HELPPP!: How do you RP as a Shadow Priest, or Priest in general!?

Moon Guard
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Hey everyone!!

So, I accidentally re-uped my sub via gold and have no money in-game now - YAYYYYYY! (lololol)
But negatives aside, I decided to not bother with end-game after being denied a refund.

I wanna try to RP again!
But this time I wanna try it on my priest…but I’m at a lost of what to do and wondering if people could help me with a few things:

1). Can you RP a priest as a drifter/loner? Like do I HAVE to be part of the church or clerics to be a priest RPer who’s in line with the lore? Or can I be drifting taking odd-jobs trying to rediscover themselves after a tragedy?

2). Are Shadow Priest now like Warlocks? Like could I not walk around Stormwind openly as a Shadow Priest? And would I get killed or shunned? Or could I RP as a priest who balances both the light and void openly? Or are SP like Locks now where they have to hide who they are at all times or risk being killed/locked-up??
Like if I were to join a rag-tag group of drifters/mercenaries and we went on a mission and I used obvious Shadow Priest abilities, would they all run/try to kill me/lock me up, or would they just be a little off-put and possibly worried but nothing extreme??

Like I know if a Warlock were to be openly walking through cathedral square with their demon out they’d get stoned/arrested/killed.

Could I openly walk around in cathedral square or stormwind with my staff that has void energies radiating from it?
Like, I could spin it as Light AND Void energies…but either way, would it be a big no-no, or tolerable enough to at least not get me arrested/killed??/

I’m just trying to gauge how the average person would view a open SP and if it’s anything as bad as a Warlock to the average RPer?
Imo it shouldn’t be, at all, but idk how others feel.

Thanks for the info/help!! <33
I really wanna RP as a Shadow and Disc, or Shadow and Holy priest…not just Holy and Disc! D:

P.S.:: Ignore my name!!
I created this toon yearsssss ago when I was new to WoW and wanted to get into RPing(I didn’t) and thought RPing as a Dragon would be fun! I’ve learned recently that RPing as a Dragon is a big fat unrealistic no-no…so no worries…but name changes are too expensive D:

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I find it easy to be a loner shadow priest, honestly. He has shunned the Cathedral of Light and thinks their teachings are lies. Of course, he has PTSD and is utterly crazy now, letting the shadow of self-doubt and a horrible life drive him mad. Using shadow magic and insanity doesn’t help this malady. I posted a character bio just now in my own thread, as I am looking for a guild and people to RP with. Feel free to give it a look to see how I am going about it.

As for your other questions, I don’t hide being a shadow priest. I openly float around SW in shadowform, without a care in the world.

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Welcome back. I do hope you have fun, this time around.

There’s no rule set in stone that you have to be part of the church, any more than a mage has to be a member of the Kirin Tor or druids have to be in the Cenarion Circle. This is especially true after some kind of tragedy. You’re completely fine trying to rediscover who you are.

If that doesn’t sit well with you, then eh. Just call it a ‘pilgrimage’ and be on your way.

It’s always been a bit weird with Shadow priests. I think one thing to keep in mind is that the specializations (as we know them) don’t really exist in game. To clarify, if someone say a warrior, they wouldn’t say “Hey, there’s that Arms Warrior”. They would just say ‘warrior’.

If you’re a priest, you’re a priest. Having said that, it’s nothing less of a baseless lie for me to tell you that no one would say anything if you were walking around in Shadowform all of the time. It’s going to raise some eyebrows, not so much because ‘this is a shadow priest’ as '…um, did you notice that person over there seems to be absorbing light?"

It’s more about how you present yourself than what your spec is. Look at it this way: Most people will probably think of Anduin as a holy priest. That’s what would come to my mind based on how he acts, carries himself, and so forth. But he casts Penance and Power Word: Barrier. And, right, the sword and armor thing.

What I’m saying, I guess, is that you shouldn’t get too hung up on game mechanic minutiae when making a story.

A group of mercenaries that can’t handle a magic user casting Mind Flay or something might want to consider switching to a less stressful line of work than ‘mercenary’.

Quasi-joking aside, look at it more from the story perspective than the game mechanics one. Using Mind Blast or Shadow Word: Pain? That’s…eh, that’s just magic. But if you used Mind Control, they might get a little antsy. Not because it’s a ‘shadow priest’ thing, but more like ‘…is she gonna do this to me?’

…walking through Cathedral Square with a demon out is really just asking for trouble, especially if you’re not just passing through. Especially if you know the beliefs of the people inside. That’s just like flaunting your…I don’t know if the word is ‘defiance’, but you’re pretty much rubbing it in. It’s in poor form. Like, if you have an issue with them, fine. You don’t need to go into the section of the city they have set aside for them to go “Haha, demon demon demon”. It’s…tacky.

Walking around with a magic artifact is a bit different, especially since you’re a priest. You’re not just within your rights to do that, it’s kind of expected. I think it’s known that priests know about shadow and void magic, so it’s not like some kid walking around with Xal’atath, or something.

Keep in mind that there are currently people walking around with void energies literally coursing through them, some of whom have chosen to turn the tendrils into fabulous hairstyles. /hairflip

You’re fine. I don’t even think the ‘average RPer’ has that much of an issue with warlocks, either. Remember, we just came through an expansion where we dealt with the Legion. Right, there are also elves with horns and demon wings in the city, now.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. The name is fine. If you have TRP3 or MRP (roleplaying add-ons that can enhance your experience), you can set your own name there.

Or you can just say your parents named you after a dragon that saved them; just roll with it.

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THANK YOU SO MUCH for this amazing response!!
You should work for the Moon Guard RPer Welcoming Committee(if we had such a thing)!! lolol

I appreciate it so much!!
I REALLY love my S-priest’s transmog and was really worried about the obvious void-looking staff and making it work for her backstory, but now I feel so much better about that AND RPing as a Shadow Priest!!

Again, thank you a ton!

And thanks to you as well for the response! I will go read your thread to see how you’re RPing your guy. I plan to make my S. priest quite sane, but I like the idea behind your character!

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Completely redoing my post since I pretty much just repeated what’s been said lol.

I will say though that it’s your $15/month (or gold), RP what makes you happy! Just be aware characters that are “out there” might have a harder time finding RP.

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I RP this character as a discipline priest. As someone said earlier, “specs” don’t really exist (at least not in the same way) in character as they do mechanically in the game. That said, my TRP states “discipline priestess” as more of a clue to give readers a sense of what her ideals are: Aeliora is a firm believer in balancing Shadow and Light as primal forces of equal importance.

How does this look IC? Well, her background/training is more towards “battle priest” than healer, but these days she works as part of the Conclave, rather than a church. She teaches acolytes there how to hone their minds to a razor’s edge so as to maintain control as a Shadow user (as opposed to giving in to the madness for maximum power), and tempering zealotry as a Light user. I could go on, but suffice it to say, I try to play her as a very rational/practical minded but empathetic character. Her faith lies in the good she can do as a person without embracing one side, while eschewing the other.

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Shadow Priests are held in a similar disdain but are recognized for their strengths in various ways. How it is used is based on your character’s race and views.

Natalie Seline is the founder of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow. She once held Xal’atath and researched the dark magics of the Orcish Necrolyte that led her into the Shadow research and founded the value in the Balance of Light and Shadow. But her teachings were held as wildly heretical and led her to fake her death in the hope to preserve her knowledge.

Shadow Priests who follow her lineage can carry a sense of disgust from those who favor the Light. Though many respect Shadow Priest’s prowess; the toying with the Shadow always leads to Void magic, which is heralded as fearful by both factions. You carry power that can create hysteria in others, or even yourself. Whether you followed the renewed teachings of Natalie Seline or curiously wandered into the field of shadow magic on a whim.

You can RP however you wish, a loner, a faithful priest, a downtrodden man/woman who’s lost their faith. Anything is in the realm of possibility. Shadow Priests need to carry their power with caution as Mind Magic and Shadow magic can have adverse reactions.

The lore is finnicky on the views of Shadow magic, but its generally distrusted and you’ll want to RP as if you are holding an open flame in your hand. Taking said open flame into a house of cloth is asking for trouble, while holding it in public may raise brows, even cause concern… But out in the world; many may not bat an eye unless they’re your target.

Races also have a different take on Shadow Priests. The more Light-based faiths will have distasteful views, while others may openly accept your strengths. How you parley your magic around others can get a wild array of responses. But generally races like the Lightforged Draenei will have less stellar reactions, whereas a Worgen or Void Elf will embrace your strengths.