Comments on: Getting Ready to Raid

By: Herr Drache

Herr Drache — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:04:07 +0000

Wonderful write-up, as usual!

About RAWR, I’d like to add why I love it so much (and prefer it over the robot): it can take *all* of my gear into consideration! There’s a teeny addon that exports all the stuff that I have in the bank, bags, on me, etc. So when I let it optimize it might all of a sudden toss that “odd thing that’s now in the bank because I always wanted to check it out” right on you and tell you you should’ve been using it for the last 2 months :)

And (just because Phlegger’s post is right above mine): WTB training dummies for tanks. Just to practice “best” TPS moves…

By: Phlegger/SpiritusRex

Phlegger/SpiritusRex — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:29:10 +0000

Excellent read, BBB. I think the largest obstacle to new raiders are themselves – at least that was the case for me a few years back. The whole fear of hearing “OMG YOU SUCK GTFO OF THE RAID, NOOB!” I think has kept far too many potential raiders on the sidelines and, quite frankly, has lessened the experiences for many paying subscribers.

Along with your fine description, I think one thing that can’t be emphasized enough is what I like to consider “core competency” – that is, are you a capable player. In addition to proper gearing and reforging (no, we don’t need the spell reflect meta, hunters), I think new raiders do not spend enough time at the training dummies. With the amount of crap going on and about you in a raid (even entry Magmaw is overwhelming at first for new raiders), you need to know and trust your abilities. And, in my opinion, fully “getting” what your various abilities do and being able to do them without thought will sure go a long way to freeing up some of your greymatter to atttempt to comprehend what the hell is going on around you in the raid itself. Is spending time at the training dummies boring? Yes. But after all, the whole point of the training dummy is that your there to be training, dummy.

By: Blackbear

Blackbear — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:46:41 +0000

Another good article BBB. And you’re correct about the Elitist Jerk Forums. Those forums can offer a lot of ideas and tips about improving tanking, healing, dps, but I think that it’s important not to take their posts as absolute. Framerates, latency, reaction time, and even hardware (mouse and keyboard) can effect gameplay and how well one can play a class. Still, the forums can give a lot of good fundamental knowledge about a particular class.

By: Moonstalker

Moonstalker — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:07:21 +0000

While I am now a very, very casual raider, the stuff that you’ve mentioned goes a long way to making the evening enjoyable instead of so painful you want to trade places with Buster (Mythbusters). Thanks for the reminders (or in some cases, the new information).

By the way, have you seen this bit of news. Sad story but awesome article title.
“Flying bear kills two Canadians” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43327103/ns/world_news-americas/

By: Matryona

Matryona — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:37:12 +0000

I’m about to step back into raiding myself, after not being able to play for a few months due to real life… issues. I haven’t raided since Cataclysm launched, so I’m eager to see what’s out there. I’m betting it will kick my arse thorougly though. Luckily I can just chill with the other melee DPS and there’s a great raid leader doing the cat herding. I’m looking forward to it!

It’s great to read about getting prepared to raid, BBB. A good refresher of what to do before stepping back in. Thanks for this post!

By: bigbearbutt

bigbearbutt — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:14:57 +0000

No, not so. My last raiding was over two years ago. No, I can safely say that someone that has been running modern heroic five person content has, in my opinion, a FINE grasp of what is needed to step into raids if they’ve done due diligence in the other areas.

Someone that just walks in without bothering to do any studying before hand? Well, in that case i wholeheartedly agree.

By: Perdissa

Perdissa — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:20:49 +0000

“Every time an expansion is released, every time the level cap is raised, every time new raid content is added, every time abilities are changed and Talent trees are modified, everyone has to learn to raid together all over again.”

This is true to some extent, but most of the mechanics in the current raid tier have appeared in similar form in past raid tiers.

Many people raiding today have had the luxury of having seen and experienced similar mechanics in raids in the past, and are conditioned to react to things like fire on the ground, positioning for phase changes etc. Heck, I still run out of the healer’s ground aoe healing effects to this day. You too, are able to pick up the fights easily due to your past raiding experiences. To many new players, however, the expectation that they should pick up all these skills easily can be a bit overwhelming, especially if the entire raid group is made up of new players.

By: Xoria

Xoria — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:35:10 +0000

Standing in front of the boss, doing finall buffs and ready checks, is NOT the time to down a fifth of scotch or smoke a fat one, puff puff pass.

WRONG TIME FOR THAT SHIT.

Isn’t that where the fun really starts? Really?