Embarrassment

Things were going so well.

In a new guild.

Making progress with a nearly full roster.

Then the healers that were supposed to join disappeared.

And so did the next pair.

And the next.

So we slogged through a few weeks of Horridon with various PUG healers; all having their own strats, their own opinions, and apparently all having the worst internet connections in the world (judging by the number of “disconnects” we endured).

The funniest thing about all the PUGS we went through, was that the guild was actually functioning appropriately – we were in the right spots and the right time attacking the right targets, it was the PUGs that were all over the board in skill.

And then it happened.

Tir made a tough decision, but one which I am very proud of him for: there are more important things in life than progression raiding.

He told his 25-man guild that he didn’t have the time available to devote to raiding 4+ nights a week and he left.

There should be an account achievement for an absurd amount of faction transfers. That’s right, he came back home to the Horde. (I don’t care that he started as Alliance, he belongs over here under the red and black.)

Not only did he come back to the Horde, but he moved over to Area 52 and brought all his characters into the guild – including his paladin healer, which we desperately need.

So we had an established roster of 9 and a filler healer lined up. We went in to Jin’rok and were already chatting about our Horridon strat now that we had some competent (and consistent) heals.

Except we didn’t get there.

Our warlock didn’t show. He’s been MIA with brief appearances on the remote chat but zero communication with anyone.

So we brought in a warm body.

She wasn’t the problem.

Heals were not the problem.

Energy balls being dropped on fissures were a problem.

The more experienced players were making so many dumb mistakes. Even I tried to push it too far, hoping that a heal would reach me as I returned from delivering an electricity ball to the grate as the electricity storm started. I should have ice blocked.

But we seriously could not clear the first boss in ToT.

And it was the first night Tir was in there with us.

He left HEROIC progression to watch us fuck up on the first normal fight.

I was mortified.

But he stayed cool and calm.

We did go back later in the week and take care of Jin just fine, but we’re still short our warlock and I don’t think our last healer spot has been solidified.

With a PUG healer and a warm body, we did make it to the 4th gate, but it was just too much.

Hopefully tonight we can walk in and not wipe on trash (yes, we wiped before even making it to Jin the other week), kill Jin, and make some progress on Horridon. Maybe we’ll even have a full guild raid team…