13 kinds of people you will meet in an MMORPG

Many things about MMORPGs have changed from the genre’s heyday years ago. But if there’s one thing that won’t change no matter what world you step into, it’s probably the kind of people you meet in-game. As if by some universal law, you are bound to come across certain kinds of players at least once in your MMO adventures. They may have different faces, different names, and even different nationalities, but they can be categorized in one of the the following kinds nonetheless:

1. The farmer

MMORPGs are often about grinding it out, both for gold and experience. This can be fun at first, but not everyone has enough patience to do the same thing over and over again. Meet the farmer, who specializes in grinding in-game for long, long periods of time. Sometimes, this farmer can be a high-achiever, who wants that realm first before anyone else. Other times, he might have no life. And occasionally, he might be getting paid to play.

(See: Diablo III Chinese Farmer Makes 60 Million Gold Coins an Hour (Video))

2. The expert

This is the person who knows just how many stat points you need to put into which attribute for the most effective maximum distribution. He also knows each skill tree as well as his handprints. He doesn’t have to necessarily be a math genius, but he does have an excellent grasp of the game and its mechanics. If this game was a school subject, he’d ace it without breaking a sweat. The expert may be aided by either real-life or online calculators, and will often reference an accurate and reliable game database.

3. The millionaire

You can never escape the elites, not even in-game. This guy is blessed with the Midas touch, and is insanely rich compared to most other players. Just like in real life, the millionaire can either be very hard working or very lucky. Sometimes, he can even be both. He’s also often the reason why you understand that life is unfair as you stare in awe (okay, maybe in jealousy, too) at him flaunting his high-level equipment and costumes, changing one expensive mount after the other every time you encounter him in town.

4. The premium player

If the game has an item mall where you can shop with real money, you know this guy has been there to shop. You know because you can already see him flaunting the latest premium items just minutes after they go on sale. He may be in town walking around with the latest headgear or perhaps near PvP arenas looking for some poor soul to turn into mince with his latest paid-for gear set.

5. The fighter