The Egotistical Priest
An irreverent and opinionated discussion of the many classes
in the World of Warcraft gaming universe.
What Class Would You Be?
by Vonya
Not Quite The Same Shared Topic
There’s a shared topic that’s been floating around the blogosphere for a while – What Class Would You Be In RL?
I’d like to modify that slightly and take off the “in RL” portion of the question.
Maybe it’s just the storyteller in me, but I love to insert myself into the books I read, the tv shows I watch, and (of course) the games I play.
If Azeroth were real – I mean, really real, with deaths that stuck and blood and gore and truly suffering people who needed your help, and the “quests” you did truly changed their lives for the better – what class would you be?
Which of the Warcraft classes suits your personality?
Would you be a plate wearing warrior, feeling the blood lust as you charge headlong into rampaging monsters with only your shield and sword to ward you?
Would you be a rogue, stealthily darting through the shadows and lightening the pockets of your enemies before slitting their screamless throats?
Would you feel the rush of fire and ice in your veins as you collected a frostfire bolt in the palm of your hands, ready to be hurled at the nearest villain?
Would you be a shaman, feeling the call of the elements and gaining your strength from earth, lightning, fire, and water?
A mighty paladin, perhaps, hammer crushing your foes even as you heal and strengthen your comrades?
A hunter, with your trusted beast by your side, teamwork mowing down all those who dare cross your path?
Or perhaps a Warlock, steeped in shadow and fire, binding demons to your will?
Priest – either upholding the light and bolstering your companions, or twisted and dark, wielding the power of shadows against your foes?
The possibilities are as endless as the talent trees and races to choose from.
Me?
I would be a tauren druid.
Surprised?
The peacable, earth-loving tauren have always appealed to me. I sometimes spend time in their starting zone just to be there. To hear the deep voices bless me “May the eternal sun shine upon thee.” and “Walk with the Earth mother.”
Beyond that, the druid class itself is one that appeals to me. I’ve always been fascinated with shapeshifting, and animals particularly. To transform into a lithe cat or a soaring crow – these would be wondrous things indeed.
In addition, the role of the druid is versatile – I could heal, but I could just as easily turn feral and cause significant damage. No helpless healer, this.
Why not a Priest, or a Hunter?
It’s true that my favorite classes to play are priest and hunter. But in real life, I would be uncomfortable with the squishiness of the priest, and the dependence upon the Light.
I would enjoy the bond shared between hunter and pet, and I love archery – but it does not suit my personality to be only a fighter. If Azeroth were real, I believe I would be more likely found on the sidelines, healing the wounded than at the front lines, mowing down Scourge.
And you?
What would YOU be? What path would you choose?
April 30th, 2009
Death Knight. I would want to die gloriously in battle only to be raised by the Lord of the Undead. I would want to be sent to ravage the world, slaughtering helpless civilians, and letting the young ones run away just so that I could yank them through the air to their doom. I would want to watch the armies of the world crumble before my blade, and see the fires from the cities lick the heavens. But I would look forward to the rallying cry from those heavens, shining light on my diseased form and empowering me to turn on my masters, save the last few survivors, and vow vengeance in exchange for- wait, we weren’t recording, right?
April 30th, 2009
I thought about this when the first meme went around, and couldn’t pin anything down. With your new rules, though, it’s a lot easier for me to decide. I would definitely be a druid, and likely for some of the same reasons you mentioned. I may even wind up being more hermetic, like some of the arch-typal druids of the game-lore.
I would still be grumpy about tree form if it didn’t look like an Ancient of War, though.
April 30th, 2009
As much as the warlock is almost slated to a life of malevolence, the shadow harnessing, fire tossing, demon binding being of power is what I would become. I would be one of those supporting the fight against the scourge and seeking out the great powers of the universe. The stories of Gul’dan and Sargeras fascinated me, and partially lead to my choice. One would truly never know my intentions, but always know to never get on my bad side.
April 30th, 2009
Druid (night elf, please) and paladin are the two I keep coming back to. Shapechanging and stealth are excellent abilities to have. Healing people is very awesome. Wielding sword and shield in the name of justice, consecrating the very ground below me also sounds appealing.
I think, though, that being able to shift into flight form trumps watching my enemies beat themselves to death against my sheer righteousness.
April 30th, 2009
WANT to be? Gotta be druid. I’d love to be able to heal people IRL. Get ear skritches in cat form, go ocean diving as a seal and obtain ultimate personal space in flightform. So much awesomeness. Probably a Tauren, Night-elves are so arrogant and well, dumb. You’d think with such long lifespans they might wise up a little. I might have to defect away from all the mean/ugly people though.
Tranquility and faerie fire would be kickass at forest parties.
WOULD be? Probably mage. Programmer by trade so I’m used to manipulating esoteric symbols. Being able to teleport would rock, as would the infinite supply of cinnamon rolls. I bet if you drop a mana gem into Coke, it makes it fizz like crazy. Molten Armour could be handy to get to the front at gigs.
Paladins + priests have to deal with theocracy; locks, DKs + spookies are mean; rogues and hunters are sneaksy; warriors get hurt a lot. Shaman have that whole reincarnation doohickey which is pretty neat, but somehow just nah. You’d end up firing lightning bolts into a generator for a living, yawnsville.
April 30th, 2009
I would def LOVE to be a priest IRL (More specifically as my Blood Elf, her kind have been through so much pain… and they need some of them to help “heal” those wounds) just cause she’s so awsome, i don’t mind the squishyness so much cause i know i’ll have my friends besides me to go on those glorious fights, and while they do the dirty work and get rid of our enemies (Maybe i’ll sneak in a couple dots to help the job…) i would keep them alive and cheer for our victory!
@Vonya You should totally play a tauren druid just so we can be of the same side muahaha
For the Horde!
April 30th, 2009
What a fun question. Hunters are by far my favorite class to play, and in real life I do love animals and nature, but based on my real life, I would probably be a mage. I’ve always been bookish and scholarly, and my whole life has been based on education and then doing jobs that require intellect more than physicality.
I don’t usually have anything to do with religion, so I wouldn’t be a priest. I’m also not much of a fighter, so if Azeroth were real I probably wouldn’t be out questing and adventuring, I’d probably spend most of my time in research, reading and writing and only travel or fun or education.
Race is less important, except that it would have to be a race that could be a mage. Night elf as a class suits my personality most, but since they’ve given up all that, I would probably be either human or blood elf. Since I’m human already, that wouldn’t be a stretch and other than humans, blood elves don’t seem much like me personality-wise, but I do have a tendency to get myself caught up in things that are self-destructive and not good for me, so that part is a bit blood elf-like.
April 30th, 2009
A couple of my friends and I had this very same discussion not too long ago, we came out with two warriors and a paladin.
Myself, though I love the playstyle and mechanics of the rogue class, am not a rogue (though I am rather roguish…Han Solo, what?) Were I living in the world of Azeroth, however, I would be a human warrior, not just any warrior, but a fury warrior. It isn’t so much the mechanics that drive this decision, but rather who I am. This may be because of my barbarian heritage (German, Swedish and Irish, what?) My prevailing philosophy when it comes to protecting my home and loved ones can usually be summed up with the phrase “protection by infliction.” I prefer to take the fight to the enemy rather than sitting and waiting for them to come to me. And when I get there, heaven help them, because no one else will.
April 30th, 2009
Mage by FAR. I’d love to be able to be anywhere and everywhere any time I want. I could go from slinging missiles on a blood soaked battle field to trading with a local merchant for the newest arcane infused wears to locking myself up in a tower full of books trying to find ways to test the boundaries of arcane knowledge.
There are several other reasons as well, but most of them are just silly (i.e. I’ve always had a desire to sling around water/frost like it was a toy
).
April 30th, 2009
This question is easy for me as I chose my class based on what I most identified with. I would be a Holy Priest. I have always chosen healing characters in games where that was an option. I RPGs my favorite is always a the healer. In D&D I was most often a Priest. In life as in game I prefer a support role. I am maternal and take care of those around me. I tend to see life in black and white and am a bit of a goody-goody. While not even remotely religious I have a strong sense of right and wrong. I also have deep desire to relieve other peoples pain. All these are things that I feel connect me to the Priest class.
April 30th, 2009
Despite a definite pull towards academia and logic, I would probably go the route of Paladin. Unlike most folks who are commenting, I have no problem with Theocracy.
My desire is to protect those who are important to me. I shall be their shield.
April 30th, 2009
I would be a Mage. I spent a good chunk of my life in academia, and I always entertained the thought of how much more passionate I would have been about my studies if I could study magic. And, you know, if magic were real.
Even though the characters I play in WoW are healers, being a mage would be infinitely cooler. Mages don’t serve as a conduit for the Light, they don’t commune with nature, they don’t rely on persuading an exterior force that what they want to do is necessary or helpful or even just. They just do it, and the fuel for their powers is the lifeblood of the universe.
Mages have served as the pivotal plot device in so much of the really interesting lore, I’d think it would be awesome to be among them.
April 30th, 2009
Screw all this. Deaths stick? No resurrecting? I’d be an NPC, and one in the back of the room, right behind Thrall. That way if I die, there’s a good chance everyone’s dead already.
But really…if it were real…you wouldn’t have to be A class. You wouldn’t try to purchase a nice set of leather gloves, only to be told “I’m sorry, you’re a priest, I can’t sell you those because we all know priests don’t wear leather.”
Lol.
I know I’m not sticking with the prompt, but I think I’d go for certain skills from a few classes. Druidic and Shamanistic (sp?) magics, both offensive and healing, along with the portal/teleportation magic of Mages, and the pet taming abilities of Hunters.
Think of it. A paladin goes down in the heat of battle, Misa and her bear teleport to his side. An enemy approaches, and a frost shock stops him in his tracks. Then Misa turns to heal the Pally. Another enemy charges, and is summarily mauled by the awesomeness that is bear. Seeing that the Pally’s wounds will take more than a quick heal, Misa summons a portal to their camp, right into the infirmary. She pulls the wounded Bubbletard through it, straight into the makeshift hospital, and mr. bear smashes another head before running through after her, the portal closing behind her.
Yes see…that would be the life for me. Misamane, the Drushamageunter. It’s catchy.
_Misa
April 30th, 2009
What great questions!
I find tanking incredibly emotionally satisfying: protecting my people *and* being the center of attention? Perfect! And, I love the complexities and shades of gray that any Blood Elf Paladin has to face: no human simplistic self-righteousness for anyone living through the tainting and shutdown of the Sunwell!
That said, both in Azeroth and IRL, there’s a real appeal to the quiet life of a hunter, staying out of the wars, sleeping under the stars with my kitty, maybe retiring to open up a leather goods shop, do a little training of the next generation, with my elderly kitty sleeping in a sunbeam….
Either way, not bad lives at all.
May 1st, 2009
parts of me incline toward many classes. the erudition of a mage fits with me, and while being a tank really seems natural to my protective nature, so i can’t say for class, but for race, i would be an orc. mainly because of one quest – the warlock succubus quest. you aid a woman fearful for her husband’s state. you find the man wounded, and demands to be left to die rather than burden his younger wife with a crippled husband (ok, so the warlock exploits this suffering for infernal purposes, but the orcs are still who they are). that, too me, is an orc. devotion to the point of self destruction. add in a quick temper but quick forgiveness. that i truly feel kinship with more than any particular ability or spell.
May 1st, 2009
Me?
Prot Pally, tanking, justice and a bit of healing when necessary. Which is funny because the only class I don’t have a 65+ level alt in is… Paladin.
May 1st, 2009
Dwarf Prot Warrior with high effective health.
If the worst thing that can happen is the bad guys attack someone other than me, I’m in pretty good shape.
May 1st, 2009
Even though I don’t like playing one, if Azeroth were a real world and I were in it, I’d be a Paladin. I’m not religious in real life, so I’m not sure if I’d believe in the Light (the fact that I could MEET a Naaru would probably help with that). I’d just always want to do what was right and stand up against injustice. So having a Hammer of Justice would be helpful. And in a version of Azeroth where death is real, there would be nothing better than a bubble, plate armor, and the ability to heal/cure/resurrect allies.
Though you do make a strong argument for being a Druid, Vonya. Shapeshifting would be pretty awesome.
May 1st, 2009
I’m as squishy IRL as the clothie toons I play in game. I’ve always been drawn to the hybrid classes and I think I’d fill that role nicely in real life. I’m an emotional person who tends to be supportive and soothing to my friends in any way that I can. Herein lies the healer in me. Corner me and try to hurt me, you’re going to regret it. Other than the religion thing, I think priest suits me well with the capability to play mind games and the other side of the coin which is to put things back together again. If not, it would be a druid. Funny how these two classes are my 80’s atm.
May 2nd, 2009
This was indeed an awesome question, and one that really made me think. I play a huntress, and love that to no end, but don’t know that a hunter would be the choice I’d make in real life.
What I do know is that I would be a Tauren. My very first, and still very cherished character was a Tauren Shaman. Their story, their lifestyle, their traditions all appeal the most to me of any of the races.
With as much as I love playing a Huntress, and know very well that having a beloved animal companion at my side has great appeal to it, when it came down to real life, I would want to be a Shaman.
It all ties in with the same reasons I love the Tauren race. Drawing upon the earth and its elements. Living in peace with nature and the environment around you. Communicating with the ancestral spirits. Being able to help your friends, but also able to lay quite a beat down to an enemy should the need arise.
May 2nd, 2009
I’d be a Tauren Hunter. I don’t really have a reason for it. but I really love Mulgore, and the Tauren in general. Also, I have an affinity for animals.
And shooting people.
May 2nd, 2009
I would be a Troll Hunter, I love the idea of having a pet by your side and being able to use its abilites, and if it was real im sure you would be able to do so much more. I also would like to use the traps those seems like a lot of fun. It’s also a bonus since I do archery in Real Life as well. So yeah Hunter for me
May 2nd, 2009
I would be a night elf druid. And knowing myself I guess I would be a druid of the talon. I would learn as much as possible about nature ofcourse but also about every other aspect of the world, because nature is part of this world. I would heal my allies and avenge them or mother nature if needed
May 2nd, 2009
Fury Warrior. I play a hunter in-game, but in real life I am not a “stand back and let the fight come to me” kinda guy, but more of an up-in-all-the-%@$#-knockin’-yer-teeth-down-yer-throat kinda guy.
Oh, and i’d be a Draenei Fury Warrior, mostly because I also happen to be huge like that.
May 6th, 2009
I would be a warlock. i’m the type who doesn’t like a direct aproach, i’d rather destroy my enemies when they’re not looking. just snap my fingers behind their back and slowly walk away before they suddenly collapse. i’m also rather weak but can take a beating which fits with the whole cloth, low melee stats and huge healt-pool thing.
June 4th, 2009
Ingame i play a Death Knight. In real life i would probably be a rogue… even though the idea really doesen’t appeal to me. I’m just not that kind of sneaky guy. I’m more of the
*wave* hello-here-i-am guy, Bad guy comes close and BOOM splat he dies. Which pretty much is a Destro Warlock i think
I’m also pretty squishy, even though i can fight (martial arts ftw). I’m not very big and bulky…
Mostly, i would like to be a Retribution Paladin though. Because the idea of protecting the weak and kicking butt kinda on the same time appeals to me.
June 11th, 2009
I’d be a very complainy druid. I like animals but can’t stand to see them hurt, so no being a hunter and letting the pet tank. I’m smart but formulas and religion arnt my forte. I love shape shifting and camping… so yeah druid. The complainy part comes when you make me work