Utilizing alts for main raid (your perspectives)

[Frozendekay]

We don't bother with alts at all (US 19th 25man) but that's more to do with the fact that we only raid 12 hours. Not really enough time for multiple week 1 clears. If we raided 20 hours I think we would, sure.

We have brought alts in once or twice when setup demanded it (we lacked immunities for Lei Shen so a warrior swapped to rogue for cloak and symb cloak). They're nice to have but are a pretty big timesink.

[alucardtnuoc]

I have my main, 537 mage, and my pally, 527. My priest is on the rise at 510 now, but if my main guild requires me to bring in my pally or priest for a certain fight to make it easier, i will.

[Sparkidy]

From a lower end perspective, I always keep a healer in the stables (about 10 ilvl lower) just in case someone can't make it - we usually PUG dps - and I get called up from time to time, and my main has a tanking off-spec that I keep competent in. But this is by no means required of me, I do it because I like to help out. There have been a few progression fights I've done on my alt or off-spec because of this, but...who cares. Better that than not raid or get a bad roll on the PUG dice.

[Deleted]

I like to keep a relative ilvl on my warlock just because I dream of one day being able to main it. Personally I'd love to join a guild that allowed me to play a lot of classes and would probably raid the various days this worked.

What you probably want to do though is start PTR on SoO when it comes out and identify where you think a certain class would be better. Then think about who has those classes and start funnelling to them in runs.

[cFortyfive]

Not sure what you expect to hear. If you have the time which I'd guess not a lot of guilds have sure why not as your mains will end up in better gear and something will be very likely fotm enough to be worth being brought as it was every tier this addon.

[Deleted]

It is a huge advantage for your guild if you're trying to go for a higher rank or have an easier time killing the bosses in general. Since there might be the possibility to get the few extra 2 sets/trinkets/weapons that will make a character 10 times stronger than it was before.

My perspective of this is pretty simple. I think that every advantage you can get is worth it, if its PTR testing or running multiple normal raids or w/e. And personally I think its fun to actually play my alts and get some gear on them.

[Deleted]

I'm in a pretty mediocre guild progression wise, but just this reset i let my 12 ilvl lower paladin solo tank iron qon heroic.
Now i didnt try, but i doubt our kill would have came that fast if we were 2 tanking or me trying solo on warrior.
I also keep a warlock geared and ready, tho im probably gonna switch it out for a BrM monk and have 3 tanks lol..
Soon got meta on 3 chars

I would never force my raiders to actively keep alts geared tho, im just used to having several chars ready for progression

[kaib]

tweet from ghostcrawler:

5.4 ilevels aren't finalized but we're thinking something like 528 LFR, 536 Flex, 553 Normal, 566 Heroic.

not finalized of course, but odds are it will be in that region. if you add the new set boni being very, very good and the T15 ones mostly mediocre to the item level jump to 553, it's pretty obvious that having mixed raids with alts/mains funneling gear to the mains is going to be a noticeable advantage. Question is only if you want to invest that time. Most of the guilds aiming to be in the top 20 most likely are/will be doing that.