I’m considering moving my main (this toon) to an RP server. Do you have any advice before I make the jump–or do you think it’s even a good idea? I really enjoy immersion, and I’ve been wanting to try RP for a while. I’d still be doing my usual PvE/PvP stuff, but I want to go in-character in between and interact with people. Any tips or things I should know before I start?
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The biggest thing I, and I think most folks would ask, is that if you wished to transfer that you want to, or have at least an interest in, RP (which you do 
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That said, and especially with how easy it is to level alts, perhaps running a character here to give RP a try to save you the $25 or so. Additionally, and good timing, we have one of our massive public RP events coming up this week called the Tournament of Ages, hosted at the Argent Tournament Grounds in Northrend. The place is packed and you’ll find just about every type of RP you could find. Even if you just want to people watch, it may give you a good idea and we often have what are called anchors to pull your character to MG to visit and see everything.
There are also hosts of discords and groups that help folks find RP and upcoming events and while I dont have all those links here with me rn, are also great places.
There is one major addon that is, practically, required and that is Total Roleplay 3, or TRP3. This lets you create a profile for your character with additional information and can see other profiles which really helps you learn about others characters, see their writing style, what they’re interested in, and just flags themselves as another RPer.
On that note, do a little writing and reading up on your character just to help create that profile. Story of the Blood Elves, of DKs, and where you fit in all of that. You can add in or ignore nearly any part of the story content of expacs but good to know how your character may have reacted to any of it. Are they a Gen 3/Wrath DK who cut swaths through Northrend and the Burning Legion later, or are you a flower merchant? Folks are more than happy and willing to help with this if you get stuck.
If you’re concerned about content while we do have some pretty good guilds, groups, raid teams, etc, we’re not a cutting edge/glad server. They exist, but its not what the majority of people go for. So if that remains a strong passion, buyer beware and maybe keep a content character somewhere else and an RP character here, I know some folks do.
Beyond that, just enjoy yourself. RP is suppose to be fun, everyone is suppose to feel some sort positive feeling (even if it meant you lost) during it, and really let yourself get into it. Be a bit cringe and get head over heels for your character! The more you put in the more you’ll get out
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Thanks for the info! I’m quite the lore nerd–and I actually already installed TRP3 so I’d have a place to write my character’s story and personality in-game. I’m not too concerned about content, since I mostly do Delves and Quests, with the occasional mount farm here or there. The Tournament of Ages sounds like an amazing way to jump in–I’m really looking forward to it, like you suggested!
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I will say at least check out this (or any RP server for that matter) first before committing to a server transfer. The last thing you want to do is just dive in and find out you don’t quite care for RP servers. While there are guilds and players here that aren’t focused on RP, I’d have to imagine it gets awkward after awhile. The good news is that you’ve still got a few days to take advantage of that sale price on the transfer as it ends on the 13th.
I myself mainly wound up here via a series of events that had me suggesting doing a gnome guild as I thought it would be amusing. That’s where I learned about Gnomeregan Forever. I initially took a slight pause due to them being on an RP server until I realized that after 20 years this is the one aspect of WoW I’ve yet to explore, and as they didn’t have a hard requirement to be a role player, I figured it couldn’t hurt to check things out as their only real requirement in that regard for the folks off server is to leave guild chat open for the RP folks and to use either a separate OOC community group for normal chat, or the Discord server.
I’m glad I found these folks. While I haven’t been here long, just from sitting back and watching them interact with one another, it really does feel like that I finally found a guild that feels like a guild from 15+ years ago. I’ve dabbled with RP a tiny bit while I was still off server, and while I’m still working on a profile, I found it to be a very fun change of pace.
Just fair warning despite being a Horde player: avoid Goldshire 
Doesn’t matter what RP server you’re on. Inevitably the degenerates make their way there, and the tourists show up to see if the stories about Goldshire on RP servers are true (and I have no doubt some then join in cause they think it’s funny, which in turn just keeps the memes going endlessly)
Goldshire (or any Horde equivalent area) should NEVER be taken as a representation of how RP servers are.
The only other piece of advice I have is this: keep in mind that while the player character may canonically be a mythical figure on par with the likes of Thrall, Jaina, etc. at this point, we all can’t be THE main character of WoW. Avoid what is known as main character syndrome! Within RP, you haven’t beaten the likes of Deathwing or the Old Gods, and the odds of you being on a first name basis with all the major lore figures are slim. Try to set realistic expectations for your backstory. Sure, you’ve obviously heard of Anduin or Thrall, but you likely aren’t their top champion that goes on all the most dangerous missions.
As a death knight from one of the Wrath era races, it wouldn’t be unrealistic to say Arthas raised you as one of his many troops during the events that took place at New Avalon, but do be aware of what that means: you’ve done some pretty unsavory and unmentionable things while you were under his control. Once freed, you’d certainly want to see Arthas taken out, but once again: we can’t all be the main character, so the odds of you specifically chasing after him to Northrend aren’t going to be high. More realistically, you’d have likely been an Ebon Blade knight that was sent to assist some lesser known location or outpost as you’d have knowledge of the Scourge that the standard rank and file might not have.
Whenever it comes to things we’ve done as the player character, it’s generally safer to assume a secondary lore character is the stand in for a particular story/race (ie: Thassarian for DKs, Kelsey Steelspark for gnomes, Sassy Hardwrench for goblins, Darius Crowley for worgen, etc.)
Oh, and do avoid being directly related to anyone in lore! While such a thing COULD work for an OC in fanfiction if it is done VERY carefully, it is very much frowned upon in an RP setting, and it is generally a trap that newer RPers tend to fall into as many want to feel important out of the gate. Non-Warcraft example: a Castlevania story about a member of the Belmont family in an unexplored time period/location CAN be fun to read, but in an RP setting it gets old fast when everyone trying to participate declares that they are the true heir to the Belmont legacy.
Past all that? Have fun with things! I’d take a little initial time to observe prior to jumping in, but when you do jump in, make sure folks know you’re new to things. You aren’t running mythics, and RP players are going to be far more laid back so long as someone is showing a genuine interest in learning and aren’t purposely trying to be disruptive 
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