Applicants - how I love thee

The Big Bear had a long post today about politeness, and how his guild isn't a raid guild by any stretch of the imagination. They run kind of ad hoc, and focus more on having fun than raiding. Personally I think raiding is fun - but that's one of the things that makes this game awesome, there's something for everyone.

With the summertime draw down, we've gotten quite a few new applicants lately - especially with the recent implosion of one of the other raid guilds on our servers. I know this is something I touched on briefly in the past - but I wanted to expand on it today simply because it drives me insane.

We Raid - Full Stop

Our guild isn't called 'Hello Kitty Happy Fun Time' for a reason - we raid hard and we raid smart. We're not as hardcore as we could be, but given the server we're on, and the amount of time we're willing to put into it, we're somewhere in the upper 20% or so of serious. We're in the top 1500 (yeah, it sounds lame when you actually read it) US guilds in terms of progression in both 10s and 25s (damn 3D 10s...) - and we're down to just Mimiron before we can see Algalon in our 10s.

Raid spots aren't guaranteed for anyone - though we do have our 'core' raiders who have been with us from the start. Recruits are told they may never see a raid, or they may find themselves thrust into "I Choose You Steelbreaker" on their first night. We don't set 10 man groups - they just kind of form. You're on your own for getting in one or starting one.

Why do I mention this? Because we've gotten a few quits recently for the following reasons. Not getting into raids, not enough social activities, and no pre 3.1 stuff (Naxx, Sarth, Malygos). Really? Did you not read the application form? Did you not get 'The Talk' from an officer when you joined?

To those that left, I wish you the best of luck. Same to those that quit raiding with us.

Learn to /who

As an officer of S-a-S, I get my fair share of whispers regarding applications, openings, recruitment, etc. Now I'm not the most social person in the game, another of our officers is a damn social butterfly, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out who an officer is in a guild.

So then why can't they extend that thought process out to doing a /who before sending me a tell? A week or so ago we had a hellacious Saturday raid. We had 10 man Uld, Sarth 3D 10, and then 25 man Ulduar. I think I spent 8 or maybe 10 hours in raid zones that day. Sometime around hour 6 I was suddenly assaulted by three different applicants (did they coordinate?) asking about applications that had been submitted.....wait for it....THAT MORNING.

That's right - it's Saturday night, and they want to know why it's been 12 hours and they haven't gotten an invite yet. Are you kidding me? One at least said (towards the end) "I would have waited, but you've been in a raid all day" - which means this person had been essentially stalking me all day before bothering me in the raid.

Let's be honest - there's very little in this game that requires your immediate attention, hell even RL doesn't have these constraints. Would you call a potential employer knowing he was in a meeting? Fuck no you wouldn't. Send me an in game mail, or a private message on the boards. You're an applicant, and if you're bothering me the same day you applied, you've just lost what few points you might get from a good app.

Right along with this is the person who sends you a tell while you're in a raid/dungeon asking you to join their run. As we were about to pull Freya+++ last week (on what would be our first Freya+++ kill) I actually was asked if I'd come heal H HoL. Uh - yeah, let me just drop this raid first you inconsiderate prick. That's a good way to get ignored in my book.

Conclusion

Know what you're getting into - don't expect a guild to change just because your needs aren't being met - and quit sending me tells when I'm raiding.