How to start RP

Moon Guard
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never dabbled in RP on wow before. how does one enter this world?

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Get TRP3 add on. You should fill it out but that’s secondary. It will allow you to read others profiles.

So look for people that have “walk up friendly” listed. Then just start a chat with them, in character. Pretty much the way it works.

Also look for ICC / OCC. In character / out of character, respectively. This will tell you if they are role playing or not.

You can design a story for your character, share as much or little of that as you like.

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Start simple. Don’t go for dramatics or claim that you did “x” thing, unless it’s intentionally a baseless boast. Simplicity works until you get a feel for how things should flow, what’s generally accepted, and you start getting ideas on what to do.

I’d even go as far to say that if you are really, REALLY new to the idea, just
 sit around and people watch. See how they do things. A lot of us genuinely don’t mind, and some will easily welcome you in to the fold.

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Cracks Knuckles
 I have prepared for just such a question. Ahem


The Basics of RP


Roleplay as done in WOW is unique in that first you create a character that fits within the lore of the world, fully fleshed out with strengths, flaws, quirks, etc. But then, you are essentially ad-lib co-writing your character’s story with other people because what their characters say, do, how you interact with them, and what misadventures (high adventures, or just walking down to a pub) you have with them all affect your character’s overall story.

Lore knowledge-wise
lore in WOW is very extensive. If you are weak in that area and want to ensure your character ‘makes sense’, I would highly suggest doing a bit of research in the following places:

  1. On youtube, look up Inquisitor Aura How to Roleplay in WOW. This series of videos gives a very basic lore overview for every race and class in WOW and gives you some ideas on how to get started with a character idea.

  2. Check out https:// wow.gamepedia. com/Wowpedia (no spaces). This site has pretty much all the lore knowledge you could want. Just start with a race/class you’re interested in, and it will lead you to all sorts of great info.

Aside from the oddball unwanted RP experience (ex, someone uncouthly trying to say they shot your character without getting Out Of Character permission to do so first), the generally accepted practice is to let whatever happens to your character while In Character become canon to your story.

Lower levels don’t especially matter in RP. Though I will say, if you have a super low level character (under level 20-25), people may hesitate to RP with your character because it’s common for people to create lowbie characters just to troll.

Also, many people won’t respect your character’s claims to have amazing, super-special, snowflake type powers (ie mass resurrection, use void to swallow up a whole ship, use chi to create giant balls of power a la DBZ, etc.), but this is especially true if you have a low level character.

End game-wise, the general accepted practice is once an event has played out content-wise, it is general accepted knowledge. Raid content is considered occurred in-game once the last wing of said raid hits LFR. (Not everyone abides by this, but most do.)

As I said, RPing is essentially co-writing a story with characters you and others have created. Most will start with walk-up RP (meet a stranger say, in a pub, and strike up a conversation
or help someone out who is in trouble, etc.) If you like RPing with said person, perhaps in whisper ask if they’d like to RP again sometime to flesh out your characters together even more. In general, keep whatever interaction you have with them as canon to your own story (unless, like I said above, it was something you did not consent to.)

Joining an RP guild that suits the type of RP your character is looking for is also a great way to begin storylines. Also, there are many, many regular or special RP events open for anyone to attend. These are built-in opportunities to RP in a provided setting (festivals, balls, markets, etc.). So be sure to check those out (many will post about them on the MG forums or in discord servers devoted to event advertisements).

You can RP with someone as long as both of you would like. Some interactions only happen once and last a few minutes. Others agree (out of character in whisper chat) to continue their RP relationship (as lovers, friends, comrades, nemeses, etc.) for months or even years. So long as you both want to continue it.

Travel the world, fight in battles together, whatever you like. It’s very acceptable to level together and RP while you do so. As far as sticking to PG-13 or going darker
it’s good to whisper ask a person for consent to do anything beyond PG-13 or something that would drastically damage/kill a character to see if they’re comfortable with that first. If they don’t mind, go for it. But best to do anything super edgy or naughty (like bedroom scenes) in party chat or whisper chat, not in open public chat.

And always remember, anything you do in public invites others to participate. Try to rob a person on the street
you may have a few people step in to stop you. Try to do a demon summoning out in a public area
IC guards or others will likely try to stop you. Etc.

Want to play an obnoxious, rude, or prejudiced person? Do it! Be the guy who starts a fight or pickpockets that well-dressed lady. But ALWAYS ask whisper permission first. Not everyone wants their character to be mugged or attacked. But if they are alright with it and you want to be confrontational, go for it.

But do be considerate. Don’t hijack an RP event by declaring you’re a terrorist bent on attacking the crowd. Don’t be the rude customer holding up a line more than a minute or so, because it will cause everyone else to wait an unreasonable amount of time. Your actions have an impact on others’ good time. And be prepared for In Character consequences (ie, your thief will eventually get caught and likely arrested.)

A few other tips (granted, these are only tips
you pay your $15 a month and can do what you want):

  1. most people won’t respect a character’s claim to be related to, friends with, dating, or generally having met a main lore character from the game (it’s like claiming your Beyoncé’s best friend in real life
yeah right!)

  2. it’s better not to give your character extremely unbelievable skills, talents, and powers. Now, that’s not to say they can’t have 1-2 really great skills, but these are best balanced with some major stakes/cost to use and shouldn’t be whipped out all the time.

  3. don’t claim to have a very young character who is a Master in anything. Logically, it would take a person decades to become a master monk, archmage, high priest, etc. Now, RP an older character, and this is more believable.

  4. if ever in an RP conflict, always phrase something as an attempt (ex: ‘Cedrick pulled out his revolver and shot twice, aiming at the robber’s left shoulder.’) rather than an absolute action (‘Cedrick shot the robber in the shoulder twice.’)

  5. any RPing beyond PG-13 should be done in party chat or whisper chat. General public doesn’t want to hear that. lol

  6. if using an add-on such as TRP3 or MRP that allows you to see a person’s name, backstory, etc. in advance, don’t walk up to said person In Character already knowing those facts. He hasn’t introduced himself to you yet
so you don’t know his name. You don’t know that he’s a murderer looking for his next victim. You don’t know that the scars on his hands are from a fire. Etc. This is called metagaming, and it’s frowned upon.

  7. most people in real life wouldn’t divulge their entire life story to someone they just met, so don’t let your character do this either (even if you have a really great backstory. Resist the temptation!) Very few scenarios allow this info-dumping to work (such as being drunk and blabbering things incoherently
supporting someone who just lost a loved one by saying you’ve lost someone, too. etc.).

  8. while your Out Of Character hero playing through content has access to all sorts of secret information and has done ‘all the things’ as a Champion of Azeroth
most likely your In Character toon has not. (ex, Mailang is a noodle chef. Out Of Character, I use her to run dungeons, raids, etc. But In Character, she never leaves Stormwind and only gets her information through gossip.) They likely wouldn’t have landed the killing blow on the Lich King, but maybe they helped fight the enemy soldiers at the gates. You might not know everything there is to know about Azerite, but enough to know it’s dangerous or you’ve heard rumors
etc.

  9. don’t go god-mode (also called godmod). This pertains to people who won’t allow their character to lose, take damage, and/or always manage to escape and come out the winner in a conflict. Ex, your character is a thief and has been slipping around the market discreetly robbing people. Eventually, a security guard notices and tries to arrest you. They call for backup, and it’s 1-vs-4. If logically with their actions your character would be caught, don’t godmod that your character suddenly whips out a teleportation device or impossibly effective smoke bomb and escapes. Follow reasonable logic, and don’t make your character invulnerable.

  10. Go shopping, and buy your character some casual wear. It’s cheap for the most part. This is simply because, unless your toon is a guard on active duty or something, your character realistically wouldn’t walk around the city in full plate armor with weapons equipped all the time.

  11. this one may seem silly, but it’s important. Most people in real life don’t run everywhere. It’s weird. Therefore, hit the / button on your number pad, and let your character walk like a normal person. lol!

Again, all these are just good guidelines for positive RP experiences in WOW
 do what you want.

I will also highly suggest using an add-on for RP (Total Roleplay 3 is great!..or MRP). This lets you put as much or little detail as you like for others to read about your character, as well as At First Glance items they might notice about your character within close range (ex, her perfume scent, that she’s carrying a journal or sketchbook, that she has a bleeding scratch on her cheek, that she has colorful hair beads, etc.)

These give someone in a walk-up situation a hook of sorts
a reason to approach your character.

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thanks guys for these explanations and especially mailang.

this gives me a good baring on where to start. i was so lost before lol

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I love you so much right now.

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Here’s what I did:

  1. Sat around Old Town one evening, listening to conversations.

  2. Next evening, came back to same spot and noticed a few of the same people.

  3. Commented on something (congratulated a guy on his promotion the prior day).

  4. Hilarious events ensued and it was all-around a great time. (Laughing almost the entire time ooc).

It took a LOT of ooc courage for meto walk up to the person and say hi, but I did it, and gosh-darnit, it paid off. So, go for it. Walk up and comment on something in their TRP or something they’re doing and say hi.

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As a new person on MG finding her feet
I offer the following list:

1.) Get TRP3 and install it before you go back into the game. It’ll change your life on Moon Guard. You will instantly know everything we want you to know about our characters just by mousing over us on the screen. Amazeballs. I’m still not over how freaking cool this addon is.

2.) Don’t go nuts writing a massive and detailed profile right from the off. You can update it and flesh it out later. Put basic things that you know for sure. Gender, race and class, most obvious personality type
and in the OOC section, type, “total beginner with RP. Please be patient.” Everyone will see it, and everyone will be patient.

3.) WALK. Don’t run; walk. Walk around Stormwind watching and listening for a day or two. Find where the people like your character (or people your character wants to be around) hang out. Watch how they interact. Do you like what they’re doing or do you find it icky/cringe/not for you? If that group isn’t your cup of tea, keep walking. Find places you really like (there are tons of places in SW that we never see playing on the normal server, flying all the time, and never having walked it in our lives). Sit there. Find a bench or a nice grassy spot and just sit there. Hang out. Think like your character. Notice who comes by. /wave at them. /smile at them. /growl at them. You know
as the spirit moves you.

My point is: Move slowly, walk the entire city–all of it. Watch the people. Find your “place.”

4.) It’s uncomfortable the first few times you engage. That doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. It means you’re a normal person who gets uncomfortable in unfamiliar social situations. You’ll get more confident as you practice, just like anything else. Moon Guard is a VERY forgiving and friendly server in this regard. If your TRP says you’re new, you will be forgiven a multitude of mistakes, foibles, and mess-ups. And they’ll help you get it right for the future.

5.) OMG, have fun. Don’t forget to relax into it and enjoy it. There’s something about it that appeals to you or you wouldn’t be trying it out, right? So just go with it, and don’t worry so much about being “just so” and getting everything “right” that you forget to be excited and have fun. Playing make-believe is SUCH a wonderful human experience, and too few adults remember that.

6.) Never–never EVER–“mess with” other people’s RP in a trolling way. Just don’t. There are all kinds of RP going on that I find silly or just uninteresting, but to the people engaging in it
it’s their good time. Don’t mess with that. Don’t make fun of it. Just let it be and leave them be.

7.) Respect IC (in character) vs. OOC (out of character) exchanges. It’s very important. The players behind the characters are sometimes nothing like the character they play. Kindness is far more important on MG than on the non-RP realms, and the player must not be treated like the character.

And finally
come see me in the Cathedral. Meriweather will pray for you, offer you refreshment, and advise you to dress modestly, live righteously, and give to charity.

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^^ This, yes! It is best to remember that everyone is essentially writing a character in a story, and sometimes that means having rude or terrible characters. Your crime boss and cranky, jaded war veteran won’t necessarily be nice, you know? Always remember that the character you interact with is not (usually) a representation of the person typing on the other side of the screen. Most often, they are just writing a certain type of character and will let them interact as such a character would reasonably do so.

HOWEVER, there are people out there that use this “In Character is not Out Of Character” logic as an excuse to just be an a**hole, or a racist, etc. without consequences. They’re out there. So then, since you don’t want to be one of these types, IMO the best way to play a rude or morally grey character without going too far?

  1. say as much in your TRP (something in the OOC section along the lines of “my character is a jerk, but if it’s too much for you, feel free to let me know.”)
  2. if people do whisper you or speak in parentheses (the accepted way to break character for a sec in RP) that this is getting a little too edgy for them, be okay with them backing out. Edgy RP is not for everyone, and that’s okay.
  3. do one better and preemptively whisper for permission. As an example, I know a fun “IC troll” character whose RP is to purposely be a “rude customer” type that goes to all of the usual RP market and festival events as said rude customer . However, she regularly whispers the merchants she is “being rude to” to make sure she’s not taking up too much of their time or going too far. In other words, the player behind her edgy/rude character respects people’s OOC boundaries. :smile:
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When you boil it down, we’re just playing house. Everything the previous posters mentioned is super helpful, and in my experience, that isn’t the limit of the kindness of the community. Just ask questions if you’re not sure(like you’re doing here).