The single most important quality a Raid Leader can have is their communication skills. How they handle themselves when things go well, when they don't, and when they've reached their wits end are all paramount.

Even the most patient and forgiving of raid leaders will eventually exhaust their mental resources. That is when the best raid leaders are separated from the rest. It isn't a bad raid leader that becomes noticeably irritated after hours of wiping, but it's an amazing one that can remain calm and even warm in such circumstances.

Responsibility, dedication, knowledge and patience are all secondary to communication. Your raid leader could show up hours before a raid, be perfectly prepared for all possibilities, know the ins and outs of every raid spec and the variations thereof, and have the patience of a saint, but if they can't communicate in a way that encourages and inspires even in difficult circumstances they'll ultimately be the catalyst for some very ugly drama.

You'll never find or groom a perfect raid leader, and so you'll have to make a compromise somewhere (knowledgeable, dedicated, responsible, patient; pick three). Whatever you do, don't compromise on communication.

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