Curse

TGgold · Mar 19, 2007, 12:55 AM // 00:55

I useually don't use a full PuG since so often it tends to be a liability. I don't mind unique builds, but average player skills (example: aggro management, kiting, calling/following targets) just seem to not exist anymore.

Useually I'll start my own group, ask for invites from people who are interested in having fun, and see what happens. Anyone who joins and says "RDY LETS GO" or anything to that effect, I boot without second thought. I wait for someone to say "Hi" or "Howdy" or any kind of civil introduction. Frankly, I like to be able to talk to the people I'm playing with.

Example from today: I did Elona Reach with my Buddie. We joined a PuG. The monk was running a stretched heal and Prot build, but knew what he was doing, so I wasn't that upset. The two warriors were horrible. They couldn't follow targets, they couldn't manage aggro, and they frequently made stupid moves and got themselves killed. I mean, how hard is it to target the sage in a group? Really. Then there was this ranger who had a lvl9 pet and I don't honestly know what exactly he did in the group other than die. (I was playing a warder at the time, trying to call my knockdowns on the Sages so the rest of the group would kill them...).

We failed.

I quit the group, and my friend and I started chatting in general. We found a person who was nice, we got talking, we enjoyed a brief conversation, we started the mission. Just us 3, and 3 heroes. We finished the mission with 15+ minutes to spare. It's amazing what focused fire and strategy does to a mission. (I converted into an Earth/Air Build for minor spike damage and the utility of the wards)

Basically, I don't care about if someone is running a "perfect" build or not, as long as they can communicate. I'd say that 80% of PvE is communication. After that's established, nothing is really hard.

Samuel Dravis · Mar 19, 2007, 01:16 AM // 01:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGgold

Basically, I don't care about if someone is running a "perfect" build or not, as long as they can communicate. I'd say that 80% of PvE is communication. After that's established, nothing is really hard.

Yep, I agree. I've also had bits - particularly 5 man fow groups - that didn't need to say a single word, yet did everything perfectly. I really enjoy that because it gets what I want done incredibly quickly (no stopping to chat about the ele's awesome firestorm) and the people are almost always polite when they do talk. Groups like that ftw.

Rockby Quickfoot · Mar 19, 2007, 01:43 AM // 01:43

I had a really diverse group for the time I did Master's on Ruins of Morah. It was an Assassin, a Dervish, 2 Rangers, an Elementalist, 2 Mesmers (one of them being me) and my Morgahn on party support, with armour boosts and healing. No monk, none of that. It might have been 2 Elementalists and 1 Ranger as well, not sure, but I think it was two Rangers. Anywho, we got Masters in 5:50. Surprisingly easy; I thought we were doomed to failure without a monk. However, everyone did very good and I had a really fun time.

Lutae · Mar 19, 2007, 03:13 AM // 03:13

I find that a full-human team kills things much more slowly than a two to four human team using heroes. It probably has something to do with the fact that heroes follow targets, while humans sometimes don't.

Selket · Mar 19, 2007, 03:30 AM // 03:30

nuff said D:

lennymon · Mar 19, 2007, 07:55 AM // 07:55

We had a great pug today in Abaddon's Mouth mission. We started of with 3 rangers, w/e, monk and me on channeling rit plus hero monk and ele. The human monk was dead weight and eventually bailed. We did bonus, infusion and mission in good time with only one ranger taking a dirt nap twice at worms. Gotta say, channeling is great fun in that mission. Yeah my rit went from Sanctum cay to finishing Prophecies and every town I'd try for 3 minutes to pug, but that was only one there was anything happening.

bungusmaximus · Mar 19, 2007, 09:12 AM // 09:12

Most PUGs fail miserably because people give up too fast IMO. Too bad really because with the proper determination theres more possible then people would initially think, it just takes a little longer. I do lots of tomb and Urgoz runs and that's where you can easily separate bad groups from the good ones.
Bad group: 'OMG OUR MONK AND BIP LEFT WERE WTFSCREWED' people leave.
Good group: 'Guys, the monk and BiP left, so we'll use traps and take it slowly ok?'.

Yesterday in Urgoz I saw the same thing happen, before I found a fun team I had to endure 3 bad ones. In case of Urgoz that's really tme consuming and frustrating. The good team however just totally owned the place and we had lots of fun and good laughs. Even when we got a near wipe in the 'warden room of un-lubricated ass rape' we pressed on and didn't lose hope. Heck 4 people in that team never even played Urgoz before, but they were good players so it didn't matter a bit.

cthulhu reborn · Mar 19, 2007, 10:14 AM // 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryant Again

I decided to PUG Nundu Bay with my friend. We had no healers, only a paragon with hex removal, a Me/Mo who said he'd go healing, and Zhed as another E/Mo who would go healing. We had no other elementalists, a dervish, 3 warriors, and an assassin. Possibly the worst set up ever.

We got Masters with only one death.

My world turned up-side down.

Well, I agree that you don't need the standard team builds but I must say that this is one of the easiest missions to do in NF and Elder Jonah is a healer NPC.

Div · Mar 19, 2007, 11:22 AM // 11:22

A pug is as good as its worst player in most cases, and a hero+hench group is almost as good as your skill and knowledge of the area being attempted. So if you're not familiar with the area or don't have much experience and hope that your pug will be at or above your level, then that's great.

TheRaven · Mar 19, 2007, 02:26 PM // 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by bungusmaximus

Yesterday in Urgoz I saw the same thing happen, before I found a fun team I had to endure 3 bad ones.....

You found people in Urgoz's??!??

I've given up on that mission just because nobody is there, ever!

I like PUGs and I think the secret to a successful PUG is simple, at least in the harder areas. The secret is just to make sure everyone is on the same page before you start. For example if you are doing the Closer to the Stars mission in Naphuli Quarter (spelling?) and you have.....
A. Elementalist and Monk that want Masters
B. A Mesmer and Warrior that just want to finish and move on
C. Another Warrior that's never seen the mission before
D. And a Ranger that only wants to raid all the chests in there.
E. and 2 heroes to round it out.

This PUG will not succeed. The masters folks will ragequit halfway thru when they see it's hopeless. The ranger will only slow down everyone as he rummages thru the chests. The Mesmer and Warriors will probably be easy going (assuming they are even competent players) but will soon get frustrated with the Ele and Monk constantly screaming at everyone to "hurry up!!!!!!!!!" Even if they somehow manage to finish the mission it will be considered a bad pug by all involved.

Before you join a PUG group, think about what your goals are for the group and communicate that to the group. Make sure you're a good fit for them. If they all want the bonus and you don't even know what the bonus is, tell them you don't know it. Depending on the mission they may kick you, or instead they can say "that's fine. Just follow our lead". If they kick you, then find another pug that just wants the mission. You'll have a better experience with the 2nd group anyways.

I was in the Dunes of Despair last weekend and I just needed the bonus. I joined a PUG that was spamming "GLF More - Bonus only!!" We got a full group and started out. When we reached the bonus section, our team broke off and started on the bonus. 1 person started screaming at us to stop and just complete the mission or we would all die. Well, we died and then had to endure endless cussing from this person when we got back in town because she only wanted the mission. LOL, why did she join a group advertising bonus only??

TheRaven · Mar 19, 2007, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Dup submit, sorry.

Tea Girl · Mar 19, 2007, 06:10 PM // 18:10

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/967/wammopugcn4.jpg

Bestest wammo pug EVER.

ValaOfTheFens · Mar 19, 2007, 08:43 PM // 20:43

I've taken to doing Tomb 2-3 times a week and find that 1 out of every 3 PuG's are successful. Someone usually forgets to bring rez or keeps rezzing pets instead of people. Worse, someone gets an Ecto and decides they're done. Once 3 people left my group and we still beat Tomb. I got 2 greens!

The thing I've found out about PuG's is that you have to get a feel for all the players before you leave the outpost. More than once my groups have had afk'ers or leechers and we all left out of pure spite. *lol*

ZenRgy · Mar 19, 2007, 09:44 PM // 21:44

Run what you like, but there's a difference between being creative and being retarded.

I don't bother with pugs unless I want to laugh at some horrible skill bars.