Breakfast Topic: What does your class choice say about you?
by Antoinette Smith 
Oct 10th 2010 at 8:00AM
One night after an Ulduar achievements run, some guildies started chatting about their out-of-game hobbies. The discussion changed when one of our best DPSers, a hunter, confessed to being a "theater geek."
"See, I never would have pegged you for a theater guy," one guildie said.
"Why not?" the hunter asked.
"Because you play a hunter!"
"Yeah," my husband chimed in, "you can usually tell what group a person hung out with in high school based on their class. Warlocks are goth. Warriors are jocks. Druids are hippies ..."
I laughed at the list of stereotypes, but it got me to thinking: What does my class choice say about me? My main is a retribution paladin. Outside of the game, I am a deeply religious person, and I love the idea of a holy warrior who uses divine power to smash the faces of world-threatening evils and protect those who can't protect themselves. If Earth were suddenly thrown into Azerothian-style conflict, I would readily enlist as a paladin. My main is a good reflection of who I really am.
I could say the same thing for my husband. His characters (a holy paladin main and an arcane mage raiding alt) are both ranged roles. Outside of the game, he is a very behind-the-scenes kind of guy. He hates being in the spotlight. While he loves to help people and participates in a lot of group activities, it's never in a center-stage role. He is more than content to stay in a group support position both in and out of game.
What about you, fellow WoW Insider readers? What does your class and/or spec say about you? Is it a manifestation of who you are out of game or completely opposite?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 18)
Tapukimastra Oct 10th 2010 8:06AM
I'm an atheist Retribution Paladin. No idea what that says about me :p
Aysia Oct 10th 2010 8:29AM
Seconded!
kakabeckia Oct 10th 2010 10:12PM
My main is a Demonology Warlock and my alts are almost all healing priests who moonlight as shadow. I'm an atheist who loves classical music and middle aged psychology major ;)
Joe Oct 10th 2010 2:25PM
Thirded!
Krz Oct 10th 2010 9:17AM
It says you believe in 'good' in general. Don't have to be religious for that.
humanatees Oct 10th 2010 9:33AM
means you're a godless blood elf paladin more than likely.
I'm blunt and straightforward, fury warrior.
Tapukimastra Oct 10th 2010 9:34AM
I'm fine with that then :p
Noyou Oct 10th 2010 9:37AM
It's certainly an interesting topic for discussion. Many paladins in game are douches. And that is coming from someone who has a paladin tank as my main. I wish Paladins had a bonus rep that they gained or lost depending on their actions in game. most notably losing it for attacking opposite faction lowbies or NPC's. To say your class has anything to do with your real life persona is arbitrary at best.
prenden2 Oct 10th 2010 10:06AM
Atheist *Holy* paladin, reporting for duty!
Zaniac Oct 10th 2010 10:27AM
Add another atheist paladin to the list.
On one had I really like the premise of the article, although I would comment that it's not the religious aspect that would be center front with paladins. It would be the desire to do good, do things the right way, and be helpful.
On the other hand, this is of course simply an exercise in astrology.
Pure psychology.
Everyone has an aspect of everything in them, and will be able to associate themselves with anything, if the description is worded the right way.
It's still amusing how obvious some of the choices seem to be, though :)
Bronwyn Oct 10th 2010 10:32AM
My fiance is also an atheist paladin, and I think he likes it because he gets sort of a weird thrill out of the idea of an atheist paladin as a character.
Moeru Oct 10th 2010 10:37AM
In character my human female paladin is as nonreligious as can be. Rude, arrogant, condescending. She's also a lesbian, and doesn't like the stiffs who are in charge of the various Argent organisations.
As for me, I'm Atheist, more or less. But I play a lot of class. Only ones I haven't played are mage and priest. Not sure what says about me besides that I'm not adept at clothies. I think the personalities I develop for my characters shows more how I am (which I don't always do to RP. Just I like storytelling)
I think what defines me the most is the fact I like tanking. Generally speaking, tanks come off as more protective and have leadership qualities. Healers like to help others and save them, and rarely do things for their own benefit. DPS act on their own and depend on tanks and healers to do great things.
Of course, having said this, in the later hours of Wrath's life, we've seen this throw out the window and now tanks are prima donnas, healers are bitchy and DPS idiots who think they don't need any help from no one.
flint Oct 10th 2010 10:54AM
Atheist healing priest here.
TonyMcS Oct 10th 2010 11:04AM
I'm an athiest Troll Fire Mage, Boomkin/Tree Druid, Belf Tankadin, Belf DK, Tauren BM Hunter and two Belf priests Disc/Holy/Shadow.
This seems to suggest multiple personality disorder.
Or perhaps it says more about me that I'm Horde ;-)
Sainthubbins Oct 10th 2010 2:05PM
Yet another atheist Holy Paladin reporting. There seem to be an awful lot of us...
Luci Oct 10th 2010 11:24AM
Humanates made me lol.
sardai Oct 10th 2010 11:45AM
@prenden2
ROCK ON! ATHIEST HOLY PALLIES UNITE
but seriously, i would be a blood elf pally. if i see power, ill take it and *may* do the right thing
chaotic nuetral and all that
Grumpy Wow Guy Oct 10th 2010 1:49PM
My main is a healing priest. I am also an atheist.
I also don't play gnomes, the most atheistic race.
To REALLY understand correlations between personality and classes, I would eschew any religious connotations.
I WOULD recommend taking a look at the different forum postings for posts relating to specific classes. i.e.:
Priest: "in my opinion, this spec is particularly... Etc"
Rogue: "OMG WTF UR sUCh A NUB"
These aren't actually quotes but I think you will all find these to be typical.
Elmouth Oct 10th 2010 12:27PM
I play Paladin because I don't like depending on others.
I can heal if needed, I can tank if needed, I can dps if needed and I can solo almost anything.
I have an 80 of every other classes, but my pally was my first and I always come back to it.
Mrs. Dawkins Oct 10th 2010 12:32PM
Atheist healing priest here. I like helping people. You don't need to buy into religion to feel that way.