Is it cringy one of my characters uses a named legenday as a weapon ICly?

Moon Guard
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One of my characters uses Sul’thraze the Lasher as their IC weapon. I did this because it was the first weapon I actually had to grind for to get in this game and I felt proud of myself and wanted to mark the moment forever on that character. But some people have called it cringy. My logic is that it isn’t that big of a lore weapon like Frostmourne, or the Ashbringer, and it isn’t as overpowered as those two so it shouldn’t be an issue. I know that their is a whole thing with ‘Don’t let people tell you how to roleplay’ but it sort of made me think about if the character felt a bit like a special snowflake.

EDIT: Should also probably mention that the character in question is not a Troll.

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No

/10chars

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It -is- slightly cringy, yes. You should try to avoid using named weapons that can be looted in-game because -everybody- probably had a chance to loot it too. Even if you have it, it’s not truly…‘yours’. You RP whatever you wanna RP, but maybe it’s better to just go with something more original, a weapon you can give your own backstory as well, without any further complications.

9 Likes
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Yeah, this is usually discouraged because when someone incorporates something like this with their character it forces other players to acknowledge that your character is the canonical wielder of a weapon, who canonically did the feat to obtain it.

All other characters who are associated with said scenario are basically either forced to A) alter their backstory/character knowledge for your character to fit in with their story or B)…pretend you don’t exist.

For Sulthraze, you are basically saying you are the one who canonically cleared Zul’farrak. Any other character who is related to Zul’farrak in some capacity is either forced to acknowledge that you are the canonical adventurer who did this feat or to just ignore you…and what if there are other people with competing claims? It just winds up being a headache for everyone involved.

While I can’t tell you how to RP your character, you are of course free to do as you wish, but know that using a named weapon in lore - even if the lore is barely existent - is a fairly large taboo and will have an impact on people’s willingness to RP with you.

I personally would probably not acknowledge it simply for the bag of worms that it opens. If your character is canonically the one who cleared Zul’farrak and claimed this weapon, then why is that okay but other people’s claims that they were the ones who canonically cleared other dungeons/raids not okay? What if I encounter others related to Zul’farrak down the line, how do I resolve that?

Worse, what if down the road, this sword appears again in the lore? Not that its likely, but it wouldn’t be the first time a weapon that’s obtainable makes a reappearance in the lore. Examples include but aren’t limited to Atiesh, the Corrupted Ashbringer, hinted at Quel’Delar, how Ashkandi appeared in two different raids from two different ‘eras’, etc. etc.

With Zul’farrak, there is a canonical Cataclysm version and then the Classic version, would people who acquired the weapon in Classic have a ‘non-canon’ version of the weapon itself? What if a future revamp of the dungeon is made and the weapon is found there…does that mean that this hypothetical future version is non-canon? Or would your character have just magically lost and re-acquired this sword?

Its far easier for me to ICly ignore it than to engage. Not saying that your RP is bad, but I don’t want to be involved in deciding who canonically did what and all that nonsense.

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Yeah, don’t do that. I think the Golden rule that could settle all RP for good is don’t claim to do anything that no one else cannot claim to have done. If you’re wielding Sul’thraze, then what if someone else comes up to you in full RP and claims to have the same sword?

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Depends on the item. My belief is this:

  • Items that have lore historical context should not be used by players.
  • Items with associated quests (Benediction, Rhok’delar) behind them should not be used.
  • Items that have very UNIQUE effects as mentioned should not be used by players.

You can get other items that are named for as long as the reason behind it isn’t conflicting with established lore. I’d not be against someone getting their hands on items like the Staff of Metanoia. For as long as the item is obtained through other means rather than claiming the kill of said boss for yourself.

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When I was leveling, I used Ironfoes, but always said that they were reproductions of a legendary item.
You could always try to go the Elder Scrolls route with the item: it’s real, but chooses its master when it wants to, fading from your existence.

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I would consider it falling into the same vein as saying your character is related to a lore character (nephew of Teranas/missing daughter of Blackhand/bastard of Rastakhan/etc) or that you’re the canon lord of a lore place (Baron of a reclaimed Shadowfang Keep). It’s just bad form and in bad taste.

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There is fundamentally no issue with your character possessing a lore weapon unless you have imposed a certain set of rules upon yourself. If you think it is “cringy”, it is because you are contributing to the environment which makes you feel “cringy”.

For those saying that possessing a lore weapon would be “forcing your RP” onto someone, I think you are desperately lacking in creativity. While the simplest way to avoid feeling like RP is being forced upon you is to not interact with that person, there is another easy route: Treat the character like they are a crazy guy on the bus.

Player 1: I possess the armor of the Lich King.
Player 2: Sure you do, buddy.

In this scenario, Players 1 and 2 can both have it their way without treading on the toes of the other. Player 1 can RP as if they have the armor, and Player 2 can RP as if they’re meeting someone who is off their rocker.

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That’s my usual go-to. “Hey, look at my awesome weapon! It’s totally the real thing!” Whether your character bought a counterfeit or earned what they think is the real deal, it’s a perfectly valid way to go about it.

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Possession of lore-relevant items as well as any sort of claim to lands or relationships to any character is not acceptable no matter what anyone says. I remember back in WoTLK there was a guy who claimed he not only wielded Ashkandi but was also the old child of Stalven

It makes you look silly and everyone thinks you’re silly for it

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Please cite your authority.

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Mhris Cetzen, OwO creator extraordinaire.

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It’s all just a matter of personal preference. I say that if the major lore weapons are crossed off, then all lore weapons are crossed off, minor ones included. For minor weapons, though, a good idea is to use the model to make a weapon with your own cool lore attached to it instead!

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I dont think any of our characters would have some named blade or staff or even armor like the big main characters of our world. But I do know people that use the IC weapons on their characters but have them as something entirely different. Like the daggers you as a feral druid? Just have them as ornate daggers or super intricate. Maybe a weapon your person created.

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See it fits with our ic lore with the game, since us the adventurer have wielded some of the most powerful weapons and have been placed at insanely high ranks within our factions in Legion (example: druid players becoming Archdruids).

HOWEVER, the thing is that’s supposed to be an individual experience for the individual player - without the whole playerbase in mind, like when you play the game and earn such a high rank as Archdruid, it’s supposed to be a rare thing that just you are earning…it’s not supposed to be you and the millions of players playing, it’s an individual experience…where as roleplaying is not. Roleplaying involves the reality of TONS of other players and in that situation most think it’s not proper to call yourself an Archdruid or wield an insanely powerful weapon meant only for the upper echelon.

That being said, I think most people would be understanding to a point if you used a powerful weapon, even one that’s supposed to be saved for only the very upper-echelon (which you are ic as an individual player, but are not ic as a roleplayer - if that makes sense)…it just comes down to you not abusing it as a reason for you to be a god amongst mortals and go on some RPer power-trip.

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Why would anyone bother with “claiming” lore-important objects, or being related to lore characters, when you can just make up awesome crap instead?

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What about fabricating some claim to sfk but never actually doing it

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They’re prolly not drunk enough or no fun allowed.

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It’s just gonna get really awkward when you run into someone else who has it. Had a fun RP years ago during Cata at a tauren story circle where one guild leader tried telling the events of Stonetalon Mountain quest as if he were the player character and the amount of people who said “Dude I had the same thing happen to me” was kind of lulzy.

2 Likes