Flagging for PvE

WoW's PvP flag is a game mechanic introduced in its earliest days, where it marks the player for player-versus-player (PvP) activity. While very simple, it also has ramifications on the player's experience of player-versus-environment (PvE) content. Needless to say, the flag does not need to be permanently up for a PvE raid.

In fact, the PvP flag should not be permanently up for a PvE raid. Patch 2.4.3 introduced the following change:

Zoning into an instance on a PvE realm will now drop your PvP flag.

The game approaches flaggable actions conservatively. While targeted attacks towards enemy players or targeted aid towards PvP-flagged friendly players will raise the flag, incidental attacks or aid will not. This means that:

• Area-of-effect (AoE) heals (e.g. Prayer of Healing) cast by an unflagged healer will not affect flagged players, unless the flagged player was targeted on spell cast.
• Raid-wide buffs (e.g. Prayer of Fortitude) cast by an unflagged buffer will not affect flagged players.
• Healing a flagged player flags the healer.
• Buffing a flagged player flags the buffer.

It would be safe to assume that a majority of players disable PvP. It is therefore best that, for a PvE raid on a PvE realm, any permanently raised PvP flag should be lowered! This is done though the player's portrait's drop-down menu shown above.

There is yet another important note for PvP flags. Many PvP quests written into the Quest Log will keep the flag up until completed or abandoned. If the flag stays up 5 minutes after disabling PvP, this may be why.