PvP vs PvE Servers - Thoughts, Observations, Ramblings, etc

[Bilbobubblin]

I wanted to start a thread that talked about PvP vs PvE servers in a mature manner. There's a lot of stereotypes for or against PvP and PvE servers alike and it would be best to leave flaming/trolling out of this thread. Often threads that discuss PvP vs PvE servers can turn into pure stupidity and that's definitely not what I'm after here.

What I'm more wondering is:

If you enjoy PvP servers more...
What makes you enjoy them? Was it purely an initial choice?
What is distinct to PvP servers - besides the obvious of open-ended world PvP - that you feel separates them from PvE servers?
Do you feel you are more active in the Alliance vs Horde rivalry because of your experiences on PvP servers?

If you enjoy PvE servers more...
What makes you enjoy them? Was it purely an initial choice?
What is distinct to PvE servers - besides the obvious of world PvP being voluntary - that you feel separates them from PvP servers?
Do you feel you are more likely or willing to play both factions because of your experiences on PvE servers?

If you rerolled PvE -> PvP or PvP -> PvE...
Why did you switch server types?
Do you ever regret switching server types or miss certain things?
Would you ever switch back?

Feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you'd like. Feel free to go on tangents. Feel free to tell stories. This is meant to be open-ended, so long as it stays mature.

[Bilbobubblin]

If you're a TLR sort of person, go ahead and skip this post :P Though I do pose some questions at the end that can be replied to without reading the whole post.

---

When I first started WoW, I started with RL friends, so my server, server type, and faction were determined for me. I played (and still play) Alliance on a PvE server.

Around half a year in, I learned a friend from college played WoW. He played Horde on a PvP server. Naturally he made fun of me for playing Alliance on a PvE server, so I decided to prove I could handle a PvP server and rolled a toon on his server. I leveled up to around 20 and ventured out into contested territories.

Ganked then camped. Eventually took spirit rez and went to a different zone. Ganked again. Spirit rez and different zone again. Ganked again. Each time I entered Stonetalon, Thousand Needles, Hillsbrad, or Ashenvale, I was ganked and usually camped afterwards, within 10-15 minutes. I should point out that this was TBC on an extremely high population server (hour plus queue times were expected).

I stuck with it, often leveling through grinding in more discrete locations or playing late at night. But by the time I reached 30, my friend disappeared. I stuck with it for around another month and it looked like he wasn't coming back. Then I learned by e-mail that he decided to quit WoW.

So here I am, spending forever to get anything done, on a server that my friend left and I didn't know anybody personally. So I abandoned the toon.

And so ends PvP server experience number one.

---

Recently, the friend that "quit" WoW came back. He mentioned that he transferred to a new server and it was much better than the last. I decide to give PvP servers another shot. I decide against transferring my old toon seeing as it's only 40, a race I don't like, and it costs money. So I reroll from level 1.

I level up to around 20 and go to Stonetalon. Get a few levels and never get ganked. Around 24 I quested a bit in Hillsbrad. Within a few levels I got ganked twice right by Tarren Mill, but after a bio or drink break I'd come back to Horde fighting the Alliance off. I level a bit in Thousand Needles, not ganked once. Go back to Hillsbrad for a few levels, ganked one more time.

Then I go back to Shimmering Flats in Thousand Needles. A 35 Shaman attacks me while I'm 30 (Warlock). He kills me but my DoTs kill him. We rez at the same time and he kills me but I didn't have enough time to get multiple DoTs up. Then he takes off while I'm running back. Sure, he had a level advantage on me, but the fight was pretty even, and fun.

Around level 40 I'm doing a few Alterac Mountains quests based out of Tarren Mill. I get ganked on two separate occasions, right outside Tarren Mill. I go on to Badlands, Tanaris, Stranglethorn Vale, and The Hinterlands, but out of all those zones from ~40-50, I was only ganked once, in STV.

Mind you, I do play late night, and the server is heavier on Horde than Alliance. But there were plenty of times I passed Alliance of similar or higher level and PvP combat was not engaged. I could have been ganked probably three times as many times as I did. I could have had probably three times as many similar level world PvP fights than I did. But it's as if neither of us cared enough to engage.

---

So... yes I'm only 51 right now. I still have yet to experience Outlands and Northrend. I'm sure world PvP is WAY different there.

But it just seems... weird to me. One fair fight, six times ganked, five right by Tarren Mill. If I avoided Hillsbrad and STV, which wouldn't be hard, I bet I would avoid getting ganked period.

Is it the server I'm on? Is it the climate of current WoW? (Less time leveling -> less people in old zones -> less ganking?) Or is world PvP dead? Is it WotLK vs TBC? Was Vanilla worse than TBC?

Honestly, it's not that I'm complaining. And I don't mind getting ganked once in a while, it's just my first experience was getting ganked within 10-15 minutes of entering any contested zone. This time I've lost maybe a combined 10-15 minutes to getting ganked. It's like night and day.

Have PvP servers changed that much?

[Cromags]

I played on a PvP server for 3 years horde side, and I can tell you the PvP isn't as good as to when I xfer to Sen'jin - alliance. I guess every server is hit or miss.

[Solothas]

If you rerolled PvE -> PvP

Why did you switch server types?

I found myself bored with endgame, as I do not Raid. PVP offered me a casual endgame that was always challenging, new, and different.

Do you ever regret switching server types or miss certain things?

Occasionally, but more from a state of no longer playing with people I had played with for the first three years of the game.

Would you ever switch back?

VERY unlikely.

Solothas - Hunter - The Venture Co

[Iawlergasm]

I originally started out on a Horde PvE realm with a friend, but lost interest in raiding almost immediately. Transferred to a PvP realm. This was back in TBC. Grinding dailies for The Shattered Sun went from mundane to absolutely amazing. Back then I played a rogue. I still remember the massive battles that played out over near the Naga/Murloc quests.

One thing I have noticed going from PvE to PvP, I've gotten into the habit of spinning around every couple minutes, checking behind me really quick to make sure I wasn't getting stalked. Playing on a PvE realm for a short while again afterward, I still checked over my shoulder out of habit.