Reorganizing how we fill our raid

This is something I've been discussing, and I think this is a much better idea than "first come, first served", especially for some slots.

First of all we need to allow some overgeared people help us out. This means at least MT, MH, and 3-4 dpsers be coming back to carry us kindergarteners. Yes, this means that some of you are going to have to wait to do your Kara and you won't be able to do it every week. This means you will have to wait on your chance to get certain pieces of gear. In a guild where we don't have a bunch of experienced raid leaders to guide us through, we're going to have to go it slow. Once we get more people geared properly, we're going to be able to BLOW through Kara. Once we get more people familiar with the raid, we can have more raids. Let me be a bit bitchy here: THESE THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. I don't want to hear about people getting snitty because they are not in this week's raid or that week's raid and OMG they want this or that gear NOW. This is a group effort and we are pretty much starting from scratch! Were any of you breaking the 4-minute mile at age two? Because that's where this guild is, raidwise, and we won't go anywhere if we don't develop some patience, resilience (IRL), and communication skills.

If you want to do Kara (or any other raid) you have to study it. I'm lucky I have a roommate whose guild has Kara on farm status and is now poking Gruul, so he can tell me all the successful strategies. There's also a book which you should have if you plan on raiding regularly, Dungeon Companion 2. This should be your raiding bible.

Lastly, try to get involved with the Scions. They are starting to poke at Kara. They would be happy to involve Caffeine in their raids, since we've been friendly guilds for ages now. They usually do their fun instance stuff on Saturdays. This will work for those who aren't the lucky 4 or 5 who are in a particular week's Kara raid.

But let me impress upon you: THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO BUILD UP STEAM.


That said.

We're going to hire a good tank. I don't care what guild he/she is from, as long as they are not asshats and understand they are doing us a favor and they are not taking over our raid.

We now have a great main healer. Jenoir aka Marieleveau has been wanting to heal our Friday Kara for months. She's on the roster permanently until she wants to leave. Our guild is short on main heals so I'm quite sure this is something we can totally live with. Plus, she's got tons of experience and can probably be the one talking in vent telling us what will be happening in each encounter. As a healer, she's going to tell you the way to do it in a way that doesn't overtax the healers. Remember, dead healer=wipe.

Deak, Dorch, and Kat will be raiding a few other things to get themselves overgeared and experienced. This is with my blessing. They will be coming back to our raids ready to teach us babies how it's done and help us get the gear we need. In other words, this is a sacrifice of investment.

I'm going to work with some people to make a raid officer team that will work optimally. You who want to raid must help out too. There is one add-on that you MUST have if you are going to be part of the run: OMEN. If you worry it will bog down your system, listen up: I installed it. My computer is an old Compaq Presario from like 2003. I don't have any problems. Neither will you. You all must also have Ventrilo. It would be nice to have a mic but it won't be necessary. All you really have to do is listen to the person who is verbally leading the raid.

As far as the raid officer team: I would like Halyra to stay on the team as the one who distributes the loot as I know she will be fair to everyone. The other person will be one who knows the pulls and how to tell everyone what to do, WHEN to do this, and how to tell everyone to shut up and play. Since we don't have a bunch of raid-experienced members, this person might be one of the outsiders who helps us out of the goodness of their hearts. You will need to accept this.

As far as raid roster goes: Our MT will be an invited guest until we can develop a well-geared tank of our own (Liandrist are you listening?). Marieleveau will be our main healer and very likely her assistant will be an invited guest until I get my own holy priest to 70 and Kara keyed (unless Tokus goes back to healing spec which I strongly urge him to do at least for now). We will need at least 3 overgeared DPS. Yes, this leaves only 4 slots open for the fun stuff. Remember, once you are geared well, you can take others through. For right now our basic raid roster needs to remain steady unless IRL interferes and a sub needs to be placed. Yes, Like I said this will exclude a lot of you AT FIRST. This is a very frustrating growth period and we will get through this with patience.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them here. It may take me a day or two to get to it but I will.

I know I may be relatively new to the guild, but I would like to stress the fact that I have great deal of experience with Karazhan, and am very well-geared, despite the majority of my gear being from PvP. Most of my PvP gear is Season 2 or Season 3, and everything is well-enchanted. In the raids I have attended so far with Caffeine, I have been #2 in damage done, only a bit below Halyra.
I have killed Prince 9 times (though often ignoring my rep quests and ring stuff and whatnot) , and maybe had 4 or 5 impartial runs. Previously, I was forced to pass on most Caster DPS drops, because they were either not nearly as good my PvP gear (oftentimes, I've seen a lot more +intellect and -spell damage, which certainly does not help me as a Dark Pact/Mana Tap Warlock), or there was another caster in group with blues or greens to replace ("oh, you already have epics, you don't need it")

Also in saying this, I would sincerely like to be considered for larger raids that guildmembers, or those associated to the guild, may be running.

I really hate to sound as though am I am complaining, but I sacrificed a lot moving to this server, and it would be nice not to have to start from the bottom again in reputation.

So please, if the "first come, first serve" policy is being trashed, please remember that I am not some newly leveled 70 with blues who has never raided before.

I had been wanting to do something similar for a while, so I'm happy that you took the initiative.

I'll probably contact you in game and make a thread with the permanent team listed.

Qoute:
"The other person will be one who knows the pulls and how to tell everyone what to do, WHEN to do this, and how to tell everyone to shut up and play. Since we don't have a bunch of raid-experienced members, this person might be one of the outsiders who helps us out of the goodness of their hearts. You will need to accept this."

*raises hand*

< has led MANY. MANY. .. MANY. Raids Pre-BC. And TRUELY knows what Serious Business is. and i'm not talking about the guild. I was hoping to start off new with argent Dawn, after my 1 year absence, but i can pick up the whooping stick once agian if need be.
"Morale is low, let the beatings begin"

Qoute:
"(Liandrist are you listening?)"

yes hun, loud and clear.

I've had current thoughts to work on the "Bold" set for tanking. if i get anywhere with it, i will, despite my utter hatred of it, return to protection once agian. because believe you me, i want this shit done. Gorehowl or not at this point. I've had literally a few years of experience of protection. I used to call Nefarious a gutless bastard in the face, i'd stick my thumb up rag's ass, and i pimp -slapped onyxia. which is why it's so painful to see saucy and noobie warrior tanks xD

Let me also say.. YOU WILL NOT STEAL MY AGGRO. (note the period)

OK now before anyone panics about the "Permanent Roster"...

There will be more than one Kara per week. There is the Caffeine raid, the Scions raid, and any others which individuals are invited to attend. I do not want anyone to feel left out. If you go to http://wow-scions.com you should be able to see what's coming up. If you get invited as an individual to a raid and you are not IDed, go for it!

Here are some things to consider if you want to raid:

Raids are basically a military action. The raid leader will bark orders at you sharply and harshly and expect you to follow. You will be happier if you understand that they are not attacking you personally.

Bad luck happens. Even the best raiding groups fuck up and wipe. It's okay. Don't play the blame game. That's the raid leader's job.

Keep chatter to a minimum. Silence is even better. When you use up time between pulls to chew the fat, you're wasting everyone's time.

Take breaks at logical break times. The raid leader should know when those times are. They should be no more than about 90 mins apart. They should last no more than 15 mins.

When you sign up for a raid, provide your professions both primary and secondary, and the raid leader will tell you if there are special things you need to do/make for the raid. Even if it's cooking up some buff food or making a metric ton of bandages. There are things you can do to contribute even days before the raid is scheduled.

Do not show off.

When you show up at the raid, have 100g on your person for repairs and for reagent purchases (you can buy them off repair bots). You can get this money easily off farming really stupid stuff. Hell, 30-40 stacks of Netherweave will get you that money on the AH. So will 4 primal Fires. So will doing your dailies for one day. At level 70 it's ridiculously easy to raise 100g.

There are expectations of the Raid Leader as well:

Raid leaders must, unless they are completely sure otherwise, assume that the party does not know everything about any encounter. Some people just won't ask questions. Assuming ignorance actually will reduce time spent, wipes suffered, and frustration building. Even having done an encounter once or twice before, some people might forget an important detail.

Raid leaders need patience. Not everyone knows what to do. It's going to take a while for everyone to adjust to everyone's tasks.

Raid leaders need to prepare as much as the raid. This means assigning tasks to everyone to do beforehand as far as support items. Refer to the first raid leader expectation (assume we know nothing) when designing these assignments.

All of you who have read all of this and agree with it and still want to raid, please put *77 next to your name in any of the signup rosters we post on the Caffeine forums.

I'd hate to see Liandrist have to go protection.
Killin's all he's got you know. I actually have
a tank, a full-blown dead 'ard protection spec
shield block spammer. I'm not dripping in epics
like some of y'all though. I'd have the 490
defense and around 13K health unbuffed.

That said, my future in the game is in some
doubt. I really hope to keep my hand in. We'll see.
If you'd rather concentrate on getting more
hardcore players geared though that's
totally cool. I pretty much play to relax
and have a bit of fun these days. I can
always go mess about Stratholme or something.
But if you want, let me know and I'll
get my guy into shape and have a go at
the raids least.

As you were. Looks like the bull went back to
tanking. He'll likely be playing a lot more than
I and would be a better choice.

if i hurt you, Sorry Bhug.

if i make you proud, then rock on me.

and bull? ..Booger.

Naw my tank's got big important stuffs to do.
That orphan week quest is coming up in a couple
months. {limbers up}

I was just hoping to see you 3 hit punk ally
mages if we ever did a premade.

Bhug wrote:

I was just hoping to see you 1 hit punk ally
mages if we ever did a premade.

Fixt.