Breakfast Topic: Why do you raid?
by Brandon Cox 
Sep 7th 2011 at 8:00AM
The way I see it -- and bear in mind, my vision isn't exactly 20/20 -- there are two chief motivators for those who raid. The first is a rather simple one -- they know the game, and they're going to play it. As real as Azeroth may seem at times, it is in the end simply a game to be enjoyed at its highest. For many, raiding fulfills that call. The allure of tackling impossible odds with nine or 24 of your friends in a stunning display of coordination is quite powerful and wholly compelling.
Yet on the other front, we have those who (like me) approach raiding not from a gameplay perspective but from a story perspective. Some see raiding as the way to conclude the story that we play through as we quest our way to the max level. After all, only by braving the Firelands is one afforded the opportunity to vanquish Ragnaros for good.
Why do you raid? Do you seek the thrill of downing a boss with your friends? Do you want to finally see that fiery menace destroyed for good? Or perhaps you are drawn by both possibilities -- to see the story to its end, and to do so with a group of your friends? Or do you prefer to wash your hands clean of the raiding scene, drawn neither by the cooperative efforts and payoff nor by the allure of the story's conclusions?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Revnah Sep 7th 2011 8:07AM
I love absolutely everything about raiding. You could call me a raid junkie! Hi, I'm Revnah and I raid too much ("hi, Revnah!") ;-)
All the possible reasons you listed are true for me, the appeal is a combination of all of them. But if I had to pick the *one* thing I love most about raiding, it would be the "allure of tackling impossible odds with nine or 24 of your friends in a stunning display of coordination". I love that current raid content can't be done alone; it doesn't take one-man heroes, it takes team players. The level of commitment and communication from practically everyone in my 25man raid continues to amaze, and delight me. Any one of us can (and sometimes does) wipe the entire group, so everyone needs to know exactly what they're doing, and to an extent know what everyone else is doing, too, and often quickly react to what they're doing as well as reacting to encounter mechanics.
Like I said, it's my dope. I don't think I'll get sick of it any time soon :-)
Jamie Sep 7th 2011 8:09AM
I wanna be the very best
Like no one ever was
To raid them is my real test
To raid them is my cause
I will travel across the land
Searching far and wide
Each Raid Boss to understand
The power that's inside
Off Tank, its you and me
I know it's my destiny
Healers, oh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Raid Leader, a heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Raid Bosses, gotta raid 'em all
Every challenge along the way
With courage I will face
I will battle every day
To claim my rightful place
Come with me, the time is right
There's no better team
Arm in arm we'll win the fight
It's always been our dream
Revnah Sep 7th 2011 8:12AM
Wow, Jamie! I love it!!
ravyncat Sep 7th 2011 8:52AM
XD
I can't upvote you enough.
rockychristine Sep 7th 2011 8:59AM
I'm so singing this in vent next time I'm raiding.
Sergel Sep 7th 2011 11:20AM
I love you =D
Japith Sep 7th 2011 8:14AM
It is a fun team sport to me. Think of it like joining a softball team or a bowling league - without the benefits of physical exercise. However, since I'm in good shape, I can forgive the last part.
feedback Sep 7th 2011 9:25AM
This exactly. After half a dozen major joint surgeries due to sports injuries, this is about the only team sport I can physically manage anymore!
imm110 Sep 7th 2011 10:21AM
Let's be honest... it's not really "sport" if it's against a predictable A.I...
Read my post (on the next comment page) about why PvP > PvE.
Sinthar Sep 7th 2011 11:21AM
I disagree - team sports need not be against anything. It all depends upon your definition of sport. Personally I find PVP disagreeable, but I dont say its inferior to PVE - its Different - nothing more or less.
As for the definition of sport - from the wikipedia (and this is a direct quote) : "However, the degree of skill and performance in some sports such as diving, dressage and figure skating is judged according to well-defined criteria." so if diving, and figure skating is a sport - why not PVE. In fact there is one aspect of the definition that would define both PVE and PVP as NON sports is the fact that sports are defined as physical activities (again wiki quote "Some non-physical activities, such as board games and card games are sometimes referred to as sports, but a sport is generally recognised as being based in physical athleticism") - and I doubt you can class swearing over vent as a physical activity in this sense.
Next I would say that PVE is nearly as varied - and in some senses MORE varied than PVP. The reason I say this is that Blizz creates new mechanics for various new bosses. In PVP the same classes will do the same moves pretty much every time. Yes you are against a human player (well barring the few hackers Ive seen) and that player will choose his abilities to use. It may not be predefined, but it IS repeating the same few moves over and over again, EXACTLY the same as PVE in that sense, but with a more fluid style, and more oppertunities for variation. For PVE and boss fights yes it IS scripted, but with the coordination of 10 people at the same time, which rarely happens that precisily in PVP in my (admittedly small) experience. Personally I think you find the following of tactics that doesnt change the sticking point, plus I bet you have to read tactics and follow them. Try entering bosses where you dont know the fight - and learn it from scratch yourself - thats one of the things that I personally prefer and enjoy - not the twich reflex fights - but using my brainpower to figure out what how and when - and that also requires knowledge of all classes abilities (the same as PVP)
And as a final word I would say its your preference against PVE that makes YOU define PVE as a non sport while PVP is a sport. According to most sources I can find - either WOW is a sport (both PVE and PVP) or it isnt - with the isnts in the majority.
Now if you say E-sport - then maybe your definitions start to make more sense, although they still dont in the way I personally see things.
I hope I have made my point clear - oh and btw I NEVER click posted links in the comments - Sorry - just too many Rik Rollers, and people who point to known virally infected sites for their malicious kick for me. Im sure 99% are clean, but with my luck I'll choose that 1% every time it seems.
Sorry this turned into a bit of a wall of text folks
Rumplstiltskn Sep 7th 2011 8:14AM
Did I do it for the thrill of the challenge? Did I do it for the epic loot? That sense of achievement, accomplishment, or the drive to be better and better?
Nah...
I did it all for the nookie!
MattKrotzer Sep 7th 2011 9:26AM
That's a timely pop culture reference you've got there.
majordomo Sep 7th 2011 9:41AM
hehe I do it for nookie too! lawlz
Bazz Sep 7th 2011 8:14AM
From most important to least important:
-Having fun with 9 people I like and talking smack on skype
-Seeing content / playing the game
-Gearing my character
-Seeing / experiencing the story
Soeroah_the_second Sep 7th 2011 8:19AM
I'm a lore junkie. Unfortunately I've left raiding for this expansion- I'd love to, but I'm on a server with the wrong time zone, so I can't even pug.
However, I love the story and I wish to be able to see it through. I, at the very least, want to experience the Deathwing raid, even as a spectator. Preferably as a ghost spectator who can't interact with a raid but is able to watch the raid going about their business.
feedback Sep 7th 2011 9:28AM
Raiding for me is about overcoming a challenge with a dedicated team.
I can't get into the story. Reading quest text is fine, but I find questing in general rather boring. I tried reading books set in the WoW universe, but they are universally poorly written. I'd rather log in for fun stuff like raiding and working the auction house, then log off and read a GOOD book set in another universe.
MattKrotzer Sep 7th 2011 8:16AM
For me, it's all about pushing myself to perform at the highest level I can. To face the biggest challenges and still be standing at the end.
The story elements are nice, too... but they're something I enjoy WHILE raiding, not the reason I go there.
Homeschool Sep 7th 2011 12:04PM
I go for the same reason; the same drive also pushes me to attempt to solo content as a Priest. (So far it seems the cap is BC raiding and Wrath heroics.)
Nina Katarina Sep 7th 2011 8:22AM
I enjoy raiding because it gives me a good combination of tasks at which I feel very competant and tasks which stretch and challenge me. It's when the balance shifts that problems start. When we're facerolling content I get bored. When we're wiping all night long without seeing any real progress I get really frustrated.
But occasionally an encounter will hit that sweet spot. We start wiping at 4%, 3%. I know that if I dig out just a little bit more effort, react a little faster, remember that special ability at the right time, we'll pull it out.
And then we do, and vent explodes with cheers, or laughter, or sighs of relief.
That's why I raid.
rockychristine Sep 7th 2011 8:22AM
I raid for the fun of it, mostly. I don't have the internet or the time to raid seriously, but every so often in guild chat, we put together raids for fun/to alleviate boredom. And that's kind of awesome.
Also, city raids. Someday I'll get my Black War Bear!