Apparently things really have gotten quite skewed. A story for you:
As one of my FC officers, I really try to help my FC mates where/when I can. Even if that means having to run Brayflox. One member (ironically a BLM) was pretty close to the number of tomes he needed last night, so I bit the bullet and offered to run it with him. I switch to my main - Bard. One of our other members joins as healer and we queue. Spider-senses tingling, I ask "please tell me this is not going to be a speed run?" The BLM replies, "Depends on the tank we get". . .
INSTANT class change to PLD for me.
So we queue again and instantly get in. After the initial greetings and Shield Oath, I take a moment to tell our DPS random member (thread irony: A Dragoon) "FYI, this isn't going to be a speed run". As I lead into the first normal pull, he replies "This dungeon is for speed running"
Me: Not quite. I know most people do speed run this, but I will not. I understand though if you wanted to SR, no hard feelings if you don't want to stay.
DRG: Whatever you're a troll.
Me: No, I simply don't want to speed run this. And I stated that right at the start.
DRG: But that's what Bray is for.
Me: Says you? Or Square Enix? Find me where it says I HAVE to speed run this - I am now leading into the second pull, the DRG finally moves from the starting point - Last chance man, if you want to leave and join a speed running party, no hard feelings.
DRG: [Insert falsified crap line from the dungeon description about how it's intended to speed run] You're being a troll - The DRG at this point takes a seat as we begin the 2nd pull
Me: Fine. [Sword Oath] You tank it then. But I will NOT speed run this. Period.
DRG: (Defiantly) Then you'll have only 1 DPS. Period. - I'm busy fighting - GL on the first boss
Me: No need. I've done it with 1 DPS. I've even tanked this as a Bard. (A fact I forgot until then. I'll have to upload that vid sometime)
DRG: Whatever. Go ahead and kick me then.
Me: I won't kick you because you haven't done anything wrong. Neither one of us has. But I said this wasn't going to be a speed run. I even said if you wanted to leave, no hard feelings. Call me what you will, but I will NOT speed run this.
Those of us fighting (which I can't say I was at that point, due to having it out with that guy, and the healer ran ahead for some reason) wipe, and as we respawn at the start, I offer my apologies to my FC mates for even getting into it with that guy and told them I was done there. Then for the first time since I've been playing this game, I left the instance. Apologies and explanations after the jump, I reaffirm to my BLM buddy and the rest of the FC that I will help them with anything anytime, and if it comes up in a roulette, I'll simply deal with it and still help them, but from now on that's where my line in the sand is.
THIS is the problem I mentioned before. Add to that, this serves to counter the argument that the tank sets the pace of the dungeon. . . So even if I declare at the start that it will not be a speed run, and offer the opportunity to leave with no hard feelings, that's still not enough. It's Brayflox Hard Mode. So you WILL speed run. . . because "this dungeon is for speed running". Just as I said to my FC mates who were there afterward, you find me an official statement from SE or something in-game that CLEARLY dictates that I have to speed run Brayflox HM, and I will be come the best speed runner there is.
It'll probably be a long time before I even think about going back to that dungeon (I was never much a fan of either version of Brayflox). I don't need tomes or that minion that badly at all.