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Yes you should start teams. It's easy, fun and works every time. Join your server's global channels to make it easier. The biggest pitfalls and dangers for team leaders are basically letting people get bored. Have a mish set, talk in team, keep people informed of what's going on. Don't hold up the team to find the perfect mix of ATs or anything; the game plays just fine with any old mix of competent (or not) players. Don't let the team idle at the mish door or inside the entrance waiting for everyone to get ready. A rule I follow is that if over half the team is ready to start the mission, we start and the rest can catch up. Make sure everyone knows what the team is gonna be doing; it sucks joining a team that you think is running papers and it turns out they are gonna start a SF or something. Oh and start easy and ramp up the diff as you go, nothing sucks worse than joining someone's team set for +4/x8 and the team wipes and suddenly everyone has to leave for SG stuff or dinner or whatever |
Originally Posted by HawterThanOrange
So, I'm a level 22 villain, and I'm having a hard time getting into groups? Should I take charge (despite being rather new at all this) and start teams?
In praetoria, teaming is way easy, but once I got onto the isles, things seem a bit sparse. Well, I'm already kind of decided on the whole taking charge idea, so what are the biggest pitfalls and dangers of being a team leader? |
Enjoy!
Forming & Leading a team does take a bit more effort, a bit more prep, a bit more patience, and a bit more tactical acumen, not to mention just a thimble-full of actual leadership skill.
But I will only form & lead my own teams, because I know what I'm gonna get (great xp, quick mission turnaround, very little hassle, and tons of fun).
Start here: "How to Form a Full, 8-player Team in Under 5 minutes without using annoying Blind Invites".
A good leader is hands-off until things start to go to s**t. Then you have to be willing to step in, lay out a tactical approach, and even call out the real screw-ups (in private Tells only, never in Team chat) if they're causing problems for the team.
Couple of tips:
Be vocal but not bossy, especially at the start - every Team is different, some will gel immediately and need no guidance at all. Others will benefit from a "Let's all follow [the Tank/Scrap/Leader] pls" or "[Illusion 'troller] open with Phantom Army pls k?" or "[Scrapper] pls stay with the team k?" etc.
I always add "pls" to every suggestion - people don't like being ordered around, but making it a polite request makes people feel like they're contributing to the team effort by "pitching- in".
I also use the word "team" at every possible opportunity. "Enter when ready pls team" "Hold up a sec pls team" "let's clear this hallway too pls team" "good job team!" to reinforce that we're all part of a team and should play as such.
I think the main focus of a good leader is just to keep things moving. As Emberly says, you don't have to have everyone in the door to start your mish. Look at the ATs who ARE ready, if you think the Tank can handle the mobs you're facing, tell him to "jump in pls we've got your back", if not, maybe pulling a few is called for.
As you get more familiar with the maps n mobs, you should know when it's safe to leave your team to finish up the scraps while you charge ahead to the next mob.
Depending on your AT & level, either jump in and get things rolling or head back toward your team then lead them to the right spot. A good tank will do this on their own... if they don't, it's up to you to keep barreling foward to keep the pace lively, regardless of your AT.
i.e. Always "Lead from the front" unless you've got a really good Tank who's rolling along, then just "Lead by example" by sticking to him like glue.
Do try to say "Gratz", be witty/chatty (but not to the point of shirking your leadership duties), LOL at others' jokes (even bad ones), etc.
If you can simply "act" like you think a leader should act (think of a teacher on a field trip - for example I will wait at the elevators until I see the last player on the team approaching, before going up (get a "head count" since you will lose their location on the map once you go up the elevator)), then most players will immediately pick up on that and let you do the leading, which will usually keep the team together.
Leading can be very rewarding - and gets easier the more you do it. I recommend giving it a shot, the game can always use more people willing to form and lead teams.
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Remember, there are a lot of newbies this month. Some might even be young kids. Not all Tank or Brute players will know what is expected of them. For the first enemy spawn group, you may want to initiate the fight. After that, usually one of the team members will start moving up on their own and you can follow him (if you want). | Depending on your AT & level, either jump in and get things rolling or head back toward your team then lead them to the right spot. A good tank will do this on their own... if they don't, it's up to you to keep barreling foward to keep the pace lively, regardless of your AT. |
Typically it will be someone who's attacks or controls are most effective if the enemy group is still in a tight cluster. They will want to be up front so they can do their thing immediately, before the group gets all scattered. So, which ever team mate is willing to pave the way and accept taking the alpha strike, they are the point man. Let them lead the way and if you're on a support type character, be sure to back them up.
Of course, if no one is willing, then you'll have to do it. If you can do debuff or controls, open with it. If you can use it out of line of sight, like while you're peeking around a corner, so much the better. Try to minimize the alpha strike response from the enemy upon yourself, especially if the team is slow to respond.
And as you go through the mission, if you come to a fork in the cave or a corridor intersection, don't hesitate. Pick a direction. I've noticed that most teams will usually go left first. That's a good enough rule of thumb for me.
Teams are the number one killer of soloists.
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pls... I mean please don't do this. Many players, including me absolutely hate text speak when it's not advantageous. If you are in the middle of combat then it's fine but somebody who uses it all the time is usually somebody who lacks the attention span of a 5 year old. No offense Roberto. You are quite literate in the forums but if I teamed with you and you were talking like this I would quit the team at the first opportunity. First opportunity meaning between missions or at the end of a TF. I never abandon a team mid task no matter how bad it gets.|
Originally Posted by RobertoLyon
open with Phantom Army pls k?" or "[Scrapper] pls stay with the team k?
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The other advice I have is don't be afraid to kick somebody from the team if they insist on arguing with you or otherwise disrupting the team. The disruption that a person like that brings to a team is worse for the team and its morale than a leader or other team member who isn't perfect. A lot of first time leaders worry that the team will turn on them if they kick somebody off the team. The reality though is that in most cases the rest of the team are wondering why the leader doesn't get rid of the trouble maker.
Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!
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Sorry to single you out, Roberto, but I lose respect for anyone who uses this as a substitute for "please". You state that you add "pls" to everything to make it into a polite request. However, I know that I am not alone in finding "pls" to be anything but polite. If you're trying to ask someone nicely to do something, take the time to hit the extra three keys on the keyboard. When I see "pls" at the end of someone's request, it feels tacked on like an afterthought; three keys pressed just before their pinky finger descended onto the enter key. When I see the word "please" it makes me think that the person is actually being respectful.|
Originally Posted by RobertoLyon
pls
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Maybe I'm just too old for the internet anymore with its ever-evolving slang, but abbreviating words that are short enough already just seems like you're telling people they're not worth your time.
Well, back on topic, aside from the "pls" thing, I agree with a lot of what Roberto said.
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I consider anything other than "pl0x" to be extremely rude and I'll quit the team!
I know you are saying please which is polite, but I have old person disease that makes me snap judgements on people for not spelling it as I prefer, therby meaning that you, not me is a cantankerous jerk!
Puh-leeze.
Hey if you're able to quickly type "please" into every message you send during a mission, more power to you!
I type for a living and am pretty dang fast - but spelling it out, risking typos, fixing typos, etc. every 2 minutes isn't worth it to me in the long run. Seeing all the messages one after another (above) does make it stick out like a sore thumb, but I think taken separately it's not as big a deal.
Important thing to take away is, Don't order your team around (as leader). Asking them politely will get a much better response.
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So make yourself a keybind control+p or whatever. Yes I know that it's becoming more and more common but to me it is the text equivalent of caveman speak when talking. In a conversation would you be more likely to say "I'm going to the store to pick up some milk. Is there anything you want me to get you?" or "Me go get milk. What you want?"? After all the second one does save you a couple seconds of time, 12 words and 15 syllables.|
Originally Posted by RobertoLyon
Hey if you're able to quickly type "please" into every message you send during a mission, more power to you!
I type for a living and am pretty dang fast - but spelling it out, risking typos, fixing typos, etc. every 2 minutes isn't worth it to me in the long run. Seeing all the messages one after another (above) does make it stick out like a sore thumb, but I think taken separately it's not as big a deal. Important thing to take away is, Don't order your team around (as leader). Asking them politely will get a much better response. |
And incidentally I agree with the politeness. Asking a team means you intend them to participate. Ordering them around sounds like you think they are incompetent.
Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!
So, I'm a level 22 villain, and I'm having a hard time getting into groups? Should I take charge (despite being rather new at all this) and start teams?
In praetoria, teaming is way easy, but once I got onto the isles, things seem a bit sparse.
Well, I'm already kind of decided on the whole taking charge idea, so what are the biggest pitfalls and dangers of being a team leader?