Raiding Courtesy

Raiding is not a solo activity.

I can see you now:  you're saying, "No kidding, Ana!"

Seriously, though, I think there are some people who forget this.  They seem to think that they can mosey in and do whatever they want, and it is all right.  But the fact of the matter is that there are 9 or 24 other people in your raid.

Again, you're saying, "Really?  No kidding!"

Bear with me.  Those 9 or 24 other people have made time in their schedules to meet with you and kill Internet dragons, mad professors, possessed Orcs, or vampire queens.  Perhaps they put off seeing the movie which came out, they made the effort to make sure dinner was ready for their spouse before raid time or they skipped stopping at that new deli on the way home from work because the traffic would make them miss the start of raid.  Perhaps they spent some time during the previous weekend fishing or searching out the mats for their flasks, they spammed Trade chat to sell the gems they had cut so they would have money for repairs, or they ran a random Heroic every night, even when they were busy, so they would have enough Frost badges for that belt which was such a large upgrade to their raiding gear.

The point is this:  people make efforts to be at raid and to be ready to perform their best.

Now imagine this:  after someone has taken the time and made the effort to be ready for raid and to fulfill their commitment to be there on time, how do you think they feel when you (or someone else) says, at the start of raid, "Hey, does anyone have a flask I could buy?"  How about when someone spends all their time joking in raid chat and doesn't seem to be listening to the raid leaders (and then dies at not just the first pull of the boss, but the second and third, as well)?  How about when someone just doesn't seem to be giving their best to the effort, or when someone perpetually says negative things about the abilities of the raid in general and the probability that whatever strategy being used is a waste of time?

And you wonder why, sometimes, raiding morale seems to be less than its best . . .

Each member of the raid contributes to the success of the raid.  (Here we go again:  "No kidding, Ana!")  And that means you.  So show the members of your raid a little courtesy by doing some basic things.

Come prepared to raids.  Bring a good supply of consumables, including flasks, any reagents you might need, and your own stock of food, even if you expect that the raid will be dropping Fish Feasts.  (If they do drop Feasts, your food will last you a long time, so it's not a big expense.  And it helps to keep you in top form if, for some reason, a Feast is not dropped when you need it.)  Being prepared shows that you value the raid enough to put in the effort to be ready, instead of being dependent on your fellow raiders who took their own time to prepare.

Be mindful of the time and effort other people have invested in the raid by paying attention and not wasting time.  Listen to the raid leader the first time, so you don't cause a wipe because you didn't hear that the plan had been slightly changed from previous attempts.  Ask questions if you need clarification.  Be careful when you feel the urge to play pranks--will the person appreciate it, or will it end up annoying the recipient of the prank?  Does it have the chance to delay the raid as a whole?

And be cheerful.  Even if you are not feeling cheerful on your side of the keyboard, you can control your fingers so they do not type negative things.  This is a lesson I learned when I was working a summer job at a fast-food drive-through while a college student.  Even if I was absolutely cranky inside, as long as I kept a lilt in my voice when talking over the intercom, none of the customers was ever the wiser.  (And I had a loyal clientele who said, "Thank Goodness you're back!" after my days off.)  It's even easier as a raider, because if you don't want to talk in Vent, you don't usually have to do so, and nobody can see your face.  Type in basic, courteous sentences, and you will be doing your part to maintain good raiding morale for the entire group.

Show the members of your raid that you value their time and efforts to come play with you by treating them with courtesy and consideration, and you will be welcome in whatever raid you choose.