Lv 10 and up with no groups avaible

[AylinIsAwesome]

I should have mentioned that sending tells to anonymous healer "friends" should be used as a last resort. After waiting for a healer to join, after asking the group if they know a healer that would want to join and after sending tells to non-anonymous healers. I understand how irritating it must be to receive tells while anonymous but if I'm desperate* I do it.

desperate = having failed to find a healer using the other methods and having the whole group staring at the quest entrance for more than 10 minutes.

The main reason I go anon is because I don't feel like telling people I don't want to group with them constantly. If I want to be in a group, I either put up an LFM or I join a group. If I'm anon and not joining a group or starting my own, it's because I don't want to be in one. Simple as that.


I understand how having a good healer in a group can make quests go easier, but for most of the game they aren't necessary. A cleric hireling and the group members carrying wands/pots goes a long way. Now, I know some quests it's extremely difficult to do without a healer, but I still don't think that excuses sending tells to people who don't want them, I don't care if you're desperate or not.

I can say that because most of the time I run without a healer in group, since my guild of 70 toons has all of 7 clerics and FvS put together, two of which are mine*, one's a melee MC with Monk and only the last four are healers.

*: I don't play healers: my cleric is a Battlecleric and my FvS is a nuker. (Which leads me to the second most annoying thing: Being told I should focus on heals because I'm a cleric/FvS.)

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Most of the L10 content could be solo'd before if you know what you were doing, now with dungeon scaling making everything idiot-simple you should be able to easily solo at that level.

But L10 is no problem at all for grouping, LOTS of content at that level, start a group.

[Mjoll]

The main reason I go anon is because I don't feel like telling people I don't want to group with them constantly. If I want to be in a group, I either put up an LFM or I join a group. If I'm anon and not joining a group or starting my own, it's because I don't want to be in one. Simple as that.


I understand how having a good healer in a group can make quests go easier, but for most of the game they aren't necessary. A cleric hireling and the group members carrying wands/pots goes a long way. Now, I know some quests it's extremely difficult to do without a healer, but I still don't think that excuses sending tells to people who don't want them, I don't care if you're desperate or not.

I can say that because most of the time I run without a healer in group, since my guild of 70 toons has all of 7 clerics and FvS put together, two of which are mine*, one's a melee MC with Monk and only the last four are healers.

*: I don't play healers: my cleric is a Battlecleric and my FvS is a nuker. (Which leads me to the second most annoying thing: Being told I should focus on heals because I'm a cleric/FvS.)

There are also those that forget to uncheck the anonymous box. Very few though but still... Reminds me of the day I forgot to uncheck the box and couldn't get in any of the parties I applied to till someone told me they don't accept anonymous players.

From a guildless and casual player's point of view... I have a different experience than yours, with only a couple of exceptions all parties I've been in always had a healer. I'm talking about f2p quests in the 8-12 range, on all difficulties. Some parties weren't even accepting bards, it was cleric/fvs or nothing. Being a casual player (not having THE perfect build and/or not being twinked to the teeth) and being in a pug (lacking that confidence and synergy you get when playing with guild members or players you know well) means that having the safety net called "healer" is a must most of the time.

[Vellrad]

I don't know why, but most of replies are in the type of: "Next noob who don't know how to use the social panel!", or something like this.

My main problem is that, sometimes there aren't players who wish to join any parties, and we have to wait hour or two.

Someone suggested using hirelings- they're good, but their AI is just pathetic (like rushing, running into traps, leaving the party etc.)

The other person suggested to do slayer-like quests. Well, I started to playing DDO, because lack of grind, know from all (at least all I know) MMOs. The second thing about this, is that once Slayer is done, by reaching enaugh amount of kills, there is no reason to more grind.

I think the main reason in grouping problems is that, the most of MMO players plays the game only to reach the highest level, obtain the best abilities and items, and loot that many coins that if puted togheder they could fill the swimming pool. I'm not criticising these parts of game, but I also don't think that it is the most important goal.

[AylinIsAwesome]

From a guildless and casual player's point of view...

I am sorry that you don't have a guild.

Not all guilds require you to be on constantly or buy content though, so you should look around at the guilds for your server and maybe you'll find one you like?

Someone suggested using hirelings- they're good, but their AI is just pathetic (like rushing, running into traps, leaving the party etc.)

Use hirelings like a cheap wand, basically. Summon it at the beginning of the quest, park it and keep going. When you need healing, summon it to you again and heal up the party. Then park it.

That's pretty much all their good for.

[Sweyn]

This is both correct and incorrect. Everything in parentheses is very true. What is incorrect is "level range 10-13". 10-13 is a range of 4 levels. 10, 11, 12, 13. A party of this level range, the level 10 would take an xp hit for being power leveled. Yes I know the social panel starts as default of a range of 4 levels but to avoid any xp hit whatsoever the range must be 3 INCLUSIVE( a range of. NOT any number plus or minus 3).

OK, lets get out our fingers and count.. it is 4 lvl's above you when you take a hit. If you are lvl 10.. (Count with me) 11 (1finger), 12 (2 fingers), 13 (3 fingers).. See how easy it is? 10-13 is ok because it is only 3 lvl's over

[Mjoll]

I am sorry that you don't have a guild.

Not all guilds require you to be on constantly or buy content though, so you should look around at the guilds for your server and maybe you'll find one you like?

I'm guildless not because I haven't found a guild but because I haven't searched for one, when I'll be looking for one I'll probably know how and what to look for. My point wasn't about people not finding a guild but about beeing guildless, regardless of reason. On Thelanis, out of all the non anonymous people that were online 5 minutes ago aprox. 65% of those in the 1-9 lvl range and 30% of those in the 10-20 lvl range were guildless. But thank you for lending me your shoulder to cry on.

[phalaeo]

- Them sneaky healers like to go anonymous so whenever you see a healer in the public areas that is at your level or a few levels below quickly add him to your friends list. I'm "friends" with a lot of healers without them knowing it *winks*

Just sayin'...

There's a reason us sneaky healers like to go anonymous... and it's not so ppl we don't know can add us to their "friends" list without us knowing, then sending us blind tells. We're not here to be your utility peeps. 1-2 random tells from a person is fine, but if I get them constantly, I squelch.

Or, on the flip side... you could just play a healer yourself
(Though granted, I did not look at your sig to see if you do)

[Creddi]

I've noticed this issue on Argo. I can get groups, but at lvl 10 they are almost always tempest spine and that is getting diminishing returns for me (regardless of rather nice drops).

Other than that, the available groups seeem to be primarily favour runs.

It is hard to get to know quests well enough to feel comfortable leading them if you can't solo them and if noone else is running them.

In a couple more ranks I'll be 11th, have BB and soloing should be rather easier, but for now its slow....

[Arlith]

Sending /tells is generally OK if you are looking for something specific and your LFM is not bearing fruit, but you should restrict it to people that you can see online (with obvious exceptions for actual friends etc.) Sending tells to anonymous people will probably get you ignored.

Remember to put the basics in the /tell and make it so that it can be ignored:

/tell <name> Hiya, we are doing <quest> on <difficulty>, <zerg|flower-sniff|just for favour|etc.>. Level range is <range>, quest is <P2P|F2P>. LFM is up. No need to respond if busy!

It might be okay for you. It is NOT okay for me. Blind tells and invites irritate me as fast as a phone conversation with my ex. You should tell people that so they can be prepared when they are ignored, or get a reply saying they are being rude.

I know what LFM's are, and I know how to go LFG. If I wanted to join a group, I have the tools available to make that intention known. If I do not want to join a group, it is because I am doing somehting and receiving tell after tell asking me to do something interferes with that.

It is bad enough now. I will get at least one tell per quest asking me to heal, even when I am already in a group. Average is 3-5 tells. And I only started playing a healer with FvS, I really don't know how clerics have been managing the last 4 years.

Of course, there is always the perfect solution - roll your own healer. Then you never have to wait on one.

[krud]

Yeah u would be suprised how quickly a group will fill if u just put up an LFM. Be expected to have some leadership skill tho as most people look at the star by the name as some kind of guide or somone with good advice especially in this time where there are so many new players.

Slayers in wilderness areas are also another great solo'ing spot, and if u haven't done so yet, go back and work on any lower level favor u may have passed up, even if u are 6 levels above the quest u will get ur first time bonus and xp. These quests are usually solo-able altho on higher settings like elite they still present a nice challenge and even give great XP. I just finished the Bloody Crypt on elite today for the first time on one of my characters and the highest person in the group was level 12........it was worth almost 10k xp.

That is the best advice. Many times i log on not knowing how long i'll be able to stay on. At those times i rarely join groups or put up lfms. Those are the best times for me to solo quests that I passed up. i find it helps in many ways:

1) you can still get good xp with the 1st time bonus. Open them on hard if they are more than a few levels below your level. You can always step in a quest and if you see the xp reward is too low, just step out and try another quest.

2) it helps you get familiar with a quest, so next time you can feel more confident putting up an lfm for it next time around on harder difficulties.

3) helps you figure out what is needed to be more self-sufficient (what kind of items/wands/pots/or house buffs). It's an added bonus when putting up or joining lfms, as you won't feel so restricted to 'must have' classes when you know you can handle something on your own.

4)helps you figure out strategies to take advantage of your strengths, and counter your weaknesses.

5) if you have time, at least this keeps you busy and advancing, while you scan the lfms for a group to pop up.

[AylinIsAwesome]

*snip*
From a guildless and casual player's point of view... I have a different experience than yours, with only a couple of exceptions all parties I've been in always had a healer. *snip*

I'm guildless not because I haven't found a guild but because I haven't searched for one
*snip*

So...let me get this straight.

You're complaining that you have trouble finding groups and healers because you're not in a guild, but you're not in a guild because you haven't put forth the effort to actually get into one?


Fail.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

My main problem is that, sometimes there aren't players who wish to join any parties, and we have to wait hour or two.

True, sometimes no one wants to run what you do when you do. So don't wait, start. If you haven't filled in 10-15 minutes start with whatever you have.

[AylinIsAwesome]

true, Sometimes No One Wants To Run What You Do When You Do. So Don't Wait, Start. If You Haven't Filled In 10-15 Minutes Start With Whatever You Have.

Gft.

+1

[whysper]

It might be okay for you. It is NOT okay for me. Blind tells and invites irritate me as fast as a phone conversation with my ex. You should tell people that so they can be prepared when they are ignored, or get a reply saying they are being rude.

To the general population, there is no such thing as a "blind tell," unlike the infamous "blind invite." You are in a very small minority on this issue because tells are easily ignorable. Mind, I suppose no-one can begrudge you for being upset about an unsolicited tell, but if you really are sensitive about that, the solution is to go anonymous.

I ought have specified that sending tells to already-grouped people is considered bad etiquette, you are correct about that.

[Redlotusninjagrl]

Jeez, I didn't know you could go anon in DDO. I will have to figure that one out fast. And I certainly don't want some random person "friending" me so that they can annoy me when I am on. That is terrible advice unless of course you want to alienate every cleric on your server.

As a cleric who often starts getting tells for grouping from the moment I log on, I have to agree that it is VERY annoying especially if I am already in a group and even MORE annoying to get a blind invite. I am part of a guild, so if I want to group, I simply say so in guild chat. I rarely have a problem getting a group together.

That being said, if you want to be able to group without much effort, either create a cleric/fvs or join a guild.

If you are on Ghallanda, send me a pm. I can try to find you to group. If you are any good, I am sure you one of the officers will invite you to join the guild.

[whysper]

Jeez, I didn't know you could go anon in DDO. I will have to figure that one out fast. And I certainly don't want some random person "friending" me so that they can annoy me when I am on. That is terrible advice unless of course you want to alienate every cleric on your server.

The check box is in the Who page of the social panel, I think. You will only be listed online on your guild page (and are, obviously, still visible in the game) which weeds out pretty much all unwanted tells.

[Phycus]

You're complaining that you have trouble finding groups and healers because you're not in a guild, but you're not in a guild because you haven't put forth the effort to actually get into one?

Fail.

Not the sense I got out of Mjoll's post as well.

* Because he is not guilded, he has noticed it is harder to get groups than those players he knows who are guilded.

* He is not guilded yet because he has not decided to look for one yet.

The second point does not cause the first. Yes, getting into a guild could alleviate that issue. But he could also be a bit leery of just joining any gulid that would have him, or certainly offers an invite out of the first time you are running a quest together. Part of his issue then is grouping with a variety of folks to see whom he might like to join up with more often (filling in the friends list), and then from there perhaps looking to join a guild. If it is hard to get the first one going, I can see how it would be hard to get to the second part.

But also as has been mentioned, the single best fix is to progress from LFG to LFM.

[tgun]

This is both correct and incorrect. Everything in parentheses is very true. What is incorrect is "level range 10-13". 10-13 is a range of 4 levels. 10, 11, 12, 13. A party of this level range, the level 10 would take an xp hit for being power leveled. Yes I know the social panel starts as default of a range of 4 levels but to avoid any xp hit whatsoever the range must be 3 INCLUSIVE( a range of. NOT any number plus or minus 3).

Ok I just tested this by making a lvl1 and entered kobold assault grouped with a level4. I was wrong and did not receive a power leveling penalty. I had remembered reading a post when the default lvl range setting in social panel was changed alittle after the move to f2p. I guess I kinda of misremembered and mixed the 2 up when I made the above post. My apologies to Blarg for falsely correcting his good info. ANd thanks to Whysper for catching it. I dont like giving out wrong info and try not to post if I'm not sure about something so I'm glad this is at least clarified now.

[Arlith]

To the general population, there is no such thing as a "blind tell," unlike the infamous "blind invite." You are in a very small minority on this issue because tells are easily ignorable. Mind, I suppose no-one can begrudge you for being upset about an unsolicited tell, but if you really are sensitive about that, the solution is to go anonymous.

I ought have specified that sending tells to already-grouped people is considered bad etiquette, you are correct about that.

If someone I don't know sends me a tell asking me to join a group when I am not LFG, then how is that different from a blind invite? They are one and the same. And I am anonymous, that happened soon after FTP went live. Doesn't help much, though it did slow some of the tells down. Sad thing is the ones that stopped when I went anonymous were the ones that weren't all that annoying.