[Anopheles]

Not everyone has played umpteen MMO's and knows the etiquette of Raids and dungeons.

I'll get this started, but I hope others contribute to it and maybe it will be stickied.

Roles

Tank (or Main Tank - MT): In this game that is those classes who are 'Soldiers'. Sometimes, if you allow a very much higher level character in a low level dungeon, they will become the tank, regardless of class.

Tanks keep the mobs attention and, with healing, can survive it. They have 'agression' which makes the mob stay on that character. It is up to the Tank to know how to keep aggression and build his character accordingly. Mobs in dungeons can make short work of anyone who is not a tank and this may cause a wipe.

Off Tank: This is someone who can either take the aggro from the mob should the main Tank fall over or to hold off a second mob until the main mob is defeated. If they can do something else, fine, but they should be watching the status of the Main Tank.

Healer: The healers primary job is to keep the tank alive. If you have time to heal others, fine and if you have time to throw in some dps, great, but don't lose focus on your primary goal. You lose the tank and you may cause a wipe.

DPS - Damage Per Second - These are the Mob Killers. There main job is to hit the mobs for as much damage as possible. They should wait for a few seconds before engaging the mob so that the Main Tank can build the aggression of the Mob. DPS tend to be fragile and will die quickly if a dungeon mob concentrates on them. They come in two main forms: Melee and Ranged. If the Mob comes at you, DON'T run, you'll probably end up attracting additional mobs, just man it out (not attacking) until such time as the main tank can regain attention. If you have an aggression lowering feat, use it.

CC - Crowd Control - This is generally done as a secondary act by one of the support characters and it consists of actions that stop the mobs from attacking for a period of time.

Wipes

Wipes are were the group, or most of the group is killed. The most important thing to remember is: Wipes happen. Even to the best organised groups. Try not to bitch about each other, because that kills everyone's fun. If you have criticism about a person's action, keep it constructive and accept people's apologies and explanations if they are remotely possible.

Easiest ways to avoid Wipes are to:

Do your jobs
Follow the plan
Watch out for Add(itional Mob)s
Pull only as many mobs as you can handle


Etiquette

If you have accepted a group leader, do as they say. If you disagree with a decision, either do it on tells or wait until there is a quiet moment.

Read the Group Messages (if not using speech programs) to see if you are being told to do something.

Don't tell people how bad the group is, or how you are doing people a favour.

Don't roll need for anything you don't actually need (for example, Heavy Armour for a cloth wearer). If you are sure no one in the group can use it (it happens), then roll greed.

If you press need by accident, apologise and offer to sell the item and split the cash.

Communicate clearly. Especially if time is of the essence.

If you need to go AFK, let people know with a reasonable estimation of your return time and reason, if possible, like: 'Phone Call. Brb 5 mins'

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I'm sure they are hundreds more.

[scytheofconan]

Originally Posted by Anopheles DPS - Damage Per Second - These are the Mob Killers. They come in two main forms: Melee and Ranged.

... both should stay close to the mob, so it doesn't run far away from the tank(s) if the DPS pulls aggro.

If the Mob comes at you, run

Don't ever, ever, EVER do this. If you run away, you pull the mob with you and tanks/offtanks have no chance of getting the aggro away from you. Suck it up and hope the offtanks do their job - pull the mob off you.

[Anopheles]

Originally Posted by scytheofconan ... both should stay close to the mob, so it doesn't run far away from the tank(s) if the DPS pulls aggro. Don't ever, ever, EVER do this. If you run away, you pull the mob with you and tanks/offtanks have no chance of getting the aggro away from you. Suck it up and hope the offtanks do their job - pull the mob off you.

I stand corrected.

Oh, and this should be titled 'Dungeons' not raids.

[Mikkeman]

This is a nice thing for the new players out there. Thank you for your effort

[lilla-snigel]

Very nice introduction to new players

A few additions:
Healers: In AoC the main healing is done by the Priest archetype (Priest of Mitra, Tempest of Set and Bear shaman). The Priest archetype is sometimes in error called simply Healers, but their role is in AoC to work the same way as any DPS class, but with the addition of keeping their heals running at all times and save their team mates lives by using their burst heals with the right timing.
Some other classes that don't belong to the Priest archetype brings additional healing (or off-healing if you so want) which sometimes can make up for only bringing one priest into your group.

Crowd Control: We do not have a specific "crowd control class" in AoC so the CC-abilities are instead spread over all the classes. Some classes do have more of these abilities than others and learning how to use them is just as important in PVE as in PVP as they can save both yourself and your tank if you save them for the right moment.

[Anopheles]

Thanks for the words and the additions. Edited the op to include 'Don't Run'

Also:

Punctuality: If you agree to be at a dungeon at a certain time - be there then. RL can be a pain, so if you think you are going to be late try, if you can, to tell someone. No one wants to spend their free time bunny hopping on the steps outside.

Patience: If you need something - Ask once and wait. Don't spam the group channel. If you need a path cleared to get back to the group after a death, they will come for you when they can.

Don't Explore Alone: Stick with the group. Playing in 3rd person is best.

Pet Discipline: Not quite as essential as in some MMO's, but if you have a pet, make sure it/they don't pull adds. You are responsible for you pets.

[Nunjaz]

just an addition to the above ...


before joining a group instance (or raid even)

make sure you have stocked up on plenty of potions (health, mana, stamina - dependant on class)

If you can, get 4 hour food (same again health, stam, mana)
(4 hour food gives better regen and bonus and if you die stays active , rather than having to keep using the 1hr food )

make sure you have PVE gear on ..not your pvp gear

If you get apprenticed by someone , make sure you remember to rebuff

[Civilix]

I disagree...to some of that text:

1. Off tank, that is not a role, that is a function. Either find a mob and tank it, or do dps. When i see people telling they are offtank specced i just discard them as pretty much useless.

2. Healer, your job is to keep _everyone_ alive. Dont just stand there rigth behind the tank, move around, make sure everyone is covered.

3. CC, this is everyones job. If you are not using CC you are not doing your job. If you are a conq or barb, keep a twohander on switch!

[kinginyellow]

Originally Posted by Civilix 1. Off tank, that is not a role, that is a function. Either find a mob and tank it, or do dps. When i see people telling they are offtank specced i just discard them as pretty much useless.

My opinion is that offtank is one of the most usefull roles in a group. To be a good offtank depends primarily on specc and then on how you play. What is very important with having an offtank is that it gives versatility to the ways a group faces encounters. An offtank is supposed to be able to tank for a while so that he/she either gives some time to the main tank to heal up or take care of some accidental side pulling or aggro stealing. Also he/she should be able to do some fair dps when aggro switching is not needed. A tanking specced soldier can help with tanking but not with dps and a dps specced soldier can help with dps but not with tanking. An offtank spec can help with both.

Originally Posted by Civilix 2. Healer, your job is to keep _everyone_ alive. Dont just stand there rigth behind the tank, move around, make sure everyone is covered.

If the only thing a healer does is moving around casting heals on people who, at the moment, don't need healing, it's a waste of mana and dps. He could have used that time to help with dpsing regardless if he can't dps well enough. Sometimes every little bit helps.

Originally Posted by Civilix 3. CC, this is everyones job. If you are not using CC you are not doing your job. If you are a conq or barb, keep a twohander on switch!

Here, I partly agree. Though you should have said correct use of cc. A misplaced cc can be detrimental in an encounter. For example using knockbacks and spoiling the positioning of the npcs, thus making it more difficult for the tank to keep aggro, when it's not needed.

[Civilix]

Originally Posted by kinginyellow (...)If the only thing a healer does is moving around casting heals on people who, at the moment, don't need healing, it's a waste of mana and dps. He could have used that time to help with dpsing regardless if he can't dps well enough. Sometimes every little bit helps.

When you have a emo demo spilling his blood all over the place or a necro eating up himself, it is better to provide them with heals than try to dps yourself. No way you can compete with their dps, and with a healers help they can keep the dps high all figth.

However you look at it, the healers are a support class, when they support their team they do best.

I am not suggesting to cast on people that dont need the heals, i am saying that your responcability is the whole team not just the tank.

About the CC, offcourse it must be used rigth :P