Everground's In Depth Guide to Successful Instance Leading

[everground]

Hello MMOwned! Everground here with an all new guide to help you instance leaders out there develop a healthy server reputation which will lead to getting you many tells everyday day asking for you to lead their instance. Since release day of World Of Warcraft I played a healer. And I can't tell you how many times fights have started, instance whipes, people rage quiting, ect simply because the lack of leadership by the tank. Now I play a protection Warrior. I know instancing isn't rocket science (especially in Wrath Of The Lich King) but I feel there are too many bad tanks out there. Maybe not in skill, but social and leadership skills. I take all credit for this guide and have not copied and pasted from anywhere. If a lot of this is common sense please do not flame this thread. If you have something constructive to add I would love to include it.

What this guide is:
-Forming an group properly
-Having good leadership skills
-Equipping yourself with instance knowledge
-Being social, polite, kind ect

What this guide is NOT:
-A class specific guide
-Threat Gaining
-A specific instance guide
-Ect

Forming The Group

Looking For Group: Start off by click the "Looking For Group" icon on your menu bar (where your character, spell book, ect are). Under "I'm looking for a group for:" click the drop down and select dungeon from the list. Now, a second list will appear under that one. Click it and it will show a list of instances in your level range. Select the instance you wish to participate in. You can select up to three instances at a time. At the very bottom, the is a section to leave a comment. I strongly suggest you leave a comment stating your class and talent.

Example Screen Shot


Looking For More: By clicking the "Looking For More" tab, you can see a list of players qued up for certain instances just like you previously did. By putting your mouse over them, you can read their comment to check if they left their spec. This is a vital tool for finding more players to participate in the instance.

Example Screen Shot


Looking For Group Channel:
By joining "Looking For Group" and "Looking For More" you will join the looking for group channel. Here, you can post things like "Tank LFG" or "LFM blah blah." I like to keep the looking for more format very simple and the same everytime I use it. I also, don't like to post more then once every minute or two. NO ONE LIKES SPAM.

Example: LF"Number Here"M - "Instance Name" - Need "Type Needed"
LF1M - The Stockades - Need Healer



Group Set Up
The most common and most successful group set up is
x1 Tank
x1 Healer
x3 Dps/CC (CC stands for "Crowd Control." Things like Rogue Sap, Mage Polymorph ect)



Starting The Instance

I always start EVERY instance exactly the same. I have yet to date in my four years of World Of Warcraft see a tank execute this method. I have set up two macros that welcome everyone to the group and inform them a little bit on how I run the instance to ensure it goes smoothly. No one wants to whip and usually, no one likes *******s. An important aspect you have to keep in mind is not to sound arrogant in the process. Press escape, click macros, and then click new. Here are the two I use!

Example Screenshots:






Use WoWHead, and TAKE NOTES!
Now that you have offered your help and informed them that the SKULL will be the focus target you need to equip yourself with the knowledge of the instance. Start by opening your internet browser and visiting Wowhead: Best when viewed! . From here, type in the instance you are about to start and click on it. From here, there are TONS of resources to help your group ranging from which trash to kill and how the boss fights are scripted. If someone in your group asks for help (you offered to help them), you can easily tab out of the game and check. I also suggest you always have a Word/Notepad file open to take notes on the instance. I have one for every instance I have tanked. I write things like "Pull left side, skip right in the second room." or "Don't forget to remind the group to stop dps at 10% and 15,000 health, not just 10%". This might sound stupid to some but it definitely helps me.

Example Screenshot:






BIND A KEY TO MARK THE FOCUS TARGET

Getting the focus target down as fast as possible is one of the easiest and MOST EFFECTIVE ways of getting through the trash without harm. Yet, tons of DPSers out there don't understand the concept which can cause problems. So, I ALWAYS mark the current dps target with a skull even if its the last mob alive. Right clicking their portrait and adding the skull would take to much time out of your threat gaining. So I STRONGLY suggest binding it to a key. I use "Control-F". You key find them in your key bindings.

Example Screenshot:




Social Skills

Having great social skills while taking a leadership role can be hard at times but being socially comfortable to others is the key to keeping them on task while enjoying themselves. This should honestly go without saying but here a small list to keep in mind. I'm sure there are social guides out there.

-Use please and thank you.
-Respect those who need to AFK for real life reasons.
-If someone makes a mistake, keep your cool. Calmly inform them of what they did.
-If someone does something right, let them know.
-Let people know you always love to tank and add each other to friend's list and keep in contact.
-There are 1000's more I can list but I assume you all ge the idea.




Hopefully, you get something useful from this guide and develop a better reputation on the server and gain more in game friends. Have FUN!

[SmotPoker]

using all caps always helps to

[Emilie Autumn]

an ok guide, but unless ur the tank its usless cuz the tank takes the elad in a normal party, the healer gets the shit put on him by the dps for theyre ****ups and the dps has 2 listen 2 the tanks comands =P

[acke]

Okey guide, but for the marking part, i use this ALOT easier way. Link : QuickMark - Addons - Curse

[Roffle]

People still crowd control in 5 mans? :P

[Omerbr]

lol....ure macros sound like that woman voice on the speakers in the airport telling people what to do.
gj tho

[Mr Barbeque]

lol....ure macros sound like that woman voice on the speakers in the airport telling people what to do.
gj tho

Pug's are serious Buisness