We all know the great stigma attached with running in pick up groups for instances; the people are morons, the people there can’t play their classes, the crowd control is terrible, etc, etc. This stigma is there and well-known because, well, generally it’s deserved. I hear constant complaining about running in PUGs but there are two streaks of silver lining in the murky cloud that people don’t often see.
It Will Make You a Better Tank
The bottom line is that when you have to deal with the Mage that just has to Pyroblast when you pull or the Hunter that can’t trap or the Warlock that DoTs everything so he can top the DPS meters it makes you a better tank. You learn to use all of your abilites and how to use every single trick you have to keep mobs stuck on you.
I was recently asked by a guild member, who just dinged 70 and wants to tank, for some tips of the trade. I told him to go PUG. PUG a lot. PUG until your eyes bleed because the things you learn while PUGing are invaluable and will serve you for as long as you play the game and continue to have bosses punch you around.
I believe this topic has been hit on by other tanking bloggers but the other reason that people go to PUGs and is often overlooked is because…
It is a Valuable Recruiting Method
Yes, you will run into many groups where you can’t stand a single person in it. But every now and then you’ll run into the diamond in the rough; that player who is in the guild that recruited him when he was level 1 but who knows how to play his class and is great to be around. The type of person you want to bring into your guild.
Popularity: 7% [?]
5 comments so far...
#1 Won’t be so bad after the patch. Aggro is not an issue anymore, thank the azerothian blogs.
We can only hope.
I totally agree! When I went protection, I pugged extensively, and I learned a lot. I met great people, I met okay people, I met people I would never group with again. But above all I learned how to respond when you’re tanking for the not so great players.
That said, I have done my dues and no longer tank in PUGs, but for people new to tanking it’s really an advanced class in tanking, valuable lessons.
I’m the same way, Kadomi, I ran my fair share of PUGs and no longer do it myself but the fact remains it’s a great place to learn!
I must agree with you, back in early TBC this is how I got recruited into my guild, and have since used the odd PUG to pick up a few good players…
I’m still not a massive fan of 100% PUGs, but if there’s at least one other competent player it’s normally worth persevering through
Lucidity´s last blog post..I’ve Toured the Fjord
leave a reply