Belly's guide to effective raid leading

[gleowine]

I should have done this a long time ago, but due to something Chris pointed out to me on the forums currently I wanted to come back and leave my last final thoughts on raiding.

This is the spider formerly known as bolesh, then changed to belosh's guide to effectively leading a raid to get opponents IN MAH BELLY. There are many things to keep in mind and many things a raid leader must do in order to be effective. I am putting them here and I will explain them all in detail below the list.

1. Greet and say hello to all that join up with you.
2. Be calm and collected, even when all hell breaks loose.
3. Know what targets to attack.
4. Keep track of everyone who has used skill/racial cooldowns.
5. Know the weaknesses of each class, but more importantly each player.
6. Know your opposing raid leader and how they act and react.
7. Be nice. There is no need to be mean, people screw up; guess what so do YOU!!!
8. Have a plan, but don't have a plan.
9. Use the terrain to your advantage and know every inch of the moors.
10. Pick your RAT's (raid assist target) carefully.
11. Know when to make them and when to break them.
12. Strategy and tactics: use them to feed your BELLY!
13. Practice makes perfect.
14. Get over yourself, you really aren't that good.
15. Give positive feedback.

Okay there is a good sized list and it can be quite intimidating. Very few people lead raids, still fewer lead them for long in the moors, and only a select few even get good at it. Below I will explain all the points above in a little more detail. If you don't want to read them that's cool, just bear in mind the list above. <hint hint, the list is your summary>

1. Greet and say hello to all that join you:
Yes, seriously, you must do this. For one it makes people feel welcome, secondly people are more likely to listen to you if they feel there is a bond or friendship going. Saying something like "Hey shaz, thanks for joining up, we are heading to OC so you can meet us there" can do wonders for cohesion. If you get repeat followers let em know "hey shaz, how's it going buddy, good to have you along with us again", this creates a closer knit bond, people react to it positively and will listen to you.

2. Be calm and collected:
There is no need to fly off the handle. No one ever responds well to that. #### happens, you die, you lose, you fail to take the keep. Get over it. None of that is even meaningful in the moors. #### changes sides so fast it isn't even worth a ruffle of the feathers. If you stay calm, it helps others remain calm. The heat of a fight can be hard, take control but don't be a bully during it. Raising your voice raises everyone tension level, in combat that is already raised so it creates a bad scenario and hurts your chances of winning. Keep it together so your enemies GET IN YOUR BELLY, and not the other way around.

3. Know what targets to attack:
This is one of the hardest things and I'm being serious. Just because you see a mini or WL, that does not mean they are the best to always target first (especially these days). If there is a weak character go for them first, take down the easiest targets, then move to harder ones. Know your numbers, know their numbers and adjust who you target accordingly. This takes a ton of practice. Targeting the wrong person first can many times means losing a fight you could have won. On the other hand knowing who to target, even when outnumbered, can mean winning the fight instead of losing.

4. Keep track of used CD's and skills:
This is a must. Did that captain blow his last stand in the fight before, take his butt out then so you can get rid of that healing and buffing. Has the WL used his rez, then forget about him this go around and take other targets first. Did the mini use feign death before? You surely better know and keep track in your mind about how long ago. Is that guy a hobbit? well you better believe he will plop to the ground unkillable. That is anywhere from 3-7 seconds that many in your group aren't hitting a real target. That costs you battles, plain and simple. Keep track of cooldowns and racial skills used and your raids will be more effective.

5. Know thine enemies weaknesses:
Players are not all created equal. Know which ones suck and which ones are good. Most people, just by the laws of average, won't be in the good category. Know these people are take them out. Get a good head start on the body count. This is a good principle to use if you are outnumbered. Even if it happens at least try for a couple kills. You don't have to win each engagement. Go in and get some kills and people will be happy even if you wipe due to overwhelming numbers.

6. Know your opposing raid leader:
This is key, you should know how they act, how they react, and what they are likely to do next. People are predictable. They have the same tendencies and habits. Learn the signs and adapt to them. Learn how to best counter and be able to change on the fly to adjust accordingly. Heck, once you get good at reading people it becomes much easier to set up ambushes, flanks, counterattacks, etc.

7. Be nice:
This is a game, there is no need to be a schmuck. People will screw up and make all sorts of mistakes. Explain why such and such isn't a good idea then move on. If you dwell on the negative so will everyone else and your whole raid becomes less effective.

8. Have a plan, change that plan:
Having a plan is great. Think things through, see the whole battlefield and set up in an advantageous spot or position. If you are getting camped and have much fewer numbers go take something meaningless in the scheme of things, but something that will lift everyone's spirit. However, don't get stuck on a plan. Be willing and able to change on the fly due to intel or even a gut feeling. Use your knowledge of your opponents to think what they will do and if you get that feeling, act on it. Being unpredictable can mean the difference between wiping your opponents or being wiped.

9. Use the terrain:
Stay to tree lines if you want to stay better hidden, ridge ways allow for clear vision for long distances and you are more noticeable. Stay to the downside of the hill so someone has to actually go over the top of it to better see you. Use those trees and bushes for cover. Don't stop a raid in the open, go to a bush and wait in there. Nothing is better than your opponents seeing only a couple people hiding in a bush and then getting wholloped by 24 people jumping out from behind that bush. Knowing every inch of the moors will help you keep from being detected as you move around, or help you find smaller groups to attack if you only have a small number of people in your raid.

10. Choosing a RAT:
Your raid assist target (RAT) will make or break your raid. You, as raid leader, might not be the best at this, if not let someone else do it who is better. Don't be so vain to think you can do it all. If you are that good then make sure you are picking targets that will die fast. Keep track of the cd's each enemy has used and adjust accordingly. Know which opponents plays his class better and target someone weaker first to get them out of the fight. If you, as raid leader, are not happy with the targets being chosen change the RAT. Just say you want to give more people the chance to gain experience in it so you don't hurt anyone's feelings.

11. When to make em, when to break em:
You don't always need a raid, if numbers are equal enjoy the good fights. There is no need to squash your opponents for no reason. Once you are outnumbered and outgunned then make a raid. If you start to take things back over don't be afraid to slow it down a bit and give your opponents time to regroup; you get better fights that way. Driving everyone off does neither side any good. If you really start to outnumber your opponents break the raid up. Some people will only lead raids when they have an advantage, and sure, people will think you are the best leader, but really your just a hack who isn't good enough to fight when the chips are down.

12. Strategy and tactics:
For the love of MAH BELLY move around. Use things to your advantage, think ahead of time, plan things out, watch your opponents and use a tactic to counter what they are doing. The same tactic or strategy can't be used for every person or on every raid leader. Flanking maneuvers, fake retreats, scouting, fake keep attacks, even letting yourself be seen, ambushes, etc can all be used and should be. However, know thine opponent and choose accordingly.

13. Practice makes perfect:
You are not a good raid leader just because you think you are. Chances are you still suck. Chances are you will continue to suck for awhile. It is only by leading time and time again will things sort of gel and then you look back and you think, wow I really did suck when I first started leading. The more confidence you show the better your raid will react to it. Experience gives you that confidence.

14. Get over yourself, you really aren't that good:
Yep, I said it. You aren't. You are that good because you have other people helping you out. Without everyone working together you wouldn't stand a chance. Other players, even though they might not be leading, can greatly increase the effectiveness of your raid. Let them. Encourage them. Be humble while leading, no one likes an egotistical #####.


15. Give positive feedback:
If you see someone do something good let them know. Thank your scouts for doing a good job. Tell your RAT's how awesome they are doing, If you see someone use a skill wisely let them know (you should be able to keep track of all this and everything above and you must to be a good raid leader). Are your healers doing a great job, tell them! Did that warg put on a pounce that enabled you all to get up and kill that one last guy. Say heck yeah! nice pounce! The more positive you are to people when they do something good the more likely they will want to learn and do similar things in the future.

Well I have rambled on enough and this post is enormously long. If you didn't read it all that's cool. If you don't like it, that's cool. It probably meant you died a lot while we were out there running a raid against you If you have questions, I probably won't be around to look at them so you will have to ask someone else. Always remember though ..... ......

<GET IN MAH BELLY>

<Belosh/Bolesh>

[tykoshi]

Thanks for posting, Belly! Yours is one of the leadership styles I learned/am learning from.

-pup-

[Baileyrocks]

This is perfect! Thank you Belosh~!

[twinsuns]

I miss your raids! Both being in them and fighting against them!

Though maybe it's time I try my own hand at leading a raid, been out there long enough now. I remember Bud encouraging someone new (me) to lead and I'd only been out there 2 weeks. Hehe. Think I could manage better now.

Maaaayybbeeee this weekend.... 0_o I will keep these tips in mind!

[Arvaen]

Easier to necro threads went they aren't buried...

Bump, since Link was asking!

[gleowine]

Bumping this up as someone had concerns about raid leaders. Chris is out of town for a couple days so I have control back of my account. If anyone has questions about raid leading this is probably the only time you can get an answer so ask away.

[Umbrarg]

Bumping this up as someone had concerns about raid leaders. Chris is out of town for a couple days so I have control back of my account. If anyone has questions about raid leading this is probably the only time you can get an answer so ask away.

Muffins or cookies?

Love & Hugs

Fluffy Hithy

[Aedon]

We need a Belly raid.

[tykoshi]

Bumped, because someone asked about it.

-pup-

[Thane9]

Good bump, good post.

[smurfenstein]

I feel smarter already! Thanks Bolesh!

[Anarionadama]

I feel smarter already! Thanks Bolesh!

Nice Dress, Frosty.

[Alfwin]

Good stuff.