WoD could use a "Gary Oak" type character.

[Yimereh]

Disclaimer: My Suggestions on how the NPC would interact with the player is a loose one that is open to discussion and interpretation. Some of my suggestions seem to be harsh but they are up for modification by anyone who thinks they have a more viable solution. Try to keep in mind I am only suggesting an NPC who is in spirit resembling Gary Oak, the goal of this NPC isn't to inconvenience the playerbase to the point of rage but to potentially inconvenience a player while giving them a fair opportunity to react to a challenge and if successful, gain back what was taken from them and more.

I think a factionless NPC who always feels one step ahead of you, becomes more powerful as you level, forces you into duels and on occasion interacts with you in an antagonizing fashion could really spice up the game. He would always pop up at unexpected times on a very random schedule, his appearance would be rare so that he isn't a complete pain in the ass.

-You're about to engage that rare mob? "Gary Oak" swoops down and tags it before you can and 1 shots him. (you would have the chance to engage Gary after the fact, if you win you get credit for killing the rare, the drops and a reward for defeating Gary)
-Engaging in open world PvP? "Gary Oak" swoops down and starts attacking everyone.(This would involve players putting aside their differences in order to defeat "Gary" or continue their conflict and both be defeated)
-You see "Gary Oak" swoop down and steal your Ore? You try to attack him but he just hops on his 6.0 exclusive flying mount and flies away /waving and /laughing at you because he knows you can't follow him. (If you hesitate he would fly away but you will have the chance to engage him in order to fight him for a dynamic quest reward and the ore/herbs he stole)
-You get sent on a quest to save a kidnapped citizen in order to gain a factions trust? You arrive at the kidnapping location to see a sign saying "Gary Oak was here" and he already completed your quest and took your reward.
-Out killing some mobs? "Gary Oak" swoops down and summons 6 monsters that he sends to attack you in gauntlet fashion.
-Doing some Pet Battles with all of your pets with low health? Goes without saying.

I think the potential for an NPC like this would be pretty awesome, he could be the self appointed "Hero of Draenor" on a mission to become the greatest and most versatile warrior that ever existed. Many people would look forward to putting him in his place at max level if he was made memorable enough through the questing experience. When you encounter him in duels he could change his spec/class in order to keep him random and interesting.

Of course he would be available to engage in some sort of Pet Battle tournament. Perhaps even swoop down and capture a rare pet you found and the only way to get the rare is to beat him in a duel immediately.

Let me know what you guys think, would you want a Gary Oak type character in WoD or WoW in general?

For those who don't understand Gary Oak's role in Pokemon this blurb if for you

I firmly believe Gary should be the rival in every Pokemon game. No, I don’t care if he’s 45 by the time Diamond and Pearl or whatever is out.

He should also continue to be a total dick like he was from day 1. He was 10 years old driving around a convertible and had bitches at his beck and call. This should continue.

Whenever you enter a cave and come out with all your Pokemon are at 3 hit points? Gary appears.

Get through Team Rocket HQ, out of any healing items with your best team reduced to rubble? Gary rolls up in his Mercedes.

When you finally attain all the badges you need, with your favorite Pokèmon battered and beaten? Yeah, Gary.

All your Pokèmon are knocked out and you’re 5 tiles away from the Pokemon Center -- Guess who just blocked the entrance way and says he challenges you to a fight?

Fuck yeah, Gary Oak

Only if i can give him a name:

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I think in WoW it'd better translate as a Protoman-type Character. And honestly, we'd probably be that character in WoD. It would be neat if at some point we're being followed by younger adventurers that are trying to make their mark on the world.

[Azgraal]

Both suggestions please me, that's actually a neat idea.

[NuLogic]

They're called pvpers.

[willtron]

how would him killing NPCs before you work? Say we're looking for ages, he just comes in and one shots it? sounds like a pointless mechanic.

'Gary Oak' exists in the form of other players.... My server is full of people that are the self appointed hero of Azeroth...

[Xayl1]

I think in WoW it'd better translate as a Protoman-type Character. And honestly, we'd probably be that character in WoD. It would be neat if at some point we're being followed by younger adventurers that are trying to make their mark on the world.

This would actually be pretty nifty in conjunction with the Garrison building story with them becoming your first group of follower NPC's. but I do like the OP's idea sort of not the part where he comes around and fucks with you during non quest related gameplay but for an NPC that isn't of the enemy faction but is still antagonistic to you through the storyline.

[Trydene]

Millhouse Manastorm? He seems to come back every expansion now in some way or form no matter what we do to time.

[Volitar]

At first I thought it was cool sounding then i read some examples....no thanks. Some random NPC stalking and butt pounding me every 10 mins doesn't sound too fun.

[Deleted]

A good idea, however I would just call it a "personal archenemy concept" when trying to sell it to people as not everybody understands the reference and some people will even stop reading when they realize it is something from a Nintendo game :-)

[valax]

They're called pvpers.

that's it you can close the thread

[Daetur]

Personally, I think that position is filled in Warcraft by our fellow players. We're already constantly competing for kills and resources, especially of very high-demand monsters, and players on a PvP server already run the risk of being dueled or killed at any time.

[Yimereh]

Personally, I think that position is filled in Warcraft by our fellow players. We're already constantly competing for kills and resources, especially of very high-demand monsters, and players on a PvP server already run the risk of being dueled or killed at any time.

Other players play the role loosely, I feel a character like this could have his player like elements while also having plot elements. What I mean by this is that he has his random player interactions to develop his player like characteristics but also has plot driven interactions where the character is more well defined and a rivalry becomes better established.

The examples I provided come off the top of my head but I could see a character like this who is more of a player rival being very interesting to develop.

Another example would be in say a 5-man/raid environment. You are about to engage the 2nd last boss of the raid in order to face the final boss. "Gary's" raid group intervenes but is seeking the glory as opposed to actually just ending the threat. You engage in almost a triple threat match where both raid's are fighting the boss but "Gary's" raid is attacking your raid too and you have to CC/kill them too. However killing to many of them to quickly will cripple you in the boss fight because they do aid in the fight and without them doing enough damage. The boss could also phase into an enrage where he starts 1-shotting people and the only way to survive is to put the opposing raid in the boss' cross hairs.

[Egoism]

Gary was here [Insert Player Name Here] is a loser.

[Florena]

A rival could work for specific quest chains, but having a 'rival' swoop in, steal your rares and ore notes, and leave annoying signs? No thank you.

[MrExcelion]

I think Blizzard will look to implement a new Lorewalker Cho, but yeah it'll probably be another likable character

A "Gary Oak" would have been great for pet battle leveling but I guess they didn't want to overdo it with the Pokemon references

[Xayl1]

Other players play the role loosely, I feel a character like this could have his player like elements while also having plot elements. What I mean by this is that he has his random player interactions to develop his player like characteristics but also has plot driven interactions where the character is more well defined and a rivalry becomes better established.

The examples I provided come off the top of my head but I could see a character like this who is more of a player rival being very interesting to develop.

Another example would be in say a 5-man/raid environment. You are about to engage the 2nd last boss of the raid in order to face the final boss. "Gary's" raid group intervenes but is seeking the glory as opposed to actually just ending the threat. You engage in almost a triple threat match where both raid's are fighting the boss but "Gary's" raid is attacking your raid too and you have to CC/kill them too. However killing to many of them to quickly will cripple you in the boss fight because they do aid in the fight and without them doing enough damage. The boss could also phase into an enrage where he starts 1-shotting people and the only way to survive is to put the opposing raid in the boss' cross hairs.

that sounds like it would be a nifty fight sort of a take on the Faction champions but with some sort of rampaging monster heh

[Aydinx2]

You mean you want an NPC that does what a regular player would normally do but can't due to no flying.

[Deleted]

sounds like a pointless system designed to get in the way of normal gameplay.

even if it was rare a spawn with the amount of people in the areas near launch you would see him way more often than you think, then to bring them into raids as a sort of hard mode that happens at random would do nothing but add more RNG to the world first race and create way too much drama.

[Frozenbeef]

Wasn't there already someone like that which became a raid boss? >.<

[Yimereh]

You mean you want an NPC that does what a regular player would normally do but can't due to no flying.

I think some people are making "the worst case scenario" assumption with this idea. I'm not suggesting that every 10 minutes some random npc douchebag comes around to inconvenience your day. I suppose a better clarification would be that this npc could function similar to the fel reaver/deathwing, he patrols around a few zones and when he is randomly in proximity of a player he may or may not choose to interact with them in some sort of fashion as an antagonist. This random element(for sake of argument lets assume occurs to a player on average once every 2-3 hours) is coupled with the fact that this NPC is also involved(loosely) in a zones plot line. "Gary" is essentially questing throughout a zone but is capable of being engaged in combat. Defeating him would grant various rewards but every time you defeat him he becomes marginally stronger eventually reaching a "max level" which could grow over the duration of the expansion.

This character could act as a personal plot rival who inconveniences you just enough that you develop a competitive sense whenever he is involved. He would be dynamic in the fact that both victory and defeat are possible in an encounter with him. If he came and stole an ore deposit and you engaged him in combat and won, you would be rewarded for defeating him and you would receive the ore he stole, this could also work in collection quests where defeating him while he is mirroring a quest you are on would result in you gaining all the resources he gathered for said quest. Being defeated however would slow you down but cause him to "complete" the quest and move on.