I’m not sure I agree with all your logic about the benefits of running PUGS, however. The difference between a guildie and a PUG member is sometimes one of skill but it is mainly a difference in attitude and courtesy. I get all the experience you mention that you get from PUGs by doing 5 mans with guildies. Many just turned 80 and need gear. Many are new players and don’t have skills that are up to par. Trust me, I get a lot of unexpected circumstances in 5 mans that I learn from. What I don’t get are people that are unpleasant (trying to use nice words here) and uncourteous. Even if they would be like that to strangers they wouldn’t dare act that way with guildies. Our guild is dominated by kind hearted and courteous people anyway.

Remember that guy who flew up and stole your mine or herb while you killed the mob that was there? That’s your next PUG member. At least that is my experience. I get people that could never admit when they made a mistake and try to blame someone else instead. I get people that would hit need on the primal nether / frozen orb and laugh if you called them on it.

They aren’t all like that, but there’s more like that than are people that are actually a pleasure to run with. And that’s why they PUG, because they’ve been kicked from guild to guild and have no guildies to run with. Maybe I’m just spoiled to never have to go outside the guild to get a group for a 5 man.

Most times I’ve found that they are ok. If we do HoL, we don’t down Loken, but we get to him. Or Pinnacle, PUGs have trouble picking up harpoons or jumping sides in the corridor, but at the end of the day, I spend fifteen minutes for a few badges and occasional loot.

More important — as you pointed out — is the training and experience aspect. Things go wrong in guild raids, they do. It happens and people are sorry and we go again.

In PUGs, things go wrong a lot. But my fingers now automatically hit heroic throw, taunt, mocking blow, intervene, or challenging shout in guild raids when things go bad. I was quick before, but now I’m faster. And even better, I recognize exactly which method to use in which situation for the best results.

Why? Because it’s the 1000th time I’ve taunted one mob while intervening another while mocking blow a third for some dumb dumb DPS — leaving my challenging shout ready for the adds that run through the blizzard soon after.

Politeness, professionalism, and maturity go far in this game, or so I’ve found. Your quote for jumping ship from a bad PUG is excellent. I’d like to copy/paste for later if you don’t mind.

My guild is about ready for it’s second raid group to go to Naxx. You know why we can? It’s because we found 2 great healers and 3 great DPS while out pugging it up.

You get gear sometimes. You get badges most of the time. And occasionally, you meet some great people.

PUGs don’t wipe – Stupid players who PUG wipe

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