Guild Rank update.

Not Obama. (formerly GM)
Really good. (formerly Officer)
Also rly good. (formerly Veteran) - Team member in good standing.
Pretty good. (formerly Member) - Team member on probation. Loss of guild payment of raid repairs.
Not so good. - Removal from guaranteed spot on team. Can be used as sub if necessary.
Illegal alien. (formerly Alt)
Obama. (formerly Fuckstick)

The new guild ranks will allow for continuous reviews of individual performance. If you have read all of the posts up to this point, then you are fully aware of what we expect from each member on this team. If you have not, do so immediately! All of the things you will be held responsible are there and stated clearly. If you need elaboration on any topic, please ask.

We have done extremely well in our first few weeks of raiding together. In order to progress into more difficult material, it will be absolutely necessary for all of us to contribute equally to the team. Do not take it personal if you slip in ranks. Take it as motivation to better yourself...and therefore, the team.

Repairs on us!

To show appreciation for your dedication to our progression, the guild will now pay for raid repairs. Currently, officers are funding the bank until BOEs and fundraisers bring more gold in for the guild. We do not wish to share any dirty details of the activities we've participated in to obtain gold; only that Bandaid doesn't quite pull his weight and we do not judge him over the misfortune. Apparently not many people are into naked undead...even with the epic dance moves he brings to the table!

We will continue to pay repairs as long as have great attendance (or communication when you cannot attend), Raid Ready members, and members who pull their weight. To avoid penalizing the entire team when individuals aren't up to par, we have adjusted Guild Ranks to allow for capability to disable raid repairs for specific team members in need of improvement. See the Guild Rank post for more details.

Feel free to contribute gold or mats for raid supplies if you so desire.

Homework!

WATCH BEFORE RAID SUNDAY AND MONDAY!!!

The videos below are for the last three bosses in Ulduar. Please view them before the raids this week so you will be familiar with the things going on with the fights. Keep in mind that our specific strategy may differ from those in the video, but they will serve as a good resource for basic information. Our awesome raid leaders will give you the specific instructions before the fight begins. The text explanation of the encounters and boss abilities can be found on wiki (http://www.wowwiki.com/Ulduar_(instance)#Encounters).


Mirmiron



General Vezax




Yogg-Saron



After we obtain the full clear achievement and have Ulduar on farm, we will start working on "The Other Guy." His video is below. Watch it if you dare!!!

Algalon the Observer

10 down...3 to go!

We are very proud of the work you all have put into our progression. The team is exceeding initial expectations by a lot! Congratulations! Bring your game face for this week's raid! We will try to get as many bosses as possible downed on Sunday so Monday will be mostly progression time. Focus, focus, focus!

On Careers (Raiding)...

ALT-F4

Please make note that the official team has been hand selected. The selection was based on skill of the player and class of character. Several of us have alts near or already 80. Make a bold mental note that an alt is never guaranteed a spot in a raid, only the officially accepted character. If you wish to change this, please speak with an officer. We will make a decision at that time. Also, we are quite specific in group make-up preferences and may ask you to wait for the switch until we are more comfortable in the new content. Under no circumstance will an under-geared alt be accepted in a progression run. You will be responsible for gearing your alt to acceptable standards.

Thank you!

Can You Hang?

With the understanding we are entering new content, it is expected that none of us will be close to our highest potential at first. However, the point of a progression team is to move in a positive direction with individual and team skill development as we seek a common goal. Our goal being to get Ulduar on farm, attempt hard-mode scenarios, and possibly team up with other 10-man's to see 25-man content.

High expectations will be placed upon each of you and raid leaders / officers will tell you what is good and what needs improvement. It is recommended that after each raid you ask yourself, "What can I do to improve?" Then seek answers using various resources to advance your personal performance. With everyone focusing on and developing themselves, the team improvement will occur naturally. If it is determined that you are consistently sub-par and show no improvement, you may be removed from the team.

Rules...dun dun DUN!

We certainly do not wish to inundate you guys with rules and regulations, but do feel it is important to be clear about some things that will be expected since most of us haven’t played much together. I’ll try to be short and sweet (those who know me may chuckle a bit at this time). If you need any elaboration, please ask me (Mak), Bigbandaid, or Killathas.

1. Be Prepared / Raid Ready for all progression runs. See Raid Ready post.

2. Attendance / Tardiness / AFK problems will not be tolerated. Progression requires time and focus. We have limited time to accomplish our goals and must take full advantage of every minute. Make sure you accept / decline raid invites as quickly as possible so we can plan for missing spots. Let an officer know immediately if something has come up unexpectedly. If you do not complete one of these simple tasks, you will be replaced for one week (2 raid nights) and put on probation. A second offense during this time will result in removal from the team.

3. What the Raid Leader(s) say…goes. They are in that position for a reason. Follow their instruction and offer alternatives to strategy only when they ask it of you. if you are interested in becoming a raid leader, please inform an officer that you would like to start the qualification process. Eligibility is determined mostly by performance…but the final decision rests in an officer round table vote.

4. Chatter / meter posting. During progression runs it is not appropriate to clog vent or raid / guild /general chat. It wastes time and interferes with focus, so practice up on those listening skills!

5. Loot. There is no need for a loot system in 10-man content. It is even debatable as to whether or not it is necessary in 25-man content. Gear is too easy to obtain quickly and we will not waste anyone’s time trying to keep up with a system. However, there are some basic things to keep in mind when seeking loot.

a. Let everyone have a chance to upgrade…it helps us all. In the case of pugs, it leaves a good taste in their mouth and makes them want to come again if needed. Treating pugs as well, if not slightly better than we treat our own team members, also creates a pool of people to replace team members that leave or are removed.

b. Know your spec! Do some serious thinking about what the primary stats for your spec are and what gear you actually want/need from Ulduar. Don’t just roll on an upgrade that could be another class/spec’s gravy.

c. The raid leader and / or assigned master looter will have final say in loot distribution. If it is determined that a specific person in the raid needs a piece of loot more than anyone else, the decision can be made to loot by default of necessity. THE RAID LEADER WILL 100% OF THE TIME DISTRIBUTE LOOT AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE TO ALL MEMBERS, BUT WILL PRIORITIZE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES IF HE/SHE FEELS IT WILL BENEFIT THE RAID TEAM AS AN ENTIRETY!

We have more raiding experience than you want to hear about, including the old days of 40-mans. These guidelines for looting come from that experience and are what we’ve determined as best for our team. We will be fair with regards to our team’s progression. These guidelines are not up for discussion, and therefore, if you believe you will have a problem with them…leave immediately. QQ about loot will result in removal from the team.

6. Team morale. Be nice! Unhappy raids are counter-productive! Individual vs. Collective blame. If we fail, it is because we have a lack of constructive communication within the team. Mistakes are how we learn how to be better next time. Positively delivered constructive criticism is key to improving individual and collective team skills.