The state of PUGing on Sarlona

[madmaxhunter]

I was afraid. Many posts about how PUGing only got you useless newblets and would only guarantee failure.

Guildies didn't help. Some refused to PUG, wanting to two- or three-man the quests.

Now that they are gone, I sat alone at my computer, looking at the quest log. Seeing that I was at a level where soloing was no longer an option (to maintain EBB).

I looked at the LFM. I needed to run Orchard quests before leveling. I was 16, the worst level to PUG at. Nothing but stoners probably.

Oh well, I either PUG and take my chances, or continue sitting there staring at the screen. Put up an LFM for "inferno of the Damned" notes were "Hear/understand voice chat, newbs welcome, BYOH, trapper would be nice"
level range 15-16.

Get my first hit. Accept, I test the player with "how's the weather where you're at?" No response, I type in party chat "can you hear voice?" No response. I boot him. My mood drops. I think, "guess they were right". Moments later I get a tell: "do you have room for 3?" I tell him sure. Now I have two clerics and a barbarian in the party (I'm druid btw). I ask the cleric who had sent me the original tell if he'd mind healing. He said np. I drop the BYOH from the LFM. We quickly fill the last two spots.

The newblets I got from this group? 3 were legend TRs, two of which had Founder's Helms. Others all had TRs and had been playing for quite some time. None were zergers. All but two used voice chat. We conquered, we wiped, we took breaks, we got back together the next day.

Moral of the story? Stop staring at the LFM screen. Make your own. The other 100 players who are just like you are staring at it too.

[Kages]

He came, he formed, he conquored. Amen

[Galeria]

Go, bro. You rock.

[Mathermune]

He came, he formed, he conquered. Amen

Ha! Brilliant!

To the OP. A fine tale. There are bad PuG's but at the same time I have been in excellent PuG's like last night. Monastary of the scorpion. A super team of 5 legends (the characteristic that is, I don't know what if any their TR status was) carried my tired and heart-really-not-in-the-grind-anymore artificer up to level 20.

Thank you gentlemen/ladies.

[DarkForte]

I was afraid. Many posts about how PUGing only got you useless newblets and would only guarantee failure.

Guildies didn't help. Some refused to PUG, wanting to two- or three-man the quests.

Now that they are gone, I sat alone at my computer, looking at the quest log. Seeing that I was at a level where soloing was no longer an option (to maintain EBB).

I looked at the LFM. I needed to run Orchard quests before leveling. I was 16, the worst level to PUG at. Nothing but stoners probably.

Oh well, I either PUG and take my chances, or continue sitting there staring at the screen. Put up an LFM for "inferno of the Damned" notes were "Hear/understand voice chat, newbs welcome, BYOH, trapper would be nice"
level range 15-16.

Get my first hit. Accept, I test the player with "how's the weather where you're at?" No response, I type in party chat "can you hear voice?" No response. I boot him. My mood drops. I think, "guess they were right". Moments later I get a tell: "do you have room for 3?" I tell him sure. Now I have two clerics and a barbarian in the party (I'm druid btw). I ask the cleric who had sent me the original tell if he'd mind healing. He said np. I drop the BYOH from the LFM. We quickly fill the last two spots.

The newblets I got from this group? 3 were legend TRs, two of which had Founder's Helms. Others all had TRs and had been playing for quite some time. None were zergers. All but two used voice chat. We conquered, we wiped, we took breaks, we got back together the next day.

Moral of the story? Stop staring at the LFM screen. Make your own. The other 100 players who are just like you are staring at it too.

`

Congratulations, you win DDO. It's an inspiring tale.

Sure feels good when you put a good pug together, doesn't it?

[ZeebaNeighba]

A few months ago I would often set up elite HoX groups when I was off timer for fun.

Guess why I stopped.

And it was before the XP stones too.

[Tirisha]

A few months ago I would often set up elite HoX groups when I was off timer for fun.

Guess why I stopped.

And it was before the XP stones too.

The hound kept on falling off the demonweb making the raid uncompletable. Did I get it? Do I get a cookie?

[ZeebaNeighba]

The hound kept on falling off the demonweb making the raid uncompletable. Did I get it? Do I get a cookie?

Actually I remember, twice, the baby hounds just didn't respawn, and since speed is critical in elite HoX, I couldn't take the time to send a ticket...maybe that's where they went?

[akash]

A very well job putting the LFM up and PUGing with people. The general common misconception is TR means uber, stones means n00b that's a very bad projection. My barb is stoned to 16 too but often out DPs many similar TRed class I have PUGed with.

I am pretty regular on LFMs too in this week, my PUG successfully completed all of Lords of Dust chain along with Rift in elite BB. Rift took less than 20 mins and only 3 ppl were TRed, and my non TRed stoned barb topped the kill count. Also done all of IQ quests, all of Shroud flagging quests (3 manned coalescence chamber), Monastery & Prey of RR chain, some of the new u14 contents, that pretty much levelled my level 16 newly stoned barb to 19 in less than a week.

We have only PUGed for elite bravery bonus and failed in only two quests kobold and shroud. Thanks to all who have joined my PUG and to those leaders who accepted me and other first life ppl in their PUG, it was a really great experience.

[palefaced]

PUGing is like a box of chocolates.... <i'm sure you guys know the next line>

[madmaxhunter]

A very well job putting the LFM up and PUGing with people. The general common misconception is TR means uber, stones means n00b that's a very bad projection. My barb is stoned to 16 too but often out DPs many similar TRed class I have PUGed with.

I am pretty regular on LFMs too in this week, my PUG successfully completed all of Lords of Dust chain along with Rift in elite BB. Rift took less than 20 mins and only 3 ppl were TRed, and my non TRed stoned barb topped the kill count. Also done all of IQ quests, all of Shroud flagging quests (3 manned coalescence chamber), Monastery & Prey of RR chain, some of the new u14 contents, that pretty much levelled my level 16 newly stoned barb to 19 in less than a week.

We have only PUGed for elite bravery bonus and failed in only two quests kobold and shroud. Thanks to all who have joined my PUG and to those leaders who accepted me and other first life ppl in their PUG, it was a really great experience.

I agree, TR means little. The only thing it DOES mean is the player has at least made it to 20... once. Not a big feat anymore but about the only barometer available. And yes, many long time players use the stone. I was referring to a new player (newb, not nOOb btw) who has only made it to 8. That is the opinions I'd heard about that level was. I did have in my LFM that newbs were welcomed. I know that seems a bit confusing, I love playing with newbs, I just hate running with stereotypical newbs.

I've learned through running with friends, and now PUGers (though the PUGers are being added to my friends list) that a fun failure can sometimes be much more fun than a boring by-the-book victory.

[Chai]

[Llewndyn]

Ha! Brilliant!

To the OP. A fine tale. There are bad PuG's but at the same time I have been in excellent PuG's like last night. Monastary of the scorpion. A super team of 5 legends (the characteristic that is, I don't know what if any their TR status was) carried my tired and heart-really-not-in-the-grind-anymore artificer up to level 20.

Thank you gentlemen/ladies.

A bad PUG > sitting watching your buffs tick down... I am one of those guilty parties who logs in and waits to see what else is up there, because I don't like telling people what to do and so do not feel I am a particularly good leader, I am more of the "it's a game, do what you want as long as it doesn't hurt/ offend anyone" kinds of people...

That being said, I am not sure what the dealio is, but I recently TRed and outside of maybe 2 instances all the PUGGING (and I have done a lot of it) has been a lot better lately, even the few times a kid has joined the group, even if they didn't particularly help they have tried and that's all you can ask for anymore...

+1 to OP, nice story