Role Play: Rogue roleplay in Legion

They aren’t practitioners of flashy magic, architects of some grand, universal design, nor members of any kind of army set on defending the universe. Rogues are a different breed entirely. They skulk in the shadows and strike with precision where needed…for a price. Sometimes that price is wealth, sometimes that price is power…sometimes it’s just up to the whim of the Rogue.

You can’t really predict what a Rogue is going to do. So with Rogue roleplay in Legion, your character may be invested in this whole saving the world thing – after all, you can’t do much in the world if it doesn’t exist. Or they may be capitalizing on the situation to take advantage of as many people and entertain as many offers for “employment” as possible.

Rogues in Warcraft

Rogues really don’t have any kind of game-defined grand master scheme for doing what they do. The most they got along those lines was back in Cataclysm, when Wrathion rounded up Rogue players to do his bidding – for a really great reward, mind you. The legendary blades that came from that quest chain made the entire quest chain worth it.

And that’s kind of what Rogues are all about. It’s not necessarily flat-out selfishness; it’s just that Rogues typically have a vested interest in their own well-being, and the well-being of those that are closest to them. Sure, you’ve got some lone wolves out there that won’t let anyone get close to them. But there are just as many Rogues with families, friends and loved ones, who really want to protect those loved ones at all cost.

Rogues aren’t inherently “bad guys.” They aren’t necessarily “good guys,” either. They’re just…there, a presence at the back of every tavern, inn, or darkened alley, willing to take care of shady dealings for the right price.

Rogue organizations

And this leads us to the various Rogue organizations we’ve encountered over the years. First off there’s Ravenholdt, a guild of assassins and thieves formed pretty much to act as a foil to the Syndicate. Then there’s the Syndicate, a largely Human criminal organization formed after the fall of Alterac, back at the end of the Second War. Then there’s SI: 7, Stormwind’s secretive military force specializing in espionage, assassination, and various stealth tactics.

In the Horde, the two major Rogue organizations are the Shattered Hand — formed from the remnants of the original Shattered Hand clan, as well as new members – and the Deathstalkers. The Deathstalkers are the assassins’ guild of the Forsaken, the Forsaken equivalent of the Shattered Hand. Both of these Horde groups work for their respective faction leaders – the Deathstalkers are focused on Sylvanas, while the Shattered Hand tends to work for the Horde and its Warchief as a whole.

The Syndicate’s been in tatters for years, allied with neither of the two main factions in WoW. Ravenholdt is in similar straits after red dragon attacks at the end of Cataclysm nearly wiped the organization out. The Shattered Hand and the Deathstalkers are likely working more closely together than ever before, given Sylvanas Windrunner’s rise to Warchief. And SI:7 continues to carry out operations in Stormwind for the reigning monarch. Your character may belong to one of these organizations, or they may be working completely solo as far as that goes – that’s up to you.

The Uncrowned

In Legion, however, another organization has come into play. The Uncrowned is basically a group of groups – it’s every Rogue from every walk of life come together in one spot. That spot happens to be the Hall of Shadows, tucked away beneath the streets of Dalaran. Jorach Ravenholdt leads the organization, but he’s not alone – he’s joined by a council of Rogues from various walks of life.

Your character is asked to be part of that organization as part of the main Legion storyline. You can either take that into consideration when developing your character, or you can toss it to the side. That’s part of the beauty of playing a Rogue. You aren’t really a player in any kind of grand army, you aren’t necessarily part of any major organization that happens to pop up.

The Uncrowned is focused, as with all Class Hall organizations, on defending Azeroth from the Burning Legion, in whatever form that may entail. Your character may be concerned with all this Legion nonsense, but it doesn’t mean they have to be part of the Uncrowned to get involved. They can be working independently just as easily as they’re working for or with someone else.

Rogue motivations

So what motivates a Rogue character? It’s all arbitrary, and it’s up to the individual player to figure that part out for themselves. Is your character concerned with defeating the Legion? Are they willing to work with other Rogues to accomplish this purpose? Are they determined to put a stop to whatever the Legion is planning? Or are they viewing this as an opportunity for a wealth of new jobs, with a potential for a wealth of income on top of it?

Does your character have a family? If so, this definitely affects their concern regarding the Legion – obviously they don’t want their family to get hurt. Is your character more of a lone wolf? If so, what’s motivating them to fight the Legion? What are they hoping to gain from helping save the world? Are they just doing it to save their own skin? Do they have a greater purpose in mind?

We’ve been asked this before many times over in Mists, but it’s worth asking again: Why does your character fight? What keeps them going? Do they have a plan for their own future, or do they take life on a day-to-day basis? Are they concerned with getting glory and a good reputation out of all of this? Or do they want to stay carefully concealed in the shadows throughout it all?

Rogues may not be part of some gigantic, grand scheme that encompasses the universe, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting characters to play. It’s up to you to explore what kind of destiny your Rogue is working towards, whether it’s a path of petty larceny, or some greater purpose they’ve yet to discover.

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