r/WoWRolePlay • • Jul 27 '23

Guide 🌟[READ FIRST]🌟WoW RP Starter Guide and FAQ

143 Upvotes

Updated for 12.1.7 (Midnight) and pre-launch WoW:Forever.

This guide is edited regularly with new information. Feel free to comment additional tips or alternate perspectives to be added in future iterations.

This guide has become kind of a whopper. Ctrl+F is your friend.

While most of this guide is intended for modern/retail/mainline WoW, the etiquette will likely still generally apply to other versions of WoW such as WoW:Forever (WoW4E).

Ever wondered what's up with "Goldshire"? This is the place.

Terminology

RP - Role-Play. The exercise of playing the game in such a way that the actions of the avatar reflect the traits and beliefs of a fictional character of the player’s design. It can be a solitary activity or collaborative.

RP Realm- designated by "RP" or "RP-PVP" under "server/realm type". They are identical to PvE/PvP servers except that they are mostly exempt from sharding and the addition of moderation rules against interrupting/griefing RP events. It is populated by people who usually want to RP in some fashion. RP realms do not use sharding outside of the latest expansion's content.

RP Ruleset- A choice of megaserver for WoW4E intended for roleplayers. It is unknown how it will differ from the "Normal" ruleset yet other than name enforcement and anti-griefing measures.

IC - In Character. Refers to when your posts reflect what your character would do.

OOC - Out Of Character. Refers to when your posts/chat is you, the player, is talking. Usually designated by some form of brackets ((like this)) [[or this]].

Walk-ups - When one character approaches another character without prior OOC planning.

Profile - A profile created using an addon (See below) that is an essential part of walk-up RP.

d20 or d100 - refers to rolling dice with 20 or 100 sides respectively. You can do this in WoW using the /roll command.

/s or /e - AKA /say or /em, /emote. Refers to the chat channels that by default appear in white and orange respectively. In RP, these represent what your character says and does(emotes).

Common Etiquette

The Three Golden Rules by Anne Stickney Source

  1. You can RP whatever you want.
  2. You don't have to RP with anybody.
  3. Nobody has to RP with you.

With those in mind, some good rules of thumb for public/city/general RP are:

  • Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your profile and posts.
  • Be familiar with the basic lore of your class and race and abide by it.
  • Consider the world (of Warcraft) around you. For example: If RPing in faction capital cities, it should make sense that your character is able to openly walk around in those cities without a hostile response from the guards and denizens.
  • Keep OOC chatter out of /s or /e when possible.
  • Unless otherwise discussed, IC feelings are not reflective of OOC feelings.
  • Generally, your character should not be personally acquainted with any lore character.
    • Examples:
    • ABSOLUTELY NOT: Elfina is a cousin of the Windrunner sisters and was Alleria's best friend growing up.
    • BETTER: Elfina, alongside many other void elves, followed Alleria's teachings. Although they haven't formally met, Elfina greatly admires the Ranger-Captain.
  • Never assume another character's reaction. This goes for combat and descriptions.
    • Examples:
    • NO: "Sam punches Riley in the mouth, breaking his teeth."
    • YES: "Sam winds up a punch and swings at Riley's face."
    • NO: "Sam is the most beautiful gnome you have ever seen."
    • YES: "Sam has finely coifed hair and clear skin."

Addons

You can, strictly speaking, RP without addons. However, including others/ being included is much easier with them. Furthermore, most people that attempt walk-ups without a profile are ignored or treated as OOC. All RP addons listed use "Mary Sue Protocol" which lets them communicate between one another. You won't miss out on MRP profiles because you have TRP3, for instance.

Profile Addons (choose one; Essential):

  • TotalRoleplay3 – (TRP3) Most commonly used, but it has a lot of bells and whistles. If that’s overwhelming, see the other two.
  • MyRolePlay – (MRP) Good for beginners for its slightly simpler UI
  • XRP – Similar to MRP.

Utility/Extra fun

  • Chattery – A single message is usually limited to 256 characters. This lets you write long posts. With great power comes great responsibility. Replacement for "Emote Splitter".
  • Eavesdropper Sorts chat messages. Helpful in crowded, busy areas. Successor of Listener.
  • TotalRoleplay3: Extended – an extra, optional part of TRP3 that lets you make your own items, quests, and cutscenes that you can share with other people using the addon.
  • Elephant – chat logger with more utilities
  • Musician - lets you create musical pieces in-game that you can play for others with the addon to hear. Great for bards.
  • Misspelled - spellchecker addon
  • Leatrix - use arrowkeys while typing
  • Simply RP - Chat Edit Box - larger editable chat box
  • Simply RP - Looking for RP - broadcast that you are looking for RP
  • Simply RP - Typing Tracker - Tells you when someone is typing a response
  • Game Master Dice - Helps quickly do turn orders and TTRPG-like rolls.
  • Dialect Chat - Gives your chat accents and replaces words! Basically a new, functional "Tongues" for those that remember it.
  • Tongues of Azeroth another Tongues successor
  • Synonyms - A handy-dandy thesaurus and word replacer.
  • Macaroni RP - Some neat ways to make your GUI more immersive during RP!

Other

  • Elixir of Tongues - in-game item that lets you see the /s and /e of players of the opposite faction.
  • /chatlog - chat-line command in the base game that stores all subsequent chat messages in */"World of Warcraft"/_retail_/Logs/WoWChatLog.txt (where * is the location of your game directory)
  • Reflecting Prism / Projection Prism - swap appearances. Extremely versatile when combined with Glyph of Disguise.
  • https://mychar.art/ - For hosting your profile and character art!

Abbreviated FAQ

More detailed answers are in the next section. These are the most basic and common questions, answered as succinctly as possible.

What servers/realms do most people use for RP?

RP realms and their official forums:
Moon Guard - US (Alliance-leaning)
Wyrmrest Accord - US (Horde-leaning, but guild-based)
Argent Dawn - EU (Alliance and Horde)

No specific RP servers are known for WoW:Forever at this time, but one will exist when it releases. This guide will be updated when the server is known.

Do I have to RP all the time? Like in dungeons/raids/battlegrounds?

No. Most stick to /s and /e in capital cities.

Where do people RP?

Alliance: Stormwind (everywhere but the Trade district)
Horde: Orgrimmar (Valley of Honor) or the Crossroads in the Barrens.

What's up with Goldshire?

A subset of an RP realm's community uses the Lion's Pride Inn as a gathering place for erotic roleplay (ERP). This attracts the attention of OOC server tourists, and the surrounding area is often used for OOC PVP activities. RPers generally don't appreciate when non-RPers conflate Goldshire's population (RPing and not) with the entirety of the server's RPing population.

How do I start?

  1. Make a character with an appropriate name on an RP server.
  2. Download an RP addon and make a profile. It should have basic information about your character. (Name, physical appearance, how others might know your character)
  3. For public RP: visit one of the mentioned locations.
  4. For finding guilds/communities: Visit the official forums, the Monthly Hero's Call board, join discord servers and search for event or community ads.

Where do I learn the lore that I need?

Warcraft Wiki (Wowwiki and wowpedia were previous incarnations and no longer updated)
Nobbel87- so many nice lore videos
The Lost Codex - Lore videos with panache

Do I have to be max level to participate?

No.

Can I RP as class/race/combo even though it's not playable yet?

Yes. Using playable options to approximate what you're RPing as is called "proxying".

How does questing work on RP realms? If my character dies, are they just dead now?

Leveling activities are generally not considered IC, nor are any deaths that happen in OOC situations like questing or battlegrounds. RP questing is a popular idea, but is typically organized between friends and is not part of the broader server culture.

Am I still able to PvE and PvP on an RP realm/ruleset like a Normal realm/ruleset? What about the population?

Yes. Most RPers still do regular game content in the same way as on Normal realms. RP realms are popular, and the most popular ones have thriving PvE/PvP communities.

Detailed FAQ

What servers do most people use for RP?

RP realms and their official forums:
Moon Guard - US (Alliance-leaning)
Wyrmrest Accord - US (Horde-leaning)
Argent Dawn - EU (Alliance and Horde)

Although these realms have the population label "Full", this doesn't affect your ability to make characters or log in except during expansion launches, when there may be a queue.

Generally, Alliance RP has more of a walk-up culture while Horde activity has globally moved toward guild-centric activities.

Although MG is historically favored Alliance RP and WrA Horde, this has fluctuated in recent years. Reports as of Midnight suggest North American Horde RP has diminished and is almost exclusively guild-based. The non-dominant faction tends to have guild-centered RP.

AD-EU is the main European RP server for both factions with a majority Alliance population and a small, guild-centric Horde community. There is no known Horde-dominated EU RP server (let me know if you know one). AD realm events and guilds are often posted in the fan-made site, Argent Archives AD-EU also has a community discord and a twitter.

I advise someone who is new to RP to try one of these servers first, since they have sprawling, dedicated communities. Use a fresh character to scope out the RP scene at your usual playtime hours to check the activity before committing any real-life time and money to transfers.

Servers other than the most popular ones are generally regarded as "dead" due to their low population and a lack of walk-up RP. This includes Emerald Dream, which was once known for RP-PVP. Some older low-population servers such as Sisters of Elune still have a small, tight-knit community.

What about Classic, Remix, or Season of Discovery RP?

Historically, Grobbulus and Bloodsail Buccaneers (Classic) and Crusader Strike (PVP RP) and Wild Growth (RP) (SoD) were the go-to realms. However, there is no long-standing RP on such realms. You may find small groups of like-minded friends, or find that RP happens naturally due to Hardcore Classic's gameplay style, but there isn't the same established community as it is on modern retail realms. The transient nature of these gameplay modes make it difficult for RP communities to take root. They often pop up when a new version of Classic opens and quickly fizzle out due to lack of interest.

Do I have to RP all the time? Like in dungeons/raids/battlegrounds?

No. Most people just RP social situations in capital cities in the form of walk-ups. PUGs from matchmaking systems usually put you in groups with non-RPers. RPing in dungeons etc. usually comes from planning OOCly with a group of people who are also interested in RP, such as guild-mates. Public chat channels such as Trade and General are usually also OOC even on RP servers.

What about… heehee… Gooooldshire?

Goldshire is a self-contained den of very specific kinds of RP that do not reflect the rest of a server. Most RP etiquette such as differentiating OOC from IC, using proper grammar, or abiding lore are not observed. Most RP subjects center on "Erotic Role Play" (ERP). This infamous reputation, as well as being the town closest to the Alliance capital, makes it a popular tourist destination for non-RP players and general OOC activity. Enabling War Mode allows you to use the space without most of this population.

If you would like more structured, lore-abiding RP, choose just about any other location but Goldshire on an RP server. (see below for specifics)

(European servers only) Wayfarer's Rest (a Silvermoon inn) has a similar reputation. There is no known Horde equivalent on US servers.

  • What do I do if I find an inappropriate profile or receive an inappropriate message?
  • When you click on a player with a profile and you have TRP3, several buttons will appear on the profile menu. You can flag the profile as mature, which will warn you when you come across profiles with similar content. Another button allows you to report the profile to Blizzard if it contains anything that the Code of Conduct prohibits from public chat channels.
  • A good rule of thumb based on ESRB/Pegi age rating: If you would be legally reprimanded for showing some content in your profile to a 13-year-old, it should not be in your profile.
  • If you receive an inappropriate chat message, report the sender and put the character on ignore.
  • Is WoW RP safe for minors?
  • Although WoW's gameplay is rated for ages 13+, most RPers are adults. Self-reported ages show most RPers are in their mid 20's or older. While not every WoW RPer has bad intentions and there is nothing inherently wrong with romantic or sexual RP, there are individuals who will seek and exploit vulnerable persons, particularly through romantic or sexual interactions IC or OOC (often blending the two as part of their manipulation). Certain locations such as Goldshire are prone to an abundance of sexually explicit profiles, though they are significantly less common outside of Goldshire. Profile addons typically provide maturity filters which give a warning before displaying a profile, but it is up to the individual and/or their guardian to enable those safeguards.
  • Minors are advised not to give out personal information such as their age, especially not in their profiles, and to have a trusted IRL adult confidant (such as a guardian, parent, or sibling) that understands the aforementioned risks of exposure to explicit content and predatory individuals. Minors should respect profiles with labels such as "18+ only" or "Minors DNI" (DNI=Do Not Interact). Many adult RPers are uncomfortable interacting with minors regardless of the RP topic. Although most WoW RP topics are not concerned with romance or sexuality, they are common with RP that concerns interpersonal relationships. If a minor (or any vulnerable person) is incapable or not ready to understand these risks and is unable or unwilling to enforce their personal boundaries or respect the boundaries of others, they are not ready for WoW RP.
  • How do I RP safely?
  • This advice is specifically for OOC interactions and concerns keeping you, the player, safe.
  • Always remember that no one is entitled to your personal information. Ever.
  • If an RP session is making you uncomfortable, you are not obliged to continue for any reason. Communication OOC is essential to set and reinforce personal boundaries.
  • Pay attention and check in with yourself to know what you do or do not like so that you understand your own limits and flexibility.
    • Example: You are part of an adventuring party that is taking down a pack of quillboar threatening a farmstead in Durotar. Your party's warrior is going into gratuitous detail about how they are dismembering your foes and the it is making you, the player, queasy. You can whisper them a message such as "Heya, do you mind turning it down a notch with the gore descriptions?" If asked, you can explain "I want to read your posts, but the details are making me uncomfortable." If they refuse to change, you can ignore their posts or dip out of the group entirely, but most people are willing to accommodate if asked politely.
  • Always be cautious of anyone in an online, anonymous space appealing to you for OOC information about yourself, especially through romantic or sexual interest. You are not obliged to share personal information, gold, items etc even if asked nicely or if someone feels entitled to it because of a past kindness.
  • Be wary of anyone who would compromise yours or others' OOC safety or comfort for any reason.
  • If you are unsure if the RP topic you want to explore with your RP partner(s) is appropriate, ask them and respect their answer. Even a quick check-in for topics related to intimacy, dark topics such as extreme violence or abuse, are important and let your RP partner(s) feel better about expressing their boundaries to you.
  • Trust is earned and built. Once you know someone well enough, you can easily work within both of your boundaries. It also makes small corrections easier.

Where do people RP?

Generally:

Stormwind (everywhere but the Trade district) for the Alliance.

When Stormwind becomes sharded due to game-wide events such as expansions or holidays, Alliance RP has spread to neighboring towns, primarily Darkshire in Duskwood or Lakeshire in Redridge Mountains.

Orgrimmar (Valley of Honor) for the Horde, though most Horde RP is guild-based and difficult to find for public RP.

The Crossroads in the Barrens is also a popular location.

Silvermoon City (TBC Era) has recently seen a resurgence on WrA-US. It remains to be seen how Midnight will affect this as it becomes a neutral hub.

If you have TRP3 extended, you can use the "RP scanner" in the bottom left corner of your map to locate RPers anywhere. You must scan every time you look at a different map.

  • How do I find RP outside of capital cities? (Open-world RP)
  • Even on RP servers, most of the time people out in the world are questing unless there is an event going on. Fortunately, there are MANY public RP events on high-population servers. Most public advertisement for modern RP happens on a server's official forums, in discord servers, or on social media.
  • If you are on a low-population server or are interested in world-RP with a smaller group, your best course of action will be to join an RP guild. These are also often advertised on the forums or in discords.
  • This subreddit also has resources for finding people to RP with. Check out the pinned "Monthly Hero's Call Board" or any posts with the LFRP, Event, or Community Ad tags.

How do I start?

  1. Make a character with an appropriate name on an RP server.
  2. Download an RP addon and make a profile.

The rest, honestly, is up to you. Some people just like to observe. Some people whisper people they’re interested in first. Some people have “walk ups welcome” in their profile. Some people don’t even RP with other people and just use the profiles to keep track of their character’s journey.

How do I RP with other people?

Very generally and speaking for most of the public RP population:

  1. Build your character and their profile. It can be as complex or as simple as you want, but it should be lore-abiding and grammatically correct.
  2. Visit a populated area (see the “where” question).
  3. Read other profiles to find people who might be interesting to RP with. Check any preferences listed (for example, they may want you to whisper them first) and come up with a reason for your character to approach. Sometimes people will have "RP hooks" that help with this! (For example: your character needs their armor repaired, and you have spotted a blacksmith character)
  4. Walk up to the people you find interesting. Keep in mind that if they are already in a conversation, an interruption may be viewed as rude.
  5. Use /s and /e to have your character speak and act respectively in response to what they observe.
  6. Wait for the person/people to respond, perhaps sending one (1) OOC whisper if they might be alt-tabbed.
  7. Repeat 5-6. If you get no response for a while or the person doesn't acknowledge you after whispering, politely move on.

How do I find a regular group of people to RP with?

The hard truth is that just like in real life, it takes time and effort to find a group of people with whom you enjoy regularly spending time with. Starting fresh, this can take on the order of weeks to months. That isn't to say you won't have fun in the mean time, but finding a dedicated group that suits your needs takes work.

When it comes to public RP, there will be regulars at the usual places listed above, though city RP tends to revolve around civilian life and bar scenes. More in-depth RP related to things like trades, politics, or military is found in guilds.

Each server has their own player-run, server-wide events that are posted on their official forum or advertised on social media or discord servers. These may happen monthly or even weekly and typically involve multiple guilds. They are usually open to the public and do not require guild membership to participate. These are great places to meet new groups of RPers or get exposure to different server subcultures.

It's difficult to give advice because everyone's RP journey is different. If anything, I would say to start casual; don't worry about getting a guild right away. Build up your understanding of what you want, what you like best and where your boundaries are so that they can be communicated as needed. Over time, you'll gather like-minded individuals that you can trust to take a story in a direction that entertains all of you.

Personally: my most meaningful and fun RPs were done in social circles of 5-ish people or less, often just one other person and myself.

How do I find an RP guild?

It depends on what you're looking for and what your preferences are. u/SirEbralPaulsay had some tips here .

What should I put in my profile?

As much or as little as you want. Ideally, you use your profile to tell other people what you want them to know about your character before/during your RP with them. There is no singular right way to do this, but you can find out what works best for you by reading the profiles of other players.

Some things to consider including, but are by no means mandatory, are:

  • Traits that can't be seen on the in-game model, such as scars or nervous twitches.
  • How another character may know your character. (Maybe they fought in certain battles or wrote a book)
  • RP preferences. Do you prefer darker or light-hearted stories? Romance? Would you like to be contacted OOCly before people approach you, or do you love walk-ups? Are you looking for a specific person for character development? (ie, a novice mage looking for a wizened wizard tutor) Do you absolutely want to avoid certain kinds of RP? Do you want to RP with a specific age group?

You should not put, or at least think carefully about, putting any IRL personal info in your RP profile. Although it has become popular practice on some servers to do so, no one is entitled to free access to your personal information.

It's common for people to put a complete, detailed history of their character in their profile. You do not need to do this to RP. Personally, I think less is more and my eyes glaze over when I see a wall of text, but it can be handy to record things that happened to your character this way.

This topic deserves a dedicated guide, but the short of it is don't be intimidated by very powerful/beautiful/detailed characters or feel the need to emulate them. There is a great deal of charm in presenting your character concisely. It's often the ugly (physically or in personality) underdog who is more interesting to interact with because we get to see them grow into whoever they will be. Someday you might find that you COULD write paragraphs about your character's adventures, but you don't have to start there.

Do I have to be max level to participate?

Generally, no. Level is a matter of convenience or personal preference. It only reflects your character’s power as much as you want it to.

Characters above level 30 will not see any chat from characters below level 20. Additional restrictions apply for trial characters.

What class best fits (specific archetype/subclass/rpg class)? Do talents and specializations matter?

(based on advice by cajunsamurai) You don’t have to play a specific class to represent your character. Generally in RP, you are describing your abilities and not necessarily only using spells from your spellbook. You can choose your character's OOC class depending on what is most fun or if the aesthetics are closest to what you are trying to RP as. While many enjoy playing as a specialized version of their class, no one is concerned with specific talent choices.

My avatar's name is weird and not very IC. Does this matter? What about titles? (Naming conventions)

RPers will generally go by whatever is in your RP profile rather than your actual in-game name/title. So your druid may have the actual in-game name of "Doofyfloof Jenkins" but you can use an RP addon to change this to "Alyra Moonstrider" without much fuss. Save your real-life money.

Are there any transmog do's/don't's? What should my character wear?

Anything that isn't a goofy meme transmog, such as dressing up as Mario or Superman, is fair game. Paladins will go into bars fully decked out in their gleaming, light-forged plate and have a pint next to a warlock covered in fuming skulls.

Keep in mind that presenting your character as part of an enemy faction or organization may elicit an aggressive response from others, especially if such a character would not normally be allowed in that location.

Personally - I find it nice to have a "civilian" set and a "work" set. Usually the work set will use my character's actual gear. Then, I use transmogged heirlooms for the much simpler civilian set for chilling in a city. It gives your character a bit of dimension when they're not Ready For Battle 24/7 - but maybe that's who they are!

There isn't a single class that fits exactly what I want. Can I use X-in-game class as Y-unofficial/unimplemented-class?

Yes! This is called "proxying" and it's very common. The one I have seen the most are frost death knights being used to proxy a "spellblade" (basically a melee mage). In TRP3, you can edit how your class is displayed to other people with the addon.

Is this playable class/race combo supported by lore?

The WoW story has evolved in such a way that you can justify pretty much any race/class combo regardless of if its playable. If it IS playable, then you can assume it's supported by lore in some way. Do your homework with Warcraft Wiki.

What about RPing while questing? D&D style!

You can! Many have also done this! However, RPing while questing is generally not part of the overall server culture. It is common for a group of friends to plan on RP-questing together, but it's rare to come across people leveling that are also RPing at the same time. Check their profile and whisper them first to gauge interest!

I want to try out RP, but I don't want to transfer my character to an RP server.

You still have options, but the easiest (and probably best) way to go about this is to create a new character on your RP server of choice. Your level doesn't matter and this way you won't have to transfer anyone over.

If you have a friend on that server, they can invite your character to a group to temporarily transfer you to their realm.

I want to race change/faction change/etc my character. Is that allowed?

Yes. Most people will not notice or care unless they were involved in some kind of ongoing story with you. It's courteous to let your RP partners know if you are changing your character in a significant way so they can figure out how to arrange their RP story accordingly.

If my character dies in-game on an RP realm, are they perma-dead?!!

Not usually. If you are questing and succumb to a pack of murlocs, you don't have to start from scratch. Generally any deaths that happen during OOC activities like raids, battlegrounds, or questing are not taken as "cannon" deaths.

I joined a guild and had a bad experience. Is all RP like this?

Not likely. First, I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Sometimes people write from a place of naivety or ignorance for including others. It can take weeks or months to find a group of people you enjoy RPing with regularly. If you've given a guild a fair shake and aren't satisfied, you can and should try for something better.

Generally, guilds should be an inclusive space that enables its members to build and progress their own characters' stories, and not merely treat them as an audience for the stories of its officers.

English isn't my first language. Can I still play on English RP realms?

In my experience, many people who have English as their second language are often better at writing in English than many native speakers. Even if that isn't the case, people are generally very forgiving with those who are learning. It helps to put an easily visible note somewhere in your profile that mentions that English isn't your first language. Most people are very patient, especially when they know this is the case. If they aren't, or are unkind to you in some way for it, they probably aren't worth your time anyway.

Will my character be taken seriously if I play X class/race?

If you RP seriously, you will be taken seriously. Certain races are little more prone to having the stigma of being goofy, such as Gnomes, Pandaren, Worgen, and Vulpera. This really only happens when complete strangers make assumptions about your character; but these are likely people you aren't interacting with long-term. People who take you and your character seriously will vastly outnumber the hecklers.

I really want cool art of my character!

You have many options! Many draw their own artwork. If you cannot yourself draw, you can look up dollmakers or use tools like Hero Forge to recreate what you envision! If you have the cash to spare, you can seek out an artist for commissions by looking for warcraft fanart on social media. Avoid using AI-generated images, even as placeholders, as this is generally a frowned upon practice in the community.

I want to stream RPing in WoW or being on a WoW RP server. How do people feel about this? Is it possible?

The WoW RP community's relationship with streamers is complicated. In the past, there have been many instances of non-RP WoW streamers using RP realms to host non-RP events or contests, causing and sometimes encouraging the disruption of ongoing RP activities. Disruption of RP on an RP realm is a reportable offense. Non-RP streamers who are visiting or playing on an RP realm should remind their followers, when relevant, to be respectful of the RPers and RP activities they share space with.

As RP can be very personal, RPers generally prefer to know when they are being recorded. The usual approach is to make it extremely visible in your profile so that people can decide for themselves if they want to be part of the show.

From the technical side of things: it's possible, but because WoW RP is text-based, streamers intending to share their RP often struggle with having an engaging stream and interesting RP.

Discords

Even permanent invite links may sometimes go out of date or break. If you find these don't work, please use your favorite search engine to find the latest one. Please check out the Hero's Call Board for more.

WRA-D https://discord.gg/nhYgPEZ

The Unified Horde https://discord.gg/aZNZ5dj

The Coalition of the Horde https://discord.gg/T35KyqrZWQ

a bunch of alliance discords https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/mg-channeldiscord-server-listing-thread/127486

TCC Community Events https://discord.com/invite/wUbC68Tv

Musician Addon (also features LFRP channels) https://discord.com/invite/8TuAdRZ5

Guides

General/Intro Guides and Directories

List of Guides from Blizzwatch - Some may be outdated lore-wise but are still generally helpful

WoW RP Survival Guide - by Kottkrig and Buttart

Useful Thread Archive - EU RP Guides

RP Basics Video Similar content to this guide. by Mana Chats.

Romance RP Video Guide by Mana Chats

Writing Emotes, Dialogue, and Descriptions in WoW RP: A (rough) guide for Collaborative Storytelling by u/Life_Organization_63

Draganora's Walk-Up Guide by u/Draganora

Profile Guides

TRP3:Extended Guides by Obidiah_WoW

​ Advanced TRP3 Tips by u/Cthylla11111

Jayla's TRP Guide by NectarineOk5419)

TRP3 Secrets

TRP3 Profile Guide by RinRinBear

Using Addons and Walkup Example Video by Mana Chats.

Race/Class Specific Guides

Vulpera RP Guide by u/GraveyardOperations

An Undead’s guide to Gnome RP

All the World's a Stage: Plot points for Gnome roleplayers

Shaman Guide by r3dienhcs

Dragon Names and Lineage

A Guide on how to RP as a Priestess of the Moon based on the source materials by u/FflDruid

Utilities and Other

Ship RP Locations

Useful Trinkets for Roleplay, A Compilation

Look Like Almost Anything Indefinitely

How to create and RP your own Death Knight by u/Juzih

Special Thanks

u/Fluffleyh u/Tonric u/Mopafish u/minnegander u/DrToadigerr u/Slambert u/DisciplinaryViolence u/Downtown_Resident_44 u/Vellocet_Ludovico u/Rift5515 u/Nephrite-Jade u/Slambert u/Key_Act1960 u/IAmRoofstone u/cajunsamurai


r/WoWRolePlay • • 20d ago

Mod ✨Monthly Hero's Call ✨((RP-related ads go here! Discord link inside!))

15 Upvotes

❕ Hero's Call Board

Every major city of the Horde, Alliance, or in-between boasts a grand wooden board for all to see. It overflows with colorful pamphlets promising adventures, business, and comradery.

Here is where guilds can bolster their ranks.

This is where heroes begin their journey.

r/ WoWRoleplay discord: https://discord.gg/PkGHmDZQk7

How to use Hero's Call

The Hero's Call board is a place where people can advertise themselves or their guilds in the comments section. This includes but is not limited to:

  • RP Guilds
  • Individual/Group Looking for RP
  • IC advertisements for events or products
  • Twitch streams or YouTube channels
  • WoW RP Discord Servers
  • Classic WoW Server activities
  • Selling/hiring services like art commissions

Please include relevant information such as your realm and what sort of RP you are looking for.

For service advertisements: Buyers/sellers are not vetted by the subreddit mods. We cannot enforce any transactions. Beware of scams. Use platforms with buyer/seller protections like vgen.

If you are looking for something, you may want to look at previous months' posts too.

Your ads do not have to be IC, but it couldn't hurt. :)

TTRPG or RP-Discord ads are welcome as long as they pertain to the Warcraft franchise.

Regarding Discord links and listing communities: Discord links expire often, and there are many, many communities. I include what I can, but ultimately it's best if individual communities post fresh links regularly.

More Communities:

The Argent Archives (EU RP)

Argent Dawn Community Server

The Society Circle (Cross-Faction/Server)

Warcraft Conquest (Cross-Faction/Server)

The Horde Vanguard (Horde/MG)

Warcraft-RP Tavern Discord (Cross-Faction, Cross-Server, official Community Partner WoW Discord server)

Looking for Adventure: WoW Forever Campsites (Cross-Faction, WoW Forever)

WoW Forever RP NA (Cross-Faction, WoW Forever)

WoW Forever RP EU (Cross-Faction, WoW Forever EU)

If any of these have expired, please send a mod mail and feel free to post a fresh link here.


r/WoWRolePlay • • 5h ago

[NA] LFRP [Moon Guard - Alliance] Looking for a large, active, beginner-friendly RP guild!

6 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I'm currently looking for an established Alliance RP guild on Moon Guard for my human hunter, Warex. I've been playing WoW for many years, but I'm still relatively new to structured roleplay and would love to find a friendly, welcoming community where I can learn and become more involved.

Ideally, I'm looking for a larger guild with an active player base, regular events throughout the week (especially Monday through Friday), and plenty of opportunities for spontaneous roleplay.

I'm particularly interested in open-world adventures, expeditions, exploration, social gatherings, and events involving other guilds throughout Azeroth. I love the idea of actually getting out into the world and experiencing it alongside other roleplayers rather than having everything confined to one particular location.

I'm not particularly interested in heavily military-themed guilds or rigid hierarchies. Something more along the lines of an adventuring company, a fellowship of travelers, or a generally welcoming social community would probably be a better fit for me.

Most importantly, I'm hoping to find a guild that welcomes newer, casual roleplayers, encourages character development, and offers opportunities to get involved without excessive obligations or pressure.

If anyone knows of a guild that might be a good fit, or happens to lead one themselves, I'd genuinely love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading, and hopefully I'll see some of you around Azeroth!


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1h ago

Advice Needed Really wanted to do PvP, but now considering RP.

Thumbnail
• Upvotes

r/WoWRolePlay • • 2h ago

Discussion Server for RPers on PVP rules?

2 Upvotes

The admins of the “Forever RP” disc said it’s specifically for the RP rule set and people who are on the PVP ruleset need to find a place to go.

Is there a server yet?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 7h ago

LF Feedback Who would be appropriate and fun low- and mid-level villains in TRP3 player-created quest lines? (WoW Forever RP)

2 Upvotes

Hoping that TRP3 and TRP3: Extended get converted to WoW Forever, I have begun a little bit of worldbuilding in my head. I have played D&D and other TTRPGs for 35 years and been a dungeon master more than half of them, and I like thinking up new quests and adventures.

I know the Alliance side of WoW far better than the Horde side, so for now my inspiration flows naturally in that direction, but you are more than welcome to suggest your own favourite ideas.

Which of the following would you personally like to experience as 'the villain' in player-made quests for level 5-30?

  1. Humanoid monsters with some intelligence - e.g. gnolls, kobolds, ogres
  2. Bandits, thugs and highwaymen
  3. Smugglers or thieves' guilds
  4. Witches or evil wizards, warlocks or necromancers
  5. Ghosts, undead or evil spirits
  6. Corrupt politicians, clergy, officials and administrators
  7. Selfish or greedy nobles
  8. Spies, saboteurs or subversive elements
  9. Corrupt military or city watch / town guards
  10. 'Long game' villains of which you may only get a hint as you uncover a tiny bit of their master plan.
  11. Representatives or agents working for some monstrous entity, like a lieutenant of a 'boss'. The boss could be anything from Morbent Fel to Ragnaros, depending on the situation, scenario and level.
  12. Common people who resort to crime for relatively petty gains or motives (lust, greed, envy etc.), but nevertheless a fun challenge for low-level characters.
  13. A sentient construct (think 'golem with a brain') or mecha-gnome
  14. Dark Iron dwarves
  15. Satyrs
  16. Naga
  17. Demons / Burning Legion
  18. Giants
  19. Harpies
  20. Worgen

I appreciate your input! 😊


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

OOC Wyrmrest Accord - Thank you.

57 Upvotes

I've played WoW since the tail-end of Vanilla. I played with IRL friends and family on PvE servers. I was always interested in RP servers, as I've RPed in other places and games and in the real world for as long as I can remember. But I was the only one in my friend group who was interested. Fast forward to the beginning of 2025. I had some major life changes happen and found myself playing utterly alone. Guild was empty. Chats were empty. Org was empty. Running into another player out in the world was a rare event, save for maybe holiday stuff.

On a whim, I decided to try out an RP realm. I'd heard of WrA and rolled my first Belf Pally.

As soon as I logged in, it was an entirely new game. People were in Org. In old Silvermoon. Just standing around in groups, quietly RPing. Guilds were advertising in Trade. I found one that sounded like a good fit and they turned me on to all the relevant addons.

I ended up re-rolling all of my characters and several more - just for fun. Just for the race/class combinations because my mind was dizzy with RP ideas and character ideas.

It's been a year and a half and Wyrmrest fostered a whole new love of this game for me. I'm excited to log in and just hang out. Guild chat quiet? It's cool. I've got 4 others I can check. No one I usually RP with on? No biggie. Look around Silvermoon and creep TRPs for someone to approach. I've made new friends in this game for the first time in almost a decade.

Yeah, maybe it's not as good as it was 15 years ago. Maybe it's not as populated or RP isn't as good, whatever. It's still pretty freaking great and saved me during a time I was at my lowest. So, Wyrmrest Accord, with all your problems and trolls and folk lamenting the past - Thank you. Thank for being there. Thank you for still accepting newbies even after so long. Thank you for being incredible, even if I just don't know any better.


r/WoWRolePlay • • 10h ago

[NA] Community/Guild Ad <Black Tower of Maeliforr> <Tavern/Tower RP> <Hosting>

2 Upvotes

<Tower/Tavern/Academy RP> — Maeliforr proudly reopens the legendary Black Tower, a grand sanctuary of forbidden knowledge, arcane mastery, and decadent pleasures!

Explore the Grand Tavern, Ancient Library, and Halls of Magic, home to countless tomes, mysterious artifacts, and forgotten secrets.

The Black Tower also serves as a School of Wizardry, welcoming aspiring apprentices and seasoned masters alike to study Void Magic, Demonology, Alchemy, Conjuration, and all schools of the Arcane.

Whether you seek magical enlightenment, dark mysteries, scholarly pursuits, or simply fine company over a drink, the Tower welcomes all!

Scholars, sorcerers, apprentices, nobles, and socialites — your place awaits within the Black Tower!

Whisper Maeliforr to come roleplay here! Hosting everyday!

{Located on Wyrmrest Accord server} {Neutral RP}


r/WoWRolePlay • • 20h ago

Advice Needed How do you advertise your in game services?

11 Upvotes

Hello!

Basically the title question. I have been looking into doing "mentalist" services like serving medicinal teas or playing music with the musicians addon and using stuff like the Kokology books to make "personality tests" for people's characters to take. I did this a lot in Space Station 14 and people really dug it.

That said, walking around and randomly going "hey wanna take a personality test?" Is a bit much. I have made business cards and what not via trp3 extended, but haven't taken a crack at handing those out quite yet.

What you guys do for your characters when you want to advertise services that are more roleplay than gameplay?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 23h ago

[EU] 4E LFRP Looking for french players interested by RP

Thumbnail
9 Upvotes

r/WoWRolePlay • • 9h ago

OOC WoW Forever RP-PVE Ruleset... yes or no?

0 Upvotes

I’m trying to decide between the RP-PvE ruleset and regular PvE on WoW Forever. In 2019, during Classic’s launch, I played on Grobbulus RP-PvP for about a year and loved it. I chose that server because its population wasn’t overcrowded and, on average, it seemed to attract fewer toxic players and streamers.

I made a roleplay-appropriate character name but never really engaged in RP myself, though I respected those who did. Most players there were like me. They appreciated WoW’s lore and the serious RPers, but rarely roleplayed themselves. They were generally chill, casual, and kind, which is what I enjoyed most.

Back then multiple RP servers existed, but I think only one or two RP servers had a majority of serious RPers. WoW Forever has no separate servers, just rulesets on one mega server, so serious RPers will have only one option.

I think the RP ruleset is most likely to give me what Grobbulus offered in 2019: a less crowded realm that requires less immersion-breaking layering or sharding, and a better chance of attracting the casual, friendly players I want to play with.

My concern is that my limited RP engagement could be a problem for the serious RP community. I would respect them and choose an appropriate name, but if I spend 99 to 100 percent of my time out of character, would that hurt the experience for others?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

LF Feedback <Son's of Blackmoore> - Bad Taste?

14 Upvotes

So, for WoW Forever we have a group (US) who plans to RP on the Alliance side as the Son's of Blackmoore. Our group will believe in the mission that he was hoping to accomplish within the Alliance and keep his will alive.

Blackmoore had some more troubling beliefs that the guild will have to espouse as well as being a vicious alcoholic, which we will emulate. Do you all think we will be RPing in bad taste?

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Aedelas_Blackmoore


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Community/Guild Ad [RP Community] Project: Connecting Azeroth - One Stop Shop for RP (Interest Check)

18 Upvotes

Greetings!

I had an idea for a rather ambitious project.

I've been back in the game since Lemix and have been part of many guilds and communities since. Where some come close to this idea, none go as in depth as to what I'm hoping to create.

Project: Connecting Azeroth (name subject to change) aims to bring together all roleplayers in a one-stop hub for all their RP needs. Either looking for pick up RP or scheduled events, open invitation or race exclusives, faction focused content or world RP and RPPvP, the project aims to promote RP on every level.

Whatever the medium (retail, classic, Forever, forums or the extended communities), the hope is to pull in roleplayers, past, present and future, and provide a place that they can come into and participate at their own leisure, see what's happening in the RP world(s), meet new people and find new adventures.

There's a lot more to it, but if any of that piqued your interest then check out the post on the RP forums and share your thoughts, opinions, concerns, ideas or whatever else you like there or on here!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/rp-community-project-connecting-azeroth-your-one-stop-shop-for-all-rp-needs-public-interest-gauge/2387476


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Advice Needed Dark Iron in Forever

11 Upvotes

Husband and I are longtime roleplayers but less familiar with WoW specific lore and RP. We're interested in playing characters with Dark Iron heritage on Forever, but we're not sure how weird that would be, if it would be lore dealing etc. We understand the clan has current beef with the alliance dwarves and that could cause hostility in RP, we're cool with that. Just wondering if there's any kind of pitfalls or advice to be aware of. We don't want to be immersion breaking.

Thank you for any help!


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Technical Question Curious about Out of Game RP options?

4 Upvotes

Hi there, I use to play way back in 04 and up to BC. Yeesh my bones ached just typing that lol. Anyway with Forever on the horizon I'm looking to jump back in. And while I know a majority of RP would happen in game. I was wondering if there were any discord servers for RP when you're not logged into the game?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

OOC Wyrmrest Accord - What Happened!!

18 Upvotes

Call this more of a vent post exploring the why and how:

What the hell happened to Wyrmrest Accord!! And, to a larger extent, World of Warcraft proper.

I recently logged back in to explore WoW Forever and entertained the idea of playing my old WRA characters for both Horde and Alliance. Characters have been offline for 16 years; real life job, raising kids, you know how it goes! There are many GREAT memories behind my WRA characters.

The vibrant community WRA was is just no more. Alliance side is completely cleaned out. Horde side, it seems there are only one gathering point in the rear section of Orgrimmar. After asking around, I joined a handful of community Discords. One of them banned me within hours of joining (maybe it was because my character was not registered but I really don't have one yet). Went to one of the curated events and while I applaud the effort the host put into it, the vibe just was not the same. The host did a GREAT job!

It was decided WRA along with retail WoW just does not suite my interest. Moving onto....

WoW Forever! Folks....if the behavior in this version of the game represents the player base, I'm out! One can not reasonably expect a gaming platform to be successful acting this way. Come on party peeps!

WRA really had a dark vibe feel to it. I can not explain it; call it more of a slight gut punch feeling. Going from what I heard and limited personal experience, there was just alot of back talk name calling going. You know, it is probably because the players on WRA are just worn out in general.

I'm rejoining on the WoW Forever version and hopefully there will be an abundance of fresh players, ideas, along with new communities who may be more open minded.


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Discussion State of Silvermoon and the Sin'dorei

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Writing Question Naming my characters as a tribute to my brother's. How to make it work with two names.

2 Upvotes

Edit: just to make it clear, my question is a bit on which of my approach do you think works best, and also how will you use the new feature of having two names available, especially when/if you want to have a connection between them or regarding a similar name that isn't, necessarily, a family name.

So my brother was a very dedicated WoW player up until WotLK (included), until he passed away.

Over the years, I've thought about playing with certain characters to pay him tribute, and even created a guild at some point.

Now, with the introduction of two names in WoW Forever, this felt like a pretty cool opportunity for me. But it also got me to a crossroad. How to use said name combinations?

Let's say my brother used the name Karlon.

Option 1:

I've considered naming all my characters Karlon, as if they are a kind of "reincarnation" or "vigilante" that uses that name, followed by a surname.

An example for a Dwarf Shaman: Karlon Wildram

The idea here would be a group of adventurers that followed the same inspiration, and so they were all Karlon, to a degree.

However, not sure how lore accurate this would be within the Warcraft universe. It's trope more common in superhero settings or even in Mad Max people argue about this theory that Max is several different people, with the name representing a mix of values and lifestyle (a noble wanderer, that in the process helps people, etc).

The problem with this approach is that most characters have to basically give up their own name, while only keeping their family or clan name.

Option 2:

Creating characters whose surname/secondname is inspired by Karlon but adapted to each culture.

For example: I could create a Tauren Warrior named Zur Karlonhoof or a night elf named Lira Karlonshade

Option 3:

Create only one character named Karlon Something and that's it.

I'm more inclined to go with option 1, but I'm not sure how and if this would fit the lore. Karlon would be, in a way, almost like a title of people belonging to a Guild or lifestyle.

Thanks!


r/WoWRolePlay • • 1d ago

Brainstorm [EU]Megaserver language last name

7 Upvotes

Hi,

I need some advice in regards to choosing a last name.

I want to follow the structure of nightelf last names (noun-noun or descriptive prefix + suffix), e.g. Whisperwind, Stormrage.

Since the Megaserver are not language specific, should I use English names as in the example given?

Arguments for I should:

Those names have not been translated, so it would be more lore accurate to use Englishsounding names.

It might be more emersive.

Arguments for a different languages:

Players with my first language will immediately see that they can talk to me in my first language.

Should not affect the emersion too much since the translation of the name might have been lost in history.

What would you recommend me to do?

Thanks!


r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

Advice Needed New to RP. What’s normal etiquette for playing opposite gender characters?

21 Upvotes

Hello all! I’ve never played an RP server before but looking forward to trying it out in wow forever. Curious as to what normal etiquette is regarding playing opposite gender characters. I’m a male but usually play female characters on normal servers. I’m assuming other people do that as well. If I decide to roll a female on an RP server should I let I people know that I’m not actually a woman OCC, put it on my profile, or not say anything unless it gets brought up. Not sure if that’s a big deal in RP. Saw a few posts of people mentioning others getting mad because they felt duped.


r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

Advice Needed Considering rolling RP for the first time ever. Need input please!

Thumbnail
16 Upvotes

r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

Discussion Wrath-babies or older - What RP spots do you remember pre-Cataclysm?

18 Upvotes

I remember RP outside of Stormwind/Orgrimmar being much more prevalent before Cata. I think a lot of the new buildings, especially Horde-side, made things much less hospitable. Alliance-side, it outright destroyed one of the hubs (Auberdine).

This is mostly in consideration for 4E, but if you had fave spots from TBC/WotLK lets hear em too.

I want to hear about the hubs you remember and your experiences there! Here's a few I remember:

Alliance

  • Lakeshire
  • Darkshire
  • Menethil Harbor
  • Auberdine
  • Astranaar
  • Darnassus

Horde

  • Brill
  • Crossroads
  • Thunderbluff
  • Bloodhoof Village

Neutral

  • Booty Bay
  • Ratchet
  • Dalaran (WotLK but now also potentially in 4E)

r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

Discussion I want to roll on the rp ruleset for Forever but im worried about long term population.

34 Upvotes

I plan to play mostly horde. I actually am not too serious about the RP side, just like to throw a taz'dingo and spirits be wit ya every once in a while. That level. What i really enjoy is raiding and battlegrounds.

How much issue do you forecast two years down the road in raiding consistently?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

Brainstorm Clearing a debt with the Steamwheedle Cartel - RP style?

11 Upvotes

Hypothetically, if you crossed the Baron of Booty Bay and he developed a strong grudge (because you kept something that he believes rightfully belongs to him), what fun ways exists to play this out in the game?

I can think of a few things, but the first seem kinda "grindy" and mechanical and not very fun in a RP way:

  1. Deliberately get to "Hated" rep with Booty Bay, then work my way back to at least "Friendly"
  2. Self-imposed ban on visiting Booty Bay - perhaps also Ratchet and Gadgetzan, until X condition is met
  3. Self-imposed ban on dealing with goblin vendors and quest-givers, until X condition is met
  4. Just imagine the story in my head and play the game as normal 😒

What else might be fun to try - maybe with the help of other player characters in-game to make it a real part of the storyline?


r/WoWRolePlay • • 2d ago

[EU] 4E LFRP Roleplay Guild in WoW Forever??

Thumbnail
7 Upvotes