Ok I think I'm sold on PvP :)


In terms of what server to play on, I'm the same character no matter which server I play on, and I can switch to another server at any other time right?

Or does changing the server put me on another "parallel world" where I'm starting over ?


Nidanone

You can have upto 50 different characters in total on your account and play them on any of the servers available. So you can have say, a warrior on server A and also a different warrior on server B, C, D etc. If thats your inclination. So yes, they are parallel worlds ;)

[Zendarin]

This is true, I didn't word it well. But what if you like it? Starting from scratch is a pretty huge disincentive.


Well.... if you like it then you would probably keep playing. If you are having fun it's all good.

[Duvar]

What exactly is the rationale for disallowing transfers from PvE to PvP anyway? It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me. What if you create your character on a PvP server, and then transfer to a PvE? After your waiting period is over, can you still not transfer back to a PvP?

[Your Average WoW Player]

What exactly is the rationale for disallowing transfers from PvE to PvP anyway? It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me. What if you create your character on a PvP server, and then transfer to a PvE? After your waiting period is over, can you still not transfer back to a PvP?

On PvP leveling is a lot harder then on PvE. Blizzard doesn't want a bunch of people leveling on a PvE then going to a PvP all decked out and geared up to cause havoc. They'd rather people level in the environment.

[nidanone]

Will I be able to play OK on a laptop? I have a dell inspiron E1505, 2GB RAM and 2GB DuoCore2 so I'm not so much concerned with processor speed and video, but I have a trackpad mouse.

I like to use my laptop with it on my lap (ie - sitting or lying back on a sofa) so an external mouse would be a pain.


This will be OK right? Sounds like most of the game is played on the keyboard.


Thanks
Nidanone

[Duvar]

On PvP leveling is a lot harder then on PvE. Blizzard doesn't want a bunch of people leveling on a PvE then going to a PvP all decked out and geared up to cause havoc. They'd rather people level in the environment.

So if you levelled to 70 on a PvP Server then transferred, you should be able to transfer back right? Or is the policy blind to the circumstances?

[Zendarin]

Yeah pretty much a blanket policy I am afraid. It would be very easy to abuse otherwise.

[nidanone]

In case my question got buried on the 2nd page, I can play this with my laptop right? (it has a touch pad)

I'd rather not use an external mouse.

[nidanone]

Guys... thanks so much for all the advice

Started playing tonight, made 2 new friends, didn't get killed yet, I'm already addicted :)


NidanOne

[Aerath]

Sounds good :)

As long as you're having fun - after all, it's a game and that's what it's all about.

[Felix Niebuhr]

Good luck on your choice. I`d like to add that one strength of the community on a PvP server comes from the us vs them going on. Mostly in the unfair situations, you are not alone. If a highlevel is harrassing an area, its usually not just you being the victim, but a couple of your faction toons having to deal with it.

So general chat is alive and for nothing else, you got peers who can confirm the stupidity of the ganker to give a little payback. I`m just saying this because the PvE fanbois often bring forth the scenario of corpsecamping and paints worst case. But in many situations it ends up with spontaneous gathering of forces, or unexpected help from a high level of your faction.

The common enemy binds the community together and makes the MMO. On a PvE server you can run around questing and with players all around you be very much alone, all to each his own. On a PvP server any from your faction in the wilderness is a friend.

And what is quality playtime anyways? Hours of interrupted solo questing, maybe not typing in any chat for the duration? If you are the person who are rdy to say; okay these chumps camping Grom Gol are slowly getting outnumbered, the next 30 minutes will be payback time. And then consider the next 30 minutes well spend fun, you have not chosen wrongly on a PvP server. It all comes down to mindset, if you feel you must do what you set yourself out to do, then unwelcome attention will feel like loss of time. But if you are playing for a duration and consider a quick brawl in between peace a welcome addition to the game, then its PeeVeePee for you.

Did I mention a common enemy ties the faction together?

[silverpie]

As far as playing on a laptop, it is (in my experience) a little harder to control a character precisely. So you should probably start with a ranged class (mage, warlock, hunter, priest, shaman, or to some extent druid), since exact positioning isn't as critical for them.

[nidanone]

As far as playing on a laptop, it is (in my experience) a little harder to control a character precisely. So you should probably start with a ranged class (mage, warlock, hunter, priest, shaman, or to some extent druid), since exact positioning isn't as critical for them.

Thanks Silverpie,

Too late though - I'm a NightElf Druid and I like myself :)

But, can you explain a bit what you mean by positioning, is that like when fighting a mob - how far away I am from it? I do sometimes get a warning that I'm facing the wrong way (but I don't seem to be)

I read somewher that there is an option to auto-target or something, where it will move me up to the right range automatically once I right-click on the target, would that perhaps help me in this case (since I'm using a touchpad). I haven't tried that option yet.

I use my laptop a lot and I'm very comfortable with my touchpad, so it's not like I jump around all over the place, I think I'm pretty precise with it. Then again I'm new at the game so I don't know.


NidanOne

[theshard]

My girlfriend is very adept at playing on her laptop but she doesn't use the mousepad much at all. She relies mostly on tab-targeting, WASD to move and the preset keybindings for spells.

But I think when she gets to 70 she will find it somewhat more limiting with the larger number of spells and abilities.

[caldepen]

I use a laptop while on the road and I highly suggest you go out and buy a little travel USB mouse. Night and day, night and day.

As far as PvP vs PvE goes, having played both extensively I find PvP far more interactive, exciting and rewarding. I play a toon on a PvE server because of a guild and friends but I have really almost stopped completely because PvP is just so much more. Trying to get a quest done, while looking over your shoulder or going hunting questers is just great.

Word to the wise though, if you do go PvP don't ever whine about getting ganked (killed by an enemy with a higher level or when you are engaged with a monster or just finished with one and have little health), there is no such thing! Go out and be the ganker my brother!

[LeiCon]

I have characters on both sides of the fence; I prefer PVP because nothing beats the rush of ganking some unsuspecting person trying to complete a quest. Had it done to me plenty, give it back when I can.

HOWEVER

I love earning money in the game, and I have found that PVE servers are better for this because I can have characters on both Alliance and Horde sides on the same server. This lets me (with the help of a friend) transfer exclusive items and patterns from one side to the other.

The main burn is, if you start out PVE, you can never transfer to PVP.

Good luck, and welcome to the game!