I suppose I'm in the minority but I don't generally 'recycle' my characters. As an actor I detest being limited to one specific type of role so I deliberately step out of my comfort zone by ensuring each role I embrace is different to the last.
If I devote to a new MMO I examine the game's lore and build up a fresh character from scratch. Sometimes I use the same name - especially for alts - but that is where the similarities end.
Back in WoW my primary character for role-play was Solbranthius Dawnsurge - a seasoned soldier utterly devoted to protecting his people and homeland no matter the cost:
He became increasingly cynical over time, especially since he believed that his people would be better off by distancing themselves from their treacherous allies. It didn't help that almost every major force in the setting sought to stab his people in the back either.
In FFXIV I eventually settled on Graeham, a well meaning yet decadent youth conflicted by the Garlean blood flowing through his veins:
Graeham's become a bit more serious since I started role-playing him. He didn't feel like he had much of a purpose beyond wandering and doing odd jobs in exchange for coin. He also considered becoming a diplomat - but that didn't work out - and now he's learning how to fight with a sword and shield so that he can protect those he has come to trust.
I also dabbled in GW2, ESO and Wildstar but none of those MMO's managed to lure me into investing on a long term basis. I've since given up on WoW entirely due to disliking the direction of...pretty much everything related to it so FFXIV is my primary MMO and I find myself very enthusiastic about the game's future so chances are I'll be around for a long time!
If I devote to a new MMO I examine the game's lore and build up a fresh character from scratch. Sometimes I use the same name - especially for alts - but that is where the similarities end.
Back in WoW my primary character for role-play was Solbranthius Dawnsurge - a seasoned soldier utterly devoted to protecting his people and homeland no matter the cost:
He became increasingly cynical over time, especially since he believed that his people would be better off by distancing themselves from their treacherous allies. It didn't help that almost every major force in the setting sought to stab his people in the back either.
In FFXIV I eventually settled on Graeham, a well meaning yet decadent youth conflicted by the Garlean blood flowing through his veins:
Graeham's become a bit more serious since I started role-playing him. He didn't feel like he had much of a purpose beyond wandering and doing odd jobs in exchange for coin. He also considered becoming a diplomat - but that didn't work out - and now he's learning how to fight with a sword and shield so that he can protect those he has come to trust.
I also dabbled in GW2, ESO and Wildstar but none of those MMO's managed to lure me into investing on a long term basis. I've since given up on WoW entirely due to disliking the direction of...pretty much everything related to it so FFXIV is my primary MMO and I find myself very enthusiastic about the game's future so chances are I'll be around for a long time!