pugs or hench. what do u prefer? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

korcan

noobalicious

Join Date: Jun 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 06:37 - 1

since i dont have access to a polling feature, something a little more informal will have to do.
with the introduction of heroes, henching missions, quests, and the like has become a lot more efficient then in the past.
my poll question to yall is simple.
pugs or hench? if possible, id also like a reason behind everyones preference.

i prefer to pug for the most part. regardless of how many times a pug fails a mission, theres no feeling as gratifying as when u find a perfect pug that breezes through a tough mission with little to no problems whatsoever.

doing missions with guildies/friends is fun but i dont get a sense of accomplishment with them because i already know that the miss or w/e it is were going to do will be relatively painless. but complete strangers coming together and pwning a mission? thats something special, imo

so what do yall prefer?

Avarre

Bubblegum Patrol

Join Date: Dec 2005

Singapore Armed Forces

12 Jan 2007 at 06:43 - 2

The most fun I've had in PvE is with a team that is completely constructed out of friends lists, so we have enough coherency and capability to screw around and still easily complete the mission.

Aside from that, I typically pug with a small group (2-3) of people I know, just to ensure that the group will work. Pugs, as you said, have the potential for much more enjoyment, but also the downside of incapability, and the inability to take things at your own pace (like with heroes/hench).

Overall, henching for me. In the occasions I need a group for something, I don't want to spend extra time grabbing people and sorting out setups.

Hand of Ruin

Banned

Join Date: Jul 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 06:43 - 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by korcan

i prefer to pug for the most part. regardless of how many times a pug fails a mission, theres no feeling as gratifying as when u find a perfect pug that breezes through a tough mission with little to no problems whatsoever.

I do that with hero/hench, which do you think I prefer?

Shadow of Light

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Australia

Mo/

12 Jan 2007 at 07:07 - 4

It depends.

If I use heroes/henchies, I can take my time, look around, etc. There's no rush, and I like to explore. Alternately, I can also use heroes/henchies if I'm in a hurry, as PUGS can be unreliable to the point that you'll have to repeat a given mission several times before you actually get through it.

For certain classes it can be very hard to find a PUG that will accept you, and there are places where it can just take ages to form a PUG (let alone a good one).

If I remember correctly, there were only three, possibly four missions I PUGged to successful completion in Nightfall on my first time through. I PUGged some others, failed, then completed easily with h/h. The rest I just h/hed straight out.

I like PUGing. But usually, unless there's friends or guildies involved, or unless I'm having serious problems winning a mission on my own, I'll opt for h/h.

Dimitri_Stucoff

Academy Page

Join Date: Dec 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 07:13 - 5

For me it is Hero and pug. However, ideally it would be pug. It is just that finding a good pug is so hard. Heck I spent the last week trying to find a good enough pug so I could finish a quest... and it was just one part of this quest. Though the people I got were extremely good, even when 2 of the monks err=10 out we still managed to beat the map with some good tactics, some supurb healing from our one remaining monk, a good bit of trust in the plan (at one point our tank was debating leaving cause he thought it was useless. Convinced him to stick around for 20 more seconds.. which was long enough for him to say change his mind as the plan worked flawlessly), and a whole bunch of ressing.

I love when a good pug pulls together even when things go wrong. Makes me wish I had a longer friends list.

So in the end a good pug group is what I prefer (which by the end of the quest mission or whatever turns into a friend group).

However, if I just want to get it done and done quickly I will just hench it (unless it cant be henched). As henchmen are vastly superiour to the average pug and a balanced pug takes a while to set up. However, they are lacking when compared to those rare instances when you get a good one.

To this I answer with two:
In theroy a pug (the case when they work well and I do not have to try again and again to get the job done when I know it can be so easy)

In practice hero/henchies (I know what they can do, they wait for me so I can go afk without annoying anyone, easier to form, better then the average pug. And a good pug is so hard to find.... so I take lower quality with reliability over higher quality with extreamly low reliability of getting it)

Kityn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2005

Michigan

Heroes of the Horn [HoH]

N/

12 Jan 2007 at 07:20 - 6

I prefer real people above an AI anyday. AIs haven't evolved a real sense of humor as of yet.

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

12 Jan 2007 at 07:50 - 7

I do pretty much all side quests with henchies. Missions, I generally look for a group for the first 1-2 runs through, then get depressed and irritated, give up, and call in the hero/hench squad to steamroll the mission.

I greatly prefer playing with other people, but something about watching a warrior use flare, shard storm, and power attack makes me die a little bit inside.

bam23

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 07:56 - 8

I only hench the short stuff, but I try to find a pug for everything else.

Henches are quiet and boring, but a PUG has the human interaction, even if it's mostly arguing :P.

Maria The Princess

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

Aequitas Deis

12 Jan 2007 at 07:59 - 9

i love puging.

i have a long friends list and an awesome guild, but i wouldnt have those if i would never PUG!

yes PUGs can be frustrating, but as OP said, finding a good one is a great feeling. you also get to laugh at the bad ones and collect funny storys

of curse when i have no time or when i dont feel like sicialising ill hench

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

12 Jan 2007 at 08:03 - 10

I'm not concerned with efficency issues with either PuGs or Hero/Hench. I'm not even bothered by immature goof-offs that spam what they're wielding or drawing on the compass. What bothers me about a PuG is more or less the pace at which gameplay is set at while trying to form a PuG, and trying to actually play while in a PuG. It can range anywhere from annoyingly slow to stressfully fast - which sucks the fun right out of the game.

Let me put it this way - Life Happens. In GW, there are many missions that can take 45 minutes to an hour, sometimes longer. Forming a group can take about as long at times, too. That's a huge chunk of my free time, and everyone else's too. In that time span, things can happen as well. Between bathroom breaks and various other real life things that can interrupt gameplay, that 45min-1hour mission can become agonizingly long.

What's worse, is when I realize that I might be the worst time offender, being the casual player that I am, taking breaks often. I get into different moods, so one time, I might wish to take it slow, goofing off, while another time I'm just wanting to rush through and get it over with.

You know who doesn't complain about either playstyle, no matter what? Heroes and Henchies, that's who. They are always there when I'm ready to play, and always patient when I'm ready to take a break smack in the middle of a mission or quest.

"Well, arcane, why do you even play a multiplayer game if that's how you feel about playing with others?", someone will surely ask.

Simple. I bought Guild Wars for many reasons, but one of the main ones was how closely it seemed to play like Diablo 2, which I loved. I love a game that I can play on my own, with my wife, or at any point in time get together with friends and play. I also like to chat with others, meet new people, and if the moment struck me, yes, actually team up and play. Guild Wars allows all of this very easily.

So I'm not completely against PuGs, I would just rather use Heroes and Henchies most of the time, for convienence reasons.

VGJustice

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

Tyria, cappin' ur bosses

Boston Guild [BG]

R/W

12 Jan 2007 at 08:17 - 11

If I've got the time to spare, I'll PUG something even if it's my first time. Otherwise, Hero/Hench since I'll probably have to abandon.

tomcruisejr

Banned

Join Date: Apr 2005

12 Jan 2007 at 10:38 - 12

sampling is a good thing and that's how you make new friends (or new people to put in your friends list).

BlueNovember

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

WTS GW2 items for Zkey

Mo/

12 Jan 2007 at 10:59 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by czymann

I prefer real people above an AI anyday. AIs haven't evolved a real sense of humor as of yet.

If I want intelligent conversation the last place I am going to look for it is in your average pug; this is what Guild chat (and Alliance chat, to a degree) is for.
IMO Heroes are so much better to play with than humans it's just crazy.

Playing with friends is of course a different story, as you know they're competent, not going to leave 10 minutes in, and won't ping their Green'd-out weapon sets every 30 seconds.

Sai of Winter

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

[ale]

Mo/

12 Jan 2007 at 11:12 - 14

I prefer hench over PUGs because I like going at my own steady pace and not wait, plus henchmen are much more reliable for me. But overall it's Guild/friends/heroes/hench over PUGs.

Nexus Icon

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

Natis Ignigena

Me/

12 Jan 2007 at 11:24 - 15

I do a mix of heroes and pugs, although since the introduction of heroes I've actively tried to avoid taking pug monks.
If they're not self-important primadonnas, they're usually completely half-arsed; most of the time they're both.
Dunk & Tahl don't backchat, don't think Healing Breeze and Heal Party are the be-all, end-all of heal spells and don't ditch on the party if things get rough.
Let alone which, with a good enough set-up they remove hexes and conditions in the blink of an eye.

It's the one thing I hate about GW the most: the complete and utter reliance on one class. No matter what you do in GW, it seems that you MUST take a monk.
Now I know that with good enough players this isn't strictly true, but the vast majority of people won't do anything without a monk, and they do make life easier.

Creating a balanced game and then inserting a class so powerful that people feel obliged to take it utterly destroys that balance.

Monk. GW's crutch class.

Kook~NBK~

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2005

A little chalet outside Drok's

Natural Born Killaz

12 Jan 2007 at 11:53 - 16

I normally take heroes/henchies for side quests, skill capping, exploring, etc. It's not easy to find people that are looking to do those things and forming a PUG to do them would take too much time. So I just grab the AIs and go.

For Primary quests and Missions, I prefer PUGs. It's not hard to find groups for those things, as there are lots of people with the goal of completing the storyline. I've had more success with PUGs than failures, and have had a lot more fun with real people, even in failure, than with the AI's (Tahlkora's a hoot, tho)

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

12 Jan 2007 at 11:55 - 17

Guild/Alliance PuG > > > Heros/Hench > > > > > > > > > > PuG Helping a New Player > > > > > > > > > > Random Human PuG > > > PuG with a Wammo in it.

Damastes

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Howl at the Moon [HatM]

12 Jan 2007 at 12:11 - 18

With my W/x, D/x and A/x I'll most often take heroes and henchies as finding a PuG with those classes can take far too long. On the odd occasion that I have tried to find a group for a mission - it's taken so long to get started I could have finished with henchies and got masters.

I would always prefer to grab 2 or 3 friends and then pad out with heroes though.

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

12 Jan 2007 at 12:17 - 19

for missions
------------
Prefer friends / guild

otherwise like small PUGs with 2-4 people and rest henchies/heroes

quests
-------
hero/hench

Yandawar

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2006

D/E

12 Jan 2007 at 12:31 - 20

Hench: I frequently have to go offline for unknown periods of time without warning, and there's no way I'd expect humans to put up with that. (It's just disrespectful.) And when I don't, I still like to go slowly, explore every nook and cranny and marvel at the beauty of the environment. Again, no way I'd expect humans to put up with that.

PUG: for the 1% of the times that I know in advance I'll have the time, for those few missions that I can't manage to get Master's on by myself.

Aniewiel

Smite Mistress

Join Date: Jun 2005

The Land of AZ, USA

Rt/E

12 Jan 2007 at 13:34 - 21

I agree, Yandawar. I don't like letting people down with whom I am grouped if I suddenly have to go offline. It's just that way with a 5 year old.

Also, and pardon me, but generally speaking the henchies KNOW when to use their equipped spells. I've played all of Nightfall with henchies.

bungusmaximus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guild Of Handicrafted Products [MaSS]

W/Mo

12 Jan 2007 at 13:38 - 22

Depends very much on the situation and my mood. Sometimes there are no human players around anyway so I will have to rely on my faithful heroes. Some missions require splitting up and then a PUG isn't too bad, provided they know what they're doing. Realm of Torment missions are doable with hero/hench but it's time consuming and not very enjoyable imo. Same with somehing like Grand Court of Sebelkeh, it's amost impossible to manage aggro in a round chamber with foes coming from 3 sides. Babysitting 7 NPC's is very annoying in that case.
I really don't care much as long as ppl keep it civil and more or less get the job done I'm happy enough. Guildies can be busy (I have a small guild) so I can't always avoid PUGing.

freekedoutfish

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2006

E/

12 Jan 2007 at 13:48 - 23

As ive said quite alot in my thread...

"Who/what is to blame for PUG numbers dropping? "

....PUGs are great aslong as you know the people in them and/or their polite and mature and curdious and speak to you with respect.

But from my experience most arent like that. Most are dominating and rude and expect you to jump through hoops for them, or they suffer from leavers or leachers or some form of disruption.

I prefere Heroes for that reason. No back-chat and no rudeness.

But If I can get a friendly, intelligent PUG I will. But that rarely happens.

Sihaya Syme

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Belgium, Europe

Grenth's Rejects [GR]

N/Me

12 Jan 2007 at 13:53 - 24

I only PuG with people I know, either IRL or through the game. I've had one too many bad random PuG to still like it. (even though some say I have a bit of a talent for picking rather good groups).

So I prefer friends over henchies, but henchies over random PuGs.

TheRaven

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2006

Virginia

Spirit of Elisha

W/

12 Jan 2007 at 14:04 - 25

Well, like Freekedoutfish, I've also voiced my opinion pretty loud in the other thread, but here's the condensed version.

I prefer PUGs over henchies/heroes anyday, but generally I've ended up playing most of the game with henchies.

Why?

- Warp into town and only 4 people are there. Grab henchies and move on.
- Impossible to find PUGs for anything except the primary quests and missions. A few rare exceptions for the harder side quests (Cap son, Villiany of Garath, Althea's Ashes)
- If I've never ever ever done the mission/quest before I'll take henchies to get the feel of it rather than bog down a PUG with my ignorance of where to go, what to pick up, which enemies to avoid, watching cutscenes, etc.
- If I know I only have a few minutes on the computer or will be AFK frequently I'll take henchies.

glountz

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/Mo

12 Jan 2007 at 14:16 - 26

How do you define a PuG?
If we are 2 players, the rest filled with heroes, is it still a PuG? (I do that always with my wife so...)

By the way, your question is somewhat unaccurate.
*Do you prefer Good PuGs over henching/heroing?
- Of course I do!!!

*Do you prefer Pugs over henching/heroing?
Well considering that 95% of PuG will have at least a moron and sucky builds and fail the mission 50% of the time, and miss masters 95% of the time, I definetively prefer Henching.

Makkert

Black Beast of Aarrrrgghh

Join Date: May 2005

The Netherlands

The Biggyverse [PLEB] // Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

12 Jan 2007 at 14:16 - 27

Hero/ henchies.

Big_Iron

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

The Edge

Tormented Weapons [emo]

12 Jan 2007 at 14:39 - 28

I think this topic has been covered ad nauseum here.

Tiny Killer

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

Oshkosh, WI USA

Exile Champions of Heroic Order [ECHO]

12 Jan 2007 at 14:42 - 29

For me it depends on what character I am playing. If I am on one of my casters (especially monk of ritualist) I prefer to PUG as it then frees me up to focus on my support role instead of target calling. When I am on my warrior or ranger, I hate to PUG.

eloc_jcg

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2006

Canada

Guards Of The Citadel [GotC]

E/Rt

12 Jan 2007 at 15:07 - 30

Missions I choose other people and Quest I choose Henchmen.

Fender

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

Ohio

XoO

12 Jan 2007 at 15:41 - 31

no brainer: hench. Always have, always will. I like to play in guild groups, though.

Vinraith

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 15:51 - 32

Friends and Guildies >>> Heroes and Henches >>>> PUGs

Honestly, it'd never occur to me to try to progress in the game by PUGing. I'll go back and help people out sometime, or go for an old bonus I didn't pick up and then help a PUG through the game, but it's pretty rare. If I'm actually trying to get somewhere PUGing isn't even an option IMO.

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

12 Jan 2007 at 15:53 - 33

As stated above, there's a few multipage threads on this. But for the record, here's my order of preference.

1. Solo without heroes or henchmen. I love the challenge.
2. PuG made solely of players (i.e. no heroes or henchmen). Because PuG's are less efficient than NPC's, that does two things for me - increases the challenge (i.e. making up for their shortcomings through my play) and the thrill of human interaction (especially after soloing so much).
3. Guild/friends group. I personally don't like imposing on my friends to achieve MY goals, unless they're totally bored.
4. PuG with one or two heroes/henchmen. Still get most of the thrill of #2 above, as the NPC's are monks 99% of the time.
5. Solo with the MINIMUM number of NPC's possible. This is really when I've tried #1 way too many times, and cave in to take an NPC or two. This is definitely a test environment, however, where I gradually add one more NPC to the mix with each series of unsuccessful attempts.

By using that methodology, I can truly say that I have not become bored with any chapter of Guild Wars, and am not experiencing any degree of burnout.

Vahn Roi

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2006

[HiDE]

12 Jan 2007 at 15:57 - 34

For the harder missions I normally put together a guild group, for quests and everything else I bring heroes and hench. I've beaten Nightfall 3 times and I have only PUG'd once in that time.

I know preferring herose and henchmen to PUGs due to their poor quality is extremely ironic but whatever.

Arkantos

The Greatest

Join Date: Feb 2006

W/

12 Jan 2007 at 15:58 - 35

Guild/Friend Team > Hench/Heroes > PUG

Str0b0

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Carolina

N/Me

12 Jan 2007 at 16:30 - 36

For the first half of any one of the chapters I prefer hero and hench teams. They don't screw up nearly as much. For the last half pugs are much easier to deal with. By that point in the game most people know what's up and act like they have some sense and genrally the PUG's are good. An example of this. I henched my way through the first half of Nightfall. By the time I hit the Mouth of Torment mission Heros and henchies weren't cutting it. The PUG's I found were great, we only missed Masters on Varesh by 10 seconds, 10 lousy seconds. LoL

Qual

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2005

Denmark, Karup.

[PuG]

W/E

12 Jan 2007 at 18:58 - 37

I'll go with PUGs (if there any) - Because it is more fun and social.

Blackhawk

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

N/

12 Jan 2007 at 20:18 - 38

As long as no-one thinks they're Rambo I'm happy to go with a PuG

Smile Like Umean It

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2006

E/Rt

12 Jan 2007 at 20:55 - 39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinraith

Friends and Guildies >>> Heroes and Henches >>>> PUGs

Honestly, it'd never occur to me to try to progress in the game by PUGing. I'll go back and help people out sometime, or go for an old bonus I didn't pick up and then help a PUG through the game, but it's pretty rare. If I'm actually trying to get somewhere PUGing isn't even an option IMO.

My exact answer. It's okay for pugging every once and a while, but if I actually need to progress somewhere I first see if any guildies also need it or just want to come then I start adding heroes/henchies.

There are, however times where you have to use real human and if my guildies aren't about I just grit my teeth and hope for the best.

Muk Utep

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2006

12 Jan 2007 at 22:32 - 40

In this order:

1. Group with friends/guildies
2. Heroes and henchmen
3. PUG