Just want to get this out somewhere. This is my first MMO with raiding and I'm in a mediumish static for it (not endgame prog). There's a core group and the rest of us hop in as we're able/interested. I figured at first I just sucked (which tbf I wasn't great at start, I've put a lot of effort into getting better at the game to not be a burden on the static), but I've had a lot more success raiding with PUGs. Issues:
- Mechanics and our chosen solutions are rarely explained on call. I do try to read up ahead of time to understand the mechanics, but the group isn't usually using the same strategy (I start with the wiki and then search for other guides from there if I'm still not understanding something so I don't think I'm looking at weird, unconventional mechanics solutions). Different solutions from what I read is fine, they're just never said anywhere in group. Far as I can tell the "core" group has usually talked about them prior to raid and doesn't fill the rest of us in. We did a raid I really wanted to make sure I was following our group solutions for so asked for what guide we were using ahead of time, was given a video with the caveat "we changed some things". The video didn't really explain the mechanics well for me (was kind of just if you're X role go here at this time, then there at this time, not how the mechanics worked) and when we got in instance the changes (which had to do with my role in one part) weren't explained to me.
- When I ask questions about mechanics/solutions usually I don't get an answer or it's very vague (just make sure you're at your position kind of stuff). I'm not asking about every single mechanic, if I ask about anything it's usually just one I'm not being able to match up with a guide (usually because we've changed something and it was never explained to me). Waymarkers also aren't usually explained to me even if I specifically ask what they're for (not asking basic waymarkers like clock positions, if the waymark pattern is a random looking Z though I kind of want to know which ones match which mechanics).
- If I make any suggestions/requests (can we have a waymarker for X because several of us aren't meeting this positional, can we actually stack for the personal aoes like we keep saying instead of loosely congregating in the area of the waymarker and fucking over anyone not standing outermost) it's usually brushed off/ignored.
They're a nice group and definitely better players than me, just getting super frustrated at this point cause I've tried a ton of stuff on my end to deal with the lack of communication between over communicating on my end (kind of hard cause there's a lot of chat on call, but if I'm not getting something I try to insist we cut the chat so I can get the mechanic, just same issue with not getting a good answer), researching even if the core group says they want to do a "blind" prog cause I know nothing will be explained even if I ask, gitting gud at my job (know my rotation/uptime/if I know mechanics and our solutions I'm pretty good about being in position and resolving). In PUGs I have people ask and can ask myself "hey I'm not getting X mechanic, how's that work?" and it's not an issue... If none of us know we go look it up quick and then talk out how we want to handle it ("it's a tether with a line attack so anyone who gets it wants to be in general X area out of the way, just make sure you don't clip the tank and everyone else stay out of that area").
Overall not the end of the world, just the only group I've found that does not-endgame raiding on my dc (not at endgame yet) and I want to get better at raiding so a bit frustrating.
I generally start with a pre-written adventure and then just run it sandbox living world style. If I do anything it's a ton of researching random DND lore and working that in.