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Raiding without add-ons
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Post by
165617
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Orvisand
Generally raiding add-ons like Big Wig and Deadly Boss Mod are used to make raiding much easier so that you can know when certain crucial events happen (For example: When the next Plasma Blast from Mimiron Phase 1 will be, to warn healers to begin healing hard) and such. They're usually used to enhance game play and are not needed, but help slower players as you said.
Post by
165617
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Post by
Necrobat
Ya, but what role are you? They're pretty much essential for tanks and healers to prepare for that big hit that's coming. DPS, not so much.
Post by
165617
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
madstrategist
They're by no means necessary, at least in my opinion, but I choose to use some add-ons because they make it easier to be a better player. I could heal on my pally without healbot. I'd probably do fine, but I prefer the display and the customizability of healbot over the standard WoW UI. The ability to do so much with the mouse isn't necessary, but it gives me quick access to more abilities, which makes me a better healer.
I use other add-ons because they give me the information I need in one place, rather than relying on the standard WoW UI. With these add-ons, I can make better, more informed decisions than I could without them.
Personally, I think having the add-ons makes me a better player. I could play without them, but why would I want to?
Post by
Aris
when i healed black temple content on my resto druid, the only add-on i ever used was DBM because it was required by the guild.
But i did like you said, and just pulled the boxes out of the raid tab and healed people manually without a healing mod. I've noticed when all healers in a raid use the same healing mod, they will all heal the same people at the same time, and overhealing goes through the roof, and people die more often.
I always found i healed better without a healing mod.
Post by
Patty
I used the WoW interface for a few months. I did fairly well at my job, with 0 add-ons. I decided to use them, and it's just eased my workload. But it's certainly possible, I did KT 25 man without any.
Edit: This isn't an "O LOOK AT MAH E-P33N" Type post, just giving an example on how simple raiding can be without addons. Oh, and a lot less lag too :)
Post by
147680
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Post by
380728
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Post by
Ellysium
I believe that DBM it's a must for everyone in the RAID, but if u can manage to play without add-ons why should anyone tell u if u must play with addons or not? It's your choice afterall, just make sure u play your role, so the RAID won't wipe because you didn't managed to act fast enough or you couldn't focus on the right target.
Post by
Celdhyrean
Addons aren't needed, but it's false/misleading to say that they are a crutch for "bad" players. They simply make things easier and free brain time for other things.
I do use several addons for raiding, and wouldn't want to be forced to raid without:
- unit bars (self, target, target of target, focus) for better positionning on the screen (less necessity to move the eyes around the screen, ie faster access to more information). Yes, you do lose time having to focus on things that are in different corners of the screen.
- raid bars (i'm using grid, any number of them also works fine) for again more and better concentrated info compared to normal UI : debuffs with a priority order, distance, who has agro on a mob, ...
- dot/hot timers (wether i'm moonkin or resto)
- addon to watch a few specific procs as the normal buff bar is too full of other things to give quick access to such information
- raid CDs to know who still has a battle rez CD up, ...
All those simply aim to organize information and present it in a way freeing screen space and concentrating the information in a small zone so that i can focus on more things at the same time.
None of those addons decides anything for me : selecting what spell to use and on whom is still my decision. Aris's example (healers all healing the same person) is either a problem of healers all using the same addon who'd tell you whom to heal (stupid) or a failure to attribute/stick to healing roles. There aren't that many addons like that anymore as Blizzard doesn't like things that allow you to not have to decide yourself, and the other case is just one of bad healers.
For example i don't use recursive because my raid bars already show all debuffs with color scheme (curse and poison which i can dispell), and i have a key bound to decurse/dispell poison, ie i can be as fast as Decursive and am able to decide whom to prioritize.
Could i play without ? Yes of course. Would i be as efficient ? No. Do i want to play without ? Hell no.
As for those who play at high end level without addons, of course it is possible. But i'm most certain that, given some adaptation time, they'd play even better with addons. And i'm quite persuaded that this is not only an opinion but a fact :focus, eye movement and such do induce reaction lag, and while most of it can be compensated by wait times during GCD but not all of it.
The difference might not be meaningfull compared to the level of performance already reached but it is there.
Post by
biogoo
They simply make things easier and free brain time for other things.
"Sorry, my brain was on GCD, couldn't act faster."
Post by
Celdhyrean
People underestimate the time lost when looking from a target bar at the top of the screen to the bottom of it for your action bar and cooldowns, to what's actually happening around you in the middle of the screen, and then looking at your buff bar to find the duration left on whatever temporary buff/debuff.
WoW isn't that fast paced (except in arenas perhaps) that it makes a critical difference when skilled, but it is there. And i don't see the need to spend my "skill/reflexes" on sending my eyes from one corner of the screen to another when i can have it presented neatly.
Post by
biogoo
People underestimate the time lost when looking from a target bar at the top of the screen to the bottom of it for your action bar and cooldowns.
"Since WoW-time costs real money, you should probably stop looking to save a dollar or two."
No, truly you are right, addons do help and make you faster. A lot. Especially if your knowledge of an encounter is not flawless.
Post by
142785
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Rubendesmet619
I just wondre how people play without addons.
Its so much easier, and you have so much more information about everything going on around you.
Post by
364248
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Ainhin
I've never used an add-on (too afraid of keyloggers and the like), so they're not crucial. I've never raid healed yet, though (resto druid at 78 atm) so I am wondering about the difficulty in healing in raids, and maybe grab an add-on for that. We'll see though- I like to not force myself into relying on a certain program when I play. What if it malfunctions? No problem if you just use the standard UI.
Post by
Fingulfin
Are addons needed to be able to do your job? No.
Do addons streamline the process and allow you to get the most out of your character? Absolutely.
Note that all the top raiding guilds use very addon intensive UIs... Its no coincidence. Addons like DBM and Bigwigs add to your situational awareness greatly. Addons like Quartz and Power Auras allow you to utilize procs and cast times most efficiently. Addons like Event Horizon enable you to get the absolute most out of your DoTs. Addons like SunArt and Bartender, Pitbull and the like can be used together to create stunning UIs. Grid and Clique make healing much simpler, and allow you to keep track of the chaos.
I could go on and on, however it is a proven fact that addons give you the information and power to play your character to the max. You don't absolutely NEED them to be an average player, however don't expect to get out of the "average player" bracket without them.
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