PvP has become a central part of any good MMOG. In fact, there are many
players who play PvP almost exclusively as compared to the PvE content
of the game world. My only comment is: who can blame them? The thrill
of ganking some unsuspecting player fills me with joy. I know it's
wrong, but I can't help it. Even though I enjoy raiding and exploring
as much as the next person, there is something special about beating
another player. There are few things better than knowing you are better
than someone else, and it is even better when you get to laugh at them
and dance on their poor weak-skilled dead bodies. But with so many
pay-to-play MMOGs out there, which ones are the best for ultimate
pwnage? Submitted for your approval is my list of the top ten PvP MMOGs.


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10.
Lord
of the Rings Online


Lord
of The Rings Online

introduced a new form of PvP, called PvM (Player vs Monster). The idea
here is that players would not fight other players in a Lord of The
Rings setting, so the developers had to find some way to let players
face each other. Their answer was to allow players to create monsters
that could fight players in certain areas. Monsters are not as strong
as player characters, but players can strengthen them with Infamy and
Destiny points, which they gain by killing players. While not a complex
system, it's an interesting take on PvP, and one that works with the
lore of the game. Plus, who doesn’t want to be a monster?



9.
Age
of Conan


Decapitations! That's all I should have to say here. You can decapitate
enemy players. Let me say that again, "You can decapitate enemy
players!" Great combination moves, stealth, mounted combat, and a
robust combat system makes Conan a real treat for PvP. Blood actually
splatters across your screen as it erupts from the necks of your foes.
You can't ask for more than that. (Oh, and did I mention
decapitations?) However, ranged classes sometimes have an advantage due
to fewer keys to push for those awesome combo moves. (By Crom, the dev
who thought that  differing amounts of keystrokes for
different classes was ok should be punished for eternity!) If it
wasn’t for the button pushing imbalance, I would have ranked
AOC higher on my list. Decapitations!



8.
Guild
Wars


Guild
Wars
has a fun and
lighthearted PvP system. While lighthearted is seldom linked with PvP,
it does work here. Players can enter PvP zones and participate in
several different types of PvP. From gladiator style arena fights, to
full alliance battles that shape the borders of the world, style="font-style: italic;">Guild Wars
provides fun and interesting PvP for players of all skill levels.



7.
Lineage
2


Lineage
2
was built on PvP. Almost
everything in the game relies on what happens with PvP. Lineage uses a
Karma system to reward and punish players for their actions. Kill
someone and you gain Karma; gain enough Karma and you turn red, meaning
other players can kill you without consequences. The only way to work
off your Karma is to get out there and kill mobs. So it's a constant
balancing act of deciding who to attack, and making sure you can work
off your Karma. Or learn how to run real fast!


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6.
Aion


Aion
took PvP in a new and interesting direction by adding in PvPvE. In style="font-style: italic;">Aion,
players fight each other over fortress and map locations in the Abyss.
This is your basic PvP fare, much like you’ll find in many
other games out there. What style="font-style: italic;">Aion
does that is unique, though, is add a third computer controlled faction
into the mix. When one side takes a location, not only will enemy
players defend it, but monsters under the control of AI will also
attack, making the point harder to hold onto. This adds a twist for
players who will now find it more difficult to hold a location than it
was to take it.



5.
Warhammer
Online


Warhammer
Online
is a PvP dream. Few
other games give you the ability to advance entirely through PvP. WAR
breaks down the PvP by areas to keep veterans from ganking newbs, but
outside of that, you can PvP to your heart’s content. With
keeps to capture, scenarios to play, and cities to besiege, style="font-style: italic;">Warhammer Online
gives players several different ways to get their PvP fix.
There’s no better sight than to see snotty High Elves and
Dwarves fleeing in terror from your mighty Orc rage! I love PvP in WAR,
but I had to list it at number five since PvP in the later tiers
(mainly tier 4) isn’t as fun as in the earlier tiers. Plus,
crowd control becomes a huge issue as you progress through the tiers.



4.
Planetside


Take a great First Person Shooter, mix it with an MMOG, and what do you
get? Planetside!
Planetside
is one of those games you just can't help but keep coming back to every
few months; it never gets old. Running around, hopping in tanks and
planes, and blowing the crap out of each other, is just great fun. No
“go out and collect10 toe nail” quests here. Just
killing, and proving your skill over your opponents. It is simply a fun
game that matches you up against hundreds of other players to see who
gets bragging rights. Why quest when you can be killing?



3.
Darkfall


This one is for you old school style="font-style: italic;">Ultima Online fans.
If you love the rush of stabbing someone in the back as they fight
mobs, or love the thrill of always having to watch for that guy trying
to stab you in the back while you fight mobs, then style="font-style: italic;">Darkfall
is a game you must check out. Unlike PvP in many other games, in style="font-style: italic;">Darkfall,
you can attack another player almost anywhere. It is one of the most
open PvP systems out there, and you better have thick skin, and some
mad skills to hang with the players here. With that said, it can be
quite rewarding to drop that bastard who attacked you from behind
believing you were an easy kill. If you want a hardcore PvP game, style="font-style: italic;">Darkfall
is hard to beat. If you can’t handle the constant tension, I
suggest you play the Care Bear Snuggly Happy Forest MMOG coming out
soon. The only thing to fear there is hugs.



2 style="font-style: italic;">. Eve Online

This one isn't for amateurs. style="font-style: italic;">Eve Online
is one seriously bad ass PvP game. With an open sand box style, players
must rely on their corporations (guilds) for survival. Where the
player-driven economy is such a driving force that corporations fight
tooth and nail for control over resources, you better always be looking
over your shoulder. Eve does this so well it is one of the very few
MMOGs that continue to gain new subscribers as time goes on. I put style="font-style: italic;">Eve Online
at number two due to the fact that the sand box style open PvP nature
of the game really rocks. Player driven corporations really drive the
action in this game, with the constant fighting over resources. Plus,
you can’t beat spaceship combat!



1.
Dark
Age of Camelot


Perhaps the finest example of PvP in an MMOG to date. style="font-style: italic;">Dark Age of Camelot
gives you what most other games with PvP don't--a reason to do it. With
their keep sieges, and relic captures that provide bonuses to the side
that captures them, DAOC gives you a tangible reward for PvP. Between
this, their 3 faction system that helps make sure one side does not
dominate a server, and their siege weapons that are deployable anywhere
in the PvP zones, Dark Age still reigns supreme in PvP. This is PvP
done right! I am frankly stunned that no other company has used
DAOC’s template for 3 faction PvP to keep players engaged on
their server and to cut down on server migration of characters.



Conclusion

Well, there you have it folks. The top ten PvP MMOGs on the market
today. When you get tired of doing that same raid for the 50th time,
and you want to try something really challenging, grab one of these
games and give it a go. I’ll be waiting to gank you...I mean
help you when you get there.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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