As someone who really doesn't raid much and frequently pugs, I would honestly never invite somebody unless they have decent gear. I screen everybody in the group unless I'm joining as the 5th or someone else is leading the group earnestly (not just the party leader, but a LEADER).

I had a case of some bearing to this argument. I was in a group looking for a healer and a pally responded. I went on armory and saw that he was retribution/prot in dps/tankage gear. When I asked him, he said he respecced that day for a raid and had been a healer for most of his leveling. Sure enough, the dude had a lot of decent healing gear.

However, after about 5 wipes in botanica before the first boss, I asked him if he actually respecced or was just wearing his healing gear. He says "well yeah, I'm actually still a dps hybrid, I'm just wearing my healing gear. But we should be fine, I still heal for a lot." I said bollocks to that and "so... we don't actually have a healer..." and he parted right then and there. We had cleared almost to the first boss and the party just evaporated when he left.

What causes somebody to do this? Why lie about your spec in the hopes that the other 4 players wouldn't notice he's not healing specced. I know being driven to find gear can make you do stupid stuff, but that helps nobody because you won't be successful at all.

I've been in some amazing groups with no formal healer, but there were always two phenomenally geared hybrids healing in between massive DPS spurts. When somebody is the sole healer in a group and he lies about it, it's just a waste of time and when the group gets pissed, don't feel victimized because YOU just screwed ALL of US over.

Reply