tell us your worst grouping experience (NOT how hard to find a group)

crislevin · July 2014

So once a group is formed, what was the worst experience you have? and what suggestions you would give for a successful group?

btw, I been to many many groups, standard and vet, dolmens and public dungeons, vast majority of the experience was great, but occasionally there is one or two really awful ones.

Soloeus · July 2014

I went into Fungal Grotto. One of the players was a D-Bag. The other one was on my ignore list for making racist remarks. I left the group. I used group finder tool. It re-paired me with these clowns. 3 times.

[Moderator Note: Edited per our rules on Naming & Shaming]

crislevin · July 2014

I had some group members being real bossy, looking down on everybody and quit in the middle of the dungeon.

I had others who die recklessly and blame healers.

I just hope people learn to respect others, and realize their own role and strive to be good at it.

I strongly suggest traditional group configuration: 1tank+2dps+1healer.

traigusb14_ESO2 · July 2014

Don't have any really good "one time at band camp" stories... mostly people getting killed. Do have some observations though. My small guild pretty much quit months ago, so I do PUGs a lot, if I want to do stuff in groups.

People tend to just continue soloing with their AOE spam builds. It can be hard to keep people healed and/or tank stuff with people sprinting in 3 different directions.

In 12 VR levels I had an actual group in dolmens and pub dungeons maybe 3 times. The rest were all just people soloing AOE spam (even if you were using the group interface and invites, gameplay was the same).

The level 15 privates tend to be the most chaotic as people start learning to group the hard way, and find out what healers and tanks can and can't do in ESO. Mostly coming from other games, they get surprised tanks can't get 100% aggro on all mobs and healers can't heal through everyone standing in the fire.

After that PUG dungeon groups tend to get better, except for when the finder puts 4 people only marked DPS together (all the time), usually we can get a tank and a healer out of our skills (much easier at higher levels because people have more skillpoints). Often get someone new to tanking or healing who have skills and morphs, but never actually used them before. Fights go slower and some dying happens, but people get the hang of it and it usually works out (you may get a impatient quit by someone that wants a speed run). So that turns out ok most of the time.

At VR11 and 12 it goes to crap again. You get a lot of soloers who hit VR then ground out VR10 in craig grinds. Dungeon groups are often as bad or worse than level 15 privates. Everyone is in a hurry and using a crap AOE build. They run out of healing range and ignore whatever the tank is doing.

I've only done 3 vet dungeons, but all were invites from a friend (and they went really well). Never PUGed one.

poodlemasterb16_ESO · July 2014

For a PUG you have to have a leader. I'll follow anyone who looks like they want to lead. I'll pick a direction and kill stuff if they just bunch up and stand around, obviously undecided, but a good leader who can set a good pace is golden. The charge ahead guys are useless and get far too many people killed, too deliberate, and you lose your 'pace' and things don't flow. You want to move the group but let them easily keep up.

It's true everyone usually runs what they 'brung' but as long as there is some diversity you can do fine. I have a tanky sorc bar and DPS sorc bar on my Dunmer and it's real handy to be able to adapt. I'll fool with those if I feel I need to.

Did a golden one last night. Was testing stuff, Surge on Overload actually, in the start of the Windhelm + dungeon and was swept up into a small group. Went all DPS and we smoked that dungeon. Fun.

ers101284b14_ESO · July 2014

Went to do spindleclutch with a group. We all finally get together all our stuffs sorted out and we go in and kept dieing, realized we don't have a healer. We wipe on first boss, it bugs and won't let the battle end so we all have to end the party. One of the part members had already done the quest so said we could kick them for a healer. We get a healer and wipe at the first boss again, bugs again and won't let us respawn. We have to leave the party. We regroup try again...and well we gave up.

Rev Rielle · July 2014

I've actually had far more enjoyable experiences than bad, you should do a thread asking about our best experiences

That being said, my worst experience was a couple of days ago in Auridon (VR). I went to help a few looking to best the mages at Soulfire Plateau. They all seemed to have 'normal' names to I decided to help out when they asked in /zone. I was invited to the group and said my usual 'greetings' with which the leader responded with 'would u hurry up plz'. So I made my way to the plateau (Which I of course was doing anyways) only to find out that the mages weren't even there, and that they were still waiting on others that hadn't even joined as yet too. So I told them I'd '((Brb' in 2 minutes.
Of course when I'd returned I'd found out that they'd tried without me, had all died, and now everyone was abusing everyone else in the group about the lack of healing provided. The leader was so abusive, to one person that came - like me just to help because we'd both already fought at the plateau many times before - that they left the group, after a retort in kind. At that point in time I decided to do the same, after letting them know that if they waited till I was back after the mages had spawned (all of 30 s it seemed), I would quite easily have been able to heal the whole group, as that's what my character does; heal.

Honestly. some have a unique talent to bite the hand that feeds, so-to-speak. And I now have a couple more names added to my ignore list. Thankfully though, that's the exception to the rule; and most groups I've been a part of randomly, have been quite enjoyable. Mostly.

reggielee · July 2014

other than the usual 'i know everything' and 'i love to stand in red aoe, why cant you keep me alive, you suk' moments the most annoying but funny one was when I was with friends and needed just one more pug player.

while we waited first one then the other friend had to go afk, sometimes far longer than what they said, then when they come back the other was gone, then the pug person left due to them being inactive, then the friends would come back and apologize but the wife made them mow the lawn first or the baby needed a bath, then when we finally.. finally all got it together... mind you... i was there the whole time waiting.. outside my house a worker cut my power line. good times

Innocente · July 2014

Well, not an exact response to your thread, but I do have something for you. I play Templar Healer when grouped, and my playing partner plays Sorcerer Tank. So, for 4-man dungeons, we are usually looking for two DPS to round out our team.

Sure, we get a variety of players with varying levels of skill and tempers. However, as a support player, I feel it is my place to support the team not only in healing, but also in group play.

For example, if a DPS player (I am always posted in range of the Tank) is to far away to be healed and dies, I do not berate them for being out of healing range. I apologize to them for me not being in range to heal them and say that I will certainly try to do better next time. And, I do keep an eye on them to see if they wander out of range and try to re-post to a position to get everyone. But, I also usually see that they will make an effort to be closer as well.

Almost all players will step up if treated with respect and if one is not abusive and full of oneself. There are exceptions of course. In those rare cases, I simply try to get everyone through the dungeon as smooth as possible, then when all is complete, thank everyone and disband. Never dwelling on the just ended less than stellar experience.

Even in delves and other random multi-player content, it is always good to keep an eye on the players around and help them as much as one would in a true group situation.

So, I don't dwell on the unpleasant grouping situations. I try to learn from them and move forward. Everyone is always doing what they think is best. I try to remember that.