This might be the PvP thread to rule them all. I'm trying to put some life into these quiet forums. This has nothing to do with the fact that I have stupid amounts of free time at work, I even formatted this thread with COLORS! If this thread fails, at least I still got paid. By the way, you do not need to make your post as pretty as mine. This list surprisingly took me longer than anticipated, so keep that in mind if you plan on creating your own list. If you don't have nostalgic happy memories while making your own list, STOP and move on with your life.
Rule #1: Post a list of every profession.
Step #2: Pick one player per side and profession, excluding Neutrals, that you honestly believe to be the best player to ever do it time and time again. Yes, only one player per side and profession, excluding Neutrals. Try to be as fair and unbiased as possible.
Rule #3: Must be in the time frame of 2007-2010. Why this time frame? This was shortly after LE was released and the time period, though short, when the game was at its most balanced state. I didn't pick 2006 (the actual year when LE came out) because it took a few months before the damage cap was reduced to 30%, NT Jobe nukes, stun procs, etc. were fixed. This was also the era when every profession was PvP'ing and there were still multiple unique setups for basically every profession. I have discussed this amongst multiple friends and rivals throughout the years and it seems everyone falls into accord with me. Alas, this is the time frame for this list.
Rule #4: Players picked must have actually PvP'ed consistently, preferably alone or in small groups of 2-3, in all of the following: Cities (TG, Rome G, OA, WA, Tir, Borealis, ICC), Battle-Station, Roamed/Defended Tower Fields. I excluded duels since they are too constrictive.
Quote to think of when making your list: It isn't about who did it first, it's about who did it right.
List Format:
Profession
Omni Player Name - *Reason for choosing/not choosing player not required, but appreciated.
Clan Player Name - *Reason for choosing/not choosing player not required, but appreciated.
I'll start...
Adventurer:
Shujiro - We all know Adv's can do it all, so standing out as an Adv is harder to do. But, Shuj found a way to make this profession his and only his. He was years ahead in skill yet never had close to an endgame setup until a few weeks before we quit AO, but that was never an excuse for him and one of the few people to really show skill is greater than gear.
No Clan - I was close to putting TheDevil as the adv for Clans, but looking back with unbiased eyes, I could not recall a single time I ever fought him alone. Once I started playing 1hb Enf, TheDevil went ranged, along with every Adv, and stopped sticking out and he became just another squishy Adv in the crowd of Clans. Don't mistake this with disrespect, because I still think you were one of the best leaders Clans ever had, but this isn't a list for the best leaders.
Agent:
Ixiaan - One of the few people I was honestly grateful was on my side. I used to hate fighting Agents on my MP with a burning passion, Ix included. It wasn't until we started dueling regularly and Ix giving me tips and pointers for how to fight Agents that I was finally able to beat him. Once I was able to beat Ix, every other single Agent and their fathers were free points. Until I met this next guy...
Srompu - There were only 2 names for Clan Agents threats that ever come to mind when I think about this era of PvP. That would be Newarrival and Srompu. The reason I chose Srompu over Newarrival is because after getting advice from Ix, even the biggest Agent threat at the time, Newarrival, faded away. Then Srompu had to ruin everything by using everything in his toolset along with his brain.
Bureaucrat:
Sterva - "Better than the original." Always insulted over the same one thing for a steady 9 years now, maybe more, but no one could ever insult his PvP talent, because he was unmatched. Loved solo PvP, hated being teamed. Let's not forget why Crats hated him, he pushed heavily on the removal of stun procs. For that, the AO population thanks you.
Puzzytehcrat - Sheesh, his debuffing shout scripts were annoying but you actually knew what you were doing. You weren't the first person to do a remod setup, but you were the first and only one to do it right.
Doctor:
Temor - I wasn't the first person to play Doc correctly, but I was part of the 1%, if that, that actually used their Doc's to heal to heal others instead of playing selfishly. My org mates/faction wouldn't team with me because I made it too boring for them due to removing a fear of death and at first I hated it, running alone and never getting "rewarded with points." This was until I got so good at "Alt-Tabbing" and assisting people with heals that I never had to be in a team to go rounds of BS without a single Omni dying. I got so good at healing that literally every Clan reperked into Freak Strength to try and take me down at towers. Then it got to the point where even 3 chained Freak Strength perks weren't enough for teams to kill me consistently.
Dalgonia (Pre-Ban) - The first Doc to play their profession correctly, in terms of playing the Doc role. Out of all the Clans in the history of AO, Dalg was easily the most feared person to see on the field for every single SM member. The SM crew would almost always team if we saw you in a PvP playfield. Why? Not only were you an incredible Doc who would change the tides of battles, but you always came to fight and always gave us a run for our money. You were THY CLAN! Sadly, when you got banned, it was like Clans realized that they weren't much without a great Doc next to them. This was one of the final nails in the "SM quitting AO due to lack of PvP" coffin. It wasn't fun anymore, and without Dalg, there was no PvP unless it was Tnet vs 3 SM. It sucks that he got caught and banned, and upon his return, nothing was the same. He would die often to single people. Nonetheless, he was the only Doc to ever give me good fight. No other Docs, Omni or Clan could last like we could in fights.
Enforcer:
Osika - Ridiculous Enf. It was between Osika and Peteroes. Peteroes proved that skill outshined gear, but Osika showed a combination of both was even better. I even wanted to name my Enf, but I only was only good with 1hb. I tried 2he in PvP and I was trash. Before 1hb, I was just another 2he MR noob.
Herkulease - I had to pick a 2he Enf over the failures that were Clan 1hb Enfs. I could never understand why the Clan 1hb Enfs couldn't figure it out other and Voyvoy but this worked out in my favor, it allowed me to keep playing my Doc instead of retiring it right then and there like I thought I was going to have to after practicing 1hb fights with Behehe and losing 100% of them. Same thing would eventually happen with Clan SMG soldiers but that is another story. An honorable mention would have to be Voyvoy, though. She brought the OP RK2 setups into RK1. Always ahead of the pact in terms of setups. Such elegance and ferocity all intertwined. Much respect.
Engineer:
Alcoydel - Description coming soon.™
Wevr - Put in a random name. I know there were a lot of good clan Engi's, just can't remember their names.
Fixer:
Togafix - I think his PvP videos can speak for themselves for those who never fought him. He wasn't afraid to die. Always beautiful to watch his craft. I wish he had more legit competition, but it wouldn't be until many years before Omni would start rolling Fixers.
Yumemi79 - I have to be consistent. He was the best fixer and most active PvP'er. I let our most recent PvP encounters cloud how good he used to be for the time. After I played Fixer, it was hard for me to respect how the rest played them after seeing how easy and safe it was. More relevant though, I played MP, Doc, and Enf during this time frame which were hard counters to fixers. Even then he still stood out. He deserves this bracket.
Keeper:
No Omni - Yeah, no good Omni keepers. I'm still waiting for this to change. Kingdavid and Flavio two man rushing Clan rallies was always a good laugh though. "Huehuehue!"
Tehwired - I always call him by his soldier's name, Spritney. Anyways, he was the only Clan to put fear into my eyes when I would see him. Keepers where single handedly the most toughest profession for me to fight on MP let alone win consistently. MP toolset was about debuffing nano-skills, something Keepers seldom worry about during a fight. I really can't say much else other than everything I played, you would give me a run for my money. Nothing but good and scary fights against this guy.
Martial Artist:
Snoopdooog - Probably the best MA of all time. Worst person to practice duels with because he didn't believe in practice duels only real fights...
Dohtem - Whenever I think of our fights, I just remember having fun. Probably wouldn't have been as fun for me if I didn't have MP vs MA down back then. Luckily, I can see unfair matches even when I am on the top though I doubt any other MP gave him any issues like I did. Good fights, man!
Meta-Physicist:
Xcript - I mean... this is my baby. Though, I do need to thank Highsummoner, for showing me MP's can be good in PvP. Teoretik, for showing me a NM can do it, too. Jarapinal, for guiding me through twinking. And of course...
Neverest - He may not know it but he will be the greatest MP to ever do it in my eyes. He made threads showing how to twink during a time when getting into intelligent syms was hard. I used to watch him PvP when I was still leveling and learning. I told myself that to be the best, I would need to beat the best. He was the target to beat. He probably doesn't even remember this because I was a nobody back then, but the first time I fought him was when I was running alone in a tower field, he was doing the same. I took all his advice he had unknowing given me. I took his advice and I morphed it to fit my play style. I threw the first swing and the fight began. After a few minutes of us going back and forth from the brink of life and rez, but somehow I got him. I froze. Copied his remains and made it my logon for months. I, in my eyes, had killed the God of MP's. He is still the best to ever do it. #23 Honorable mentions to Dushal/JohnnyKay and Obtain1 (Atrox MP).
Nano-Technician:
Uoham - Great NT meant dead Clans everywhere.
Nanoinstance - Great NT meant dead Omni everywhere. Remains of Xcript.
Shade:
Chaoticshade - Showed MR wasn't needed to play well.
Can't remember the NAME - I remember it being a easy name to remember, ironically. Was it Shade/Master/Grandmaster? Something easy along those lines. First Shade to do it right. I wish I could remember his name. It was an Atrox, go figure, but he almost never used MR and instead used his tool set during a time when everyone was hugging sneak and popping out with MR. First shade to show me that my pets could be used as a weapon against me.
Soldier:
Heartless888 - One of only two soldiers to fully alpha my MP through blockers. The only Soldier I knew who didn't swap and still kill Doc's and everything else. He made soldier seem OP without AMS and refused to die without a zerg. This came into everyone's spot light when we went NR8. Who would of known NR8 Soldier would be viable. Then the world started trying to copy him and when they failed horribly at imitating him, once they failed at cloning him, they hated him. It was crazy. It was awesome. The best Soldier to ever do it.
Spritney - The second of two Soldiers to ever fully alpha me through blockers. Just like your keeper, you were a force to be reckoned with. And just like your keeper, you were a threat on everything I played. Toughest clan to ever do it.
Trader:
Tradesal (Renamed to Vispa) - Even though he would became a "RK2 PvP'er" a.k.a. "dueler" in 2013-2014, it doesn't change what he did during the golden era. Who would of known he would have reached high tier status so damn quickly. Honorable mentions are Illtradeya and Strupstad. I still hate the trader tool set, though.
No Clan - The only name I could think of that played trader well was Terbine. The original Terbine was mediocre at best, but once Yumi got a hold of this Trader and started playing it, it became dangerous. The only reason I didn't pick Terbine for the best on Clan side is because his PvP ability was never consistent. It literally would swap around days where one day it was the best trader around and the next day it would run around like a lost puppy giving out free points. If their PvP skills weren't so far apart from one another, then they would of won this title with ease.