Rift and pugging

[Steamfrog]

Hello there.

I've been thinking of giving rift another go while waiting for the release of WoD. It's currently downloading but before I start another rift adventure a few questions came to mind. I love raiding, but I've come to a point where I don't enjoy scheduled raiding anymore. I prefer playing when I want to, not when I have too. I know this sort of goes against the love raiding part, but that's how it is for me. Now to the question, how is the pugging scene in Rift? Is it active, is it hard to get into? Share your experience with me!

The second part of my question is related to raiding as a new player in rift. Seeing as getting into an MMO can be quite confusing at first, and raiding especially. Is there any souls that would fit more then others as a new player starting with Rift raids? I'm asking as a dps, mostly ranged if that narrows it down in any way. I don't want you to pick for me, but just tips on what a smart choice to start out with would be.

Thanks for reading

Steamfrog

[Lathais]

Without having run the already, you may have a difficult time finding a PuG to take you. People usually want achievements.

What Soul depends on what class. All classes have good options for ranged specs. I would stay away from Warrior though, it's ranged spec is a little behind the others.

[Edge-]

For pugging, it depends on the server but there are usually a decent number of pugs going on for the first tier of raids. The only issue is getting enough hit to satisfy what the pug leaders want (which is usually well over the required amount), or many pugs requiring you to have completed the raid and have the achievement before joining.

As for souls, it depends on your playstyle. All 4 classes have ranged dps souls (You need to buy the Storm Legion soul bundle to get the warrior one though), and most are pretty straight forward. I can only speak to a few souls, but Inquisitor for clerics is pretty easy, as is the Tempest soul for warrior. For mages, Pyrochon (hybrid dps/support build) and Pyromancer are both quite easy. You can macro both out to a primary spam macro and a few debuffs/cooldowns. You won't be as effective as possible with them, but they will still be more than adequate for dungeons and pug raiding.

[Deleted]

I just did a pug yesterday in FT and killed crusia the 3rd time, after coming back to the game just yesterday. donno for how long you have been able to do it, but i almost killed her at christmas too

[Steamfrog]

Thanks for the replies. I do have a 60 mage, so I guess i'll stick with her. Atleast there is a raiding scene as pugs and that's exactly what I wanted to hear

[Slipmat]

PuGing is alive and well in Rift, but as others pointed out there's various "degrees" of PuGs

There's the "link Uber Conqueror/speed runs" types, the "need double the actual hit/stats needed" types and if you get lucky, fun runs with not really strict requirements. As in every MMO's kool heroes just want an easy time and you'll find a lot of the Raid leaders demanding such stupid limits don't even have the achievements themselves and just hope to get carried

With a new Raid Tier (T3) coming today/tomorrow in EU, you might find more PuGs for T1's as Patron/Vial boosts will now work on the T1 boss drops (you need Frozen Eclipse Stones to buy T2 gear), T1 bosses drop a set amount of FES as well as the T1 currency Empyreal Slayers Marks, thank feck they're finally removing a lot of the useless currencies

[Syce]

about 99% of the pug raids are only for people who already have the achievement. well atleast on Deepwood. in the last few months ive only ever seen 1 person start a pug raid without people needing the achievement.

[Riggins]

Still leveling, but how difficult is it to get raid-ready gear once we ding max level? Is it all about spamming 5m dungeons or are dailies worth it?

Thanks

[Fencers]

Spamming the dungeons and dailies is how you get raid ready. There are a few crafted pieces that can be "get-me-overs". Good in a pinch. But mostly, dungeons/dailies.

[Lathais]

Still leveling, but how difficult is it to get raid-ready gear once we ding max level? Is it all about spamming 5m dungeons or are dailies worth it?

Thanks

There are some crafted pieces that will get you in to Experts and in some cases will last you until T2 drops(helm and belt for some classes), but your gonna have to run a lot of experts. You can also just do world events and get a lot of IS and upgrade the world gear, but that will take a lot longer than Experts.

Check my sig for a good guide about what to do at 60 to get raid ready.

[Puremallace]

1st question: No Rift is not friendly in Storm Legion to pug raiding. Anyone saying any different either 1. does not play 7 day a week like me or 2. Is outright lying. The end game raiding is currently limited by gear requirements and achievement requirement you are not getting unless you are in a guild. This is a plain and simple undisputed fact right now. It has a feel of WotLK before gear score came along.

2nd: Forums have the tops builds for your class. This is expected to have before going into any sort of organized raiding. Best tip is to master ranged builds and make that your primary due to the non melee friendly nature of Rift raiding.



Before Lathais and Slip try to skewer me on this my information is based off of Faeblight raiding and watching 60 chat for any raid invitations available. Rapid Assault is becoming a requirement right along with 520 hit for a tier raid that one requires 420 to even pug Frozen Tempest anymore. Triumph of the Dragon Queen has become the same except for maybe 1 or two guilds who pug people for their progression runs.

The HIT and rune requirements in Storm Legion has become excessive compared to Chocolate Rift. Blizzard got smart and got rid of the bullshit rep runes in WotLK for a damn good reason because it was a sheer grind fest. Trion has a bad habit of learning slow from mistakes so I fear in the expansion we will have to suffer through grinding rep for runes that become required in raids.

Unfortunately we are dealing with Daglar right now an old school raider from WoW pre BC and Everquest who considers grinding a essential part of raiding and limiting encounters to only the most pro l33t people who do not even play this game anymore and went back to WoW quite some time ago.

Outside of the raiding there is still a epic shit ton of stuff to do in this game that does not involve end game content. My suggestion is if you want to raid get a guild. Guilds in this game outside of the top 3 are actually kind of nice.

[Lathais]

Before Lathais and Slip try to skewer me on this

Really? Did you not read what was already posted? I pretty much said the same thing. It's gonna be really difficult to find a PuG if you do not have the chieves already. Why call me out like that? Of course I did so without bringing up WoW or bashing Daglar.

[Puremallace]

Really? Did you not read what was already posted? I pretty much said the same thing. It's gonna be really difficult to find a PuG if you do not have the chieves already. Why call me out like that? Of course I did so without bringing up WoW or bashing Daglar.

Sorry sort of skipped to the bottom and we have disagreed on this before. Anyone who played WotLK towards the end right before they released Ice Citadel and saw the introduction of gear score and requirement of achievements on raids that had literally just released a week ago.

I do think their primary goal for the expansion outside of bug free should be the complete phasing out of rep runes.

[Lathais]

We disagreed on it before because the game was different before. Back when we had that disagreement I personally had gotten into many runs just meeting the requirements and not having the achievements. At the time, I also so at least one guild regularly advertising and running what they called training runs, letting people come that had never been before. I do agree it is different now though.

About the runes though, that really does not play in to this conversation at all, however, I have never been checked for runes when PuGing, just achievements. I've also gotten into runs on my alt by linking achievement from main. Neither of which have all the rep runes, only some. There are plenty of guilds who do not require them either, my guild being one. I also like the rep runes. If it were not for those, I really would have little reason to play outside of raids. I do kinda wish there was another way or 2 to gain rep though, perhaps through Experts.

[Underscore]

Runes, factions and rep. requirements is what keeps the 60 zones alive.
When i was a fresh 60 i loved the fact i entered a 60 zone and see events, rift raids, SH's and tons of people out in the world doing different stuff. Ofc the rep. grinds can be overwhelming but people must have a good reason to be in the world or they'll just park in the main city waiting for the next matchmaking feature to pop.

Regarding pugs, stepping your foot on the door is the hardest but that's where socializing comes. You meet people, you make friends, join a guild where you feel good and eventually you'll find a group of people that helps you in.
I don't want to make this a game vs game argument but if you look at the big picture you have downsides on every approach. Other games implemented LFR features to introduce players to raid content, and that helps you getting in, learn fights etc, but also turned the game into a "single player" group content. (People that experienced it know what i mean).

Of those two approaches i prefer the first.