To daunt or not to daunt

My recent forum post about raiding principles provoked a couple of comments regarding being scary or offputting. I'll repeat the guidelines here: 1. We're a guild who raids, not a raiding guild. 2. Retain a sense of humour and a sense of proportion. 3. Listen to the raid leader, and ask questions if you don't understand; also listen to advice if given afterwards, either by the raid leader or a battlemaster, and talk to other people if you're not sure. 4. Be prepared - bring stims, health packs and buffs. 5. Be more prepared - are your armour and weapons fully-modded and top end? Ask advice if you're not sure. 6. Everyone here is prepared to help, but you will be expected to listen, learn and develop. No one is here to hold your hand. But they will guide your nervous first steps, so don't be afraid to get involved. 7. Raids will be posted on this forum - if you want to join, you (or someone on your behalf) are expected to sign up. 8. Raid positions are first come, first served, provided group composition is viable - although your position will be jeopardised if you consistently fail at points 2 to 6. 9. Loot is on a need - greed basis (need is for the character you are playing, not your companions). If you win a major loot drop in one evening, and another major drop comes for your class, it is courteous to allow someone else in your class to roll - if they don't want it, speak to your raid leader. There is no DKP or similar system. 10. It's just a game. Take raiding seriously, but not that seriously. It's difficult to pitch something like this correctly, but it's important to get the message across. In a raid group there are eight or even sixteen people. They've joined together because they want to tackle challenging new content and succeed. Raids take time to organise and a heavy commitment of many players' time on the evening. People don't want that time wasting, so that means it is important that there is a real sense of people trying their best. That doesn't mean that we can't make mistakes, or be silly, or lie on the floor in a laying-on-the-floor contest (ask Cam and Hon to explain that one). But it does mean that when we are trying, we are trying hard to achieve the goal. I've raided with most of the people here. I've never known a better-natured, more generous bunch. They will take time to explain, to advise, to help; but that does not mean that we will carry someone. I can guarantee no better way of causing resentment than turning up with nothing week after week, making no effort to improve your armour and begging stims, buffs and medic packs from others in the group. I know that there are people here who can and do share willingly and generously - but I will not condone the leeching of that goodwill. It doesn't mean that we can't do favours, and trade - I owe several people who have made me armour or spaceship mods and will donate items to them in turn (when I can craft high enough). Act as you hope to be treated yourself - be generous with your crafts, and expect the same generosity in response. Act with dignity; be treated with dignity. 'I've not been here before', 'I don't know the tactics' - speak up, someone will explain. One of the things that I realised early on in raiding is that it actually takes quite a lot of confidence to speak out sometimes, for fear of admitting ignorance or showing weakness. Well, it isn't. Saying I don't know or I don't understand is the right and brave thing to do. Only then can you get the advice you need and can the group succeed. We stand or fall by our strength as a group, and each one of you is a vital element of that. (No pressure there then...) This post wasn't intended to be a lengthy exposition on the thinking behind the raid principles, but somehow that is what it has become. The intention was to say - I hope that they do not put people off from joining raid groups, but the tone had to be robust.

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To daunt or not to daunt is an episode from Aartan Away SWTOR Podcast by Orix & Xeevo.

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This episode was published on Feb 3, 2012.

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