Why Does It Feel Like Poor Play Is Acceptable (I'm Venting.)

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

What you want is unreasonable to expect, so your argument is pointless.

As with any group-based activity in life, there is no guarantee that people for that group-based activity are going to have that minimum level of competency/contribution you are referring to; as such, it is unreasonable to expect a pug to possess this level of competence 100% of the time. If you cannot accept this truth of pugging, you have the option of not pugging.

So, switching it up a bit, would you say if I come to a gathering of sports-loving guys, and someone decides "Hey, let's play [the sport for which you've all gathered]", it's unreasonable to expect everyone ther to AT LEAST - and let me emphasize that - AT LEAST be capable of the basics of said sport? Because that's what we're talking about here.

We're talking a SMN using the right pet. Using A pet. Using more than Ruin II. A BLM doing more than simply spamming Blizzard. A BRD playing songs. A tank holding aggro and using defensive skills as his job is intended to do. Not standing in that obvious "Hey, I'm going to try to attack you all RIGHT HERE in 3 seconds" mark on the ground. We're talking about the basics that so many people seem not just incapable of now, but almost oblivious to.

And don't try to take the hardline "well you can just not pug then" approach. I've seen plenty of people complaining that they can't find groups (not surprisingly usually around this time of a catch up patch) to do anything with. Once I was sympathetic, but then I started noticing a trend, at least on my server: The ones unable to find groups or were behind on endgame content were the ones who generally don't try, don't try to learn, refuse help, or have some general excuse/rationalization for not taking whatever necessary steps they need to accomplish what they want.

And I won't mince words one bit here: If they can't manage that in a game, I truly worry about how they handle life.