"X TF (SF/Trial) forming, need _____."

Union, a night or two ago, there was a Master of Lambda forming, and there was someone asking specifically for just rads, as they wanted -res. After asking for about half an hour, some of us chimed in to inform them that sonic, dark, cold, storm and traps all had -res too. Seems they didn't know this, and was soon asking for just -res, and the league filled up in a couple of minutes. I think they've been around for ages, but someone in the past had misinformed them that only rads can debuff at some point, and they've been building teams around that idea since. I'd like to think the rest of us who offered some advice, have made his recruiting easier in the future.

It also got me thinking about a guy that was on Union ages back, who was obsessed with running speed-katies. He'd constantly be trying to get the time down, to cash in on the recipe drop at the end of it (before merits). He'd ask for specific sets, even specific powers, and would turn people away until he got his exact team make up. I think in the time it took him to fill his team, we could run three maybe four runs with a 'bring anything' team, and still be only a minute or two off his best time. He was so dead set on his perfect team and his scheme to get recipes as fast as possible, he didn't realise how many he was missing out on whilst refusing people.

The only time I ever demand of a specific powerset is MoKeyes, where empathy is VERY useful. But I have seen people go as far as "Must be 50+1" for ITF of all TFs.

For most TFs that I form I usually don't request any particular AT. The exceptions are high level TFs, STFs, KTFs, LGTFs and ITFs. Even then it tends to be a request for Control and MAYBE a Tank. The other exception is if I think we need some debuffs, but even then I never ask for Powerset X in specific.

Befire I used to see "We need a Stone Tank"

Seen requests for all the Defenders Primaries EXCEPT Trick Arrow. Yes, this means I've seen people request FF and Sonics. Though Cold Dom is usually in the same line as FF.

Never heard of anyone specifically asking for anything melee.

Lots of "Need a Tank" but no real powerset asked for outside of times they think they need a Stone Tank.

I used to try and avoid TFs where people were looking for specific ATs but then ended up on a couple with experienced TF types who looked at the assembled mass and deemed that we would need to plug a hole or two so that it would be a fun run rather than a huge fight to finish. Now I try to give people the benefit of the doubt but if they try spending 20 minutes to recruit that last person chances are I will wander off.

I generally just require at least 2 members of the team have some kind of support set, and there's someone who can take a hit, either a tank/brute or an IO'd scrapper.

Any time I'm forming a TF I'll take pretty much whoever asks until the TF is full. Frequently I have someone ask me what we need... I usually comment with a general "we have X and Y and could probably use Z but bring whatever you like and we'll make it work". There's a VERY few cases where something specific is helpful; the Hami portion of the LGTF is REALLY tough without holds for the greens for example.

I like to have debuffs and damage on a team with a sprinkling of support (tank, buffs, etc) but all I really care about is a competent player behind the keyboard. Occasionally I get a rookie and that's fine, everyone needs to learn sometime. As long as they're willing to learn I don't have any problem.

This reminds me of a time I was putting a Manticore together with my tank and ended with 3-4 blasters and 3-4 scrappers, and nothing else. Absolute PuG. There were some concerns about it, but I was confident it would be fine. A blaster told me "you better be a damn good tanker," and I replied "you better be damn good at killing stuff, cause if you aren't I'll be going down eventually."

That broke the tension, we all did our part, and the TF ran smoothly.