Running out of roles, need help.

[The Jester]

I've been rping for 3 years straight, and..in 3 years, you make alot of characters, ..so I'm really running out of ideas and I'm pretty bored with the characters I have, what do you guys rp? Any inspiration/ideas?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

You should probably take a look at already well established and well written characters in entertainment for suggestions (not neccesarily part of the WoW universe).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_McKay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_McCoy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Solo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Reynolds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raistlin_Majere

- just a few suggestions

[Nonfictionless]

A bit late to the party but if you are still needing some ideas I have a suggestion. What I notice from most people when they choose a role in the warcraft universe they include every aspect of the role. I am guilty of this with a few of my characters but I find the ones that I didn't are that much better because of it. I choose one aspect of a class and have them delve into it completely and then write the back story of why they choose that or went down that path and try to figure out what kind of quirks or differences would set them apart in that field. When you provide their actual purpose with a much more focused direction they become much more complex to RP with.

Apart from that I would say try something out of the norm. Maybe try something like a partner RP, like making a elemental who is attached to a mage or a demon to a warlock. There are many symbiotic relationships in warcraft to explore. Whether you do control them both or with a friend it makes for an interesting RP.

[Primaliron]

I would suggest taking a look at a number of sites for writers about creating characters. Also maybe read some history. Don't just limit yourself to the middle ages or classical Europe. I've been RPing on and off for 20 years or so now and I still make up new ideas.

Two basic questions sit at the heart of most characters
1. Who am I? This can be about personality, genetics, inheritance, anything that has come before the present.
2. What do I want? This question is the opposite and involves not only material things, but who a person wants to be. It doesn't have to be about avarice. Maybe they just want to save up enough to retire to a nice cottage.

Conversely those questions can be asked as

1. Where have I been?
2. Where am I going?

Remember also that your character needs obstacles, real ones. A checklist of accomplishments that happen at a steady pace isn't an obstacle. Just because he knows he needs to "be a better person" doesn't mean it will be easy. Put your character in situations that challenge them, let them fail sometimes. If you torture them a bit too much like I do, let them succeed sometimes, and then let them realize success isn't always great.