How to get involved in world PVP

Say you're on a server that offers a lot of world PVP (like mine, for example — VeCo is for FITE!). Even if there's a lot, sometimes it can be hard to get involved if you are new to the realm or have no 70s on the realm, work strange hours, or so on. But you want to fight! So how do you get involved?

1. Check out the guilds. Most realms with active world PVP scenes have at least two or three guilds for each faction (if not more) that are partially or totally devoted to world PVP. Go on the official forums, see if you can find some posts about PVP — or even ask on your own (on an alt if you're shy) about PVP guilds. The ones that are known for it will speak up.

Once you've done that, check their websites, check out WoWWiki (not all realms have updated pages, but many with active RP or world PVP scenes do), and see what the requirements are. Some of the guilds may have stringent requirements while others might be more casual. VeCo, for example, has several guilds active in world PVP from the totally casual to some with requirements ranging from level 58+ only to blood elves only to people who can participate in world PVP twice a week mandatory minimum only.

A lot of the ones with level requirements might have "alt guilds" or "feeder guilds" for lower-level members or full members' alts.

If you're already in a guild with no plans of leaving, you can still make a point to look for people in the big PVP guilds or their feeder guilds and befriend them so that you get a heads-up if anything big is going down (though some PVP events are between certain guilds only).

2. Check out the official realm forums. Most people hate the official forums, and as they are often a cess pit of trolls, gold sellers and sex legs, this is understandable. Nonetheless, your realm forum is still a valuable resource. Often, bored PVPers will take over an opposing faction town and, if the response is poor, post about it in the forums. "LOLOLOL WE JUST DESTOYRED TAUREN MILL" is one of the messages you might see. Check the time stamp. 10 minutes ago? They're likely still there picking off NPCs as they respawn, so get your ass there ASAP.

On realms with lots of world PVP, sometimes people will try to get together big campaigns or events planned via the realm forums (because what's the point of raiding Aerie Peak if no one shows up to defend?). Check for threads about that stuff, and if you can go, then go! The more people see you around, the more likely you are to hear about upcoming open events or get invited to spur-of-the-moment capital raids.

3. Why aren't you on the world defense channel? Every realm has an official world defense channel. If you want to be involved in world PVP, you really should join it (although if you're just on to do dailies or something, it can get really annoying). World Defense works just like Local Defense, only it dings every time any of your faction's NPCs gets attacked anywhere at all.

So head out there to check it out when "Freewind Post is under attack" pops up on your screen, and alert your guild, your friends' list, or people from known PVP guilds in capitals if it is a decent-sized raid.

4. Hang out in the known PVP spots. On VeCo, this is Hillsbrad. Many other realms see a lot of PVP in Stranglethorn Vale, Nagrand, Hellfire Peninsula, and so on. Working on a crafting profession or something? Grab your mats, head out to Tarren Mill or Southshore, and wait for Local Defense to ding (or a rogue or feral druid to sneak into town and try and gank you). Tada! World PVP.

5. Plan an event yourself. None of the above working? Head back to the realm forums, pick a time and a place and see if there's interest. Head to a major city and ask if anyone wants to set up a raid in trade. You might be surprised at the response you get, even on a PVE realm.

Those have all worked for me so far.