Tactful ways to inform people that they're playing badly?

[Rongway]

"So I know the game doesn't really do a good job of explaining this, but ..." and then explain the thing that the game didn't really do a good job of explaining. They might be less likely to go on the defensive if you give them the benefit of the doubt and blame it on the game first*.

*first. If they already knew it and are doing it wrong on purpose, don't feel bad about blaming it on them.

[SachiBear]

I usually ask “are you doing xyz?”. If they don’t improve after I mention something I just kick them or leave the party. Too many times do people get in their feelings over a suggestion, and I don’t like arguing.

Um this is for extreme content of course, I don’t care in anything else really.

[Toystore]

If I remember correctly, the term was originally used by organizers to describe armchair activists who cared more for Facebook likes or Twitter followers than actually assisting with collective action or turning out to protests. Aka pretty much exactly what you said.

The right seized upon the term to paint all social activists as hysterical, self-righteous, vain, and/or dogmatic troublemakers, and 'marketed' that usage of the term to certain demographics trending towards the center and center-right. This was paired with cherry picked footage, usually light or misleading in context, displaying fervent college age students who had probably just been through a sociology 101 class, but lacked rhetorical sophistication and media/optics savy.

The left then tried to reclaim the term in an entirely positive light this time around.

Meanwhile, those with a poor grasp of politics began to expand and expand the usage of the term until it became an effectively meaningless insult applicable to the vague category of "things I don't like."

I get that you didn't start this and you're just firing back. But you used the term equity in a previous post. Nothing you say on this topic matters anymore. That term is an immediate trojan horse than will turn anyone off who knows its distinction from equality from listening to you further. In the future, dress up your activism better and at least TRY to hide your intention and use the term equality.

[Krotoan]

You could spend hours trying to sugarcoat something just right.. or just..

"Hey, *tankname* is there any particular reason you're facepulling instead of using your ranged skill? "

either you get silence with no change (they don't care or aren't reading chat), negativity : "you don't pay my sub" (not open to suggestions anyway) , or rarely the behavior will change (even more rarely they will engage and thank you).

If you're gonna comment on others gameplay be ready for any of these replies. Otherwise suffer in silence.

[Kanitezz]

Also remember that you can come up with a "tactful way" to inform people of their bad play all you want, but different people will take it and respond to it in different ways.

[Gula]

It depends on the content. SB-mixed bag due to jump potions and forgetfulness of mechanics. It was fun getting Royal Menagerie and everyone immediately wiped to the first wave.

SHB? It's going to end in a fun time where everyone works together, passive aggressive arguing, or a vote kick. I know going into Dohn Mheg for the first time I was single pulling and not being "optimal" because getting my bearings for that level. If by chance you are playing like a goof at 80 and bothered to unlock Jazz dungeon and Rock dungeon, please don't waste other's time by making the run 40minutes+

[Vahlnir]

You could spend hours trying to sugarcoat something just right.. or just..

"Hey, *tankname* is there any particular reason you're facepulling instead of using your ranged skill? "

To be fair, some pulls are better done by running in, using your AoE and running to the next group. It allows a tank to get in an extra GCD so no one else pulls aggro, which can and does happen with a ranged pull, usually the healer. A tank's ranged ability in such instances is more useful in picking up stray mobs in a pinch. Facepulling sometimes happens by default, too. It's all about knowing what the trash packs are going to do, mostly. I try to use both methods, depending on the way things are set up. I have seen tanks that simply facepull though and fail to pick what they "pulled" back up, creating chaos.

[Krotoan]

Just an example out of hundreds of possible suggestions. I can agree sometimes facepulling works.

[Kaedan]

Just be direct. The problem is people trying to be PC about it and then end up making it worse.

If the BLM is just using Ice spells, then just say, "Fire, Fire 2 and Fire 3 are better for damage. Ice just makes you regen mp quickly".

If the DPS in general are single targetting mobs, just say, "If there's 3 or more mobs, it's better to use AoE skills."

Just be frank, but don't be frank in an ***hole-ish way. And speak passively rather than accusatorily. "It's generally better..." is much better than "You should..." or "You have to..."

[Zeonx]

Though here is a question if you claim you are good and they are bad wouldn't you be able to finish the fight since you know you're so good without them?
If not wouldn't that make you bad as well something to think about.

I know these people who mess up sometimes will eventually get better so why even talk about it.