Raiding with friends or raiding for progress? How do YOU chose?

[Last Starfighter]

Here is the question: What is the basis upon with who you raid based? Do you raid with friends, with people you've been with for years? Do you try and get the furthest you can in progression to compete for a world/server/top ranking? Do you content yourself with trying to improve your own play ability, through WOL ranks, theorycrafting, min/maxing, etc?

Essentially, how did you decide to raid with the guild you are in, and why do you stay with them?

My story, I started playing wow just over 2 years ago, although I've been a gamer and MMO player for 15+ years. The guild I'm in now is the first guild I really raided with, and some of my best friends IRL now too. We've been to guildmate's weddings, gone to conventions together, spent time at each other's homes, celebrated birthdays, and the like. We have each other's phone numbers, are friends on facebook, and play other games together.

I made the choice to stay with my friends as long as most of them keep playing, and we keep progressing, even if it is slow at times. Sure, I've considered going to a better/top guild, but I'd rather raid with friends. Or I'll raid on off nights with an alt, to learn a different class and add to my raiding experience.

But what is the limit? When do you decide, ok, I like these people, but they aren't as good as they could be, or the like, and decide to move on? How does the MMO community decide to stick with a guild, or chose to join one? I'm incredibly curious to see what people think about this issue.

It sounds like you want more progress. If your friends are really your friends, they would be totally cool with you doing what you want to do. If they want to pay your sub, then sure stick with them. But there are plenty of things in the game outside of raiding that you can do with friends. It's so taboo to say "I'd rather find a better progressed guild than play with my friends.". When it shouldn't be. People are so judgmental of others in this game. But I guess that's just the online atmosphere as a whole. And not exclusive to wow.

[Katzuko]

If you have some friends that are actually good and dedicated, i guess it's a win win.

[Raider321]

Raid with friends for progress

imo

[Saif]

I tried to raid progression with friends for 2 years. Eventually, I joined a progression guild and made friends there.

[Deleted]

Raiding for progress instead of with friends, is like going to the bar to drink alone. You may have a problem involving drinking.

[Deleted]

If possible ill do it both. Otherwise id just raid for progress.

[Envisionist]

Just killed heroic sha with one of my best irl buds and a guild full of ppl I <3

You can do both if your friends are good.

[Raxxed]

I pay a monthly sub to raid progression. If my friends are bad, they can go to hell. I benched my roommate once. Fuck him for dying to tornados on Alysrazor, it's not my fault he is bad.

Each additional word in that statement makes me love you more.
OT: Progression. I don't have fun unless i'm succeeding. Wiping to stupid avoidable shit isn't fun, it's frustrating. Especially when you're wiping on the third boss in the tier and theres still another 13 to go.
Progression any day of the week.

Generally when you're in a guild of like-minded progression enthusiasts you make friends with them anyway. At least, it is the case for me.

[WarcLowN]

Raiding for progress, my friends only play pvp anyway

[Deleted]

I choose friends over progress tbh, we're at 5th server ranking on Doomhammer EU Which is around 230th server ranking (In EU or World can't remember which) now which isn't especially fantastic but isn't too bad either

[Deleted]

These things are not exclusive. When I still played, I raided for progression. And that's how I made all my friends in-game.