I’m always on about how I enjoy moving from game to game, how I enjoy comparing and contrasting. How I’m very much not the ‘hardcore’ type of player.

Well, in the last two weeks, I’ve been a little bit Hardcore. The problem is one of PvP. Though it’s not something I ever think a lot about, I really like PvP. Pitting my brain and reflexes against those of another human is about as ‘real’ a contest as you can get in an online game. In Halo 3 that results in my embarrassment and a lack of achievements. In Team Fortress 2 I can hold my own a bit better, but I still spend a bunch of my time either a.) repairing my turrets or b.) trying not to get headshot while lugging around the heavy’s gun.

In WoW, that contest is mitigated heavily by gear. Lots of people don’t like WoW’s PvP, because it’s (in some ways) fundamentally broken. In the last two weeks I’ve kinda/sorta proven for myself that Blizzard knows what they’re doing with this stuff. I don’t think PvP in WoW is broken per se - it’s just not for the faint of heart. Just as the max level raiding experience is an animal completely different from the 1-70 climb, Battlegrounds in WoW are completely different as well. Going into a BG with a PvE attitude will net you heartache and loss.

So what is the right attitude? In a word: patience. While in PvE the ultimate goal is to stay busy (grind, grind, grind) PvP requires a much steadier hand. That’s an interesting thing, I think, because a lot of people associate PvP with twitchy meth addicts. Here’s the inside info: twitchy meth addicts make crappy PvP players. The best PvP players (whether in WoW or UT, Halo or TF2) have a steely eye, solid nerves, and a grim smile on their face.

I’m not bragging here: I don’t think I’m that great a PvPer. But realizing that a different approach was needed really helped me a lot in the last two weeks. I’ve had a great deal of success under the ‘patience, grasshopper’ mantra, and it’s netted me the first gear I’ve ever really felt like I earned.

For the moment, I’ve decided I’m going to be a bit obnoxious. I’m going to park my little rogue at 39 and have some fun at the upper end of performance in the 30-39 bracket. I’m going to twink her out the right way: with PvP gear instead of AH buys. The only real twinking I’ve done was a celebratory enchantment. I was so pleased with my Scout’s Blade that I snagged a Fiery enchant for it to help me focus my zen-killah skillz.

Now, on the subject of patience, I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay away from a mount and the continued push upwards and forwards. Will I make it till 2.3 hits? If it’s next week, probably. If it’s the week after next, maybe. Beyond that … well, like I said, I’m not that great a gankstah.