[MEGA GUIDE] Introduction to Roleplaying: Why Roleplay? How?

[Jeremiah]

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[/COLOR]Hey Mmowned, I just wanted to create a guide about one of my favorite things to do in WoW, while I'm not doing PvP or Arena: Roleplaying.

I started off on the Magtheridon-US (PvP) server, and I had only heard a few mentions of what roleplaying actually was. Most of this information was stereotypes about roleplayers, and them being obsessed with cyber sex, and being "nerds" and perverts. After eventually getting bored of World PvP, I moved to Cenarion Circle-US (RP) to try some of this roleplaying out. I was absolutely hooked.

Roleplaying was a great way to pass the time between instancing, PvP, and even homework. It allows you to get involved with your charater, the game world, and the lore and story. Sure, you can run around and kill Horde or Alliance in PvP, or slay monsters and undead in PvE, but you don't truly feel the full experience until you start roleplaying. You feel as if your character is a part of the game world itself, involved directly in the conflicts of Azeroth.

Reading this, you probably have made some judgments already about roleplaying, and you may even still think that the prospect is a little bit silly, but read on, and find out why I've been so hooked.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. How to Start

2b. Classes

2c. Races

3. Developong a Character

3b. Naming your character

4. Basic Roleplaying

1. Introduction
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What is roleplaying?

Roleplaying is when you not only play your character in the World of Warcraft game world, but when you act as your character in the game world.

Think about your character as a living person in the world of Azeroth. They probably have opinions on just about everything around them.

For example, if your character was a human of the Alliance, how would he feel about the orcs? How would he feel about the Horde in general, or the war on the Lich King? Was your human born in Stormwind, or was he born in Lordaeron? A good way to start thinking of how your character would act is developing a history. How will that history affect the character's opinions? Perhaps your character's father fought the orcs in the Second War, and passed down his racism and hatred of the orcs to his son. Perhaps your character is a simple fisherman trying to make end's meet.

One common misconception is that characters in roleplay have to speak "Ye Olde English". This is completely incorrect, as all of the NPCs in the World of Warcraft speak in modern English. There isn't a trace of old English to be found in the World of Warcraft.

Another common misconception is that you must roleplay a heroic or villainous character. This is not true at all, as some of the most interesting characters fall in the 'neutral' category. Everyday citizens are generally more interesting than hero characters. In the next section, we'll discuss some basic tips on how to start roleplaying.



2. How to Start:
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Before you even consider rolling on a roleplay server, you should sit down and think about some character ideas. First, pick your class and race, as this will generally narrow down your roleplaying options. As for which class and race to pick, pick the combination that you generally think you'll enjoy most.

Here is a little lore information about each of the races and classes that will help get you started when making your character. Feel free to refer back to this list any time in the guide.

Classes 2b.
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Warrior:
The cut-and-dry class. Warriors are typically the best leaders in the World of Warcraft. The most grizzled veterans can turn an ordinary blade into a weapon of mass destruction. Warriors are feared by all on the battlefield for their ferocity and unforgiving discipline in close combat. Warrior characters tend to find magic users and ranged attackers "cheap". They value honorable combat and see themselves as the purest fighters. Since warriors have no magical abilities, they choose to arm themselves to the teeth with enchanted plate, to substitute for their lack of defensive magic.

Warriors are practical, honorable, traditional, and courageous.

Hunter:
Hunters are typically solitary people. They find themselves comfortable in the wildest provinces, where civilization is scarce. They have unimaginable skill in navigating the wilds, and are often paid as guides when they are encountered by adventurers. While some hunters choose to focus on mastering the use of their deadly weapons and traps, many others choose to become as bestial as the wilds that surround them. Hunters tame animals as lifelong friends, and the few friends that the Hunter makes besides his pet will remain good friends for life.

Hunters are solitary, loyal, mysterious, and savage.

Rogue:
Amongst the most shadowy of Azeroth's denizens are the rogues. Rogues are hired as contract killers, spies, and even bodyguards. Their ability to blend in with their surroundings and quickly eliminate targets serves them well in their professions. Rogues come from diverse backgrounds, from beggars and ruffians to nobles and lords. They are bound by their shadowy arts, and their traditions. Rogues usually cannot be trusted, but nevertheless tend to make friends easily. They have stellar social skills, and a license to kill.

Rogues are manipulative, cold-blooded, precise, and charming.

Paladin:
Proud defenders of the innocent, paladins are concerned with justice and strict adherence to moral code. When they are not fighting their enemies, they usually serve as healers, judges, or even mayors and city planners. Usually of noble blood, paladins are charismatic and fearless individuals. They use the Holy Light to spread goodness throughout the world, and to cleanse the evils that rot it at its core.

Paladins are noble, strict, compassionate, and retributive.

Priest:
Masters of the mind and body, priests are deeply spiritual, bound by the code of their religion of choice. Priests serve as religious leaders of their community, leading the laity and citizenry in prayer. Some priests choose to walk the line between light and shadow, and cast terrible curses and hexes on the enemies who would seek to destroy their way of life. Whether a priest seeks to heal the world of its problems, or corrupt the minds of the weak, they are all deeply devoted to their craft.

Priests are zealous, vengeful, traditional, and disciplined.

Mage:
True geniuses, mages are considered to be some of the most intelligent individuals on the planet. Their mastery of arcane magic helps them with anything from common household tasks, to bringing down giants and dragons. Magi are witty, and often humorous individuals, with a deep respect for those who have mastered the arcane. Unlike warlocks, they show restraint on the amount of magic they use, and congregate in intellectual groups.

Mages are intelligent, dedicated, thoughtful, and respectful.

Shaman:
Shaman are a unique breed of individuals. Their deep connection with the elements of the world helps them predict tragic events. They serve as spiritual leaders of the Horde, but also are beginning to find themselves amongst the Alliance. The traditions of the New Horde have given shamans a very respectable position in society. Like priests, they are spiritual leaders, but feel no divine connection to a higher power, but merely to the elements around us. They are often quiet, and believe in letting their actions speak louder than their words. An individual with such immense power to judge the natures of both the earth and the personality of people certainly commands respect from the masses. They prize their ancestral forerunners to the point of worship.

Shaman are soft-spoken, intuitive, spiritual, and careful.

Druid:
Druids are the quiet observers of nature, and the custodians of balance. Unlike hunters, Druids generally are not isolationist. There are a select few who have lost control over their feral animal forms, but they do not desire to even interact with a civilized being. Druids adhere to strict codes and hierarchy, and follow the words of their teachers carefully. They tend to be peacemakers, and focus on diplomacy (As can be seen in the Cenarion Circle). Their chief duty is to ensure that the balance of nature does not completely fall out of place. Druids are often close companions with Hunters, for they share many of the same duties and personality traits. Their affinity in nature magic awes their enemies, for Druids have learned to utilize the deadliest things that nature has to teach. They are capable of calling down stars that sear the very flesh of their enemies, but are also able to mend broken bones and tissues with ease.

Druids are orderly, self-sufficient, tenacious, and observant.

Death Knight:
These one-time servants of the Lich King have largely assimilated themselves amongst society. Their death magic disgusts both their enemies and friends, and is usually strictly prohibited in capital cities. A Death Knight is truly a machine of war, able to raise entire squadrons of walking corpses to assist them in battle. Their enchanted runeblades cleave through the thickest of armor with ease, leaving behind a cloud of disease with each swing. Most Death Knights feel regretful of their crimes, and strive to live as normal a life as possible. While they can never truly be fully integrated into the world of the living, they seek to fight for forgiveness. Combined with the skills they learned as heroes during their lives, their death magic eliminates any threat that stands in their way.

Death Knights are repentant, vengeful, determined, and seasoned.

Warlock:
Perhaps the most powerful casters on Azeroth, warlocks are reckless and arrogant. They are self-perceived masterminds, and seek the challenge of enslaving the darkest agents of the nether. Some warlocks embrace the darkness, turning themselves into a demon, while others carefully study the nature of destruction magic, which has been said to level entire cities. Amongst the heroes of Azeroth, warlocks are truly the most wicked and unforgiving. It is not uncommon for a warlock to have great psychological or mental issues, and it is even more common for them to be sadists and psychopaths. Truly tragic individuals, most warlocks were once great inventors, magi, or shaman who fell from grace due to a life-changing experience, or sometimes by personal choice. They are not only embracing the darkness, but they feed upon the souls of others to keep their sickly bodies alive.

Warlocks are wicked, unforgiving, sadistic, and arrogant.

Races 2c.
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The Alliance

Humans:
NOTE:Technically, the player character is said to be a human from the nation of Stormwind. You can literally pick any other human nation, however. Your character's backstory doesn't have to adhere exactly to the Blizzard canon. Some good choices for human nations are Lordaeron, Stromgarde, and Dalaran. Gilneas isn't a good choice, because we don't know the full lore of what happened with the Worgen, at this moment in time. Alterac was a nation of traitors, and it is unlikely that any people from Alterac will have re-joined the Alliance.
Humans are a proud race. As the youngest race on Azeroth, they are in the process of shaping their short history. They are perhaps the most versatile of all of the races, and have a great variety of naturally-gifted skills. They find themselves at home amongst towering spires and stone walls, and have a carefully-nurtured relationship with the gnomes and dwarves of central and north Azeroth.
Personality:
Humans are usually seen as arrogant by the majority of Azeroth. Many believe that the humans are far too involved with international affairs. The Forsaken abhor humankind, as it was because of them that they were damned to eternal suffering. Humans tend to be either extremely involved with world affairs, or tend to be on the other extreme, and don't involve themselves with international affairs whatsoever. They are one of the last races in the Alliance with a true nobility, as the dwarves have largely abolished it in the place of their senate. Because of the presence of their nobility, humans are extremely divided by class and profession, with the poorest hanging around the poorest, and the rich keeping close to their own environment. Humans are extremely orderly, and despise nomadic and tribal society. They are a race with great potential, but are easily corrupted by bribery and offerings of power.

Dwarves:
Heavy drinkers and craftsmen by trade, dwarves are responsible for some of the greatest marvels of stone and metal in the history of Azeroth. They prize knowledge above most other races, and will go to any lengths to dig up the artifacts of the past. Their government is atypical, with a supreme monarch who oversees a proper senate. The Ironforge Senate makes decisions on finance jointly with the King, but they also have the power to declare war.
Personality:
While stereotypically seen as care-free drunkards, dwarves are nothing of the sort. While they do appreciate a good party and drinks, dwarves are dutiful and communal individuals with a strong sense of personal freedom, and the freedom of others. They are skilled craftsmen who carefully and contemplatively weave designs into their metalwork, but can also swear up a storm when something pisses them off. Dwarves are usually courageous and unafraid of a good challenge, but they know when to run when a fight isn't going their way.

Draenei:
The Draenei are a new import to Azeroth. They are a deeply spiritual people who abhor all forms of evil; contrastingly, the Draenei are not opposed to enslaving their own mutated brethren, the Broken, for manual labor. They have formed a close alliance with the Night Elves, and seek to instill their holy teachings in the Alliance. Their society is dictated by the Vindicators, a powerful group of Light-blessed knights, working under the watchful eye of Prophet Velen.
Personality:
With tens of thousand of years of history, the Draenei are careful in choosing their words, and are patient in everything that they do. They accept others who do not share their ideals, but have a zealous hatred for those who worship the Shadow, or conjure the Fel. Draenei are still relatively new to Azeroth, however. This means that while they act slowly and carefully, they are also quick to learn and try new things, as they are naturally a curious people. Their curiosity never goes further than that, however, as they believe that the restriction of knowledge is good for society as a whole, as they are some dark secrets which should never be discovered.


Gnomes:
Gnomish society is the closest thing to true democracy on Azeroth. Their society is lead by inventors and scientists, and at the end of each year, the people vote for a new Gnomish "King", who merely acts as a chief architect in developing new inventions. They are a resourceful and inventive people, who believe that knowledge and learning come second to nothing in importance.
Personality:
Gnomes tend to find the other races childlike, or boring. Their sometimes pointless inventions are seen as ridiculous by the other races, but the marvelous Deeprun Tram has long bedazzled their companios, for it has stood a testament of the necessity of gnomish invention in the Alliance; not to mention, it also is a wonderful way to transport reinforcements between the two most densely-populated Alliance cities. Gnomes are rarely ever bashful, and act more like computers than people. They would rather snuggle up with a new Titanium toolbox than spend any of their precious time speaking to a boring Human.

Night Elves (Kaldorei):
The Night Elves are amongst the oldest races on Azeroth. They built their empire long ago in central Kalimdor, once a single continent. They brought about the Sundering that split Azeroth into several landmasses, and were the first masters of arcane magic on the planet. Since then, they have banished magic from their society. Darnassus is led by a council of advisors, with an ever-present, bipolar power struggle between the Sisterhood and the Cenarion Enclave. The Night Elves believe in protecting nature as their first and foremost task in life.
Personality:
Kaldorei are interesting specimens. Some of them are chiefly traditional, and prefer to remain in the homeland to live their life of isolation, while others are more adventurous, and have left their ancestral lands to explore the East. Most Night Elves are moderates, but some, like Fandral Staghelm, are fundamentalists who believe that the Kaldorei are a supreme race, and will stop at nothing to eradicate the threats to their society, and to nature. They are usually a thoughtful and compassionate people, but they tend to remove themselves from the problems of the other races, unless it threatens the balance of nature itself. For this reason, they can be perceived to be aloof, arrogant, or uncaring.

The Horde

Orcs:
Truly terrifying enemies in battle, the Orcish Horde have a long history of violent conflict. They first came from the world of Draenor, after fighting a genocidal war with the Draenei. Humankind fought against the Horde for decades, but eventually prevailed in the Second Great War. Warchief Thrall has since led his people to the distant land of Durotar, where they have prospered under shamanistic virtues. This does not mean, however, that the Orcs have sacrificed their violent natures.
Personality:
Orcs are practical people, and they solve practical problems with practical solutions. Instead of relying on the advanced technology of the Gnomes and Goblins, Orcs adapt new inventions from the armies that they conquer. If not for Humankind, most of the technology that the Orcs use today would never have come to be commonplace. Orcs value honor and combat, and their society is dictated by it. If an Orc was given the choice of solving a situation using diplomacy or bashing the other person's head in, he'd usually pick the latter option. Families send their children to fight for honor in the arenas of Orgrimmar at a very young age. Disputing one's honor in Orcish society is considered the highest insult, and is always met with a challenge to a duel. It is for the Orc's courage and dedication to combat that they serve as the primary leaders of the Horde.

Trolls:
The shadowy trolls of the Bloodspear tribe were once cannibalistic savages. They have since found themselves amongst the New Horde, and seek to forge a new identity for their mysterious people. They are master apothecaries, and solve sicknesses with ease. Their ritualistic society is dedicated to their ancient Loa gods, and to the spirits of their dead. While Bloodspears traditionally consumed the bodies of their enemies, they have largely been whipped into shape by the Orcs.
Personality:
Trolls are laid-back and enigmatically calm. All of these means nothing, however, when they decide to call upon their racial power of Berserking. Trolls are fierce beasts with a calm and collected *****. Their stature and appearance makes them naturally intimidating, and they use this to the best of their advantage. While they are usually patient people, they will not hesitate to lop off your head if you irk them.

Tauren:
The Tauren have long battled the centaur in their ancestral homeland. At the price of allegiance to Thrall and his New Horde, they have settled down in the rolling plains of Mulgore. The importance of the holy and ancient Hunt in their society has made them adepts at stalking the beasts of the wild, and using them to the benefit of all. They are utilitarian and communal, and never waste any of the resources they gather from nature. Because of this, they have been common companions of the Night Elves, and commonly serve as diplomats between the Alliance and the Horde.
Personality:
Despite their intimidating appearance, Tauren are sensitive beasts with soft hearts. They are kind, compassionate and patient. For this very reason, they are well-respected and universally liked by most of the peoples of Azeroth. This kind nature does not always apply, however. When their tribe is threatened, the Tauren will arm themselves for a great battle, and fight to their last breath.

Forsaken:
Former humans of Lordaeron and Elves of Quel'thalas, the undead Forsaken have banded together against the Scourge. Their dark society is centered around their hatred for the Lich King, and their resentfulness of life. The Forsaken Apothecaries have become archetypical examples of crazed alchemists, brewing poisons and diseases to wipe the Scourge and the living from the planet. Of all of the Horde nations, they generate the most conflict between the two great factions, and if not for their dark experiments, it would be for their unreliability as allies.
Personality:
Having had their very lives stripped away, Forsaken are regretful of the consequences of their lives before undeath. They make an effort to adapt titles and new surnames to suit their Forsaken identity, and proudly embrace their new nation and Queen, in order to prescribe something to fight against the pains they suffer from their terrible and depressing lives.

Blood Elves:
Reminiscent of the ancient Highbourne empire, the Sin'dorei, or Blood Elves, seek to re-establish their presence in the world. After a fatal blow to their nation by the Scourge, the Sin'dorei have since restored their empire to a stable position. Their new government is dominated by the Blood Knights and the Farstriders, with each faction battling for the favor of Lord Lor'themar Theron.
Personality:
More than any other race on Azeroth, the Blood Elves are arrogant and prideful. Their addiction to magic is apparent, as it has changed the very way they live their day-to-day lives. They believe that the other Horde races are primitive and disgusting, but have established a decent reputation with the Forsaken. The Blood Elves are so hateful of the trolls, that they refuse to deal with the Bloodspear tribe on a regular basis. Their chief cultural and societal differences have left them disconnected from the Horde, and they have only provided a minimal amount of support in military ventures. They live hedonistic lives, and prefer to experience all of the pleasures of life in-full.

3. Developing a Character

Perhaps the most important part of roleplay is developing your character. In this section, we will how to best do that. Once you've picked your race and class, it's time to get down to business.

Let's get crackin'.

3b. Character Flaws and Stengths
Flaws and strengths are what makes a powerful character. Playing a flawless character is just plain boring. In the roleplaying and storywriting world, a flawless or perfect character is generally known as a "Mary-Sue", which is something you definately want to avoid becoming.

(You can take a test to find out if your character is a "Mary-Sue" here: The World of Warcraft Mary Sue Litmus Test)

The first thing you might want to do is make a flaws and strengths table. Basically, for every strength that you add to your list, add a flaw. If I was creating a Kor'kron Orc general, I'd start by making a list of his strengths and his flaws.

Strengths

1. Courageous- Since I know my Orc is a general, and thus has seen a lot of battles, I can justify him being courageous.

Weaknesses (Flaws):
Now, I add a weakness or a flaw for him.

1. Impulsive - Since my Orc is a soldier by nature, he makes impulsive decisions and underestimates his enemy, having a long history of military successes.

Then, I move on to making my second strength:

2. Strong - This Orc is a very strong Orc. He could carry a Kodo's worth of crates on his back if he had to.

Then, I build another weakness:

2. Simple-minded - My general doesn't have any idea about trajectory physics or mathematics. He uses his practical knowledge to solve problems, but is often outsmarted by Alliance generals who have better booksmarts.

When creating a basic character concept, do a little bit of research on WoWwiki.com for some ideas. Check out your race and class lore pages.

For the sake of keeping this guide "definitive", I'm going to give you some examples of character concepts.

Human:
- A lonesome fisherman
- A monster-slaying adventurer
- A shopkeep.
- A noble do-gooder with a history of alcoholism.

(Note that the last one mentions the flaw. I did this because playing a plain noble do-gooder is no fun, so it's great to have a flaw for this character).

Dwarf:
- A rifleman veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder from the Third War. He drinks all day and all night to forget his troubles.
- A young and curious architect, who is learning from his teacher.
- An independent dwarven single mother, with a powerful position in an archaeological society.

Now, let's examine how we can make these characters even more interesting. Interesting characters have a lot of flaws, and there are a lot of situations in roleplay that we may encounter where those hidden (or not-so-hidden) flaws come out.

Let's look at some potential situations. Let's say that the veteran dwarf was sitting in the bar, drinking as he usually does. This time, a Horde invasion is happening, though. At the sounds of battle, he ducks under a table and weeps or has a panic attack. The architect's teacher could also suddenly die of old age, forcing the architect to begin a journey to find ancient architectural plans, living out his master's dream. The single mother could be tempted to take the donations from the archaeological society, and use them for pocket money to feed her child.

Remember, situations build your character! Jump into some roleplay and look for interesting situations!

Gnome:
- A hopeless romantic who unsuccessfully builds a perfect robot wife, resulting in the tragic loss of his right arm after a particularly rough beating from his malfunctioning soulmate.
- A stereotypical bookworm who becomes a demolitionist by night, donning a long red cape as he sets fire to Horde orphanages. (Note the ethical conflict, here)
- A former Gnomish racecar driver in the Shimmering Flats, forced to retire after a racing accident that resulted in his disqualification.

Characters with life-changing circumstances are a great choice. You don't have to wave around these circumstances and make them obvious, though. Subtle is better, here. Let other players investigate your character's history through roleplay, or through another life-changing situational roleplay. For an example, let's say that the hopeless romantic encounters ancient titantic technology which will allow him to program his robot wife to be perfect, but it requires him to stalk the frozen wastes of Northrend to find clues about its whereabouts.

Night Elf:
- An Alliance ambassador who has begun to lose his traditional values.
- A botanist with a passion for collecting rare species of plants to find new cures to diseases.
- An agent of Fandral Staghelm, who is seeking to spread Kaldorei influence across the Alliance.

Draenei:
- A Sha'tar Vindicator, who battled the Horde at Shattrath city during the downfall of the Draenei.
- A member of the secretive Auchenai cult who has redeemed themselves and re-joined the Draenei.
- A merciless Sha'tar interrogator who tortured Arrakoa for information on Legion whereabouts.

Orc:
- A blademaster with a passion for exploration and combat.
- A single father fighting in the arena to support his two sons.
- A proud orcish woman who runs a leather tanning shop, now forced to move out of her shop due to increased Alliance assaults.

Troll:
- A reactionary who seeks to return to the shadowy ways of the old Gurubashi empire, and casts primitive hexes upon the neighbors who glare at him, just to give them the shits, or a stomach flu.
- A troll cook with a passion for foreign delicacies. His favorite dish is Night Elf ears with salmon butter.
- A trollish witch doctor, who sells serums to help with minor medical problems to the members of his village.

Tauren:
- An Elder who is passing the lessons of the ancestors down to his grandchildren.
- A tauren bonecrusher, training in the arts of using the very strength of his body as a weapon of unbridled power.
- An artisan who paints and woodcuts beautiful totems for Thunder Bluff.

Forsaken:
- A one-time noble of Lordaeron, now forced to hunt rats in the sewers of Undercity for his dinner. Instead of complaining, he whips up delicious dishes from rat tails, ears, and flanks.
- Formerly a bandit, now risen as a Deathstalker in the service of Sylvannas.
- A reformer Forsaken, who has left the Undercity in fear that he will be secretly executed by the Queen's forces.

Blood Elf:
- A wannabe magister, who ran for political office and was rejected due to his poor credentials.
- A hedonistic magic addict, who spends the entirety of his day trying new blended varieties of arcane powders through his smoking pipe.
- A proud defender of the forests of Quel'thalas, a Farstrider who finds nature more appealing that the confines of his own city.

3b. NAMING YOUR CHARACTER
It is important to note that you should select a name that suits your character, and their race.

Names that are acceptable on PvP and PvE servers, such as "Lilboy", "Gunslingax" and others along those lines are unacceptable on roleplaying servers.

Here's a list of example names:

Human Male: Thorabad, Eeolis, Gunther, Marsalis
Human Female: Ellentha, Belia, Clianara

Dwarf Male: Eolad, Borgoth, Thorbanad
Dwarf Female: Huldia, Hyliea, Courtia

Gnome Male: Fizzcrack, Wikkle, Dornut
Gnome Female: Bizz, Crackle, Zippy

Night Elf Male: Velethar, Loredar, Maratrath
Night Elf Female: Velanaria, Thessia, Miria

Draenei Male: Havuul, Dashaad, Avuud
Draenei Female: Ellomin, Aimi, Sheria
(Note: If your draenei is male and was born on Draenor, double up the vowel in his name for lore reasons)

4. Basic Roleplaying
After you have created your character, it's time for some roleplaying! Here are some basic tips to get you started:

1. It is always important that you try and initiate roleplay. I have seen people complain countless times about how they can't find anyone to roleplay with, or no one approaches them. You need to make roleplay yourself, so emote as you walk though Stormwind City while you're looking for some roleplay, and download an RP addon like FlagRsp, MyRoleplay, or Immersion RP, so you can add the "Looking for Contact" tag.
2. Go out of your way to ask a lot of questions about roleplaying if you're new to the community. People will mostly be receptive and help you out if you send them a whisper.
3. Know the difference between IC and OOC. IC is known as "In Character", or In Character chat. IC chat is when your character is talking. RP servers typically treat all text through /say and /emotes as IC, UNLESS you indicate with (( ))'s that it is OOC. If you put brackets like (( )) or [[ ]] around your text, this indictates that your talk is OOC.
4. Refrain from using smilies like " =) ^_^ or T__T" in IC. Experienced roleplayers express their character's emotions through /emote, and not by using emoticons.
5. Be polite and receptive of other people's character ideas, and try not to go out of your way to bash someone's character. We all have to start somewhere! (Pretty much the Golden Rule applies here).
6. Get involved with your RP community, ask if your server has an RP wiki.
7. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT base a server's roleplay on the quality of its Goldshire.

Here's a list of stellar RP servers:

1. Moon Guard (Alliance)-
One of the best roleplaying communities I've yet encountered. I'm not sure how good Horde side is, as I've heard mixed reviews. Lots of roleplay activity here. Moon Guard is the biggest RP server in the game.
2. Wyrmrest Accord (Horde)-
Good and small community here. Great for Horde, not so much for Alliance.

I haven't tried the other servers, but feel tree to add in!

Thanks for checking out my guide! :wave:

EDIT:

Here's a list of resources for potential roleplayers

http://WoWwiki.com - A wonderful site with all sorts of information about the WoW universe and lore.
http://www.freewebs.com/aerosolspraycan/marysue.html - WoW Mary Sue test.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20001222b - DND Alignment Test, for deciding character alignment
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/ - Character and name generators for potential ideas!
http://www.writing.com/main/view_ite...ment-Work-Form - Checklist for character development
http://easydamus.com/alignment.html - A detailed guide for the DND alignments commonly used in WoW.

[Killalots]

Wow. Fantastic Guide aphel.

Serious effort has been shown here, and although I don't roleplay personally, this will no doubt be helpful to those interested.

+Rep.

[Jeremiah]

Thank you very much, Killalots! I thought people might like to read it even if they don't RP =) Thank you!

[Jeremiah]

EDIT:

Here's a list of resources for potential roleplayers

World of Warcraft universe guide - WoWWiki - A wonderful site with all sorts of information about the WoW universe and lore.
The World of Warcraft Mary Sue Litmus Test - WoW Mary Sue test.
Online Alignment Test - DND Alignment Test, for deciding character alignment
Seventh Sanctum - Character and name generators for potential ideas!
http://www.writing.com/main/view_ite...ment-Work-Form - Checklist for character development
The Alignment System - A detailed guide for the DND alignments commonly used in WoW.

[CammieDee666]

This is a great guide for anyone looking to start some RP

Im not intrested in RP but im gonna +Rep because it is clear that you have put a lot of work in to this

[Jeremiah]

Thank you, CammieDee!

[makasante]

Looks like an incredible guide, havn't had time to read it all yet, but I will do
+2 rep

[Jeremiah]

Thank you much, makasante. I hope you enjoy it when you do!

[Confucius]

Orc part I disagree on but rest is good +Rep 3x

[Jeremiah]

Orc part I disagree on but rest is good +Rep 3x

Thanks for the rep, Confucius!

[Syplex23]

FAKE AND GAY.... i keed i keed.

haha awesome guide man i never knew anyone could do this lol...
+rep cookie :P

[abhorsenjay]

+2 +Rep from I, makes me want to go into role playing again

[Jeremiah]

Thank you guys so much!

[Jeremiah]

Part 2 coming up soon!

[Blinky]

As Athene the best paladin of the world said, RP = retardplaying
OnT: Very long and detailed guide, even tho I don't RP (see above) you have earned all reputation given away in this thread. Another +2 for you!