How Dragons Train Your Raiders #6:
Choosing Who to Sit
I have not, to date, done two blogs of the same series consecutively but this is a follow up to Wednesday’s post that is very relevant the first few weeks of raiding and throughout progression. Today in HDTYR we will tackle the very difficult task of choosing who to sit. I will put two ratings next to each header representing hardcore (HC) and “casual” (N) relevance. A score of 10 means that this should be one of the top factors for deciding who to sit and a 1 indicates that it really won’t factor much at all.
Class Damage/Healing Output HC-(8/10) N-(2/10)
As I discussed last week bringing certain classes for certain fights can really bring an edge to that encounter. In the case of progression you will sometimes want to bring more melee or range for instance or more of a certain class. This is especially important when raiding with a gear deficit to the content since you will need every trick to get you through the encounters. This is much less important in casual settings and should rarely be something you would consider.
Raid composition HC-(10/10) N-(5/10)
You want to ensure that you have a diverse raid so that you can ensure you receive as many passive buffs as possible. Also having certain cooldowns at your disposal can be very valuable. If a player brings a lot to the raid in terms of composition then they should at least be considered. Also know the needs of the fight beforehand (by using my strategies and videos section) to have an idea of how you want to build your team.
Personal Output HC-(9/10) N-(6/10)
Players who are able to break meters should generally be considered for a raid spot. They will push the numbers and make the fights easier overall for your group. Note that I did not write item level in the header and that was intentional. Some players will play beyond their item level or even their class will allow them to be competitive with higher geared players. It is important for leaders to know roughly where players are at in terms of output and if you don’t know yet try them out in a raid (or a heroic if you are skeptical).
Raid Awareness HC-(9/10) N-(8/10)
Getting out of the fire and executing strategies properly every time is something that is nearly impossible for even the most skilled groups (hence why we have battle rez!). However, finding players that have a 99% uptime on raid awareness is a challenge so be thankful if you have them. The best quote that applies to this is “a dead DPS does 0 DPS”. It is true, if you can’t keep yourself alive then the raid can’t benefit from you being in. When learning a new fight a certain amount of screw ups is expected but repeat offenders should be carefully considered the next time you raid, especially if you had some more aware players on the bench.
Attitude HC-(3/10) N-(7/10)
With all progression raiding there will be wipes. Wipes define raiding and build that anticipation that makes the first kill so much sweeter. You are working towards a common goal and making bonds in the process. The morale is very important in keeping every player on task and “in the raid”. People with bad attitudes, especially complainers, will derail the raid and effect the performance of those around them. Players should want to be there and be happy that they are raiding with comrades enjoying the raid aspect of the game. It gets difficult at times but a good attitude will go a long way. This is much more important at the lower ends of raiding since you may not have as deep of a roster (players are less replaceable) and you are a little more focused on fun then raw progression.
Time in Guild/Loyalty HC-(2/10)(25 Man) HC-(5/10)(10 Man) N-(6/10)
This may surprise some people but it is on the list for a few reasons. The main reason is players who have shown to be loyal are more likely to be in guild 6 months from now. Consistency is generally a good thing unless the player gets low scores in all of my previously discussed areas. This also helps with gear distribution. For instance a trial or much newer raider should usually be lower on lot priority than someone who has been there longer. There are exceptions to this but gearing a trial can lead to disaster. In general gearing just one person quickly can lead to disaster but that is a topic for another day. For now spread your gear around, prioritizing your core raiders who will utilize it and give the most benefit to your guild.
Time on the Bench HC-(5/10) N-(9/10)
How much time has the player been on the bench? How often do you find them sitting or wanting to sit them? No raider likes to be sitting out but we all accept timeouts (I opted out of 2 fights in the past 2 weeks) but we all accept that it is necessary sometimes. If the rotation is fair most raiders will understand. If you find yourself with raiders who do not accept sitting a FAIR amount (meaning they are just rotating for gear or raid time) then they may not be a team player. If the good of the guild isn’t on their mind then you might consider having them find another tag. The next scenario is you find yourself sitting a player a lot for low scores in the previously discussed topics. If a player is consistently underperforming then it is only fair to discuss the issue with them and begin finding a replacement if they do not improve.
Conclusion (10/10 you are tired of reading by now!)
The decision of who to sit ultimately falls to the guild/raid leader. If the leader has the good of the guild in mind then generally the decisions will be fair and the raiders will accept it. It can be a difficult decision, but spotting the shortfalls in attempts and taking corrective action is what will help you progress. Take each of these things into consideration and maybe a few things that I missed that are specific to your situation. Rate each player fairly in each area and then decide. Normally it comes down to a decision between a few people so have a quick discussion and stick with it. If it isn’t working out in your attempts make substitutions and see if it helps. This isn’t a set formula but a guide to help decide. Hope that this has been helpful and informative, visit next week for more Blog topics or email things you want me to cover to PardeuxRaids@gmail.com.
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