Casually Hardcore

I have played in a hardcore guild before and now I play in a casual guild.  Here's the thing my playtime is casual, I only raid a few nights per week.  But my attitude and effort in raids is decidedly hardcore.  Casual does not mean "noob" or "terribad" or "fail".  

There is no excuse for any guild, of any size or state, not to progress as far as any of the hardcore guilds out there.  There's just a few things that need to be taught, emphasized and enforced for a casual playtime guild to see a higher level of success.

The good of the team is more important than the good of the individual

The raid team comes first.  That's true for any effort where people get together to achieve a goal.  The hunters in my guild are amazingly unselfish when it comes to our raid consumables and gear.  We tend to think of ourselves as one entity rather than a few individuals in a raid.  The Dragons are far better off because of our team effort, imagine if we were all trying to kill each other over a bow...oh wait. 

It's just a flesh wound

The player with a hardcore heart does not fear the wipe.  To wipe all night long, to wipe and wipe but learn from it, and improve each time. To keep going, keep learning and keep wiping.   The ability to wipe many times without giving up, without tantrums, without drama, and without changing strats every two attempts is the heart of the raider.  

Adapt, Overcome, Improvise!  

This was the motto of the raid leader in my old hard core guild.   Sometimes stuff happens.  People get stuck in cracks of the walls, more trash pulled than expected, respawn happened on your head.  The main tank just dc'd.  Whatever happened just figure out what you need to do to keep going.

Screw you guys I'm goin home

With some casual guilds (and yes my own guild has succumbed to this at times) you wipe a few times and you give up and go do something easier. There is no learning in that. Giving up certainly happens nowhere in the process of paying your dues.

An A for effort

Sometimes, and not for lack of trying, you just don't have what it takes to beat that boss.  Maybe its gear (often its not), maybe its focus (more than often it is) maybe its raid balance or maybe Mars is in retrograde.  No one can fault you for fighting the good fight and just because the boss is alive does not mean you failed.  It just means you need to retreat, regroup and come back out swinging stronger next time.

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Sometimes you do crappy boring jobs in a raid.  Sometimes you have to die so the raid can continue the encounter.  If the boss dies then its all good.

Does it say doormat on my forehead? 

The problem with treating 25 man raids as "casual" is that you will find that you have maybe 12-15 people who move heaven and earth, people who mean business.  They have flasks, elixirs, food and potions  They have run heroics till they puke to have at least some of gear needed to be effective.  Its all enchanted, even if it sucks, and there's not one empty gem slot.  They are there to chew gum and kick butt and they're all out of gum.

Sadly the rest of the people in the raid will have gum.  They will have lots and lots of gum.  They do precious little for themselves and expect to be carried.  They're the first to roll on items and the last to pass on it for someone else.  They have the focus of gnats and approach the raid like 5 year olds playing soccer. Listen people this may be only a few hours of a day but Go Big or Go Home.  It may just be a game but please don't waste everyone's time.

Altaholics

I have five 80s now.  Only two are raid worthy and they will be the only two that are raid worthy.  My guild gains no real benefit from me having any more raiding 80s.  I don't want to take gear from someone who needs it for their main.  I don't force my priest on the guild, she's there if needed.  I get not liking your class and wanting to try something new, but if this is your 4th something new please just pug raids for gear for a little while.  If you just gear one or maybe two characters the guild will see more progress.  We're all tired of ICC25 lower spire, bring your main and lets kick some blood prince booty.

I've never once mentioned gear score.  This isn't about gear, its about effort and focus.  I'm not expecting everyone in a raid to live, breathe and eat raiding, my guild is casual after all.  But when raid time starts I expect that everyone on my guild's team be casually hardcore.