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A male undead rogue.

In World of Warcraft, Player vs. Player (commonly abbreviated PvP) denotes combat between players of any kind such as:

  • Dueling - One versus one combat in a controlled environment. This cannot be done in cities. However, small towns and the areas immediately outside the entrances to capital cities are very popular for dueling.
  • Arena PvP System - Organized on-going tournament that allow for matches that take place in instanced controlled environments between players of the same faction as well as the opposing. Available in 2v2, 3v3 and 5v5 formats. Players create teams and boost their Team Rating to earn Arena Points by beating similarly rated teams.
  • Battlegrounds - Horde versus Alliance combat in a competitive environment. Before Patch 3.3.3 they rewarded 'marks' for the appropriate battleground, which were used as a sort of currency to purchase rewards from PvP vendors. Rated battlegrounds were added in Patch 4.1.
  • PvP seasons - PvP rewards change based on a season which lasts roughly a year, but will often shift depending on expansions and major patches.
  • Random PvP - Whenever a player character comes across another player character of the opposing faction whose PvP flag is turned on (on PvP realms this flag will switch on whenever you go outside the low-level zones that your faction controls, although it can still be activated in these zones, or Sanctuary areas) that player can attack the other. This was often called "World PvP" before the introduction of zone-specific PvP combat goals, and often still is called by this name.
  • World PvP
  • PvP Zones - These are zones that are fully dedicated to PvP and World PvP.
    • Wintergrasp, added in Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Wrath of the Lich King, is located in western, central Northrend.
    • Tol Barad, added in Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Catalcysm, is located off the southwest coast of Gilneas, Eastern Kingdoms, but requires a portal to reach.
    • Ashran, added in Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Warlords of Draenor, is an island located off the eastern coast of Tanaan Jungle in Draenor.
    • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Legion added world PvP subzones throughout the Broken Isles rather than a single large zone.

Aspects of PvP can be managed in the PvP window.

Honor points[]

Killing players of an opposing faction that is the same level, a higher level, or up to eight levels lower will gain a player [Honor points]. Killing players of too low-level will result in zero honor and is usually considered a form of poor sportsmanship.

As of Patch 2.0.1, players could use [Honor points] with Battleground Marks of Honor to purchase items in Stormwind City's Champions' Hall or Orgrimmar's Hall of Legends. The available items ranged from consumables, to gems and trinkets, and to superior and epic armor and weapons.

Also, as of Patch 2.4, players could turn in one Mark of Honor from each battleground (4 total; A [PvP] Concerted Efforts or H [PvP] For Great Honor) to gain extra honor (1238 Honor point at level 80). These quests are repeatable.

As of Patch 3.3.3, battleground marks are no longer obtained from completing battlegrounds, instead the amount of honor gained was increased and one could trade in their old marks for 185 honor each.

In the Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Cataclysm expansion (Patch 4.0.3), [Honor points] are awarded for participating in non-rated battlegrounds and [Conquest points] for rated battlegrounds.

Conquest points[]

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Conquest PointConquest Point [Conquest points] replaced Arena points when the Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Cataclysm expansion was released. They could also be earned via Rated battlegrounds, as well as winning random battlegrounds.

Arena points[]

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There are three categories of Arena teams: 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5. Any player can be a member of one or more Arena teams, but only one of each type. For example, you cannot be a member of more than one 2v2 Arena team at any one given time but you may leave your current Arena Team using the /teamquit {2v2, 3v3, 5v5} command before joining a new team.

Arena point [Arena points] were awarded at the end of each week based on your Arena Team's rating. Your Arena Team rating raised or lowered based on the games played by the Arena team. Obviously, winning would boost your team's rating and losing (even if by forfeit due to leaving the arena prematurely, disconnecting and/or not joining a queued game) would lower your team's rating.

You needed to play at least 30% of the total arena matches your team participated in for the week to be eligible for being awarded Arena Points at the end of the week. For example, if you played three games but your team played a total of 11 games for the week, you would not receive any Arena Points after the weekly update. Only the highest Arena Points from your 2v2, 3v3, or 5v5 teams would be awarded to you each week. So if you were getting more points from your 3v3 team based on its Arena Team rating, you would receive Arena Points based on your 3v3 team and none from your 2v2 nor 5v5 teams.

Arena matches did not award Honor Points nor PvP tokens of any type.

Arena points could be used to purchase epic items from Meminnie in Blade's Edge Mountains or Leeni "Smiley" Smalls in Area 52 (season 3 items). Vixton Pinchwhistle in Area 52 cold season 2 items.

Additional info for Arena PvP System was also available at the official Arena page and a point estimation tool was available at the WoW Armory.

PvP tokens[]

Main article: Mark of Honor

Killing players in some specific locations in Outland can also give the player PvP tokens such as [Mark of Honor Hold], [Mark of Thrallmar] and [Halaa Battle Token]. These work similar to Battleground Marks of Honor but can be redeemed only at PVP vendors of the faction the token is specific to. For example, only PVP vendors associated with Honor Hold sell PVP items for Marks of Honor Hold.

Generally, PvP tokens offer items which are aimed at players who are below level 70.

PvP rewards[]

Questionmark-medium This section concerns content that is potentially inaccurate. Reason: Need to check for new NPCs.

Main article: PvP rewards

Prior to release Patch 2.0, players needed to attain a PvP rank or reach a certain reputation with a PvP faction to be able to purchase items from a PvP vendor with gold. Generally, it took much time and effort to obtain the rank and reputation need to purchase the best epic items available and few players were able put forth the massive effort.

After Patch 2.0, this system was replaced with a token system whereby players accumulate Marks of Honor, PvP tokens, and Honor Points to use as currency to buy PvP items from various PvP vendors. Technically these purchasable items are no longer PvP Rewards, per se.

PvP items can be purchased from:

Horde Hall of Legends Alliance Champions' Hall

They can also be purchased from PvP vendors in Zangarmarsh, Hillsbrad Foothills, Ashenvale, Arathi Highlands, and in Halaa of Nagrand.

PvP realms

PvP also refers to PvP realms, which are realms where open combat happens much more often since around level 20 players will be pushed into adventuring in contested territories. By level 30, pretty much all your leveling will be done in contested territories. See PvP flag for more information.

Pros and Cons of PvP realms[]

Pros[]

  • Some players like the thrill and risk of random player vs. player combat, and would consider PvE servers to have a difficulty that is too low.
  • The danger of PvP inserts more realism into gameplay, since preventing other players from attacking you represents more a pure game mechanic than any plausible scenario.
  • Opportunities for world PvP are much more prevalent.
  • If you dislike Alliance-favored population imbalance, research has shown that the population of PvE realms are much more prone to be Alliance weighted, with population ratios often hovering around 2:1. PvP realms are more often 1:1.[citation needed]

Cons[]

PvP realm changes in Mists of Pandaria[]

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Guards were weakened and have an increased re-spawn timer on PvP realms to encourage more world PvP.[1]

Flying[]

Although players cannot fly while flagged as "in combat", the ability to fly has always proven to be an easy getaway to avoid PvP for higher level players. Also, because flying players cannot be attacked easily in most cases, it provides an unfair scouting advantage for the ground-bound.

PvP changes for flying in Mists of Pandaria[]

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In the plan for Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Mists of Pandaria was the addition of an item usable by players on the ground to dismount a flying PvP flagged enemy player (within a reasonable range).[2] This item, the Inv shield 18 [Hardened Shell], has a low chance of dropping off Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found. Nessos the Oracle in Kun-Lai Summit; later it was also added to the drop table of two mobs on the Timeless Isle: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found. Great Turtle Furyshell and Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found. Chelon.

Other PvP changes[]

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  • In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Mists of Pandaria, the significant debuff, [Battle Fatigue] was added which makes healing much less effective when a player is damaged in PvP.

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  • In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Warlords of Draenor, improvements will be made to the PvP interface. One is that players can see objectives as they change hands in real time, both on the map and in-person. One example is the standard Alliance/Horde flag: as it transitions from one faction to the other, the flag will slowly fill with the other faction's flag.
  • Battleground score will be introduced to more clearly show how player's perform in a BG.
  • Random battleground rewards will be introduced. These work in conjunction with the typical honor system, but players may receive desired items sooner. These rewards range from items and honor to BoE gear.
  • Weekly quests will be introduced so players may upgrade their items.

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  • In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Battle for Azeroth, all servers will become normal servers. Players have the option of toggling War Mode when they are in their capital city to turn PvP on for their character.

Media[]

Videos[]

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Although created by Icon-youtube-22x22 BellularGaming, these videos were posted on the official Icon-wow-22x22Icon-youtube-22x22 WorldofWarcraft channel.

References[]

  1. ^ Blizzard Entertainment Nethaera 2012-06-05. The Future of PvP in Mists of Pandaria. Official World of Warcraft Community site (US)
    Blizzard Entertainment Tom Chilton - We know that for many PvPers, the idea of getting a large raid (or two) together to invade a city is something that can make for great world PvP. We also know that there has been an issue with guards causing this to be a less appealing undertaking for them as the guards have gotten stronger. We obviously want those guards there doing their jobs, but we don’t want them to be the wall that you just can’t get over. So, we are planning to adjust the guards only on PvP realms to where they aren’t quite as strong as you’d find them on a PvE realm, and they won’t respawn quite as quickly either. We’re still working on this, but we hope to get this adjustment in before the release of Mists of Pandaria. It’s worth noting that the guards on PvE realms will remain the same as they are now.

       

    Nethaera 2012-06-05. The Future of PvP in Mists of Pandaria. Official World of Warcraft Community site (EU).

  2. ^ Blizzard Entertainment Nethaera 2012-06-05. The Future of PvP in Mists of Pandaria. Official World of Warcraft Community site (US)
    What about the use of flying mounts? Many players are concerned about the use of flying mounts to avoid having to ever engage in PvP on PvP realms.
    Blizzard Entertainment Tom Chilton - We know this is a concern and we have some things in mind for helping in this regard. First, we’re limiting the use of flying mounts within Mists of Pandaria to level 90. Second, with so many players taking part in the quest hubs, we think we’ll see a lot more PvP happening out in the world. After all, you have to land sometime. If that’s not enough though, we have an item that we’re adding to the game that players will be able to use from the ground that makes it possible to dismount a flying enemy player (within a reasonable range and PvP flagged). We’re still discussing the particulars of how this item will be available.

       

    Nethaera 2012-06-05. The Future of PvP in Mists of Pandaria. Official World of Warcraft Community site (EU).

See also[]

External links[]

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