Changes to raiding

[Odomfel]

<p>The more and more I play the more I see a need to change raids. I see far too many just zerging to get on parse and some classes getting left out because of lack of certain stuff. I'm not saying to go to a system like EQ1 had but Strats need to play a little more into how a raid is conducted. I know some mobs are like that now and every target has it's angle but maybe add some content where a certain classes abilities are highlighted some.</p><p> Second thing that should be done and I think more important than anything, is to make raids up to 6 groups. Having up to 36 players in a raid will open it up for more diverse class participation and a more variability. Right now, to me, raids seem just like a large group. 24 players seems small. You add 12 more players to a raid and you have more to "party" with and make it feel like a real raid. </p><p>These are just some thoughts. I really think a larger raid party would be awesome.</p>

[Wilde_Night]

<p>I am also on the 'make raids larger' bandwagon, recalling the craziness that took place in EQ1 when we had literally a hundred people amassed to take on the Planes.</p><p>More participation is always good.  I always hate having to see or ask people to sit out.  <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>The class specialty idea is good, but it will need to be looked at carefully if they consider it, because some of us crazies on the PvP servers can not have access to all 24 classes and it already makes the raid instances more challanging.  I belong to a Freeport only raid alliance and that means we don't have access to Rangers, Paladins, Swashbucklers... some of the classes many strategies rely on.  So we have to wing it and come up with our own through trial and error.</p>

[Skywarrior]

<cite>Aeviel@Venekor wrote:</cite> <blockquote><p>More participation is always good.  I always hate having to see or ask people to sit out.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /></p></blockquote><p>While I agree with you in principal with this statement, I have to disagree that making larger raids is the answer.  Increasing the allowable size of a raid means also increasing the required size of a raid.  You cannot have one without the other and still have challenging gameplay.  If you increase the required raid size by 50% then you are, for all intent and purpose, requiring (most) raiding guilds to double in size in order to continue their current raid effort.</p><p>A more reasonable solution for those guilds/alliances that are too big for single raids (routinely turning away raiders) is to either reduce your size through attrition without new recruitment or recruit enough to field two raid teams.  If the raid size were increased as suggested, you would have to do the latter anyway.  To make such a drastic change to the entire end game player organizational structure because a few guilds/alliances have more raiders than they need is not in the game's best interests, in my opinion.  It's tough enough for the majority of guilds to field a single solid consistent raid force of 24.</p>

[Wilde_Night]

<p>See though, that would not work with our alliance.  We are comprised of a Roleplaying guild that embraces all aspects of the game and a Non-Roleplaying guild who is focused on PvP, PvE and Raid content.  To suddenly close our recruitment doors to those looking for a nice place to leisurely enjoy all aspects of the game we pay to play is not what we are about.  I am not saying revamp the old raids for this possibility.  I would love for them to offer us new raids and mobs to do this with.  An occassional x5.  I am sure the uber raiding guilds could probably figure out a way to field it with a x4.</p><p>Eventually all of our members will catch up to the appropriate levels so we can field more than one raid at a time.  Until then, we will have to ask the odd numbers to wait until next time, which people have come to understand.  If they are late to the gathering - they will rarely get in.</p>

[Wyrmypops]

<p>All that wouldn't impact upon me at all as I prefer small get-togethers rather than massive house parties. As evidently most people do, as per the poll SOE took where raiding was the preferred playstyle of only 14%.</p><p>But, I would enjoy seeing some Epic x1 mobs. Suitably tough end of quest mobs that wouldn't require most players play in a style that is not the norm'. </p>

[Spangles]

<p>Never mind increasing the raid size, let's see some X2 raids written into the game.  Lots of them.  And in order to prevent certain classes being written out of raiding altogether put in scenarios/challenges that require certain classes to be able to complete.  Or limit amounts of certain classes to be able to zone in (ie this raid can only be undertaken by a force made up of minimum 2 fighters and max of 4, minimum of 3 healers and max of 5, minimum 3 mages and max of 5, minimum 3 scouts and max of 5).</p><p>Let's give those smaller guilds a chance to get involved with raiding without forcing alliances on them.</p>

[KBern]

<p>No thank you.</p><p>24 is more than enough as it is.</p>

[TuinalOfTheNexus]

<cite>Odomfel@Crushbone wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I see far too many just zerging to get on parse </p></blockquote><p>...and there's the problem.</p><p>Used correctly, parsing can be a handy tool for sorting cast orders, understanding which resists are important, etc.</p><p>Unfortunately your average keyboard-monkey can't see past the numbers or really comprehend them, so it turns into a "who can parse highest" pis*ing competition.</p><p>As a raid leader, you get constant whines from people who want the right group to maximise their DPS, at the expense of the raid total DPS. You get people doing utterly stupid stuff on nameds (particularly those that spawn adds at a % of health) so they can compare themself against x guild who recently posted their (skewed/bugged/fluke) parse on the same mob doing 50kdps. People are always posting their parses from when the random number generator gave them 20 consecutive crits and the fight by coincidence lasted just the right time for their reuse timers and rambling on like they're typical examples of the damage they deal.</p><p>Unfortunately the problem lies with the players, and how ACT works, so I don't see what the devs can really do about it.</p>