DaNoob is back, w/another question?

[deKoven]

Hmmm, point of etiquette here, I s'pose. If I'm tootling along and come up with a solo or a party who seems to be having difficulties with their opponents is it reasonable to help out? If I do what happens to the loot, if any? If I leave it there for that other party can they pick it up? I've done this a couple times, especially when there are something like "Heroic" or Named baddies. But I could see that it might not be the best thing to do. <img src="/smilies/8f7fb9dd46fb8ef86f81154a4feaada9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Rokaab]

<p>Personally its nice to help people that are having troubles. They will get the loot for it because once they start fighting it, presuming they survive til it dies, the treasure will be theirs.</p><p>So yeah, helping is good, most people will be grateful for the help (though do note occassionally someone may whinge at you for doing so (maybe they were testing something, trying to die or something like that), but I suspect that really wouldnt be often) .</p>

[UlteriorModem]

<p>Helping is a good thing.</p><p>With that said I do have to add make sure they need/want help otherwise your going to get blasted for it.</p><p>How can you tell ? Well there running away from the mob(s) is a good clue, There calling for help is another. If there not doing one of these things Ill just stand there and watch them get hammered. You can try asking if they need help but generally speaking there a tad busy.</p><p>Nothing like stepping in to help when the other charecter is down to their last sliver of life only to hear "What the heck do you think your doing !" Its kind of discouraging. I even stepped in to help a little too late once (other player died) and promptly recieved a /tell laced with profanitys asking me as of my intentions.</p><p>Honestly Ive only stepped in and helped with a fight two or three times. I'd love to do it more as it is very much in my realm of role playing, however I know how people act these days so I'm somewhat hesitant.</p>

[deKoven]

'Kay, guess I can live with that. I do try not to interfere when the player looks like he/she is doing well. It's just that at times when I know they're gonna have trouble. F'instance, in the Caves when someone lvl 11 tries to take on a lvl 14 or 15 and Heroic to boot. I know from personal experience they're gonna die! Been there, done that; wished that I'd had some help when I did. <img src="/smilies/908627bbe5e9f6a080977db8c365caff.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Allisia]

I usually try to help others if I get the impression they're honestly in trouble. Sometimes it's hard to tell. I usually try to err on the side of helping them first, worrying about if that's what they want later. The last time was in the Sanctum of the Scaleborn last week. My group was a trio of low to mid 60s working hard to progress to the Ready Room. There was another group, a duo of level 70s, trying to do the same. So we formed an unspoken alliance as we leap frogged each other clearing spawns as we progressed. Once we got to the room each group went their own way. They went into the room and engaged the heroic patrolling guard on the stairs down. We went in and started to clear our way along the right wall (away from the stairs they were on). Somehow, they drew an add and by the time we noticed they had killed the first heroic, but their templar was down, leaving the ranger to go it solo. I didn't ask them if they wanted help, I just ran over and started taunting and building aggro. My wife kept him alive. Eventually, I was able to get the heroic off the ranger and we put it down. He rezzed his templar, and the found a quiet spot to recollect themselves. They were very appreciative. It's such a shame we both wiped within the next five minutes. If I had taken the time to ask if he needed help it probably wouldn't have come in time to help. If you're the type of player that feels the urge to lend a hand, then do so and live with the consequences, whatever they may be. I've never been  chewed out for helping before, but if that happens I'll just accept it and keep on doing what I can.

[Norrsken]

Dont do more than 50% damage or you screw them out of loot. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Well, thats on named fights. Dunno if it works the same way for quest updates though.

[Graywindnz]

<p>I doint think its a bad thing i know i wished a nearbuy toon could have helped me </p><p>I have done it on occasion watched to see how well they are doing and before they die I stun the mob and help them out.  They are usually both on or in the red when I do this as I suspect they are testing there limits like I have done in the past. So I can understand.</p><p>I sometimes get a thanks bit its never expected.. Just smile and move on. feels like you saved a life. (at least till the ^^^ named spawns on him..)</p>

[Kloud_Stryfe]

Helping out people can be a good & bad thing, just do what you feel is right.. Alot of good explanations from the people above.. As a healer class i can help out without affecting loot etc. If people dont want help then they should do encounter lock from the options. Thats what i say when i get flamed. Usually they turn around & say "encounter lock"? whats that ,-)

[DrkVsr]

<span style="font-size: small; color: #993300; font-family: comic sans ms,sand">If ah'm on one of mah healers ah will watch for a bit and see if their health starts to go down and then toss of a heal, if they don't need help they can still continue doing what they were doing (ie dieing <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />) but ah never interfer 'physically' in the fight (at least as long as the other player/s are still alive)</span>

[Littleflame]

Some of the lower levels can be alts who enjoy immensely about seeing what they can do on their own. I think if people have their encounters open they can be helped, especially if they are smart enough to ask when they notice someone is watching. Otherwise... if someone yells at you for helping, just tell them to lock their encounters <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.

[SpritRaja]

I have my encounters open by default because I like being able to invite people to my group even while in an encounter as well as other perks. That said I have often yelled at someone for "helping" me when I am engaged in an encounter. Many characters have crowd control abilities that help them solo hard mobs effectively. Your "help" being that small extra bit of damage you think they need or something else could be all that was needed to make an easy encounter be the end of them. Adding more than 50% damage also blocks any chance of them getting loot from the mob (not sure on quest updates) and more than halves their xp gain from the kill as well.

[DarrkElf]

<p>My general rule of thumb is to wait and watch.  If they yell for help then I jump in, throw some heals their way and nuke the mob.</p><p>If they don't yell, then even if they are running I leave them alone.  Some players still do try 'kiting', especially scout/mage classes.  On my mage sometimes I run while root is recharging, then recast stop and nuke.</p><p>With my play style someone watching my health meter would be in for a rude shock if they offered to "help out" when I got to low heath.  There are times when I will nuke all out for the first 75% of a fight and only cast heals on myself when my health drops way down.  There are a lot of classes that have massive emergency heals they can cast on themselves too (eg Paladin and Monk).  Your safest bet is to only give help if they ask for it.</p><p>If they die, then I offer to rez (if on my healer) and group with them to help them kill the mob.  Usually players jump at the offer, especially if it's a mob they need for a quest.</p><p>Keep in mind that players are not always going to want your help.  They may be roleplaying and be pretty cheesed off if someone interferes.  There's no point in helping someone out if they don't want it.  I prefer to either wait for them to yell and break the encounter, or ask them if they want help and wait for a reply (during or after the fight).</p><p>There have been times when playing a new class when I want to test certain combos or fighting styles, and am happy to die in order to see what works.  There are also some classes that have critical heal spells and procs which only activate if they receive a hit that would normally kill them, so smaking a trash mob around until you get to low hit points is a good way to test them.</p>