The Queue: How much should Adam charge for flasks and pots?
by Adam Holisky 
May 25th 2010 at 3:00PM
I want The Queue to help me out here today. My 25-man group is about one-third puggers, and they never flask. Some of the lesser members of the regular folks I run with also refuse to flask. So I've decided to start offering flasks and pots before each raid, for a slight markup (2 to 3 gold). But people will inevitably whine about how I'm not just giving it to them, or am overcharging. So dear Queue readers, help me out. How much should I charge these unprepared raiders for pots and flasks?
Whatever you all decide, I'll do.
| 5g Below Market Price | |
|---|---|
| Market Price | |
| 3g Above Market Price | |
| 5g Above Market Price | |
| Don't sell them, let the bads be bad |
Jamesisgreat asked ...
"Should we expect an honor point reset with Cataclysm, or do we carry our points over with us?"
Blizzard hasn't announced any such plans yet, but they've done this with other expansions, and like to take the expansion jump to wipe the slate clean. So I wouldn't be surprised at all if they announced this.
One of many asked ...
"What has been the most commented Queue?"
Interesting. Comments are not totally dependent on the content of the Queue, as often times people will get into long arguments about other things; nor are they also (at all) dependent on the hits or popularity of an individual Queue. But, this did get me thinking. In the last two years, the most commented on Queue was Your pathetic puppies betraaaaaaaay you! written by Matt Rossi, where our little site meme of "Distracted by puppies" went into full swing. That Queue got 227 comments (so far). The average Queue this year gets around 148 comments.
Viper007bond asked ...
"Is there any word on how long after Cataclysm is released that we'll be able to do the race change?"
Nope. We don't know yet, and we won't know for a while, I suspect. We do know that they will not allow races changes as soon as Cataclysm is released, however. They've said this a few times before.
The Gatherer asked ...
"What is your most hated question, or if there isn't one, what question would you dread answering the most?"
Anything about dance studios or the Cataclysm release date. These are the ones we get all the time, constantly. I know people ask because they don't know, and it's good we've developed a resource where they can ask. But at the same time, I just want to be like, "What do you think, we're gonna slip the real answer in the bottom of the Queue while not announcing it to the world on our front page with Digg badges and all that good stuff?" But I'm cranky. Those are the two most hated questions.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Arednel May 25th 2010 3:04PM
I appear to be the only pugger on my realm who flasks and brings fish feasts. Seriously, and it took me until last week to actually get past gunship because no one would take me into a decent group.
*shakes fist*
busuan May 25th 2010 3:13PM
The only solution? PuG moar!
Raid leaders who take puggers usually are either in a very small guild or simply love pugging.
Build up your name with them by joining their pug raids often and perform well. Soon they'll remember you.
Malivick May 25th 2010 3:16PM
What is the point of using a flask when you get a 20% buff just walking in the door of ICC? I hardly ever flask anymore especially on the first four bosses. Maybe I will pop one if we are doing the end wing bosses but usually don't have to worry about it because we can never fill the raid up for night two.
Dave May 25th 2010 4:15PM
Yea that sucks Arednel. My suggestion to Adam was going to be simple...don't raid with people who are not prepared.
My take is that this is not serious business; but in contrast, raiding is SO MUCH more fun when everyone is prepared and plays to the best of their abilities. It only becomes a discussion about serious business when other people don't have the respect to realize that they are lessening the experience for 4/9/24 other people.
Arednel, I would take a modified piece of the previous advice...start looking at guilds(not sure why you aren't in one, you sound like a solid player). Not necessarily to join them, but just to prove to them you are a solid player, and that you are a ready and willing pugstar that respects the rest of the raid and comes prepared. If you manage to prove yourself enough times, you will continue to get invites when these guilds are short people, and earn their good will by saving a possible called raid. If you are the type of player you seem to be, I would imagine you will be turning down guild invites before long.
roellish May 25th 2010 5:03PM
The issue as I see it is that flasking for a raid, PuG or not, is so simple it's less than bare minimum effort. This is from someone who considers daily quests too much of a bother to do more than a few times per month. If a PuG'er can't show a little gratitude by buffing themselve as much as possible they should be REQUIRED to buy a flask from you and pay whatever you want to charge them.
MyrddinE May 25th 2010 6:19PM
I see no point in flasking until after the first wipe (or before a boss that you know is hard). If you always clear the first wing, one shotting each boss... why waste 20g? But if you're struggling on Festergut or Putricide, of course you would flask before him.
A flask is a 1% to 3% buff... if that 2% extra isn't needed, it's just a waste. Maybe you save 20 seconds of DPS time across 4 bosses; spending time trading or selling flasks takes a lot longer.
Bringing your A game to a raid is more a state of mind (be alert, prepared, and listen) than a state of buffs. People focus on the buffs because they can measure it, see it in game. But I would be a LOT more upset with players who come distracted or tired than I would with a player who didn't flask up.
Breaga May 25th 2010 6:49PM
There is always a point to flask in a raid, it's a part of maximizing your role as much as possible. Instead of waiting until after the first wipe to flask it could help you prevent it in the first place. I've always been of the firm belief that if a player doesn't do what they can to maximize their abilities, then they don't deserve loot. It's the same with gems and enchants. If you don't put in the effort to be good, then why should I help you? If you're too cheap to afford a 20g flask you probably shouldn't be raiding in the first place. Of course if you're in all ICC 25 gear and you're doing Naxx 10 it's a different matter, but when you're raiding content that's at your level you owe it to the rest of the people in your raid to be just as prepared as they.
vazhkatsi May 25th 2010 7:03PM
well i'm of two minds about flasking in pugs, i only sorta pug icc10, and i do 8-9k dps without a flask so its slightly unnecessary, but i sometimes use it anyway, if others are flasking
Beruza May 25th 2010 7:05PM
I think the reason people don't flask is because it's so damn expensive. The cost for Frost Lotus are getting higher and higher. I always have my own flasks (and I buy my own mats too) and I always have a full stack Fish Feast. Even with the 20% buff, it's still a good idea to flask up. The more power, the better, right?
I can't wait til my alchemist gets high enough to make my own flasks...
Draelan May 25th 2010 7:13PM
I'll admit that I don't flask for the first 4 bosses of ICC. However, I'm in a guild where I know that we will 1-shot those bosses without the slightest bit of issue. We are simply at the point where flasking on these bosses is about as worthwhile as flasking for Naxx or Ulduar now. (Although, I will flask up from the start if I'm on a lesser-geared alt.) When we get to tougher bosses, I flask up.
If I were pugging ICC.... I'd flask up from the start if it was a mostly-guild run, and I was one of the few pugs, but for a group of completely random pugs.... I'd probably wait to see how we did on Marrowgar first. It's never ceases to amaze me how many people who are DRASTICALLY undergeared for high-end raids expect to be carried through... I don't mind people new to raiding, but for the love of Elune, PLEASE finish getting what gear you can with badges before trying to get into an ICC run.
verdian May 25th 2010 7:29PM
The fact is though, the Well Fed and Flasks buffs really do add up. If you look at the difference flasking and eating makes x25 raiders it will be more than you expect. That's why I always bring feasts/drums of the wild/runescrolls of fort just in case I'm in a 10man without those buffs. The only time I wouldn't flask/feast would be voa, since that's over and done with in about 4 mins these days.
artifex May 25th 2010 7:47PM
The problem with always having feasts and the like is that you become known as "that guy" and people will basically come to expect it. If you're in a guild and the guild bank has free mats for making raid buffs for guildies, that's one thing. But if people are whining for buffs that require real mats in pugs, that's pretty lame.
Also, 20g flasks? What? On my server, Flask of the Frost Wyrm averages 35g on the Alliance side most of the week. (I know this well, because I got tired of giving some to guildies who promised to pay me back, and didn't)
Zanaji May 25th 2010 3:06PM
...distracted by Burns.
busuan May 25th 2010 3:08PM
Smithers plays WoW?
Dan May 25th 2010 3:12PM
Yeah, he plays a human femal priest...
L May 25th 2010 3:16PM
I would've guessed male belf pally
jimbob May 25th 2010 3:36PM
Wait, i have a human female priest :S
And also an undead female priest :|
Mordockk May 25th 2010 3:37PM
whats the diff?
kittytrainer May 25th 2010 3:44PM
death is the difference
Task May 25th 2010 3:50PM
*distracted by Mr. Burns being defeated by a training dummy*