Is it possible to PUG a dungeon? Even a Normal one?

[SonicBoom]

First of all, let's get the obvious out of the way. Yes, I'm in a guild, and no, I can't ask them to join me. I'm a new player, so I'm still low level. There are a few low level players and alts in the guild, but no one around my own level, and most don't bother do dungeons anyway. Why do a low-level dungeon on an alt, when you can do high-level dungeons on your main? So I'm stuck PUGing dungeons or ignoring them.

Second, I have played many, many MMORPGs before, and I have done dungeons in a lot of them. The dungeons in SW: The Old Republic (especially Esseless and Black Talon) are my favorites, but there are some nice ones in other games too. Even better, the community in other games are really nice. I especially remember doing a Duo in DC Universe Online (dungeon for two players) with a total stranger, and we ended up friends. And don't get me started on LotRO. I PUGed a lot there, and for every person who went on my ignore list, at least four or five ended up on my friendslist. And then... there is Rift.

I tried my first dungeon the other day, using the dungeon finder. We lacked a player at first, but we gave it a shot, and made some decent progress. Then one guy quit. Then another. Then another, and I was alone, having no idea what the hell just happened. Second dungeon. We were a full party and doing quite well. We struggled a bit with the first boss, but we got him after three tries. The next boss? Not so much. We struggled, and I died. As my soul walk was on cooldown, I couldn't just walk out of there. I was in front of the boss too, so I didn't think anyone could resurrect me either. I asked the group about it, but no one bother respond in a nice way. All I got was a few noob-insults. So I did what I use to do in other games and clicked Respawn. In other games, that means I respawn at the entrance of the dungeon (or inside it). Not so much here. I respawned outside and had to run a bit to get back to the dungeon. This worked fine, except when I reached the dungeon, i was kicked out of the group without warning. I told them why I respawned and said I was right outside the dungeon, and I asked them to wait. But they didn't even bother respond.

Third time? This time we also had a full group for a while. But then one guy left, and the rest of us struggled. We made progress, and even found a replacement for the one who left. The weird thing is everyone suddenly started talking in German, despite being an English server. I told them I understood some of the stuff they talked about, but not much. They didn't care. Not that it mattered much, as they left after a little while. And once again, I was on my own without a clue what had just happened.

It took me four tries to finally be able to do one dungeon, and this was still the Normal ones. Are the community in-game really this bad? I only finished the dungeon because I got a bit angry and forced myself to stick with it for the hell of it, just so I can say I finished a dungeon. But I'm not even going to try that again. If I have to sign up for a dungeon four times just to finish a Normal one, I don't even want to think about how long I need to sit there to finish a difficult one.

The rest of the game is great. Please don't think I think otherwise. I love the game, and have already bought more of those extra mounts and stuff that I strictly should, simply because I love the game. But dungeons? They can PUG off for all I care. And that's a shame, as they could be the best part of the game.

[Choras]

But dungeons? They can PUG off for all I care. And that's a shame, as they could be the best part of the game.

They aren't.

Get to 60, then worry about dungeons.

[leaa]

Ok first of all, dungeon pugs are cross all eu shards, this means you will do dungeons with french and german people just as well as english people. Usually it works with english when it comes to german, french not so much. It is more people not speaking english, then there is. Nothing you can to about it but trying to work with it.

Regarding the respawn, every player in game have a resurrection (as do you), so if someone is up, they will resurrect you, so wait until this is done. If for some reason noone does and you can not soulwalk and rezz, then you hit respawn, and after that when you have you push the lfg-tool and choose enter dungeon. Goes a lot faster.

Now the lower dungeons are often very easy, and there should not really be any reason for anyone to die unless the tank can not pull aggro, the healer can not heal, or the dps is camping aoe-spots or neglect any mechanic the boss do. A tips here is to check google and watch some videos of the dungeons you can go to, if you are unsure.

Other then that, do not pull aggro as in do not be the first one to shoot, wait a few sec until the tank have hit the boss/mobs and then you start hiting them. Follow this and you should be fine.

[wayne62682]

Unfortunately Rift has evolved in a similar manner to WoW, on which it was inspired by, to the point where most people now see dungeons as simply something to zerg through for quick XP or, at endgame, something that everyone knows backwards and forwards. A truly new player is at a severe disadvantage because the original dungeons now might as well not exist for anything other than quick XP (and I don't think it's that quick XP anyway) and people aren't very helpful to newbies because they're too focused on leveling that alt or getting those slayer's marks (at 60).

This community is VERY different from LOTRO where people are almost always helpful and the rude/trolling people are quickly outed in the game and shunned. I never did much in LOTRO but I ran the first set of dungeons all the time and everyone was extremely patient and helpful even if you said you were new and had no idea what to expect in the dungeon. You'd be very hard pressed to find that here; just like in WoW chances are if you say in a dungeon you're totally new and don't know the fights, you'll be kicked out of the group rather than have the group take a minute or two to explain to you (note this doesn't happen all the time, but there's always a chance you got put with people who think that waiting for a replacement is better than taking a minute to explain to a new person and help them learn).

With the language thing I cannot offer advice since I'm in NA so I don't get that, but I understand it can be a frequent problem in the EU servers; that sometimes came up in WoW if you got grouped with people from the small group of realms that had mostly Brazilian players, and we never really found a solution for it if they were unwilling or unable to speak English. This game is small enough that segregating the servers again isn't really a viable solution, so you might have to just deal with that.

So in short yes it's possible, but it entirely depends on who you get in the group. If you get a nice helpful group you're good, if you get a bunch of selfish people that don't care about helping anyone, then you're in for some pain.

Also, as someone else mentioned if you ever respawn from a dungeon, just right-click the LFG icon under your map and select "Enter dungeon" and it will put you back in without you having to run all over god's country to find the entrance.

[MoonfireSpam]

Its a people issue.

When I did them, I was in the lead pack of players who were grinding ahead to 60 ASAP.

When there were people who queue'd the dungeons (mostly for the daily xp reward + guaranteed blue that's more than likely an upgrade) they were the people who had the can-do mentality...

... and were generally not missing half their brain when it comes to dealing with mechanics and the unexpected.

Its the same thing for Experts. When I pugged them often, there were only a small population of 60s... and every one of them were people who played often, played alot, and knew how to play.

I'm not saying those people don't exist in the queues anymore, but now its more of a roll of the dice to see what you get. Sometimes you get the folks who rolled alts... and the groups go off without a hitch. And other times you get people who expect to mash one button and wants the mobs to fall apart around them and for the mechanics to solve themselves and avoid where they are standing.

[SonicBoom]

Thanks, everyone. I know the basics of dungeons and what to expect from them, so I guess rushing them I should be fine. Discussing boss strategies might be useful, but the rest should be a cake walk. Though I think my best choice is to ignore dungeons mostly until I get to a higher level, then go with my guild only. They are nice people, so I expect to have a fun time with them in dungeons. The problem is of course that if I go with the same people over and over, how am I supposed to meet new people? The result can easily be a game full of small groups of people with very little connection to each other.

Another issue is that I used to love how Rift was the best part from a lot of different MMORPGs. What happened? I tried WoW a few days ago, but quit early because I couldn't even edit the UI layout without downloading adds. I really wish Rift could stand on it's own as a great game, and not aim to be a boring version of a boring game.

[Frailaq]

I pug normals and experts and it's a mixed bag. Some groups are great, others... not so much.

What leaa said is also true - everyone has a rez now. Communicate. If you're near the entrance to a dungeon or in a dungeon like Golem Foundry which is just one big room then forget waiting for a rez, just hit respawn, right-click the LFG tool button and choose Enter Dungeon. If you're further along in a dungeon and it would take a while to run all the way back then volunteer to soul walk or ask if someone else can SW and rez.

[Sarim]

First of all, let's get the obvious out of the way. Yes, I'm in a guild, and no, I can't ask them to join me. I'm a new player, so I'm still low level. There are a few low level players and alts in the guild, but no one around my own level, and most don't bother do dungeons anyway. Why do a low-level dungeon on an alt, when you can do high-level dungeons on your main? So I'm stuck PUGing dungeons or ignoring them.

Have you actually asked people in your guild? Don't be afraid to, the most you can get is a no

Btw. some good advice here. I didn't know that trick of using the LFG tool to return to the dungeon, and was often wondering how the hell people could "run" back so quickly to the dungeon entrance after a wipe ;)

[Kedolan]

You should ask in your guild whenever you get high enough lvl for a new dungeon, if anyone would be willing to spend a little time to help you learn it before you're let loose on the whims of the LFG tool. Rift has a function called Mentoring, which allows someone to set their lvl to any lvl, as long as it's at least 5 lvls lower. So a lvl 60 can mentor down to lvl 20 and help you with a dungeon, for instance.

They'll still likely be a lot more powerful than someone of that actual lvl (due to having access to higher lvl spells/talents, though they'll be powered down to the correct lvl), but they won't just 1-shot everything, and you'll still get full xp, etc. It will even give the person who's mentored down xp as if they were doing stuff of their lvl, so it's not a complete waste of their time either (starting at 50 you can get planar attunement xp, which you can keep gaining beyond the lvl cap for small bonuses).

[actionvapor]

forget waiting for a rez, just hit respawn, right-click the LFG tool button and choose Enter Dungeon.

If it isn't clear, the LFG tool icon is right below your mini map. Right click it to get the Enter Dungeon option.

[Ardor]

I still get some good PUGs and some good people. Overall, though, the quality of the Rift community is deteriorating. Once the kiddies and jerks start taking over, it snowballs ... normal people don't want to be exposed to awful people, so they leave the game. The Rift community hasn't sunk to WoW levels yet, but it's getting there.

Getting to 60 and running with your guild is the best option. Unless your guild also is rife with toolbags.

[Lyzetta]

Why do a low-level dungeon on an alt, when you can do high-level dungeons on your main? So I'm stuck PUGing dungeons or ignoring them.

Not sure how they would feel about it, but your guildies can mentor down to your level. That will at least give them the reward for the daily normal.

[Geopenguin]

Because a lot of the newer bosses are gated it will do you no good to respawn. Best bet is to use a soul walk or ask if the group wants you to respawn and run back in. They may have a battle rez or two depending on makeup of the group. Sometimes you just have to watch the fight from your cadaver. You get credit whether you are alive or not (which isn't always the important thing).
A big part of guild and team building is to work with the lower level toons. I would at least say something on the guild channel about the problems you're having (they can always mentor down if need be). If you can't find anyone willing to help then maybe you need to find a new guild.
You will find some really good pugs too. The best thing there is to add those people to your friends list now that you can do cross-shard groups.
Wish you well!!!

[m1nus]

You can but I will give you tips since I've been PUG'ing dungeons in MMOs for a long time (PUG'ed my way to L52 in Rift dungeons since my guildmates are mostly L60 and are doing experts or raids):

* Look up the names of the dungeons that your level will allow you to do.
* Spend 30 minutes reading how the boss fights/mechanics work.
* Optional: you can supplement your research above by watching YouTube vids.

The reason the first two are important is because PUGs are unforgiving. They expect you to know how the fight works because otherwise you wouldn't be PUG'ing it. Your guild should teach you how to do these dungeons. But if you want to PUG, you better do some advance reading which will make PUG'ing a lot better.

[Redcruxs]

First of all, let's get the obvious out of the way. Yes, I'm in a guild, and no, I can't ask them to join me. I'm a new player, so I'm still low level. There are a few low level players and alts in the guild, but no one around my own level, and most don't bother do dungeons anyway. Why do a low-level dungeon on an alt, when you can do high-level dungeons on your main? So I'm stuck PUGing dungeons or ignoring them.

Do you realize that high levels can mentor themselves down to any level and run a dungeon with you? they won't get loot but it can still be fun and they will still get PA experience. Don't assume they'll say no before you even ask them, then come to the forums to complain... that's just weak.

If a guildy asked me to run a low level dungeon with them i'd do it because:

A) to help the guild
B) because its been months or even a year or more since i've seen some of the older low level dungeons
C) there's no reason not to.

But hey, i'll never know if my low level guildys don't ask because they are too afraid. so what i'm trying to say is its 100% your fault for not asking. you know what they say about assuming stuff...