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Players must choose whether they wish to join either the Clans, Omni-Tek corporation or the Neutrals. In addition, a breed and profession must be chosen. The available breeds include Solitus, Opifex, Nano (also known as Nanomage) and Atrox, while the professions include Adventurer, Agent, Bureaucrat, Doctor, Enforcer, Engineer, Fixer, Keeper, Martial Artist, Meta Physicist, Nano Technician, Shade, Soldier and Trader.

Each breed and profession has its own strengths and weaknesses which combine to create a unique character with its own special abilities and short-comings. A player must decide what type of character is desired and create the character accordingly.

Anarchy Online originally intended to separate itself from its competitors by minimizing tedious elements such as camping, instead basing the gameplay on automatically generated "content on demand". In the Shadowlands expansion pack, such elements were introduced on a massive scale and often taken to extremes. Subsequent patches and expansions have moderated some of the initial excesses.