Tactical approach and initial tries efficiency

One of the aspects of raiding in WoW I always found intriguing was formulating tactics around the encounters. Granted, I was never one of the first to see content so I always had to read something before I step into an instance. Nonetheless, while I was GM and during my brief raid leading I always felt that with the proper methodology and by fragmenting the fight things start to fall into place. Even now as a mere raider I try to consult my peers, or give any ideas, so that the initial tries of a boss are as useful as possible. That of course requires patience from all raiders and the understanding that it ιs for the greater good (quote from Hot Fuzz, all together repeat... ` the greater good').

Nonetheless, the approach to this has certain essential aspects:

• Raiders must be willing to try and wipe for as long as it is needed to streamline the tries.
• Raiders must have read at least two tactical approaches from the usual sources. The more differences between them, the greater the insight.
• Positioning is the 1st and foremost aspect that needs to be addressed, bearing in mind MTs, OTs, healing vectors, ΑΟΕ-areas, CC, phase transitions and most importantly raider paths.
• Timing is the second important aspect. When, what and for how long.
• Persistence. Try, correct, tweak, try again. DO NOT change something if it works. Build on your tries.

Of course, once again the above require experience. Experience comes with time (and some basic understanding of course). To reference recent posts and discussions on the casual vs. hardcore debate, experience players can be from both categories. I feel what ultimately makes the difference is ones experience the `culture' and 'ethics' of raiding. Understanding why you can't cut it and accepting it is the important thing here. Claiming you are 'imba/pro/pwnzorz' or other ‘leet’ names is of no use! Therefore the more experienced the raiders (and the less selfish (, the better the information obtained.

You might be tempted of course to argue that reading a tactic from the usual references is enough. Possibly. But according to my little experience almost all encounters need to be `customised' to guilds strengths. Some healers are particularly good, some tanks more resilient, some dpsers more efficient, some players more tactically adept etc. Playing to your strengths is often what makes a raiding guild truly efficient, than merely effective.

To conclude, we more or less followed the above approach during our second proper visit on Sarth3D. Raiders have been patient, we worked well as a team on reading the encounter, the raid leader yelled with his usual tone and the result was that its only a matter of time till we control the encounter to the point of nailing it.

Raiding requires experience but equally important a mind set to pulling it through, a positive approach. I believe that after all it ιs not how often you raid, but how efficient (not effective!) your raids are.