So You Want to Play WoW? Pt. 2

Yesterday I went over picking a realm and all of the different types of realms. Today I will continue with creating your first character. Creating your character is extremely important. They will be with you for a long time so take some time to think about what you want. The first thing you should do is pick your class. After all, you wouldn't want to pick a race and later find out that they don't have the class you were hoping to play. When picking your class, think about the role that you think you might want to play. There are three main types of characters.

DPS - DPS'ers do all the damage. The majority of classes are DPS and most of your group will be made up of them.

Tank - Tanks take all the damage. They wear the best armor and also wield a shield. Tanks don't do much damage to their target; their focus is only to keep the target attacking them.

Healer - Healers do exactly what their name implies. They heal the tank and anyone else in the group that needs it. Healers normally don't DPS at all.

Now that you know the different roles, you can decide on your class. Any class can DPS, so if you want to DPS, you just have to decide if you want to be ranged or melee. The ranged classes are Priest, Warlock, Mage, Hunter, Shaman, and some Druids. The melee classes are Warrior, Death Knight, Rogue, Paladin, some Druids, and some Shamans.

Classes that generally tank are Warriors, Paladins, Druids, and Death Knights.

Classes that generally heal are Priests, Paladins, Druids, and Shamans.

Now for a brief overview of each class:

Druid - Druids are shapeshifters and are a hybrid class. They are extremely versatile and are able to take on any role in the group. Druids are able to wear leather and cloth armor. If you enjoy change, a druid might be for you.

Hunter - Hunters do most of their damage with their ranged weapons like bows, crossbows, and guns, and also with their pets. Hunters are very good very leveling because of the use of pets, and because of their survivability. Hunters may be for you if you think you might like controlling a pet and staying back from all the action.

Mage - Mages are master of magic. They use fire, frost, and arcane spells. Mages also have many AoE or area of effect spells. They are also able to open portals for traveling to other cities. Mages wear cloth, however, so they aren't able to survive long in melee combat.

Paladin - Paladins are an extremely strong hybrid class. They wear the best armor and are able to heal themselves. Paladins have very important buffs and auras that are crucial to the group. They use both physical and holy damage on their opponents. A paladin can be very powerful when played right.

Priest - Although priests are great healers, they can also deal out damage while in their shadowform. This is probably the best way to level, but when you get to 80, you will probably be expected to heal. Priests wear cloth armor but can be a nuisance to kill.

Rogue - Rogues are masters of stealth. It is also a class that fights very dirty, with lots of stuns, backstabbing, and poisons. They are very popular for PvP, especially at lower levels. Many times a rogue can take down an enemy player without getting attacked at all.

Shaman - Shamans are an offensive hybrid class that uses totems. Shamans can take many paths to succeed, healing or dealing damage. They are able to wear mail armor at level 40 but generally have mana-inefficient spells.

Warlock - Warlocks are masters of shadow, flame, and demonic power. They have many utility options and can deal out massive damage, depending on their talent build. They can kill their opponents slowly, with a lot of nukes, or with their demons. Warlocks are a very busy DPS class but when played well, can top the DPS charts.

Warrior - The warrior is a tough melee class that can tank very well. They are on the front lines and right in the action. Warriors are very dependent on their gear; a tank with poor gear will go down very quickly. Playing a warrior takes some skill, but they are very strong.

Now that you know a little about each class, make your decision. Don't worry though; if you don't enjoy playing your choice, you can always re-roll and start over. Go with what you enjoy, not the class that seems the best. Nerfs and buffs come and go, so pick something that you enjoy. If you would like to learn more about the different classes, I encourage you to check out Blizzard's Class Guide.

Tomorrow I will talk a little about choosing your race and also naming your character.