On PVP and Neutral TownsFollow

So I'm on a Normal server, Thrall.
The other day I was in Booty Bay an witnessed a Tauren Warrior, 60, attempting to gank a Hume Paladin, 40. The paladin used Invincible. A second later, every guard nearby came down on the tauren and dragged him to the ground.


Fast foward a day. I'm in Ratchet, on my way to Gadgetzean to increase my Engineering roof to 300, and pick up a few new toys. I attempt to click on the flight attendant, only to inadvertantly attack a gnomish rogue, two levels higher than I am.

I back off immediately and turn around, hoping he'd get the clue that it was a mistake. Unfortunately, he didn't. Or at least didn't care. I started off the fight dual-wielding in Berserker mode.
By the end of the fight, I was hiding behind my Ageis shield in Defense mode, Shield Blocking every several seconds.
One potion and a panic-stricken minute later, the rogue's HP bottomed out, and he opted to Flee the scene.

Apparently, in my startled state, I had the forethought to land Rend on him as he approached low HP. He dropped as he passed the engineering building.

Then, it hit me. In spite of the fact that I'd just instigated a fight in the middle of a neutral city, the guards hadn't come to collect my ***.


Can anyone straighten me out on what circumstances a guard will or will not interfre with a PVP clash in a neutral city?

rep doesnt matter. i got raped by the guards and im 3/4 friendly with them. its very fun to tag someone with frostbolt on the room though

I'm only Friendly in Ratchet, so.

Later I'll go back and figgure out if there were guards even in range to aggro.

It might also be his rep with the faction that factored in. I've never experienced it myself, but I heard that plays a role.

I believe it depends on the rep of the person who is attacked. If that person has "Green" rep (friendly or better), then the guards will come to their aid.

its different now since the patch with most town guards at level 65 u got zero chance of survival

i do remember on my old server maelstrom though there used to be this night elf rogue named dankman or something like that... who would gank hordes when they landed at the horde FP... he would 2-3 shot most and then vanish or tag you... and if you hit him back hed vanish and let the guards finish you off. lol that guy was a pain in the *** but he was quite good. another hotspot was the fps at lights hope rogues and druids can have a ton of fun on a pvp server.

then blizzard made it so vanish didnt work in the towns i guess because too many people cried to gms.... which really sucks... if you dont want to get ganked... play on a normal server.... i still enjoy the occasional foray back to my old server for some lowbee gankin.. fun stuffs!

While i've also not personally experienced this, nor do I know exactly why it would happen, the follow theory sounds the most plausible...



The guards don't care (Neutral rep) if you're attacked so they don't come to help. However if you've proven to be friendly with them (Friendly Rep duh) then they will come to your aid.

Now, whether or not this actually works like that I don't know. I wouldn't be at all hard to code something like that in and could explain the difference. Either that or the guards just weren't near enough to you. I know the guards are a bit more spaced out in Ratchet then BB or the other goblin towns. Though the guards should have been near the flight master guy like in other towns...