THE GUIDE on How to Roleplay in World of Warcraft at All Levels

От DaggersEdge Обновлено: 02.09.2026

[This Is A User-Submitted Guide!]

[Wowhead only updates official guides, so information might not be up-to-date.]

How to Be a Smart Roleplayer: Your Daily Dose of Realism"Rebelliously revealing the unspoken rules of roleplay."Elise StarseekerLuke ManciniIntroductionGetting StartedWhat is Roleplay?Character CreationTotal RP 3 (TRP)meta-gamingtrollishpowerplayingHINTS

Characters should have limited knowledge in-character; knowing more than they ought is called meta-gaming. What your character can know, even of current happenings, depends on their age, location (news can travel slowly), occupation, and how well travelled or well read they are. Some lore is meant only for players to know out-of-character such as minute details of lore characters' lives, enemy threats, or upcoming expansion events. The rule to go by is to get inside your character's head and think of things from their perspective to understand their scope of knowledge.

Characters must not be perfect or invincible. Character building consists of giving them flaws—heroes are made, not born. It is also frowned upon to create impossible lore event connections or implausible major lore character connections. They may have met or be a little acquainted, but they will not be your character's friend lest you risk playing a Mary Sue.

Giving your character some similar traits to yourself is okay as long as it is not overwhelmingly so; self-inserts are not taken seriously. Creating a character who has differences from you is a good challenge, but there is no need to force anything drastic. Write what feels comfortable to you. It is natural to draw from what we know and arguably impossible to completely separate yourself from your character.

You do not need to give your character an exact birth date or even increase their age with time unless you wish. Passage of time is slower than depicted in-game. Expansion events usually last a year according to lore despite lasting multiple for players. Sometimes there is a time skip between expansions. See Maintaining Immersion.

It is common to draw minor inspiration from characters in media as long as there are no overt references.

Do not roleplay an amnesiac or orphan as a crutch to avoid learning lore or developing backstory.

Manual LaborerTradesmenThe ArtsProfessional (requiring specialized training/education)Unorthodox "Jobs"Guild/event ideas:

Official Blizzard Rules:

In-Game Code of ConductRP Naming Policy

WoW's realm list does not say which are connected so check here:

Connected Realms

The official WoW website lists all realms:

Realm Status

It is also a great place to start for lore:

Races Classes Story & Media Warcraft Timeline

The official WoW forums are excellent for player feedback:

(NA) Lore: World's End Tavern (EU) Lore: Role-playing

The Blizzard-approved RP Discord, a messaging service, is helpful if you have questions that you cannot find answers to and for finding RP:

Warcraft-RP Tavern

Warcraft Wiki is the officially-recognized source for all things lore:

Warcraft Wiki

Useful links:

Life Spans Height

In-character (Acting as your character would.)

OOC

Out-of-character (Acting as yourself, the player.)

RP, RPs, RPing, RPed, RPer

Roleplay, roleplays, roleplaying, roleplayed, roleplayer

(Blizzard is inconsistent with the spelling of "roleplay". You may also see "role-play" or "role play". Any one is fine.)

Curseforge desktop program

Add-on

Use

Total RP 3 (TRP)

RP profile. Download its module TRP3 Extended as well which allows you to receive and create custom items. There are other RP profile add-ons, but downloading more than one causes conflictions.

WoW Instant Messenger (WIM)

Gives Whispers its own window and enables clickable links there.

Elephant

Automatically saves all chat in logs for future reference.

Chattery

Removes character limit in chat.

Simply RP - Chat Edit Box Extender (CEBE)

Expands chat bar to see everything you are typing.

Eavesdropper

Tracks each player's posts so you never miss one.

Sippy Cup

Reminders for RP consumables and toys.

RP profiles are logged and viewable by Blizzard; please keep all content appropriate. Obscene writing/links, copying profiles, and harassment violates Blizzard's policies. How to report: Reporting RP Profiles That Infringe on Blizzard's Terms of Service

Many new RP add-ons are being made with the help of A.I. (artificial intelligence). In addition to often ripping off others' copyrighted add-ons and benefiting monetarily, they are often generated without regard for stability and safety such as bloat affecting your machine/gameplay, disconnecting you or others with the same add-on, throttling your other add-ons, and data wiping due to accumulating cache. Some do not properly log text written by users of the add-on, making it difficult for Blizzard GMs to see said writing for reports and also a loophole for the add-on author(s) to insert offensive material that others will see which could result in a ban on your account but no repercussions for them.

A.I. in an add-on is not always visible in-game. It can be hidden in the code. Things to check before you download: A.I. add-ons are usually recently created, have an A.I. logo, use "emoji lists" with A.I. text in the description, and/or use clunky graphics from Classic WoW. If the add-on has a Github source, it may list Copilot as a contributor or co-author.

Please do your research. Visit this Bluesky thread for how to spot A.I. add-ons in-depth. My listed add-ons are safe. Contact me about any other RP add-ons that interest you if you are unsure and I will look into them.

TRP

Displays personalized colors of character names, making them easy to identify.

Removes the pesky space between a name and a comma or " 's " in emotes.

You can begin emotes with a word other than your character's name. After typing /e, do not hit the space bar and type a vertical bar: |
Then you can hit the space bar and type your emote. This is good for emoting as an NPC or background character as well.

TRP can be programmed to detect OOC text, IC actions, or IC speech in emotes, marking them in gray, orange, and white respectively.

TRP's slash command /trp3 roll is a dice roll, used mainly in combat RP (see Battle in Roleplay). Everyone in your Party with TRP will see the rolls, or if you are ungrouped, only the person you have Targeted can see it if they have TRP. Examples:

/trp3 roll lands a random number out of 100.
/trp3 roll d20 lands a random number out of 20.
/trp3 roll 1d6
TRP's dice rolls have support modifiers to apply to the total roll. For example, typing /trp3 roll d20+10 would add 10 to the result of the roll. In this case, the result was 1 and it added 10.
/trp3 roll 2d20 1d12

CHATTERY

Allows you to type continuously to elongate any type of chat without hitting WoW's limit, breaking these up into separate paragraphs at once for you.

Saves/remembers what you are typing. If you accidentally delete your entire message, you type somewhere else or hit the Escape/Esc key and the chat bar closes, you disconnect, or if WoW's tab closes altogether, (log back in if you must,) click in the chat bar and hold down the left Ctrl key, then hit the Z key, multiple times if necessary to cycle through previous text/edits. It will recover all or some of what you last typed. (May be buggy as of 8/9/26.)

EAVESDROPPER

Displays profile names in /roll.

Чернильно-черное зелье

Changes skybox to a very dark, starry night.

Лингвистическое зелье

Communicate through /say, /yell, and /emote with the other faction.

Простая чаша, Кружка из таверны, Имперская кружка, Тяжелая кружка, Ржавый контейнер, Бокал для дегустации, Изысканный кубок, Коллекционная кружка от ананасового мартини, Невскрытые холодные напитки

Drinks your character can hold.

Черствый хлеб из таверны, Декоративный сыр из таверны, Сырная доска, Бамбуковый поднос, Подгоревший пончик, Недоеденный заказ, Одноразовый гамбургер, Одноразовый хот-дог

Food your character can hold.

Святая свеча, Зажженная свеча, Двойной подсвечник, Простой факел, Прочный факел, Переносной факел, Каронитовый маячок, Аргунитовый маячок

Candles/torches your character can place or hold.

Фолиант историка, Учетная книга сакралита, Кодекс архивариуса, Манускрипт оруженосца Серебряной Длани, Учебное пособие рыцарей крови

Books your character can hold.

Эликсир увеличения, Особый эликсир Гогельмогеля "Увеличивающий", Огненная вода Новолуния

Use if your character is larger than average.

Качели Новолуния, Особый эликсир Гогельмогеля "Уменьшающий"

Use if your character is smaller than average.

What to ExpectServers

Realm populations being "high" and "full". (There is room for your characters and log-in queues only sometimes happen at an expansion's launch.)

Realm reputations like ERP in Goldshire. (Avoid partaking if you want and you will be fine.)

It is the only one where you can get your desired name spelling.

It matches your time zone.

You like its name.

War Mode? Chromie Time?except Stormwind and OrgrimmarBehaviornotSymbols & Keyboard TipsFinding RoleplayReturn to TopHow to RoleplayRoleplay EtiquetteParagraph RPDialogue RPDialogue and emotes RPDialogue combining emotes RPorTensesPast tense example:Present tense example:PerspectivesContentfourth wallpowerplayingpromptsMailSymbols & Keyboard Tips

Symbol(s)
* **

Used to denote character actions (enclosing a sentence), emphasis (enclosing a word or phrase), and correcting a typo (before or after new wording).

If you mistype something or want to change it, send another emote or Whisper to those with whom you are RPing with an asterisk before or after the corrected word or phrase. If you accidentally send your emote before it is ready, let them know as well.

Examples:

Symbol(s)
-

Used for emphasis (enclosing a word or phrase). If you want to exaggerate something your character says, dashes are a good substitute for the lack of italics in-game.

Example:

Symbol(s)
/

Used for emphasis (enclosing a word or phrase). If you want to exaggerate something your character says, slashes are a good substitute for the lack of italics in-game.

Example:

Symbol(s)
| ||

Used at the start of an emote to begin with another word instead of character name.

Example:

Symbol(s)
< ... >

Used to denote character actions/narration (enclosing a sentence).

Examples:

Symbol(s)
( ... ) (( ... )) ]

Used to mark OOC speech before and/or after the sentence. This lets others know that you are speaking as yourself, not your toon.

Examples:

Symbol(s)
(c), (d)

Stands for "continued" and "done", occasionally used at the end of an emote to indicate that one is not or is finished writing if they do not have an add-on like Chattery. (c) is used when a lot more writing is to come and (d) is typically used after three or more posts. Doing one or either is not necessary but can prevent others' confusion.

Examples:

youChatteryAdd-on TipsElephantReturn to TopRoleplay Etiquette"Proverbs of a Roleplayer"YOUR CHARACTER

Do not be unnecessarily cruel to your character by often creating issues for them. If overdone, this can be annoying and draining for RPers around you, especially those involved. Hardships can be healthy and make interesting plotlines, but be sure to resolve or overcome them. If you do not like or treat your character well, no one else will, either.

Be aware that if you RP a rude character, you may not get much RP so you might have to temper it. People may avoid your character or start an IC altercation. If you dish it out, you must be able to take it. Not many enjoy subjecting their characters to arrogance, insults, or arguments; having to defend oneself is tiring. People typically RP to have fun and de-stress. You do not have to make your character mean and force everyone else to put up with it. You never know who you are talking to. The person may be brand new to RP and making hurtful IC comments for no reason might discourage them from RPing again. Also, people sometimes use the guise of "being in-character" to be an OOC bully or troll. This is not a bulletproof excuse. Griefing RP can get you banned.

If your character is not social, you will have to invent IC reasons why they are in the city/around people so that you can RP. RPing as a non-verbal animal also may get awkward or boring as there is only so much others can do and say to something that cannot respond.

PREPARATION

Per the Code of Conduct, public chat is to be kept generally appropriate. If an RP is to get squeamishly gory or obscene beyond a PG-13 rating, even in a private setting, you need to keep it to party chat/Whispers. You risk a ban otherwise from people nearby seeing and reporting such. The rule of thumb is that if it is mentioned or present in-game or in the lore, you are safe to talk about it and similar invented IC scenarios in any context. Backstories and storylines with graphic themes going beyond this are fine, but leave details vague or allusive in your TRP and IC until you determine someone is comfortable with it. If you are unsure, ask first OOC instead of springing it on them.

If you address a player OOC, use their character name.

Respect people's boundaries and privacy. Do not ask nosy OOC questions.

RP when you want. It is on your timetable. Everyone should RP willingly, freely, and without condition.

People come and go; such is the nature of RP. Be prepared mentally and have a slightly detached approach towards the game. Things may not last forever and that is okay.

Avoid doing anything else if you can help it while RPing. This includes zealous participation in in-game chat channels, voice chatting, tabbing out, browsing your phone, RPing with another person through these methods, or watching TV. It displays lack of interest. You might be convinced that you are good at multitasking, but there is always a slight slow in responses, mistakes, missing details, or misunderstanding things which you may not pick up on but the other person does.

Try not to RP if you are in a bad mood, even if you have an obligation. You may think that you can power through, keeping your emotions in check IC and OOC, but people always notice. This puts people in a position of walking on eggshells and feeling like your mood is directed at them, even if you tell them otherwise. You want others to be at ease and focus on the RP, not on why something feels off or if they caused it. Instead, be honest and excuse yourself until you feel better.

Civility and communication makes up half of a good RP; the rest is dedication, story, and skill.

Judgment and assumptions just based on a character’s TRP or appearance should be withheld. Bios can be vague and a character’s demeanor can be complex; they are not always what they appear.

Perfection is never required for RPing and mistakes are okay to make! We are human.

ON THE SCENE

You can learn about RP from a distance in a public setting such as a tavern, but "people watch" or "roleplay watch" sparingly. Do not get too close, hang around, bother, or spy on people in a more private setting or conversation, even if they are guild mates. This makes people uneasy. Avoid emoting long comments and observations on others' conversations if you do not intend to join.

If you see a group of people when looking for RP, observe them first to see what they are doing and saying and if they seem open to others joining. Do not interrupt if they seem closed or the topic seems personal. It is best to always take cues from the crowd.

Do not waste time waiting around by relying solely on others to walk up to you. Be brave and take the initiative with those you find interesting! RP should be a give-and-take experience. It is not a place for defiance by refusing to make a move.

RPers, like pedestrians, have the right of way to RP wherever they want on their servers. Do not feel like you are bothering and have to apologize to people for RPing in or through an OOC high traffic area.

If you are too far away from others, they may be out of range to see what your character is saying. Being stealthed may also interfere with the ability to see posts. Whisper to confirm.

Be careful of accidentally blocking someone while RPing by right-clicking their name in the chat window and hitting "Ignore" in the drop-down, or by clicking the "Ignore Player" button in your Ignore List if you have them Targeted. This prevents you from seeing any of their chat (but they can see yours). If you Ignore someone, all of their alts account-wide will be Ignored on your one character only. If you cannot see someone's chat, you may have one of their other characters Ignored.

TECHNIQUE

Some like quick, bare-minimum posts and others like long, detailed paragraphs. The same goes for walk-ups or pre-planned RP. Not everyone likes or meshes with all playstyles, characters, and players. Keep company with those who appreciate you.

People may try to "teach" you their way of RPing, persuade you to write more if you have little to say, or tell you how to write your character's bio. Take their advice with a grain of salt. You must find out what works for you through personal creativity and experience, not by conforming to others' ideals.

Do not get discouraged if you type short sentences or less than others. Longer writing comes with time, but it is not a requirement. Do what is comfortable and inspires you!

A concise emote is worth more than confusing fluff and filler. Less is more!

Give people time to respond and do not feel rushed to reply. If you are RPing about something detailed, taking ten minutes or more is perfectly acceptable. If a player tells you to hurry or is getting impatient, end the encounter. Most are understanding, even if you are a slow typist. It is worth noting that some are not slow but thorough; they absorb all that is written, avoid speed reading where elements can be missed, then think about what they are to say and ensure good spelling.

If you are paragraph RPing and someone consistently takes over three minutes to emote, consider starting writing your next response. Type out an action or something that your character wants to say that can stand alone, will hold true, and does not depend on the content of their next post. When they do post, fill in the rest of your message with responses to their specific details. This helps with pacing and responding in a more timely manner.

If you mistype something in RP, playing it off IC can come across as insincere or arrogant. It is better to post the correction OOC using an asterisk and double parentheses (see Symbols & Keyboard Tips). Also, let people know if you accidentally sent your post before completion.

OOC INTERACTIONS

If you get stumped on a lore matter or confused about something pertaining to an RP or character, it is okay to admit this OOC and ask. Lore knowledge should not be a competition. Do not chastise someone for not knowing something or tactlessly shoot down reasonable, earnest ideas. Also, do not draw attention to someone's typo unless you need to ask for clarification. No one should be scared, especially to ask questions.

Whether a character is rude, uneducated, flirty, friendly, male, or female, do not transfer that onto the player and assume that they are the same unless proven otherwise.

Be upfront about and/or state in your TRP what RP you want and do not want. Do not expect people to take hints or read your mind OOC. Speak plainly and do not feel forced to respond just to be polite.

Some RP to get away from the real world with a happy ending to each chapter, preferring lighthearted or comical themes. Others do not mind more realism such as cheating, triangles, abuse, lying, and conflict. Ask those with whom you are RPing before introducing gritty themes. Do not ridicule someone if their style differs from yours. Do not feel pressured into straying from your limits and RP preferences.

Keep IC and OOC separate as much as possible (especially when it comes to crossing the line with IC romance). This does not mean that you should RP things that you dislike for the sake of remaining IC. If anything is not fun, end it. It is every player's right to be justly upset, disagree with, speak up, and back out of an RP. Using OOC judgment in IC matters is okay. Using strictly IC judgment for IC matters is unsafe. See Troubleshooting.

You have the right to ask OOC questions and get answers about storylines, relationships, and the other player's (or character's) vision involving your character. Doing this is encouraged. If the player is evasive or gives a dissatisfactory answer, leave.

Many RPers are open to IC relationships. If you have a real-life spouse or date, they may not appreciate you RPing romance. Please get their input and respect their wishes.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Tell those with whom you are RPing when you need to leave or go AFK for a short while. If you will be long, do not make them wait. It need not be specific, but letting them know OOC through a Whisper is the courteous thing to do. If you are preoccupied but can still type, saying so is also recommended.

Feel free to give yourself a cut-off time when RPing or attending an event and let people know if necessary. Setting your in-game alarm clock is helpful. Do not feel pressured to wait for someone who went AFK or RP a long time where you neglect your needs or commitments. Likewise, never pressure someone into staying to RP.

When ending an RP IC, make sure to wait a few minutes before walking off in case they post a final emote. If you enjoyed RPing with them, add them to your character friends list, thank them for the RP, and possibly schedule another time or let them know when you will be online next. Consider asking to BattleTag them as well, though some wait a bit first.

In a one-on-one RP, refrain from OOC giving an account of your IC interactions behind their back to in-game friends or gossiping about their character's secrets/history, especially if their character tells yours something in confidence. The player may not appreciate details being spread. It could also constitute meta-gaming; your friends' characters could now "know" this information that they otherwise would not, potentially leveraging it or getting back to the player. This can cause distrust and loss. Ask them before sharing.

If you RP more than once with someone, take turns walking up (or setting the scene for specific plans), initiating asking to RP, and choosing locations and storylines. Making everyone else do most of the work and trying to justify it results in unfairness and enmity. There is no excuse for apathy.

RP can occur through Whispers while some take it out of the game to other websites. Most agree that in-person in-game is best, more serious and immersive. Some consider other forms to be inauthentic or distracted RP. Stand your ground if you prefer face-to-face.

Do not bombard people with Whispers the second they log on for any reason. It is rude and irritating. You may be excited or have an inquiry, but give them time to settle in and let the game load! Also, do not pester someone with messages/mail over time without response. If they were interested, they would be contacting you as well.

Return to TopMaintaining ImmersionCosmologyPlanes/dimensions/realms of existencePlanets/worlds"Earth"HeavenHell"The heavens"Magic - Warcraft WikiTimeholidaysWhite Lady and the Blue ChildKing's CalendarLotharian CalendarExpansion years A.D.P.:Timeline - Warcraft WikiTimeline (Ultimate Visual Guide) - Warcraft WikiLegal System and Governmentjudicial systemМорское правоbuilding ordinancesJailers"judge, jury, and executioner"Garrosh HellscreamPandaren lawBaine BloodhoofKairozTyrande WhisperwindChromieTaran ZhuAugust CelestialsКодекс тюремщикаЮридические документыПоддельные документыДокументы на Мост ТандолаНезаконный охотничий ядЧекан судьиAllianceHordeCurrency "money"Conversion rates:The Goblin Way"Pennies""penny""macaroons""moolah"Money - Warcraft WikiUnits of MeasurementInchesfeetyardsMeasuring stickspoundsdegrees KraklenheitUnits of Measure - Warcraft WikiCanonicallyLanguagesLanguage - Warcraft WikiExclamations and Phrasesfel"oh my god""oh god"A draenei"By Gazlowe's horrific halitosis""Medieval""en garde""hors d'oeuvres""coup de grace"Illnessesfluheat strokehallucinationsharpiessatyrsDisease - Warcraft WikiMinerals and Plant LifeMineralsPlantsA Roleplaying Resource to the Herbs of WarcraftA Medicinal Guide to Azerothian HerbsAn Alchemical and Herbal Guide to Azeroth and BeyondElectronicsmicrophonesearpiecestwo-way radioradios with music stations in mechanical mountsГолографический проекторgramophonesПереносной музыкальный проигрывательП.Е.Т.А.Р.Д.А. для вечеринкиТ.А.Н.Э.Ц.Photographsexisted beforeКамера СЕЛФИ 2.0Entertainment, Music, and Instrumentsballetdance macabreboogie, prance, sashay, and shimmymusical scorecommissionedjazzsea shantiesariasballadsdirgesmarchessonatasoverturesНескладная моряцкая песняРваная партитураПорванный лист с нотамиПартитуры для колокольчиковMetronomesДвенадцатиструнная гитараНекромад, глас смертиСолнечная лютня короля-фениксаАрканитовый потрошительФлейта Танцующего ПламениКрокульская флейтаБлок-флейта ЛебланаКулексовая флейта ПанаВолшебная флейтаОкарина Призывательницы ТумановБоевой рогТруба ТайванаСчастливый бубен ХироБарабаны битвыРитуальные барабаныПара барабанных палочек с автографомГонг племени СухокожихКалдорайская "песня ветра"Колокола очищенияВолшебная арфаРезная арфа из экзотических пород дереваСломанная арфаЛира ОрофеиКолокольчик БессиЦеремониальный колокольчикИзящная музыкальная шкатулкаharmonicasorgansIllidanA Whisper of WarningThe Tauren ChieftainsBlight Boartheater troupesplays, musicals, and operasSportsСеребряный ТурнирФестиваль НорвингтоновКруг ИспытанийTheater of PainBizmo's BrawlpubНебесная гонкаЯрмарка Новолунияfencingrapiersleather ballBattle BallTalon TossСвиномячФутбольный мяч

Wear what is appropriate for the setting and season. Avoid wearing heavy/ornate armor unnecessarily where it does not make sense and put together a cloth or leather set for your RP clothes.

Return to TopBattle in Roleplaygod-modePredetermined Outcome Roll Battletime skipAdd-on TipsSimple Roll Battled20 System

Health Points
HP can be applied to all players and adjusted for enemies. Participants start with the same number, 50 for example. To keep track, they should write 50/50 in their bios or notepad, as the left numeral will decrease if wounded. If one gets to 0/50, it usually deems them unconscious. Using HP is not mandatory and most of the below can be done without.

Attack Rounds
All players /roll 20. Rolling 1 is a critical fail (an entire miss) and deals no damage. Landing a 2-10 deals weaker damage, 11-19 deals stronger. Rolling 20 is a critical success (a grave wound) and deals 20 HP. This can apply to healers/healing spells on yourself or others as well.

Defense Rounds
All players /roll 20. Rolling 1 is a critical failure (a failed evasion) and the player takes -20 HP. Landing a 2-10 is damage taken due to a weak defensive maneuver, 11-19 is less damage taken due to a strong dodge. Rolling 20 is a critical success (a full evasion) and the player takes no damage and can warrant a counterattack.

If HPs are uninvolved entirely, everyone can simply /roll 100 and whoever rolls below 20 is wounded.

Variants/Additional Rounds

d20 Alternative: Attack Phase
Allies get 5 HP, enemies get 10 HP. All players /roll 20. Landing a 1-10 is a miss, 10-19 is a hit worth 1 point. 20 is a critical strike worth 2 points.

d20 Alternative: Enemy Phase
All players /roll 20 to represent the boss's attacks on each person. Rolling 1 is a critical wound and the player takes -2 HP. Landing a 2-10 is damage dealt to the player for 1 point, 11-19 is a miss. Rolling 20 is a critical fail; take no damage and counterattack for 2 points.

Roll for Initiative
An "initiative" roll determines the order of turns, usually before combat. Whoever gets the highest number by doing a /roll 20 emotes first.

One-on-One Sparring Style
Two players get 3 HP. Dagmarra emotes the first attempted strike at Moginn, then both /roll 20. Whoever lands the highest number wins that round, the other player takes 1 HP. Then it is Moginn's turn to emote. If Dagmarra won, her hit was successful; Moginn emotes the damage done to him and an attempted counterattack. If Moginn won, Dagmarra's hit failed; he emotes dodging the hit and an attempted counterattack. Then /roll again, this time Dagmarra emotes. Take turns until one player reaches 0/3 HP.

One-on-One Sparring Style (No Defense Rounds)
Two players get 500 HP. Dagmarra does a /roll 500. Let's say that she lands 300 and emotes an attack at Moginn. Moginn subtracts 300 from his HP and uses that number, in this case 200, for a /roll 200 followed by an emote of the damage done to him and a counterattack. This repeats until one player reaches 0 HP.

Representing Numbers Style
With 10 HP, all players /roll 20. Each number rolled does something different:
1: Take 2 damage.
2-6: Take 1 damage.
7-9: Nothing (emote a neutral result).
10-17: Do 1 damage or 1 heal.
18-19: Do 2 damage on trash, 2 damage on boss, or 2 heal.
20: Do 4 damage on trash, 3 damage on boss, or 3 heal.

Extra
All players /roll 5, for example, and their collective number is damage to be subtracted from the boss's total HP. If there is an onslaught of enemies, all can /roll 5; each rolled number is how many kills each character got individually, or add up all the numbers for how many kills the group got as a whole.

Environmental Rolls
For environmental or generalized enemy attacks, all players /roll 40, for example. Get 15 or lose 3 HP.

Killing Blows
All players /roll 100 and whoever receives the highest number gets to emote the killing blow of a boss.

A good system: Conquest D20 System Simplified

Emote Battle/Honor RPDuel

Impromptu incidents like bar fights can unfold quickly in walk-up RP. If you do not wish to be embroiled in such altercations, back out OOC. If the person uses "attempts" and you are open to an attack without warning, go with the flow and wing it. If it is small-scale, OOC communication might not be needed, but if you think that it will escalate to serious injuries, Whisper them to be on the safe side. If more people get involved and it turns into a larger scuffle, consider creating a Party to discuss the rules or results so that everyone is on the same page.

Do not forget that most public establishments are owned and staffed by NPCs who would not tolerate people doing whatever they want. Just because you do not see any city guard NPCs or players nearby does not mean that your character can get away with doing anything illegal or rowdy and ignore the consequences. Make it believable by emoting adventitiously as a guard and incorporating a trip to prison, an interrogation, or by intervening and separating fighters.

Return to TopTerminology

Canon
In fiction, canon is the official material/story.

Headcanon/fanon
Creations and interpretations in a fictional universe made or accepted by a fan but not found within the canon.

Retcon
"Retroactive continuity". A subsequent revision of an established story.

Fade to black/FTB
To end an RP at a certain point where any further IC activity during that particular session is implied but unwritten. This comes from scenes in TV and films that literally fade to black to imply but not depict.

Time skip/jump
Time skipping in the game's story is an undepicted advancement of years, usually coinciding with an expansion. In an RP, it means to OOC jump forwards to an agreed-upon point in time, often skipping over IC happenings that are understood to have occurred between this time.

Time travel
Time travelling is OOC moving backwards in an RP to a certain timeframe. For instance, two players do not finish their RP session on Friday. On Saturday they attend a guild meeting but afterwards "time travel" and resume their private RP from Friday as if the meeting had not taken place yet.

Proxy
Typically an in-game location such as a designated shop or house that is occupied or used for another purpose by players. It acts as a substitute and is usually given another name.

Anchor, anchor group
A person or party designated to "anchor" others to a specific server or shard by invite.

Arc/story arc/storyline/plotline
An ongoing offshoot of a main story or a newly created plot, typically with a beginning and end.

Prompt/RP prompt
A scenario or topic for you to RP out or write about typically suggested by another.

Hook/RP hook
History or a scenario that would "hook" a character in or give them a reason to know, seek out, or interact with a particular character or guild or to partake in an event.

RP burnout
Fatigue due to RPing too frequently or about the same topic excessively.

Ghost, ghosted
A verb meaning to delete/block someone without explanation.

Troll/griefer/anti-roleplayer
A player who disrupts RP or who says and does things to provoke you to act hostilely for laughs or to be mean. See F.A.Q.

Mun
A noun referring to the player of a character, "mundane" compared to our characters.

PC
"Player character". The character of the player.

OC
"Original character". Every character is one.

MU, AU
"Main universe", "alternate universe". Usually before or after a character name, it indicates whether they are from the universe's normal/main timeline or an alternate timeline/version.

ST/RT
"Server time", "realm time".

WIP
"Work in progress".

Para, multi-para, M-P
"Paragraph" RP. Usually listed in an RP profile, signifying that the player does or prefers it.

Flexible/flex, mirror
Usually listed in an RP profile, signifying that the player will match others' post lengths.

WU, WU/T, DM
"Walk-ups", "walk-up/Tell", "direct message". Tell and DM mean Whisper. Usually listed in an RP profile, it signifies that these are welcomed.

ST, LT
"Short-term", "long-term" RP. Usually listed in an RP profile, signifying that the player is looking for such.

ICA = ICC
"In-character actions equal in-character consequences". This means, for example, that if your character insults someone, you must accept an ensuing altercation.

WNI, DNE, some variant
"Will not interact," "does/do not engage". Usually in someone's RP profile, it is often put before or after the name of a specific guild or character to signal the player's own non-engagement with them. It can also be used to warn others not to interact with such people due to their notorious inappropriate behavior.

MDNI
"Minors, do not interact".

ERP
"Erotic roleplay".

NSFW, SFW
"Not safe/suitable for work", "safe/suitable for work". NSFW is inappropriate content that would hypothetically be unacceptable for viewing "at work". This includes strong language, nudity/ERP, and blood/gore. SFW means appropriate content, not going beyond a PG-13 rating. This means mild cussing, no explicit scenes, and minimal blood/gore. Both expressions rarely mean literally at work.

Dark, grimdark, mature, M/D, some variant
RP styles, often listed in an RP profile, signifying that the person does them, prefers them, and/or is okay with them. Dark can mean disturbing horror, terror, or extreme mental, verbal, or physical violence. Grimdark adds cynical, somber, or tragic themes. Mature can mean those terms as well as strong language and/or adult material.

Low fantasy, high fantasy
RP styles. Low fantasy emphasizes more realistic civilian, criminal, political, and melee combat themes. High fantasy emphasizes nobility, magic, and grand-scale adventures.

Slice of life/SoL
An RP style that depicts realistic, everyday, or ordinary situations like housework.

TL;DR
"Too long; didn't read". It is followed by a synopsis of a longer text.

CW, TW
"Content warning", "trigger warning". It is followed by possibly upsetting topics or writing.

Face/body/voice claim, FC, VC
An optional way of describing your character by "claiming" a celebrity's appearance or voice.

Alignment
Borrowed from the game Dungeons and Dragons, this optionally gives your character more identity beyond simply good or evil. A summary and test: The Alignment System

MBTI
"Myers-Briggs Type Indicator", an assessment with scale preferences to learn more about your personality. Players can provide answers from their character's perspective to have a better understanding of them. This is optional. Personality types list and test: 16Personalities

Purple prose/purple
Writing that is showy, elaborate, overemotional, or describes your character's thoughts in detail. It uses excessive adjectives, adverbs, and analogies. What actually constitutes this pejorative term is subjective. "Prose" means any writing other than poetry.

Self-insert
A character fashioned to be like its creator, intentionally or not. These are disliked.

Mary Sue/Gary Stu
A character who has no significant flaws, assumes the role of or is played as a lore character, has implausible abilities, bloodlines, or connections to major lore figures, is good at or knows everything, plays the victim and wallows in self-pity about their over-emphasized tragic past, and/or is invincible.

HMP
"Human male paladin". A pejorative term due to their reputation of arrogance.

The fourth wall
The conceptual barrier between any fictional work and its viewers. "Breaking the fourth wall" means that a character becomes aware of their fictional nature or speaks to the audience, or overuse of real-world references in narration by the player or dialogue by the character.

Meta-gaming
Giving your character knowledge that you as a player know in the real world but your character would not, or using OOC knowledge to influence gameplay. Examples are calling an unknown character by name just because it is over their head, mentioning details that you read from a character's bio which were not personally told to your character, talking about new lore from the next expansion that has not happened in-game yet, or recounting events in detail where your character was not present. Your character having learned of past events through books or word of mouth and having vague foreknowledge is fine.

God-moding/overpowered/OP
A character entering "god mode", such as:

Attacking/killing a character without asking the player's permission (unless they state otherwise in their profile).

Gaining unfair advantages by making your character extremely powerful or immune to attacks or restraint without consequences.

Powerplaying/powergaming
This encompasses controlling others, such as:

Doing things to characters without giving them the option to refuse or move away.

Describing/controlling/writing out other characters' physical or verbal reactions, injuries, spells, thoughts, or the outcome of battle; this is not your place.

Using attraction charms/auras/scents, truth spells, or mind control to force characters to respond, act, or feel a certain way without OOC consent. (This can be done right if you ask or let others choose whether they want it to affect their character or not.)

The big three—meta-gaming, god-moding, and powerplaying—are domineering, manipulative intimidation tactics and are frowned upon in RP. If someone does any of these, do not continue or respond unless they are new and willing to be educated.

Return to TopTroubleshootingOOC Issues

If someone tells you that they are uncomfortable with something, do not ignore it! Stop the cause of their discomfort or ask what you can do to fix it. If a player permanently leaves an RP or plans to, respect their decision. Never be afraid to back out or say that you are not having fun in any situation. No one can invalidate your feelings or experiences. Dangerous players may say that you are not a good RPer by not sticking it out or accuse you of meta-gaming, thereby knowingly trying to force you to RP something that you do not want. There is a difference between using OOC knowledge for an IC advantage (meta-gaming) and using OOC knowledge to end an undesirable RP.

Virtual store items/game time can be gifted directly to Battle.net friends. If you suspect someone has an ulterior motive such as to bribe you for continued RP and you do not want the gift, refuse if they ask first. Otherwise, send in a ticket to refund them. You can also just claim it and block them.

Beware if someone with whom you RP tells you that they got into an accident, had to be suddenly hospitalized, or some such calamity. Of course, this could be completely valid, but if their claim seems suspicious, outrageous, or does not make sense to you, it may be them wanting to get out of an obligation such as an RP relationship. Being drunk, high, or medicated is also an excuse used to not remember what was last RPed.

If you want to retcon another character or situation involving another out of your character's story, you do not OOC need their permission or a mutual agreement.

If your character enters into a relationship, be sure that you OOC get along with your RP partner (as they are called). There is no sense in starting something if you dislike the player. Two different personalities with different experiences are coming together to collaborate. Also, ensure that you both have compatible playing schedules and share similar views on the direction and future of your characters. Discuss how many days per week and hours a day you prefer to RP. Serious relationships take commitment. I strongly advise against engaging in an IC relationship unless you can be depended upon to be available often. Good RP romance means taking each other into consideration—this is a two-way street. Adhering to all of this is important as it will make things go smoothly and prevent hiccups.

If an RP relationship does not work out, do not delete your character out of disappointment. Relationships should not define them; their story should not depend on others. Establish and enjoy your character first so that your feelings will not alter, no matter the outcome.

Guild/Group Issues

RP operates as first come, first served. You do not own any public place and cannot stake a claim that it is yours so that no one else can occupy it. You may use an empty space as a proxy for your base, shop, or home, but once you leave, anyone is allowed to RP there. If people are already there where you want to RP, do not IC or OOC act as if they are in "your place". Do not tell them to leave—you need to find somewhere else. "We have had an important event planned for months" or "we RP here every day" does not give you a pass. They do not need to get permission or give you an explanation or notice to be there as they do not answer to you. Consider switching War Modes where you will be in a different shard from them. If you run into them more than once and absolutely must RP there after extinguishing all possibilities, you can politely inquire about their schedule and share yours to work out events not coinciding. It can be inconvenient, but RP is about working together and not getting in people's way.

A common misconception is that you must be in a guild to RP properly. While it can offer unique experiences like story arcs, it is nothing that one cannot live without. Many also espouse the belief that there is something wrong with you if you are guild-less by choice. Nothing is further from the truth! Being on your own is wise. It lets find your way and offers freedom without being tied down with responsibilities. Ignore those who may look down upon you and do not let anyone pressure you into joining a guild.

When wanting to join a guild, investigate what it is about, what type of people are in it, and how many. What the leader is like is crucial to knowing if you will like it. The leader is the guild, they make it. If you do not like them, you will not like their set-up, even if you like the members. Be wary of a lot of restrictions for joining or ones such as dictating where you can and cannot RP. Many guilds require Discord or an IC interview. You should not have to prove that you are worthy of membership—they should prove that their ideals and main interests align with yours. Do not join if rules seem unreasonable to you. No one can know exactly what to expect, but it helps to have a bit of knowledge ahead of time instead of going in blindly. Try not to have extremely niche or narrow criteria. You do not have to settle, but it is unlikely that you will find one that meets all of your wishes unless you make your own. Some guilds do not focus on RP.

If you are a heavy RPer, you may be enticed by a guild or person's RP but discover that they RP infrequently and their priority is other content. You may get coerced or roped into doing activities that you do not care about, leaving you pulled, conflicted, excluded, and frustrated, especially if the RP is interrupted for another agenda. They may use it as leverage, playing mind games to get their way where you end up feeling like you have to do certain things or jump through hoops to RP with them. The RP may be quality, impressive, or compelling, but it is not as much as you want. Do not be ashamed; this is an RP server! RP cannot be earned; it is not a reward for doing something else. Do not prolong the inevitable or forsake your values. This goes for any experience with another player—you may enjoy superficial qualities such as their character's story and personality or their OOC lore knowledge, literacy, or writing/RP style, but do not push aside and look past any hindering flaw.

Some established and/or large guilds may have scandals or reputations surrounding them as a whole or certain members. Pay attention to these, especially if the accusations involve OOC harassment or drama, and decide for yourself whom you trust. A Google or WoW forums search may be useful. If a member of such a guild speaks out against a guild mate, the leader can twist the story, cover for the harasser, and kick out the victim. The leader can put on a good outward face but give disinformation and play members against each other, viewing them as puppets, or get the whole guild to turn on/harass a member. This is not meant to scare you from guilds; listen to your gut and you will not err.

All types are in guilds. The bigger the active group, the louder the chat will be. Some are rife with nonsense, lewd talk, or bullies. Take action if you are uncomfortable. Call them out, bring it up with the leader (unless they are the problem), or leave. Chances are the situation will not get better on its own and the longer you wait, the worse you will feel.

Some guilds, once joined, may require you to attend a certain number of events or do tasks, especially if you wish to be promoted or are high-ranking. This is fine if you are willing, but over time, people may get bossy or things may get demanding, becoming a drag. Make a list of pros and cons to see if your unhappiness outweighs the fun. Remember that you dictate your time and you do not pay to be miserable.

Some guild members and/or the leader may write storylines involving your character or make decisions without your consent or in your absence. They may then push the ideas OOC, or even worse, just start foisting it on you in RP as it happens. If this is not fine with you, do not go along with it, whatever the threats or risk may be. You can talk to the culprits or elevate it to the guild leader if they are uninvolved. If the leader balks or does not listen, resentment will build. Better to leave sooner than later. Your character is your property, under your direction, and it is your right to determine their outcome. You have full control over every facet, be it injuries or dying. They are your creation into which you have put hours of hard work. Some guilds have rules that would have you give up these rights in order to join as well. Do not put your character's fate in the hands of leadership.

If you enter an RP romance and at least one character is in a tight-knit guild, it often becomes a social and public affair with the whole guild spectating IC and OOC. Members may be possessive of that character and grill their date. If you are both in the same guild, there is very little privacy which can feel like you are under a microscope. Members often weigh in on or act like they have a stake in the relationship. Breaking up may result in members knowing all of your business and taking sides or loss of guild or friends. If you are the guild leader or a member, do not be the go-between, try not to get involved, and let people do what they will in peace.

Respect the leader of a group and others in an RP event. If you are in charge, reign in those being disruptive before they take control, ask for help, or appoint a bouncer.

Do not be pressured by any player or your guild into entering a voice chat or joining a messaging server. They may have nefarious purposes, but in any case, say no if you do not want to. You do not have to give them a reason. Stick to your principles if they put you down, ostracize you, or make you feel guilty. They are not worth your time.

Return to TopTypes of RP PartnersОтвратительный типThe Rare GemThe WorgenThe VenthyrThe Rain Cloud"Утопленное горе"Стильный черный зонтикThe AnglerERPThe False-Future FlakeМорковка на палочкеThe ArchaeologistЭкспедиционная лопаткаThe Cave TrolltrollishThe CakeistТоксичные объедкиThe HedgerReturn to Top F.A.Q.What is a griefer? What should I do if I see one?Code of ConductonlineWhat should I do if I see an RPer struggling/actively making a mistake (e.g., lore, talking about "questing" IC)?Code of ConductWhat should I do if a character IC asks about something in which my character should be knowledgeable but I as a player am not?How should I respond to a critical, presumptive OOC Whisper, acting as if they know what my character is like?Someone logged out on me mid-RP!I tried to approach someone and got ignored!Walk-up RP/talking to people paralyzes me, or I am scared of what they might think of my skills/lore knowledge/character!I have not heard from my RP partner in weeks/months!What should I do if someone deletes/blocks me or if I block them and they take it poorly?bannable offenseonlineDo people ever RP through voice chat as their characters?Do I need art of my character to be taken more seriously?Google DriveCarrdIs A.I. ever used to aid writing in RP?yourWhat is the most important thing to remember in RP?ticketReturn to TopCartographerSteve PrescottConclusionI

There is a weird dichotomy here. The guide states that long term cooperative roleplay requires that you like another player enough to be dedicated and committed to spending time with them online. It then implies that any conversation outside of the scope of discussing World of Warcraft Roleplay (particularly real life) is off limits or even just plain skeevy.

Though there is private information that you shouldn't share online willy-nilly, talking about common interests or playing other games together is a natural extension of forming friendships more meaningful than, "I slot X hours on Y days to write a story with this person." I've personally found those friendships can be quite rewarding. I met my husband on World of Warcraft over a decade ago, a few months before Burning Crusade launched. ;)

Комментарий от PrincessCloelia

I discovered Roleplay on an other mmorpg out of curiosity and kept at it for a couple years but my contacts stopped playing one after another. I ended up stoping it myself too but sometimes I remember those times of fun I had and the beautiful stories that we wrote... and I miss it.

Reading your guide was a true pleasure. Your explanations are clear and simple and I really want to experience this hobby once more. Especially with the new knowledged I've gained thanks to you and how good the chatbox looks with those add-ons you mentioned.

With the Shadowlands expansion, I have picked an interest on WoW once again (I've only played briefly during Legion : enjoyed the story but hated the artifact power farm). Sadly, I don't know the game nor the lore very well and during my time on Legion, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of story. Despite that, I fell in love with the Draenei race and I think I can make it work with some help. I've read a lot about them online and I have an idea on a character. Therefore, I was wondering if you knew a place where a newbie like me could ask for advices or get some sort of approval from people that knows the lore much better than me ?

Thank you for your guide that lit up my shy roleplay spark.

Комментарий от Stephanyx13

Hello! Thank you for the guide! Question for you, if you'd be willing to answer: the sense that i got from the guide is that RP should generally stay in the PG-13 area. I am roleplaying a nightborne, and some of the storylines/the Legion's actions especially are really dark and horrific. Is there anyway to find a line of sorts to not cross in regards to talking about them? I just want to make sure that my character's backstory doesn't go too far or really upset people, if that makes sense. Thank you!

Комментарий от Vantros

"There is only one good personality; the rest are problematic faults to watch out for or avoid doing yourself."

Not sure how to feel about the latter portion of this guide. On one hand, I understand trying to warn new roleplayers of people that can end up being frustrating to deal with, but on the other hand you're really painting anyone that's not perfect as terrible people. Some of the examples are getting kind of oddly specific, too, and seems very intolerant of.. life.
Personally, it seems more likely to scare away newer players by giving them the impression that there's only a few good players in a sea of degeneracy.
Which hey, isn't inaccurate, but it's not really helping anything, either, is it?

The core of roleplay is to interact with others and play pretend within the world that we love. Trying to section off every brand of inconvenience as an unacceptable personality type, and then thrusting this as fact onto new, naive players is both antithetical to the goal, and kind of manipulative in a way that is begging newcomers to stay the %^&* away and ensure the already-dwindling community dies off.

This is a rp community on a 20 year old video game, not heaven's awesome club for perfect people only. MOST of us are going to have issues. It came with being born. Ostracizing is only going to make it worse.

Thanks.

Комментарий от Rockguitar

Just wanted to say that this is the most comprehensive and unabridged guide on roleplay that I have ever seen - simply the best!

Комментарий от LavenderFrost

I had some beginner questions about how to start roleplaying and your guide answered them and cleared up some ideas about what that experience would be like. It has been helpful to learn from other people’s experience. Also, I appreciate your humor with the RP partner types and your straightforward frankness about RP. I want to know exactly what I would be getting into in roleplay. Thank you for taking the time and effort to create this guide. I know that I will be referring to it time and time again!

Комментарий от Eralidra

Thank you for this guide! I was wondering if you might also happen to have helpful info for in-game screenshots, ideally of groups or activities?

THE GUIDE on How to Roleplay in World of Warcraft at All Levels

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