How to be a Successful PUG - In 5 Easy Steps!

PUG "Pick Up Group" 1. n. A group formed for the purpose of completing an encounter by inviting players which are not members of the same guild. 2. n. A player who is invited to a group and does not share any connections with the group.

This post is not meant for raid leaders looking for ways to whip their current groups into shape.  This post is intended for players who may or may not have a regular group with which they defeat encounters (or raids). This is also what you - as a member of your amazing, popular, and attractive guild - should consider to make you an asset and not just "that guy we bring because no one else is online right now." Or maybe you're cool with being that guy. Whatever.

#1 - Do I listen? Am I open to new ideas?

Can you take direction from the raid leader, even if his strategy is different from what you're used to?  Players will devise many strategies for a fight, and no two are exactly the same. In my experience, the strategy I'm used to may seem like the only way to win, but when I run with a different group, their way works just as well.  You always have the capacity to learn.

#2 - Am I focused?  Am I responsive?

Say you can listen patiently to a new strategy.  Are you focused enough on the encounter to execute it?  Raid leaders don't want to bring players that constantly stand in fire or don't do their part of a fight mechanic. Are you supposed to CC1 something?  Are you supposed to activate a switch at a certain time?  Are you supposed to use a CD2 at a certain time?

Have you ever been in a PvP3 situation where the objective is to defend a base, or series of bases/flags/etc, and that one guy always goes off and does his own thing?  Don't be that guy.  Nobody likes that guy.  The situationally aware person gets invited back.

#3 - Am I technically competent?  Do I follow through?

Do you understand how to play your class?  This may seem like a silly question, but you'd be surprised how many people are unaware of, or simply ignore key parts of their selected class. Maybe you have a skill you don't  use every day, but damned if it isn't helpful on this ONE FIGHT so you better remember you have it.

Do you actually bring to the table what you claim you can?  Can you pull the dps4 you say you can? Can you take the hits you claim you can? Can you heal as well as you say you can? Follow through on your promises, and be up front with any weaknesses you may have. If you're honest, you stand a better chance of the group helping you rather than replacing you.

#4 - Do I encourage others?  Do I share information?

Are you a negative-ninny or a positive-patty? Gaming is all about having fun, and it's no fun having a party pooper in your group. Don't complain about failures; encourage others by helping them. If someone isn't sure where they should be standing, show them. If someone is a little loose in their dps rotation, help them tighten it up.  Share any information you have on strategy, dpsing, healing, tanking, whatever you know, but be sure to do it in a respectful way. Again - if you're pleasant, you're more likely stay rather than be replaced.

#5 - Do I follow the rules?  Do I resolve conflict cleanly?

This last step might be a little more for those already in steady raid groups, but still bears mentioning here. Always follow the rules during encounters. This goes for pre-raid preparation, during-raid execution and loot drops, and after-raid housekeeping. If you have a problem, wait until the raid is done and talk to an officer or the raid leader. Find a way to resolve the conflict without creating huge amounts of drama.  No one likes drama.  Drama is like that guy that goes off and does his own thing while standing in fire.

Hey, thanks for reading this far!  Guess what!  I have another gift for you.

If you understand and really take the above to heart, think about it when you're in your every-day life. It works there too.  Just like the team-building in my previous post. It works.  Now go be the impressive PUG you are and make momma proud.

-ERP Princess


1) CC - Crowd Control; incapacitating the target with an ability such as polymorph, sap, or stun.
2) CD - Cooldown; an ability with a longer-than-average time limit on its use such as once every 3, 5, or 10 minutes.
3) PvP - Player vs Player; an arena or battleground where players fight each other rather than computer-generated enemies.
4) dps - Damage per second; how much damage a character can do such as 65,000 dps.