What Class Should I Start With?

New game, new choices. Not many of us are new to World of Warcraft. Even so, I still sit at the character creation screen, hitting the randomize button, trying to decide what is the best class to play. I am an alt-o-holic, with a full ten slots filled on my main server, and 5 on the server that I enjoy when I'm not playing with my husband. This shouldn't be such a hard decision, should it?

I have found that my idea of what should work and how things really work are two different worlds. Shawndra, the first character I was serious about, is a troll warrior. I didn't choose her for her looks, but for her health regeneration racial. I had this idea that she would be tough, and not need as much down time. I even had a crazy idea later in her life to get a set of armor "of the Whale" to increase her regeneration rate even more. Sadly, this never happened. I was put in my place one day, reading the forum posters, as they shredded another poor troll warrior apart when he asked what kind of gear he should be getting, and what kind of specialization. Some posts were helpful, citing the use of the racial ability Berserking and pairing it with a Fury build for PvE encounters. Still, sprinkled in there were those that had to put in their dull pennies.

"Yeah, you rolled Troll for the health regen, didn't you?"

"No GOOD warrior is a Troll...reroll a Tauren!"

"They'll never buff your racials. You might as well delete and reroll Orc!"

Since reading that, I have become an avid alt-o-holic, and have yet to decide on a favorite class. I have decided I don't like the responsiblity of making sure I out do everyone on the threat meter as a tank. I have also found that I really don't like playing the healing priest Whack a Mole game in a raid(though I shine as a Shadow Priest!). Shaman are interesting, though at first I was a bit daunted with all the different totems they have available to them. Hunters are, well, hunters. Carlotta can out dps about any other class in similar level gear. Mages, well, the jury is still out on that one. I like the fire tree for the big numbers, but one bad pull, and I am wishing I had specialized in frost for the survivability. Warlocks are just hunters with different traps and more dot effects. Paladin? I killed the one I had. Time to try her out again. Druids are fun. They are the one class you can change your specialty and be something completely different. Don't like melee so much? Go balance and cast. Don't like caster dps or melee? Turn into a tree and heal. Right now, the flavor of the month is a rogue, and I just love sneaking into a tight area and picking pockets, then whacking them over the head and running away!

So, if I had to give someone advice on how to pick a first character, what would I advise?

1) Looks are everything. If you don't like the way it looks, you won't play it. So don't base your decision on racials alone!

2) Do you like getting up in people's faces, or do you like to hang back in the wings? This can help you decide on a class! Rogues, warriors, feral druids, enhancement shaman, and protection or retribution paladin are all right there in the center of the battle. Mages, warlocks, hunters, holy paladin, priest, balance or restoration druids, elemental or restoration shaman are all in the wings.

3) Soloing? A hunter or warlock are great for this for their pets. Even some group quests are easily done alone with these.

4) Don't be afraid to try something new. If you decide you don't like what you've tried, there is a handy delete button, making way for another try!