Thursday, May 28, 2009

Listening to raid instructions

There is a running joke in the guild that Jess' raid instructions are like lectures and the rest of us are students. In keeping with the analogy, folks ask for Cliff Notes sometimes and the joke is that Vel and I are sometimes caught "passing notes in class" and not completely paying attention:

Jess: Ok, Vel?
Vel: Huh? Sorry, I was whispering K.

On a little more serious note though, I think its important for us healers to listen to all of the raid instructions and adapt our healing strategy based on that. Now I'm not talking about knowing what the boss or encounter is going to do, but knowing what your specific raid leader is instructing your raid to do.

I guess listening to what the tanks are instructed to do is a bit more obvious, such as preparing for a switch in tanking by throwing out hots to the second tank. But listening to what the dps is instructed to do is important as well. Knowing where folks were going to be and which dps was assigned specific duties ensures that healers keep them within line of sight and can perhaps pay special attention to someone who has a critical role.

Does this mean Vel and I will promise to hang onto Jess' every word? Hmmm... we'll see.

9 comments:

  1. I certainly find myself drifting out occasionally when raid instructions are being given out.

    I don't do it so much in Ulduar, but in Naxx I am usually tabbed out, browsing something else.

    I think, tbh, I need a good hard kick up the behind with a wipe being my fault or something to snap me out of being so lazy"

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  3. (Heh. Minor editing.)

    Raid leader, the subject
    Of boss fight strategy
    She wants loot, so badly
    Knows what she wants for tree
    Insider her, there's questions
    Read the damn wiki page
    Raid markers, type \distance
    Just let me get some rage

    And for Elune's sake,
    Don't stand so close to me

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  4. @Jess - awesomes!

    I gives instructions mainly fer ta hear me own voice. I don't seriously expect anyone ta listen until after a couple wipes.

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  5. ...sigh...Jess
    (passes note to K) :P

    As of late, K and I don't do it as often as we used to...with every chuckle, groan, or sigh...we already know what the other would say.

    Scary thought, huh?

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  6. @Sophie: Yeah... Vel and I know exactly where you are coming from. :)

    @Jess: Seriously, you are too much. Maybe if you sang raid instructions to me, we would pay more attention.

    @Ratshag: :)

    @Vel: Don't be scaring Jess there! Either one of us scares Jess enough, the two of us thinking the same thing all the time... yikes!

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  7. OMG and I'm married to the GM/raid leader too, so I can't even turn him down in vent. I have found myself screaming "No one is listening to you! Especially not me!"

    I REALLY am bad at not listening. I alt-tab all the time and I make stupid mistakes for it. Some day someone is going to catch on to this...

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  8. I find if the instructions are really long I don't zone out but become panicked that I won't remember it all. So in worrying about not remembering it all I then lose my focus on what is being said. I usually end up poking my husband here in the office..."what did they say I have to do?"

    Sad but true hehehe

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  9. @Aertimus and Cathy: Its always amusing to me to overhear couples in vent. I don't have a husband so Jess just gets the brunt of my crap. :)

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