A Roleplaying Guide - Races, Classes and Professions and ideas on how to Roleplay them.

=Introduction=
Below you will read a compendium of the classes, professions and races of Azeroth, and find suggestions how to roleplay them. The information isn't meant to be a guideline, but more a suggestion, as the title of this article states.
The "Races" category is specifically for those who wanted to roleplay a character of that race (any class, although you can suggest the most common class/professions for a "Good" or "Evil" character of the Race. Meaning that the "race" section isn't Class-specific.). The "Class" category is for any race of the class. Finally, Professions, means any race and class.
The "Category" layout is purely for those who would rather focus on just "being a paladin", "being a gnome" or "being a tailor" than actually mixing the three. If I get enough people wanting to add mixtures, I will make a "mixtures" category.
=Races=
Every race has different traits generally. The backgrounds and traits of a race generally shape the ideas of a personality. For example, Gnomish culture is one based on technology, thus you will hardly find any savage, feral gnomes. Tauren culture, on the other hand, has nature as it's central focal point. This will lead to the fact that there are very few Tauren engineers. In stead, Tauren turn to nature for practical solutions. This should not keep you from playing the character of your dreams, but instead offer more opportunities to make them unique in what ways they conform or differ from the general.
==Human==
* Good (Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Dwarf==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Gnome==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Night Elf==
* Good 'pp
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Draenei==
===Good===
Overall, the majority of Draenei fall under good alignments. They are kind and compassionate to others, and willing to forgive transgressions even from their most hated enemies, such as the orcs. They foster communal relations with every other Draenei, and do not believe in greed or pride as a whole. A good Draenei is likely to help others without expecting anything in return, and sometimes without asking. They may not understand, but will accept, the cultures of other races.
Despite what many think, however, Good is not the natural disposition of the Draenei race. Draenei are good as a whole because of the sheer amount of effort and willpower they devote to it, and it is this reason why the Light permeates every aspect of Draenei life and action. For a Draenei to lose sight of the Light, and of helping each other and working for the common good, they risk falling to corruption, as the majority of their race did when the Eredar joined the Burning Legion.
* Lawful Good: The majority of Draenei fall under this alignment. While Draenei do not have government and law in the manner of human and other cultures, they are incredibly disciplined. They rule their life by traditions rather than chaotic innovation, and the struggle to uphold the Three Virtues requires extensive willpower. The very existence of a Draenei is one of constant devotion and discipline to the Holy Light, and therefore they are generally Lawful.
This can lead to problems in regards to doing new things, however. Few Draenei would ever disagree with anything Velen says, for instance, even if there may be some fault in it. Their artwork has been unchanged for thousands of years, because there has been no need to change from the established tradition. Being primarily Lawful Good has lead the Draenei to being very stagnant as a culture, as they are disinclined to break with their tradition and discipline in fear of traveling down the path of corruption.
* Neutral Good: These Draenei are fairly common. They are not as dedicated to tradition and order as other Draenei, but replace it instead with upholding good as a whole, not necessarily the Light. These Draenei will not worry about whether or not they should do something, but whether or not it is the right thing to do morally. A Neutral Good Draenei might willingly disagree with Velen if they felt that an action he recommended was morally wrong, and might even question the Naaru at times. To a Neutral Good Draenei, the Light is merely the best way to do good, not that it is literally Good. If the Light falters, these Draenei will remain resolute.
Many Broken fall under this alignment, as they have come to see that with their unique position, they can take a step back and look at things from a broader view. As the Light no longer binds them, they instead look at the world in terms of the good they can do for it. Shamanism is a direct result of this belief, as they saw that they could break with tradition yet still be upholding the virtues of good and the Light by embracing the natural spirits of the world.
* Chaotic Good: Being chaotic is rare among Draenei, as maintaining at least some discipline is necessary in their society. Because of the way in which everything is shared and good is done with no expectation, chaotic individuals would easily be able to manipulate such a society, and the fact that there are very few such cases is indicative of just how few they are.
A Chaotic Good Draenei is a Draenei who will willingly go against other Draenei and look out for the greater good above all. They wouldn't just disagree with Velen, they would deliberately question his leadership as monarchistic and prideful. They would point out the flaws in the society that might lead to danger, and seek to discover better ways to help others without worrying about dogma. Essentially, these Draenei take Good to the extreme. Everything is questionable, nothing is certain.
While Chaotic Good Draenei are more easily prone to falling into vices, they do represent one of the few forces of innovation in Draenei society. They will freely try and create new things, and don't care if they raise a few eyebrows or stir a few gasps. Bettering the society is what matters to them, not the way in which that betterment comes.
===Neutral===
Neutrality is perhaps the least likely alignment among Draenei. Though the most common alignment amongst most other races, Draenei are far too extreme to risk neutrality. As Eredar, their culture lived a life of arrogance and pride and were overall neutral, and such action lead to their induction into the Burning Legion. Following that debacle, the Draenei swore to uphold the Light and good above all. Therefore, most Draenei follow the Light not just out of a manner of choice, but out of sheer necessity of life. To be neutral is to be at risk of corruption, the greatest sin. A neutral Draenei does not stay neutral for long. They will either intensify their devotion to the Light and return to the flock, or they will fall to pride and corruption. The few neutral Draenei that remain tend to be those who merely have a neutral net shift of alignment rather than actually being philosophically neutral. In other words, the few neutral Draenei that exist are Draenei who are morally good and seek to support their race and the Light above all, as a Good Draenei would, but use tactics and choices that are morally questionable and evil. Essentially, the rare Neutral Draenei is like Batman--a dark hero. But the true neutral Draenei who does not care for either Good or Evil is exceedingly rare.
Many Neutral Draenei are still good in thought, however. They are just less likely to act on good impulses without a second thought as the Good aligned Draenei. They might, for instance, believe that to give someone food without asking anything in return is good, but would be less inclined to give someone food if they chanced upon them themselves unless it is at no personal expense. In other words, what tends to separate a Good Draenei from a Neutral Draenei is that the Good Draenei tends to act on good thoughts regardless of personal expense, while the Neutral Draenei tends to act on good thoughts if they have something to gain out of it, or otherwise have nothing to lose by it.
* Lawful Neutral: These Draenei follow the Light's ways without necessarily feeling the warmth of it. They go through the motions of Draenei society but are at the risk of taint. They tend to exert uncomfortability in their communes because of their wholesale lack of care even when they attend every worship and do their jobs for the sake of others. They have essentially fallen into a rhythm. They would never break from this rhythm, but at the same time they don't know why they are doing it. Unlike other Neutral Draenei, these are less at risk of becoming corrupted by pride. They simply have no reason or desire to fall, but at the same time don't feel the joy of life exemplified by the rest of their society.
Some Lawful Neutral Draenei do cast aside the traditions of the Light, however, and instead fully devote themselves to some other craft, in particular magic. These Draenei, without the dedication to the Light to shield themselves from corruption, find themselves often teetering with pride, and many succumb to it. Their only defense is their dedication and devotion to their art above all else. They would be smart enough to realize that in time, they can become powerful, and that the quick paths offered by demons are unnecessary.
Not all Lawful Neutral Draenei are like this though. Some are just as devoted of the Light and tradition as the best of Lawful Good Draenei. But they have become extremists, crusaders of the Light. These Draenei would slay an orc on sight, with no provocation, not out of vengeance, but out of the desire to see their people protected at all costs. They will torture, maim, and defile their enemies if it is the most expedient way of defending the Draenei people. Most often, these Draenei are fully aware of their evil actions, but believe that the defense and protection of everything that they love and hold dear, and all the good of the world, is worth their personal sacrifices. They see themselves as the unloved defenders, the ones who remain practical so that the rest of their people do not have to share their burden. Generally, these Draenei will sacrifice their lives for the good of their society, because they realize that, eventually, their behaviour will lead to evil and corruption, and that, therefore, they must fully accept the role of selfless defender. They willingly accept being unloved and know that, when the slightest of thoughts of 'why am I doing this with no gratitude?' that it is time that they lay down their lives in one last defense of their people.
* True Neutral: The True Neutral Draenei is the Eredar of old. He has forgotten the Light and has no real particular care for traditions and discipline. What he cares for is merely getting by. He understands and accepts the traditions and good of his people, but has no real desire or reason to engage in it himself.
True Neutral Draenei are at risk of corruption. In place of the Light, they tend to look for other ways to dedicate their time, and, as it was 25,000 years ago, this way is often magic. Without the Light to guard their ambition and stem back the tide of arcane corruption, when they aren't forcing or willing themselves to give to others instead of themselves, these Draenei will become bigheaded and prideful.
True Neutral Draenei have essentially cast aside the Light in exchange for some other goal. Unlike the Lawful Neutral Draenei, however, they are much less dedicated to the path. If there is a more efficient way at realizing their goals, they will seek it. This makes True Neutral Draenei dangerously at risk of corruption. They lack both the dedication to the Light and the willpower to be capable of resisting the lures of darkness, and often fall. Even Chaotic Neutral Draenei are less at risk than True Neutral, because the Chaotic tend to question the offers given to them and are inclined to not go through with their decisions.
True Neutral is often known as 'Neutral Me'. True Neutral Draenei frequently fall to pride, and it takes only a push before 'Neutral Me' becomes 'Neutral Me No Matter the Cost'. The few True Neutral Draenei that exist are prideful but rational, knowing that it is wrong to do evil deeds to increase their power. Few can maintain this rationality over the course of the Draenei lifetime, however, and those who can tend to be Lawful Neutral, rather than True Neutral.
Like the Lawful Neutral Draenei, some True Neutral Draenei are dedicated to the cause of Good, but utilize vile tactics in pursuit of that defense. Unlike Lawful Neutral, they are more likely to lack the necessary strength of will to hold true to their goal in the long run.
* Chaotic Neutral: Chaotic Neutral is perhaps the least likely Draenei alignment. It both casts aside the Light and traditions, and essentially represents the Draenei who is completely at odds with Draenei society. Because of this however, interestingly enough, they are in fact less likely to be corrupted than True Neutral Draenei. Instead of dedicating their life to some art like arcane magic, a Chaotic Neutral Draenei is often at odds with Draenei society to the point of placing the goal of revamping or experiencing new culture and society above all. These Draenei are more likely to engage in activities with the other races, where they can explore the variety of different cultures freely and where they might find lifestyles more in touch with their own desires.
The Chaotic Draenei is essentially the Draenei Explorer. Instead of the Light, instead of the traditions, it is the absolute full use of their multiple-thousand-year lifespan that consumes their attention. These Draenei generally want to see and experience everything. They can take a long time doing it, knowing how long they live, and therefore do not rush things like a human or dwarf explorer might, but the result is the same--a desire to fully experience a very long full life. Such a Draenei does not tend to want to be hunkered down by a single devotion to the Light, and finds themselves utterly bored with the stagnant art and literature of their people.
Unfortunately, this curiosity does represent the biggest risk of corruption to the Chaotic Draenei. In that desire to pursue life's mysteries, eventually the matter of the Burning Legion and the dark arts will come up, and the Chaotic Draenei is usually the most likely to believe that they can handle it without being consumed by it. All they want is a taste, but, frequently, they get more than they bartered for.
===Evil===
Though most Draenei will not admit it, as a whole, their race is, unfortunately, pre-disposed towards evil. The vast majority of the Draenei, of the Eredar, willingly accepted and joined the Burning Legion. The Draenei were the very rare few with the strength of will and the devotion to resist the temptations, and they have survived only because of maintaining that conviction for centuries. They know that the slightest slip, the slightest temptation, risk their complete and utter ruin.
This is because, ultimately, the Draenei are extremists. They fully devote themselves to their goals and, in the past, this meant using unsavory means of advancement. The Burning Legion Eredar still live by this creed, and the Burning Legion is thus run by the order of the survival of the fittest and dog-eat-dog.
A very, very, very few Evil Draenei are working for noble causes. They are the Neutral Draenei who used unsavory tactics but ended up with a net shift towards evil instead of remaining neutral. They know they have crossed the threshold of corruption, but they know there is no turning back. Some feel for instance that only through the Burning Legion can the Burning Legion be ultimately defeated. Ultimately, the end justifies the means, according to them, and they feel that they can and will atone after they have ultimately accomplished their mission. Because the fall to darkness is the absolute worst fate in Draenei culture, the few of these Draenei that exist are the saddest examples of their race. They know exactly what they endure, but endure it still, for the slight, dim glimmer of hope that the evil they do and the evil they are will mean something good in the end, even if only small. They know they are beyond redemption, but believe they must make the ultimate sacrifice for their people. Some of these Draenei cast aside the Light for the Shadow, the belief that by making themselves as powerful individually as possible, regardless of the personal cost, that they can change the world for the better. Almost all are wrong.
In general, Evil is universal among races. At the point that a Draenei has become evil, they are essentially little different from an evil human, or an evil orc. They believe themselves better than others, have few close friends or family, and are willing to do anything no matter the cost in the pursuit of their goal. To elaborate on the different examples of Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic would be unnecessary as it would just be a repeat of the basic definitions of these alignments. The few differences that set some Draenei apart from other evil races are mentioned in the general overview on Evil above.
==Orc==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Troll==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Undead:==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Tauren==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
==Blood Elf==
* Good '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Neutral '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
* Evil '(Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic)
=Class=
Every class is different, and characters may have motives for becoming a certain class. These motives can shape the personality of a character, since every character class has a different outlook on life.
==Death Knight==
* Good
* Neutral 
* Evil
==Druid==
* Good
* Neutral
* Evil
==Hunter==
* Good
* Neutral
* Evil
==Mage==
* Good
* Neutral
* Evil
==Paladin==
* Good
* Neutral
* Evil 
==Priest==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Rogue==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil
==Shaman==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Warlock==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Warrior==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
=Professions=
Even a profession can shape the personality of a character. By choosing a certain profession, and then roleplaying it, you can give an unique twist to your character. Though not every profession suits an allignment best, there are usually ways to play around it.
==Alchemy==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Blacksmithing==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Cooking==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Enchanting==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil
==Engineering==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==First Aid==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Fishing==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Herbalism==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Inscription==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Jewelcrafting==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Leatherworking==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Lockpicking==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Mining==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Riding==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Runeforging==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Skinning==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
==Tailoring==
* Good 
* Neutral 
* Evil 
Category:Guides
Category:Out of character articles