Instance Etiquette

While most people think that there isn’t really a dynamic to instances other than gathering a group of people together and running the instance there are a lot of things that should be looked at and sometimes in great detail. Here is some tips from good old Xan about what you can do in an instance to be invited back into a “Pick Up Group” (PUG) or gather a PUG of your own.

• Be sure you are ready for the instance

There are many ways for you to check if you are prepared for the instance you plan on being a part of or gathering yourself. I suggest either going to one of my favorite websites for your information: .http://www.wowhead.com, http://thottbot.com, or even http://wow.allakhazam.com. Each of these sites has valuable information including the minimum level requirement, the level range, and quests associated with that instance. Another suggestion for gathering information regarding an instance is the WoW books published by BRADYGAMES. (http://www.bradygames.com)

Try not to ask for a ‘port’ to the instance. This is just a pain. If you are willing to go into a PUG, make an effort to get there on your own. This saves time for those who are standing there waiting for you as well as shows that your head is already ‘in the game.’ Not to say that if you are in Howling Fjord and someone wants to do Halls of Lightning that your can’t ask for a port to whomever gets there first, but don’t keep doing quests expecting someone else to port you there. If everyone else keeps doing quests, there may never be two people t the summoning stone to port the rest. So make your best effort to get to the instance on your own.

Gather up all the quests you can before requesting a group run. Again the quests can be found on the above mentioned websites and books. By being prepared to go into an instance you not only gain experience points (XP) through running the instance, but you can help out others who might have missed one quest and you only have to run the ‘low level’ instances once and then focus on the next one instead of running another time through the same instance because you might have missed a quest.

Being ready for the instance is not only knowing what level you have to be, but also make sure that your ‘toon’ can make it with the group you are with. A level minimum requirement of level 70’s may not be able to do a 74-76 level instance. But one level 70 and four level 78 toons should be just fine and handle their own.

Next you want to look at boss fights. Each of these websites and the books I have mentioned usually have some kind of boss strategy to them. Take some time before looking into a PUG to check out how boss fights work, you may become a value to your group because you know what your job is in the instance.

• What to do once inside?

Now let’s take a look at what should be expected of you in a PUG or guild instance run and what you should expect of others in your guild or PUG to understand as well.

Make sure you let people know WHY you are doing the instance. Are you going for specific gear? Are you completing quests? Are you just running the instance to get the achievements? If your PUG/guild know why you are running the instance they may be more likely to pass on a certain piece of gear you want for your “MAIN” spec when they may be looking to get “off spec” gear for themselves. Making the mistake of not explaining your reason for going into the instance just might cost you an item you were going in there to find… like a certain Trinket you went in for but forgot to tell the DPS person that you were wanting it for your TANK and you both rolled on it and you lost. It is not their fault for rolling on it, it was your fault for not telling them you were going into the instance to gain that item.

Know your role in the instance; this means are you going into the instance to be on DPS, healing, tanking, off-tanking… what is your job? PUGS and guilds expect you to know your class better than they do. Some players may have multiple toons and may even have the same class you are playing, but you should know what you are capable of in an instance.

Finally, after you have researched what you are doing you should take some time to ask questions of your PUG or guild. Let them know you are learning. Most of them will be accepting of that and will often give advice when they can. So don’t hesitate to ask. This is a game, have fun, and grow as a player and as a knowledgeable member of your guild and class. You never know when you will be the leader of your own guild or raid group