Breakfast Topic: What intangible qualities do you bring to a raid?
by Matt Low 
Jan 25th 2010 at 8:00AM
I started thinking about raiders and my guildies for a moment. Who was valuable and what did they contribute? Sure they didn't exactly bring dominating numbers into the game, but they were able to hold their own in a race. For example:
- Theorycrafter: That guy in the guild who happens to hold a degree in math or physics? Yeah, he will theorycraft the heck out of you and anyone else who asks him for advice. Not only will he tell you what gems and enchants to get, he'll even write up a multi-page theorem indicating the balance of stats required for optimum performance.
- Veteran raider: She's been around since Molten Core and remembers what its like to wipe for weeks and even months on end for one boss. Still believes that the new content isn't as bad as it was back then. Instills a sense of calm in the raid during the most turbulent of raid nights when things don't seem to be executing. Also happens to be your grandma who makes the world's best chocolate chip cookies.
- Diagnostician: This is the player who can accurately recall every wipe and the series of events that led up to it. Just give him a few seconds to double check his information on some death logs and review his videos. Yes, not only can he give you a good explanation as to why and how a wipe happened, but he has it on tape in case anyone tries to dispute it.
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Ozzard Jan 25th 2010 8:08AM
I bring a calm, clear voice and a sense of humour. I used to do broadcast work, and have been told I have a "good radio voice".* It seems to work over Vent, too.
Raiding is a frustrating business, and different guilds approach it in different ways. We have a number of highly self-motivated players. We don't need a Mr. Motivator raid leader; we *do* need someone in the raid with enough sense to call breaks to allow people to regain their focus, tell the odd lousy pun to allow people to keep a sense of perspective, and be calm and understandable. As we're on a European server and many of our players don't have English as their first language, it's also important to give instructions in an accent and at a pace that all raid members can understand.
* I've been told I have a good face for radio, too.
Almoderate Jan 25th 2010 11:04AM
Oddly enough, we have an officer whose best asset is his voice.
Don't get me wrong. He's an amazing raider, and he's great at leading, but when it comes to EXPLAINING the strat... He just has one of those voices that will keep you interested and motivated. Nobody can explain a strat like he can. I could listen to him all day.
afflictionrogue Jan 25th 2010 7:10PM
@ Almoderate: i disagree that no one explains things that your raid leader has. I think Morgan Freeman can. when has he ever siad something that you didnt want to listen to. even if he were to talk about the most random or boring thing ever you would listen to Morgan Freeman
Kilseker Jan 25th 2010 8:10AM
I'm usually the comic relief guy. In five-mans too. I hate the silence since the dungeon finder, as much as I love it, so this is my solution.
Tomatketchup Jan 25th 2010 8:58AM
Same. Expect my jokes aren't very funny, so I'm more of the joker of the raid.
CallMeIrd Jan 25th 2010 8:12AM
My raid tends to ignore my presence for the most part. I don't top the DPS meters and I'm not 'popular' so I'm just kind of there. I'm a nice person, I swears it!
daan.leijen Jan 25th 2010 8:12AM
I am my guild's MT, RL, theorycrafter, diagnostician and Stephen Hawkings impressionator all at the same time.
Valorum Jan 25th 2010 8:15AM
lore nerd?
Eternauta Jan 25th 2010 10:05AM
^This
Arbitor Jan 25th 2010 12:28PM
Yup, same here.
Kills me a little bit when someone says: "Yeah since Cataclysm is coming out Gul'dan ressurected onyxia to do the old god's bidding so that the burning legion can get arthas's spirit out of the lich king so ner'zhul can save bolvar fordragon".
Ok, so they don't say that exactly, but that is generally what people seem to believe is happening!
I actually love explaining the canon lore to everyone when we're in a raid, like when we get to Lana'thel and everyone is like, "Who's this bitch?"
And I'm like, "A fanatic warrior of Quel'thalas who survived the scourge's 1st invasion and followed Illidan to Northrend with Quel'dalar to avenge her fallen brethren."
Then everyone's like, "Oh."
They just don't get the lore like we do, all they want is their shiny baubles. :(
Sithril Jan 25th 2010 1:06PM
This.
Gosh, once my guild gets to Arthas and somewhere that fantastic music starts that Blizz released a few days ago with the Battlecry Mosaic , well , I'll just have a small mind stop for a moment... and most likely find afterwards my mage dead somewhere in a subtly placed Frost Zone or whatever.
Dragonrose Jan 25th 2010 2:06PM
Though both me and the guy I play with regularly enjoy the Lore, but we don't know it as well as a Lore Nerd would. I wish I had one around to explain stuff to me at times.
Mad Godji Jan 25th 2010 8:17AM
Comic relief, in the form of very thick french accent. Nothing like cursing at a boss in French to have all the other (native english speakers) members of the guild burst laughing after several wipes.
sankto Jan 25th 2010 11:17AM
Ahah !
Exactement ma situation ! :D
Except my accent is so horrible i prefer talking as less as possible in-fight, just to not cause a wipe...
lemur Jan 25th 2010 8:17AM
The optimistic one. I cheer when we down the boss, or from my corpse if I die (squishy warlock- and the faction champs just LURVE to lolpwn me).
Frank Jan 25th 2010 9:49AM
i view myself as one of the optimistic ones, too. i don't care if we wipe 5 or 10 times, i'm still the one saying, "but hey, we were better on that run, and better every time. we can do it this next time, for sure!"
Sqtsquish Jan 25th 2010 2:57PM
Well I tend to be the go between guy- if it needs to be done best for any one thing I am usually the person stuck doing it, also there is a guy in my raid that sounds like almost exactly like the Ony wipe guy so that's fun too
PBoy227 Jan 25th 2010 8:18AM
I'm usually the first one to reassure everyone in the raid that we're doing a good job. It could be our 2nd wipe on Marrowgar or our 5 attempt on Saurfang. As raid leader I always make sure people stay excited and committed to the raid.
Usually it's as simple as saying "Alright, we'll get it this time guys!", that's all it takes is for one positive voice to make people want to keep going.
STARF Jan 25th 2010 8:19AM
I like to think i bring the we can do it attitude to the group. I can't stand ninja loggers!!!
Shot Jan 25th 2010 8:22AM
I'm the pug healer filling your guild's last spot because your normal healer didn't turn up tonight. I don't join a raiding guild because my free time is unreliable and I can't commit to any sort of raiding schedule. I do a good job and wipes are very rarely anything to do with me, and I'm always hoping you'll remember me and ask me to come along sometime in the future (but it doesn't happen). I always have fight tactics ready to reel off whenever anyone is unsure.