Hey all, just a quick question:

 

Is it viable to PUG HM TFB and SV as someone in full 69s looking for the next tier of gear?

I know I can get ultimate comms slowly doing HM55FPs, classic ops, etc, but I'd like to take the leap to HM Ops.

I've done TFB and SV on SM in pug.

 

Thanks.

As long as you have a group of people who can communicate with each other and/or know the fights well, this can be "pug"able, but can be difficult. Might be a few pugs you'll have to do before you can fully clear it, but the best of luck to you!

Doable, yes. Recommendable, no. Most good players with gear/experience save their lockouts for guild runs, and stay away from pug runs. You might get some decent players in your group, but odds are you get some awful players too.

Just did first 2 bosses 16-man S&V HM in a crazy PUG group. Was actually pretty good, some tanking issues, some positioning issues, but not too much. TFB is very much PUGable now as many people know it inside out and are on their 5th ALT so they don't have to save lockouts.

 

Still runs in a stable team with people you know well are easier and better.

Possible? Yes. Recommended? Not at all. Thrasher and Operator IX are the coordination check pug killers.

The other week I cleared S&V HM in semi Pug/guild run, while it was a guild leading it half the players were recruited right out of chat with the requirements that they knew tactics, were geared and had TS. It was basically a well organized PuG run.

 

I believe full PuG runs can work if it was organized in a similar way and players were scrutinised heavily to weed out the baddies, half the problem with randoms though is some people tell a lot of bull especially about their knowledge of tactics just for the opportunity to get in a HM raid, you'll have someone saying "yeah I know tacts" one minute only to fall at the first hurdle when the new mechanics are put to them.. I've even seen people in other HM raids before fail at the tactics a story mode would of usually chucked at them.

 

All I think it needs though is careful selection rather than picking the first tank or healer to reply to gen chat, the hard modes aren't that hard as a lot of scaremongers like to portray them as... they just require a bit more co-ordination and have everyone more "on the ball" rather than a mashed together group of clueless randoms.

Possible? Yes. Recommended? Not at all. Thrasher and Operator IX are the coordination check pug killers.

 

This

PUG groups are always a crap shoot and I wouldn't recommend you seeking them out for HM/NiM Operation content. That is not to say that I haven't been in PUG groups who have downed the content either. You normally have to find a good group (guild run, etc) and start networking with other players so you can feel comfortable knowing you have a good group.

 

I would suggest you start looking for a progression guild. Start researching a little bit and find a home, it makes things much easier, even if you aren't on a progression raid team, most guilds I know, including mine run alt runs to help gear others members who don't get the opportunity to raid as often through HM content on the weekends.

including mine run alt runs to help gear others members who don't get the opportunity to raid as often through HM content on the weekends.

 

Look at the the "separate HM from NiM lockouts" thread on why that doesn't apply to most guilds. Not only that a lot of guilds only to the hard mode content on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays meaning those who only have weekends free due to work and such are stuck with story mode runs anyway.

 

PuG runs can be just as capable as long as they are as organized as a guild run would be (everything planned, TS etc). The problem with the majority of PuG runs though is the general recruitment and planning sucks for example when people just spam for the first tanks or healers they can find, don't bother checking gear, no TS or vent meaning you end up with a group that's as organised as an EA board of directors meeting.

 

What would help the PuG scene is instead of people spamming chat and forming groups on the fly, maybe if more people planned out these runs in their server forums in advance or if there was some PuG lfg site that people can provide more info than we currently can in chat.

 

I feel the status quo at the moment is though is guilds love the fact there's no platform where PuG's can organize themselves bar general chat as every wipe or failed group increases the chance of them asking to join a guild.