Discussion on clearing content without your raid group.

[Arlinne]

Heyo everyone! First time posting here and I thought I would hopefully begin a discussion I haven't actually been able to find yet (If there is a topic for this, please let me know so I can migrate over to there).

Now to take a real life example into consideration, I am part of a raid group in game. After being goaded into clearing O3S at the time with pick-up groups (by a member of the group I may add), I was scolded and even shamed within the raid chat by the leader for clearing it without them.

Anyways, steering back to the discussion in hand, I was wondering about how people felt about the idea of clearing content in your own time, without any drawback to the group? Do you take the side of clearing it all together, or feeling like each person should be fine to continue their own progression, or even a bit of both? Please let me know, I'm eager to know more and see the sides!

[Estelle9lives]

I don't think there's any problem with this as long as you're not hurting the group (for example, clearing a turn before your group is done raiding on that turn for the week, which would instantly reduce loot to 1 chest if you cleared). In fact, I feel the people in the group should have been happy for the fact you're clearing.

They shouldn't be angry or shame you if they can't clear the content due to their own shortcomings, and likewise, you should not be denied your own progression - again, as long as you're not hurting the team in any tangible form.

[Lilseph]

I don't think there's any problem with this as long as you're not hurting the group (for example, clearing a turn before your group is done raiding on that turn for the week, which would instantly reduce loot to 1 chest if you cleared). In fact, I feel the people in the group should have been happy for the fact you're clearing.

They shouldn't be angry or shame you if they can't clear the content due to their own shortcomings, and likewise, you should not be denied your own progression - again, as long as you're not hurting the team in any tangible form.

Pretty much this. It's highly disrespectful to go for a clear when you guys aren't done raiding for the week. Other than that, before you pug, you can extend an invitation to any of your group's members to join you in PF and pug together.

There are many factors though: How close is your group from clearing? As a personal story, back in Creator, my static was unable to clear A11S. They were having lots of issues during the first Limit Cut and barely making it through Lapis. We raided Tues-Thrus. So, during the weekends, I was able to clear the fights I wasn't able to with them (TFW pugs are better than your own group -.-). Some of my members appreciated it, since I gathered enough experience to teach them how to deal with some mechanics they were struggling with.

[Vidu]

For the current savage-raid its obviously a no-go to go in alone when you're part of a static - for the simple reason of chests (you'll get less if people have already cleared it for the week). But thats the only context in which I consider such a behaviour okay.

For other content its a bit more difficult to say - in general I'd say everyone has the right to progress in their own time. Personally I like clearing content with my friends for the first time, so I'll often wait for them, but given you follow a few "ground rules" it should be perfectly fine to go ahead and clear it on your own.
For me those ground rules are:
1) Communicate with your group - specially when new content comes out, talk about wether or not you want to do it together (if you want to, pick a date!) or if its "free for all". Stick to that agreement - with new content I'm willing to wait a week for everyone (on average, depends how intrested I'm in it). If it doesnt happen til then, I'll go on my own. Again: Thats something I communicate to my group.
2) In case your raid-group still wants to run the content blind, keep your mouth shut if you've already cleared it and dont spoil that fun for them!

I used to be in an FC where the FC-leader would get outright hostile when I went ahead and cleared EX-primals and the like with other friends - and that after I had waited for him to set aside 2 hours for that content for weeks. He wasnt short on time, basically on 24/7, but always found a reason not to do that content when I asked. It was a pretty bad situation - I hated raiding because I always had to kinda do it behind his back, even though he wasnt really intrested in that content he had issues with me clearing Ex-Primals and Coils. I can only strongly advice you: Run when you meet a person like that! Its a goddamn game, you're playing to have freaking fun - not to be shamed for playing content that helps you achieve excatly that! No one has the right to scold you for that. Period.

However, refering back to my ground rules and my new FC: We're following the first rule, basically. We talk about how we want to play the content - and its okay if someone says "Hey, I want to go ahead and clear that asap!" even if the rest is like "Yeah, we wont have time til the weekend and we'll go in as group then". The important thing is to communicate about those things, come to an agreement and stick to that.
"Betraying" such a "promise" (as in: "We'll all do Savage together on friday") is not okay in my book - but not sticking to an agreement with friends would never be okay, regardless of ingame or outside of it. That being said: if the agreement was "We'll do that friday" and people dont show up on friday and you re-schedulde and people dont show up or its gets postponed again, I'd consider it perfectly fine to say "Okay, I've waited now for a while, but this doesnt seem to work right now. I really want to see this content though, so I'll go ahead on my own - everyone is welcome to join ofc, but if you rather wait for Jimmy, thats fine too!"

In general: You're playing this game to have fun - so make sure you surrond yourself with people who share your idea of "fun"! Stick to your word - but also stand your ground, when there is no word to stick to!

Please, please dont repeat my mistake and stick with someone who makes you feel miserable for clearing content a month after release without them because they cant get their shit together - it ruins your fun in- and outside of the game... and you're not paying 13€ a month for that.

[Reinha]

each person should be fine to continue their own progression

This, assuming the team is done progressing for the week. Getting mad at you for learning the fight further and having a chance at loot is very petty because those things can only help your group the following week.

If you show up to each scheduled raid day and don't reduce any chests from static runs it's none of their business what you do with the rest of your game time. However, getting yourself a clear and ruining the loot chests for your static would be pretty selfish IMO. (Unless it was an accident like if you joined a practice group which happened to clear.)

[Gin_Gray]

If the group is done for the week and you cleared, I don't see why anyone would be miffed. So long as your not taking chest away from your group its all good.

[Corue]

My group has it so that we don't do any current raids before our assigned days. Once we've done our days and got our clears it's fair game afterwards. This way we can try stuff ourselves and share anything we happen to find with the group to try out next week.

[Luin]

dont reduce your groups chests. That's why its not something you do.

[RiyahArp]

People don't like it mostly because the people who go out and clear it with pugs over time will leave the raid group. Plus, if you have someone goading you, it's not a good sign anyways because to me it sounds like "If you're so hot and we are so bad, why don't you go clear it with a pug then?" is what happened.