Cata Raid Success!

We accomplished all of the raiding goals that we set as a raid group for the Cataclysm expansion.

That is worth repeating: we accomplished everything we set out to do, and we accomplished it as a group. Of course there are always circumstances that lead to some raiders needing to leave and some new raiders joining the raid group; however, for the most part, the raid group that is closing out Cataclysm is largely the same raid group that started out our raiding during this expac. That is a huge accomplishment in of itself.

Why were we successful - despite a late start - in our raiding and in accomplishing them as a stable raid group? Simply, because of each and every one of our raiders! Everyone embraced and took to heart our raiding culture of keep it respectful and fun, be reliable, perform - or as I often remark, "do what you say you will do, and do it well."

Our raiding goals included:

• establish and preserve a respectful and fun environment - CHECK!
• provide a reliable and stable weekly raid and foster reliability in our raiders' attendance and performance - CHECK!
• do what you say you will do, and do it well! - CHECK!
• structure the raid group (iRaid) so that it crosses guild boundaries and provides fair and common sense-driven raid leading and loot distribution - CHECK!
• reward reliability - CHECK! (two raid mounts have already been distributed)
• clear all content for the expansion - CHECK!
• obtain at least one current tier legendary - CHECK!
• successfully begin Heroic raiding - CHECK!
• down Ragnaros - CHECK!
• down "xpac final boss" - CHECK!
• cover raiding 'costs' as a raid group (repairs, flasks, feasts, etc) - CHECK!

We succeeded in landing in the top 50 of several hundred raiding guilds on our server. Our peers in server standings raid the current tier multiple times per week whereas we raid it only one night a week.

We succeeded multiple times in having guildies rank as #1 on the server or in the top ten - without having to become a 'hard core' 6-nights a week raid group.

We repeatedly encountered something new and overcame it shortly thereafter - be it a new boss, a new achievement, a heroic version.

We successfully morphed around players' interests to try out new raid roles and new characters while preserving our overall raid performance and raid roster.

We did what we said we would do, and we did it well!


(On a personal note, "thank you" from your raid leader for such an awesome year and such an amazing group of people to raid with!)