Woot! Seeing Double!

So, our second team got Madness down on Heroic tonight and I’m feeling all kinds of proud Mama! That's two in one week for our guild! They did it on their own without borrowing anyone from my team - despite many offers - and they should feel very good about the kill. They overcame attendance issues and core changes and teaching new raiders the fights week over week.

Lately, there’s been an ongoing thread of conversation amongst many of us who have been around for years regarding whether or not we could, would, or would even want to survive in another guild and the answer has been a resounding “NO”. Most of us would slit our wrists (or more likely just quit the game) if we had to put up the epeens and BS of the kids in other guilds. We couldn’t possibly deal with the lack of flexibility that comes with knowing one anothers’ life situations and being kind about them. And OMG would we snap with the racist, hate filled crap that most raiding guilds tolerate!

With a new expansion coming, as a GM, I always have to look at the roster and wonder what we need to recruit, who will move on to “greener pastures” and who will be reliable. For the first time I think we are set before it ever launches. Barring any real life emergencies or changes we are well set to have content down fast in one team and then two. Gives me happy warms fuzzies.

So, fingers crossed I didn’t just jinx myself, go go Heroic in MoP!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Heroic!

Yes, yes, I’m back. It’s been several months since I updated the blog for a number of reasons.  First, I realized my posts were becoming repetitive in a bitter sort of way and second I couldn’t seem to come up with anything different. I’m going to do better and be different.

In a real quick “Here’s where our story left off” scene…

Heroic transferred servers (oh, yes we did!) and did some 25s and some 10s and are now 8/8 hardmode on 10 man. Yeah, yeah, 10 man is easier; I know this but holy shit it’s hard to recruit for 25 mans when you’re serious now days.  Not only did we server transfer we faction transferred and went Horde all in one fell swoop. Apparently there are many guildies that love Heroic because we had about 18 raiders pay to transfer and many with several alts.

At this point we are farming Heroic Deathwing with no less than 9 more weeks to get everyone in the group that initially killed him their mounts. Including those that were on standby by but got us to that point.  With my historically bad rolls I’ll be the last one begging the group to do it just one more time!

The reality of the situation is we realize that had we just accepted the raiding situation as is we would have downed DW a long a time ago but we were stubborn and persisted in trying 25s long after it was realistic.  Meh, you live and learn. Most of us still think 25s are far more interesting and challenging but it’s far too easy to change guilds now days when things don’t go your way.

Today is Heroic’s 3^rd birthday. That means I have officially been GM for 3 years. And I’m still here!

It’s been rough, then easy, then rough, then omgwhatwereyouthinking hard, then back to somewhat easy again. There are a few things I’d like to point out to anyone thinking of starting a raiding guild.

So here it goes….

 If you are thinking of starting a raiding guild:

 DO listen to the people you trust…they will be the ones who stick around and have your back when things go to hell. And they will go to hell to at some point. I would have quit a long time ago without my “core”.

 DON’T give access or rank to people just because they join with many other players. Guild mergers/acquisitions need to be well thought through ahead of time.

Unless you know and like both players and have had a what-if conversation with both players don’t invite wow couples. One goes emo they both go emo; one can’t be there neither can be there. There are a few exceptions but ONLY if you establish this ahead of time. I <3 the one couple I have found that doesn’t depend on both being there!

 DON”T think you will get “uberleet” players. Just don’t. The competition is too high. If you aren’t an 8/8 hm guild at this point then take your well meaning energy and apply it to a guild that might want you as an officer.

Just don’t. Unless you are willing to see guild leadership as second job that you not paid for, that sucks up unimaginable amounts of time, that makes you sleep less while you worry about how you will find a hunter/tank/healer/etc, just don’t do it. Unless you want to create one and then sell me your level 15 bank when it folds.

 Here’s the thing: you need to not only love the game to be successful but you need to invest in your members. That means they have my cell number. They know my name.  They come to me with game related things but they also come to me with real life situations and ask for advice, understanding, and compassion. If you can’t or won’t invest in your guild then you will never be more than the guy trolling trade chat advertising that you have 936 members and are looking for more.

 And on that note, Happy Birthday, Heroic!!!

I’m still here.