Breakfast Topic: To "grats" or not to "grats"
by Kevin Podsiadlik 
Feb 14th 2011 at 8:00AM
"Yahtzee" Croshaw's recent review of Cataclysm (hilarious, but very NSFW) pointed out two things about WoW that were of interest to me. The first was that, as a mage, I would die a lot less often in PvE if I remembered to use Mirror Image when I get into a tight spot. But second and of more general interest, he pointed out how pervasive the phenomenon of mutual congratulation for achievements has become in WoW, to the point where one could easily be forgiven for thinking that typing some variation of "grats" was a Pavlovian response to any achievement announcement.
I happen to think it is more of a case of social pressure, personally. You want to be congratulated when you achieve something worthwhile, so you do likewise to your fellow guildies. But then the question becomes: just how far do you take it? Do you "grats" at every opportunity, or do you pick and choose which ones are worthy of your typewritten esteem? Does seeing other "grats"-es make you want to join in, or are you perhaps the other way, "grats"-ing just to show that somebody appreciates the achievement just announced, even if it is just Shave and a Haircut?
How you decide when the time is right to type those five little letters into guild chat?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Hairfish Feb 14th 2011 8:05AM
If my fingers aren't busy doing something else, there's no excuse not to type "grats" for a guildie. It's the WoW equivalent of a smile and a nod that says, "I saw that."
Real accomplishments will always get a full "Congratulations, good job!"
Killik Feb 14th 2011 8:21AM
I get grats fatigue. I'm in a rather large guild and after, say, the day's 50th [Can I Keep Him?] I just sort of want the guildchat to be for conversations rather than ever-spooling kneejerk "grats".
Anathemys Feb 14th 2011 8:26AM
How do I decide when to "grats"?
Are the "g" "r" "a" "t" and "s" keys still on my keyboard? Yes.
Is there something big and snarling in my face? No.
Is the PUG tank about to die? No.
Do I hate this tank anyway so it wouldn't really matter? Yes.
Is it something more than [Get a Haircut, Hippie]? Yes.
G
R
A
T
S
!
Mr. Tastix Feb 14th 2011 9:17AM
I agree with Hairfish on this one. Even if it's simple like the "Shave and a Haircut" achievement I'll grats people, why not? Doesn't take much of my time so long as I ain't doing anything.
There's always the differences between magnitudes of "grats", however. Reaching level 10 isn't going to get much more than a simple "Grats." but killing Deathwing when he's a killable would probably get a higher "reward". Likewise, I'm more like to give some a virtual pat on the back and a cheer when they do something difficult, than reaching level 10 (as in my example).
WoWie Zowie Feb 14th 2011 10:05AM
i'll grats an achievement that i feel is difficult or a major milestone. like reaching level 85 or getting one of the various dungeon achievements. i will not grats an achievement that is too easy or is basically automatic like learning a riding skill or the can i keep him achievement.
Ilmyrn Feb 14th 2011 11:21AM
I try to pick and choose, and only 'grats' achievements that are either difficult/time consuming to achieve (Loremaster, yes. Burning Steppes Quests, no.), or are real milestones, like hitting 85.
On the other hand, a guildy recently earned 'Represent'. At 85. After being an active raider throughout BC, and Wrath, and after already earning his Therazane, Wildhammer, and Ramkahen achievements. I think the only reason he did it now is that there are no dailies for Earthen Ring or Guardians of Hyjal. That deserved recognition.
Ian Feb 14th 2011 11:36AM
'there's no excuse not to type "grats" for a guildie.'
Why would you need one?
I'm a bit of an achievements grouch (usually the only time I'll comment on ME getting an achievement is to point out how lame an achievement it is) but my not congratulating a WoW-chum on getting their 50th companion or looted x gold isn't an issue. I'd be astonished if they even gave a tiny damn.
I have achievements notices switched off in my chat window, so if I or anybody else has any cool/fun/God-I'm-so-lame/Oh-dear-I-play-too-much moments to discuss we'll actually... well, chat about it.
And I'm glad I never got into the habit of either announcing my hitting a new level or commenting when others do either given levelling in NuAzeroth sees everybody levelling up all the damn time. :D
Darias.Perenolde Feb 14th 2011 11:38AM
I'm in a large guild as well, and while we jump from social to raiding like Cybil on amphetamines, grats flow out from [Level 10] to heroics achievements to raid achievements (that are just starting to occur). It never gets old for us, but still, when the big stuff hits, more than just a "grats" comes, "Holy crap! Grats guys!" is more common.
Helios Feb 14th 2011 12:39PM
no excuse to not type grats? I grats rarely and only for major accomplishments such as hitting level 85, downing a hard boss for the first time, or finishing a profession. Otherwise it's a waste of time and only aids in encouraging the attention seekers to keep on begging for approval.
Noyou Feb 14th 2011 1:12PM
Indeed. It's like saying "bless you" after a sneeze or You're welcome after a Thank You. If you get into the whole "well that doesn't deserve a grats type argument then you are setting yourself up for trouble. What I can't stand is people announcing their progress on leveling (especially on a 6th, 7th, 8th alt /facepalm) for example- "I am X.5 bars from level 76" Really? Yes I get this by a particular guildy at least once a week. I also get the dps readout from random dungeons when they are like lvl 19. If I'm not busy that's a good time to get some water :)
ScorchHellfire Feb 14th 2011 3:47PM
I 'grats' when they've done something at least mildly challenging. If it's something like finishing a reg dungeon or exploring a zone they're leveling up in then I leave it to someone else if they feel like saying it. And I will 'lol grats' when it's something they should've done a while ago like when a level 85 guildie finishes exploring an Outland zone or completes an old world dungeon for the first time.
verenov Feb 15th 2011 10:17AM
After reading some comments about whether to Grats or not to Grats, I thought of this scene from one of my favorite movies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9wVGb38
jinxies Feb 14th 2011 8:05AM
Rule Number One: Don't die while typing grats!
Daynthebold Feb 14th 2011 8:55AM
The first rule of Grats is you don't talk about Grats.
shatto.a Feb 14th 2011 8:09AM
I really get tired of it. I'll usually only say grats for major achievements. In fact, if I get two or three easy achieves in a row, guild chat ends up looking something like this:
Me achieved [Can I Keep Him?]
Entire guild: Grats!
Me achieved [Shave and a Haircut]
Me: SAY GRATS AGAIN MOTHERFUCKER I DARE YOU
Poor SOB: Grats!
Me: *BLAM*
musicchan Feb 14th 2011 9:23AM
This is how I feel too. I think saying 'grats' for every minor acheivment cheapers the process of congratulating someone. No one really thinks about it or even cares now days. But if someone gets a heroic kill in a raid or the overall acheivment for a holiday (or even all holidays), then that's worth saying "Hey, congratulations!"
I just hate it when people feel like they need to congratulate me on the stupid-easy acheivments.
Andrew Feb 14th 2011 2:40PM
That's why you need a scaling degree of grats-ness to wish people with.
In a lot of guilds I've been in, [Shave and a Haircut] is only worthy of a 'lolgrats.'
Level 40/50/etc. will get a grats, as will the [You Managed To Survive this Dungeon] achievos.
Dungeon specials will receive a grammatically correct 'Grats!' but for raid specials we'll go all out for a 'GRATS!'
Heroic raids easily fetch anywhere from a 'Wow! grats' to a 'WOOHOO!!GRATS!!!'
And the hardest metas and nigh impossible achievements will get around a dozen exclamation points, a dozen roses in the mail and at least one marriage proposal.
Hyacin Feb 14th 2011 2:58PM
Yeah same here,
It has to be something that at least took a little effort. Explore a zone, no, explore a continent, yes. Shave and a haircut, WoW's x anniversary, Can I keep him? etc., no - level plateaus, exalted reputations, downing a boss for the first time (if it's level appropriate), yes. Meta achievements, yes, always.
chrissie Feb 14th 2011 5:15PM
Wow, I had no idea people cared this much, one way or the other. I've always viewed saying "grats" on achievements as more of a "hey, I'm temporarily paying attention to Guild Chat right now and I like you enough to be interested that you just did something" gesture that's also a bit of an invitation to talk.
If it's something actually impressive, I tack on an "oh wow!" or something of the sort -- unless I am s3kritly jealous of the achievement, in which case the "grats" comes alone, naked and very, very insincere.
Scunosi Feb 14th 2011 8:36PM
Yeah, 'grats' in and of itself is already a shortening (or 'cheapening') of 'congratulations!' so I feel it's a pretty throw-away response. There's even addons that'll auto-grats for you when certain things pop up in chat. Seeing an automated paragraph appear a split second after an achievement just makes you feel if anything more ignore, as it's not like someone had to actually think about writing it.
Personally, I only grats for major achievements, like finally completing a raid or something. The guild I'm in right now has over 900 characters in it, and seeing people hit 85 every day now and alts leveling up, you really get over it. I mean maybe realm-first 85 was a 'big deal', but you know everyone's going to hit it eventually, so leveling on its own isn't that special at all. What's grats-worthy are things like major collecting/time sink achievements, stuff you have to get lucky to get (like FoS mounts) etc.
That being said it's not like I yell at people for gratsing, that'd just be dumb, and with all the people in guild I'm certain no one notices me not partaking in the celebration of your first honorable kill.