They say the first step to recovery is to admit that you have a problem. In this case, I deny the existence of a problem. In fact, being an altaholic is freakin' awesome... in a very geeky and introverted way, of course.
You see, I'm a perfectionist. I like having things set out in a certain order and in a certain way. There is a sense and purpose in total completion - and this has very much affected the way I play video games. All playable characters need to achieve the maximum level, gain all their skills, unlock all their unlockables, and... it can take quite a long time.
So when you consider this necessity within a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, such as World of Warcraft, the problem becomes having too much to do.
But I love it.
Currently, I have 5 characters (or "alts") on my main server that are all level 80 (the current maximum level). They have been levelled with the intention of having as many class, race and roll combinations as possible.
(Seriously, I'm just easing you into it - there are multiple levels of crazy under here).
The Roles
There are three primary roles in World of Warcraft (and typically in MMORPGs):
Damage Dealer
Healer
Tank
Atta is a Priest
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| Priests can be damage dealers by casting Shadow magic, or healers by embracing their Holy or Disciple characteristics. |
Nadala is a Shaman
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| Shaman use the power of the elements to deal Elemental spell damage, Enhancement melee damage, or Restorative healing. |
Dyrim is a Warlock
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| Warlocks deal Afflictions, summon Demons, and employ fire and shadow damage to rain Destruction on their enemies. |
Yraen is a Druid
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| Druids use the Balance of nature to deal spell damage, can shape shift into Feral animal forms to deal melee damage as a cat or defend allies as a bear, and use Restorative healing magic. |
Sigil is a Death Knight
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| Death Knights protect their allies by empowering their Blood, and can deal damage using Frost spells, or summoning Unholy ghouls to do their bidding. |
So, in all that, I have the possibility to have two tanks, three healers and five damage dealers.
When someone asks "Want to come to a raid?" - my response is now always "What do you need?"
That's not to say I'm perfect in each role, and I do favour damage dealing overall - but the point is I have the choice.
"Glory to the-!" ...Wait. Who's side am I on?
In total, there are currently 10 playable classes. With the release of Cataclysm there will be a total of 12 playable races, across two factions. Both factions have different levelling and slightly varying endgame situations based on lore. The battles are the same - but the reasons for them, and the way they are approached, can be very different.
These five characters are all in the Alliance. But, I also have a level 80 Horde character:
Rydian is a Paladin
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| Paladins can cast Holy magic to heal allies, they can also Protect their group with a shield, and deal Retribution to their enemies. |
But the main point of having this character is to experience gameplay that other people don't.
Recently, Blizzard introduced two in-game events - one for each faction - that involved taking back an important location. The Gnomes wanted Gnomeregan back, and the Trolls wanted to retake the Echo Isles. Most of my friends on the Alliance don't have Horde characters, and missed the entire Echo Isles event. This actually annoyed me in a way - because the Echo Isles quest line was actually superior to the Gnomeregan event. Both have now been removed from the game as the content moves closer to the Cataclysm - and so they will never have been able to see or be a part of the epic story.
I told you there was more crazy! But this is what being an altaholic is like.
Enter the Gatherer
Each character can have two primary professions. These allow you to craft useful items, gear, enchantments, but you are limited in what you can have on each character, and most professions require at least one "gathering" profession - that is - of the materials you need to craft the items.
With the Cataclysm expansion over a month away and Wrath of the Lich King basically over - many players are using World of Warcraft as a glorified MSN Messenger between them and their online friends. There is nothing to do.
So, ever the altaholic, I have used the opportunity to sort out my characters once and for all. I used to give each character complimentary professions. A Jewelcrafter needs mining materials, so I would give them mining. An Alchemist needs herbs to create potions, so I give them herbalism.
I recently realised that I had double the number of gatherers I needed, and was missing two or three other professions entirely as a result. I went to work.
Yraen - the druid - can use an ability called Flight Form. Turning into a bird, he can still use other abilities such as herbalism, without breaking the form. It also increases movement speed. Because of this, I have given him both Mining and Herbalism - the two main gathering professions.
Without over dramatising - it has totally changed my life.
I used to hate gathering. I saw it as a nuisance. We give nuisance names to the tasks, like grinding or farming - laborious terms that fit the annoyance of having to do something that doesnt' feel like play - and feels a lot more like work.
Having one character with both professions is such a time saver. I can track both mining nodes and herb plots on my minimap, see where everything can spawn, and I can take it all in half the time. It's satisfying, because there are so many nodes near to each other, but of mining and herbalism materials, I spend more time farming than I do searching.
And because of this, I have been able to completely streamline my other professions.
Sigil has Jewelcrafting and Engineering - both mining related - so I just send all mining materials to Sigil.
Dyrim has Alchemy and Inscription - both herbing related - so I just send all herbalism materials his way.
Atta has Tailoring and Enchanting. Cloth is gathered from all characters so I just send it all to Atta, and then the gear that I make can be disenchanted into enchanting materials. In essence - tailoring is the gathering profession for enchanting.
This has left me room to have two other professions on Nadala. Previously, she had Mining and Jewelcrafting, which meant I had no room for Leatherworking, Skinning or Blacksmithing - and would have had to level another character altogether if I wanted these professions.
This goes totally against The Master Plan (revealed shortly), and was very unproductive. As a Mail wearer, Leatherworking and Skinning seemed like the right choice.
The only profession currently in game that I do not have to the maximum level is Blacksmithing. Sigil is the only character I have who would get use from this, and as he gets all the mining materials anyway, I can simply get what I need crafted from other members of my guild.
By making this change - in my own mind at least - I am completely self sufficient.
And you have no idea how much money you can make. Not only can you craft things to sell to other players, you also spend next to nothing because you don't need to buy things for yourself. All my characters have the flasks, enchants, gems and gear that they need, at no cost through the Auction House.
Some people find that aspect of play boring. Others use business sense to play the auction house. But that's the element of play that *I* find boring. So, each to their own.
The Master Plan
To have one character of each class at maximum level.
(10).
To have each character be a different race.
(10 of 12 - five on each faction).
To be self sufficient in all primary, gathering and secondary professions.
(Blacksmithing / Engineering optional).
People think I'm crazy. I've been told that I must have some kind of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, because I've deleted high level characters that I made if they didn't stick to this plan. It is totally understandable that people don't get it. In some ways, I don't get it myself.
But this is it. This is me. This is how I play computer games, and this is how I choose to engage my World of Warcraft addiction.
Thank you for reading.
David
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