Entering the raiding scene (or) How the Elune realm hates me
by Amanda Rivera 
Aug 21st 2007 at 6:05PM
It's an interesting thing, but the more you want something, sometimes the harder it is to get. Take raiding for instance. A while back I decided that casual gaming wasn't getting me where I wanted to go. I really wanted to see the whole game, and that meant raiding. I got myself into a raiding guild, which then proceeded to implode, and then on a whim applied to a friend's amazing guild, full of intimidatingly impressive members, and somehow, by sheer luck, I was accepted. They said it was based on my personality, and so once again I'm one of those "girls with a good personality" only this time it's not a bad thing.
Everything was going along dandily, I showed up for my first raid with my new guild the day after I was accepted, and was lucky enough to grab a spot in the Kara run. Only the server gods were adding their malevolent powers to the conspiracy to keep Amanda from raiding. As many of you know, I play on the Elune server, and if anyone was anywhere near the General forums this week, you'll not be surprised to learn that as we entered the instance, the instance server crashed. Our raid was trapped in the instance for a good 30 minutes three times before we finally gave up the ghost and decided to call it a night.
The next night it happened again. It took us two hours to get into Gruul's Lair, and when we finally did there was a decidedly somber spirit amongst the raiders. Sunday night was no exception, we stepped into Tempest Keep only to freeze for about 15 minutes. This was particularly interesting because at that point the oddness with the server allowed me to walk around the entire instance with impunity. I was able to tour the entire place from Kael's room and back before the world server crashed.
Luckily, the good folks at Blizzard fixed the issue, and last night's Kara run went off without a hitch, much to the dismay of those in my guild, who had a pool going as to when the server would crash. I ended up with a bit of loot, and was able to fight the Curator again successfully for the second time. But all of this has me wondering about my raiding luck. I know it's silly to be superstitious, and I'm grateful that my new guild is not prone to such things. Otherwise they might think I was bad mojo, as I am beginning to believe myself.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
lucifer.cross Aug 21st 2007 6:20PM
I've tinkered with the idea of switching from mostly casual to raiding, but getting into a good raiding guild is more difficult than I ever thought it could be. Especially as (yet another) rogue. Stupid rogues.
Snailking Aug 21st 2007 6:41PM
The day I APPLY to other players to access game content is the day I quit playing online games.
Corrodias Aug 21st 2007 6:49PM
The day i let some random twit that nobody knows anything about come into Gruul's Lair with us to roll on loot and risk wipes is ... well, it won't happen.
CVJ Aug 21st 2007 6:51PM
@2 Pretty much every guild has you put something of an app on their guild website when they are doing something above casual. It is to ensure that you accept their rules and policies and are aware of their raid times.
Freehugz Aug 21st 2007 6:51PM
#2 see #3
Drain Aug 21st 2007 6:55PM
Have fun doing PuGs Snailking, forever.
Freehugz Aug 21st 2007 6:57PM
Dethecus has been having server stability issues this last week as well :(
Ricky Aug 21st 2007 7:00PM
@2: Then you will probably never see any content above MAYBE the first two kara bosses
Dave Aug 21st 2007 7:04PM
Just because 'every guild' does it, doesn't mean it's effective or even that it's necessary.
There are lots and lots of wannabe hardcore guilds out there, who believe that if they mimic the style and businesslike representation of other guilds that have had success, they'll magically be as awesome and successful. They can keep their membership tiny through 'recruitment' and a pre-screening process all they like, they can keep up any sort of pretense and front that they're going to be the best guild ever... but the reality is that it's probably not the case.
yes, for some guilds that have a proven track record of server-first kills and really need to be that server-first guild for reputation's sake.. a strict application and interview process needs to happen and the people have to treat it more importantly than their job (if they have one..). For the vast vast majority of guilds, they would be MUCH better served to have as many warm bodies on hand and just track actual performance of people doing what they're doing. The mage that's been with you for 2 years may be a total idiot compared to new but really smart guy who studies the encounters, comes prepared and is generally going to be an awesome player. Some other guild will really love to have that guy. Your "recruiting" guild however will screen that guy out, because he doesn't fit the established mold of someone who's been in a guild that's already done all the things that you're looking to do.
Honestly, recruitng people with Gruul+ experience for a guild that's on Gruul? Is that even intelligent? Do you want the guy who was in a guild that's on TK/SSC in your guild that's still on the T4 objectives? Clearly the guy had to go from his more successful than yours guild.... so what was wrong with them there?
Instead you'd probably enjoy much more success if all guilds would take as many people as they can possibly get, and try them out in the smaller instances. Your guild has kara on farm? What's it going to hurt to gear up 20-30 more people who can ultimately clear the rest of the content with you? You may find someone who's better than one of your "core" raiders that way. You definitely won't do that if you practice the nearly suicidal exclusion processes that keep the majority of guilds from being top guilds.
Verit Aug 21st 2007 7:05PM
I kinda want to join a raiding guild - and I've had a lot of experience raiding, but I'm kinda worried about the time commitment.
Snailking Aug 21st 2007 7:06PM
@everyone
If I don't want to apply to guilds, and am thereby relegated to lower tier content, then that's *fine*. It's OK to not raid! Y'all act like it's bad or I can't have fun otherwise.
Freehugz Aug 21st 2007 7:15PM
If I [DO] want to apply to guilds, and am thereby relegated to [HIGHER] tier content, then that's *fine*. It's OK to [] raid [HIGH LEVEL CONTENT]! Y'all act like it's bad or I can't have fun otherwise.
anonymoose Aug 21st 2007 8:26PM
I'm sorry, this is one in a long line of recent articles that lack in substance. Can you explain how this warranted seeing the light of the interweb?
C'mon wowinside, you are about to lose your spot on my Google homepage. Elizabeth's post about the casual vs hardcore raider was so full of self-agrandizing (spelling?) arrogance that I was appalled...some bizarre article about a guy who got kicked for cybering on the ptr...and now this?
YAWWWWNNNNN
Paul Aug 21st 2007 9:21PM
Sounds like snailking is aware that lots of people have no problem applying for guild, he just doesn't want to do it. He just worded it very badly to start off with.
12, that was dumb, and made no sense.
Jasminium Aug 22nd 2007 6:48AM
Didn't know you were on Elune! That's my server :D
Had the same issues over the weekend but I ended up being a happy camper on Monday night and getting the mindblade from Prince :)
Good luck with your new guild!
Baluki Aug 21st 2007 10:08PM
I used to be an uber-raider, and got to experience all the content that WoW Classic had to offer (minus a few bosses in Naxx). That was great, but other aspects of my life suffered somewhat.
Now I'm doing the "casual ex-raider" thing, which basically means that I'm levelling up a whole ton of alts.
I'd like to get back into raiding someday though, and hopefully when I can, I'll be able to find a nice, flexible guild. I'd like to at least set foot in the Black Temple.
Ghen Aug 21st 2007 10:40PM
raiding is fun, but too hard for my tastes. so much prep put into an attempt.. I'd like to see easier fights that force you to have no prep. Kinda like BM I guess, even though that instance sucks.
Junzim Aug 22nd 2007 5:29AM
Don't worry about "raiding luck" - it can't be as bad as my guild's used to be ;)
26 consecutive Molten Core runs with the Ancient Petrified Leaf dropping instead of the Eye of Divinity (ie: Hunter Epic Bow instead of Priest Epic Staff).
Rygel Aug 22nd 2007 6:07AM
I had applied to several guilds before ZG came out and the majority of the responses were pretty belligerent if you had less than 200 FR... which for a non-raider, isn't very attainable. I thought the whole application process was effing stupid, but I grudgingly accepted that there was no other way to weed out the uncommitted players.
I finally got into one that I applied for, but a day later I just said screw it and joined a friend's casual guild. So in my 3 WoW years, I've done part of MC once, half of ZG once, none of BWL, and certainly not Naxx or any post-BC stuff.
No matter how good you are, WoW comes down to having gear and having time. If you don't have both, you get to PUG your life away and miss out on the majority of new content.
karine Aug 22nd 2007 6:58AM
Totally OT, but learning you played on the Elune server made my day. I suppose that has something to do with the fact that I really enjoy your posts.
I'd been wondering how raids were impacted by the constant server crashes - walking the instance with impunity sounds like fun!