WoW Rookie: Forming a Group
by Amanda Dean 
Mar 3rd 2008 at 1:00PM
Since there is a shortage of tanks, it's probably easiest for tank classes to find a group. That also means it's hardest if you are not a tank to find someone to play that role. The next most difficult is a healer. There's usually plenty of DPS to go around. It can take some time to make a group, but since dungeons provide excellent loot and good experience it's usually worthwhile to stick with it.
The first place to look for a group is usually your own guild. While it's possible to level up without running instances, many players will drop what they're doing to get into them. Even if there are only high-level characters online, they may have low-level alternate characters that could use the instance run. They may also offer to run you through the instance, whether to accept or not is a matter of preference. I have both given and accepted instance runs, but I try to limit them for new players who are still learning their classes.
Blizzard has introduced a handy "Looking for Group" tool. You can access this tool by either pressing the "I" key or by clicking the green eye icon on the bottom of the screen. To use this tool, you select the dungeons you are interested in running. The looking for group tool will then match you up with other players who want to run the same instance. Once you've gotten a group started, you can use the "Looking for More option." Unfortunately this tool is rarely used and tends to be less than fruitful. It was a nice try on Blizzard's part, but it has failed.
You can also use the looking for group channel to find other players. To access this channel, just type /4 (which is usually the looking for group channel) and then state the instance and roles you're looking for. Again, this tool was implemented by Blizzard and is rarely used by players. More often people use the local general (/1) or trade (/2) channels for this function.
Abbreviations:
- LFG <Instance>- Looking for Group
- LFM <Instance>- Looking for More, this usually includes a number
- LF <Role> <Instance>- Looking for a specific role
You may also specify which roles you already have filled.
Examples:
- LFG WC- Looking for Group for Wailing Caverns.
- LFM RFD- Looking for More for Razorfen Downs.
- LF1M SM Lib- Looking for 1 more player for Scarlet Monastery Library.
- LF Heals SFK- Looking for a healer for Shadowfang Keep.
- LF Tank/CC VC- Looking for a tank and crowd control for Deadmines.
- LF2M Gnomer have tank and heals- Looking for two dps/cc players for Gnomeregan, the party already has a healer and a tank.
Failing that, you may look for your preferred class by using the /who function. Just type /who <class> <level range>. This will produce a list of players currently online that meet your specifications. For example if you were looking for a healer for Ragefire Chasm, you might type /who Priest 13-17. You would then whisper to potential group members. If that search didn't net you your desired healer, you could try other classes with healing abilities, such as /who Shaman 13-17.
Etiquette is exceptionally important when forming and playing in a group. If you do whisper a group request be sure to let the player know exactly what you're looking for, the character may not be specialized for the role you have in mind. Remember, not all Druids heal and not all Warriors tank, all classes have spec variations. For example, if you were looking for a Paladin healer, "Do you want to heal RFK?" is usually a better approach than "Wanna run RFK?" The Paladin could be a tank, healer, or DPS.
If someone turns you down or does not respond to your request, move on. Don't bother asking them again. It's usually best to ask players who in cities. Obviously, players who are already engaged in an instance probably don't have time to run yours, so you should probably skip asking them, though you may check and see how their instance is going in case a spot opens up. DO NOT randomly invite people to your group, it is exceptionally annoying.
Most instances have Summoning Stones which allow you to bring other players to the location. So they do not necessarily have to be nearby to join your group. At least two party members must be present to use the summoning stone. To use the Summoning stone, click on the group member that you wish to summon's character portrait at the left side of the screen and then click on the stone when it h as the gold gear icon. The second player must click on the portal that opens up. Neither player should move until the ritual is complete The stone only works on characters close to the level range of the instance.
Don't be surprised if you get whispers for instances also. If you're of the appropriate level and specification, with nothing pressing, consider going along. If you are not interested, acknowledge the request and politely decline. If I'm busy or just not interested I usually say "No thanks, good luck."
World of Warcraft is a Massively Multiplayer Game. That means that at some point or another you will most likely have to group up with other folks. I was very intimidated by it. I've had some good groups, some bad groups and some very bad groups. I've also made many friends by grouping up, and found a few people to put on my ignore list. I find it best to always be polite. If a group isn't working, politely leave.
Make sure that you can and do play your role to the best of your ability, that includes buffs, resurrections, appropriate targeting. Also make sure you have time to complete the entire instance. Remember that from time to time every group wipes, so have a little patience. It's always a drag to have to either quit an instance or look for another player while the instance is in progress.
Groups are not reserved for only instances. There are many quests in the environment that are labeled "group." Those usually tell you about how many players are required to defeat the monsters and complete the quests. There is strength in numbers against monsters and enemy players. So have fun, group up, and make some friends.
Filed under: Tips, How-tos, Instances, Guides, Classes, WoW Rookie, Alts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jessica Mar 3rd 2008 1:22PM
I'd argue that you can try and fudge for some of the earlier instances.
I've been leveling upan alt with my fiancee to play with my sister who was brand new to WOW. I suppose we could have skipped instances but I wanted to show her all the cool content in the game that's available. Occasionally we take turns running our alts through with a 70 but we discovered that my fiancee's enhacment shaman could handle tanking duties up through Zul Farrak.
Theserene Mar 3rd 2008 1:19PM
I will of course add, that you will sooner or later get a really BAD group. But don't let this put you off.
Rainnajax Mar 3rd 2008 2:12PM
Couple of other pointers when in group, and I hope that this will be written about in a subsequent article. I found myself with a group this weekend running Wailing Caverns on my alt. Most of the players were new, and only one had a higher level alt.
First problem was that they didn't have a tank, they were using voidwalkers and hunter pets as tanks. Most healers cannot use healing mods to show these participants in a group so it's harder to keep these alive than an actual player.
Second problem was related to loot for quests. In Wailing Caverns, there is a quest to pick up serpentbloom. Nobody was taking turns or waiting until we were out of combat to get these and there was no order. One person kept ninjaing them until he had all of his, and the rest of us had to wait. This was annoying and in most groups, it is a good idea to take turns or roll for these types of things. Likewise with chests, nobody was rolling, just one person ninja-ing them.
Third problem was that they kept breaking sheep. There were two mages (myself included) so I said that in an effort to help the VW and pet tank, that I would sheep if we got a target that was overwhelming the tanks...but the melee kept breaking my sheep. Please remember as a rookie that if a Mage sheeps a target or a hunter ice traps a target, don't break it. Any damage to the mob being trapped or sheeped will release it and most traps and sheeps are on some type of cooldown, so it's not as easy to just resheep them immediately.
Now, I might be picky because I come from a guild where loot and instance etiquette is very specific and everyone gets fair shots at everything else. There needs to be an article for rookies about the etiquette of instancing and they should have these etiquette things down before they hit outlands where instancing is a major source of your time and source of your rewards.
As mentioned in the article, this is a MMO game, so eventually everyone has to group to get stuff done. Luckily in my guild, I don't have to PuG very often and my PuG experiences have been less than positive because many of these issues are experienced even in the higher level instances. A little social grace and politeness never hurt anyone.
MartinC Mar 3rd 2008 2:12PM
Bad! Promoting the use of General and Trade channels to find group members? Use the LFG channel. That is what it is there for. Making a statement like "It was a nice try on Blizzard's part, but it has failed" just makes things worse.
Blizzard provided the tool. It's up to the users to use it. If you don't use it, *you" fail, not Blizzard.
mark Mar 3rd 2008 2:48PM
Couldn't agree more.
Compared with other games, the LFG tool that Blizzard has implemented is very good.
Why people think that randomly shouting into the nether is better, I will never understand.
Cynra Mar 3rd 2008 2:43PM
Scathingly written, but good point: if the tool is failing, it's because people don't advocate its use enough. What we don't need is more spamming in General or Trade for instances, especially when it's in a city (which is the only place that has a Trade channel). The wide range of levels between 10 and 70 and the instances that fall between them mean that numerous people could be spamming these channels to grab groups - sometimes to the same instances! And, mind you, it is spam since this is not the intended purpose of these channels; people who repeatedly look for groups on General and Trade could be reported if enough people are irked. It's an adverse reaction (and, yes, perhaps a server one) to using the channel other than for its intended purpose.
It's only slightly less offensive to make the offer in a zone in which the instance resides, since you can hope that the people there are like-leveled. The people in Westfall would be more interested in learning of the formation of a Deadmines group than the kind people of Stormind, Darnassus, Exodar, Ironforge, and Shattrath, who are in the Trade channel and include the gamut of players ranging from 1 to 70 (and the same could be said of Wailing Caverns, Barrens, and all of the Horde cities).
Use the LFG tool. I've had huge success on the two servers I am most active, with characters ranging from 15 to 70. A tool is only as effective as the people using it make it and telling people to mindlessly spam General or Trade for groups isn't helpful at all!
Otherwise, well-written and helpful.
Ferro Mar 3rd 2008 10:00PM
I'd agree if not for 2 key failures of the LFG channel. First, last I checked you can't be in it unless you're also looking for some instance group, so if someone's looking for one more while you're doing AH stuff on your bank alt, you can't hear them unless they use trade.
Second, the channel randomly breaks for large numbers of people, at least on my server, where you no longer join the channel automatically when using the lfg tool until you search the help and type in some arcane commands that noone would guess by accident. I'd imagine a lot of people figure that Blizz just disabled the channel for some reason or another and don't bother fixing it like I did for months.
JR Mar 5th 2008 9:38AM
Agree 100%. This is very bad advice for new players. And actually on the servers I usually play (Executus and Exodar) the LFG tool is a good way to find groups. I wouldn't consider it a "failure".
arcady0 Mar 3rd 2008 2:29PM
I would add that it is pretty easy for tanks and healers to find groups, less so for damage dealers. As someone who has leveled several toons under healing specc's from the beginning - Mana-tombs at level 65 on my tauren resto druid was the first time I ever had to wait to find a PUG on one of those toons.
Keep in mind that even bad PUGs are good. They are good because chances are once you identify who the bad player(s) are, you can start up a whisper with the others who are probably thinking the same things as you. I've gained a lot of new guild members doing this - farming bad PUGs for people desperate to find other good players. They are also good at the learning stage to see why all the 'noob mistakes' are mistakes. As you see people making them, or even if you are the one who is the problem, you can learn why. And then you don't need to make that mistake yourself, or at least, not again.
So it is worth PUGing even if it just seems to lead to an afternoon of wipes. Often you learn more in a wipe than in a win. And just as often, you find better players from those stuck in a bad PUG with you than in a good PUG. In a good PUG, you don't have as much reason to get locked in a whisper chat with the tauren over there, so you don't get to know her as well.
Reddarin Mar 3rd 2008 2:27PM
Been in good groups and bad...but I learned from the all. I love to tank and never have trouble finding a group. My advice...when running an instance for the first time, do the research so you know what quests go with it.
Some are obvious where others take completing other quests to get to the instance quests.
i.e. Deadmines - VanCleef quest line.
arcady0 Mar 3rd 2008 2:33PM
LFG tool works great for me. I put myself into it, add a note that I am resto / holy / healer specc'd (depending on the toon), and then click over to looking for more and see who else is in there. I send them all whispers to the effect of 'need a healer to kill Hogger?' ( :) ), and in minutes I'm ready to go. But often, I get a whisper even before I can finish typing mine, and I end up having to whisper 2 to 3 people saying sorry, but I went with noobsauce's PUG, see you next time.
arcady0 Mar 3rd 2008 2:33PM
Wish I had an edit button here...
Rainnajax: Healbot will let me see pets and minions, but not summoned creatures. So I can use it to heal the hunter's wolf and the warlock's voidwalker, but not the shaman's elemental. For the elemental, I have to click on it on the screen - a serious pain if it moves behind something. Still, none of these make good main tanks, but they are great backups in a pinch - such as when the tank goes down.
Reddarin Mar 3rd 2008 2:44PM
Good advice on sheeping Rain...a tip from a tank to a mage...let everyone know which mob is getting sheeped...and I don't mean just at the start of a fight.
I have broken sheeps before when in the middle of a fight, a mob is sheeped just as I turn to drop a Sunder Armor on him or I turn away to pull aggro on another mob and the first one is CCed or I am holding multiple mobs with SA and I add TC to generate more threat just as a mob is iced.
It happens...the mage and the tank are both looking out for the group...but its the tank who gets yelled at for the loose mob.
The DPS usually has a better view of the fight...so even a simple alert would help.
Cynra Mar 3rd 2008 3:09PM
This is probably why many groups advocate that the tank be the one to mark and lead the group (at least in end-game instances). They hopefully know what they can do, how many mobs they can handle, and how they'd like to handle each pull. It's unfair to put the responsibility for the group squarely on their shoulders, but it does provide an anchoring point for the group and lets the tank handle things the way he feels best. And, as someone who predominately heals across a wide-spectrum of classes, I feel better knowing that my buddy the tank (whether he's paladin, warrior, or druid) is as comfortable with each pull as humanly possible.
Of course, there have been groups in which I've had to take the reigns and lead. Not everyone has comparable knowledge of the game - even your poor tank.
I think the key thing to keep in mind during a group is to keep that communication flowing. Don't be condenscending or disrespectful, but if you know of a better way to handle a fight speak up! Communication is also important when you start looking at CC that breaks early, the mob that the tank somehow managed to mark and is suddently clawing at your healer's face, or the damage dealer who realizes that its happening and takes the initiative to CC it when he has no other pressing CC responsibility. As a hunter, you can be sure that I'm letting the tank know where my trap is placed (and, yes, it's a good distance away!), if a mob can be trapped, and if I'm taking the initiative to trap a mob that broke from him rather than let it harm a clothy.
I.P.Freely Mar 3rd 2008 2:52PM
This is why they should have rating systems, sort of like what eBay has.
This way 4 other people would rate you. And you should also leave a short message.
Chris Anthony Mar 3rd 2008 5:33PM
I've occasionally thought of starting up a website for exactly that. RateMyPUG.com or something...
Eternalpayn Mar 3rd 2008 8:54PM
Advice: Agree on loot rules before the PuG starts.
Unregistered Mar 4th 2008 3:01AM
just one tip. make sure the PuG leader is not a noob. i've had an instance in BRD once where the leader changed the instance from party to RAID in order to use RAID CHECK. as a result, party quests were no longer doable. right after the check, party disbanded.