Astonishingly many players of World of Warcraft spend a part of their leisure time in the taverns of Azeroth, immersing themselves in role-playing, enjoying social interaction, and recharging their batteries.
Over the past 20 years, World of Warcraft has been on the brink of destruction several times. And even when no Sargeras wants to ram a huge sword into the planet, a war or conflict is raging somewhere, costing innumerable lives.
As the saviors of the world, it can be quite exhausting to constantly serve a greater purpose for the good of all. It is therefore not surprising that many players in WoW are looking for more mundane activities to unwind and recharge.
A new article on polygon.com reports exactly on these players, which we would like to recommend to you here. Several players from the role-playing community share their experiences, creating special social moments with their communities.
Even in the current WoW Patch 11.1, there are again dangerous conflicts:
The world is burning? First, a beer!
This is how Braumas, the leader of the Order of the Hippogryphs, explains that they chose the tavern in Theramore to hold regular meetings and RP events – even if the larger capitals are of course much better meeting points for social interactions.
In the establishments of Azeroth, one might encounter a player character who is painfully complaining to an insurance adjuster (also played by a WoW hero) that their bakery has been destroyed and they must now justify their claim for payment.
Or, one might hear a veteran of the Third War toasting with his comrades while he loudly contemplates how the scars of countless wars have been seared into his soul. That the Mulgore firewater eventually takes effect in the chat is completely intentional.
It seems that different taverns also attract different types of players. A role-playing fan explains, “What I love about role-playing meet-ups, especially in taverns, is that you can meet all sorts of different characters there. Taverns are so different depending on the city that you always meet different people.”
A great side effect: When a city is populated not only by NPCs but also by player characters who engage in trivial activities or conversations, it exudes much more life and credibility.
Role-playing in The War Within
In designing the new regions of the current expansion The War Within, the Blizzard developers have ensured to provide exactly such retreats for role-playing fans. But also context for the new race of the Earthborn, who forego food intake but have other desires.
Earthborn love visiting the hot springs. Various Earthborn players have incorporated this into their RPG experience. Meanwhile, in the freshly released zone of Undermine, Goblin players flock to the Incontinental Hotel to indulge in the chaotic atmosphere of the green-eared ones and celebrate with their kind.
How about you: Do you sometimes slip into a role in WoW? If so, what has been your coolest RP experience in World of Warcraft so far? Share it in the comments!
Overall, The War Within has brought back some important and correct RPG elements to the MMORPG. At the launch of the expansion, MeinMMO demon Cortyn celebrated this and brought many successful examples: WoW is suddenly a real role-playing game again – and I love it
