How raid spots are filled
First, a big thank you to everyone for coming out and supporting our raids. One downside of more people showing up, is sometimes not everyone gets to go who wants to. It is our goal to get everyone who wants to raid a spot. This is an attempt to let you know how raid spots are filled, and hopefully get us all on the same page. It is NOT set in stone. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I don't think a “perfect” solution for 200+ people exists, but I know we can find one that works. The raid times go on the calendar at least a week in advance. I prefer to fill out the schedule in month blocks, but that's just a goal. If I know I'm not going to attend a particular event, I remove myself. After that, the event sits on the calendar waiting for people to sign up. When raid night arrives, I open up the event and start pulling in healers and tanks. People who "accepted" have priority over people who are "tenative". If we still need people after I go through the people who signed up, I will ask in guild chat. Typically, we need 3 healers and 2 tanks. I pull in heals and tanks first, because we have to have them to run. If we don't have enough, it's best to know up front. Precedence goes to people who volunteered for standby the last raid and are online. More on that in a minute. If no one is on standby, I go by the date/time you signed up for the raid. I start at the top of the list and if you're online, I shoot you an invite. Please let me stress you have to be online when it's time to run. Signing up for every raid on the calendar as soon as they go up will not “hold” a spot. After the healers and tanks are in, we still need 5 DPS. If there are any standby DPS on, they get an invite. Otherwise, it's back to the top of the list and DPS invites go out by sign up date/time. Ideally, everyone who signed up gets a spot, we have a raid group and it's time to make bad things dead! “So, what happens if more than 10 people signed up and they're online?” If people who signed up are online and didn't get an invitation, I announce in guild chat, “xxx raid is full. If you didn't get an invitation and wish to be on standby PST”. “You mentioned “standby” before. What does that even mean?” It means I'm asking you whisper me that you are willing to be on standby and be available while the raid is going on. You don't have to be on the character that signed up, just online. “If I didn't get in, what's the point of hanging out online?” Well, if someone who did get in needs to leave, it's easier on me having you more or less instantly available. You're just an invite and summon away and we can press on with a minimum of interruption. “I'm all for helping the guild and everything, but what's in it for me? There might be a Dukes of Hazzard marathon on I want to watch.” In return for committing to be available while the raid is running, you are first alternate if someone leaves and I'm guaranteeing you a spot in in the next raid. “That kinda makes sense. Can I “save” my standby and pick the raid I want to go on?” Right now, I'm thinking no. The idea is to get you in the next time that raid is run. If you volunteer to standby on Tuesday for DS 10, you would have a spot on Thursday for DS 10. Inversely, standing by on Thursday would get you a Tuesday spot. Is it perfect? No, but having 5 people “save” their standby until the night we're on the last boss and then “spending” it seems even less perfect. Whatever we come up with has to be manageable, consistent and equitable for most of us. ““I can see that I guess. What if healers and tanks sign up, go on standby and want to bring a DPS next time?” I'd have to say no there as well. Standby spots are meant to be both raid and role specific. Just having a healer or tank doesn't mean we can use the character to “bump” a DPS only player. “I still don't like healers and tanks always getting to go. It's usually going to be the DPS on standby.” I don't disagree. If you'd like to level and gear a healer or tank, I have no doubt I can find a healer/tank who could use a break. Short of that, I don't have a solution. Until Blizzard makes all DPS groups viable, we're stuck with the classic trio. “Why don't we just run 25's? There are a lot more DPS spots in those.” Absolutely there are, and I don't think anyone is opposed to 25's. It is our goal to be as inclusive as possible. However, we usually don't have 25 players on, let alone 25 raid ready characters. Without more members, I don't think this will work right now either. Grouping up for LFR runs are an obvious exception, and we do have those scheduled. “OK. What do I need to do to maximize my chance of getting in a raid?” Role a healer/tank (or both) and sign up early on both characters. If you prefer to DPS, sign up in advance when you see events on the calendar. If you don't get a spot on a given night, volunteer to standby when I announce the raid is full. None of this is about being “leet” or “cliquish”. We're trying to get as many people in as we can with what we have to work with. Again, if you have suggestions, PLEASE let me know so we can make a system we can live with (even if we curse it on occasion).
