My take on PUGS as of late.

[Beer_Dude]

Rather than hijacking the other threads I figured I'd start my own.

I've been in the process of Tr ing all 17 of my toons two at a time. The last few TRs I either ran solo or duo with my RL buddy Rick or one or two of the other friends I have on here until I was high enough to hit Vale, then I'd start pugging. The two toons I'm TR ing now are Sierra Nevada (level 17) Disavowed (level 13). When Sierra hit level 8 I decided I would start pugging again.

Here's what I found. If I join an LFM I'm usually in for a mediocre group at best. It seems like the people putting up the LFMs these days know just enough to prove how stupid they really are. Example. Disavowed is on his second life as a wiz rogue and had a 54 disable at level 12. LFM up for Von 3 speed run on hard. I had solo'd hard already but needed the XP and wanted the company (I know no big deal to solo it). Leader is an AA I hit join she sends tell I'm sorry but I need a trap person. My reply. Look at the build there isn't a rogue out there with a higher disable at this level. She reluctantly accepts.

During the quest we get to hear about her brag to the male members (who of course are in heat because they're running with a female who will talk to them) of the party about how popular she is and how many people are asking her to run Shroud instead of the Von run she's in as if we should feel privelaged to run with her. I take down the traps and try to explain to her why a wiz rougue has a higher disable than a rogue. She can't own up to being wrong and says most wiz rogues can't do that it's only because I'm a TR that I can. Later she gets blinded and begs for a remove blindness from the cleric. I tell her that's what pots are for. She says no that's what blindness ward goggles are for. My reply. They don't seem to be working too well right now do they? I tell her. You should always carry pots at this level. You should have enough money to afford them even if you're new at this level. Which leads to how she's not new and knows the game very well as she's been playing for many months.

It seems like almost every pug I join on any toon is the same thing. Leader of a different PUG (Shroud). "We better wait for a barbarian or fighter or we're not going to be able to do this". Me. Dude it's only Shroud on normal and casters/healers now do as much damage as melees in here with DOTs. Just take the 1st 12 we'll be fine. No we don't have any fighters or barbarians we'll fail. OK your group let's just sit here forever until we fill. I'll go get a beer while we wait. Of course we fill and funny enough both fighters perma decon after portal 3 in pt 1. We finish Harry in 1 round anyway. Needless to say I made it known we couldn't finish w/o a fighter or barb . So the leader (a healer) and her RL B/F (a pally) rage quit going into part 5. We smoke it as well. But we needed fighters and barbs. Monks, rangers, rogues, bards, casters, etc. just wouldn't cut it. Go figure.

On the flip side more than 90% of the time I PUG I put up the LFM. It always say quest XYZ speed run newbies welcome if you don't know quest have sound I'll teach it to you. Two things I've noticed. 1. Mostly vets join LOL. 2. The one or two newbies that join instantly speak up and say "I'm one of those newbies and I'd love it if you'd show me how to do this quest". Runs go off without a hitch and the newbie learns something.

The difference IMO is what I stated above. Those that have been on here 4-6 months know just enough to think they know it all, but most of them don't know squat. The very new people are total spounges and want any help, advice, and info you're willing to give them. I think the key is to have the newbie player that doesn't know the quest have sound. The only time this backfired on me was in Madstone elite. Sorc didn't have sound but said he new quest. Not only did he not have sound. He didn't have haste, charm, rage, fog, web, firewall, DDoor, or any other spells that dish out damage. In fact he went the entire quest w/o casting a single spell. He never shrined and ended the quest with the only lost mana from the 7 deaths he had as a result from when he kept getting lost.

I'm tired of selling myself to some 6 month tard player with the star as I wait for him to My DDO me for a VON 3 run on normal when I could solo it anyway. By the time the quest is over me and the one other vet (if I'm lucky enough to join a run with another vet in the group) have done 95% of the work including healing and raising when we're not even on toons built for that. So my take on pugs. I'm loving them when it's my star or a person who I know has the star and they put up an LFM explaining what's expected. When I reluctantly join a strangers LFM I make sure I'm in a good mood and have an open mind.

As for the 4-6 month players that don't fall into this category. Props to you for taking the time to learn the game and continuing to learn instead of acting like you know it all because you've capped a toon.

[Galeria]

Kudos to you for inviting new players to run with you. If more people did that, the game would be better for everyone.

:-)

[Beer_Dude]

Kudos to you for inviting new players to run with you. If more people did that, the game would be better for everyone.

:-)

I found that if they have sound it's only slowing me up at most 5 minutes as I stop to explain map, puzzles etc. What I find in exchange is that if we're doing the quest multiple times I get that time back and then some as I don't have to do everything and can assign the newbie to do something and they seem to always be eager to try their new found skill.

Crucible is a perfect example of that. I will take all the new people on the swim on a normal run that don't know how to do it. Evasion or not, healer caster, I don't care you're going. You can do the swim dead or alive either way you still do it the same way. I'll get the stones from those that die and res them at the horn. If they didn't die then they know the safe and correct way to do it. If they did die they're with me and they see how I do it and do it at the same time. There's only 2 places on that swim that you even have to make a reflex save. Heck someone may even know a path with zero reflex saves. After 5 years of playing cutting it down to 2 saves is the best I can do.

Mithran I totally agree with you it just sucks that people can't open their minds and look at it as just numbers.

Milf I agree with you if it comes down to a pug I'm joining as I stated above me and whatever other vet is in their end up carrying stones and doing most of the work.

John that's already happened and you were there for it. Drunken raid night and The Beergirl was so drunk she hit the alter to part 5 early. Noob started cussing at her and calling her an idiot in text. Me you and everyone else in their ripped his head off as we explained to him that it's DRUNKEN raid runs for a reason. Speaking of which. New LFM is about to go up.

[Mithran]

People coming here from other games haven't realized how flexible this Character Creation system is.

[Milfeulle]

Pugging is too dangerous these days, I don't mind newbie pike a run or two to learn the quest, but there's a bunch of people who refuse to learn.
All they do is "share plz" "which house" "we running on h/e?" "ding ding ding".

[camels]

one of these days i hope to see you rip a noob in half.

/sigh

one of these days...........

[augie]

I think the potion thing is my biggest, longest-lasting gripe. Why people can’t spare 5 or 6 inventory spots for stacks of poison/curse/disease/restore/blind pots is beyond me. And if it were up to me, I’d remove those same potions from the guild vendors just so that the self-only usage is gone from the game.

Along the same lines, they should create some one-time-only quest on Korthos where you have to hot-bar a quest-provided potion to use on an NPC to finish a quest so people understand how to use them on others. Maybe spot em another Starter Siberys Spirit Cake (one that doesn't cost a ******** 5 TP) for their troubles.

[Rydin_Dirtay]

Along the same lines, they should create some one-time-only quest on Korthos where you have to hot-bar a quest-provided potion to use on an NPC to finish a quest so people understand how to use them on others. Maybe spot em another Starter Siberys Spirit Cake (one that doesn't cost a ******** 5 TP) for their troubles.

Now that would be a GREAT idea. It would get people used to using hotbars, too.

[Blank_Zero]

I spent almost 6 months trying to cap Smrti the first time. She's not my first ever toon, but was my first "serious toon".

I learned a lot through soloing. Most pugs don't seem to get that if you have a bit of skill and some curatives, you can solo 95% of non-raid content, and about 50% of the raids depending on your class. Grouping is supposed to mean easier completions/socialization, not "let me drag these other 5 through slower than I could have soloed this".

My biggest thing is that most players REFUSE to read the forums. I ask people if they do, and I get told "I don't need them. I'm fine." It's ridiculous to me. But then again, I'm a socialite lol.

[Beer_Dude]

My biggest thing is that most players REFUSE to read the forums. I ask people if they do, and I get told "I don't need them. I'm fine." It's ridiculous to me. But then again, I'm a socialite lol.

I always try to refer people to the forums for info. Just like you not too many will do so. It makes me furious. Those that know me know what I really wanted to say but I don't want to catch a profanity infraction.

[taurean430]

Had the pleasure of running with you on my underequipped bard through Tor. It was fun, like always.

Know what I like to see the most? People actually making sure they are in song range long enough for me to give them bonuses to hit and damage/displacement/blur/etc... It becoming rare these days. And that's disappointing to a guy who rolled up a toon with the intent of boosting everyone around them.

Pugging that toon to lvl 18 has been tough. I still am learning things about the game, but the lack of actual game knowledge out there is back to being staggering. Or leading far and away in kills on a bard that is welding +1 weapons. That scares me some.

I'm still working on a number of my builds. Many of them have TR's to go. I'll keep an eye out for your runs.

[Beer_Dude]

Had the pleasure of running with you on my underequipped bard through Tor. It was fun, like always.

Know what I like to see the most? People actually making sure they are in song range long enough for me to give them bonuses to hit and damage/displacement/blur/etc... It becoming rare these days. And that's disappointing to a guy who rolled up a toon with the intent of boosting everyone around them.

Pugging that toon to lvl 18 has been tough. I still am learning things about the game, but the lack of actual game knowledge out there is back to being staggering. Or leading far and away in kills on a bard that is welding +1 weapons. That scares me some.

I'm still working on a number of my builds. Many of them have TR's to go. I'll keep an eye out for your runs.

Hit me up Sierra Nevada is heading to the Vale this week. Rick & I were just talking about how Disavowed and his toon are almost caught up level wise to his other toon and Sierra so we need to change our focus for a bit. It's always fun having you along and it will give us more of a reason to get back on those toons.

[Aurora_nyx]

I've had a pretty interesting time pugging my new cleric this past week. I've managed to add a few special people to my list. Had a squishy fighter challenge me to a pvp match because I said I wouldn't heal stupid. And of course there was this bard who ended up farming von 3 with us... I finally got to run with Hordo! (It was an absolute blast, and he gave me piking tips)

As for the pugs themselves.. I've noticed the braggy 14-20 yo boys who know EVERYTHING and are the most uber awesum thing evar...who are cool and insult me in group chat because I'm female then hit on me in tells (they occupy most spots on my squelch list) New people who are glad for any help you can offer them. Female players who actually admit to being female because there's another girl talking. And I've even met a few who are on my friends list now because we had an awesome time running whatever it was. I also met one person who said my bloodplate armor was out of style...I am still coming to terms with being unfashionable

[Beer_Dude]

I've had a pretty interesting time pugging my new cleric this past week. I've managed to add a few special people to my list. Had a squishy fighter challenge me to a pvp match because I said I wouldn't heal stupid. And of course there was this bard who ended up farming von 3 with us... I finally got to run with Hordo! (It was an absolute blast, and he gave me piking tips)

As for the pugs themselves.. I've noticed the braggy 14-20 yo boys who know EVERYTHING and are the most uber awesum thing evar...who are cool and insult me in group chat because I'm female then hit on me in tells (they occupy most spots on my squelch list) New people who are glad for any help you can offer them. Female players who actually admit to being female because there's another girl talking. And I've even met a few who are on my friends list now because we had an awesome time running whatever it was. I also met one person who said my bloodplate armor was out of style...I am still coming to terms with being unfashionable

For making me laugh about the Bloodplate thing.

[camels]

I am still coming to terms with being unfashionable

everybody knows looking cool is the ONLY thing that matters in DDO.

[Blank_Zero]

I've had a pretty interesting time pugging my new cleric this past week. I've managed to add a few special people to my list. Had a squishy fighter challenge me to a pvp match because I said I wouldn't heal stupid. And of course there was this bard who ended up farming von 3 with us... I finally got to run with Hordo! (It was an absolute blast, and he gave me piking tips)

As for the pugs themselves.. I've noticed the braggy 14-20 yo boys who know EVERYTHING and are the most uber awesum thing evar...who are cool and insult me in group chat because I'm female then hit on me in tells (they occupy most spots on my squelch list) New people who are glad for any help you can offer them. Female players who actually admit to being female because there's another girl talking. And I've even met a few who are on my friends list now because we had an awesome time running whatever it was. I also met one person who said my bloodplate armor was out of style...I am still coming to terms with being unfashionable

Awww, but I thought you liked getting hit on?

[Aurora_nyx]

Awww, but I thought you liked getting hit on?

I'm fussy about who gets to hit on me

everybody knows looking cool is the ONLY thing that matters in DDO.

lol... I have to look good... It is a requirement

[Blank_Zero]

I'm fussy about who gets to hit on me

That is fair

[Nysrock]

Different server but I feel your pain.

Running a fast Framework the other day. We weren't going for max xp just a completion. Everything was going smoothly when, after we kill the boss, we try to find out who had the wand to stone the 1 minotaur needed to complete. We finally find out the cleric has it yet he keeps saying he never got it. 25 minutes later we finally convince him to re-log and, lo and behold, as soon as he disconnects the wand drops from his grubby little hands.

So if any of the newbies out there actually read the forums here is an important tip....If you don't know the quest DO NOT talk to any NPCs, pick up any objects, pull any levers or do anything else that might cause the quest to fail. Just ask and I am sure someone will explain it to you in detail.

[Eladiun]

Different server but I feel your pain.

Running a fast Framework the other day. We weren't going for max xp just a completion. Everything was going smoothly when, after we kill the boss, we try to find out who had the wand to stone the 1 minotaur needed to complete. We finally find out the cleric has it yet he keeps saying he never got it. 25 minutes later we finally convince him to re-log and, lo and behold, as soon as he disconnects the wand drops from his grubby little hands.

So if any of the newbies out there actually read the forums here is an important tip....If you don't know the quest DO NOT talk to any NPCs, pick up any objects, pull any levers or do anything else that might cause the quest to fail. Just ask and I am sure someone will explain it to you in detail.

I'm having VoN 5 flashbacks and twitching in my chair.