Similarly a Troll character will be killed by the guards in a Wood Elf city. As you adventure you will fight monsters and complete quests. These can change your faction standing with various groups. It's illusory, but essential in helping the player feel as if the world was real. The various classes are quite different at moderate to high levels, though similar at the beginning.
All newbies are weak and wimpy.
This balance really makes the game interesting because group dynamics are greatly enhanced when there is a mix of classes. Each person must count on her group members to achieve their goals. The game is played from, primarily, a first person perspective. The interface is mouse based with a set of actions that can be bound to quick keys that are customizable. The monster, if it wasn't already bashing on you, will run up and do unto others.