Why does everyone have to be a hero?

[JacobusRex]

Let me state before everyone else, this is just an observation, not a complaint.

So, your average joe or everyday ellen somehow survived the repeated catastrophes that have rocked the world. They don't really know why all this is happening beyond the stories they might hear from foreigners passing through town or from hear-say. So this person wasn't born with midichlorians or blessed by some alien superpower, they're just your average joe or everyday ellen. However, they want to do something to help, something important, not just collecting scrap with their little red wagon so to speak.

The thing is, they weren't born with midichlorians or empowered by something. So what are their options really?

Option 1: Join the faction army and get sent to die in droves as cannon fodder? (I mean we all saw what happened to those poor souls who went to the broken isles to face the legion, it was an absolute waste of life for both factions, the worst military strategy ever... throw everything you have against an endless legion of battlehungry demons and monsters? Yeah, screw you Wrynn / Vol'jin)

Option 2: Join some mercenary force and get thrown in jail or die in battle against self-righteous lawmen of Stormwind or the savage loyal-or-die warbands of Orgrimmar? (I mean, despite Garrosh making it popular, that's how it's always been even when Thrall reigned and Varian was a total Gaddafi throughout Cata and MoP.)

Option 3: Take your savings, pick up a sword, shield, spear, dagger, gun, bow or xbow, go out and kill some things and probably get crushed, ravaged and/or eaten by some beast or murdered by any one of a thousand different things?

I mean sheesh, either you'd think the Colleges of Magic, the Priesthoods, the Knights/Warbandiers, the Rangers/Huntsmen, what have you, would be a little more important in this universe or at least our peoples would have a little more presence in this lore since not everyone is a born-hero. I mean it gets old being told that I'm some Archmage, Netherlord, Highlord and all that shit when I don't really do anything special. I mean, if we could become like Khadgar, Thrall, Darion, etc with enough effort, that'd be one thing but we're all just an army of heroes, which means we're not special at all. >.>

Is it just me or is there really nothing left of substance to this game and universe? If you're not born to be a "hero" then you're cannon fodder. That just doesn't make sense. I thought this was medieval / high fantasy, not Star Wars.

[OIS]

You don't have to be a hero. You can live an ordinary life, there are NPC's living in towns minding their own business, you know. It's just that MMO's are not a good way to highlight the lives of ordinary people.

Lorewise, you aren't probably looking for keys in felstalker shit when you are the Ashbringer or something. If it bothers you so very much, you can roleplay your character as a mediocre person.

[anaxie]

Because in the 21st century everyone gets a participation trophy for being a failure.

[Super Kami Dende]

If I wanted to roleplay a regular civilian, I would just not play Videogames.

[Zoldor]

Because in the 21st century everyone gets a participation trophy for being a failure.

took 2 posts for the hardcore edgelords to take hold. Bruh, your joke is older than obama's presidency.

[Charge me Doctor]

Zen'Kiki would like a word with you

[Aeula]

Because we've explored too much of the known world now. And our actions in raids make it hard to simply go back to being normal folk.

Back when we ventured into dank caves to kill meagre dragons and other such monsters, fine. But we've killed the lich king and Archimonde and everything in between. Kinda hard to go back to being nobody mc muffin after that.

It's also why we don't interact with peasants anymore. We only do (mostly) important shit now.

[Deleted]

You're the hero we don't deserve nor want.

[Arrashi]

There are man things non-heroes can do:
- Polish my shoes.
- Make me something to drink.
- Compliment my heroism.
- Offer their body to me (in a necromantic sense).
- Offer their body to me (in cannibalistic sense).
- Offer their body to me (in sexual sense)
- Give me all of their belongings.
- Supporting me on Patreon.
- Reading my fanfic.
- Serving as a decoy.
- Dying to create tention and thus making me more heroic.
- Buying all the shit we have when we visit the town.
- Going and starting flightmaster in some obscure location so we can save 2 minutes once a week.
- Being extra helpless to create contrast to my heroism.
- Dying and becoming part of villains hideout decor. Without all those brave trolls and theramore citizens siege of orgrimar would like that *spice*.
- Offering some exposition.
- Dying in a funny way to unload heavy atmosphere.

As you see there are many, many things regulars can do to help heroes. And this list is but a tip of iceberg.

[Caifas]

There are man things non-heroes can do:
- Polish my shoes.
- Make me something to drink.
- Compliment my heroism.
- Offer their body to me (in a necromantic sense).
- Offer their body to me (in cannibalistic sense).
- Offer their body to me (in sexual sense)
- Give me all of their belongings.
- Supporting me on Patreon.
- Reading my fanfic.
- Serving as a decoy.
- Dying to create tention and thus making me more heroic.
- Buying all the shit we have when we visit the town.
- Going and starting flightmaster in some obscure location so we can save 2 minutes once a week.
- Being extra helpless to create contrast to my heroism.
- Dying and becoming part of villains hideout decor. Without all those brave trolls and theramore citizens siege of orgrimar would like that *spice*.
- Offering some exposition.
- Dying in a funny way to unload heavy atmosphere.

As you see there are many, many things regulars can do to help heroes. And this list is but a tip of iceberg.

Gee, and I've been heroing all this time when I could be doing that? Where do I sign?

[Justpassing]

Beacuse WoW is (still) a RPG and in a RPG the characters progressively get stronger.

[Evangeliste]

Even though it is an MMO its still an RPG. You don't really play games on any platform to just play the random person sat in a house who hands out quests or sends someone else on a mission.
People live mostly ordinary lives and want to explore stories and the universe they are set, you can't do that while being the person who tills a farm and lives at home like everyday occurence.

[huth]

Is it just me or is there really nothing left of substance to this game and universe? If you're not born to be a "hero" then you're cannon fodder. That just doesn't make sense. I thought this was medieval / high fantasy, not Star Wars.

How many books do you know that tell the story of an ordinary person living an ordinary life? They exist storywise, they just aren't talked about because they're boring.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

You don't really do anything? In your time you've defeated Ragnaros (twice), Onyxia (thrice), Nefarian (Twice), 3 Old Gods (Maybe 2 and a half if Y'Shaarj's power inside Garrosh doesn't count), Deathwing the Destroyer, the Lich King, Archimonde the Defiler(twice), and Kil'Jaeden the Deceiver (soon twice). We've slain Gods and you want to tell me you're not a hero worthy of leading others of your class? That stopped being an option when we the gates of Ahn Quiraj opened and the Old God C'Thun lay dead.

[Arrashi]

You don't really do anything? In your time you've defeated Ragnaros (twice), Onyxia (thrice), Nefarian (Twice), 3 Old Gods (Maybe 2 and a half if Y'Shaarj's power inside Garrosh doesn't count), Deathwing the Destroyer, the Lich King, Archimonde the Defiler(twice), and Kil'Jaeden the Deceiver (soon twice). We've slain Gods and you want to tell me you're not a hero worthy of leading others of your class? That stopped being an option when we the gates of Ahn Quiraj opened and the Old God C'Thun lay dead.

That's adorable little achievements you have here. Now fetch me 5 bear livers. And remember only fatty ones will do. Chop chop.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

That's adorable little achievements you have here. Now fetch me 5 bear livers. And remember only fatty ones will do. Chop chop.

Hey, we have to keep ourselves humble and help out the little guys so they think they're important too.

[Deleted]

Yeah, seriously. Garuhod's recipe was slightly off, after all. Can't have that.

[Combatbutler]

That's adorable little achievements you have here. Now fetch me 5 bear livers. And remember only fatty ones will do. Chop chop.

Our characters are simply greedy as hell, we will kill anything for 25 copper.

[Count Zero]

I'm no hero, I'm just a half dragon / half faerie / half vampire dual-class Paladin / Mage who is unaware of his royal lineage.

[Kathranis]

From a gameplay standpoint, you are only the hero in your own story. The other random players you see running around aren't heroes in your story, the same way you aren't the hero in their story.

Currently, there are only 12 outstanding, unnamed individuals in the lore: the leaders of the twelve Orders that comprise the Armies of Legionfall. The Netherlord, the Slayer, the Huntmaster, etc.

Additionally, in the canon versions of most dungeons, raids, and boss battles, the events are retconned further down the line to have been carried out by actual non-player characters (for example, the Council of the Black Harvest is made up of several individuals who fought in key battles like the battle with Deathwing).


And of course this only applies if you choose to "roleplay" the game's story as it's presented to you.

The thing is, they weren't born with midichlorians or empowered by something. So what are their options really?

Actually, it's been heavily implied that we (the players) have been infused with the power of Azeroth's stillborn World Soul. As such we are uniquely qualified to do battle with the likes of Sargeras and the void lords.