/rant on
Let me give you an example of what to look out for. The dreaded "I'm a level
xx Ranger/Druid that has never grouped before, and I don't have to work
within the group" dewdz.
Went to Lake Rathe to seek a group of Stalwart Adventurers to help me in my
quest to slay Cyclopses.
I pick up a level 24 druid,Shaman, and a level 25 warrior, a level 24
warrior, and another druid. (26 at the time)
I am the puller, and We are doing great. Putting the smack down on
Cyclopses, I fear away the very rare bad pull. Druids go link dead. I pick
up a mage and a Necromancer. We do even better! We take Tarsluk(sp) out
twice, a two Cyclops pull. Everything is going great, until I go link dead.
I came back, and half the group is dead. Some unknown player trained us with
some cyclopses, from what I hear, he/she kept running back through us, until
the things aggord on my party.
The warrior has to leave after we recoup from that loss, and the Mage asks
if her Ranger friend can join. (Wood elf ranger)
We agree, and she starts bitching when I pull in the giant skeletons (as
anyone knows, when you want cyclopses, you have to pull in the Giant
Skellies and other yard trash) She decides she is going to pull, because I
am doing a horrible job.
(Let me explain the basic group strategy to this point. We help each other.
NO one dies, no one runs unless everyone does. We pull to our spot, and
support one another.) She brings in a Cyclops, draws it near us, and begins
to kite the damn thing around the valley, making the Necromancer and mage
pets, me, and the Warrior, chase the damn Cyclops around to try and get a
hit on it, while she casts flame lick or some stupid spell on it. All the
while, im yelling stay still, along with all the others(Except the mage, of
course). It decides to finally die, after all the fuss attracted another
Cyclops, which the warrior and I managed to tank somehow with all the
casters being OOM. I explain to her that we are a group, and we work as a
group, and support one another. She says we need to learn to "play with
them". Needless to say, over private tell to me, the other group members
(Except the mage, of course) are not impressed with the ranger's ability.
I go to pull again, after being asked to, and I start bringing in a Cyclops
(I sing chain to pull them. It stops them from aggroing on anyone else while
you are pulling, and slows them down quite a bit.) and I get back to the
party, after stating "Incoming Cyclops". Someone yells over Shout that there
is a Half dead Cyclops at the zone. So, guess what? Miss Queen kiting of
Norrath runs off screaming "Ill get it" just as the other Cyclops gets to
us. We engage this one, stating that we are fighting this Cyclops, and
begging her to come and help. She brings in her Cyclops, and it starts
Hammering on me. So, I chain the Cyclops we are fighting, tell the group to
fight the one we are on and fire up fear. Off runs the cyclopses, with one
being extremely slow. We start to fight that one, and the Ranger runs off
after the other Cyclops!
Needless to say.. Everyone in the group had to zone. I called the retreat,
and started up fear again. Rangeress screams that we could take them. I
explain, yes, we could have, if you had been working WITH us.
Very shortly after that, I disbanded the group, after the mage said in tell
to me "Well, I like grouping with her. I have never died before when with
her alone. it must be you guys"
/rant off
1.Give the group(or perspective member) a trial period, in which you observe
how they(him) work within the group. Do they support one another(the other
members)? Do they seem to follow the group leaders lead?(Your lead)
2.Observe how they talk. are they snide, and flippent? Do they heal
themselves first, no matter if someone is lower on health? do they
constantly complain about loot levels/Exp?
Bottom line is, a group leaders job, in my opinion, is to keep the group
alive at all costs, whenever possible. When a group member jeopardizes this,
it is time to either leave the group, or Dismiss the group member.
I have had a lot of time lately as a group leader. (If ye can't find groups
to join.. make yer own!*grin*) It is the group leaders job to determine what
the party can handle safely. To judge the groups abilities through different
levels of combat.
A smart group leader does not test his party unless all Mana users are at
full, and all are at full health, and are ready.
It is the leaders job to weed out the bad seeds, and forge a strong group.
do so politely, and with honor. Let actions be the judge
I have also been in a lot of pickup groups. Best advice I can give is.
Watch, listen, work in the group. do as the group leader asks. suggest
tactics if you wish, but do not force them down their throat. If you judge
the group wanting, take your leave. politely!
but above all else. have fun! but not at other group members expense
(playing with a dangerous mob, etc)
It is a game, and things are meant to be fun.
A group that works together, stays alive, and has fun
-Martyn De'lantara
Bard of Mithaniel Marr
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------
From: Papa Legba <
legba@...>
I've seen a few posts lately about some good groups and nights. These
are cool and tell things to look for when I'm in a group (my bard
basically plays in all pickup groups right now, I play very
erractically, though this weekend was great, made almost 2 lvls!).
Now the ugly question. What should I look for to help me identify a bad
group. Not having gate, its helpful to make pretty quick judments on a
group since its hard to get out sometimes (in dungeons).
For example Monday I was with two others (enchanter and shaman) who I
had done great with the night before. We picked up three tanks (A
uber-twinkie warrior, exec axe/crafted at lvl 17, monk and a ranger).
Playing it safe ( I thought) we were turbo pulling on orc highway (if
you dont know they are lvl 12-16ish with an occasional "a orc warrior"
which are like lvl 20 I think, red to me at 15).
Fifteen minutes in (the enchant, shaman and I had been together for an
hour Monday, but a lvl 15 bard is a flimsy tank against DW caimians and
crocs). We heard a "xxxx yells for help". All but the monk (out
pulling) get up, and see the usual. A soloist mistakingly pulled on of
the "a orc"s. We pile on, as the shaman warns the puller we have a big
fight (these are pretty rough even with a full group). We have it
beaten down, both casters OOM, but health is fine, when I look up from
key mashing and see mine dropping. Ugh, DB skel decided he didnt like
my music. Three /g's of "Help the bard" from our shaman (he's good!
noticed my health before I did), and I am still solo on the DB down to
1.5 bubs. Eventually the enchanter's pet manages to get the DB off
me(lucky I guess). At which point the ranger says "Anthem!". (I assume
he finally noticed all the nifty flashing icons were off his screen, as
I was getting the crap stunned out of me). Shaman reminds the tank that
their fair haired bard is the lowest lvl in the group and not much good
at absorbing damage. (I tend to not say anything, so he has taken on
the role for me)
Life goes on... ABout half hour later, I decide to experiment with
kabonging. With all this muscle (even the shaman out damages me with
his big hammer), I felt my damage wasn't mattering much and we might be
better served if I just use the old mandolin. So I weave Hymm and
Chordx2 in battle (I only triple in a big fight as it gives me a
headache), with my mandolin in hand. After a big pull (2 priests and
warriors), I am pretty well smushed (below 1 bub), so I'm sitting with
Hymm going. I watch the ranger top himself off with heals (the other
tanks were down around 2 bubs), then cast the damage shield on himself.
I tell the enchanter and shaman, "Time to Jettison this trash?"
In any case what are some good things to look for so I know when to bail
out? The group I met on Sunday was great (we played about 6 hours with
0 deaths in a low-risk zone, closest call was me being saved by a rune
spell, 2 hp left!), but I think they will out level me too quickly
(which is usually my problem, any good players I meet out level me
quickly, guess I should figure out where I stand)
--
We now return to the non-stop rock.
Matt DeBarger
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