Too many gameplay restrictions

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Since I did some Coil back in ARR, I'd like to ask "What complexity is there?" From what I see on videos and youtube, it's always all about damage and nothing else. Sure it had some sort of "strategy" to them, but it all boiled down to "nuke as fast and without dying as much as possible, while avoiding these or that mechanic". And if you fail it's a insta-wipe...is this strategy? I've played raids where failing a mechanic didn't necessarily spell wipe, am I getting old or something? Last I played a raid that wasn't in this game, a Raid consisted on following tactics while doing a minimum amount of damage and possibly without dying, or else it would become harder, as in "You can still beat it but it'll take longer". When a dps dies in a raid here you might as well wipe, since the dps check usually fails at this part (usually, not always).

Also, dps checks in most mmorpgs weren't in every fight: they were used for gear checks more than anything else, which means that it was usually 2 or 3 at best in every raid...although most raids I played had more than 4 bosses.

Plus Azrael IS right: we don't have raid spots, they are jobs. I have constantly witnessed my static changing people for the sake of the raid, because he wasn't doing his best, or because his playstyle didn't work, or whatever was wrong. Sure some of them legit played badly or not good enough, but it was something that I never witnessed in an MMORPG since the early days of Ragnarok (I dunno, maybe because I'm EU and my server is NA: raids in EU seem to be much more easy going).
But yes, as far as I'm concerned a raid spot acts like a job in this game: you miss it once you might lose your spot. I know that because during FCOB I had to use another computer because mine was broken, and if I hadn't that ready I would've probably be replaced. After all the hardships to join it and learn the mechanics, to be replaced for just missing one day? That would be insane.

But if players are fine with how things are, I guess it's fine. But bigger raids would mean more people to raid with, just saying...

Deducing how to deal with mechanics or mitigate damage is strategizing. Most youtube videos are clears, where the group already knows what they need to do. If you watch live raids on twitch or look for video breakdowns like what Elysium posted here, you get a better idea of what strategies are involved to beat these fights. In the end, all fights in every game can be boiled down to "do x amount of damage as fast as possible and don't die." Complexity comes from the mechanics they throw at you and how quickly or efficiently you can avoid them. And groups can survive a death or two, depending on the phase.

This is true of every game though. People will kick out players in GW2 or WoW for sub-optimal performance if that's the kind of group they are. The harder the content, the higher the expectation from players. Midcore to casual statics are more likely to accept a string of wipes compared to hardcore groups, especially if they're all friends/FC mates. Switching out people whose playstyle differs enough to hinder the raid isn't necessarily a bad thing. If they can't adapt, then it's probably better for them to find another group where it won't be an issue. That said, I wouldn't raid with a group demanding enough I'll be kicked if I have a legitimate reason I can't show up. Most groups though will ask for a temp to fill your spot that week only. I see a lot of those in PF or even on Reddit. So it sounds like you just had a very impatient group.

But you also get more mistakes. Funny as it might be, Weeping City Savage would... well, live up to its name.