wow WoW Community Contribution: Learning to Raid

[Valks 2,375]

Sometimes, as players, we have restrictions that prevent us from being able to play the games we want, how we want and when we want. If you've struggled to get into raiding, this might just be for you!

Before starting, I want to thank @Justinmccray87 on Twitter for bringing this to my attention again. It was something I glossed over briefly while looking at the forums a long time ago, but this time I properly read through it. Not only is this a group for people that want to get into raiding, it's also for people that can't raid usually.

The post was started up over a year ago as an incentive for players to get into raiding that perhaps hadn't before. To quote the original post:

Quote

This Is For The Players Who Want To Raid But Cant Because Reasons

If you are someone who wants to try this raiding thing but gets turned off by the vocalminority of Raiders in this game, then this thread is for you.

If you are someone who just wants to raid in a low-pressure group that cares more about killing bosses and having a good time, then this thread is for you.

If you are someone who wants to LEARN to raid without being berated for low dps, low awareness, etc., then this thread is for you.

If you have Autism or any other disability that would keep you out of PuGs in LFG do not be afraid of joining this group. 

The thread is still updated to this day and the runs are planned to continue well into mid-August, on both Horde and Alliance. For EU players, it does seem like this is mainly aimed at US raiders, but you can still check out Openraid for similar runs! 

[Arrawnn 2]

My first advice would be to take rude comments that come out in pugs with a grain of salt. People get stressed when things aren't going well, and some handle that stress better than others. Do check yourself to see if there's anything you can learn from any feedback you get, regardless of how it's delivered. That person fussing at you may be offering something you can use to get better, even if they are a jerk about it. Or they may be even more clueless than you. So don't take it personally but do think it over.

My second advice needs to be taken even before the first, chronologically speaking if that makes sense. :D  Show up prepared. Nothing aggravates the raid group like individuals who apply to the group without doing their homework and making preparations. Maybe you've never done this raid before, but there are always videos you can watch on Youtube so you'll have some idea of what to expect. I especially like the Fatboss videos for giving me the important info in a very succinct and entertaining fashion. There are also written guides, plus the basic notes in your in-game dungeon journal.

Preparing also means having your own buffs ready: food, flasks, potions, runes... whatever you can do to gain an edge. Being less than your best in solo play is your business; being less than your best in group play is unfair to your fellow raiders.

Know where the instance is and have a plan for getting there. Many groups will be able to provide a summons, but that's not always convenient. Nothing is more pathetic than someone begging to be summoned when everyone else is eager to start the fight. Treat getting summoned as a nice bonus, but don't count on it. Ideally get yourself to the instance even before applying to groups so you'll be ready to step in right away.

Have a thick skin, learn to laugh at yourself, and don't give up easy. Two weeks ago I joined a group for Heroic Hellfire Citadel on my hunter alt. I was really wanting the polearm from Mannoroth. We wiped a couple of times, and I wasn't playing my best. After I died during the third attempt, one of the healers remarked (not realizing I was in vent) "What's up with this retard hunter?" Worst part is he was right to be frustrated. I had been playing too long without a break, was forgetting stuff I knew (this wasn't my first time doing the fight), and was messing up even more because I had started pressing after my first couple of screw-ups. I apologized and left that group, but I didn't give up! I got some sleep and came back fresh. Joined another pug, and this time I was heroic! Got all the mechanics right, blasted adds left and right, and stayed alive with other players dropping all around. It came down to just me and one amazing healer against Mannoroth at 1%... we got him! And best of all my polearm dropped, war-forged at that. Especially rewarding since I feel like I earned it.

[Valks 2,375]

9 hours ago, Arrawnn said:

learn to laugh at yourself

This part makes things so much easier. If you stress about every stupid mistake you make, if you take people laughing at your mistakes to heart, you're going to take so much longer to get into raiding. It's a game, treat it like one. If you do something dumb, it happens, just shrug it off, learn from it and move on!