Part of it is the challenge - Horde feels like less of one. Part of it is I appreciate the Alliance lore a bit more. Part of it is because I hate grinding rep and Humans ease that.
But part of it, and the part that drives me the most, is that I KNOW the Alliance can be just as nasty at PvP, if not more so, than the Horde. And a few good PvPers refusing to swap sides and hunker down for the boys in blue is the first step in the right direction.
Allow me a moment, if you will, to go further into this, and answer a few questions about myself.... Ahem...
Who are you?
My name is Ben, or in-game, usually Kieyt (pronounced "Kite"), and I'm an avid gamer and writer.
How long have you been playing WoW?
Damn, I don't even know anymore... Let's see, it was before the release of AQ, back when Molten Core and Onyxia were huge deals. I wasn't extremely active or into it back then, and my biggest moments early on were during the release of Naxx. Good times. But to be fair, I didn't get REALLY into WoW until the release of Burning Crusade.
What class do you play?
While Paladin was, is, and probably will be my class of choice (having leveled three of them over 60, and two post 70), I currently play Rogue. Although still pretty fresh on Rogue, I have extensive knowledge of both Ret and Prot Paladins.
What server do you play?
Currently, I play on Gurubashi (God only knows why I submit myself to that torture). I originally started out on Gorefiend, spent a good time on Ner'Zhul, before spending a majority of my WoW time on Coilfang (where I got my first "max level" 70 at the time). Coilfang was the only server I actively played as Horde as well. After Coilfang, I played and leveled a Human Paladin to 80 on Ravencrest, whom I then moved to Andorhal and was, for a time, a member of the Alliance PvP guild, The Enclave. I now play my Human Rogue (Kieyt) on Gurubashi, whom at the time of this writing is level 71. I have plans to bring my Paladin over sometime soon.
Wait, you used to play Horde? Why go back to Alliance?
I missed it, personally. On Coilfang, the Horde always held every objective, all the time. There was virtually no world PvP, as the Alliance was outnumbered by us, and scared to engage us. I longed for the challenge of ganking and being ganked, and now that I had learned a lot about PvP from my time with the Horde, I thought I could go back to my "native lands" so to speak and lend my newfound experience to my old friends.
Are you a super leet PvPer?
Short answer: No. I'm not an uber-leet rox0r your box0r PvPer who posts countless videos of me 2-shotting mages and stun-locking priests. But I'm a good PvPer.
What makes you a "good" PvPer?
I'm a team player. Instead of running off being uber-leet check out my skillz rofflepwn, I help out my team. Rare is the BG where I'm topping damage or killing blows, despite being a rogue. That isn't that meaningful to me: Overall victory, however, is. I will gladly place "last" if it helps my team win. You won't see me trying to ninja points on my own or rofflestomp three Horde at once. You will however see me stalking near a Priest and stunning and harassing anyone who tries to harm the endangered species known as "PvP Healer." More often than not you'll find me defending points in AB than assaulting them. You won't see me be the one to grab the flag often in WSG, but you can bet your ass I'll be somewhere near our Flag Carrier offering support.
Great, you're a team player on the Alliance. How's that workin' out for ya?
Truthfully? It makes a difference. We still don't win a lot, especially in AVs where everyone is just a disorganized zerg of "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG, NOOB" screamers. But in smaller scale battles, like WSG or AB, even a single player decided to be a "team player" and pick someone to partner up with and assist goes a long way... And believe it or not, you do it enough, people start to notice... And the trend catches on. Before you know it, 4~5 people in your 15 man AB are working together, and nodes are being held... And the Horde's usual strategy of "Push the disorganized scrubs back to their GY" falls flat on his face.
But the Horde wins 99% of the time!
It's actually more like 66% of the time, but the math isn't important. A large factor in this, for anyone who chooses to be honest and not a super-elitist (You know who you are) is numerous BGs start with uneven teams: The Horde will have the full 15~40 team, while the Alliance has anywhere from a third to a half of that. Now, the Alliance team USUALLY fills up pretty quickly once the game gets going... But by that time, the Horde has usually established a small lead, and Alliance is forced to play "catch up" the entire rest of the game - A bad position to be in. I'd say out of all the Horde wins, 60% of the Horde Wins are 100% legit wins of Horde out-doing the Alliance - 20% is just gear (Alliance tends to just gear more for PvE... even in PvP...) and the other 20% is just uneven games. That's no fault of the players (ALLIANCE, QUE UP MORE!), Blizzard really needs to fix their match-making allgorithims.
If more Alliance players thought like you did, I might actually consider PvPing as Alliance.
It starts with you - change won't happen magically. Are you a good PvPer? Can you play as a team and not bitch/moan at your team the entire time? Can you accept losses gracefully, and be genuinely thankful when someone helps you out? Then come on over! The Alliance won't just suddenly wake up one day and be competent - it needs examples, and you could very well be that example.
What makes you such an expert on PvP?
I'm not an expert. I will never claim to be. But I am good at reading people, and assessing problems. The problem here isn't really lack of SKILL on the Alliance side - We're quite good at killing Horde, actually. We falter, sadly, on the OBJECTIVES of battlegrounds. A win = more honor than all the HKs you could get in a BG will really net you, believe me. You'll rack up honor and marks a lot faster by winning. Skill is not the problem here, teamwork is.
So are you saying every BG needs a premade for Alliance to win?
Absolutely not. We just need to be more willing to work together. Let me ask you something: Do you honestly believe calling someone a noob for dropping the flag in WSG is going to help them, or you, or anyone on your team, win any better? The Horde isn't our biggest enemy, my friends, we are our own worst enemy. Our infighting and refusal to work together and share the glory is our downfall.
So I should join up and start barking orders?
No, for the love of God, please, no. Here, allow me to offer some advice I've found helpful in my BG career. It won't garentee a win, but it'll usually help it be a closer game... and net you more honor just the same.
Kieyt's BG guide part 1: Pre-Game
Just like great sex usually requires foreplay, a great PvP round requires some buildup, too. Here are some things YOU can do to help motivate your team, without coming across as a pompous assnugget. Yes, I said assnugget. Roll with it.
The Pep-Talk
Usually best done while everyone is buffing up before the match starts, and usually when you still have more than a minute before the match starts. Establish a positive attitude. Greet your fellow Faction members, encourage them about the fight, let them know just how much hell you (as a faction) are going to give the Horde. Confidence is contagious, just don't overdo it. Oh, and ignore (not literally) any nay-sayers (ie: "Ok guys, who's ready for another single mark and crushing defeat?") . Just don't even acknowledge their comments, don't get into an argument with them. Work the men like a general before battle. Role-play it up a bit if you want. Pace back and forth on your mount, giving a heroic speech. Make it fun, it's a bit contagious.
Plan A... No, B... I mean, C? ...Wanna wing it?
Plans are great. Pre-mades go well with plans. Pugs do not. I've seen this plan a lot in ABs: "Group 1, Stables. 2, LM. 3, GM." Good plan in theory, but it is never executed. Most players don't know, or don't care, what group they're in, and group compositions are usually lopsided anyway. Look at what you have in your group, and toss out a SUGGESTION, not an ORDER. People in general are more likely to do things when asked than when told. Instead of "You guys go here, we'll go there," try the following:
"Ok, Roffleadin. You, me, and the hunter, Bunnyfluffles wanna go get the mine? I think the three of us could hold it well."
Once you get that (hopefully) established, and if no one else is making such plans, you might want to follow it up with
"Sweet. Hey, Sneakysocks, Healzforzeny, and Immagudtank, would you guys mind securing the Lumber Mill for us? You three look like you could handle the situation well together."
Compliments and encouragement, as well as a suggested group, with names spoken, give them a sense of purpose, meaning, and indentity. Some will ignore you, but just as often they won't. In fact, they might like your idea. If they agree, don't make any more suggestions, see if other people can work it out (plus, the BG should be starting soon, and you have a Gold Mine to defend!)
If it doesn't work out, don't panic or deviate from your plan. Go to the Gold Mine like you said you would, and don't curse 'em out if your "team" didn't come to back you up. After you (inevitably) get stomped because they didn't show, you can say a comment like "Aww. Bunny, Roffle, I thought you had my back guys... Regroup and try again?"
They might, they might not. If they don't again, no use suiciding - Find a player or two with the right idea and stick with them. At least progress will be made.
I AM THE LEADER! LISTEN TO ME!!!
You'll run into this guy. He's barking the orders left and right, probably name calling. If no other plan is established, and even if no one else is, you might consider actually doing what he's yelling out. The plan may be flawed, and he may be an abrassive jerk, but at least now you and he are working on the same level. Feel free to ask him to tone down the name calling and anger, and assure him you're attempting to follow his lead, but you could use a bit more help. Once people realize that there are, in fact, people attempting to follow a plan and a leader, more might fall in line. Sure, they might not, but at least you did your part.
If absolutely NO-ONE is listening to Captain Barky, it might be time to try it yourself: NO, NO, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO. Do NOT start trying to out-bark the dog. Be soft-spoken. "I'm heading to the Lumber Mill. Would any of you be willing to back me up? I don't need everyone, just two or three of you." People will look for direction in chaos, and if given the choice between listening to Captain Barky or the seemingly softspoken sage, they'll probably listen to the softspoken one - if only to spite Barky. But hey, a plan in action is a plan in action, regardless of the cause.
Call out Incomings
Even if no one else does it. Even if no one listens. Even if it seems to do no good, ever, do it. One, it's a good habit to get into for when you find someone who does it to, or listens. Two, a lot more people listen than you realize: They just aren't all as verbal as you. No one might say "omw," but on the map, you may see that pink Paladin dot slowly moving towards the mines. Him alone probably won't be enough, so help him if you can, or encourage others to do so.
"Hey guys, Concecratank is heading to intercept the incoming at the mine. Can anyone else go offer him some backup?"
Sometimes people just aren't paying attention, and a little nudge in that direction can help.
And finally...
Kieyt's 10 commandments of Arathi Basin
1. Thou Shall Always Keep An Eye on the Node Flag
I don't care what's going on, try to move your camera to keep an eye on that flag. Too many ABs have had their tides turned because one lone Horde has snatched a node out from under-neath 4 Alliance. Sure, the Alliance USUALLY can take it back... but it forced all the respawners off that graveyard and somewhere else, giving the Horde more time to send in more hell to that node. Keep an eye on that flag... and call out quickly if you see someone on it, even if you can get to it yourself - You might get stunned at the last second and can only helplessly watch.
2. Thou Shalt Not Node Ninja
Some rogues/druids swear by this tactic, but in the long run, it usually isn't that helpful. It's almost always the farm, which they can very easily take back, usually before it fully caps. And that rogue/druid could have been much more useful capping or defending a node you can reasonably hold. Especially now that ABs end faster, this "delay" tactic is even more useless than ever. Don't be a super-elite lone-ninja. Stick with your clan - That's what a real Ninja would do.
3. Thou Shalt Always Be Kind to Your Faction
Yes, I know, for the millionth time, the Druid with a full mana bar watched you die without a single heal. I know, it's frustrating. But resist that urge to curse him out over it: It will probably make him LESS likely to do it in the future. Instead, try to be polite. "Hey, Lawlcatform, I know you probably just didn't see me, but could you toss me a heal or two next time I'm around? I'd really appreciate it." And if he DOES next time? Freaking THANK him. Players like to be appreciated, and players who know other players are grateful for their actions are players who are likely to repeat those actions in the future.
4. Thou Has No Excuse to Leave Stables Empty
Defending the stables can be boring - Until those BE and Undead rogue pair pop out to steal it from the one guy you left guarding it, or none at all as is usually the case. Even if it's ONLY you there, keep it defended. At the very least, you can call the attackers out and maybe even slow them down (or stop them, if you're elite like that). If your faction knows the Horde is there before the Horde even assaults it, some more attentive players might actually be enroute before it gets assaulted - And can reclaim it that much faster.
5. Thou Needest A Buddy. Foshizzlest.
Remember the "Buddy System" they preach about like religion in swim lessons? Maybe not, but I do. It should apply in AB as well. Always have at least, at LEAST, two people on a node. It prevents those sneaky "CC and steal" node captures the Horde is quite fond of, and even gives you a chance to outright repel attacks. And it is usually more than enough to buy you time for reinforcements. But this isn't really just for nodes, either. If you also TRAVEL in a pair (hey, pick a buddy pre-game and latch onto them!), you're less likely to get picked off by rogues/druids/DKs hiding on the side of the roads, and more likely to be able to make a difference at a node (people running in one at a time towards a node usually isn't helpful).
6. Thou Are Not an Ant.
Briefly covered in Point 5, let me ask you a question. Ever seen an Ant Trail? Yeah? How do they do it? One after another after another... Like a conveyer system, yeah? It works for feeding something very well: Moving things in mass quantities, one at a time, to somewhere else. Know what that means in AB? You're feeding the Horde HKs, one at a time, to nodes they already own. The Horde is a well-oiled machine in this instance, and you're feeding coal into that machine. However, even coal will smother a fire if too much is thrown in at once: Break the Ant-Trail, get angry! Become a Hornet Swarm!
7. Thou Art Human, and So Are They.
Humans make mistakes, end of discussion. Forgive mistakes on your team and move on... But you're not the only team making mistakes: The Horde slips up to. And if you see a mistake made: POUNCE ON IT. Attack that mistake and opening with the ferocity of a starving Eric Cartman in a Cheezy Poof factory. If you have time, point out the chink in the Horde Armor to nearby or responsive allies. The Horde has a Morale just like you do: And it CAN be broken. In fact...
8. Pride Cuts Both Ways.
The Horde is PROUD of its PvP ability: Regardless if all present Horde are even good at it. This Pride makes them come into a fight with "we will win" mentality: That is a very dangerous mentality for you, the Alliance. However, this very Pride makes defeat, or turn-abouts, harder for the younger (or "uber elite") Horde to swallow. If the Alliance makes a strong surge towards victory, that very Pride can fold back onto the Horde - They are the Horde! They don't LOSE! This is impossible! There must be an explination... And in comes the in-fighting. It has to be that new BE rogue's fault! Oh those newb Undead DK twins have no idea how to play their class! You break that Horde Spirit, and you'll realize: They're just as human and bitter as that twink Rogue on your team who only seems to get nerfed.
9. Own your Misakes, Padawan.
When you mess up, don't shift blame. Own it, do better next time. If someone calls you out on it, just admit you messed up and move on. Ignore their negative comments. Mistakes will happen, you will never be perfect. Lag can be a cause of it, but even if lag causes it, just own it and move on. Lag happens to everyone, and it's not worth the time and effort trying to convince Captain "I AM PVP GOD" that it was just lag than to just admit you were wrong and prove it was a fluke by kicking that Warlock's tail across the Basin next go round.
10. Have fun, DAMMIT
First and foremost, WoW is a video game. Emphasis on game. The point of games is to, in fact, have fun: If you're not having fun, then don't do it. If PvPing as an Alliance player is just absolutely no fun for you at all, don't feel bad about rolling Horde. You will be missed (whether you believe it or not), but I'd much rather you be Horde and Happy, than Alliance and Sad. While I hope you and my fellow Alliance can learn to pick our downtrodden faction up out of the mud and back into the winner's circle, sacrificing fun to do that isn't always worth it.
And here's one final piece of advice:
WINNING IS UGLY
Let's face it: Victory is fun. But the road to getting there isn't always. Imagine you're a basketball player in the NBA. If you go onto the court to "shoot hoops" and "have a good time"... You will lose. You have to be willing to bleed, sweat, hurt, and ache for days after to win Championships and gain renown. This isn't just true for the Alliance, this is true for the Horde, too. This really applies more to "pro" PvP (read: Arena) than the PuG ridden BGs, but it rings true for many forms of PvP and even PvE content: If you want to win, to be the best, to be the first, to be the top: You have to realize it's not all going to be fun. In fact, a lot of it is going to SUCK. Long gear grinds, lots of leveling and gold farming, marks and honor farming, none of that is exactly "fun." But once you've got it, once you're there... Once you're in your current season's Gladiator gear and you're smashing in faces left and right: The fun begins to slip back into your game. PvE will often be more "fun," because you can usually do it on your terms, against pre-set conditions. You know what you're getting into, and it's a more "everyone is on the same team" oriented game than a competition. But when you're put up against an opposing force that wants the exact same thing you do, and there is only one to go around... That ain't fun.
So if you want to "casually PvP", you should, most likely, go Horde. You'll get "easier" wins more often, and will enjoy victory more often. But if you want to bleed, sweat, and tear your heart out to become something epic and rare, join the Alliance....
Become a rare breed...
An Alliance PvP Champion.
No comments:
Post a Comment