March 28, 2024

 

Random thoughts and ponderings caused by thoughts elsewhere.
PUGs can be hell, particularly if you’re one of those lucky lunatics who likes tanking or healing, let’s face it while there is the magic triumvirate of tank+heal+dps it’s on the tank and healer’s shoulders that the blame for a wipe normally lands.
For the purposes of this post I’m going to focus on being a healer but the general points are valid for all roles.
  1. Rhino skin

    Get one, make sure there are no flaws in it and slap on some of that armour the leather manglers make.

    Part of the problem is morons, you’re going to have to deal with them when pugging, I have mental filters which I throw into effect when I encounter one and I’ll generally ignore certain type of comments because to be frank life is too damm short to get into a battle of wits with someone who is unarmed. Â An example for the pile, it’s a tincan run + 1, we’ve pugged in the tank because I need the badges on unferth. Â One of the whispers I get is “let’s drop the dps after this run and go and so some others”. Â This is one person who hits the “doiknowyou” files as a moron, his tanking wasn’t that epic and I know the dps and given that (from memory it included the mage and DK) none of the dps was too shabby he was being a moron.

  2. The pug doesn’t have to love you

    This is particularly true when it’s a completely random pug, or you’re joining a guild run. Focus on filling the role you’ve been invited to handle.

  3. Trust your toon

    One of the issues which I’ve had to learn to get over is a bit of a hangover from the original TinCan runs where we were undergeared and having serious problems.

    No pull was attempted unless everything was topped up.

    For a more normal party setup this isn’t needed, trust that you can handle a trash pull on 30% mana, drop and drink at every opportunity, pop whatever cooldowns are needed to keep rolling. Â Don’t worry if the tank pulls before you’ve finished drinking, just get on with keeping them alive when it seems prudent (this includes continuing to drink while the pull is happening)

  4. Life at “the speed of PUG”

    Generally people pug for two reasons.

    1. Need a quick run for farming badges
    2. Can’t get a guild run going
  5. Keep on rolling

    If it’s a good group, and everyone is happy to keep going just roll with it if you have the time. Â It’s quicker than trying to find a new party and with the added advantage of knowing what the tank’s pulling style is.

  6. Did I mention Rhino skin?

    PUGs are to a large degree a means to an end, the target being badges with the minimum of time spent. Â Making sure the daily dungeon is mashed into submission and practice.