Warmachine - success through effort, teamwork and commitment...

Our Warmachine is gathering. However, something is different about this gathering. There is a new beginning in the air.

A new approach to playing EQ2 is what embodies the philosophy of this raiding guild. This leads to the question; Why? Why is something new needed? If you join, you will agree or you will learn that the approach to X4 raiding in EQ2 is many ways flawed.

The Current Battle Tactics:

The majority of raid forces, at this stage of the game, just the performance of the raid based on individual DPS stats. Every aspect of the game is given full focus to damaging the mob. From AA spec to equipment setup and even casting order has one single narrow focus: DAMAGE. Even raid groups are designed to give this damage focus to  individual classes and play styles. As the main tank counts down for the pull, everyone is using their power temporary buffs and everyone unloads on the mob from the first second the fight begins. (Why has this worked?) Don't misuderstand, DPS is extremely important, but it is being used wrong... if you beleive a change is in order.

The Problem: If your raid needs 100k or 120k DPS to be successful then it is very possible for 12, or less, of the 24 members of the raid to produce this DPS number and this is assuming the rest of the non-healers are doing nothing.  The problem is what happens when one of these 12 die. A death creates a chain of events that in most situations are unrecoverable. (Been in a raid that prepares for raid-wipe by casting J-Cap on the AE blocking classes? <shakes head>)

Scenerio: Let's say the main tank group uses two classes to help hold the mobs aggro. A Swash and Dirge. The Swash pops his/her temps in the beginning of the fight and double attacks for max damage. With a stroke of luck the Swash produces two large procs as well. Ohh yeah, unknown to the swash, the main tank was resisted on his main taunt.

Result: Swash with aggro. Of course, the swash is gearedAAed completely for DPS which means very little damage mitigation. The healers are dropping panic heals on the swash, the tank uses one of his few snap aggros. However, ltimately we are talking about DEAD Swashy.

Now, the main raid tank is missing a very large compentent of his aggro managment. Swarthy. Now the tank is working very hard to keep the mobs attention. However, the mob has a larger chance of taking out one of the raid's other DPS focused classes... lets say... a Wizard. 

It is hard to beleive that anyone who has experienced much of the top-teir x4 raiding has not seen a dead swash and wizard in the first 30 secs of a fight. Additionally, this means the raid has temporarly lost a large percentage of its dps focus. Also, rezzes take time, rebuffing has to happen during the fight... so on and so forth. From this point forward in the fight, the raid is in recovery mode.  Now, the swash and wizard has to regen mana, rebuff, etc, etc.. Deaths create many situations and these situations usually go on-and-on. I also offer this, when other dps classes start seeing their guild mates drop do they not slow down their dps? Yes, they do if they are don't want the same fate.

Finally, the overwhelming majority of top-teir X4 mobs get HUGE heals from a death. I mean its HUGE. I have seen someone die 5 or 6 times in a fight and their parse shows 5k. But when you add the amount of heals they did with their deaths.. that 5k dps turns into 1k "net" dps.

Bottom line: Why is all the DPS focused at the beginning of the fight? No good reason... if you beleive a change is in order.

Revision One: Warmachine Battleplan

What if you held DPS of the raid like an arrow notched in a bow waiting to be releashed just at that right moment when it can be most effective?

First of all, the mob can be completly debuffed. The tank can do what is necassary to ensure he/she can hold the mob through virtually any damage. The raid holds temps and high damage Spells/CAs until it is "released." At that moment, the stage is set and the raid's dps classes can unload. The first 20% of the mobs life goes slow as everyone is getting ready and when the tank calls it, the raid unleashes holy-hell on the mob and it dies... and fast. If you need a mob dead in 90 seconds with 120k dps what does it matter if most the dmage happens in the first 40 seconds or the last 40 seconds.  Lastly, and possibly most important, there is going to be a plan for when someone gets aggro. it is going to happen and when it does, the pieces are going to be IN PLACE to be prepared to handle aggro when it gets loose from the main tank. The first Genesis is aggro management along-side DPS.

Revision Two: Warmachine Battleplan

Who gets to Raid and Why? In know most raid forces who gets to raid and why is a matter of choice of the raid leader. This can create resentment for one a couple of reasons. Either there is real favortism issue between the raid leader and another player or there can be the perception of favortism, which is just as bad.

Have you ever said to yourself, why is that person getting to raid in my spot? I have been available for most every raid and I have been doing my job! The second philoshopical change for Warmachine will be as follows; Raid slots will be still assigned at the descrection of the raid leader because different encounters require different class combonations.

However, when there are two players viaing for the same position there is going to be clearly defined system why one player is chosen over another. There will be a ranking by arch-type and class. The ranking will be a formula based on attendance, performance, deaths and general guild participation.  Perfomance will be quantified by a combination of a number of elements. DPS if your a dps class. DPS is not just you're damage parse. Rather it will be a  "NET" dps minus how much you heal the mob through your deaths. If your a utility class number of spells casts in concernt with DPS. Healers will be track by spell count and total amount healed.

Obviously, this system will have to be tweaked over time, but again, the focus is a clear path to earning a consistent raid position. After every raid, there will be stats and charts tracking this information. The goal is to take the guess-work out of who is raiding and why. The will be a bonus system as well. For example, if you attend 7 raids in a row, you will get a bonus to your rank score. In Warmachine, you will EARN your raid spot.

If your not a team player then you will. If you want to join the guild and just come to raid then go off and solo pvp for writs the rest of your time then you will not be helping to work towards long-term greater-good of the guild..

Warmachine is currently raiding four nights a week. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30pm EST.

Everyone needs to help EVERYONE complete quests and/or run instances with the goald of gettting the key peices of gear all classes need. Need before Greed ALWAYS. No one person gets stacked up on gear before another. These events will be planned and organized as much as possible. This brings us to...

Revision three: Warmachine Battleplan

You will have to visit the website... OFTEN. Most guild websites are places that bored people go to flame. Not the Warmachine website. Raid schedules, raid rankings and DKP will all be tracked on the website. Additionaly, there will be a database for what quests need to be completed by each class and what characters need for gear needed from specific instances. This will allow people to work together. Teamwork...

If you post something logical you will be listened to. Many decisions will be made via guild vote.

Next, everyone will be encouraged (not required) to supply an alternate form of communication.  Phone number for text/voice messages. Or even email if you are in your email regularly. The point is that if the raid is short a particluar class, the leadership will be able to "reach-out" and fill gaps as necessary.

Lastly, functioning Ventrilo for every raider is REQUIRED. This means a working mic! 24 people in a single channel is insane and stupid. The leadership of Warmachine know how to maximise Vent. For example, we have the ability to put seperate groups in a seperate channels. Howeverr, group leaders will have the ability to crosstalk which others in the raid. There are a lot of options using ventrilo. For example, the raid leader will allowed to transmit the all 24 people at once.

If you have read this far and you like what you see, then fill out an application.

Do you have what it takes to be a part of the Warmachine?!?!