Breakfast Topic: Ignoring achievements for roleplay reasons
by Michael Gray 
Apr 3rd 2009 at 8:00AM
This is Bedrock. He is what many might call "Achievement obsessed." (Yes, I know, there's a slightly different word most folks use, but this is a family blog.) He's the kind of chap who's run Stratholme about five million times, desperately hoping for the Baron's horse to drop. And yeah -- he's even on his way to the "Insane" title.But among Mr. Rock's tour of Azeroth, there's one achievement that he just can't bring himself to do. Yes, my friends, Bedrock is not yet DEHTA'S Little PEHTA.
Bedrock is a Hunter on a roleplay server. He likes to roleplay, even if he doesn't spend every moment of every day full of "yea verily" and "thee" and "thou." But he identifies with his character, and generally tries to achieve some level of immersion. And whether the DEHTA crowd is a joke or not, he just can't bring himself to do war against his personal idol. Mr. Nesingwary is somewhat a hero for Bedrock, and collecting the ears of Hemet's friends just doesn't seem right.
So, for roleplay reasons, Bedrock has ignored the DEHTA achievement, even though he's also one of the Achievement hounds. What about you? Is there any quest out there you refuse to do, because it just doesn't seem to line up with your character?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Chris M Apr 3rd 2009 8:06AM
Interesting question - No quest comes to mind off the top of my head, but I know some people weren't fond of the 'torture' and 'interrogation' quests in Wrath.
Xavia, my disc priest, loved them to death (pun).
Julie Apr 6th 2009 3:47PM
It is interesting. I, for one, was happy to kill Nesingwary's cronies. My only regret, is I could not off the old chap himself ;p
But one achievement that made me think twice was the Wolvar/Oracle rep achievements in the Basin. Currently working on doing Mercenary of Scholazar. And to be honest, if it weren't an achievement, I would never work for the Volvar :/ The Oracles are really nice, and have been very understanding of the volvar interlopers. But the volvar like to harm the oracles anyway, even though it's their land and have tried to be friends.
Well, I suppose the only achievement I refuse to do for RP reasons, is the bloodsail one. I will not become a pirate and kill Bouty Bay bouncers, no matter how many points it's worth. (of course, this might have more to do with wanting to step in bouty bay :p)
Molly Apr 3rd 2009 1:23PM
My character, a tauren druid who collects pets, refuses to do any of the 'Pest Control' achievements. I've never killed a critter and I refuse to start now :P
She doesn't have the 'Shave and a Haircut' achievement either, but that's because I'm stubborn and want everyone to know I love my braids!
Andy Apr 3rd 2009 2:39PM
Never completed the DEHTA'S quest hub on any of my toons.
Even in a fantasy game I don't want anything to do with an organization that mirrors a real life, wacko, terror supporting group of inept fanatics.
Hugh "Nomad" Hancock Apr 6th 2009 6:52AM
Yep, they were the ones that immediately sprang to mind, particularly "The Art Of Persuasion" (which I still think shouldn't have been let through QA and into the game at all).
Tripedius Apr 3rd 2009 8:07AM
I have too much respect for my fellow paladins to fight them. So it's no paladin versus paladin (pvp) for me. Just wouldn't be right. Ergo no pvp achievements either.
SarahTheGnome Apr 3rd 2009 8:13AM
Nope. There are some things that just aren't really in tune with your RP, and will never be. My char isn't the hero kind in many ways, but she will raid. A boss kill can never be IC because then you attribute one of the Alliance/Horde greatest victories to your own char. Raids on capitals can be construed as IC with a bit of effort, but then you would have to make up some kind of reason why the boss is there again a few minutes later. So to me they are not IC. If every quest was treated as being IC, all the draenei would be 'The One' for example, again, not very likely.
So I never not do anything for RP reasons, since I choose what is just normal gameplay for me (raids, quests, achievements, etc) and what is actually in tune with my char.
Regise Apr 3rd 2009 8:15AM
Dog is always man's best friend, and my dog's name is Stanley, so...I just can't bring myself to do the quest where you have to kill Stanley!
Alexandrite Apr 4th 2009 10:55AM
I have a cat named Stanley, and I can't kill the dog in game either! :)
The Hammer Apr 3rd 2009 8:15AM
Yeah, there's tonnes of achievements (and quests) I won't do because of my character's personality and beliefs. Which is why I don't have that many achievement points.
Catiya of Feathermoon Apr 3rd 2009 8:15AM
Nice representation of RP. /sarcasm
If I had a hunter, I think I'd probably skip the DEHTA achievement as well, but I've not forgone any achievements for RP reasons yet!
sinthar Apr 3rd 2009 8:21AM
as a competely immoral mage, no - i have no problems torturing, killing, maiming, stealing, handling stolen goods, decieving, battering helpless slaves etc etc, with NPC's. With other players he is honest, reliable and trustworthy. (its fun playing a chr with a jeckel and hyde personality disorder!).
But he intensly dislikes PVP (doesnt fit his image of nice to players nasty to NPC's), hence he also has no PVP achievements, even tho he is reguarded as achievement 'obsessed'
My alt a paladin, does have a few issues. However he is a pragmatist and will do whatever it needs to obtain his ends (to him the goals justify the 'means' even if they are personally distasteful) But then he is a tank, so complicated moral philosophy is probably a bit beyond his often battered brain, much like why boxers rarely quit the sport and take up say advanced algebra. However if theres a screaming woman in need of help - he jumps in, the mage however says 'oh your husbands dead?' then looks to see what valubles are 'vunerable'
MUHAHAHAHAHAHA
Tyeton Apr 3rd 2009 1:45PM
Richard from LFG Cominc was the first character I thought of after reading your post...lol...nice! I love Richard!
sinthar Apr 6th 2009 3:44AM
Hehe yeah , he was a bit of a hero to my mage. The style is hard to recreate in wow but yeah i have ' FOR PONY!!!' as a battlecry macro'd :)
I also had a horde lock called riccy :)
thegreedyturtle Apr 3rd 2009 8:22AM
Make Love not Warcraft.
Axolotl Apr 3rd 2009 8:39AM
You can always roleplay that one if your character has a bit of a sadistic nature and likes to play with his/her victims (like Richard from LFGcomic)
Aigarius Apr 3rd 2009 8:26AM
I despise DEHTA (not for RP reasons, I just do IRL) and refuse to complete that achievement. Luckily, it is possible to get the tundra zone achievement without doing DEHTA quests.
Kryxx Apr 3rd 2009 3:52PM
I wasn't aware that DEHTA was a real thing...
sidhedevil Apr 3rd 2009 8:27AM
Funnily enough, I won't do DEHTA'S Little P.I.T.A either. Take your tree-hugging hippie ways back to Darnassus where they belong! :P
Jehanne Apr 3rd 2009 10:44AM
Heh, I'm the exact opposite. After having to witness or do on alts he constant slaughter of wild cats in Stranglethorn, I was happy to turn the tables with my main.
Love how actually admitting that there are other beings on the planet besides us is 'hippy' No, it's just truth, and in the end, they'll be here when we're long gone.