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Creating Your Character-
There are two things you need to decide when creating your character. You will
need to choose a race/class, but first you will need to pick a server to start
on. Assuming you don't have a friend on a server that you want to play with, the
decision to be made is player versus player (PvP) or non-PvP. (This is called
normal by the game, and PvE or player vs environment/enemy by players.) There is
also a third type of server called RP (role-playing) where people are supposed
to be more intent on playing as their characters, rather than merely playing
their characters. An RP server is usually just a special type of PvE server,
except for one or two "RP-PvP" servers.
There is PvP content on the PvE servers. Don't think you'll be completely
missing out. However on the PvE servers, if you're an orc and you run across a
human, you can't fight him unless he agrees to fight you. There is a "PvP mode"
you enter and at that point anyone on the other side can attack you (and thus
enter PvP mode themself.) In other words, PvP is consentual on the non-PvP
servers.
On the PvP servers, you can attack the other faction at any time. If you want
to, you can be a level 50 player and go kill level 15's. The absolute newbie
zones are protected, but everywhere else is "contested territory" where it's
open season. However, killing someone close to your level will earn you honor,
while killing a trivial low-level player will not. There is never a direct
penalty for fighting someone, and you must be prepared to have that happen to
you at the most inopportune times.
PvP adds a certain element of realism - it puts the war in warcraft. However, if
you are not a fan of being at the whim of other players, you might be better off
playing PvE. PvE servers are, in fact, the majority of the servers.
The other obvious dilemma in starting the game is choosing a combination of race
and class. Not all combinations are available. I recommend choosing a class
first, and then a race to match, because some classes may suit your playstyle
more than others, and overall it is the much more significant decision.
A brief run-down of classes:
Warrior:
races - all
tanking - highest, damage - decent, utility - low, healing - basic
Warriors are the guys up front in plate armor. They can take the blows, and are
expected to try to keep anyone else from taking them if they can. They certainly
can deal damage though, and have three battle stances to reflect their balance
of offense and defense. Rather than having mana, warriors generate rage to
activate their special abilities as the battle goes on, and have quite a few
combat skills to use, not all of them available in every stance.
Warriors wear mail initially, later plate, and can use nearly all weapon types.
They start with a one-handed sword and shield.
Paladin:
races - human, dwarf
tanking - decent, damage - low, utility - high, healing - decent
Paladins are the Alliance-only class. Paladins have virtually no genuine combat
skills. Instead, they have a few other abilities to juggle. First, they have
auras, which are permanent effects around the paladin (armor bonus, damage
reflection, etc.) Second, they have "blessings" that are short term buffs on
their teammates which fairly potent effects, only one of which works at a time.
Third, they have "seals" that are self-only effects that last for 30 seconds.
Seals are both strong in nature, and can also be released as a "judgement" that
then becomes a status effect on their target. (A seal that gives the paladin
life per hit becomes a judgement than gives anyone hitting that target life per
hit.) They can also heal and rez, although they probably aren't the best choice
for a main healer.
Paladins can use mail armor, plate later on, and can equip many non-ranged
weapons. They start with a two-handed mace.
Shaman:
races - Tauren, Troll, Orc
tanking - decent, damage - decent, utility - high, healing - decent
The Horde's answer to the paladin, the shaman is a true hybrid that can function
as melee damage dealer, magic damage dealer, tank, or main healer. While a
shaman can potentially do any one or two of these things, it really is up to the
shaman to choose a style that fits them, based on their talent choices. Shamans
also have the ability to lay totems, which create local effects. The totems each
have an element (fire, air, earth, water) and only one of each type can be used
at a time. The totems are attackable, and most only have a few hit points, but
are immune to AE effects. Examples of totems are a healing spring totem that
gives nearby party members health over time, an earthbind totem that roots
nearby enemies, and a fire nova totem that detonates after a few seconds in a
fiery explosion.
Shamans can wear leather armor, learn mail later, and start with a staff.
Rogue:
Races - all but Tauren
tanking - moderate, damage - highest?, utility - moderate, healing - basic
Rogues are perhaps the masters of combat damage. However, they can not take
damage anywhere near as well as a warrior can, despite having an exceptionally
high dodge rating. Rogues are also able to stealth and sneak up behind
opponents, with special skills to initiate combat from hiding, including the
ability to sap an opponent, stunning him for a lengthy period of time. Rogues do
not use mana, but rather energy that drains as they use it, but fills very
quickly on its own. Unlike mana pools, a rogue's energy pool is always out of
100. Some skills the rogue performs adds a "combo point" to that target, and
other skills are refered to as finishing moves, and have a stronger effect based
on how many combo points are on that target. The points become spent when the
rogue does this, and cannot be transferred to another target.
Rogues wear leather and can use most one-handed weapons and ranged weapons. They
start with a dagger.
Druid:
Races - Tauren, Night Elf
tanking - decent, damage - low, utility - high, healing - high
Take those traits above lightly: druids are able to shapeshift into two animal
forms, a bear and a cat, that make the druid behave like a warrior or a rogue.
The bear can tank, the cat can sneak and deal melee damage, or the druid can
remain in caster form and be a potent user of nature magic. As a caster, druids
have arguably the best buff spell in the game, and various healing skills at
their disposal. Compared to the priest, the druid's spells focus more on being
over time. Druids can also nuke to some degree, although not as potently as the
true caster classes.
Druids wear leather and can use daggers, one-handed maces, and staves. They
start with a staff.
Hunter:
races - Night Elf, Dwarf, Troll, Orc, Tauren
tanking - moderate, damage - high, utility - moderate, healing - low
Hunters are the masters of ranged combat, dealing damage more effectively with a
bow or shotgun than anyone else. While their emphasis is on their ranged combat,
they are also capable at close range, and are skilled survivalists that use
traps and the beasts of the wild to their advantage. In fact, hunters can tame
beast-type creatures to be their pets, and after building a degree of loyalty
with that pet, teach them skills that make them effective at dealing damage or
tanking for the hunter while he shoots his target. Hunters have a line of buff
spells called aspects, of which they can only use one at a time, and which
mostly only affect the hunter. Hunters are especially known for their mark
ability that highlights a creature and puts a big floating arrow above it to
indicate a target for others, as well as increasing ranged damage against it.
Hunters begin with leather armor and can learn to wear mail, and can use almost
all weapon types. They usually start with a one-handed axe and either a gun or a
bow (with ammo pouch or quiver.)
Priest:
races - Night Elf, Human, Dwarf, Troll, Undead
tanking - low, damage - moderate, utility - decent, healing - highest
Priests are the stereotypical holy healers of the game. They are NOT clerics,
though. These guys do not walk around with a shield and plate armor. Instead,
they have two sets of magical spells - one divine and the other of darker
"shadow" magic. Generally, the divine spells are more healing-oriented and the
shadow powers deal damage and manipulate powers of the mind. Priests are known
for their spell "Power Word: Shield", which is a short-term buff that absorbs a
certain amount of damage before it fades, which allows the priest a sort of
last-second heal or helps the priest channel spells while under attack.
Priests can only wear cloth armor, and can use daggers, wands, one-handed maces
and staves. They start with a mace.
Warlock:
races - Human, Gnome, Undead, Orc
tanking - low, damage - decent, utility - decent, healing - low
Warlocks are not the masters of dealing damage quickly, but they can generate a
lot of it over time with the use of "damage over time" spells. They are the
users of dark magics, and draw their powers largely for demonic arts. To that
end, warlocks are able to summon one of five different demon pets to fight for
them. Warlocks have the ability to summon players from anywhere, so long as two
group members assist with the ritual. They can also create soulstones that
auto-resurrect a player with just a few HP and mana shortly after they die.
Warlocks can only use cloth armor, and wield staves, daggers, wands, or
one-handed swords. They start with a dagger.
Mage:
races - Human, Gnome, Undead, Orc, Troll
Mages are the blasters of the game, able to deal heavy amounts of magical damage
in a very short period of time. Aside from being masters of frost, fire, and
arcane arts, they can summon their own food and drink, as well as create
teleportation portals to major cities. Mages are also widely-known for their use
of polymorph, a spell that turns a target into a sheep for a period of time as
long as it remains undisturbed, effectively removing it from combat.
Mages wear cloth, and wield staves, daggers, wands, or one-handed swords. They
start with a dagger.
All listed non-starting weapon proficiencies must be trained.
Race is a bit less of a decision. There are some bonuses to
race, which I won't outline, as they are only intended to have minor effect and
add flavor to the game. Use the sidebar to read up on races if you like. While
some races' attributes are more helpful to some classes than others, like the
Orc's command that adds 5% to pet damage being better for hunters and warlocks
than non-pet classes, or the gnome's Expansive Mind that adds bonus intellect to
mages and warriors alike, the important thing is to play the race that you most
see yourself playing (if it is available for your class.) Also keep in mind
which races are Horde or Alliance, if that should matter to you. Picking the
right class is much more important, as is being happy with your character even
if some geeky person considers it to be "sub-optimal" just because you don't
have War Stomp or whatever.
You do have some minor options to adjust your appearance with things like skin
shade, hair style, facial hair, etc. This isn't going to impact your gameplay,
and both genders are equal in all ways, so just pick whatever looks prettiest to
you or whatever.
Enter your name - something NAME-LIKE and moderately original, or you run the
risk of having it changed - and press create. You're ready to start.
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