Guild Wars 2

When I first started raiding, I had only a small amount of experience. 2 VG kills with a guild that did training raids for my casual guild at the time. After a while, I took a long break because I was overwhelmed by the amount of content in HoT and also disappointed that I didn’t have a regular group to raid with.

Fast forward 6 months, and some of the initial issues still existed. My main concern now though, was “what if I wasn’t good enough?” I knew I was a decent player, capable of doing T4 fractals with ease even as a squishy class, but I didn’t know how well that’d transfer to raids. I also still didn’t have access to a guild or group that was willing to give me the time to practice. I practically had to beg one particular guild (most of them split off from my casual guild to form a WvW/Raiding focused guild), but they wouldn’t take me because I didn’t have experience, even after I assured them that all I needed was a quick exposure to mechanics to pick things up.

Eventually, I found a guild. A very friendly group of players who ran regular training raids. Two weeks with them on Sabetha, VG, and Sloth/Trio, and I knew without a doubt that I could hold my own with an average group. It didn’t take me much longer to get other boss kills too, and I got my first Matthias kill at around 18-20 insights.

Within about 3 weeks, the guild I had begged to give me a chance started inviting me regularly to their static runs. I don’t play too many professions, but I do play Thief, Revenant, Elementalist, all at an average or above average level, and am beginning to dip my toes into Chronomancer and tanking. PS Warrior, Dragonhunter, and Druid are high on the list of classes I want to gear and learn to play.

TL;DR – my fear was mainly under-performing. Once I got a group that was forgiving of mistakes, I learned the necessary things to perform at an adequate level, and eventually picked up on the more important roles.

Rashy.4165:

When I first started raiding, I had only a small amount of experience. 2 VG kills with a guild that did training raids for my casual guild at the time. After a while, I took a long break because I was overwhelmed by the amount of content in HoT and also disappointed that I didn’t have a regular group to raid with.

Fast forward 6 months, and some of the initial issues still existed. My main concern now though, was “what if I wasn’t good enough?” I knew I was a decent player, capable of doing T4 fractals with ease even as a squishy class, but I didn’t know how well that’d transfer to raids. I also still didn’t have access to a guild or group that was willing to give me the time to practice. I practically had to beg one particular guild (most of them split off from my casual guild to form a WvW/Raiding focused guild), but they wouldn’t take me because I didn’t have experience, even after I assured them that all I needed was a quick exposure to mechanics to pick things up.

Eventually, I found a guild. A very friendly group of players who ran regular training raids. Two weeks with them on Sabetha, VG, and Sloth/Trio, and I knew without a doubt that I could hold my own with an average group. It didn’t take me much longer to get other boss kills too, and I got my first Matthias kill at around 18-20 insights.

Within about 3 weeks, the guild I had begged to give me a chance started inviting me regularly to their static runs. I don’t play too many professions, but I do play Thief, Revenant, Elementalist, all at an average or above average level, and am beginning to dip my toes into Chronomancer and tanking. PS Warrior, Dragonhunter, and Druid are high on the list of classes I want to gear and learn to play.

TL;DR – my fear was mainly under-performing. Once I got a group that was forgiving of mistakes, I learned the necessary things to perform at an adequate level, and eventually picked up on the more important roles.

Could you send an invite for me to join your guild? Getting an active raid guild was always the problem for me.

Almost all of the LI’s I got are from random pug groups because the guilds I joined almost all ended-up falling out of synch with my schedule or just stopped doing them…

If you have a good guild that accept serious players that still learn some encounters I’m more than willing. I’m all ascended and legendary and has one of each with 6k+ hours on my tempest.

If anyone is unsure about raiding and don’t know where to start join [Aura]! We are a raiding guild that does weekly raid training on fridays 5:30 PST / 8:30 EST. We run raid groups mixed with experienced and new players so that you can learn and get a kill at the same time! All we ask for is that you run one of the correct builds for your class (these can be found at metabattle.com or qtfy.enjin.com). No need to have full ascended gear or even know the name of a boss! If you have any questions or want to join contact “Omg Its Kayla.6479” in game (our guild leader).

Rylen.2147:

All we ask for is that you run one of the correct builds for your class (these can be found at metabattle.com or qtfy.enjin.com).

While what you posted and are offering is awesome….this above kills it for me and is why raids are in a flux. But good on ya for offering up to people!

Actual though, after re-reading it I do see that you aren’t excluding anyone per-say but only asking that they run a build for their class that is proven to be useful…fair enough.

Joxer.6024:

Rylen.2147:

All we ask for is that you run one of the correct builds for your class (these can be found at metabattle.com or qtfy.enjin.com).

While what you posted and are offering is awesome….this above kills it for me and is why raids are in a flux. But good on ya for offering up to people!

Actual though, after re-reading it I do see that you aren’t excluding anyone per-say but only asking that they run a build for their class that is proven to be useful…fair enough.

Yea, we don’t ask for much, but we do expect for people to have a build that they can use. We want to teach people but bringing a build that isn’t useful only hurts yourself because you won’t be learning the rotations and profession mechanics for raids as you play and probably wont be ready for pugs or raiding on your own!

My problems with raiding in this game are many. For one, I’m not comfortable with the idea of having to use weapons that don’t fit my playstyle. Second, I don’t care for not being able to have a main and sticking to it; you’re encouraged and even expected to be able to play multiple.professions. I don’t know about everyone else, but my joy in this game is picking a style of play and immersing myself in that class entirety. Raids don’t allow that, or more accurately, the community is against it. Third, I prefer smaller group content, whereally I can (haven’t yet, but I’m still looking) more intimately get to know everyone I am playing with. In raids, you become more of a cog in a wheel, a number or necessity rather than a person. That is just not cool.

Bandrell.4357:

For one, I’m not comfortable with the idea of having to use weapons that don’t fit my playstyle.

Sorry, but this is the last argument I can take into account if it comes to raiding and problems. Seriously, in wide over 90% of the game content you can play what you want and just because you have to use another weapon inside of raids you don’t play them? I mean this is pure castigation

Bandrell.4357:

Second, I don’t care for not being able to have a main and sticking to it; you’re encouraged and even expected to be able to play multiple.professions. I don’t know about everyone else, but my joy in this game is picking a style of play and immersing myself in that class entirety. Raids don’t allow that, or more accurately, the community is against it.

There are many options nowadays but for me it’s the same thing like the weapon. What is the problem to play your class/char one single time different than from the rest of the time? I mean, you hurt yourself with it instead of giving it a chance, play the raid class you are most comfortable with and enjoy the content. Heck, if I would have insisted on to only play warrior I wouldn’t have killed all bosses till today. It’s a group organisation thing. What could be better than being part in a group that is pleased and happy because everybody contributed to the team play and made the team winning. It’s group content so everybody has to put his own benefit on hold for the team. Maybe raids aren’t for you then.

Bandrell.4357:

Third, I prefer smaller group content, whereally I can (haven’t yet, but I’m still looking) more intimately get to know everyone I am playing with. In raids, you become more of a cog in a wheel, a number or necessity rather than a person. That is just not cool.

The most comfortable raid runs are these where you laugh, make jokes, wipe together, win together, talk to each other and have a real good time in ts/discord. You don’t have to choose an anonymous pug run. I often opened my own group in my language and set a starting date 30min – 1hour before. People were entering asap and since we have filled up there were always nice talkings and interesting discussions.

@Vinceman

The thing is, content shouldn’t force players out of their comfort zone. This is entertainment. Yes, one must put some effort in and make minor sacrifices, but it should be enjoyable above all else.

This is most people issue with raiding – there’s some decidedly un-fun factors that are inherent to their design.

Posters from raiding community always offers insights, tips and suggestions, mostly with good intentions, but these are usually unlikely to (a) yield success and (b) be enjoyable for non-raiders.

This is because raids are intentionally exclusionary. The devs knew that most people simple would not get into raiding, and this is in many ways exactly what many raiders want.

And that bit about making jokes and wiping together? In my experience this is far more common in dungeon and fractal runs than raiding. People tend to be more sullen during raid runs, in my experience. Even guild groups. Raids are serious business after all.

Jahroots.6791:

@Vinceman

The thing is, content shouldn’t force players out of their comfort zone. This is entertainment. Yes, one must put some effort in and make minor sacrifices, but it should be enjoyable above all else.

This is most people issue with raiding – there’s some decidedly un-fun factors that are inherent to their design.

That is an opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. You and others might not enjoy the idea of having to adapt to each situation, maybe even take weapons/playstyles you usually don’t enjoy as much, but there are enough people who do enjoy being forced out of their comfort zone, maybe even learning to love a playstyle they hated before. Those are the ones raiding is made for. If you prefer playing whatever the hell you want all the time, sure, that’s cool, but you’re not the targeted audience for raids and you should understand that.

Elitism killed raids just like how elitism killed Heroes Ascent and GvG in GW1.
-you need to do raids to unlock the mastery track
-you need experience to join a pug
-to get experience, you need to raid
-you need to join a guild that will babysit you through a raid
-after doing this, you need to log on at the exact right time of the week and hope that they don’t kick you out of their 10 man because they don’t know you

Bandrell.4357:

My problems with raiding in this game are many. For one, I’m not comfortable with the idea of having to use weapons that don’t fit my playstyle. Second, I don’t care for not being able to have a main and sticking to it; you’re encouraged and even expected to be able to play multiple.professions. I don’t know about everyone else, but my joy in this game is picking a style of play and immersing myself in that class entirety. Raids don’t allow that, or more accurately, the community is against it. Third, I prefer smaller group content, whereally I can (haven’t yet, but I’m still looking) more intimately get to know everyone I am playing with. In raids, you become more of a cog in a wheel, a number or necessity rather than a person. That is just not cool.

Just chiming in to share my opinion about these sort of issues: do the same as I do, don’t play them, play what you enjoy, the builds that you like with the weapons that you crave. Furthermore, be hyped about the fact that the next episode of the LS is up tomorrow where you can play the way you want. I mean, raids will never be a requirement you need to fulfill and the main attraction of this game will always be its Living world filled with dynamic events

NovaanVerdiano.6174:

Jahroots.6791:

@Vinceman

The thing is, content shouldn’t force players out of their comfort zone. This is entertainment. Yes, one must put some effort in and make minor sacrifices, but it should be enjoyable above all else.

This is most people issue with raiding – there’s some decidedly un-fun factors that are inherent to their design.

That is an opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. You and others might not enjoy the idea of having to adapt to each situation, maybe even take weapons/playstyles you usually don’t enjoy as much, but there are enough people who do enjoy being forced out of their comfort zone, maybe even learning to love a playstyle they hated before. Those are the ones raiding is made for. If you prefer playing whatever the hell you want all the time, sure, that’s cool, but you’re not the targeted audience for raids and you should understand that.

Well if thats all you want why do you deserve a special reward for it?
The content it self is what you were after and enjoy doing right?
So if others want same reward for content they enjoy doing that shouldent be a problem, time to get the devs to release the legendary armor skin and all in all game modes then.

Linken.6345:

Well if thats all you want why do you deserve a special reward for it?
The content it self is what you were after and enjoy doing right?
So if others want same reward for content they enjoy doing that shouldent be a problem, time to get the devs to release the legendary armor skin and all in all game modes then.

At first, you always need a sort of reward in every game mode in a game otherwise nobody would replay it and the development would be a waste.

Besides actual item rewards you can have a cinematic as reward for example in single player games with a good story, winning in a pure PvP game and climbing up a ladder is also a reward for you effort and in mmos it’s quite usual that you were given items. Even in GW2 PvP is compensating you with rewards.

We’ve already stated that the idea of a legendary armor just for raid player wasn’t their best decision. There should have been at least another PvE armor, I don’t mind if it could be obtained via PvP as well. Sure, with another look but it should be there. Like fractal backpiece vs. PvP backpiece and so on.

Vinceman.4572:

Linken.6345:

Well if thats all you want why do you deserve a special reward for it?
The content it self is what you were after and enjoy doing right?
So if others want same reward for content they enjoy doing that shouldent be a problem, time to get the devs to release the legendary armor skin and all in all game modes then.

At first, you always need a sort of reward in every game mode in a game otherwise nobody would replay it and the development would be a waste.

Besides actual item rewards you can have a cinematic as reward for example in single player games with a good story, winning in a pure PvP game and climbing up a ladder is also a reward for you effort and in mmos it’s quite usual that you were given items. Even in GW2 PvP is compensating you with rewards.

We’ve already stated that the idea of a legendary armor just for raid player wasn’t their best decision. There should have been at least another PvE armor, I don’t mind if it could be obtained via PvP as well. Sure, with another look but it should be there. Like fractal backpiece vs. PvP backpiece and so on.

Well we are getting somewere are all the raiders willing to wait for the pve armor journey and skin to be finished before releaseing both then?

Linken.6345:

Well we are getting somewere are all the raiders willing to wait for the pve armor journey and skin to be finished before releaseing both then?

I doubt that this would happen and it’s not the raiders’ choice. These are Anets’ plans, raiders have no influence at that. And the problem is they needed so long to develop this specific leggy armor with the collections etc., another armor isn’t even near to be finished. Big deal imho, but it is like it is.

Im not, i just need a guild.