MMORPG's (WoW, Guild Wars, etc.) and MBTI types

[Maverick]

One of my friends and I were talking about how, normally, the point of role playing is to play a specific character. However, in MMORPG's, we have noticed that many people will tend to choose a character that represents their personality. Maybe it proves for a more satisfying gaming experience?

Anyhow, here are possible correlations between World of Warcraft characters and MBTI types:

1. Paladin: ENTJ
2. Rogue: ISTP
3. Priest: ENFJ, ESFJ, INFJ, ISFJ
4. Hunter: ENTP, ENFP
5. Warlock: INTJ
6. Druid: ISFP, INFP
7. Warrior: ESTP, ISTP, ESTJ, ISTJ
8. Mage: INTP

[ptgatsby]

Well, although I have a character of every class, my main since release was a hunter. My GF (INTJ) consistently played druid, priest and shaman (does not like paladins)... although she also has a character of every class.

I mostly enjoy playing rogue, hunter and mage. She enjoys every support class, even turning stuff like rogues and warriors into support classes. It amuses me how many times she has attempted to bandage me... as a warrior... while I'm being attacked. "But I just wanted to help". "Taunt my dear... TAUNT".

[Jennifer]

World of Warcraft (ranked in order of interest?)
1. Warrior
2. Hunter
3. Paladin
4. Druid
5. Rogues
6. Priests
7. Shamans
8. Warlocks
9. Mages


In terms of play, I think the things that are most important to me class-wise are:
1. Autonomous (i.e., solo well?)
2. Versatile (wide-range of skills that can cover most situations?)

When I played City of Heroes, my favorites:
1. Fire/Kinetics Controller (control, buff/debuff, & pets)
2. Empath/Psionic Defender (buffs & heals -- the multitasking/real-time prioritizing was lots of fun... but soloing ability was awful )
3. Ice/Fire Tanker (crowd control, some damage, good protection)

I like being the one to "hold everything together."

When I played the video game Gauntlet, I would always play the elf, though -- I loved being able to dodge everything and shoot from far distances. Speed fit my playing style.

Originally Posted by ptgatsby

I mostly enjoy playing rogue, hunter and mage. She enjoys every support class, even turning stuff like rogues and warriors into support classes. It amuses me how many times she has attempted to bandage me... as a warrior... while I'm being attacked. "But I just wanted to help". "Taunt my dear... TAUNT".

Oh, that's rich.

Anyway, I don't think we can break down the classes by MBTI types -- it partly depends on how the class gets played, or why it was selected.

[Maverick]

Oh I'm pretty sure there's a link. I think people choose a class that goes the best with their personality. My buddy and I were having a conversation about how similar people tend to be to their class.

People who play Paladin's are honest people with integrity who enjoy doing the Right thing (aka ENTJ's )
Warlock's are secretive, evil warmongers without morals who would sell their mother if they could (aka INTJ's )
Warrior's are straightforward, no nonsense, go for it (aka ESTP's)

Obviously, a team comprising the Paladin and Warrior is just awesome.

Originally Posted by ptgatsby

My GF (INTJ) consistently played druid, priest and shaman (does not like paladins)...

Hmmmmm... Be careful, people who don't like paladins tend to have low ethics

[Kyrielle]

I beg to differ...I loathe the healing/support/magic classes, because I find it incredibly boring to just stand there and heal/buff people or spam keys to blow things up magically. I like evades-based, melee classes...it's just more fun to fight things directly and be able to move quickly.

My brother, ENFJ, likes magic and healing classes however. (Which means we usually make a nice team.) We're this way with playing console games together as well...he navigates and directs, I work out battle tactics on the fly and make the mental jumps necessary to solve puzzles.

My boyfriend, INTP, likes healing classes as well as evades classes. I think in some ways, he likes playing healing classes because he gets to play god. And in this, the two of us can make a formidable team regardless of which class he's playing...partially because we get into the same mindset and can act independently while mostly maintaining a joint effort. (Though I can be really stupid and space out while we're fighting something. I, for some reason, think his character could survive a nuclear bomb and will be slow at doing any emergency healing at times.)

[Maverick]

Oh yes, there's a variety of people of course playing different classes. But there does seem to be patterns when you compare people on Teamspeak/IRL and their WoW character.

[Nighthawk]

I've always been drawn to druids ... had one in the original Everquest as a primary and have one now in World of Warcraft as a primary. My second favorite character is my rogue. I like the versatility of the druid (can play healer, rogue, or warrior) and the damage ability of the rogue. Since I'm an introvert, I solo a lot ... and the druid/rogue stealth abilities allow me to do things alone that would usually take groups.

I also have a Warlock on Everquest II, which I enjoy playing because ... once again ... it permits me to solo. I already have a small team with the warlock and his pet ... and do not have to socialize as much or deal with messy group dynamics.

When playing the traditional D&D type games, I tend towards the true neutral alignment ... neutral/neutral. I don't have a particular affinity for either good or evil. Once again, I usually choose a druid ... although sometimes a rogue or warrior.

[ptgatsby]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Oh I'm pretty sure there's a link. I think people choose a class that goes the best with their personality. My buddy and I were having a conversation about how similar people tend to be to their class.

I don't think there will be a significant link between type and class. A lot of it has to do with age (there is a clear correlation there, from what I remember)... but the dominant personality trait in MMOs is NT or I, depending on what research you go by.

I chose my class because I like pets. That was it. I didn't know it could solo, or not get a group without begging for hours... If I could repick my main, I'd play a healer, I think... I only raided a little with a druid, but I enjoyed it.

Obviously, a team comprising the Paladin and Warrior is just awesome.

For PvE, the best combinations I know, grinding wise, are;

Druid + Rogue
Paladin + Rogue
Warrior + Duid
Warrior + Shaman

Of the caster groups;

Shaman + Mage
Mage + Mage
Warlock(demonology) + Warlock
Warlock(destruction) + Mage

Hunters solo better than they can play in groups... but hunter-hunter is probably the best mix (using bonus pets, like howl and a dps pet for aggro control... BM going towards DPS pet and marksman for TSA)

The only reason I know this is because my GF and I are grinding up one of each class... so we've mixed it up a bit. The only thing that we haven't really gotten to try is my hunter and her druid (66/60), along with my mage and her hunter (30/44... don't have anything else in that range right now, so I gotta close the gap).

So I haven't tried hunter-mage yet... but I know it doens't work well, simply because mages are burst damage, which breaks the pet aggro advantage. Might as well play two mages... our two mages can spike damage into 3-6s kills (ie: 2-3 fireballs, blast to finish, if needed).

Hmmmmm... Be careful, people who don't like paladins tend to have low ethics

She's an INTJ. Not so different than you ENTJs... FWIW, the two main warlocks I know are SPs, simply because they are/were the ultimate PVPers come expansion (they had 3/4 60s at the expansion period).

The couple of RL friends that played, one hardcore, both look towards healing classes. They are also decidedly *not* Fs, in fact... they are about as T as you get. They chose them because they wanted to raid, and healers are needed.

[Maverick]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

I've always been drawn to druids ... had one in the original Everquest as a primary and have one now in World of Warcraft as a primary. My second favorite character is my rogue. I like the versatility of the druid (can play healer, rogue, or warrior) and the damage ability of the rogue. Since I'm an introvert, I solo a lot ... and the druid/rogue stealth abilities allow me to do things alone that would usually take groups.

I also have a Warlock on Everquest II, which I enjoy playing because ... once again ... it permits me to solo. I already have a small team with the warlock and his pet ... and do not have to socialize as much or deal with messy group dynamics.

When playing the traditional D&D type games, I tend towards the true neutral alignment ... neutral/neutral. I don't have a particular affinity for either good or evil. Once again, I usually choose a druid ... although sometimes a rogue or warrior.

Well it's funny, in D&D type games I've often noticed INTP's being either true neutral or chaotic neutral... and going for Druid/Rogue/Mage. I have yet to see one play Lawful Good, let alone a Paladin.

I have systematically played Paladin's in about 3/4 of role playing games. I just find the experience more satisfying. There's something of ridding the world of evil and being a hero for everyone...

Originally Posted by ptgatsby

I don't think there will be a significant link between type and class. A lot of it has to do with age (there is a clear correlation there, from what I remember)... but the dominant personality trait in MMOs is NT or I, depending on what research you go by.

Well, not really because MMORPG's like WoW attract all sorts of different people so I don't think NT's are as dominant as they were traditionally. Also, WoW is not a "true" RPG as such. It's a video-drug with RPG elements.

She's an INTJ. Not so different than you ENTJs... FWIW, the two main warlocks I know are SPs, simply because they are/were the ultimate PVPers come expansion (they had 3/4 60s at the expansion period).

Are you kidding me?!? In practice, the difference between ENTJ's and INTJ's are like the differences between Light & Dark, Salt & Pepper, Fire & Ice, Metallica and Blink 182, Engineering and Physics, ... Oh yes, I can see some SP's being Warlocks, good point. But I know quite a couple INTJ's as Warlocks.

The couple of RL friends that played, one hardcore, both look towards healing classes. They are also decidedly *not* Fs, in fact... they are about as T as you get. They chose them because they wanted to raid, and healers are needed.

Hmmm they were nice T's then

[ptgatsby]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Are you kidding me?!? In practice, the difference between ENTJ's and INTJ's are like the differences between Light & Dark, Salt & Pepper, Fire & Ice, Metallica and Blink 182, Engineering and Physics, ... Oh yes, I can see some SP's being Warlocks, good point. But I know quite a couple INTJ's as Warlocks.

Well, I'll give you that INTJs are a bit more... visionary... than most ENTJs. But having an INTJ GF as well as working with and knowing quite a few NTJs outside of that, I don't see a significant difference between them.

But I certainly see no tendency towards being "good" or "noble" at all... both for INTJs or ENTJs. Both seem to be heavily driven towards active support roles in general (not-DPS, so tanks healers buffers).

Hmmm they were nice T's then

Hah hah, no... they just wanted to raid and took the most direct path towards their goal. Those like that level up a farming alt. Or in the case my friend, uses my hunter to farm.