A vegan character, and other self-imposed boundaries
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 18th 2007 at 2:06PM
I really like Pinkywinky's idea that she posted over on the forums-- she's running her character as a vegan, which means no meat (she's a mage, so she only eats her own conjures), no killing of non-hostile animals, no leather wearing (again, as a clothie, no real problem with that), and no attacking anything that doesn't attack her. Of course, that doesn't fit the strict definition of vegan, but you get the idea-- she's giving herself her own boundaries inside the game world, and challenging herself to stay within them.We've seen players do this before (the naked troll is probably the most well-known example), and it's fascinated me every time. WoW is not really a tough game, and so there's all kinds of ways you could make it harder or set up an interesting challenge, either for roleplaying reasons or just to keep it fun. I've always wanted to try play the game without ever talking to anyone at all-- that means no quests, no training, no groups (no talking to players either), no repairs (I'd have to just wear drops as I got them), and no professions. It would be really tough-- I'd probably have to make an exception on the training thing, no matter which class I chose, but I think it would be possible, and it would definitely give a new bent to the game.
Have you ever gone without in WoW, just to see if you could?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Attapooch Jul 18th 2007 2:46PM
Everyone knows that the only real Vegans are the Level 5 Vegans.
Level 5 Vegans won't eat anything that casts a shadow.
Keysdawg Jul 18th 2007 3:39PM
"Have you ever gone without in WoW, just to see if you could?"
Sure have. My main is a 70 Hunter, and I decided to roll a new Draenei Huntress and level her without any Talent points and only using the drops she gets. No AH, no trading, and no help from the 70 as far as gear or consumables. Working out well, she's level 35 now and sadly, still does more damage than some of the other classes in dungeons.
SeanKReynolds Jul 18th 2007 3:15PM
My Forsaken warlock doesn't eat meat, for the RP reason (no, I'm not on a RP server) that it "interferes with his spells for some reason." No meat food, no meat food for buffs (no mana fish! no buffing food except omelettes!), no using cannibalize. I have a bank bag full of various nonmeat foods (including some nice ones from outland like Edible Stalks, before a patch made them soulbound and my other characters couldn't send them to him).
He still kills whatever he wants because he's an evil demon-loving warlock....
Shiro Jul 18th 2007 3:15PM
I'm currently doing this with a few of my characters. Finding a challenge to stick with, that is.
For RP reasons, my new BE Rogue is not going to wear any armor that doesn't look "elegant" enough. Pants are completely out, as is anything that makes her look "frumpy". Only the coolest looking, and most revealing robes will do for her. She's also obcessed with curved blades, so nothing of hers will ever be a straight edged blade, this means that she's awfully selective about her swords and daggers. It's really not much of a hardship though. She only loses the stat/armor bonuses from her shoulders and her chest armor, and has to be selective about her weapon.
My warrior is also doing something similar. He's taken a vow to never wear chest or shoulder armor so that he doesn't cover up his rippling orcish man-muscles. He also refuses to use anything that's not bladed (no maces, staves, etc.), and no bows, guns or crossbows (dishonorable).
Eventually he'll go fully into the Fury playstyle and will eschew the use of his 2-hder, but at the moment he's stuck with it due to his low level. :)
Shiro Jul 18th 2007 3:17PM
Forgot my other one. I'm playing a duo with my SO, and we've decided to make twin warlocks. As such, they're not allowed to wear anything different from each-other. Thus, most of what they wear is either crafted, or bought from the AH well in advance so that we can make sure we've got two of them by the time they get to the level to use it.
They're hysterical to play as. People run by all the time and then they do a double take as they realize that we're completely identical. :)
terry Jul 18th 2007 3:20PM
What about leveling without completing any quests?
Shinagani Jul 18th 2007 3:25PM
I always thought it would be fun to make a character that never repairs or buys new items. So your only upgrades would be random drops and quest items. I just thought it would be neat because you wouldn't necessarily be able to dump your old item if you got an upgrade because you may need the old one if the upgrade’s durability runs out. I just rolled a lvl 7 Human Paladin, and I think he’s going to get the treatment whenever I get bored of grinding my main.
Rax Jul 18th 2007 3:33PM
I wonder if it's possible to get to level 60 (maybe 70), without KILLING anything at all. There are plenty of quests that are just retrieve quests, or w/e.
Btw, being in a group and just leeching doesn't count. I mean actually never participating in the death of a mob or player of any kind.
That would be very hard I think, if not impossible.
Heraclea Jul 18th 2007 3:41PM
I haven't done anything quite this extreme. But on both alliance and horde sides, I have characters that are compulsive explorers. As soon as they enter a zone, they will explore every speck of territory it contains, regardless of the level of the critters there. They raid Orgrimmar at level 15 to take in the sights, and Undercity for the history. Helllloooooo, Seradane!
All of my Alliance characters after my first have taken a solemn oath never to take any quests or run any instances in Westfall or Redridge. We also don't run instances in Dun Morogh, either, but that goes without saying. One of them uses the names of places there as cusswords.
Avonturier Jul 18th 2007 3:41PM
I'v once read on the forums about a guy who actually tried what you propose here, he even threw out his HS and started out in enemy territory to make it more hardcore :) It was quite some time ago, I can't remember how far he got...
@4 That sounds like so much fun! :) What names did you choose?
sarah Jul 18th 2007 3:58PM
i don't like killing the innocent pixeled critters running around. bunnies, squirrels, snakes...but sometimes when you use a spell that causes damage to anything around you, those critters fall victim. my characters cry for them.
also, i like dressing up my characters. i'm addicted to the AH! i'll buy them a complete outfit set. right now, my BE hunter is wearing all of the prospector's clothes, my red head BE pali is wearing the battleforge armor set (really beautiful! i think i posted a pic in thottbot under battleforge armor), and my NE druid is working on getting the complete voodoo set. she has the mask and robes right now. i also like to dress my cloth wearers in robes, so my mages and warlocks all must wear dresses. they look silly in pants!
as for the rest of the gear, i won't buy it if it's ugly, or doesn't match what they are wearing.
i also have a NE hunter that i haven't been playing with for a while. i made her all white. white, hair, white skin, and when i turned lvl 10, i walked all the way to ironforge to get a white kitty as my pet. and then i started collecting white or white-ish clothes for her. as she is now, i left her in a white/grey-ish outfit with blood red gloves. i also bought her a white cat carrier pet, and if i ever level her up, she'll ride around on her white kitty mount, with her 2 other white kitties running behind her. i've noticed other people with all white geared characters running around as well.
seth Jul 18th 2007 4:00PM
I purposely slaughter every critter that crosses my path, on all my characters. I have long considered writing a plugin to tally the kills.
km Jul 18th 2007 4:07PM
Why not do what they do in rogue-likes (and I'm not talking about the class)? Once you die, that's it. No resurection. No spirit healer. Dead as a doornail. Makes you really careful.
Baluki Jul 18th 2007 4:24PM
This reminds me of a hilarious thread I read a long time ago (which I saved so I could share it). I'll share it here:
Thread Title: Add more Kosher food to the game
Joe (lvl 1 NE Warrior):
It sucks not being able to eat a lot of commonly available food due to it being pork or shellfish.
Dralsa:
Have an apple.
And this has nothing to do with this forum at all.
Joe:
Yes it does. There are some useful foods made by cooking, yet I cannot consume them because they are non-kosher.
Cowslip:
If you weren't a lvl1 alt, I might actually be inclined to take this seriously. As it is?
I think they need to get rid of alcohol in the game, because it sets a bad example. Or at least get rid of the beneficial effects after the drunkness wears off. MADD needs to get involved in this!
Camael:
how about no. many of us like that aspect of the game and it's good for RP (for those who do try to RP)
Dralsa:
Welcome to the wide world of Koshered eating.
Anklegank:
My brother was killed by a mugger with a knife. All sharp weapons need to be removed from the game.
Palehoof (MVP):
I'm not aware of any Judaic tradition in Azeroth. Is your faith in the real world such that you are not allowed to simulate eating foods which are not kosher?
How does your Rabbi feel about all the, you know...murder?
Anklegank:
Maybe he just spends his time in the AH?
Camael:
or in the woods, hugging a tree
Palehoof:
Boo, Anklegank. Bad form.
Must..resist...laughing...
Cowslip:
ROFL!!!!
And yes, I was just kidding about the alcohol. :D
Dralsa:
Well, this topic is thoroughly owned already.
...and then, I think it was locked.
ian Jul 18th 2007 4:56PM
"so she only eats her own conjures"...
there's something really nast about that statement.
Jason Jul 18th 2007 5:06PM
Hardcore leveling has already been done. A guy did 1-70 with a warrior, naked and bare-knuckled, hopped up on alchemical concoctions consuming nothing but meat.
Translation: 1-70 wearing no armor, using no weapons. Tradeskill items were allowed, and were Alchemy/Herbalism. I think he might have had a couple other things. After that, not much would really impress me.
Jim H. Moreno Jul 18th 2007 5:21PM
Of course! It's a clasic RP tool to employ, and when done correctly and with flair, can help make an excellent character.
For example, I only recently passed the level 60 mark with my Troll Priest, fully RP'd in the whole voodoo fashion. How did he 'go without'? He did not own nor ride a mount until reaching level 60 and entering the Outlands. That's right; other than using public transportation, he walked and / or ran for a full 60 levels anywhere he went. Now that he has reached the Outlands, the loa spirits have seen fit to provide him with a spirit guide as a mount to help him in his new adventures. Ya, mon!
xcb Jul 18th 2007 7:12PM
This makes me want to reroll on an RP server. You guys are neat.
grutar Jul 19th 2007 4:02AM
There was another WOW insider story about making in game death more meaning full. So I created a Tauren shaman, Nevere, with the idea that if he died once the character would be deleted.
Nevere got to level 16 before dying at the hands of some centaurs, jackels and raptors in the Barrens.
It does add a bit more tension when you do the quests.
WiiFTW Jul 18th 2007 9:31PM
Heh, try being vegetarian or vegan in REAL life. Me, I'm vegetarian, but its easy because I get good vegetarian Indian food at home. I never really though about adding extra rules into the game...in other words, putting useless restrictions on random activites...reminds me of my parents ;)