I just finished a HM Maelstrom Prison run through group finder. One of group members was totally new to HM FPs. And it was a great, smooth run.

The healer commented how good a tank I was saying that the group was not taking a lot of damage because of "good tanking."

I responded by saying that DPS who follow strategies and instructions helps a LOT.

The newbie asked how he did, and I honestly told him that he is one of the best DPSers I ever grouped with...because he followed instructions. All we told him was to kill trash from weakest to strongest, when in doubt follow your tank target. And on bosses we gave him a one sentence synopsis of the mechanics. Granted most of HM MP is tank and spank with adds or one mechanic you have to avoid, but there are a lot players out there who don't read/listen and cause lots of frustration because of it.

Please, all you damage dealers out there, take this to heart - follow well defined strategies and instructions; you cannot do damage and get those pretty numbers when you're dead.

And then you have the nightmare of a HM FP I just went through....

vet healer - me

vet dps

new tank and one dps

**** the newb DPS did not listen AT ALL. he broke CC, he pulled trash when the tank was not ready (he even pulled a boss), and he did not follow instructions. And it cost everyone 40K in repair bills . I eventually initiated a vote to kick because in all candor he was an IDIOT.

After we replaced him the boss he pulled and the final boss was relative cake.

FOR THE LOVE OF G-D PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you are new to an instance SAY SO and for G-d's sake read and follow the instructions in the chat window people give. I can work with just about anyone but ONLY if you listen/read what I type.