Yep, another guide from wow-europe forums. This time, it’s about leading pugs. It’s mostly common sense, but then again, everything is, right? Yet we see lots of different people struggling with it. Both raid leading and common sense 
Anyhow, the guide is written some time ago by Carisona of Hellscream, EU, on the wow-europe forums. Hopefully it will help the people wanted to start leading pugs, but just didn’t know how to start 
In response to “How can i raid if i need the ach to get the ach?” Many people responded with “Make your own raid” As this is not the easiest thing to do! I’ve made a guide which i hope will help.
Step one: Preparation
- Look up tactics / watch boss kill movies in order to get to know the fight without entering the instance , as you may need to briefly explain the tacts during the raid.
i’d recomend: BossKillers or TankSpot
- Check your gear: Obviously depending on the raid the gear level needed will change. I’ll use Naxxramas 10 man as an example here , so full heroic / rep gear will be more than enough , gem / enchant all your gear and make sure your talent tree is up to scratch (I’d advise checking your class forums if you are in doubt about what is best for you)
Here are some stats to aim for before attempting a Naxx 10 PuG:
- Tank – Def cap (540) and around 25k hp unbuffed (Be sure to buy flasksbefore the raid)
- Dps – around 2k dps is reasonable for heroic geared , be sure to be hit capped.
- Healers around 1700 + healing is obtainable from heroic gear (If you are going for 2 healers i’d suggest 1700 is a good number to aim for , whereas if you are going with 3 , 1400-1500 healing is fine for skilled healers)
Now that you’re prepared , you’ve got your gear , know what you are doing , you’re ready to go!
Step Two: Setting up the group.
Using naxx 10 as an example again , you’ll need:
2 Tanks
2-3 healers (Depending on gear / capability , having a healer that can specc dps is very useful)
5-6 Dps (This depends upon how many healers you have) A balance of ranged and melee dps is good. Stacking too many melee can cause problems.
- Now you need to fill those slots and get the raid going.
Looking for people to join is the most important part , you want to be able to talk to your recruits before inviting them , this gives you an opportunity to see what sort of attitude they have , and see if you’d want them in your raid. Also you want to know they are geared for the raid (As above) and they’lll need to know tacts.
When searching for people to join , i usually do the following:
LFM Naxx 10 , going full fresh run. Tacts must be known /w me class and specc
This encourages people to join by showing them you are aiming for a full run , everyone will know what they are doing and also that they can get in on thier alts as there is no achiv req.
When people whisper you , you’ll need to quickly see if they will be good for the raid.
Example:
[Me] LFM Naxx 10 , going full fresh run. Tactics must be known /w me class and specc
[X] whispers: inv
This is my eyes is a big no-no , as they’ve already shown that they are incapable of following instructions. However if you are strapped for members and wish to check them out , i’d reply with:
You got decent gear and know tacts? (for the record , my definition of “decent gear” is ilv 200 , gemmed and enchanted)
If they then reply “Yes” this does not help much either.
However if they reply:
“Yes , i know all tacts and have done many times on my main who is now in ulduar , i can log on and confirm if you want”
Then while this would be a pretty uncommon response anything that suggests they know what they are doing is good enough for me to give them an inv.
Use this method to fill up your raid spots , changing what you look for depending on what you get.
WoW-Track note: In case you are skeptic, like me, you can always check them out at wow-heroes, that’s what i do anyways.
Step Three: Leading the raid.
Now that you’ve filled all the slots , you want the get the raid underway , make sure you’ve got all your flasks / pots ready and head off towards the summoning stone (while somtimes not necessary , it does give a good impression of you)
Once everyone is inside , announce for everyone to buff up (if they havn’t already done so)
People may be eager to know where you’ll be starting , for naxx 10 there are four possible places to start these are:
- This is the easiest wing and a well put together group should have no problems clearing it.
- This is one of the hardest wings , and is usefull to start at to filter out anyone that doesn’t know the tactics like they have claimed.
- This is possibly the most involved wing , the first two bosses are easily killed but the third boss in the wing – The Four Horsemen , needs good coordination and explanation to who is going where by the Raid leader.
- This too is seen as a fairly easy wing , the only real problem is the second boss , where everyone needs to know the floor plan well , and possibly the final boss – Loatheb , which can be tricky on the healers , so healing targets may need to be assigned.
If you will be aiming for any Achivements , state which ones you’ll be going for before the boss , and also the tacts on how to do them if needed. You’ll need to assign the tanks MT and OT (Based on their gear level / skill).
WoW-Track Note: If you’re aiming for achievements, it’s best if you announce that while you gather your pug. People that join might not be interested in doing them, and may get upset and leave the raid. But it’s up to you, raid leader, to decide.
Run a ready check before every boss fight , once everyone is ready , let the MT Pull (Giving both MT and OT assist here will help as they can see the RC results)
WoW-Track note: Autor of the guide used Nax10 as example, be sure to prepare with tactics for wherever you intend to lead your raid. Many people ask for achievement before starting a raid, but even the achievement doesn’t mean that person in question knows exactly what to do (you get the achiev even if you die 5 seconds in to the fight). So, be sure to know exactly what’s needed for the encounters you’re going to tackle, and be sure you know how to explain your “team” what’s needed of them. Ideally, everyone will know exactly what to do, and will do it good. But, ideally is just a myth with pugs ^^
Step four: Looting
For the raid , you’ll need to put Master loot – Rare on , so you can assign the loot.
- Be sure to announce the loot rules before the raid starts , some simple rules are:
- Mainspec has priority over offspecc , count mainspecc as the specc the person is coming as.
- For example , a Prot Warrior has priority on a Tanking shield over a Ret Pally who wants for Tank set.
For BoE (Bind on Equip) items , announce a roll for mainspecc and hand them to the winner if they are an upgrade. If no one needs them , either announce a raid roll and roll 1-10 (or 1-25 in 25 mans) and hand to the person with that number in the raid frame. Or as this can cause problems with the group , allow the whole raid to roll for the item and hand to the highest roller.
WoW-Track Note: If someone rolls need on BoE item, make sure they equip it, so it gets soulbounded, to avoid seeing that item on the AH after the run. It’s not much gold unless it’s BoE’s from ICC, but still, behavior like that is not cool in my books.
To give somone their loot , click the item in question and select the name of the lucky winner , then select yes on the box that appears (Be sure to double check before selecting yes , better safe than sorry).
Usefull addons:
Deadly boss mod – essential for any raid leader.
Recount – usefull for checking any under achieving member
Omen – Very usefull and a must for dps and Tank classes
Rollmaster (Not needed , but personally i find it usefull especially for tier pieces)
Xlootmaster , coupled with Xloot these two addons certainly make being Masterlooter easier.
WoW-Track note: oRA2 or CTraid are pretty much a must also
Good Luck, and happy hunting!
Step one: Preparation
Look up tactics / watch boss kill movies in order to get to know the fight without entering the instance , as you may need to briefly explain the tacts during the raid.
To do this , i’d recomend http://www.bosskillers.com/ or http://www.tankspot.com/
Check your gear: Obviously depending on the raid the gear level needed will change. I’ll use Naxxramas 10 man as an example here , so full heroic / rep gear will be more than enough , gem / enchant all your gear and make sure your talent tree is up to scratch (I’d advise checking your class forums if you are in doubt about what is best for you)
Here are some stats to aim for before attempting a Naxx 10 PuG:
Tank – Def cap (540) and around 25k hp unbuffed (Be sure to buy flasksbefore the raid)
Dps – around 2k dps is reasonable for heroic geared , be sure to be hit capped.
Healers around 1700 + healing is obtainable from heroic gear (If you are going for 2 healers i’d suggest 1700 is a good number to aim for , whereas if you are going with 3 , 1400-1500 healing is fine for skilled healers)
Now that you’re prepared , you’ve got your gear , know what you are doing , you’re ready to go!
Step Two: Setting up the group.
Using naxx 10 as an example again , you’ll need:
2 Tanks
2-3 healers (Depending on gear / capability , having a healer that can specc dps is very useful)
5-6 Dps (This depends upon how many healers you have) A balance of ranged and melee dps is good. Stacking too many melee can cause problems.
Now you need to fill those slots and get the raid going.
Looking for people to join is the most important part , you want to be able to talk to your recruits before inviting them , this gives you an opportunity to see what sort of attitude they have , and see if you’d want them in your raid. Also you want to know they are geared for the raid (As above) and they’lll need to know tacts.
When searching for people to join , i usually do the following:
LFM Naxx 10 , going full fresh run. Tacts must be known /w me class and specc
This encourages people to join by showing them you are aiming for a full run , everyone will know what they are doing and also that they can get in on thier alts as there is no achiv req.
When people whisper you , you’ll need to quickly see if they will be good for the raid.
For E.g
[Me]LFM Naxx 10 , going full fresh run. Tacts must be known /w me class and specc
[X] whispers: inv
This is my eyes is a big no-no , as they’ve already shown that they are incapable of following instructions. However if you are strapped for members and wish to check them out , i’d reply with:
You got decent gear and know tacts? (for the record , my definition of “decent gear” is ilv 200 , gemmed and enchanted)
If they then reply “Yes” this does not help much either.
However if they reply:
“Yes , i know all tacts and have done many times on my main who is now in ulduar , i can log on and confirm if you want”
Then while this would be a pretty uncommon response anything that suggests they know what they are doing is good enough for me to give them an inv.
Use this method to fill up your raid spots , changing what you look for depending on what you get.
Step Three: Leading the raid.
Now that you’ve filled all the slots , you want the get the raid underway , make sure you’ve got all your flasks / pots ready and head off towards the summoning stone (while somtimes not necessary , it does give a good impression of you)
Once everyone is inside , announce for everyone to buff up (if they havn’t already done so)
People may be eager to know where you’ll be starting , for naxx 10 there are four possible places to start these are:
- This is the easiest wing and a well put together group should have no problems clearing it.
- This is one of the hardest wings , and is usefull to start at to filter out anyone that doesn’t know the tactics like they have claimed.
- This is possibly the most involved wing , the first two bosses are easily killed but the third boss in the wing – The Four Horsemen , needs good coordination and explanation to who is going where by the Raid leader.
- This too is seen as a fairly easy wing , the only real problem is the second boss , where everyone needs to know the floor plan well , and possibly the final boss – Loatheb , which can be tricky on the healers , so healing targets may need to be assigned.
If you will be aiming for any Achivements , state which ones you’ll be going for before the boss , and also the tacts on how to do them if needed. You’ll need to assign the tanks MT and OT (Based on their gear level / skill).
Run a ready check before every boss fight , once everyone is ready , let the MT Pull (Giving both MT and OT assist here will help as they can see the RC results)
Step four: Looting
For the raid , you’ll need to put Master loot – Rare on , so you can assign the loot.
Be sure to announce the loot rules before the raid starts , some simple rules are:
Mainspecc has priority over offspecc , count mainspecc as the specc the person is coming as.
For example , a Prot Warrior has priority on a Tanking shield over a Ret Pally who wants for Tank set.
For BoE (Bind on Equip) items , announce a roll for mainspecc and hand them to the winner if they are an upgrade. If no one needs them , either announce a raid roll and roll 1-10 (or 1-25 in 25 mans) and hand to the person with that number in the raid frame. Or as this can cause problems with the group , allow the whole raid to roll for the item and hand to the highest roller.
To give somone their loot , click the item in question and select the name of the lucky winner , then select yes on the box that appears (Be sure to double check before selecting yes , better safe than sorry).
Q u o t e:
If something drops that everyone can have, for example the bags from Sartharion, it’s much easier to raid roll them than having 10 or 25 people roll, as it’s just less confusing and a lot faster. Unfortunately, your puggers won’t be understanding the rules about how WoW places you in a group (you always appear as the last one, if you’re 10th on your screen it doesn’t mean that you’re 10th on the master looter’s screen), so it’s certainly not idiot-proof without some help.So before doing a /roll 25 (or a /roll 10), be sure to assign people their number. You can use an addon called Raid Roll ( http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/raid-roll.aspx ) for that, or simply employ Recount, since you’re most likely to have it anyway. Set it to “Activity” and print it to the raid, saying “here are your numbers, now I will do /roll 25 for the bag”.
Not my idea (seen it somewhere here, was it Detective’s post? my memory is failing me, sorry), but it works. And shuts up all the whining about “wth I was 20th, NINJA” and similar.
^
Saithir – Deathwing
Usefull addons:
Deadly boss mod – essential for any raid leader.
Recount – usefull for checking any under achieving member
Omen – Very usefull and a must for dps and Tank classes
Rollmaster (Not needed , but personally i find it usefull especially for tier pieces)
Xlootmaster , coupled with Xloot these two addons certainly make being Masterlooter easier.
(Thanks to Luciferase for help with the looting section)
Good luck!
Well said Elanthos. Playing a “small” alt in Naxx or going there with people with less/little raiding experience can make even Naxx a challenge.
I bet there´s loads of players trying ToC/ICC that would fail doing the Heigan dance or 4 Horsemen. Even if “overgeared”.
Many thanks for that guide and comments,
Larzuk from Terenas (EU)
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And why wouldn’t people pug Naxx? In fact, I think it’s a pretty good idea. I don’t really want to see inexperienced players in TOC and ICC — that’s not being elitist… there’s *plenty* of easier raids for people to cut their teeth on.
This really comes down to the reason for playing WoW. Do we play WoW to get shiny gear and show off our ICC achievements, or do we play WoW to explore content (and playing different classes in that content)? If you take the latter view, then there’s no real difference between mastering Naxx and mastering ICC. And Naxx (and Ulduar too), by dint of having a large number of very varied fights, are actually much superior training grounds for inexperienced players. If you can survive through Heigan’s safety dance, and successfully kite the zombie chow in the Gluth fight, then you know you’ve learnt a skill that will serve you well in harder raids. If you go straight to Ony/ToC/ICC, and just wipe all the time and point fingers at each other, what will you have learnt?
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OK I’m not trying to be a jerk but, as it said “ability to follow instructions… common sense” to me would mean paying attention, and if you were doing so your “common sense” would see that this is an example. I’ve been leading Pug raids since good ol’ vanilla WoW days doing 40mans which was a lot more of a challenge to do, as there were few addons like healbot, Omens, Recount, (now Gear Score) etc… and there was no reliable way to check someone out, except for weeding out the hard way. Never the less, not much has changed from then til now as far and going through the motions on getting the raid together and then making it work. This guide is put together very well, all you have to do is switch out the raid title and do your homework like it says.
I feel the reason a lot of PuG’s fail is because the RL didn’t take the time to do his/her own homework throughly on what they want to raid, but instead look for someone to give them a walk through that they think they can just dictate to the raid ie. “you will need 1 druid and war tank, 1 CoH Priest, Resto Sham, Holy Pally heals, and 1 Rogue, DK, Mage, Hunter, Lock for dps”.
The only thing I feel it may have left out was how to keep control of the raid, and to that here is what I have macro’d just before we enter /rw “Welcome to another Jak’s PuG, basic rules: We are here to have fun 1st and foremost! ANY spiteful comments will get you kicked! (remember there are more ppl out there who wants your spot!)” /rw LOOT RULES: XXXXX! staying in raid is a binding agreement to rules! and yes I have had GM’s take BoE’s from ninjas who didn’t equip it (and yes have got in-game mails from these people pissed that their AH item “disappeared”) /rw Xmin to get snacks, drinks, go bio then pulling starts! /rw next break will be (XXXXX) now lets get some LOOOOOT!! =)
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Phil, in case you can’t read the top, they said this was posted awhile ago on the Europe servers. I found it rather helpful, but as i have been leading PuG’s since 3.2 came out, i don’t need it as much as others. But hopefully, this will help prevent the fail PuG’s from forming for ToGC25 where people are barely geared for Naxx. Once people learn to pay attention, this guide can help many people get to the end game raids.
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