So, I've been traveling for the last month and hadn't been online much, either to play WoW or do anything else really. Needless to say, I returned to my guild happy as a clam that I could actually relax and play a little in comfort.
However, another person was not so happy.
Let me preface this story by saying that my main is a holy pally. I'm not going to link her amory or reveal her name in the interests of protecting my guild, but I may eventually, if I feel comfortable enough to do so. My guild is a relatively small, casual guild that does a variety of things - PVP, raiding, RP, etc. Because of that, we're not really focused on one thing. For instance, raiding. As a guild, we have never cleared ToC 10. Mostly because we've never had enough members geared enough to do it. Right now I would say that we have 6-7 ICC geared folks but we can never get all of those folks together on the same night to do anything. In any case, this is not too much of a problem for us as we are not inherently a raiding guild. Lot of our members PUG the raids they need, as do I. In our guild we have very few mainspec healers. In fact, I believe it's just myself (the holy pally), a disc priest and a holy priest. Before I left for my month of traveling, I was the only geared mainspec holy pally but I had been helping a fellow Ret pally to start a holy set. Well, she did. Guess who was not so happy to see me back?
Our guild is small enough to where I've always been the "go to" healer. It's my main spec, it's what I prefer doing. While I was gone, apparently my friend became the sort of "go to" healer. When I returned, I easily slipped back into my old place, not really aware of at first all the changes. Needless to say, there has been some stepping on of toes.
She has not said anything to me personally but there is a kind of... frosty air about our exchanges now, a sort of passive-agressiveness on her part. This saddens me because I've always thought of us as friends, and when I was encouraging her to make her offspec Holy, I sort of felt like I was mentoring her and was proud of all her achievements. Now I feel as if someone is glaring into the back of my head whenever I'm asked to heal something.
On Saturday night, a group of us went to Ulduar. I love that raid (I go Rambo on those Iron Dwarves, man). So I and a PUGged second holy pally healed (my guildie was not signed up for this raid). Actually, I'm being gracious. We stopped at Freya but for the entire night I had been grumbling about the other pally. Many times I would catch him just standing there, not casting a thing and my blood pressure would rise. Two holy pallies in a 10man is not my preferred setup anyway and my job was made doubly as hard with SLACKER!pally. At the end of the night, I had near 5k hps and he had about 1.3 hps. I was furious. The meters show me doing about 75% of the healing. Mysteriously, right at Freya, our two pugs (the SLACKER!pally and his moonkin friend) disconnect so we pause to see if we can find another healer. We do a switcheroo instead and one of our tanks gets his healer and one of our DPS switches to his tank set.
We clear some of the trash before Freya and my guildie logs on. We ask her to come on in but I notice that no one specifically tells her she would be coming in as a DPS. She thinks about it and then, a minute later...
"Who's healing?"
I answer, "Myself and [insert priest name here]."
Not a word. No response.
For my part, I feel as thought SHE feels that I'm trespassing on her territory which, at least in my opinion, seems crazy. She's not the only holy pally in WoW, obviously, she can't get upset everytime there's another one in the vicinity of her. Furthermore, I always thought we were friends, some competition is always healthy of course, but not to this extent. I feel now that we can not both be healing the same raid, the tension between us makes me too uncomfortable. For now I'm going to let her choose which role she wants and I'll do the other but I'll not go head to head with her in a healing match. I think doing so would only make things worse since my goal is for her to feel comfortable again and to stop feeling like she has to compete with me.
I don't know really. The whole situation saddens me. The fact that I even have to contemplate it saddens me. Have any of you ever had to deal with this sort of situation? A guildmate being territorial? How did you solve it?
Until then, I guess I"ll just have to ride my sparkle pony to make myself feel better.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Do You Know Where Your Healer Is?
I ask this because I've been noticing something curious as I've been leveling Olateria. Now, she's not a healer, but she has been called on to heal a few times - and maybe it's just me, being as it's been awhile since I've leveled a baby character, but it seems that the new trend in LFG is that, if you're a healer and you need mana, you tell the group that you need mana and plop your butt down to drink. It used to be, at least for me when I was leveling my main, that one of the tank's responsibilities was to watch his healer's mana bar and to pause accordingly to let them drink when they got low. I'm guessing this is no longer fashionable and that it's now the healer's responsibility to pipe up if they're parched - which is fine, don't get me wrong, I'm the first to scream "MANA" when I'm scraping the end of the mana bucket - it just seems like a curious change to me. But maybe I was just spoiled when I leveled the first couple of times around. After all, we didn't have LFG and if you could actually find a healer (or a tank) you held on to them with a grip like a vice.
It's an interesting situation to me and it prompts me to ask - if you're a tank out there in the LFG system now, do you watch your healer's mana bar?
I'm guessing that answers would be mixed. I would expect more "yes" from the people who had 80 tanks (or perhaps even ANY 80) before LFG came out and more "no" from those that didn't. I can say though, that everytime I'm in a group (whether as DPS or heals) that if a tank pauses for the healer to drink before they ask or tells the group "mana up" before a boss, that my loyalty and admiration jumps like a gazillion points. I will follow you anywhere, Mr. Tank, and mercilessly kill anything you ask!
Hmmm, I wonder if there is an addon out there that would announce a healer's low mana to the party? I'm guessing there probably is one, I just don't know about it. I have MSBT set up to play a little chime sound when I get low on my main, but how much more awesome would it be if it would also post something in party chat like, "Olateria is below 20% mana. For the love of all that's holy, let her drink!"... or something similiar. Obviously, I would only want it to do that if I was healing. I never expect a tank to stop and let me drink if I'm DPSing. I always figure I'll just drink and catch up when I'm done.
The new LFG has obviously brought a lot of changes, both big and small. For the most part though, I really do love the system. Ola is wearing so many more blues now than she ever would have before. I almost don't even miss heirlooms!
Well, almost.
It's an interesting situation to me and it prompts me to ask - if you're a tank out there in the LFG system now, do you watch your healer's mana bar?
I'm guessing that answers would be mixed. I would expect more "yes" from the people who had 80 tanks (or perhaps even ANY 80) before LFG came out and more "no" from those that didn't. I can say though, that everytime I'm in a group (whether as DPS or heals) that if a tank pauses for the healer to drink before they ask or tells the group "mana up" before a boss, that my loyalty and admiration jumps like a gazillion points. I will follow you anywhere, Mr. Tank, and mercilessly kill anything you ask!
Hmmm, I wonder if there is an addon out there that would announce a healer's low mana to the party? I'm guessing there probably is one, I just don't know about it. I have MSBT set up to play a little chime sound when I get low on my main, but how much more awesome would it be if it would also post something in party chat like, "Olateria is below 20% mana. For the love of all that's holy, let her drink!"... or something similiar. Obviously, I would only want it to do that if I was healing. I never expect a tank to stop and let me drink if I'm DPSing. I always figure I'll just drink and catch up when I'm done.
The new LFG has obviously brought a lot of changes, both big and small. For the most part though, I really do love the system. Ola is wearing so many more blues now than she ever would have before. I almost don't even miss heirlooms!
Well, almost.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Learn Your Role, Noob!
Everyone, meet Xswedish - probably, no, not probably, THE rudest person I have ever grouped with.
He and I met last night during a random group in Wailing Caverns. I was playing Olateria, level 19, doing my shadow-priesting thing. I zone in and the party is already down a ways, meaning some DPS left - not always a bad sign, but not a good one, in this case. As I ran to catch up it was clear that the tank and the healer were already fighting. Xswedish (the healer) blessed us with phrases like:
"Learn to tank and hold aggro, you fuckin noob."
The tank and healer went back and forth about this through the next several pulls, the healer blaming the tank that he wasn't holding aggro, and the tank blaming the healer that he wasn't healing him. I was keeping my mouth shut since I was just a DPS and had nothing to do with their fight anyway. Until Xswedish decides to turn his fearsome wrath on us as well.
"*spams Recount* Gawd, learn to DPS, you fuckin noobs."
I think I was third on the meters. I'm not really sure because I had only arrived in the middle of the pull and had barely had time to do ANY DPS after passing out buffs. Plus, I didn't really care. DPS meters at that level really mean nothing to me.
I ignore the healer who, by this time, has worked himself into a righteous rage and is constantly yelling at the tank to "FUKING TANK", etc, etc. As far as I can tell, the tank IS tanking but the Xswedish is out to prove a point. In the next mob he gets aggro and, instead of running towards the tank, he simply stands there and let's it beat on him.
"HAHA, I got aggro not doing shit and you're not doing a fucking thing."
By that time Xswedish's health was pretty low and either the tank hadn't noticed he had aggro or didn't care. I'm leaning towards didn't care after all the abuse he had given him. Either way, at that the tank wearily made his way back over to taunt the mob. As he was running back, I slapped a shield on the tank (who Xswedish was not healing) and on Xswedish himself who's health was dropping dangerously low.
Biggest mistake of my life apparently.
"Olateria, WTF. WTF you doing?"
I'm honestly perplexed. He's calling me out for shielding him? "Saving you?'
He then proceeds to link me all the spells he has in his arsenal that would have saved his life - Lifeblood, Stoneclaw totem, etc. My instant thought was, well, then why aren't you USING them? I don't reply to him because I feel he's just being over the top. He's actually complaining that I was looking out for him? How ridiculous can you get? But he's not done yet.
"What is this, like your first instance? You roll as DPS, then just fucking DPS. Learn your fucking role, noob!"
There was more to it than that, but that's the gist of it anyway. I was astounded. I was getting yelled at for shielding the healer when he had aggro. My shield is instant. It's not like it really took time away from my DPSing to slap it on him. And, I admit, I'm prone to keep an eye on the healer and tank when I'm not healing just because it's second nature to me. My main is a healer so I usually feel a kind of kindred spirit with them. Not so with this guy. The tank felt he had to say something too.
"You know, he's got a point, Olateria."
I felt utterly betrayed. I'd shielded the tank too, to keep him from dying while the healer proved whatever point he was making. After all the verbal abuse, I was astounded the tank would side with the healer. Bitter, by this point, I reply.
"Wow, okey dokey, I won't shield anyone again. I will DPS without any concern for the rest of you."
Here's my question for you all though: was I right or wrong? To me, being in a group means working as a team. If people are dying all around me and the healer is being an asshat or is dying himself, shouldn't I slap some shield or heals on them if I can to avoid a wipe? Xswedish was saying I should not. That I was there to DPS and nothing more. To me, that's wrong. We're there to work together, no matter our roles. Of course, yes, my main job is to DPS, but in dangerous situations, I don't think me throwing a shield on someone to keep them from death is a sin the likes of which no one has ever seen before.
His verbal abuse continued for the next few pulls, pissing off the other two DPS and causing them to drop. The tank dies twice because the healer's too busy on his tirade to heal anyone. Finally, the tank drops and I go as well. I'm not even sure why I stayed as long as I did. Well, no, that's not true, I do know why I stayed. I stayed to watch the tank die twice. Both times I could have slapped a shield on him and saved him but by then I was angry and was doing nothing but DPSing. I was determined not to save anyone else or do anything that might be considered "non DPS".
Honestly, most abusive group I have ever been in.
So, everyone, learn your roles! If you're a DPS and have healing/damage mitigation spells - don't use them! At least, don't use them on anyone else! You're there to DPS, not heal, noobs!
Welcome to my ignore list, Xswedish.
He and I met last night during a random group in Wailing Caverns. I was playing Olateria, level 19, doing my shadow-priesting thing. I zone in and the party is already down a ways, meaning some DPS left - not always a bad sign, but not a good one, in this case. As I ran to catch up it was clear that the tank and the healer were already fighting. Xswedish (the healer) blessed us with phrases like:
"Learn to tank and hold aggro, you fuckin noob."
The tank and healer went back and forth about this through the next several pulls, the healer blaming the tank that he wasn't holding aggro, and the tank blaming the healer that he wasn't healing him. I was keeping my mouth shut since I was just a DPS and had nothing to do with their fight anyway. Until Xswedish decides to turn his fearsome wrath on us as well.
"*spams Recount* Gawd, learn to DPS, you fuckin noobs."
I think I was third on the meters. I'm not really sure because I had only arrived in the middle of the pull and had barely had time to do ANY DPS after passing out buffs. Plus, I didn't really care. DPS meters at that level really mean nothing to me.
I ignore the healer who, by this time, has worked himself into a righteous rage and is constantly yelling at the tank to "FUKING TANK", etc, etc. As far as I can tell, the tank IS tanking but the Xswedish is out to prove a point. In the next mob he gets aggro and, instead of running towards the tank, he simply stands there and let's it beat on him.
"HAHA, I got aggro not doing shit and you're not doing a fucking thing."
By that time Xswedish's health was pretty low and either the tank hadn't noticed he had aggro or didn't care. I'm leaning towards didn't care after all the abuse he had given him. Either way, at that the tank wearily made his way back over to taunt the mob. As he was running back, I slapped a shield on the tank (who Xswedish was not healing) and on Xswedish himself who's health was dropping dangerously low.
Biggest mistake of my life apparently.
"Olateria, WTF. WTF you doing?"
I'm honestly perplexed. He's calling me out for shielding him? "Saving you?'
He then proceeds to link me all the spells he has in his arsenal that would have saved his life - Lifeblood, Stoneclaw totem, etc. My instant thought was, well, then why aren't you USING them? I don't reply to him because I feel he's just being over the top. He's actually complaining that I was looking out for him? How ridiculous can you get? But he's not done yet.
"What is this, like your first instance? You roll as DPS, then just fucking DPS. Learn your fucking role, noob!"
There was more to it than that, but that's the gist of it anyway. I was astounded. I was getting yelled at for shielding the healer when he had aggro. My shield is instant. It's not like it really took time away from my DPSing to slap it on him. And, I admit, I'm prone to keep an eye on the healer and tank when I'm not healing just because it's second nature to me. My main is a healer so I usually feel a kind of kindred spirit with them. Not so with this guy. The tank felt he had to say something too.
"You know, he's got a point, Olateria."
I felt utterly betrayed. I'd shielded the tank too, to keep him from dying while the healer proved whatever point he was making. After all the verbal abuse, I was astounded the tank would side with the healer. Bitter, by this point, I reply.
"Wow, okey dokey, I won't shield anyone again. I will DPS without any concern for the rest of you."
Here's my question for you all though: was I right or wrong? To me, being in a group means working as a team. If people are dying all around me and the healer is being an asshat or is dying himself, shouldn't I slap some shield or heals on them if I can to avoid a wipe? Xswedish was saying I should not. That I was there to DPS and nothing more. To me, that's wrong. We're there to work together, no matter our roles. Of course, yes, my main job is to DPS, but in dangerous situations, I don't think me throwing a shield on someone to keep them from death is a sin the likes of which no one has ever seen before.
His verbal abuse continued for the next few pulls, pissing off the other two DPS and causing them to drop. The tank dies twice because the healer's too busy on his tirade to heal anyone. Finally, the tank drops and I go as well. I'm not even sure why I stayed as long as I did. Well, no, that's not true, I do know why I stayed. I stayed to watch the tank die twice. Both times I could have slapped a shield on him and saved him but by then I was angry and was doing nothing but DPSing. I was determined not to save anyone else or do anything that might be considered "non DPS".
Honestly, most abusive group I have ever been in.
So, everyone, learn your roles! If you're a DPS and have healing/damage mitigation spells - don't use them! At least, don't use them on anyone else! You're there to DPS, not heal, noobs!
Welcome to my ignore list, Xswedish.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Screenshot of the UI
Just thought I might share what my UI looks like for prosterity. It will probably never be this clean and organized again.
I use Tukui and it's pretty amazing. It replaces your entire UI and is extremely lightweight, which is good for me because I don't have the bestest of computers. I thought I would log in last night and find it all broken due to the new patch but Version 9 still works perfectly so far, though Version 10 was just released. I supposed I will have to upgrade. One day. When I'm not really lazy. ...Yeah.
Full-sized image here.
I use Tukui and it's pretty amazing. It replaces your entire UI and is extremely lightweight, which is good for me because I don't have the bestest of computers. I thought I would log in last night and find it all broken due to the new patch but Version 9 still works perfectly so far, though Version 10 was just released. I supposed I will have to upgrade. One day. When I'm not really lazy. ...Yeah.
Full-sized image here.
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