Due to recent experiences (and my waiting for the summer to be over so I can play Bioshock) , I would like to post a few rules in regards to pick up groups (PuGs) in WoW. Violation of any of these rules will result in immediate termination of my role in the group as well as my putting the offending player on my "to mock list" whereupon said player will be hazed at every opportunity.

1. Thou shalt play the class you indicated you would play.
I love hybrid classes. I love to play them, I love the diversity. However, when a Druid is the only healer-enabled class we have in the group, when a Druid is invited under the explicit pretense of "We really need a healer", it is not okay for that druid to run into a mob of elites and make it nigh impossible to get the aggro back to our warrior, hunter pet and pally. I know you're thinking about it... you're already in bear form.
Previous result of violation: Letting that person die repeatedly until they get upset and leave the group.

2. Thou shalt not be the auction house.
Offering to sell me mithril spurs at cost, or enchant my armor for shard price is fine. Once. If you join a group-- especially a group of guildies-- and are informed that they have a guild enchanter (or just plain "no thanks"), it is not an appropriate time to hawk your wares. Especially if we're in the middle of a boss fight and you sit there typing your prices for every enchantment you have materials for. "I can enchant", "Are you sure you don't want +5 skinning on gloves?" and "+25 to health, 100g" are not appropriate topics of conversation for a run if everyone in the group has already told you "no". In my mind, it amounts to the same as begging, and I hate beggers.
Previous result of violations: Adding the player to the guild message of the day whereupon guildies would PM obnoxious requests, or make false requests and never show up at the meeting place indicated.

Which brings me to

3. Thou shalt share and share alike.
I know everyone wants materials. This is not an excuse to run after every truesilver node regardless of fight status. And there is absolutely no excuse to Need roll on every blue item because "you need the materials to disenchant".
Previous result of violations: Ignoring pleas for help when the node ninja aggros 4 mobs on his run to the truesilver. Making the guild enchanter the leader of the group and setting the loot rules to "Master Looter" whereupon every item is disenchanted before the offending person's eyes.

4. Thou shalt stay within visual range.
I know by this point you've racked up quite a few completed quests. Maybe even need to pause to vendor trash a few items. Unless you clear it with the rest of the group, it is not okay to run personal errands. Bring it up. Maybe other people need to sell as well, or have similar quest errands. Then you can all go together. But nothing kills the mood of a group faster than waiting for one player to come back from some unknown location.
Previous result of violations: Changing party plans and going into Uldaman without notifying the lost player.

5. Thou shalt discuss appropriate topics.
"I have no life and I'm sooooo depressed. Let me tell you all about it at great length and even greater detail." I'm making a run. I would like to focus on said run. This does not include bolstering your fragile ego for 45 minutes while the rare I'm hunting for walks by and gets tagged by another group which I am beginning to hope will allow me to join. Know your audience. If a player has joined a PuG, they probably don't know the other players well enough to divulge the injustices of their childhood.
Also, "zOMG r u a gurl irl???" is not appropriate and happens to be a personal pet-peeve of mine. Yes, I am a girl. No, I don't want to cyber. WoW has a significantly large amount of female players, yet we are still considered the lost city of Atlantis when we are outed. And no, not every girl gamer wants to cyber with you because you share one interest.
Previous result of violations: Trading [worn dagger] to player before leaving group citing real life as the cause. Discussing menstruation in sickening detail.

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