Good way to avoid bad Pugs

[Impaqt]

Pug's I tend to avoid:

LFM's that say "NEED HEALER," "NEED CLERIC," or "NEED HEALS," etc in the comments. Especially when the LFM is comprised of 5 players that should be able to easily solo/duo the quest. A group of 5 level 3-4 characters doing WW on normal, for example. Bonus points when every single member of the group is able to scroll or wand repair/cure.

LFM's comprised of the leader only - but yet have a/or class(es) excluded from the LFM. Bonus points if they exclude rogues - and state "caster must have knock."

LFM's with "Need DPS" comments, but display fighters, barbarians, paladins only.

LFM's with comments that "require" that an arcane character have a certain spell or melee characters have a certain weapon.

The basic theme to all of my "dont's" is pretty much the same: Any indication that the leader/group just cannot move without a cleric, or by way of other comments and class exclusions pigeon-hole one single way to meet an objective - will make me look elsewhere with my cleric.

Now, Pug's I will jump in without hesitation:

LFM's, regardless of how many or what is in the group - have all classes displayed.

LFM's with comment(s) along the lines of: six and go, BYOH. I'll trip over myself trying to get my cleric in if the comment is something humorous like: Be able to wipe your own nose. Your UMD works on wands, heal thyself.

LFM's with the comments: New to quest, first time completing, etc. Yes, oddly enough I have no patience for the group leader who's LFM for the Tor requires the caster to have Flesh to Stone - but I have oodles of patience for new players and groups experiencing something for the first time. Especially when playing my cleric(s).

I Pug a lot. I do start my own LFM's if I'm looking for something particular: favor, an end reward, relics, etc. But I spend my days talking non-stop coordinating things, giving instructions, and telling people what to and what not to do...so I don't really want to spend my lesiure time doing that as well.

I apply my self-imposed rules for joining a pug to my groups when putting one together:

Take six and go. Don't have six...well...let's go anyway.

If there is a ruin/lever that needs to be hit my LFM will state just that "need something to hit the XXX ruin/lever." I don't care what or who it is - just be able to hit it.

You know your build, I don't. If something specific is needed in a quest I'll state what's needed and take anyone who hits the LFM. There are fighters who can hit INT ruins, paladins who can hit CHA ruins, rangers who can hit WIS ruins, bards who can hit STR levers, and tons of high reflex/hit point/evasion builds who "I can't get the trap but I can get through it to accomplish XXX" Awesome - let's go!

I tend to play at 'non-peak' hours, and as a result commonly end up in short-manned, bizzare combination groups. By immersing myself in the game in this manner, I've come across some really interesting builds and some really cool people. I've also partcipated in some really, really fun groups. Oddly enough, the hodge-podge groups tend to be more fun than the standard groups. As an extra bonus - I've learned a lot about the game, the dungeons, their mechanics, and little tips and tricks along the way.

Quoted because its a Great Guidline. I feel the same way. People who "Need Clerics" Often resort to randomly /telling any cleriuc they can find online.. Usually they at least check to see if they are already in group.. Sometimes not.... WHich is why my clerics Stay ANON at all times.

I would estimate 50-75% of clerics that are online at any given tme are indeed ANON. so even though the WHO list may look cleric deficient..... We are online.........

[Tomandrobyncasey]

Quoted because its a Great Guidline. I feel the same way. People who "Need Clerics" Often resort to randomly /telling any cleriuc they can find online.. Usually they at least check to see if they are already in group.. Sometimes not.... WHich is why my clerics Stay ANON at all times.

I would estimate 50-75% of clerics that are online at any given tme are indeed ANON. so even though the WHO list may look cleric deficient..... We are online.........

Have to agree My wife plays a cleric and is always annon.

[Merkinsal]

When I see this, I normally will log on my Battlecleric, join the party, get in the instance and then tell them that I don't heal...

I healed a battle cleric in a pug I was in. He got a little upset and told me he was a cleric and not to heal him lol. I said he was taking alot of damage and I didnt want him to die lmao.

Anyway, all these rules seem a little over the top. I had no idea so many clerics were so uptight about how or who they grouped with. There is no way to know how the group is going to run based upon a charater's class construction or the classes requested in the lfm or how their name is spelled or what their name is lol. Lets be reasonable about this instead of coming up with lists a page long as to who looks good or looks bad based on some voodoo, mind reading, I can tell you your build, playstyle, ability, and favorite muppett by the color of your hair stuff.

So, my turn. I pick a group on whether or not they are running a quest I want and that makes a good pug for me. By running good pugs I avoid bad ones.

[captain1z]

The best way, hands down, to avoid bad pugs is..................


PUG more often and become familiar with as many people who play the game as possible. I pug 24/7 and have run with a huge slice of the server.

Individually a particular player may not be bad..............

for instance I know a battle cleric who hates to buff or heal but will if you are not pushy about it or overly dependant on him. He is a great player when paired with a self sufficient party or another cleric. I also know a sorc who does not buff, it says so in his bio. As far as nukers go, hes pretty good. However, if I see a PUG forming with both these players in it, I will not join.

These two together would argue and complain and noone would get any buffs. Anyone else looking at that LFM would say, "cool, they already have a caster and a cleric". I have never seen either of the two announce their play styles before we actually got in quest............ except for whats in their bios.

[Tomandrobyncasey]

No such thing as freedom of speech here in fairy world huh! What a joke!

[Merkinsal]

No such thing as freedom of speech here in fairy world huh! What a joke!

No such thing as free speech anywhere unless you are alone.