How to RP a Death Knight

Okay, so this is just basically a continuation of https://defiasrp.forumotion.net/registry-f15/a-lichbanes-t185-60.htm

The reasons I made this thread is to get this clarified as well as being tired and wanting something to read.

GO!

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong to play a death knight. If there is some form of creative possess in the works.
But there our a few things I’ve noticed on various alts that I think don’t match the class.

1) seeing death knight happy walking around darnaussess. Which as far as I’m aware would be a death sentence or heavily armoured essocout to get you out.
2) death knights happily praying at the cathedral of light. I could be wrong but death knights being unholy git’s the light being holy. Should be something avoided by the unholy.
3) sitting in a tavern drinking away and chatting happily with people. I think is a no no
4) trying to bluff ic that your not a death knight. Big glowing blue eyes don’t help there.
5) regret seen way to many death knights regret all that they have no control over. As far as I’m currently aware that almost all emotions were bleed out only leaving those that can be used on a battlefield. All so most of these death knights our highly emotional as well.

Ok these our my pet hates that I’ve seen ic.

All though my death knight her self is more akin to a forsaken then her own race but only on appearance.
As she her self is alitary of open sore‘s, festering wounds mixed in with a lattice work of skin and muscle. And that’s not including the insects in her and burrowing in. She her self isn’t a skilled fighter, and only use’s a weapon if there is no alternative. She prefers using her own unholy power to bring the attackers demise by disease’s.

In theory, I don't think it's impossible for a DK to follow the religion of the Church. But I would say wielding the holy light is somewhat... ehm.. walking on thin ice.
As for their emotions, I think they regain some of that, be it quite limited. There is still a shred of the soul left deep down. Consciously they can reflect on their actions or past and notice the conflict of it with what they want today. I suppose that could work as a form of remorse.

So yeah, sitting in a bar chatting happily and chugging beers feels a bit "unfit" for a DK unless he's trying to mimic social behavior. But there would be practically no drive to do this.

I barely see a death knight being RPed correctly anymore. I wouldn't know where to start with counting the mistakes, so I'll just mention the most significant mistake I see almost every death knight RPer doing.

The emotional state of a DK is pretty much void of any feelings apart from the ones left to serve the motivation one must have on a battlefield, along with the notions of regret and thirst for revenge. I recall reading that they do in fact remember how it felt like to be alive and have feelings, but they are no longer capable of harboring any of them.

The amount of DKs strolling around major cities, happily snickering/flirting/ERPing/having a blast in bars/discussing fashion and generally doing everything any normal person between the ages of 15 and 55 would do, is kinda mind blowing. I won't mention how many times I've seen people going even beyond that and RPing their DK as not having died, pregnant or within great emotional distress of having their bf/gf cheat on them It's really not hard to not miss the part about how a DK should be if one takes a brief look at the lore.

Pregnant?
LOL!

A question I'm left with is... do DK's offer a broad RP perspective? By the sound of it, it doesn't look like it.

Let people RP the way they want. If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to RP with them.

Aislin wrote:Let people RP the way they want. If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to RP with them.

Not forcing anyone to do anything and I have never RPed with any DKs apart from a single one at the very start of WotLK, who surprisingly was aware of how DKs should be. It's just a discussion

Aislin wrote:Let people RP the way they want. If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to RP with them.

I don't want to enforce any RP style at all, but everything we chose about our characters in WoW limits and defines the RP we have with them. Race, class, gender, age, etc. they all have basic guidelines that should be respected so that the characters and the lore go hand to hand. Choosing to RP a DK is another limitation or definition you put in your RP, so you should act accordingly, in my opinion. There can, of course, be exceptions, however.

@Mandui I know and I came off to strongly in what I wrote. I was merely making a point. I am just expressing my opinion on it.

@Rentarn Out of sight, out of mind. What I don't see, doesn't bother me. I'm not bothered if people run around in Goldshire RPing vampires and whatnot (although I hope Deathwing will nuke the place from orbit). Your advice is sound advice though if you want to RP with a larger crowd. Most people expect you to behave and act like what you are RPing as (which is defined or at least hinted at in the lore).

Leaina wrote:1) seeing death knight happy walking around darnaussess. Which as far as I’m aware would be a death sentence or heavily armoured essocout to get you out.

I wouldn't say being in any particular city or area should be considered a "no no" for a Death Knight, since they are officially "tolerated" by their respective factions. Just like Warlocks, you can't flaunt your powers without getting a mail boot up your ass, though.

Leaina wrote:2) death knights happily praying at the cathedral of light. I could be wrong but death knights being unholy git’s the light being holy. Should be something avoided by the unholy.

There is absolutely nothing stopping a Death Knight from revering the Light. In fact, the Light is the reason Death Knights have been given true free will again.

Leaina wrote:3) sitting in a tavern drinking away and chatting happily with people. I think is a no no

Again, nothing is stopping a Death Knight from chatting with people. I can see why some (most?) people wouldn't want to speak to a Death Knight unless strictly necessary, but why should this affect the Death Knight's own behaviour? As for drinking, as long as the player remembers Death Knights don't metabolise (don't digest food, process drinks, get drunk, get poisoned, etc) I reckon the Death Knight itself can do whatever the hell he wants to no ill effects.

Leaina wrote:4) trying to bluff ic that your not a death knight. Big glowing blue eyes don’t help there.

While true, I'm sure there's some way to hide that if you are creative. Just saying the "big glowing blue eyes" is a giveaway is what I'd consider meta-gaming. Obviously a Death Knight would be full of necromantic energies however, regardless of their physical state, so you wouldn't be likely to bluff any experienced magic user (Paladins, Mages etc).

Leaina wrote:5) regret seen way to many death knights regret all that they have no control over. As far as I’m currently aware that almost all emotions were bleed out only leaving those that can be used on a battlefield. All so most of these death knights our highly emotional as well.

Mandui wrote:The emotional state of a DK is pretty much void of any feelings apart from the ones left to serve the motivation one must have on a battlefield, along with the notions of regret and thirst for revenge. I recall reading that they do in fact remember how it felt like to be alive and have feelings, but they are no longer capable of harboring any of them.

I find this to be strictly incorrect. Death Knights like Thassarian show that they are more than capable of positive emotions, and while Death Knights as a whole tend to be overwhelmed by hatred, rage, and emotional pain - especially in the form of regret or helplessness - as they progress they develop loyalties beyond the Ebon Blade, a sense of humour, and a spirit of comraderie.

If you want to say that this is all "battlefield motivation", I'd like to remind you that Third Generation Death Knights lacked true free will during their enslavement, and did, in fact, hold no emotions at all at the time. Remember the iconic execution scene in the barracks by the burning chapel? The whole point of that sequence is to emphasize how you, as a Death Knight, retain compassion and mercy inside, but need something powerful enough to set it free - the sight of an old friend on their knees is enough to stop you momentarily, and the power of the Light eventually provides the Ebon Blade the strength to break free completley (if indirectly, by weakening the Lich King).

Merandil wrote:
I find this to be strictly incorrect. Death Knights like Thassarian show that they are more than capable of positive emotions, and while Death Knights as a whole tend to be overwhelmed by hatred, rage, and emotional pain - especially in the form of regret or helplessness - as they progress they develop loyalties beyond the Ebon Blade, a sense of humour, and a spirit of comraderie.

If you want to say that this is all "battlefield motivation", I'd like to remind you that Third Generation Death Knights lacked true free will during their enslavement, and did, in fact, hold no emotions at all at the time. Remember the iconic execution scene in the barracks by the burning chapel? The whole point of that sequence is to emphasize how you, as a Death Knight, retain compassion and mercy inside, but need something powerful enough to set it free - the sight of an old friend on their knees is enough to stop you momentarily, and the power of the Light eventually provides the Ebon Blade the strength to break free completley (if indirectly, by weakening the Lich King).

I was obviously referring to feelings related to sexual attraction, romantic love or even signs of a libido to begin with. I'm aware that DKs aren't exactly a T-1000 sort of thing, yet they can no more behave like teenagers, something that is more often than not encountered in the RP scene.

*rides up on a deathcharger, holding a hand out*

"Come with me if you want to live"

"No problemo.."

But Mandui... What happened to platonic love and a good conversation?

I kid I kid.. please don't shoot me.

Jayse wrote:*rides up on a deathcharger, holding a hand out*

"Come with me if you want to live"

"No problemo.."

My dark knight!

*Swoons*

Also... I like the way Merandil desrcibes this, and when Asphodel (or AssPoodle as she became known) was around I RP'd her thinking of these things... "the acts" of the DK starting zone, having to execute a friend (and the pause, the pause and thought was important) and then her being set free (I always assumed some "recognition" or even "admiration" of the Light was justified for her, as it set her free).

There are 9 other classes that work just perfectly if you want to RP a character that isn't dead in any way. Don't take a shit on the only class in the game that offers some variety by RPing just like normal persons.

Chase wrote:There are 9 other classes that work just perfectly if you want to RP a character that isn't dead in any way. Don't take a shit on the only class in the game that offers some variety by RPing just like normal persons.

"BUT BUT BUT THEY DON'T START AT LEVEL 55!"

Saevir wrote:

Chase wrote:There are 9 other classes that work just perfectly if you want to RP a character that isn't dead in any way. Don't take a shit on the only class in the game that offers some variety by RPing just like normal persons.

"BUT BUT BUT THEY DON'T START AT LEVEL 55!"

"BUT BUT BUT I CAN'T BE SPECIAL THEN : ("

The Special Snowflake factor of playing a DK is over ninethousand. Something I see as a reason why so many are badly rp'd

Imo, DK's can regain (some) feelings as they go along, when they're amongst the living. As I mentioned before.
If they don't then they would still be with the Lich King...

Growing all soft would be too much I think however.
But the DK's who are freed from the Lich King, gained a will of their own and thus are also able to be manipulated into feeling, or accepting the living. People get infected by their environment, that counts for anyone with a will of his/her own. Because they'll constantly get confronted with something else then what they're used to, or used to be.
It should take time and some very good coercion when it comes to DK I think, though.

Also, I repeat that imo it seems pretty possible to not have died before becoming like a DK. Exactly 'cause of the same reasons I just mentioned above. Arthas was a Light obsessed man, but as he came closer to the Frozen Throne and wielded Frostmourne, he lost his pure essence and became the evil we currently know him by. Kel'Thusad, likewise. Before he died and was raised into a lich, he lost his sense and thirsted for power wich corrupted him slowly.
These are just two examples. Another one being Illidan, he became a demon without dieing. Without any further living stuff in him and became corrupted.

So to me, it's clear. It's possible to become heavily corrupted without dieing, therefor a character can lose emotion and only thirst for blood and destructions. The Fel Orcs, another example in this.
Yes, it could be possible to become like a Death Knight, without dieing...

Mandui wrote:I was obviously referring to feelings related to sexual attraction, romantic love or even signs of a libido to begin with. I'm aware that DKs aren't exactly a T-1000 sort of thing, yet they can no more behave like teenagers, something that is more often than not encountered in the RP scene.

While I don't think Death Knights would have a libido, they would probably be capable of emotional attachment and romantic love... To a degree. I think that, like a Succubus, they are capable of these things, but in their own way. A twisted, often morally reprehensible way. But yes, you're definately right that most people take their obsessive romance/libido way too far when Roleplaying Draenei.... Uh, Death Knights, yes. That's what I meant. >_>

I'm sure they could make themselves have sex though if it would further their goals. There's plenty of necrophiles out there evidently.

Merandil wrote:But yes, you're definately right that most people take their obsessive romance/libido way too far when Roleplaying Draenei....

*eyes signature*

I know exactly what you mean..

Aislin wrote:I'm sure they could make themselves have sex though if it would further their goals.

Definately. They just wouldn't have a drive to have sex for any conventional reason.

Mandui wrote:*eyes signature*

I know exactly what you mean..

That's not what I meant ><

The whole blue eyes and level 55 stuff, Is the very reason i've never had a cap leveled Death Knight..

..I'M UNHOLY BUT MY EYES ARE BLUE!?

Lukeian/Natelda wrote:The whole blue eyes and level 55 stuff, Is the very reason i've never had a cap leveled Death Knight..

..I'M UNHOLY BUT MY EYES ARE BLUE!?

Think they go orange in Cata? :p

I haven't done any RP on my DK, nor can I really remember much about the staring quests, but this topic has made me curious. Where are people getting their official information on how a Death Knight should behave?

There are many grand 'DKs should do this' and 'DKs shouldn't do that' and 'you are doing it wrong' statements in this thread, and I have to wonder where your sources for all this factual information is coming from. Extrapolated from quests? A primer on the characteristics of Death Knights written by Metzen? Or simply a perception of the general concensus?

Basically, how much of what has been said here can be backed up by official lore (point to it please), and how much is simply how you would like things to be?

'Most DKs are RPed wrong' is a really bold statement.

Edit: If anyone is going to indulge me and provide sources to back up their views, please state if the source relates specifically to the Death Knights that we play.