Team Elite

Intro

I didn't think I would be blogging about Team Elite so quickly, but after last night's Garrosh kill, here we are!  

It is now widely known (for those part of the 2 guilds involved) that a group of folks mainly from the raid group known as Team Moist that originated from the guild Masochistic Tendencies, reformed into the guild known as Broken.  This has been blogged to death already, but what wasn’t known was how many other folks from MT would want to follow, not to be in TM, but to join Broken and start a second team, a new team, a team affectionately known now as Team Elite. (an inside joke for those wondering why we would call ourselves ‘elite’)

The Forming

It started when some folks from the guild Blackout approached Bloodrooted and I about potentially joining Broken.  We spoke about a 2^nd 10 man team to get to H SOO raiding and it piqued everyone’s interest and so it began the building of this new team. 

Uphill Climb

After beating on a few trees, a group of folks initiated the group, but even that has already changed in the few short months since the inception of this group.  A few Blackout folks have rejoined Blackout while Broken brought a few new faces in to replace them.  The initial vibe was a little stagnant as the group was challenged with gear disparity and experience disparity, but time, gear, and dead bosses heals all.

Believe

Bloodrooted, myself, and Broken have a product we like to sell to those that follow us into battle…er…raid.  2 nights of raiding for 5 hours total to achieve established goals and have fun while doing it and NOT burning out or making it feel like a 2^nd or 3^rd job.  Most folks can go find a raid team and raid 20 hours a week and achieve great things; if that is what you want go for it, we will not stop you, and we cannot sell you that product.  BUT, ask anyone raiding that much how long they can sustain that schedule or ask them how much “fun” it actually is.  It isn’t a coincidence most REAL HC raiders (think Blood Legion, Method, etc) “retire” by age 25.  It is also not a coincidence folks that raid 3-5 nights a week take long breaks from WOW as burnout sets in.  I have been around since vanilla and Blood since TBC, the magic number for us is 2 nights and for those that continue to follow us.  Do people still burn out even after only 2 nights, unfortunately, yes. 

We do not promise miracles nor promise anything we cannot deliver and we do not pretend to be perfect (far from it), but we work hard and talk a lot, more out of game than in game (think about that).  We strive for what we can achieve and will try and combine like-minded, like skilled individuals in a group and have some fun doing it.  Will there be times of frustration?  Of course, but those are outweighed by the good times, the fun times, the dead bosses, the laughter, the awful jokes, the antics of a drunk raider leader on 

Friday Flex nights…wait  a minute….

All we ask is for folks to believe and to give the product time to breathe, to grow, to mature into what our final product can transform into, let it blossom into something beautiful as it has in the present and in the past with other great Broken raid teams and members. 

Team Elite started as a seed and has now quickly transformed into a flower, but it is still growing, where it ends up is impossible to predict, but we will continue to water it and feed it and pull out the weeds and keep nurturing it.  Can you smell it?  I sure can and it is starting to smell good and sweet.

Ride the Lightning

Last night, March 4, 2014 Team Elite downed Garrosh Hellscream (the hardest normal boss in MoP by a long shot) within 2 pulls after only working it maybe 30 times total and that includes some fill-in nights and a fair amount of technical issues to overcome.  The kill was a true testament that the team has meshed (I have a blog about ‘Synergy’ coming soon) and a testament to the execution and skill of the team.  The little ‘roar’ that sometimes comes after a kill like that was heard over vent last night, I won’t lie, I smiled and it felt pretty damn good.  Who I say I am proud of them?  No, these aren’t my children, but my fellow raiders, my guildies, but I am happy for all of them and happy to be part of the team and the Raid Leader of the team.  Certainly, they can and should be proud of themselves and I thank them for buying into what Broken has offered to accomplish.

The Players

Oishi – DK tank – Didn’t come over initially with the other Blackout folks, but found Broken out after a hiatus from raiding for a little bit.  Needed gear and geared fast and learned the fights fast.  He’s a keeper.  ;)

Tard – DK tank.  Tanked for me in MT on 2 of the teams I ran for MT.  A rock at the position and solider at heart.  A great guy that had easily one of the best forum posts of all time titled “herding cats” or something along those lines and I only wish I could link it.

Yakk – Lock – Yakk is a natural born leader that decided to join Broken and just be a raider.  A RL for a long time in MT (since T12) and until he took a break from the game at the end of T15.  He rcently has decided to rejoin the ranks of raiding in T16.  The wily WOW veteran that has been raiding and raid leading forever (even in vanilla with 40 mans) and a guy that I respect greatly.

Wylf – huntard #1 – Another raider from MT that has been on 2 of my teams in MT.  Works his toon to the max.  Rep grinds to the max (OCD much?).  Sometimes like to stand in the fire, but he is a hunter. So who can blame him.  ;)

Dannane – huntard #2 – Dannane came over to play and fillin as a backup raider for Broken.  When things changed, she was filling in weekly and was part of the kill last night and earned a spot on the team.  Her upward progress in skill is a nice thing to see.

Maisee/Peekabu – Resto Druid/Huntard #3 – Maisee was in one of my groups in MT and filled in a fair amount for TM back in MT.  She heals on her druid for 3 heal fights and DPSes on her huntard for 2 heal fights.  She’s the hybrid raider on the team, but on two different toons.  We appreciate her sacrifice and dedication to master both classes to help the team out.  She also likes craft beer and all know what I do on every raid night, craft beer + gold fish FTW.  Maybe one day she’ll send me some Le Cumbre!

Beeker – Rogue – Wow, I have known Beeker know since T12 or was it T13?  I raided with him in a number of guilds alliance side on weekends when I was moonlighting and just being a raider and not a raid leader.  Silent, but deadly just like his chosen class, I wonder if he sneaks up on people and stabs them IRL too.  He never knew my true “personality” (uh hum, drunk raid leader) until now, let’s hope I don’t scare him away. 

Bleep – Resto Druid – She literally joined 3 raids ago!  A welcome addition to the group and we hope she stays with us and sees in the little time she has raided with us what Broken is all about.  Not much to say her about her yet as we just met, but don’t let her Texas Southern accent fool you, she’s a player.

Tenley – Mage – At first, we were reluctant to let a guy under our age limit join the guild, but in time I realized his maturity level is higher than most double his age.  I am glad we took the risk as he is mature and a great raider that has been patient as others were gearing as he did kill Garrosh 3-4 months ago.  Thanks Tenley.

9?  I think I forgot about someone ....  ;)  

Mavros - healer - You seriously thought I was going to write something here?  ;)

I am sure I will have much more to say about each one of these folks if they stay with Broken and go into WOD with us. 

What Is Next?

HEROICS!  Normals are done and with only 5 hours a week, planning how much time to spend on heroics each week becomes a challenge.  Each week we will set an agenda and work the heroics as best we can.  They are the toughest PVE challenge Blizzard has to offer and there has not been a blanket nerf yet, so these are legit, but the puzzle they present to raid times to figure out is why I play WOW. 

Conclusion

It did not take long and maybe I thought it would have taken longer, but Team Elite has arrived and is on a roll.  Right now we run as 2 distinct groups and we are planning on doing more together going forward prior to WOD.  For now, TE will jump into some heroics and see what shakes out.  I can say good job to all, thank you for being patient, and let’s keep it going and have some more fun.