Putting up an LFM you don't/can't lead

[The-Last-Wolf]

Hi All,

This is partially a whine, but more an opinion seeking thread.

Logged on tonight with my Lvl 12 Cleric

First Note: - I really enjoy PUG's, I have a lot of fun meeting new people and whilst the occasional disaster occurs, I don't tend to mind, as I am not a Power Gamer or massively experienced player. Also note I have no issue with anyone who is, or dislikes PUG's.

Anyway I see a LFM up for Tempest Spine (10-14). Now its a quest I enjoy, and so I've had a reasonable amount of mileage out of it from 9 - 11 so I know that my xp will be pretty small from running this even on Elite, and the LFM is for Normal so I ignore it.

Within about a minute I get a tell from the party leader asking if I want to join.

Second Note: - I have no issue with random tells (as a Cleric I sort of expect them at lower lvls), and when I can, I always respond politely (either accepting or rejecting).

So I respond "Thinking about it, but will get very little xp"

Third Note - I do not run parties. I do not put up LFM's. There are 3 reasons for this.

1. I have managed/lead people in high stress work situations for some 23 -24 years. When I game, I want a release, not a repeat.
2. I do not consider myself to be an expert at this game. I am happy to offer advice and opinion both in game and here, but only where I think I know what I am talking about (and often proved wrong and learn something) and so I do not feel competent at leading partues.
3. Comparing myself to some of the really good party leaders I have met in this game, I know I am not particularly good at it.

Anyhow, so a few mins passes, noting really of interest on the LFM panel, I'm not in the mood for soloing, so i think what the hell a quick 3-4k xp is worth doing, so I send a join request.

As more people join, the leader types in party chat, "Lots of first timers in the group, long timers please be aware/considerate".

Final Note - I have no problem with first timers in quests/raids. I learnt a metric f... tonne from being a first timer and having experienced players teach me the finer points of raids (not hand holding lead by the nose, but good learning expereinces)

As we fill out, I type in party chat (as I have no idea if anyone has voice/ears on), "Leader are you going to give out guidance for the new players?"

The reply (and reason I am posting), "No, I don't know this well enough" DING you are now party leader.

I will not bore you with any further irelavent details other than to say, I lead, we completed on hard, it took a pretty long time, I got about 5K exp and vendor trash, I hope I lead ok but my personal judgement is I was a C- at best.

So my whine is - Why would you post an LFM for an admittedly easy raid, accept a bunch of first timers, then pass the star?

My opinion seeking questions are.

In your opinion, is this acceptable behaviour?
Should I have refused the star and or done the same and just pass it on?

I am not a fan of dropping groups for silliness like this, so that wasn't an option for me (though I really thought about it)

Your thoughts appreciated

Regards
Wolf

[FlyingTurtle]

Unacceptable unless you asked for the star.

I think they thought you were volunteering for the star... and it's kinda stupid but by not passing it back, you basically took it on voluntarily (you got volunteered for it and didn't push back - you should know how to politely pushback given your decades of work experience). I would have passed it back.

[The-Last-Wolf]

Hi FlyingTurtle,

In an effort to make my overlong post shorter, I missed out the whole part where I gave it back, we had to reform due to earlier leader mucking about issues, got it passed again, gave up and just went with it, informed people I didn't like leading, got no takers etc.

But yeah you are right, I guess I should have put my virtual foot down.

Regards
Wolf

[Glenalth]

Hi FlyingTurtle,

In an effort to make my overlong post shorter, I missed out the whole part where I gave it back, we had to reform due to earlier leader mucking about issues, got it passed again, gave up and just went with it, informed people I didn't like leading, got no takers etc.

But yeah you are right, I guess I should have put my virtual foot down.

Regards
Wolf

The second time you get passed the star, dismiss the original leader, then put up an LFM for a guide

[furbyoats]

The second time you get passed the star, dismiss the original leader, then put up an LFM for a guide

/nods

[BoolZ]

I don't agree with forcing the star on someone.

I see nothing wrong with posting a LFM for a quest they've never done or not enough to lead. I solo'd pretty much the entire way to lvl17. I missed a lot. I have to group for Shroud, so I wanted practice grouping while flagging for Shroud. After running around the Vale waiting for a Ritual Sacrafice I posted my own. We filled, I explained I was new, and someone else guided the group to an easy completion.

Now I'm in Reavers Refuge, and ready for Stealer of Souls. I saw one group posting that filled before I got in. Next time I'm on I'll probably post my own. And make it clear I'm in no position to lead.

That's not even getting into the fact that so many quests go up with 'know it' that I think a lot of newer people get a bit intimidated.

I'm not looking to be babysat through the quest, but I don't want to be left behind either. So I can post my own LFM with a decent discription like 'slower play appriciated' or 'first run' and hope I get people who understand this isn't going to set speed records.

[AyumiAmakusa]

I do that sometimes but I will always put in the LFM that I'm looking for someone more experienced to lead the quest. Forcing leadership sounds kinda bad.

[Faent]

Forcing the star is bad form. I joined a VoD raid on Hard the other day. I can solo VoD on Normal. I joined this raid because I wanted the completion but didn't want to lead the raid. I made the mistake of offering some good advice, and the star was passed to me. I was not pleased. I led it, and we completed flawlessly, but I did not want to lead that run (that's why I joined a run, instead of organizing my own). Do not force the star.