Deuwowlity had a post here, and some things stuck me about it, talking about playing the game the way you want to – and other people giving up what they want to do, so others don’t have to.
Who you play with is a massive motivation to keep playing, and especially now with other distractions, a pre expansion slump, new games to distract you – people matter – and I have learned that it comes down to who you want to play with V how you want to play.
I was ok with following around someone being their pocket healer on a brief leveling project of a Elemental Shammy. Even though I had picked the class for something new and fun. I ended up healing while we were questing. More because it was for time spent with that someone.
I was quite happy leveling up my Healing priest in dugeons because of who I leveled with, and I probably enjoyed healing more, because I was with someone I enjoyed playing with.
I am ok healing H Sin in my current guild – ( even though I feel like most of my job is just to eat the unchained Magics sometimes)
I wasn’t ok with being forced to heal all the time on my main when Wrath came out, and I left a guild back in early days Wrath because the intended healers for the 10 man Naxx were slow levelers, so the Shadow Priest was good to use. It meant there was more than likely no permanent spot for me in the raid when the healers did finally get there. I got called selfish when I told them my reason for wanting to move on. If the people had mattered more I think I would have been ok. My attitude to healing has changed a lot now – for the right people now it wouldn’t be such a big deal.
In another guild I wasn’t ok with three active Shadow Priest raiders, when one of them refused to sit out. Ever, and this influenced my move to what become the first guild I felt like was ‘home’
I guess Healing / DPS come up for me as the most frequent circumstances of times where how I want to play v how others wanted me to play became an issue because it impacted on how I enjoyed playing. I don’t have other preferences that affect how I play. What wing gets done first is negligible, If we work on Hard Mode LK, or Hardmode RS doesn’t matter, and depends on a heck of a lot more than just one persons whim on how they want to play. Maybe my warrior will have Tank / Dps Issues in the future, or if I gear her up reasonably well she might be in a good position to be a tank in cata. ( OH THE HORROR)
Deuwowlity asked how many people are stuck playing the game in a way that doesn’t make them 100% happy and came to the conclusion it was probably a staggeringly high number. I wanted to answer – it’s who you play with that makes the difference – who you will stick around for when things aren’t all roses, but I would tend to agree. If you could ask your guild their inner most desires what spec / role they would truly love to play – I doubt you would have a viable raid.
When the people don’t become important enough to make a little sacrifice for, be it spec, time, content, progression – or lack of – then the reason you play changes – and makes it easier to leave for something /someone who is more important. I had to learn that when I was not logging in and enjoying playing that leaving is sometimes better than logging in, and hate what you will be doing for the next few hours.
When Cata comes out we will all have that chance to refresh our mains again. Asking someone to level 80-85 because you’re not going to have enough healers/tanks will be a massive ask. But some people will do that, let their choices as to who they level first, and gear up be influenced by what will be needed by their friends or guild. Duel specs will make it easier to get there, and you can try to pick up gear for both along the way, but you will still need to focus more on one aspect. You can only pick one piece for a quest reward. Do you pick what will help you level faster – or what will be more useful for the needed spec.
I am sure some guilds will be planning for this – of course things change, people change – they might get to 81 and hate their class, but it’s something to think about. Will you be leveling what you want to – playing how you want to? Or you will play what others need you to, and I guess as Gnomeaggedon points out – in his post Play the way you want to and I know us hybrids don’t let the pure dps classes complain too much about choice – but playing what you enjoy the most doesn’t just had to be a difference in role tank/dps/heals, but also the style of dps you do.
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