Trust me, everything is under control
by Mike Schramm 
Aug 20th 2007 at 1:26PM
Marilyn has an interesting point over at WoW Ladies: if you see her grinding Consortium rep and taking on three mobs at a time in Netherstorm, leave her alone-- it's all under control. I sometimes have this same problem as a resto Shaman-- onlookers don't always realize that even though my health is low and I'm almost out of mana, redemption for me is just a huge heal and a Mana Tide totem away. Things may look bad, but really, don't worry about it-- my Earth Shield just got refreshed, and I'm good to go for two more mobs, so no, I don't need saving.On the other hand, I'm not sure I really want to discourage people to help in this game-- I'd much rather have them help me fight than really be in trouble and have them /laugh as I die. So I'm not sure I'd tell everyone to lay off.
Rather, the problem here is that when I pull a group of mobs, I don't want someone else stepping in and tagging them away from me in the name of help. So there are plenty of ways to help that don't include stealing my XP-- drop a DoT on something that's been tagged (I do this all the time on my Shadow Priest), or throw me a heal (always appreciated, even if my Mana Tide totem is off cooldown). And just paying attention is nice, too-- nothing burns me more as a Rogue than taking the time to sneak up on a mob, only to have them charged by an overzealous warrior who claims afterwards that they didn't see my Distract go off.
If it's legitimate kill-stealing, the best option is just to ignore and move on to a less populated area-- there's no dealing with those people. But if you do see someone fighting a bunch of mobs solo, there are better ways to help than grabbing one of their kills, and chances are they'll be more than happy to help you the next time around.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tips, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Leveling
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Levi Aug 20th 2007 1:38PM
I run into this all the time on my protection paladin. I run over 4 hostile mobs and then dismount on purpose! I get far better XP/hr this way because of all the procs and damage I do when I take damage. Can basically just sit there and keep holy shield up while whacking on something with seal of light and kill things until I run out of mana. Not to mention ardent defender is real nice for multi-mob pulls.
p3ngu11 Aug 20th 2007 1:40PM
unless i can tell that they meant to pull the extra mobs (i.e. they aren't running away), then i wait for the target to go from red to grey before i help. i'll even leave a sapped mob alone, it was used for a reason, and there are plenty of mobs for me if i'm farming there too...
dekulink Aug 20th 2007 1:52PM
AoE Pallies have this problem all the time.
If you're grinding in a popular area people will ALWAYS try to help you.
Kristian Cee Aug 20th 2007 1:55PM
I've just started running up my first Warlock and I *love* dropping friendly DoTs on mobs engaged with players. It's a non-invasive way to help out without seeming like a huge busybody.
Morrigän Aug 20th 2007 1:53PM
I rather steal someone's mob than stare at them, trying to figure what's going on (they obviously won't have time to type back on these situations) and increasing their chance to die.
Everytime I help someone on that situation I apologize just in case, unless their health is blinking.
Sindral Aug 20th 2007 1:54PM
like #1, as a protection paladin this happens a lot. Currently, when holy shield is up, I do more damage when I block than when I hit, and so tanking multiple mobs at once is pretty easy. But if someone steps in and pulls one because they're trying to help, I don't mind. I'll even buff them. In fact, I will usually dismount and buff any fellow hordies I see out in the wild. What burns me up is when they can and don't buff back. Some classes are excused of course, but it's my feeling that if you have buffs, mana, you're not fighting, and you see a player of the same faction, you should buff. I don't know, does anyone else out there buff on sight? Or am I just a crazy BE paladin?
SeanKReynolds Aug 20th 2007 1:55PM
I always wait until the other player tags a mob before stepping in to assist, unless it's CLEARLY a case where they're going to die, like a rogue at a sliver of health.
As for the people who get mad when you help them ... uh, screw you. I thought you were going to die, I stepped in to help. Maybe you got a little less XP for my assistance, maybe I tagged one of them in the effort of "saving" you, but don't get mad because my instinct was to help someone who looked like they're in trouble. If you WERE in trouble and I just ran by, you'd think I was a jerk, so don't think I'm a jerk for stopping to help.
hashpipe Aug 20th 2007 1:56PM
i love it when i used to play with my hunter and grinding Timbermaw rep, tagging 4-6 mobs and killing them and repeating it some players would bitch and /w to me saying how Im stealing kills when I tagged them in the first place. In those cases people are just babies. But when u pull A mob and aggro 3-4 others and someone snatches the excess yea it could go either way of either stealing or helping.
Freehugz Aug 20th 2007 1:58PM
As someone who only kills one mob at a time. "STOP BEING A MOB HOG!"
Ted Aug 20th 2007 4:36PM
Hey thats a picture of my newb priest back in the days when Crypts was a tough run!
-Miltonious of Draka (A)
CVJ Aug 20th 2007 2:00PM
I try to help because of all the times when I did not and I get bitched out saying "gee thanks for the help"
Scylloga Aug 20th 2007 2:02PM
Ill stp and help anybody if it appears they might have taken on more than they could handle or if they pulled a mob unexpectedly and are nearing death. I have mad some friends both alliance and horde this way. To me nothing is more satisfying than to have a lvl 1 alt /w you with thanks for helping me, and come to find out it was that alliance shadow priest I was tempted to kill.
Laukidh Aug 20th 2007 2:05PM
@4. Actually, I usually can and do type back when I'm fighting big pulls on my tankadin. I'll see someone pop up attacking a mob, and let them know I'm good. It doesn't hurt to ask.
I normally don't need help, but I appreciate the gesture.
Amynnah Aug 20th 2007 2:07PM
I try to help out, regardless of faction, if I see someone about to die. I try to make sure the mobs are tagged, but if I see someone about to go under, I'll go bear and steal aggro to prevent player death. I've never had a negative experience from this, and most of the time, it comes back on me.
I've had too many mobs on me, on the verge of death, and been saved by the opposite faction. I've also been "saved" when I was perfectly fine, but I never fail to thank those other people for their help. :)
anon Aug 20th 2007 2:11PM
my friend loves playing off of people's kindness. he'll pick an area with a lot of foot traffic but mobs that aren't really fought over then when he sees some people coming he'll tag a bunch and call for help. usually this works and he thanks them because "gee, i must have pulled it wrong", evil but effective.
superfrank Aug 20th 2007 2:15PM
"Rather, the problem here is that when I pull a group of mobs, I don't want someone else stepping in and tagging them away from me in the name of help."
This is why, the first thing you do in an environment where people are competing for mobs is to tag every mob you're fighting! Its basic stuff and right there on the first page of "Beating your own faction".
When several people are questing for the same mobs, I have more problems with ninja-tagging from my own faction than the opposite!
Juliah Aug 20th 2007 2:16PM
I'd rather encourage more kindness in the world, and not less. If I see someone who may be in trouble, if I have time, I'll simply ask: "Hey, are you okay?" If it's clear that they're down in the read, I'll pop a heal on them or assist in some other way. I appreciate it when people do this for me, and even when I've been "saved" when I'm fine, really, I'd rather see people be good samaritans.
Erica Olson Aug 20th 2007 2:19PM
Oh, I just love it when I'm out rep grinding. I've picked a spot and work on a few mobs - leaving some for others as well - and a warlock, mage, whatever comes charging through and aggros everything, AoEs and pulls everything away from everyone else just so they can get the loot.
Also seen many aggro and tag a whole bunch on purpose and then drag them over my duo so that we get into the mix as well. Of course, seeing as they'd hit them first it's their kill and we were just dupes.
And usually it's a toon from my own faction.
Tseran Aug 20th 2007 2:22PM
There are two sides to this. If I see a class with no heal spells getting close to death and a bunch of mobs on them, I usually try and help. However, if I am trying to grind the same mobs, and they didn't tag one of theirs, its fair game in my eyes. Of course, that got me the attitude that I "Ninjaed Netherstorm" from someone who could barely handle one of the mobs on them, when I was taking on three or four at a time to get the darn enchantmnt to drop. He even called all his guildies to yell profanaties at me in whisper, and then proceeded to make rude character name after another as I ignored each of them, probably hoping I would leave and let him have the area. Funny thing was, if someone came in to the manaforge to do the shut down event, I would happily help them as I killed the mobs I needed for the drop.
ropax Aug 20th 2007 2:23PM
@6 - That's been my practice as well. I always wait for the mobs to go gray for me and then throw up some dots to help on my warlock, or throw some heals if I'm on my druid.