(29/10/2026) – I have had a little more time to look after Azeroth over the last couple of months. Mostly October; September offered fewer opportunities for public service.
It has been satisfying work. Gankers remain the gift that keeps on giving: honor, entertainment, and repeated confirmation that reaching level 80 does not require learning anything along the way.
They are also making me money. Their honor becomes gems, the gems become gold, and the gold helps finance further improvements to the characters killing them.
A remarkably cooperative arrangement.
First, our contenders. The numbers in parentheses show my cumulative kills of each player since the statistics were reset at the end of July 2026, not just during September and October. I changed computers and lost the old PvP data, giving everyone a fresh start.
Some have worked very hard to squander it.
Alliance: Allemox (4), Bandanawoman (3), Bbqsix (1), Berserkah (2), Bigmota (1), Catbeater (9), Cieminjs (2), Distractedqt (3), Donbaro (1), Drejk (1), Elz (8), Formaeterna (1), Gankncamp (2), Geroinha (6), Getcandyx (1), Kabran (4), Khaelx (1), Macmillerx (4), Miilan (4), Murhaaja (2), Napeta (3), Onlystealth (2), Peidao (1), Purechocolat (3), Redsonja (2), Riphorde (3), Sandalwood (1), Sangrentoo (1), Shadowswap (2), Shuushana (10), Sixtyninth (6), Sollffina (3), Stayquiet (1), Tegija (5), Toxicuk (1), Vaneria (1), Witmyt (1), Xxhunt (2), Yoxocox (2).
Horde: Carlxs (1), Cirkkusalien (1), Crystab (1), Cumbeiro (2), Dancingrain (3), Dyolfentanyl (1), Eyeshot (1), Huntmen (17), Inyago (1), Izizwe (1), Kywam (4), Lyovakorovah (3), Mohammadgtx (1), Mufoks (9), Muoo (1), Nermo (3), Obrad (1), Quietkiller (3), Seedling (2), Silentworm (2), Speedex (1), Tatul (1), Twitchtvstar (2), Ultimatum (4), Vellan (6), Vukyou (1).
Special nomination, excluded from the kill statistics: Zucc. We will get to him. Preferably before he gets away again.
A little bookkeeping before the awards: these players account for 183 recorded kills since the reset, spread across 65 gankers: 39 Alliance and 26 Horde.
Alliance supplied more volunteers, but both factions averaged almost exactly 2.8 deaths per player. Reassuring to see such balanced incompetence.
Just nine players supplied 76 of those kills. A small but dedicated workforce, tirelessly converting misplaced confidence into honor points.
Now, let us recognise the individuals who made these last two months particularly entertaining.
Third Place – Dunce – Vellan
Vellan is a rogue who enjoyed killing low-level players in Lakeshire.
Then Sheket, my rogue stationed there, introduced an unwelcome complication: an opponent of his own level.
That went badly for him.
Fortunately, Vellan had another character available: an Alliance human paladin named Xevrin, apparently on a separate account. He began challenging me to duels, then taunting and insulting me when I ignored him.
Meanwhile, I was keeping an eye on his rogue.
The potential setup was hardly difficult to spot: let the paladin wear me down in a duel, then have the rogue finish me off once my health was low.
An ingenious plan, provided the intended victim had never encountered either a duel or a rogue before.
Vellan appeared offended that I declined to cooperate. Some people take it very personally when you refuse to be as stupid as their plan requires.
Another Alliance rogue joined me, and we spent some time hunting him.
Killing Vellan was straightforward. Finding him took rather more effort. His enthusiasm for PvP had developed some geographical restrictions.
Sometimes we shared the honor. Sometimes whichever of us reached him first collected the entire donation.
Meanwhile, the paladin stood near the flight master dispensing insults.
Two accounts, two characters, and the most effective contribution from either was background noise.
Thank you, Vellan. Lakeshire rarely provides its own commentary track.
Second Place – Moron – Shuushana
Shuushana is an Alliance hunter who patrols Vengeance Landing in Howling Fjord, where level 68 Horde players are trying to quest.
His target selection is impressively precise. Give him an opponent twelve levels below him and he knows exactly what to do.
Against my fire mage, his professional standards become less consistent.
I take particular pleasure in these encounters because a properly played Marksmanship hunter is a thoroughly unpleasant opponent for a fire mage. Shuushana has repeatedly demonstrated the importance of the words “properly played.”
Even when he shoots first, he manages to end up dead.
On the few occasions when he has killed my mage, he has died as well. A trade, at last. Presumably worth a commemorative screenshot.
Otherwise, he keeps losing.
Perhaps fighting opponents of his own level more often would help. Unfortunately, those opponents have abilities, health pools, and an inconsiderate tendency to use both.
Level 68s are much more accommodating.
Still, ten recorded deaths deserve recognition. He keeps coming back, and I keep collecting honor.
Please continue, Shuushana. I would hate to interrupt the only productive part of your routine.
Dishonorable Mentions
Before we reach first place, a few other contributors deserve attention. Podium space is limited. The supply of candidates remains depressingly healthy.
Allemox – Alliance: Allemox used to be a Horde hunter ganking around Valiance Keep, where my Alliance druid and rogue killed him several times.
He has since switched to Alliance and now tries his luck at Warsong Hold, where my shadow priest generally handles the introductions.
New faction. New victims. Same result.
He changed practically everything except the part causing the problem.
His confidence, naturally, survived the transfer intact. It appears to be the only thing about him that takes no damage.
Bbqsix – Alliance: Another former Horde player who switched sides. I have already written about that particular missteak here.
He occasionally visits Warsong Hold, although visits tend to become shorter when my paladin appears. He recognises her.
His departure is usually immediate. Very flattering.
I caught him once this time, and he died with his customary lack of distinction. He then returned with a couple of friends.
An understandable response to the outrageous discovery that someone of his own level was allowed to attack him.
Apparently, fair fights require corrective staffing.
Huntmen – Horde: First, the name.
“Huntmen.”
The plural suggests a team. Seventeen recorded deaths suggest that whoever is responsible for coordination has been absent for some time.
He keeps trying to gank around Amberpine Lodge, where I have several classes available to interrupt him. I frequently kill him before he even reaches his intended victim.
Resurrect. Attempt to gank. Die.
Repeat.
By now, the sequence should be familiar enough for him to identify the troublesome step. Instead, he keeps restarting from the beginning, apparently hoping that repetition will eventually count as improvement.
At 124 honor per kill, his seventeen deaths represent 2,108 honor.
A substantial contribution from a player whose own objectives remain largely unfulfilled.
Thank you, Huntmen. Seventeen instalments, no collection fees.
Distractedqt – Alliance: A gnome rogue who ganks in Freewind Post and whom I have already killed several times.
I spotted him there and brought Sylnera, my rogue, over to deal with him. On arrival, however, I found a hunter named Yoxocox already busy ganking, so I attacked the hunter first.
Distractedqt then joined in and attacked me while I was fighting Yoxocox.
An irresistible opportunity: an opponent already occupied with someone else. Finally, conditions suitable for a demonstration of his talents.
I killed them both.
To be fair, Distractedqt had correctly identified an advantage. He simply overestimated how much it would compensate for his presence.
Two against one, and between them they still managed to supply both corpses.
Fortunately, I recorded the encounter. It would be a shame for their combined efforts to go unappreciated.
First Place – Imbecile – Zucc
Zucc wins without adding a single death to this edition’s statistics.
An unusual achievement. Let us examine the work behind it.
He regularly comes to Lakeshire with a level 19 twink to bother low-level players. I killed the twink with my rogue, after which Zucc caught me before I could get away and killed me.
He was delighted.
Finally, a level 80 kill worth announcing.
He tried whispering me from an Alliance character. Those whispers do not reach me, which I consider an excellent feature. When that failed to produce the attention he wanted, he sent an in-game letter.
An actual letter.
Apparently, killing my rogue required a follow-up correspondence department.
I did not read it. Eventually, the game will return it to him. Perhaps he can give himself the attention he was hoping to get from me.
Then I switched to Sigbjorg, my paladin, to see whether his enthusiasm extended to fighting her.
When she arrived, Zucc was already leaving.
Perhaps he had not seen her.
Of course, they had met before. Their previous Lakeshire encounters ended thirteen–nil in Sigbjorg’s favour. He had received a fairly thorough introduction.
Still, let us be generous. Perhaps his sudden departure was a coincidence.
I waited.
Zucc is on my ganker watchlist, so when he appeared again, I stopped what I was doing, switched to Sigbjorg, and attacked him immediately.
He escaped.
Quickly.
The level 19 twink, however, was left behind.
A small administrative oversight during the evacuation.
I killed the twink and waited for Zucc to return and avenge the death, just as he had when I was on my rogue.
Nothing.
Apparently, the obligation to defend the twink depended heavily on which character had killed it.
Against the rogue, immediate retaliation and a letter.
Against Sigbjorg, an urgent appointment elsewhere.
That is why Zucc takes first place. His one kill inspired whispers and postal services. A rematch inspired a disappearing act.
He wanted my attention badly enough to write to me, then discovered that receiving it in person was rather less enjoyable.
Congratulations, Zucc.
You have become the first ganker in this edition to win an award primarily through the speed of your departure.
We will meet again. Sooner or later, you will find the twink worth defending.
That concludes the September–October edition of The Most Stupid Ganker of the Year.
I may publish another round next month, or combine November and December, depending on how much time I have and how efficiently the candidates embarrass themselves.
The annual winner will be crowned on 1 January 2027.
There is still time to qualify. Judging by the current field, preparation is unnecessary. (Sylnera)