Mentors - What is expected really?

[Violet_Galaxy]

Sooo I'm pretty much on a good pace to be a mentor by the end of December as I'm only 200 some odd dungeons and 26 levels away from becoming a mentor. Now I'm already quite aware of the lore surrounding mentors but I've seen quite a few mentors that not only play very well but give solid advice as well. I'm sure I'll find my way eventually but if you are a mentor, could you spare me a few pointers ^-^

1. As a mentor, do you tend to focus on one particular area in this game or do you try to broaden your horizon? For example: Some mentors specialize in raids while some have never touched that type of content and only focus on dungeons; some even specialize solely in crafting and other non combat roles.

2 Do you tend to point out if someone is not geared properly? I ask this because I had an instance where I as politely as I could suggested that the tank get better gear after the instance we were in. Well to say he didn't "appreciate" that would be putting it rather lightly. This to be honest has been hit or miss so far and I really only pay attention to this when I roll healer.

3. Do you watch/read guides and try to somewhat "memorize" different instances so that you can better coach our lovely sprouts?

4. Are you level 70 on every job including crafting/alchemy?

I just want to be the best mentor I can be and not fall in line with the current stigma attached to that crown. Also if there is a guide or something, feel free to link that as well. Ok thanks ^-^

[Rhus]

You're going to be in for a shock when you get that crown

Also you don't need to be a mentor just because you got so may dungeons etc. Your opening reads like it's some automatic thing that happens in 200 dungeons time. Relax and go with the motions. See how you feel and do what you want to do.

[Rosentretter]

I personally don't raid, and suck at crafting, so I'm more focused on mentoring the content like dungeons, extremes, etc. I stopped pointing at people's low gear, because they seem to not like to hear the truth and the reaction is pretty bad. I just deal with it, only if they can stay alive with said gear. I don't watch or read guides. I rather learn stuff by going blind to it. The only moment I watch a video (the shortest and straight to the point possible) is when I'm kinda behind in content. When I learn the mechanics, I always try to explain them the best I can. And I have all DoW/M at 70, leveling Crafters now. In the end, you can be a Mentor without wearing the crown. That icon is just a fancy thing every player can get, not necessarily being good at the game.

[Thatusernameistaken]

I personally don't raid, and suck at crafting, so I'm more focused on mentoring the content like dungeons, extremes, etc. I stopped pointing at people's low gear, because they seem to not like to hear the truth and the reaction is pretty bad.

If I spot a leaf in the open world with bad gear, I actually friend request them, then craft them a full set of gear and a weapon appropriate for their level and mail it to them. I regularly advertise gear sets in the Novice Network and get quite a few requests. I even had some random person friend request me and ask if was the guy who made gear sets for novices, and that he had a friend who needed some gear.

[Kallistra]

1. As a mentor, do you tend to focus on one particular area in this game or do you try to broaden your horizon? For example: Some mentors specialize in raids while some have never touched that type of content and only focus on dungeons; some even specialize solely in crafting and other non combat roles.

That's completely up to you and how you want to play. It doesn't hurt to dabble in everything, but there's nothing wrong with focusing on what you like/do best.

2 Do you tend to point out if someone is not geared properly? I ask this because I had an instance where I as politely as I could suggested that the tank get better gear after the instance we were in. Well to say he didn't "appreciate" that would be putting it rather lightly. This to be honest has been hit or miss so far and I really only pay attention to this when I roll healer.

I don't really check gear unless it's effecting the run. If it's an issue, I will absolutely point it out and I will even do my best to direct them to where they can upgrade their gear. If they decide to have a fit over it, then oh well. If they don't want advice, they don't want advice. As long as you aren't passive aggressive about it, then you did nothing wrong.

3. Do you watch/read guides and try to somewhat "memorize" different instances so that you can better coach our lovely sprouts?

I only really watch guides when the content is fresh and there's a mechanic I don't understand. Everything else I have memorized through experience.

4. Are you level 70 on every job including crafting/alchemy?

No. I've only really leveled jobs that I like to play. I'd like to have my battle jobs done by 5.0, but I don't know if I'll actually do so.

I just want to be the best mentor I can be and not fall in line with the current stigma attached to that crown. Also if there is a guide or something, feel free to link that as well. Ok thanks ^-^

Just be the best you that you can be. As long as you're friendly, positive, and applying yourself as best you can, then that's all it takes to be--not just a good mentor--but a good person. That's what everyone should be striving for.

[AppleJinx]

Very very few people playing this game deserves to be a mentor imo. There are three types of mentors: pve, pvp, and crafting/gathering mentors but once you unlock mentor through meeting either the pve or the crafting requirements, you get access to all three mentor crowns beside your name for whatever reason.

Unless you are an experienced mmo player and regularly partakes in the high end content in every other mmo you played before this one, or you are the kind of player that actively do out of game research to learn things about the game and the jobs you play on, otherwise if you don't have minimum, in-depth savage raiding experience and a somewhat long raiding history (at least 3 raid tiers), you DO NOT have what it takes to be a good PvE mentor.

The reason for this is quite simple. Savage and ultimate raids are the only content in the game that pushes your understanding of the gameplay system and jobs to the limit of their capabilities. In turn, you will need to know the ins and outs of your job like the back of your hand in order to beat these content (most of the time). Once you have done this, you will know how to be efficient at playing the game, therefore, you will also know how to give out good advice to new players before they develop any bad habits on their own.

If you are actively grinding towards unlocking the mentor system, then I think you most likely do not have what it takes to give out good and effective advice to new players just yet.

[Thamorian]

Unless you are an experienced mmo player and regularly partakes in the high end content in every other mmo you played before this one, or you are the kind of player that actively do out of game research to learn things about the game and the jobs you play on, otherwise if you don't have minimum, in-depth savage raiding experience and a somewhat long raiding history (at least 3 raid tiers), you DO NOT have what it takes to be a good PvE mentor.

THIS IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! This is so far off the mark that you are in China when you should be in New York!

SE did not make savage raiding a requirement to be a mentor. SE made mentor system to help low level players learn the game at a basic level. Basic rotations, general questions, and stuff like character config and system config. Novice Network is filled with new players still progressing through the game starting at level 1. The "New Adventurer" status is applied to all players who have less than 168 hours of play time and have not completed the quest The Far Edge of Fate, not players at end game raiding. Just because you have some twisted idea of what a mentor is supposed to be does not make it true.

The mentor status is so easy to obtain that it actually means nothing. Actually...people with a mentor's crown are usually the worst players in the game.

No they aren't. The average mentor have the same gameplay skill as the non-mentor. You just have such a biased preconceived notion that mentors should be great at the game that when you run into a bad one, you notice the crown and take notice of it more. I'm sure you ran into a bunch of mentors who played just fine but you didn't notice they had a mentor crown on or you don't remember them because they played their role adequately so there was no noteworthy reason to remember them.

[BillyKaplan]

SE did not make savage raiding a requirement to be a mentor.

This is what it boils down to. Savage level content, including the Coils, is not in the Mentor roulette even two expansions after. That means Mentors aren't obligated to be know the game to such details, or even be such good players. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking the Mentor system is anything but a scheme to get queues moving.
And I mean, if someone made it into Savage and they don't have their rotation down, they don't need a Mentor, they need Jesus.

[Thamorian]

This is what it boils down to. Savage level content, including the Coils, is not in the Mentor roulette even two expansions after. That means Mentors aren't obligated to be know the game to such details, or even be such good players. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking the Mentor system is anything but a scheme to get queues moving.
And I mean, if someone made it into Savage and they don't have their rotation down, they don't need a Mentor, they need Jesus.

Mentor Roulettes came much later than the mentor system so no, it's not a scheme to get queues moving. And being able to do savage raiding and being a good mentor does not have much much in common. You can have a really really nasty and rude person be good at raiding and a mentor who is not good at raiding but can help teach new players about the game.

[HyoMinPark]

Mentor Roulettes came much later than the mentor system so no, it's not a scheme to get queues moving. And being able to do savage raiding and being a good mentor does not have much much in common. You can have a really really nasty and rude person be good at raiding and a mentor who is not good at raiding but can help teach new players about the game.

No, the Mentor Roulette was added at the same time the Mentor System was added (Patch 3.2). Any content inside that Roulette you should be required to know. This doesn't include Coil, Savage, or Ultimates, but it does include everything else.