The great challenge of World of Warcraft roleplay is that, at its very nature, you’re playing a fantastic character. The most mundane character concept is still capable of dropping immense damage and going toe-to-toe (alongside some friends) with some of the Lich King’s most powerful minions. Then, on the opposite side, you could be playing an extra-dimensional alien beholden to the fundamental powers of Light, walking around the planet while attempting to revitalize the very meaning of Good and Right. All player characters in WoW are fantasy beings, who have seen and done things about which mere mortals can only dream.

So why is this a challenge? Because this fantastic situation can make it very difficult to make your character believable. A successful character is not only interesting and fun, but also someone with whom the audience and players can empathize. If your character is so far outside mortal ken, they will no longer be accessible and believable, but instead wander unhappily into the Twilight-like realm of the “Mary Sue.”

Let’s take a look behind the jump and explore how to make your character a little more realistic.

Continue reading All the World’s a Stage: Realistic touches to an unrealistic person