Stretching yourself too thin?
by Matthew Rossi 
Jan 7th 2008 at 6:30PM
Like a lot of players, I have a lot of alts. At this point, I have four 70's on Norgannon, where I play Alliance primarily alongside my wife and occasionally some old friends from the guild we transferred there with. I also have two 70's on Malfurion, where I play alongside my Horde friends who all live in Edmonton and generally share a social circle. (I've eaten cake with these folks and then run Kara the same day. Cake makes Kara better.) Now, I enjoy playing both Horde and Alliance, I enjoy having a variety of alts I can play.
But sometimes I have a problem, in that everyone I know has the same work and play schedule, and as a result, they want me to tank or heal or DPS for them at the same time. I don't know about you, but I can't tank Heroic Shattered Halls for my wife while DPSing in Heroic Ramparts for my friends. I can't heal a Karazhan run while playing AB at the same time. Even if I had two accounts and two computers, I am not a multiboxer by nature.
As a result, I tend to find myself disappointing someone on a regular basis.
But sometimes I have a problem, in that everyone I know has the same work and play schedule, and as a result, they want me to tank or heal or DPS for them at the same time. I don't know about you, but I can't tank Heroic Shattered Halls for my wife while DPSing in Heroic Ramparts for my friends. I can't heal a Karazhan run while playing AB at the same time. Even if I had two accounts and two computers, I am not a multiboxer by nature.
As a result, I tend to find myself disappointing someone on a regular basis.
Part of the problem is that I tend to play classes that tank or heal as their primary focus. As a result, I actually feel the so-called tank shortage pretty acutely at times. Sometimes, it seems like everyone I know needs a tank, especially when I'm playing on one of my lower level alts like my new druid or hunter. I want to help them out, but I signed on to play my hunter, not to drop everything and tank for everyone else all day. Similarly, while I feel guilty for running around chopping off heads with a greatsword while I see repeated cries for a healer, sometimes I want to be unwinding, not keying myself up for a task that requires focus and concentration to do right. Worse, sometimes I decide okay, I'll tank this Heroic Crypts run and then the phone rings and it's folks who need me to heal for them. I can't blow off the run I already started, but I hate feeling like I left my guildmates in the lurch. Likewise, I hate feeling like I let my wife down because I signed on to Malfurion to check my mail and ended up in an instance just as she comes out into the living room to ask me to come to Arcatraz with her.
Thankfully I don't catch too much flak for it. My friends understand that sometimes I have to put my wife ahead of them, which in our case often means doing runs with her, and my wife understands that raiding on Malf (especially as we're heading deeper into endgame) is something I enjoy doing and that unlike her, I really like playing Horde sometimes. Something cathartic about being a gigantic man-bull with a huge sword and ripping off night elf heads, I don't know what it is. But I do know that I'm lucky in that my cross-server hijinks don't cause me any serious discomfort. Some guilds frown on playing outside them, as I well remember from my original guild on Azjol-Nerub. My back and forth antics would have gotten me kicked post-haste from that group, if I'd been playing more than one character back then.
How about you? Have you had to choose between friends or loved ones on different servers, or been forced to say "I can't bring my rogue to SSC tonight, my wife wants me to heal Slabs for her'?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, WoW Social Conventions, Virtual selves, Guilds, Odds and ends, Alts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Balasan Jan 7th 2008 7:11PM
I don't have a SO, so I don't have a *I need to drop this for my bf* or whatever.
I am, however, on two different guilds on one server, with my holy paladin on the bigger raiding guild, and my feral tank druid on the smaller raiding guild.
Thus if I log my druid, I sometimes get a /w from my pally's guildie asking for a healer, and vice versa. I also have another shaman alt, which I'd like to get to 70 ASAP. So yeah, I understand where you're coming from, coz I'm experiencing a similiar situation.
How I solve it: I set priorities. I only recently got into the big raiding guild, so I need to show some sort of commitment, or loyalty to the guild, so I drop my druid for my paladin if needed. My shaman, well, she just has to wait I guess.
*sigh* The life of an altitis sucks. Especially when you love all your characters equally.
vernia Jan 7th 2008 7:12PM
I don't have any alts, well active alts, i have a night elf hunter 60 i haven't touched for 2 years.
My undead priest is my main, and I am very pround to be raiding the black temple (About half way).
You can only go so far on alts really, if you want to see the end game contend, you can't really have alts, seriously, unless you don't have a job, or kids...
Jonathan Jan 7th 2008 7:13PM
Solution: Cloning. Just dont go all multiplicity on us.
--Wide
Jimbo Jan 7th 2008 7:20PM
You know what they say, happy wife, happy life. This is basically my mantra and has left my bepurpled lock sitting and had me healing on my alt, but I would much rather be in a party with her DPSing than not.
Matthew Hilario Jan 7th 2008 7:32PM
i have the similar issue..i'm a druid on gorgonnash and also the mt for our guild. i hate being stuck specced feral all the time. resto druids are the most wanted class in arena and i can't respec because "everyone" needs me to tank. all in all though, stick to your lady. she's gonna be with you offline as well so if you got that covered don't trip too much about dickin' out other people. remember it's your account and your characters, don't feel obligated to do anything. even though we all like to help.
Karlei Jan 7th 2008 8:00PM
I just ran into the exact same problem recently. Right before BC came out I decided to follow some friends to an RP server to play blood elves. I now run a small RP-PvE guild where I am a main tank with my paladin.
During the holidays, my guild, as many others experienced the lack of people signing on due to families obligations and vacations. Which was fine with me, I’d play my 70 druid on that server. Well, things got boring and nobody to talk to and didn’t really want to pug. So I popped on to my RP-PvP server that my hunter was still sitting at, begging to be played. My old guild had not kicked out (even though I was gone for a year), and I started reconnecting with old online friends (Okay like a year old, but still).
It was nice logging on there, no responsibilities to a guild, no 30 tells an hour saying “u heal spec” , “need tank for reg ramparts” or my favorite “we have 4 dps, u can heal and tank rite?”
But now comes the time as people are logging in, on my mains server, and I have to try to balance out between leveling my old hunter who was all in ZG gear, and tanking and being a good guild leader at the same time. I’ve thought about handing GL over to someone else, and they are very understanding. But for now, I log on for about an hour to my paladin, make sure no one needs anything, everything is cool, then log off and play my hunter.
I still haven’t figured out how to balance everything correctly.
Zhalseran Jan 7th 2008 9:20PM
I'm sitting at 3 lvl 70s right now, a holy priest, a protection paladin and a Rogue. So whenever someone is looking for another man for an instance, I am always eligible, but rarely do I feel obliged. Part of what makes it relatively easy for me is that they are all in the same guild, and so I don't get yanked from 2 different ends too often. In the end of the day, I generally stick to doing whatever it is I logged on to do (such as, lately I've been leveling my druid) unless I'm feeling really bored, I'm feeling charitable, its someone that I'm good friends with and theyr in a fix, I stand to gain something, etc.
Charlie Taylor Jan 7th 2008 9:39PM
the cake is a lie
seamus Jan 7th 2008 10:51PM
I managed to get one toon to 70: a holy priest. I tried to level a warlock and a frost mage but could only get them to 57 and 40, respectively. The demands to heal for my guild always seemed to get in the way.
I've left the game recently because it was starting to take up waaayyy too much of my time and it just felt like I could never accomplish everything that I wanted in the game anyways. /sigh. Things are looking up, though. I never knew how much time I actually had to get things done until I quit the game. :-)
Hnetu Jan 7th 2008 11:24PM
That's why I have almost all of my characters on one server. Except for a few low levels I use to talk to friends/relatives, I generally stick to my server (I play on Norgannon too.) That's where I levelled, that's where all my in-game friends are. I just got my second 70 and my third/fourth are well on their way.
But, I don't want to have too many characters spread out because then I won't be able to play with those friends I've made. Except for a secret alt or two when I need some time alone, all of my good friends on Norgannon know my alts, and I'm levelling them so I can play more with my 70 friends. My Warrior isn't a good combination in 2v2 with my best friend in game, who is a Mage. So I got my Priest to 70 because they will go together better. (Not perfect but better.)
I've had the chance to transfer to servers where my friends play, but.. Why? I have my friends here and I can always spend time with those friends in real life.
Matthew Rossi Jan 8th 2008 1:55AM
Alliance or Horde? I'm looking for good folks to play with Alliance side. Horde side, I get my fill on Malf.
Beaverius Jan 8th 2008 5:20AM
What's up Hnetu :) I totally saw your name up here under recent comments
to Mr. Matt "Too many Warriors" Rossi: You can always hit me up on the alliance side on my main Beaverius. I know my favorite triumvirate on the WI-Show is you, Mike S. and the T!
Hnetu Jan 8th 2008 9:00AM
Yeah, as Beaverius said, I play Alliance side.
My Warrior's name is the one I use here, Hnetu. She was one of (if not the) first Draenei Warriors to 70 on Norgannon, and I just got my Draenei Priest (Vewty) to 70 two days ago.
If ya ever need a tank/DPS or a Healer, send me a message.
Sirg Jan 8th 2008 3:53AM
So many alts? :O I have just one level 70 rogue and because I'm in a good raiding guild, I feel that one char is more than enough.
I do have a level 29 twink to have fun in the low level style, and that char also helps me with banking and AH... so it is useful, but
I think you are wasting good playtime if your char isn't going anywhere, in terms of game progression. Level 70 is nothing... you just have the same level like most ppl, and the common combination of green/blue item quality gear which all the average players have.
Besides, if you are playing one char more, you'll get better to very good at that class, if your aim is to be better and separate from the average crowd, ofc.
3-5 hours each evening is enough for a game, I think, sometimes more than enough.. There is less and less fresh air outside, and some ppl should try it more often. :P
enkafiles Jan 8th 2008 5:07AM
Don't let anyone to make you feel bad about setting priorities and honoring prior commitments.
This can be difficult if you are prone to feeling guilty even if you know something isn't your problem or responsibility.
It's not bad to want to help. Just be aware of what you want to get out of the game and allow yourself to go after that.
If you are *only* concerned with the wants and needs of others, how is the game still fun?
Littlemouse Jan 8th 2008 5:29AM
Ha! My first 40 (Horde Troll rogue) got transferred to Norgannon back in the days of free server transfers from Azjol-Nerub! Plus, all of my other first hordies. I've since moved on to Alliance and gotten 3 of my 70s there with one 70 Horde druid because I wanted to get back into the Horde (Did the transfer because all of my RL friends had moved on and tried Alliance to see the other side of things). I've popped on to Norgannon a few times to try new specs with the toons that I have and was actually debating on levelling up some of them. Anyways...
I totally get the conflict of multiple alts. Depending on which side of the fence I'm playing on, I get a lot of calls for my Druid to tank, for my priest (not a 70 yet, but I've got a large friends list) to heal, for my Lock to dps (lots of mech calls >.>) and on rare occasions my rogue. I have a habit of trying to please everyone, so it can get a bit nerve-wracking at times:) I personally love to tank, so I'm fairly game for pulling out the Druid when needed. Now I just need to dust off my 60 warrior that I left sitting when xpac rolled around (so I could actually play my lock main for a change!) and get him up to 70:)
Littlemouse Jan 8th 2008 5:39AM
@14:
Yeah, that's why I made the hard decision to leave my warrior sitting at 60 when xpac rolled around. I'm very prone to being as helpful as I can and feeling guilty for saying no. I can't say that I begrudged the mass amounts of time that I spent tanking for guildies since I had fun, but I finally had to draw the line. I don't ask for help very often, but spending hours tanking instances for people who aren't willing to lend me 15minutes of help (via forum requests or guildchat, so I wasn't asking for it THEN, just when they could spare a bit of time) hardened me enough to finally say no. Live an learn:)
somerandomguy Jan 8th 2008 8:00AM
I have the easy solution, I have one main and I onyl play alts when I want a break from the honour grind I am currently involved in, no hassles or pulls that way :)
And to the person who said 3-5 hours an evening is plenty I say you need to really get a real life outside the game! 3-5 hours a night is insane!
Zarzuur Jan 8th 2008 7:55AM
In anticipation of Northrend and wanting more than one char to get there, I recently got altitus when I made one of each class and put them all in their own guild (Alts of Zarzuur)! It is great fun to be able to do all professions just by passing stuff between your alts, however, it is going to take ages to level them all, even when fast-tracked via a levelling guide ..
Surpriseb Jan 8th 2008 10:36AM
Matthew,
Also being a Matthew in RL, I have to say I always enjoy your articles due to fabulous writing and topics that are easy to relate too.
I have the same issue as described. I have 4 alliance 70's on SoE (Sister's of Elune) and was a Guild Leader for over 2 years. Making a lot of friends in the process, some even in RL. After a frustrating,disastrous merger, I decided to try horde side on the same server. It just so happens I chose a Fury warrior to level. I was managing to keep up with your articles about leveling a warrior as you posted them and they helped a great deal. I made a tough choice to leave my friends, which most either message me or hop Horde side to beg for heals/tankage/DPS. I found focusing on one character to be refreshing. So now on horde side, if they need a tank they come to me and I'm not switching toons back and forth.
/rambling off