Fail better

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samual Beckett).

• Level 18 Mage that took 3 months to level.
  
• Level 60 Warlock that refused a class appropriate scholomance epic upgrade because it had less shadow damage than my felcloth armour. (sorry I dont remember which one)
  
• Level 80 Warlock doing 700 dps in Heroic Halls of Lightning.
  
• Death Knight tank that couldn't hold agro in an instance by myself.
• Death Knight tank that wiped 10 times straight in Old Kingdom.
• Death Knight tank that still can't find the guardians on the first boss in Old Kingdom.
• Death Knight tank who cant remember frost presence.
  
• Priest healing my undamaged self, while tank was dying.
• Tank Healer who let the tank die because I was too busy raid healing.
• Lost a lot of money on the Auction House.
  

And the list goes on.


I am still trying to find new ways to fail.


We all started off as new players once.  We all did (and still do) cringeworthy things.

Did you run that new instance/raid perfectly first time - of course you didn't.
Did you enjoy downing that boss that has been greifing you the last 10 times.  Yes you did.

Once I have an instance down pat - I dont like to repeat it.  This means I am constantly in new places, and as such am constantly failing.

Because I don't constantly rerun random heroics, my gear is not great.  To compensate for this, I do treat what gear I have with nice gems and enchants (ususally even appropriate to my class) and try to equip the right gear.  I do bring great consumables everywhere. 


My DK is the newest of my 80's, who swapped to tank once he hit 80.  I was a cloth wearer before that - with both a warlock and priest.  Guess what - my first tanking efforts were a fail.  Each time I got a little better.  Each time I learned something new.  I learned to tank the largely single target instances - Nexus, Violet Hold, but continued to fail on largely AOE instances - Old Kingdom in particular.  Some more reading, asking more questions, and a respec later, I got Northrend Dungeon Hero (completing all Heroic Northrend instances).  He often does a heroic instance because he is still capable of wiping.

However, now that I (DK tank) had Northrend Dungeon Hero - all earned as tank, it's time for Naxx.  Up pops Instructor whatsisname as a daily quest and PUG's looking for a tank.  I offer to tank, but let people know my progression - being Northrend Hero.  "But that is for heroics" is the reply.   Umm yes, I havent tanked Nax yet, but it is the next step, and I had Ilvl 187 or better gear - with most of it being 200+.  Fortuneatly sanity prevailed, I stayed and we had a successfull run.


Having failed as all roles, I have also learned - at least as far as heroics go:

• Fail DPS = slower run.  Fail DPS are very easy to replace.
  
• Fail heal in a run = 1 or more deaths.  Fail healer is harder to replace.
  
• Fail tank in a run = wipe.  Requeuing may be faster than replacing a tank.  If you are the fail tank, you are out of luck.
  
• If the DPS dies (first), it's the DPS's fault.
• If the healer dies (first) it's the tank's fault.
• If the tank dies (first) - it is either the healer or the tanks fault.

Feel very free to ask for my progression, but do not ask me to prove I have already done the content you are about to do.  I may not come.

Ps.  I will usually run 10 man raids (as tank) Saturdays 8:30pm Australian server time (Caelestrasz).  If you want to come fail with me - whisper/in game mail foolich.  Politeness, and an ability to work together are expected and guaranteed.  If needed repair money and repair bot will be available outside the raid.  Vent is available and encouraged but not required.  Look at foolich's acheivements to see what I am up to.  Who knows - we may fail to fail.