Classes or races you don't play as in RPGs
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Hmmm... Well it depends on the game often, but there are some consistencies. I almost never play the meatshield fighter type. The only times I've ever liked the platemail sword swingers were my Chosen from WAR and my Death Knight from WoW. Most other cases.. I'm just not interested. Similarly, I've never been able to really get behind Dwarves and Gnomes or other really short races. The only exception to that has been my Hobbit Warden from LOTRO. And she's about as un-Hobbity as you can get and still have furry feet.
If it's a group based game (D&D, most MMOs) I usually go for the support character, the healers, controllers and those sorts. Otherwise, ranged DPS like mages and rangers. If it's a solo rpg like Fallout 3 or Oblivion, I tend to make the Sniper. A sneaky ranged person who works along and specializes in taking out enemies with long ranged attacks before they even know I'm there.
If it's a group based game (D&D, most MMOs) I usually go for the support character, the healers, controllers and those sorts. Otherwise, ranged DPS like mages and rangers. If it's a solo rpg like Fallout 3 or Oblivion, I tend to make the Sniper. A sneaky ranged person who works along and specializes in taking out enemies with long ranged attacks before they even know I'm there.
To be perfectly honest, I'm usually the one stuck being the Healer/Leader/Whatever. Not that I mind it, I've always played Healer classes, Night Elf Disc. Priest in WoW, Half Elf Bard for DnD's, some good fun in that, sometimes even an artificer.
However when I'm left to play by myself, say... I'm playing Dragon Age, I'll usually pick up a Tank of a Warrior or a lethal to everyone Mage. Always a Human or Elf in Dragon Age. Never picked a Dwarf, in anything for whatever reason. Just something always put me off about them. I've liked having Dwarves around, Ohgren for example, but I could never get my head around playing one myself.
On another note, out of everything I've played... Never touched a rouge class. Why? I suck at stealth. I know from experience from trying to use stealth effectively with other characters,or even small stealth sequences in games. I'm horrible at them. And the only other choice for being a Rogue is to be an archer I suppose, which actually isn't all that bad.
Actually, HUURRRDURR, I played an Archer Rogue in DA2, so I suppose I have. But never touched the stealth tree in that, I was an acrobatic bugger that did backflips and shot you in the face. Ah, it was quite fun.
However when I'm left to play by myself, say... I'm playing Dragon Age, I'll usually pick up a Tank of a Warrior or a lethal to everyone Mage. Always a Human or Elf in Dragon Age. Never picked a Dwarf, in anything for whatever reason. Just something always put me off about them. I've liked having Dwarves around, Ohgren for example, but I could never get my head around playing one myself.
On another note, out of everything I've played... Never touched a rouge class. Why? I suck at stealth. I know from experience from trying to use stealth effectively with other characters,or even small stealth sequences in games. I'm horrible at them. And the only other choice for being a Rogue is to be an archer I suppose, which actually isn't all that bad.
Actually, HUURRRDURR, I played an Archer Rogue in DA2, so I suppose I have. But never touched the stealth tree in that, I was an acrobatic bugger that did backflips and shot you in the face. Ah, it was quite fun.
I don't generally play mages much unless the controls and mechanics are particularly friendly. They tend to be a bit more complicated than the stealth/smashbash classes.
For example, I'll play mages in DA2, but Not DA:O.
Mostly, I play rogue types. I'm a defensive/stealthy player.
For example, I'll play mages in DA2, but Not DA:O.
Mostly, I play rogue types. I'm a defensive/stealthy player.
I try to avoid playing humans whenever possible. Humans are boorrring. Also gnomes, because they are usually designed to be annoying and ridiculous. If I play a gnome, I do my best to turn him into the most badass mofo that world has ever seen.
I've also found that I typically don't play rogues. It's not an intentional avoidance thing: like the OP, I only realized fairly recently that I was doing it. I think it's because rogues typically have the obligatory pickpocket ability, and my OCD would demand that I pick every pocket I see. Since failing to pickpocket usually leads to someone turning aggressive, this results in a lot of additional quicksaving/quickloading that I really just don't want.
Though on my next Dragon Age playthrough, I plan to play a rogue just so I don't have to lug Leliana around every damn place.
In general, I try to avoid stereotypes as much as I can: if I wind up playing a typical race/class I add something to the character's history or personality to spice things up. In the D&D campaign I'm in, my Eladrin (high elf) wizard was infected with the Spellplague as a kid and learned how to sleep and dream (something eladrin can't typically do.)
captcha: iorlie RECLAIM. IORLIE TAKE BACK WHAT HERS! HULK SMASH!
I've also found that I typically don't play rogues. It's not an intentional avoidance thing: like the OP, I only realized fairly recently that I was doing it. I think it's because rogues typically have the obligatory pickpocket ability, and my OCD would demand that I pick every pocket I see. Since failing to pickpocket usually leads to someone turning aggressive, this results in a lot of additional quicksaving/quickloading that I really just don't want.
Though on my next Dragon Age playthrough, I plan to play a rogue just so I don't have to lug Leliana around every damn place.
In general, I try to avoid stereotypes as much as I can: if I wind up playing a typical race/class I add something to the character's history or personality to spice things up. In the D&D campaign I'm in, my Eladrin (high elf) wizard was infected with the Spellplague as a kid and learned how to sleep and dream (something eladrin can't typically do.)
captcha: iorlie RECLAIM. IORLIE TAKE BACK WHAT HERS! HULK SMASH!
I don't do mages. Tanks can take a lot of hits. Rogue/Thief types can avoid hits. Healers can heal themselves after being hit. Mages seem to be quite vulnerable.
I won't play any race with doesn't look at least semi-human. This means no argonian or kajeet NPCs in Oblivion, and no bull-type or bird type races in other games. Dwarves, gnomes, elves, halfings are all in - any race that looks like some type of humanized animal is firmly out of Player character possibilities for me.
I will, however, play any class - I like to experiment with different play syles (I favor rouges however, followed by warriors, and finally mage type characters.
I will, however, play any class - I like to experiment with different play syles (I favor rouges however, followed by warriors, and finally mage type characters.
Iv'e grown to appreciate all class archetypes but when picking a class I usually straight up ignore anything warrior-ish. Usually because I think it's bland, even if the game developers actually tried really hard to make the class interesting.
Though sometimes I do envy classes that are able to just rush into enemy lines and not only survive, but often even surpass me while doing so. They make me wonder why I'm making this harder than it needs to be. Why am I playing a class that has this huge obvious weakness (melee fighting) when I could just roll a heavy armor guy, walk right into enemies, and pummel em with a 9 yard sword? Usually the only answer I can come up with is: because I like flashy skills like fireballs, not swords.
This was especially bad in WoW where my first PvP experience (as a mage) was basically this:
Me: Hmm a warrior, he will probably tear me up if he gets close so I'll kite him with freeze spells
*warrior uses that forward dash + stun skill*
*warrior uses movement speed decreasing skill*
*warrior finishes me in 3 hits*
Me: Oh ok! Yeah! Sure! just effin straight up teleport into melee range! And a stun too because hey, why not!
In all fairness it gets easier to deal with at later levels but I never really lost that feeling. I mean, here you have these classes like mages, warlocks, hunters,... Who are weak in melee fights. They do get some skills to keep enemies out of melee range but they are no substitute for actually being able to fight in melee.
And than they throw in this class that is very strong in melee and can just TELEPORT right into melee range. And there is 0 risk involved in doing just that because they have a ton of health too. It's like if the heavy in team fortress 2 could charge like a demoman without spinning down his minigun. And on top of that they have no obvious weakness besides maybe no self-heals?
As for races I avoid humans because I'm already one myself, as is everyone else on this planet, so I'd rather be some sort of mythical creature. I also really like the idea of being a somewhat special creature amongst the humans. One with it's own culture and a special bond with others of my race. Like kimahri in ffx or fran in ffxii. WoW (again) really had the right idea with most races having their own language that only others of the same race can read. The idea of being in a party full of humans and having to translate what a nightelf npc is saying (me being the only nightelf in the party) seems AWESOME to me for some reason. But sadly that feeling is usually completely killed by the fact that non-human races are not rare AT ALL in MMOs. Plus nobody ever used the racial languages. Even for NPC's it's very rare.
I also avoid short races at all costs. I don't mind if my character doesn't look like a monstertruck on 2 legs but I do have trouble taking short races seriously as characters. Especially if they are being played out as a comic relief race (get it? like a comic relief character?) Particularly good/bad example: WoW's gnomes. Squeaky voice, often pink hair, blow themselves up all the time... Really? Good for a laugh, sure. But playing the game AS one? Yeah no thanks, even if they can be badass warlocks.
Though sometimes I do envy classes that are able to just rush into enemy lines and not only survive, but often even surpass me while doing so. They make me wonder why I'm making this harder than it needs to be. Why am I playing a class that has this huge obvious weakness (melee fighting) when I could just roll a heavy armor guy, walk right into enemies, and pummel em with a 9 yard sword? Usually the only answer I can come up with is: because I like flashy skills like fireballs, not swords.
This was especially bad in WoW where my first PvP experience (as a mage) was basically this:
Me: Hmm a warrior, he will probably tear me up if he gets close so I'll kite him with freeze spells
*warrior uses that forward dash + stun skill*
*warrior uses movement speed decreasing skill*
*warrior finishes me in 3 hits*
Me: Oh ok! Yeah! Sure! just effin straight up teleport into melee range! And a stun too because hey, why not!
In all fairness it gets easier to deal with at later levels but I never really lost that feeling. I mean, here you have these classes like mages, warlocks, hunters,... Who are weak in melee fights. They do get some skills to keep enemies out of melee range but they are no substitute for actually being able to fight in melee.
And than they throw in this class that is very strong in melee and can just TELEPORT right into melee range. And there is 0 risk involved in doing just that because they have a ton of health too. It's like if the heavy in team fortress 2 could charge like a demoman without spinning down his minigun. And on top of that they have no obvious weakness besides maybe no self-heals?
As for races I avoid humans because I'm already one myself, as is everyone else on this planet, so I'd rather be some sort of mythical creature. I also really like the idea of being a somewhat special creature amongst the humans. One with it's own culture and a special bond with others of my race. Like kimahri in ffx or fran in ffxii. WoW (again) really had the right idea with most races having their own language that only others of the same race can read. The idea of being in a party full of humans and having to translate what a nightelf npc is saying (me being the only nightelf in the party) seems AWESOME to me for some reason. But sadly that feeling is usually completely killed by the fact that non-human races are not rare AT ALL in MMOs. Plus nobody ever used the racial languages. Even for NPC's it's very rare.
I also avoid short races at all costs. I don't mind if my character doesn't look like a monstertruck on 2 legs but I do have trouble taking short races seriously as characters. Especially if they are being played out as a comic relief race (get it? like a comic relief character?) Particularly good/bad example: WoW's gnomes. Squeaky voice, often pink hair, blow themselves up all the time... Really? Good for a laugh, sure. But playing the game AS one? Yeah no thanks, even if they can be badass warlocks.
I usually avoid straight up Warriors or Priests. Neither hold much appeal. However, I generally like the Cleric which is a combination of the two. Most often I go for a high-dex mage/thief type. Arcane Archer, that sort of thing.
In BG2 I always play(ed) straight up mage, because there's a lack of good magic users in the game. Only Edwin really and I like to do that myself. Once you get stuff like Time Stop, Horrid Wilting, Chain Lightning and Fireballs he becomes an incredible force of destruction. NWN2 I love the Warlock (with Warlock Buddy) for destructive power and cool invocations. Borderlands I like Lillith, WoW I used to play a feral druid (dual spec healer). And in shooters I usually go with the shotgun.
In BG2 I always play(ed) straight up mage, because there's a lack of good magic users in the game. Only Edwin really and I like to do that myself. Once you get stuff like Time Stop, Horrid Wilting, Chain Lightning and Fireballs he becomes an incredible force of destruction. NWN2 I love the Warlock (with Warlock Buddy) for destructive power and cool invocations. Borderlands I like Lillith, WoW I used to play a feral druid (dual spec healer). And in shooters I usually go with the shotgun.
I'm a rogue about 60% of the time. Otherwise I'm a warrior. I almost never play as a Mage. I'm usually a dual weapon rogue with a few character point put into some basic archery. Also, I like to have stealth, backstabbing, the ability to open all the various chests and(depending on the game) a beastly companion who can help me in combat or my various schemes. I don't play Mage because I'm no good sitting back trying to remember spells and chugging mana potion. I am also usually a human, sometimes an elf of some sort. It's for a strange reason too. When I'm creating a character, I always ask myself, " Would you be able to stomach the opposite sex of this species?". If no, then no. Thus I usually play, I'm WoW terms, an alliance type character, unless you count the blood elves of the horde.
