World of Warcraft Raid and Party Etiquette

One of the most crucial leveling strategies in World of Warcraft is to join dungeon raids and instance runs. Aside from gaining experience, you also gain access to rare drops that non-elite mobs don’t drop or items that can only be found in dungeons or instances. But aside from possessing the strongest avatar in World of Warcraft, you must also have the basic party etiquette.

It is a given to show respect and be polite when we interact with other WoW players, but let us focus on what this means in a raid or party setting, whether it’s a guild group or a PuG.

Being Prepared:
We’ve all been in this situation. We finally got a handful (by handful I mean 5) players for a dungeon run. We summon party members to the instance, zone in and begin buffs. Just before the very first pull in a seemingly long run, someone says “Wait! I forgot [insert random reagent, potion, repair, etc]. Can you summon me back?”

Forgetfulness is a part of life and no one remembers everything all of the time. However, basic raid/party etiquette requires you to make your best effort at being prepared. In your rush to accept the summon or hop on the nearest flying mount, take a moment to check that you have everything that you need.

The acronym “PARR” (as in up to par) is very useful to check that you have made the basic preparations:
- Potions
- Appropriate Gear
- Reagents
- Repairs

Ninja Pulling:
You have a fantastic build, and the instance has been great... until now. There was a wipe or some other circumstance that has required the group to pause. Someone grows impatient and... INCOMING! Suddenly there are mobs running toward you. The group is caught by surprise. Someone wasn’t resurrected yet or perhaps the healers and casters are out of mana or the tankers are low in health. Maybe someone is AFK. Whether your group ends up being wiped or barely surviving, the group needs more time to recover from the ninja pull.

We can all become impatient; however, it is important to remember that ninja pulling will create more downtime that waiting patiently for your group to recover after the last batch of mobs. Basic raid and party etiquette requires us to wait for the designated puller to initiate the aggressive mobs, usually these would be the tankers. The puller also has to pay attention to the group’s life and mana status and makes sure that all members are present before a pull.

AFK [Away from Keyboard]:
Real life happens. No one should ever BEGRUDGE a member who needs to go AFK for legitimate reasons. However, there are some basic rules to follow when they are necessary, as well as basic steps to take to prevent unnecessary AFKs.

If you have a legitimate reason to go AFK during a party, provide the necessary information to your group. You must AFK because [x reason] and it should take no longer than [y amount of time]. If you must AFK for a period of time longer than 15 minutes, you may ask the group (before you leave) whether or not they want to wait for you, or if they would like to find someone else to fill in your shoes. If they prefer to find someone to fill your slot, leave the instance so they may bring in a new party member. If you must go AFK during a raid, provide the information to a raid leader or assistant and wait for their instruction.

The following steps should help you minimize AFK time and maximize CHARACTER LEVELING time:

- Make sure you have enough time for a specific encounter.
- If you have real life responsibilities, be sure you’ve completed them or you can set them aside till the run is complete.
- Grab a bite to eat and something to drink before you begin
- If something else grabs your interest (book, movie, girlfriend, etc), either decline the invitation or be sure you are willing to put it aside before you begin the instance.

Loot and consideration:
It sucks when you do an instance and walk away empty handed. Sometimes though, that’s just the way it goes. This may come as a surprise, but you are not entitled to loot simply because you participated. There are other members you must consider. If the shadow priest can use that wand, the warlock isn’t the default winner.

The following loot rules apply to most parties (unless otherwise stated before the run):

- Pass on all Blues and BoPs (Binds on Pickup). Discuss who would like to roll for the item. Roll random 1-100. The individual with the highest roll wins the item. If the individual with highest roll decides to pass, the item goes to the next highest roller.
- Blues are held for (EndLoot)
- Roll greed for all BoE (Binds on Equip) Greens
- An individual may only receive one blue run.

Loot rules may vary from server to server and group to group. Be certain all party members agree to a set of rules before you begin the instance to minimize misunderstandings and “loot whoring.”

Raid Loot rules vary depending on the instance and the guild. Always familiarize yourself with your guild’s loot system before attending a raid.
These simple considerations will help any raid group or party run smoothly, maximizing your enjoyment of the game. Remember that sometimes your best efforts at group etiquette will not make up for a bad group or rude players. It is ok to leave a group that is rude or refuses to follow the leader’s instructions (or if the leader is an idiot who refuses to implement better suggestions). You should always attempt to do so in a respectful manner.