We just one-shot Gorefiend the first time we tried him, and the main reason we were able to do this was that the GM would not invite anyone to the raid who was unable to pass the Gorefiend simulator (which is considerably harder than the real thing). It took us an extra hour to get the raid going, but we all did our part, and got the reward.

It's a real kick in the pants to fellow raiders when you don't spend 10 minutes to read a simple strategy. If it's really too demanding, maybe you shouldn't be raiding with people who strive for the best. If your guildies don't mind, that's great. If they do, you're not the final authority on why they should or shouldn't kick you.

I don't have TIME to read a strat for 5 minutes before a 4 hour raid!!!

Reading a five minute strat definately means you need to quit your day job. If you can't READ and PAY ATTENTION, you need more help than playing too much.

This post doesn't perpetuate stereotypes at all. I don't even know how you can think that.

If reading a simple strategy to better understand what you're doing in a complicated and/or complex encounter counts as "too much" for you, please don't raid. don't try to raid, don't PUG in a raid, don't join a raiding guild. It's not for you. Further, it's disrespectful of the time and effort everyone else puts into it, if you're not going to do the same.

If this is too 'serious', then stick to something else. It's not a lot to ask of anyone at all. It saves a lot more time than trying to baby step you through it when everyone else is ready to go. The game is not simple enough that you can just show up, press 1 1 1 1 1 2 and repeat it over and over and just get some epics. There has to be a little more to it, otherwise it's real boring, real quick and therefore... strategy becomes important.

it's not hardcore raiding, it's just raiding in general. That's how it goes.

I was speaking more about the consquinces. To me the seem alittle extreme, but like I said I guess I couldunderstand the need

what do you suggest they do? Hug the people who don't read the strat?

Some people seem completely incapable of understanding that in a raid there are OTHER PEOPLE behind the other toons. They've set aside time and made some effort and it's flat out rude to make them wipe because you won't read a bit. So the consequences are fine... it's saying "you don't care enough to read a simple strat, so you don't get to raid with people who do and possibly cause them to wipe."

Lol. You dont even have to press 1111122. He's probably a huntard. Right click -> Autoshot -> AFK. Come back in 5 minutes when boss is down. Someone will rez me.

Chess is a game. It's played for fun...unto a point. Beyond that point lies the vast field of the upper echelon, the ranked. These people play the game because they love it. They still have fun, but they understand the need to study and train. They memorize counter moves for the counter moves. They read up on their opponents. They put forth a massive amount of effort that doesn't even involve them touching a chess piece. By the time they sit down to actually play, spectators are ready to watch a game; the players are ready for something else entirely.

The test isn't juvenile at all. It's just a simple check to see if people understand, even at the most basic level, what needs to be done.

Something simple could be used to test for what is out of place, like: "Alright, when Aran casts Flame Wreath, we all move out ASAP." and other people could be like: "Err, the strategies on the Internet suggest we DON'T do that." and it would be full marks. Simple stuff like that could be used to test people by throwing opposites into the mix.

Sooooo..you're saying you couldn't look at a strat and recognize that its probably not vital to success that a class leader go $*&% themselves during phase 2?