Let's face it: with rare exceptions, good or bad Pick Up Group dungeon experiences usually have very little to do with the dungeon itself. Last night, for instance, I dropped in on
two back to back PuGs as a tank and had solid runs in both cases. But the first run was a silent zerg fest that was only notable in its grim, stormtrooper like efficiency as we basically chain pulled the entire Nexus in silence. Admittedly, as tank, I set the pace, but no one complained as I charged from pack of mobs to next pack of mobs, never stopping for mana and saying nothing. It was as if five inexorable gods had come to visit doom upon the poor inhabitants of Malygos' once-proud fortress. Keristraza was dead within 32 seconds of her release. (No, I didn't actually time it, but it was pretty fast.) We parted ways without much fanfare, all loot sharded and in our bags.
For contrast, the Drak'Tharon Keep run that I did immediately after was a lot more fun. The healer told a continuous stream of awful jokes and kept informing us that she'd never been there before. The enhancement shaman was directionally challenged. I pulled King Dred with all of his adds just to see if I could hold them (I did, but it was pretty hairy even in full TotGC gear) and the druid kept asking me questions about tanking, as he or she wanted to start doing it. ("Uhm... hit swipe a lot? I don't know much about druids.") The second run wasn't as fast or ruthlessly overgeared, but it was a lot more fun.
So what kind of PuG's are you seeing? What has your experience been so far?
Tags: Dungeon-Finder, game-discussion, gamer-discussion, LFG, world-of-warcraft-discussion, world-of-warcraft-hot-topics, world-of-warcraft-topics, wow-discussion, wow-hot-topics, wow-issues, wow-topics
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Instances, Wrath of the Lich King
Dec 11th 2009 at 8:00AM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Axolotl Dec 11th 2009 8:04AM
To put it in TCG-terms: "Ooh, Shiny"
I don't do much pugs
Kaylad Dec 11th 2009 12:17PM
I have stopped pugging completely. It has nothing to do with the new interface, though. I have been banned from pugging by my husband and son. After spending the entire run screaming at the screen, when it is finally over I am still grumpy and pissed off and they get the overflow. We usually make up a solid core for whatever (at least three guildies and friends for 5-mans, 5-6 for 10s and so on) and pug in the remaining few slots.
I may have to grit my teeth and tell the family to ignore me for a few weeks if I decide that my achievement chaser simply must get the title. That or get my son to drag her through a few pugs (and before someone yells about T&Cs, he's still a minor and so can play on my account if I let him).
kabutits Dec 11th 2009 8:43AM
It seems that half the time, I get a group full of silent, deadly killers (and one silent, not-so-deadly healer.) Those go by fast, but they're kind of scary.
Then the other half, I get a group full of people I'm surprised can find their keyboard.
It's strange. Still, I prefer the former (since at least I don't get a tank that, after a second shot at a boss, says, "wow, putting on tank gear rly helps.")
Marita Dec 11th 2009 11:27AM
Can't believe that kind of people exists -facepalm-
Hope never to find one in my ay, or I'll leave the party and face shame
But with less money to pay in my next repair :P
Andy O. Dec 11th 2009 12:47PM
Hey, guess what kids, we do exist (Casual, newbies), in fact most people would argue that we're in the majority on WoW (Data mining seems to suggest it). We're the ones that fill your stupid PUG slots even though we know we'll be mocked and ridiculed the moment we get into your stupid heroic farming group.
You poor poor elitist p_____, i'm so sorry I cost you an extra 2g out of that massive 20k pool of loose change that passes for gold in WoW. Here's a nickel, go find a gold farmer. (Wow, where'd that come from?)
Yeah I find silent/quick PUGs to be awesome too, but I have more fun with people who seem to be having fun in WoW. What's the point of playing if you aren't challenging yourself? I find it hard to believe that you both came into this game and were instantly "the shit", but coming from a long history of MMOs I get how this happens. Go find a raid for gosh sakes and keep away from my good times.
Furious Kalleck Dec 11th 2009 1:06PM
Negative comment is negative, it seems.
catharsis80 Dec 11th 2009 1:29PM
^^ Seriously, when is this "obvious statement is obvious" moronic phraseology going to die? Does it annoy the heck out of anyone else or just me? Everyone sounds like an idiot when they say it. I know I'm risking a downrating there; so be it. Please let that dumb phrase/meme/whatever die.
Colin Dec 11th 2009 2:07PM
There's a significant difference between a casual/newbie and a complete moron who can't find their keyboard. A dk showing up in my HoR pug pulling 800~ dps and being constantly reminded of kill order but still attacking the hunter first (because he pulled aggro, so if he kills it it will stop attacking him) is just a bad player.
From my experience though, some (most?) casuals/newbies can perform admirably. I had a healer in... UK I think? who was rolling in quest greens/blues but had no problem keeping up. They got a couple of upgrades and they were a really good and fun player to boot.
(cutaia) Dec 11th 2009 2:18PM
I'm with you Catharsis. Although I'm also a bit bugged by comments that just say, "This."
kabutits Dec 11th 2009 3:50PM
@ Andy
You're overreacting a little to what I'm saying.
The freshly dinged 80 rogue who's pulling only 1K dps doesn't bug me (I assume that's what you mean by "casual/newbie?") I don't expect him to do any better, and frankly, I don't care HOW well he does in terms of numbers. I actually like that about the new system, making sure that one less-geared person always gets a bit of a lucky break.
But running off like a stray cat during a fight, ninja AFKing, tanks who stop in the middle of what they're doing to just randomly strike up a conversation about their schoolwork with four people who don't give a shit...Those aren't newbie issues. They're dumbass issues. And what I'm saying is I'd prefer not to play with dumbasses.
Sorcefire Dec 11th 2009 4:50PM
Now wouldn't a ranking system be helpful with this situation? I know that we can all argue about the merits of a subjective ranking system, but this open free-for-all is going to end badly for people.
The LFG system looks really fun now and people are hammering away on it, but in a few weeks (once all the badges ppl need are farmed), it will be the same pool of new players getting grouped with bored overgeared tanks, or retarded DPS that like to mash buttons with their turkey leg leftovers.
Nothing is more infurtating than getting into a random PUG and find out that you have THAT one player who obviously doesn't have a clue or intentionally screws up just because he gets a kick.
Rank 'em down and let that help filter out the idiots.
Cabbageloins Dec 11th 2009 4:57PM
Agreed. It doesn't take a hardcore player to be considerate of the other 4/9/24 people in the group. It's not a skill/gear/commitment issue, it's a respect issue, and somebody who does these things and then says, "But I'm just a casual player!" should casually play something that doesn't depend on other people compensating for them.
Lomion Dec 12th 2009 12:01PM
I honestly don't mind new/casual/inexperienced players. I can be really patient with people and don't mind wiping if I can help someone learn an encounter. It's the people that should be better and aren't that drive me nuts. The tank in full T9 that can't hold aggro off of anyone. The healer in ToGC gear that can't keep the geared tank alive during trash pulls. The group were the only DPS above the tank is me, while I have the lowest GS in the group. How can you suck this bad and have this gear?
jjtwalton Dec 11th 2009 8:09AM
Went to UP Heroic yesterday and we nailed it. The tank chain-pulled, told the healer to ask for mana breaks and everything went smooth. We had me (Fury) a Ret, a Moonkin, DK tank and Shaman healer. It was just stupid fast. After the initial nuke, I didn't hit Svala once... she just kept teleporting.. I think my DPS on that fight was about 2.6k because I couldn't hit anything.
Had a rocky Old Kindgom.. but everyone hates that. Two left at the start, but the replacements were awesome! Flew through it. The best way to farm OK Random Heroic is to skip bosses 1, 3 and 4. Do the 'rape' boss (excuse me, I forgot his name) and then just straight-line to the Sanity guy.. took us about 10 minutes, Paladin tank, Tree, Fury, Mage and... something else.
Pugging isn't bad, in general. But rather than sign and frown at poor gear or skill, veterans of the game shoudl help, advise and encourage. Everyone was a noob once. The only way to improve the masses is to help and guide them. The potential for knowledgable people in giving advice has just skyrocketted with the new LFG.
Dreamstorm Dec 11th 2009 8:12AM
He's called 'Tentaclerape'
Bobbo Dec 11th 2009 8:17AM
"Pugging isn't bad, in general. But rather than sign and frown at poor gear or skill, veterans of the game shoudl help, advise and encourage. Everyone was a noob once. The only way to improve the masses is to help and guide them. The potential for knowledgable people in giving advice has just skyrocketted with the new LFG."
In fact, that point is directly addressed in the letter that comes with your perky pug (which I got tonight... woooo).
"Dear very patient individual,
We'd like to recognize your tenacity in running dungeons with people you probably haven't met before. Hopefully you even showed some rookies the ropes in your pick-up groups.
In short, we heard you like pugs. So here's a pug for your pug, so you can pug while you pug. Or something.
Hugs,
Your friends on the WoW Dev Team."
Nadia Dec 11th 2009 8:22AM
Not the tentacle guy, the elf that drinks the blood seems to be the one he's talking about.
On a slightly unrelated note, I have never understood using the word "rape" to say that something died quickly.
"Zerg" I understand, same thing with "pwn", "nuke", "slaughter", et cetera. There is death involved. All the terms I listed include death of the opponent as the end result, "rape" doesn't.
jjtwalton Dec 11th 2009 8:27AM
Sorry for the confusion, Nadia.
I mean the boss on the circle platform that spawns the fire-orbs that chain fry players.
I lie down, and he kneels down behind me.... Unless he was trinking blood out of my left ass cheek, I'm pinning this crime as rape! Hehe..
(In a side note, I know rape is a serious issue; I mean no offense to anyone - it was merely a casual judgment of a 3D model.)
Arkhell Dec 11th 2009 8:42AM
thats prins something something and it's called:
surprice budsex
Kylenne Dec 11th 2009 9:20AM
Honestly, I don't mind helping people if I'm in a charitable mood. But after multiple groups in a row like that, my patience starts to wear thin. Not only that, but then you run into people who are just bad. The people that don't want to listen to advice or help no matter how politely it's offered. The ones who insist that is TRUE, dammit, and you're the one that's a scrub. Those are the folks that get my contempt. Or who just outright ignore you like you're talking to a wall no matter how many times you patiently explain that their terrible play is terrible.
Like the fail enhancement shammy in my H Nexus pug yesterday who kept dying for pulling aggro DPSing the wrong mobs, and kept begging for Recount spam (naturally he was dead last, if you'll forgive the pun). The huntard who kept pulling before the tank was ready. And in my sole lowbie pug experience, the BFD run from hell that I ended up having to ret tank, including your greatest hits of nightmare pug companions. There was the rogue that kept jumping around and pulling every goddamn thing in sight and did not listen when I asked him repeatedly to stop, and who could not manage to find his kick button. The frost mage that kept insisting on casting arcane missiles and wondered why she kept going oom. The one warrior that was originally supposed to "tank" despite being fury and naturally could not hold aggro against anyone. The other warrior who wandered off repeatedly and got one shot. And none of this genius melee would listen when I patiently explained that they should be standing behind the mobs, even when I would turn them around they would follow me. The healer was the one saving grace, but in the end I couldn't take it any more and "accidentally" lost my connection. My name's not Mother Theresa.