Raiding

I know firsthand how exciting and challenging (and annoying) recruiting raiders for your team can be. Every new player that comes in brings potential, but not every trial is going to be able to integrate into the team. Sure they’ve passed the initial sniff test they’ve answered the right questions, but now those players have to live up to those expectations that have been set. Recognizing when a recruit is at risk of failing their trial period and knowing how to address that situation is super important for maintaining a strong, progressed raid team.

Some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made when I was a GM (or as an officer) is not doing anything about the new trials that I felt weren’t fit, but I had to keep them around because the raid team as a whole didn’t have enough players to help go through a raid night. This would lead to feelings of resentment from more senior members of the team because they felt lacklustre trials weren’t really contributing to the progression or, worse, actively hampering any farm clears and slowing us down. If I could do it again, I would be more aggressive in identifying and making a more concerted effort to look for ways to help with improvement or at least open up communication with them.

Today, I want to explore some of the signs that a recruit may be struggling and offer up some pointers for addressing at-risk trial players.

Recognizing the Signs

Really, the first step that has to happen is actually identifying the member who is at risk of failing their trial or losing interest. These are some of the common indicators to watch for:

1. Inconsistent Attendance

If they don’t show up without saying anything, that’s usually a pretty good sign. A trial member who misses raids without prior notice or valid reasons might be struggling with commitment levels and realizing they can’t actually sustain the schedule they were hoping for. Consistency is key in a raiding guild (especially a CE one like ours), and frequent absences can disrupt the team’s progress and cohesion. We usually cut after 2 non-appearances and with no messaging from the player.

2. Performance Issues

While it’s true that everyone has an off night, consistent performance issues are another big sign. This includes not following mechanics, uncharacteristically low output (DPS or healing), and a failure to learn from mistakes. If a trial member repeatedly struggles despite feedback and guidance, it might just be a lack of effort or understanding. This is players not making that hustle to get to the stack point with everyone else, or getting their own debuff out of the raid before it detonates. It could also be someone resisting being a team player and not selecting talents or loading in a build that’s simply not ideal for the encounter. Going multi-target to help clear out ads when single target is what’s requested doesn’t help the raid get through those damage checkpoints.

3. Failure to Complete Required Mythic+ Dungeons

Mythic+ dungeons are absolutely important for character progression and meeting raid standards. At DJ’s, once we start extending raids, these are going to be the only sources of upgrades that players will be able to get (especially from their vaults). A trial member who neglects to complete the required key dungeons as outlined by the guild is going to be at risk of falling behind. Not participating is going to stall both their individual progress and the guild’s overall performance. It also demonstrates a lack of interest (in the game or the raid). We’re a CE guild, and we’re mandated to run at least 4 high keys a week. That’s not an impossible request, and it’s balanced around the expectation that players have other obligations (families, careers, hobbies, walking their pandas, etc).

4. Lack of Engagement

By itself, this isn’t a significant clue. A trial member who is not engaged in guild activities beyond raids might be losing interest. There should be some level of participation in guild chat, forums, or Discord discussions. Just being involved and engaging often builds a good impression of a member’s commitment and enthusiasm for the guild. At the same time, some players just don’t have that kind of social battery and shouldn’t be expected to be “on” all the time.

5. Lack of Communication

Effective communication is essential in a raiding guild. A trial member who rarely communicates with raid leaders or fails to respond to direct messages and discussions concerning them can be problematic. This might honestly mean a poor fit within the raid dynamic. We’ll try to reach out to new players from time to time to check in with them, and sometimes it isn’t really reciprocated.

6. Negative Attitude

Yeah, this one’s a biggie. Any trial member exhibiting a negative attitude or causing drama within the team is a problem and warrants a fast response. This might include being overly critical of someone else on the team, resistant to feedback from another player, creating conflict, or just being crazy defensive for no reason. There’s a right time and a right place for everything, including raid feedback.

7. Slow Improvement

While everyone learns at different paces, a trial member who shows little to no improvement over time, despite coaching and feedback, may not be a good fit. We are a CE guild, and our expectations are that players learn and adapt not just to their own mistakes but those of others. Progression raiding requires adaptability and growth. Lacking either of those isn’t going to lead to a solid finish.

Handling an At-Risk Trial Member

Have you figured out if someone is struggling? Next step is to figure out exactly how to handle it. You want to find ways to help them out but you also need to recognize when to cut your losses and let the player go if they’re not playing up to the level they need to.

1. Open Communication

Start an honest conversation with the player. Talk about some of the observed issues and provide specific examples. If you can use log replays or Warcraft Recorder clips to help demonstrate it, that can bolster your case. Work on your tone and make sure it’s constructive, focusing on their potential for improvement rather than just pointing out flaws (or everything that’s wrong with them). This can help the player understand the areas where they have to get better.

2. Provide Constructive Feedback

Give them feedback and actionable steps for improvement. Whether it’s specific mechanics they need to focus on (like less deaths to a key mechanic), DPS rotations, or positioning, clear guidance can help them know exactly what is expected. Give them resources like guides or videos to help their learning. Pair them up with someone in raid of a similar (or identical) class that they can learn from.

3. Set Clear Expectations

Reinforce and reiterate the expectations regarding performance, attendance, and behaviour. Make sure the trial member understands what is required to pass the trial. If you’re able to set clear, measurable goals, it’ll help both parties track progress.

4. Offer Support and Mentorship

Assign a mentor or buddy from the team to support the trial member. This can provide a more personalized approach to their improvement and help them feel more integrated into the guild. Regular check-ins with the mentor can offer ongoing guidance and encouragement. In DJs, we do our best to assign every new trial player a buddy (or a mentor) that’ll check in on them and help show them the ropes. Things like where to find the roster for the week, point the way where required WeakAuras are and answer any questions they might have.

They’re basically a Pokemon for the veteran raider.

5. Evaluate Progress

Monitor and assess the trial member’s progress over a set period. Are they showing improvement in the areas discussed? Are they more engaged and consistent? Regular evaluations can help determine if they are on the right track. Keep the feedback going as well. We have private Discord channels for each trial player where everyone on the team can provide observations (both positive and negative) about them along with how interactions have been.

6. Make a Decision

If, despite all efforts, the trial member is not meeting expectations, it’s time to consider letting them go. Approach this decision with empathy and professionalism. Thank them for their time and effort, and provide honest feedback on why they didn’t pass the trial. It’s important to maintain a positive and respectful atmosphere, even during difficult decisions. Sometimes a no means a not yet, and the player just needs to develop and gain more raid experience, whether it’s in another raid team that’s catered towards their skill level to allow them time to grow. After all, not every raid team is right for every player.

At-risk trial members in a raid guild require a careful balance of support and evaluation. Recognizing the signs early, providing constructive feedback, and offering mentorship can help struggling recruits improve and integrate into the team. However, knowing when to cut losses and let a player go is equally important for maintaining a strong, cohesive raid team. By handling these situations with transparency and empathy, you can ensure the long-term success and harmony of your guild.

Happy Wednesday and I hope you all had productive vaults this week! My Priest has gone dark and heavy on Shadow and DPS gear for the first week (up to 503 ilvl now). I was able to 2 chest a +10 with some guildies and stocked up some 8s. As a raid team, we completely cleared out normal and heroic before finishing out with 3 bosses in Mythic (Terros defeated). This week, we’ll be revisiting Aberrus.

I have a story here about a recent tank applicant to Death Jesters. On paper, the player looked like a fit. Their logs were on target, the defensive usage lined up, and it didn’t seem like there were many mechanical issues until I came across the below (Paraphrased):

“I’ve always found Mythic Plus content challenging and it tends to make me quite anxious, as it’s not my main focus in the game. My primary objective for this fated tier is to improve in this area. While this issue hasn’t impacted my performance in raid progression—I make sure not to be the weak link—it has caused some tension in previous guilds. I’m actively working to overcome this, though I expect it will take a bit of time. Fortunately, the fated tier presents a good opportunity for this.”

This admission does highlight a common feeling among players, especially tanks and healers, in the opening weeks of a new tier. Heck, this level of anxiety is even more pronounced during patches that introduce new dungeon content, where players have to learn new routes and strategies for handling enemies (and whatever abilities that might wipe the party). While this tier is already familiar to many of us with revisiting previous dungeons, the challenge of re-learning still looms, although that’s been mitigated by the various nerfs and tuning changes (Season 1 Ruby Life Pools was a nightmare).

However, avoiding Mythic Plus dungeons in the early stages is unacceptable at the Cutting Edge (CE) Progression or even a mid-level mythic raiding guild. Tanks are expected to step into these keys from the get-go. This early dungeon running is crucial not only for personal gearing but also for the success of the entire team. In guilds like ours, the majority of loot is allocated to favour DPS players, meaning that tanks and healers have to obtain upgrades predominantly from dungeons to supplement the raid.

As a tank within a raid team, one assumes the role akin to Atlas—a Titan doomed to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. Like Atlas, tanks have that responsibility and must be both resilient and proactive in ensuring that all team members complete their keys with minimal reliance on outside players (pugging). Some players may have friends or other communities they can tap into, but others might be reluctant or unable to do so, requiring help from guild tanks and guild groups to step in and help with a smoother key experience.

With us, our tank expectations are clear — Step into mythic raid content feasibly early while simultaneously supporting the team’s collective needs. A tank that just logs in to update their gear and achieve our dungeon minimums before disappearing just barely meets the guild’s standards. Tanks are just such a bottleneck role at the start. We have a few healers and other DPS that are diversifying and collecting tank pieces to help address that and add more variability to schedules (and their goal isn’t to push high, but to get to a point where +8’s are reasonably comfortable). The role demands extensive involvement, a commitment to team progression, and an unyielding dedication to overcoming personal and collective challenges. I can certainly understand and sympathize the level of anxiety for pushing keys beyond the 10 (or even the 8 range) early on. I feel the same way. I did not feel confident at all healing anything past 8, that’s why I decided to give Shadow a go and get healing gear that way to help be available for raid needs.

Symptoms and Addressing Tank or Healer Anxiety

Anxiety experienced by tanks and healers can come about in different ways. This includes hesitation to join groups, fear of criticism, performance stress, and making decisions under pressure. This anxiety not only diminishes personal enjoyment but can also impact team dynamics and success. Tanks are also the ones dictating the pace of the dungeon (since they’re the ones tackling pulls). Is it time for a big monster pull? Go slower, and steadier at 1 or 2 pulls at a time? Are there DPS cooldowns up and available?

Addressing these issues would take multiple approaches (and this list isn’t exhaustive either):

• Education and Preparation: Knowledge of dungeon layouts, boss mechanics, and optimal strategies can ease some of the uncertainties that fuel anxiety.
• Communication: Talking it out with the party can foster a supportive environment where fears can be shared and addressed collectively. Before big pulls, I’ll try to remind the team of key interrupts or things that can smoke the party if left unchecked. Tanks can call for personals or any extra externals (“Gotta kite, drop an Earthbind!”).
• Incremental Progression: Slowly increasing the difficulty of dungeons can help build confidence in a controlled and manageable manner (I started from 4s and worked my way up).

Lastly, it also helps to play with people you know and trust who are familiar with each other.

If the root causes of anxiety can be addressed, raid teams can ensure that all members — regardless of their role — feel both competent and confident in their abilities to face the challenges of Mythic+ dungeons. It helps ensure that the game remains a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved. The best step might be to join a more relaxed, less focused raid team to start where the pressure of grinding all those keys isn’t a factor. A competitive CE raid team isn’t the best environment to help properly support a player like that from the start. It’s not an easy journey, but it’s not impossible to work through and help control.

Anyway, back to Aberrus this week! If you’re looking for a raid team for Season 4 and the next expansion, come check us out! We’re looking for a Mistweaver Monk, assorted range DPS, and another tank!