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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsCharity for beggars, or lack thereof
by Mike Schramm 
Mar 8th 2007 at 1:12PM
I like to think that maybe it's because I'm special (but it probably happens to everyone who has a 70)-- periodically ingame, I'll get tells from lowbies, asking either for mount money, or to run them through an instance. I've made it a habit to laugh and politely decline (this is not a hard game, and they can play it themselves). But this post on Livejournal made me reconsider the question of why I should or shouldn't help beggars.Fordarkness tells the story of his mother selling some furniture that she was asking $500 for $25 to help out a couple who'd been going through some rough times, and he says that it seems like a good idea to help beggars out when you believe they genuinely need it. I've never begged for money or powerleveling (although I have begged same-level guildies to tank or heal an instance for me, I'll readily admit), but, like Fordarkness, I have been gifted money by friends who saw how close I was to my first mount.
Of course, guildies are a different situation-- I'll give them anything they need, because I figure you might as well show loyalty to someone besides yourself. As for beggars, though, I've never helped them, and unless they take an effort to show my why they actually need what they're asking for, I'll keep it that way. Have you ever felt the need to make a lowbie's day and gift them that mount money or run them through that instance? Or does a tell from someone you don't know asking for something automatically add them to your ignore list?
Update: Right after I finished writing this article, reader Preacherman23 sent us this elegant solution: one player puts 50g in the trade window of a beggar... and then just goes afk for an hour or so.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Making money
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Ovcydian Mar 10th 2007 8:02PM
I got to 62 with out asking for money or begging. I also don't like taking charity from people because I hate to feel like I owe people something in return right away or in the near future.
For example when I was level 25 warlock, a level 50+ felt generous to try to give me 4g and I refused. He then was shocked.. so he decided to give me other stuff wanting for me to accept his generosity. I then folded and accepted the herbs he was giving me since I was an herbalist. Later on as I progressed thru the game, he kept asking for favors and running him thru instances with his lowbie alts.. telling me at times "how come you dont talk to me anymore".. I just hate feeling entitled to help anyone because at one point in time they felt generous. Don't get me wrong, I like to help others.. its just that guy made me feel like I owe him for the rest of my wow life.
Pritchard Mar 8th 2007 3:23PM
As a mage, the trade option gets turned off during Battlegrounds. After the first couple opened trade windows WHILE I WAS CASTING, yeah, off it goes.
Besides, I wouldn't make it out of the cave otherwise.
I also like the healers who threaten you with no heals if you don't hand over the water. Does any mage go into AV with the expectation you are going to be healed? I've learned to play with the idea I don't have a heal-bot following me around.
Guarding Iceblood graveyard once, I was bored and a Huntard asked for water. I then went about trying to convince him he didn't need it, that his mana bar was merely cosmetic and he didn't actually use mana.
It passed the time until a hordie showed up.
Aler Mar 8th 2007 3:31PM
Not a beggar story, but a nice moment of random charity.
I was in UC with a lvl28 character, making some cloth bolts. An unknown lvl40 character comes up to me and asks if I'd like some silk. I say yes, and he gives me 100+ silk, and refuses any payment in exchange. In a moment he's back, giving me 5 16 slot bags, again refusing payment. Had I tried to buy all this, I would have gone bankrupt several times over.
In the spirit of generosity, I used the silk to make bags, and gave them away for free to friends and low level guild mates.
Do unsolicited donations follow the same rules as giving to beggars? Is recognizing need the same as being told of need?
Karmakin Mar 8th 2007 3:33PM
I don't quite get where the begging comes from. It either seems to come from low-levels who want to twink without knowing how to play the classes, or people looking for the mount at level 40.
The former, results in players who havn't learned their classes when they hit higher levels. And the latter..wtf? Me and my wife had 180 gold for both our mounts by the time we hit 40. It took a little bit of prep-work, a run or two of Stocks or a run of DM to farm enough money, but it was fun and very profitable.
Krystian J Mar 8th 2007 3:36PM
I am on my druid and I am about to lvl 40 and my guild mates have been helping me a ton, helping me get that last bit of exp and donating little by little for gold. Once I hit a higher lvl and am able to give back I plan too as much as possible.
But I do agree when some beggar comes up and says 'gold?' I just find that rude and annoying, but anything for a guild mate or someone that helped me out.
Porridge Mar 9th 2007 1:03AM
I used to give out some money to people who asked. But then I recieved a spam COD package for 200g from "Argent Dawn" and the sender was the person who I gave 50s to, not only that but a LOT of people where spammed by this person who obviously paid for the mailing costs with my 50s :(
Ragbar Mar 8th 2007 3:51PM
Look, I don't mind people asking me for water/ports
It's the people that feel they are entitled to it that piss me off. If you ask for water, and I say "no". Drop it. The ONLY time I've ever gotten into an argument is when someone demanded I explain why I said no. My usual response is "I don't know you, and I don't feel like spending 5 minutes to track you down and make food/water for someone I don't know". For some reason, people can't accept that I don't want to do them a favor at that particular time.
When I'm about to logoff for the night, and I have water left in my bags, I almost ALWAYS ask people around me if they want some water. Or if someone enchants something, or does a transmute for me, I always tip them with water/food in addition to whatever the cost is.
I'll buff as I'm passing someone, or hand water off to someone I grouped with just for a quick quest elite kill or something.
However, do not feel like you are "entitled" to my help or any favor, especially if you don't know me and it's just some kind of random tell.
Furthermore, I included that quote in my post for a reason. It seems to be the typical attitude toward mages when it comes to giving out water.
"You won't give me water? Well then you OBVIOUSLY have no clue how to play a mage"
False_Magister Mar 8th 2007 4:05PM
"And what is it you think you have accomplished? If you seek to aid everyone that suffers in the galaxy, you will only weaken yourself... and weaken them. It is the internal struggles, when fought and won on their own, that yield the strongest rewards. You stole that struggle from them, cheapened it. If you care for others, then dispense with pity and sacrifice and recognize the value in letting them fight their own battles. And when they triumph, they will be even stronger for the victory." ~ Traya
I think this quote says it all, despite that it is from a fictional character. It speaks truth.
Galipan Mar 8th 2007 4:18PM
I don't give away money, bur that's because I'm sort of cheap, but if I'm in Stormwind City, bored and only jumping on that damn fountain, I have no problem running a lowbie through SM, because I once did ask high levels to help me out.
chris poloncic Mar 8th 2007 4:23PM
If I'm bored and hanging out in crossroads or responding to world defense and somebody asks me for a WC run, I'll do it or part of it if I'm not busy. There isn't much point in standing around already and then being too snooty to help somebody out real fast. I don't give out money though. Well I have, but that was to a person I was helping with a quest who was 19 and in vendor whites.
To the guy that said mana drinks are cheap, yeah sure. Draenic water is like about 2+gold a stack, and a stack is never enough. I think the high repair bills that plate wearers whine about are definetly offset by water costs for mana classes.
SandraPerenolde Mar 8th 2007 4:44PM
OMG!! That picture had me cracking up. I had to try very hard to not burst out laughing at work.
Metaphyzxx Mar 8th 2007 4:45PM
I guess the real question then would be, who WOULD you give "donations" to, and under what circumstances.
I'm an alt-aholic, and in trying to find the best server fit, have a lot of low lvl chars on servers. I don't beg, since you can skin after level 5 and earn 'decent' money, but I might ask for a little money to buy those first few bags.
batgrl Mar 8th 2007 4:57PM
See, I see starting your character as part of the game. I'm something of an alt-a-holic too, but knowing that mining and skining can be started early and can both pay money quickly all it takes it time to get myself enough bags and decent gear. I don't worry about equipping greens til they drop or until I have enough money at the AH. I consider this part of playing the game. Now when friends are in the game I usually give them money, especially if I want to group with them and have them not die easily. But otherwise I have so much to do that I wouldn't consider wasting time asking for things when I could be playing the game. If I'm going to stand around and chat it would be because I'm looking for people to group with, not to hit up for money. I guess it really depends on what you consider game play is, and whether the other people in the game are a resource (in a positive and negative way, of course) or just nice to have around as other players and for community but not integral my enjoyment or how I play. In some ways I could still enjoy WOW even if I was the only one on the server. Though of course the AH would be useless.
Pougen (ER) Mar 8th 2007 5:41PM
Depends on the character I'm playing. Since I roleplay my toons differently, some responses are a little less charitable than others.
That said, I had someone come to a lowbie alt the other day and ask for assistance with a mob above their level. I took a few minutes to help them, and they were very grateful - and roleplayed the whole thing. They asked if I could make them some items, and I said I would if I had the mats. They asked what the mats were, then proceeded to open a trade window and supply the mats AND gold for a tip.
So the bottom line is (I guess) just because someone asks for help with something, it doesn't mean they are a beggar. Sometimes, if you interact with them, you will find they are just new, and trying to get a handle on the game. And although I can be an asshat to people who are jerks, I think it's good policy not to be the jerk FIRST.
But that's just me.
Tisk Mar 8th 2007 6:00PM
My favorite is when someone whispers me asking for a summons and then expects ME to go and find two other random people to help out. I explained to one guy that I would happily summon him if he arranged the other two people. "Why don't you do it? Just ask around," he asked. "My time is more valuable than that," I replied. This earned me being called an A-hole. I'm an a-hole because I don't run around willy nilly for some random? Chances are good I wouldn't be able to find two people willing to help summon and would have wasted my time for NOTHING. I've done that before and learned my lesson.
As far as gold begging is concerned, my favorite techniques are to tell them about a secret exploit that I've discovered... where monsters drop gold and equipment when you kill them. I ask that they not reveal this secret lest the developers close this lovely loophole. That gets 'em mad. When on my Alliance character, I love to direct them to an NPC who gives out free gold to whoever talks to him. His name is Topper McNabb and he hangs out by the Auction House. I then wait for their inevitable angry /tells. Those, I cherish. I earn all my gold. I expect everyone else to do likewise.
ayatsumi Mar 8th 2007 6:29PM
You're missing the point. This isn't someone dying by the roadside, this is someone saying "Hi, take the time, YOUR TIME, and give ME, the person you DON'T KNOW, something you have, for free, just because I ask you for it, and NOT EVEN NICELY."
Yeah, right. If that guy were on the side of the road dying, the appropriate help would be putting him out of his misery, not helping him to his feet.
Thresher Mar 8th 2007 8:27PM
One night a few months ago before the expansion I came home rolling drunk from the pub and logged on to WoW to check some auctions. While at the Org bank a level 50ish warrior whispered me and stated how in awe of my gear he was (I'm a warrior too). It was just Tier 1 with a nice purple AQ sword. He wanted to know where the warrior trainer was and hadn't trained since the 20s, was wearing quest greens and still had some mail items on and was still running around without a mount (IE he was in all sense of the word a noob). In my drunken haze I thought it would be a good idea to give him a little present. First I escorted him to the trainer and gave him 20g to train up all his skills. He was suitably impressed (I almost sh@t my pants when someone gave me 5g when my first toon was 18). Then I took him to the wolf rider and bought him a mount. At this stage he was yelling in Org how much he thought I was a good guy. Then I took him to the AH and bought up the best greens he could wear and some Tier 0 items. And to top it all off I bought him a Taran Icebreaker. Suffice to say when I traded him all that AND another 100g, he told me (and I quote) "You are my best friend ever! This is the best day of my life!" All up I dropped about 350g, which was about half of what I had at the time.
It turns out that the 50 warrior was the kid brother (who was about 11) of our Guild's main healer. Soon the story got around about my generosity and some people thought my account was hacked, or that I'd bought gold online. Neither of those were true and after the shock of realizing how much I'd spent on a complete noob wore off it felt pretty good that I'd been able to pimp out a complete noob and get him on the right track. I see him around today and hes now 70 (I've been casual recently and stuck at 67) and he still sends me tells "Hi best friend!"
Mirathis Mar 8th 2007 11:34PM
I for one, discourage gold begging as much as possible. In fact, it's against our guild guidelines to do so. And when I run across somebody begging for money, and they are in a guild, I let one of their elder members know. Real simple. Type /who "Begger's Guild Name" and it will show you everyone from that guild that is currently logged in. Pick somebody in they're 60s or so and let them know whats going on. Personally, I think it makes your guild look trashy, and I would want to know if one of my guildies was doing it.
Aladek Mar 9th 2007 10:01AM
I find it interesting that there are two types here... those that hate to have people ask for things, and refuse to give.
And those that are happy and willing to give what they can when they can.
I admit these are the extremes, but I'm happy to fall into the second group.
BenMS Mar 9th 2007 5:24AM
Look, with the mage water/food thing, if I'm in Shattrath and someone /w's me saying, "Greetings sir, sorry to trouble you but would I be able to buy a few stacks of water from you?", that person gets 6 stacks for free. If someone opens a trade window and says something along the lines of "5 stx water kthx" they make a speedy entry to my /ignore list. And I think instance runs are really only for guildies, I know I've been helped out on my shaman with a few DM/stocks runs for quests etc. I was once whispered by a lvl 14, quite polite, asking for a run through Deadmines and offering two gold, and I went on at some length saying how getting a group together will be more rewarding, teach you how to group better and play your class well etc. The lower level guy didn't thank me, but he wasn't abusive and he will thank me for it when he learns his char better.