Legion is the first expansion in which I’ve pushed myself to play at a higher level than I ever have. This is thanks mostly to joining a guild that was founded on the principle of being open, helpful and accepting of all play styles and capabilities. But for a long time, WoW was just me and and a couple other running about in the darkness, shying away from those just beyond the light of our amusement, for fear we’d be gobbled up by those in the core of the community that would deem us not worthy. Overall, even while I’m safely ensconced in the the little group of people I now play with, I know there is a shitstorm of community out there, doing its best to impose some sort of weird caste system on our game. It disheartens me, but also gets me thinking.
Right now, Denaise is pushing 930 ilvl (sure not bleeding edge score, but still). I’m also pretty close to H Tos 9/9. I’m not about to call myself the best player in Wow. And I’m not about to claim I deserve any special treatment. But, even while I’m not running through mythic, I know and understand my own capabilities quite well. I know that I’ve watched a million videos on ToS on Heroic difficulty, I’ve read notes people have posted, I have researched bugs and strats, and I have pushed myself to gain the best understanding of fights I will have to learn to call in real time. I recognize that my raid leading comes from a place of theory. And that’s simply because until I got my KJ AotC recently, no one was going to pick me up for a pug Heroic. Because our game is filled with people who think they quite simply can’t be bothered with people they feel must be inferior. Even while I was trying to pug a normal ToS on a 911 alt the other day, I got denied because I didn’t have a “high enough” item level. And, I know that I’m not the only one who has observed this problem. We all know it’s a problem. But what really gets my own personal goat and makes it so much worse for me is the fact that when I do finally get into pugs, I know the fights better than 2/3’s of the people in there, simply because I have to know them that well. But I have no way of providing proof without being picked up to go.
So really, what is the truth behind the denials that are so swift in coming to us as we try to pug in LFG? I’ll tell it to you flat out: it’s not really about wanting to push through a quick run for AP, it’s about the power and thrill that comes with deeming yourself better than another even while, in all likelihood this is not the case. The power of being able to deny some one something they deserve and have worked for so hard and maybe just haven’t had the resources or time to get into their clutches yet…. that must be some sick kind of cocaine for people. It’s frustrating. And, the thing of it is that I’m not all that bad off myself. I have the strings to get through the content I want to see, but it’s my own choice to not pull them. If I have, it’s only because I’ve felt I’m at a point where I need to see something in order to help others.
And I feel the need to help when I can because of the fact I might be a little bit better off in terms of what I have access to in game. I don’t take for granted how lucky I am that I’ve found a safe place to flourish while so much of the community seems to be eating itself, still, in a sort of jealousy-fueled fury. Thing is about humans? We only get what we give. That is… some of the harshest or sweetest reality depending on how you choose to exist. When Chazz and I run pugs, we don’t much worry about “quick” runs or demonstrated skill. Item level means literally nothing anymore (seriously, take it from a Spriest who has at least three pieces 935 gear in her bags but can’t use them because she’ll lose haste…. ha ha ha ahadjfklaskdfjdkadlfkajfksdlafkdjf WHYYYYY). What I’m trying to say is, people tend to do better in the long run when you’re open to letting them make mistakes, or willing to let them try a harder thing they never thought they’d becapable of. If some one did their first ToS pug with me and learned something, or saw that they could actually do the content without being denied outright? That’s one more person who might be empowered to keep pushing themselves. I know it worked for me.
Alternatively, destroying the confidence of fellow players, or being vicious and snotty goes on to create more little monsters who enjoy headgames and can’t wait to pay the negativity forward. If you’re one of those people who have screamed at some one after being removed from a group, you’re part of the problem here. You’ve been treated one way, and now you think it’s acceptable. Or maybe you just want to lash out. Or maybe you think that pushing your weight around will gain you some kind of terrified respect. Quite the opposite. You’re in a pug. None of us care about what you think of us or yourself. We’re there, just like you, to push through, get our stuff and learn, maybe, even. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be.
Denial is a potent factor in WoW. It can sometimes fuck up your whole day in game. If it’s happened to you (and it probably has), I’m truly sorry. But there are those of us out there who just want to have fun, get some loot and push ourselves in a disciplined way without having to resort to cussing some one out. You can always find me at Denaise-Cenarius. I’m about as chill as it gets, and I’ll never deny you time of day depending on the energy you put out.
Denaise SunChaser 