Tobril wants to improve the pug scene. When ever I think about that I giggle a little. I know that I shouldn’t but I do. It is a funny sad state when it comes to pugs on Sarlona lately.
Tobril seems to think it has to do with vets becoming isolationists and not taking the time to really teach anyone. I think it has more to do with people dragging other new people through content. Not allowing the newbs time to develop their skills or foster a desire to learn on their own.
Ready for a back in my day story?
When the shroud was new I was busy leveling up my first CLR alt, Healzyounot. And it was a a few weeks before I was ready to try my hand at the new raid. I did some reading on the forums. Reading guide after guide. And one day I saw a Caffeine guild run looking for a Clr to round their group out.
Caffeine is a great guild BTW. And I never had a problem running with them.
I remember letting them know I was new, both via a tell to the leader and to the group once I was invited. I asked questions, and did what I was told as best as I could. We completed and I have enjoyed the shroud ever since.
The last few pug shroud runs I have been in have been a mess. People didn’t follow the leader’s requests, if the leader bothered to give any or if someone else stepped up and lead. I think that a most new people figure that the other people will carry them and I will just run around follow the group and kill stuff. Maybe figurer things out on the way.
While Vets assume that everyone knows what is going on, will ask for help if needed, or just is shitty. Some vets will ask if it is anyones first time or just give instruction like it is everyones first time.
Sometimes they just assume away and then talk about nothing for the whole raid never pausing to breath let alone to pause for a newb to ask a question. In these groups I normally end up taking off my headset at some point. I would love a mute player option….
Guess what I am saying is if your a Sarlona player and have some questions about raids look for Tobril’s sign up posts on the forums. I may or may not be pulled into his mess from time to time.
❤
Samius Gurobo 
I ran the Shroud for the first time, this past Friday, and I made it clear from the get go, that it was my firs time. Sure, most of the party were fellow guildies, (but I have been on other quests with the party leader, before I joined the guild), I was given a narrative as to what I should expect, and offers for help, if I feel I need it. Now I have also been on other quests for the first time, and have gotten the ‘cold-shoulder’ treatment, and used as ‘cannon-fodder’ to dilute the aggro on the more experienced players. It is nice to know that there are others out there, being friendly and informative.
Most of the PUGs I’ve been in on Thelanis, if I (or somebody else) say I’m new to the quest, or it’s been a while, or done it but still unfamiliar, have been quite helpful. And I almost always will say “I’ve never done this one, is there anything I should know going in?” upon joining.
Of course, then there’re the ones where I get conflicting info, often from the same person – such as when invited to a VoN raid on my bard, they were at the end fight for VoN 5, so I hopped in, everyone finished, we went to 6… and the leader told me to go to… fire, I think. And gave me directions, and told me to follow a certain player. But then right as we were about to break up to go to the different bases, I was told I need to run around the circle the *other* way and fascinate at every base. And then yelled at when I wasn’t at Fire. (That was a party wipe at the dragon, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t my fault, as I played all my songs and displaced and GHed everyone, and then hung out with the clerics to help with spot healing when I realized I wasn’t doing jack for damage in the fight…)
Oddly enough, one of the blog posts that’s been running around in my head is something I’ve tentatively titled “Even’s Guide to PUGging.” I don’t PUG as often as I used to, but for a while there I was running anywhere from 2-8 PUGs per night, which led me to form some pretty strong opinions about it.
@Lrd – Conflicting instructions are bad enough, but I agree, when they’re from the same player it’s just hopeless. Acanthia was recently told – all in the same paragraph – that she should move her FF ring to her other hand, put a Con ring on her main hand, and to keep a Cha and a heavy fort ring on at all times. Until I figure out where to get her two more hands, that ain’t happening.
My friend (best friend since 6th grade and I’m 40) who got me into DDO a year ago, has been AWOL since June. Since then I’ve come to appreciate PUGs for what they have to offer. I’ve met some great people who have made the game fun again.
@Even – Ask Shiva? Although you might be able to do CON of Heavy Fort.