Some Thoughts on "Gearing Up"

[Alrin]

I've been a bit frusterated lately, and figure that it's time to bring this out into the open, as someone has to. I'm willing to take any backlash that comes of it, so I figure I'll bring it up.

As we raid, we hear a lot about how gearing up is good for the raid. How every little bit helps. I agree. Might set helps tanks tank longer. Prophecy helps Healer heal longer. I'm glad to see these items going to their intended purpose, helping move along to bigger challenges.

Where my frusteration lies is that there more that could be done to help people 'gear up' that isn't a hope on a drop in a 40man raid. Because let's be realistic. Those drops, while fantastic, are few and far between.  Which brings me to my point.

We are a raid group in mostly blues, but still with some greens. It's past time to fix that. Especially with our hunters and mages. In almost all of our raids, the hunters/mages comprimise roughly 1/2 of the raid, more or less. Rogues aren't too far behind, either. Look at what those people are doing now, and imagine how much better it could be if they were 'geared up' very well.

I think we are already doing a pretty good job at gearing up people. We have issues with some people playing at different times etc. But I mean, if anyone needs anything from some instance it is important that said person speaks up. This may sound jerk-like, but I am not going to babysit anyone and keep asking them if they need anything in that manner. That is their own responsibility to ask for help in getting xyz item. I may toss out "anyone need any help?" in /ga but I won't specifically put time in to try and advise people on gear unless asked to.
As for getting geared up, sometimes the RNG in this game hates people.
I know this all too well with Alrin. 25+ Ogre Tribute runs, no rod of the ogre magi, etc etc..

I can't speak for the mages, but I'd be willing to bet that there are items that almost every single one of them would like that doesn't require more than 9 other people to get. Same with the hunters. The 8th piece set bonus for BeastStalkers is +60RAP...that's like getting a second  Barbarous Blade. Just for wearing some gear that is actually good. I know that most people are down on the "blue" sets, but for hunters, ours is actually good for us. And aside from the chest piece, not a single piece requires more than 4 other people to get...if you can get a good class balance.

Actually, for mages the Magisters set isnt really that spectacular, I'm afraid.
This is just sad. And all the magister gear is int heavy, which means mages walk around with the notion that a massive mana pool is the best. I mean, alrin is decked out in pretty sweet blue stuff right now. How many magister pieces does he wear?
ONE.
How many is in the bank?
FIVE.
Will he be doing runs specifically to get the shoulders + hat that's missing?
Not likely. Why? It doesn't make sense. If its one thing I have learned in MC as a mage is that you CANNOT neglect your stamina gear.
As for gathering ones entire set, this is sometimes a task that seems nigh impossible.
Mostly because a run takes too long to farm efficently during the course of a day.

We've been good with running UBRS to try to help a couple of our tanks find the Draconian Deflector. Let's see if we can extend some of that goodwill in other directions, too. I realize that some of the other places folks need to go doesn't have tons of phat lewtz in it for them, and I know what it's like to do a run without a likely chance of getting something "good for you." But even in 15 man raids, most people walk out with at least some stuff that they can sell for some gold. There is always something of that nature to be gained, if folk need incentive to go. There's always the fact that an elusive purple might drop. Didn't Brain Hacker (a purple axe) drop in UBRS the other day? With all the times I've run UBRS, I've never seen a purple drop there before.

I am confused, I thought we were already trying to help people go wherever they wanted. Alot of people have been going to ubrs lately simply because there was alot of people that had items there that they could use.

I know that part of the problem is simply a straightup lack of healers, period. But there must be some way to work around this. We have enough healer types, it's just getting them together. And most 5man or 10 man places can be easily done with a druid and a pally of the caliber of guild/alliance mates we have.

Not to diss any paladin or so but sometimes you NEED a healing class that can put out more healing and has better mana efficency when it comes to casting.

So folks, this is a plea of sorts...Let's help each other gear up. Let's help folks get the blues they would like, while we all wait for those pretty purples from MC and beyond. As ever, if I'm on and I have the time, I'm always more than willing to fill in a group slot.

Ditto. But remember, the RNG doesn't care for how desperate or needy we are. It will still screw people over most of the time.
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