Talk:Guide to RP an Evil Character

Esme
I've always felt like adding something to this guide as my main character is evil, but haven't had the time previously, so here goes.

Two common things I have noticed recently with some people who RP "evil" is that they are often completely over-powered, and that they see little problem with wandering around being evil and despicable in public. When you combine the two of these, it makes for somewhat frustrating roleplay for others.

I RP Esme as a witch, and a very powerful one, but I made a decision very early on with her to play her as a "traditional" witch, like the type you might see in a children's story. She has a cat, a cauldron, a pointy hat, even a broomstick (which try as she might she can't get to fly). This means that her most potent magic is very, very based on ritual, a bit risky and tends to go wrong from time to time. You don't see her chucking shadowbolts around in combat or turning people into frogs, but a lot of her magic relies heavily on psychological trickery and manipulation of people. Also, even though she's an evil character, she doesn't wander about Silvermoon trying to kill the guards in an attempt to take over the city. Instead, she sucks up to the guards, behaves like a model citizen, and does her evil business when no-one is looking.

Try to think in terms of how things happen in the real world. Doing bad things have serious consequences and you don't want to advertise to all and sundry that you're doing them. A friend of mine is currently RPing a murderer and is doing a great job of it because he is trying to keep his crimes a secret. His character is loathesome and cruel, but is also capable of being charming, gentle, brave and caring- which is precisely what makes him so dangerous. He isn't going to wander around the city being outwardly sinister.

There's also the importance of context. A bunch of Forsaken characters who want to help the Apothecaries with the new plague might discuss their intentions in each other's company, but it's unlikely they'd talk about it in front of a Tauren who sympathises with their plight and wants to help find a cure for their condition. I see people declare things like "I shall kill every blood elf I see!" in the middle of Silvermoon. That's like waving a sword in the middle of Glasgow screaming "I shall kill every Scotsman I see!" It just doesn't make for convincing evil RP.

Most bad people you're likely to realistically encounter in the real world come into your life under the guise of friendship. From con artists to manipulative friends to corrupt politicians, right up to dictators, they will act like your best buddy whilst secretly screwing you over. Nobody wanders around outwardly advertising how evil they are, because most people find evil abhorrent- including evil people! Fascist dictators throghout human history didn't commit genocide because they knew they were evil and revelled in it. They did it, and continue to do it because they can justify their heinous deeds to themselves and to others: "It's for the good of the country", "They took our land and our jobs", "They were infidels", "They were terrorists". Mafia bosses don't have people killed because of the sheer joy of commiting a crime. They do it because it's business as usual to them.

Playing an evil character is a lot of fun, and is very liberating. But it's also pretty hard to do it convincingly. I hope that this hasn't put off potential criminals and evil doers, but I do hope it'll make them think seriously about what motivates their character and how they present themselves publically.

Zenmaru
another important point for RPing an evil character is having a past, a backstory.

Psychopaths are rarely born, they are created.

for instance Zenmaru used to be a moraly sound person, just wanting to live, eventually the strain of Armos' plans began to take their toll on Zen, but after Armos' died, he left his entire legacy to Atara, this drove Zenmaru off the edge, he never blamed Atara for what happened but soon he gained control and ran the coven into the ground to prove his point, before disbanding it entirely. Now he uses psychological warfare to manipulate and break people, if need be he'll cut them down, but he has only average skill for an assassin.

his reason for his persona is Armos' theft of what was rightfully his in Zenmaru's opinion, then the death of his nephew, A psychopath can kill as effeciently with words as they can with blades, plus that way there's no evidence.

Mewis
I think that evil characters should work on their character development & depth. (not as accusation, but I meant this as a general remark, since I think it is maybe even more important when you play an evil character.)

You say that there are so many follow-the-rules people, but my experiences - at least so far, I see this is an old guide and I have only been playing for 3 months, so maybe people read your guide and made their characters evil? ;) - are the other way around. The general joe I meet on the streets or in the pub are more often neutral to evil characters than pure-hearted ones. Which isn't really to blame for since we're in a world at war lead by a corrupt state, I suppose. And sometimes you make enemies and you can't do anything about it. (at least, Mewis sure isn't trying but she's doing pretty "well")

Esme
A Guide to injecting some realism into non-game lore sueprnatural characters:

Despite the fact that there is no in game lore to support 'traditional' vampires and werewolves, people seem to love RPing them. So I thought it might be an idea to implore the blood sucking babes of Lolshire/ Silvernoob et al to maybe inject a little bit of realism into their RP.

Vampires: Firstly, the only "vampires" in WoW lore are the Dreadlords such as Varimathras, and there is no ingame evidence that they go around biting people and turning them into vampires. Whilst there is no in game evidence to support vampires, there is some to suggest you could play a vampiric character without it being contrary to lore and... well... ridiculous. Shadow Priests, for example, have Vampiric Embrace and Vampiric Touch that suck the life from people. Warlocks have Drain Life. So whilst it would be against lore to RP these classes as blood-suckers, you could feasibly play them as vampiric creatures that feed on other people's energy (of course, this is assuming you actually have a clue and aren't going to bounce around Stormwind typing "./e casts a powerful spell and beings to suck the life from you").

For all you cyb0rz fans out there (reprezent, yo!) there's also the more 'realistic' and saucy approach that drinking people's blood is an established fetish. So whilst your character might not 'need' blood to surivive, they do need it to...umm... well... get off.

Werewolves: The worgen in Duskwood, Silverpine and Ashenvale are NOT humans that were bitten and turn into wolves at the full moon. They are a race of beings from another dimension that were unleashed upon Azeroth by a variety of bampots. Once again, there is no in-game evidence of the Michael Jackson/Ginger Snaps-type werewolf.

So, whilst it would be against lore to RP a werewolf, there is nothing wrong with RPing a lycanthrope. Clinical Lycanthropy is a real mental illness which causes the patient to beleive they have turned into or can turn into an animal, and causes them to act accordingly. So whilst your character believes he or she is a wolf, and snarls and snaps at people, they are actually just crazy.

Of course, I never understood why people just didn't roll druid or shaman if they wanted to play a character that could shapeshift into animal form but... meh.

Saun
This is a great guide!! I always wanted to make an evil char, but the thing is...I don't want him/her to end up dead before I get known by anyone. xD The only way to get a decent reputation as a bad boy/girl is to injure/kill someone, and it's hard to come by someone who will let you actually hurt them. And as for the "It's boreing when the evil guys always win" Thing, it's boreing when the good guys always win too. :P I've had issues with annoying things like this... once on my "troublemaker" of a rogue, I was trying to enter some battle grounds so I could get this dagger I wanted, but this paladin came up to me and pretty much placed me under arrest for trying to enter a battleground at 14 years old. I went along with it and rped with him, but seeing as I was low level (About level 20 by then), my armor didn't look almighty, and I didn't look like an intimidateing guard or something. My char starts a fight with him, and suddenly, I can't hurt him.. at all... because he wears armor and has a big sword, and I use daggers and wear leather.... he is invincable... then he straps this medal around my neck and says it can't be removed and will be recognised by Battlemasters so you cannot enter the battleground. o_O People like this piss me off, and I see just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to many of them to count. Thing is, everyone has that idea that good (just because it is pure and your corrupt) can just WTFPWN evil..xD SO, my point in this story, (Even though my rogue isn't very evil yet, but an example is an example) How the freaking hell do you stay alive on an evil char with so many damn "OMFGWTFPWN" Heroes out there? I mean... rogues can't kill people who wear armor? Come on.. ya think the armor would slow them down, but it never does.. >.>;