Decisions: Does your choice of RPG character/class say something about you?

I have always been intrigued by the way the human mind works.  Maybe I should have been a psychologist instead of majoring in Mathematics.  The choices we make in life are not only influenced by our past but define who we are in the present.  While picking a character to play in an RPG game should not be a life changing decision (if it is, please seek immediate psychological help), it is something you will be investing a decent chunk of time into, so you don't want to make a decision that you will regret later.

So what exactly goes into our decision-making process?  Is it a somewhat random occurrence where you pick a random class because you want to try something new?  Or is there something in our nature/nurture that guides us towards a particular class.  I for one, have always been attracted to the paladin style classes.  In Diablo II I played as a Paladin, in WoW I started out as an Alliance Paladin, in LoL I have been playing Taric and Soraka a lot (support classes), and now as Diablo III is set to release I am leaning towards playing as the Monk class.

After thinking about this for quite some time I have decided that there is a natural tendency within me to want to be this righteous and divine crusader.  One who protects, heals, and buffs his allies and can still deal some damage himself.  I suppose this parallels my real life experience as I never strive to really be center of attention.  However, many times this can work to my detriment unfortunately.

So now I propose the question to you, what type of class do you tend to be drawn into playing and why?

Why I left World of Warcraft

Living in Long Island, NY I find myself surrounded by Manhattanites, Hamptonites, and Jersey Shore wannabees. Most people's idea of a fun night at home consists of watching a 4 hour Yankee game or some trashy uninspiring show on MTV. I, on the other hand, would rather play a computer game for a few hours than sit on my couch and watch a bunch of high school/college dropouts make 100x more than I do just to throw a ball around or act like an idiot on television. And for quite some time, that game was World of Warcraft.

Blizzard Entertainment (now Activision/Blizzard) has undoubtedly done great things for the video game industry. The quality of their games is on a completely different level than anything else you play and World of Warcraft was no exception. The real problem with the game is that it stopped being a game to many people. It became their job, or even their life in some cases.

When I was in college I had time to waste on games like WoW. Today is an entirely different story. MMOs just don't work for me anymore. I can no longer be turning down social engagements because it's "raid night" or spend hours creating and learning strats for raids. I can no longer play a game where if something comes up IRL (In Real Life), I can't just easily walk away from the game. I need games that I can sit down, play with a few friends for a few hours and then get up and leave whenever I want or need to. No set "raid times" and no time slot commitments. I can toggle the fun on and off like the flick of a switch.

With that said, I am excited for new games like Diablo III and Battlefield 3 to release. These games will be more "pickup" style, while still requiring the teamwork, coordination, and social interaction that make playing games fun.

My Short-Term Gear Wishlist

Weapon:
- Ardent Guard - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Anub'arak)
- Burnished Quel'Serrar - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m Onyxia)

Shield:
- Aegis of the Coliseum - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Anub'arak)
- Forlorn Barrier - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m normal - off icehowl)

Ranged:
- Blades of the Sable Cross - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25 Triumph Emblems)

Head:
- Helm of Wrath - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m Onyxia)

Neck:
- Endurance of the Infernal - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Lord Jaraxxus)
- Eskhandar's Links - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m Onyxia)

Shoulders:
- Hellscream's Pauldrons of Triumph - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic)

Cloak:
- Pride of the Demon Lord - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic - off Jaraxxus)
- Pride of the Demon Lord - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m normal - off Jaraxxus)

Chest:
- Chestplate of the Towering Monstrosity - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic - off Icehowl)
- Hellscream's Breastplate of Triumph - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic)
- Chestplate of the Towering Monstrosity - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m normal - off icehowl)

Wrists:
- Dreadscale Bracers - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Icehowl)

Hands:
- Hellscream's Handguards of Triumph - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic)
- Hellscream's Handguards of Triumph - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 45 Triumph Emblems & 1 Trophy of Crusade)

Waist:
- Belt of the Nether Champion - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Jaraxxus)

Legs:
- Legplates of Feverish Dedication - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic - off Jaraxxus)
- Hellscream's Legguards of Triumph - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic)

Boots:
- Dawnbreaker Greaves - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 258 - 25m heroic - off Jaraxxus)
- Greaves of the Lingering Vortex - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Fjola Lightbane)

Rings:
- Band of the Traitor King - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m normal - off Anub'arak)
- Clutch of Fortification - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 35 Triumph Emblems)
- Band of the Twin Val'kyr - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 10m heroic - off Fjola Lightbane )

Trinkets:
- Juggernaut's Vitality - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 245 - 25m normal - off Faction Champions)
- Heart of Iron - Item - World of Warcraft (ilvl 226 - Ulduar25 normal - off Ignis)

Anub'Arak Diagram for Phase 1