I freely admit it.

I HATE pick-up groups, also known as PUGS.
There are times when I have to grit my teeth, cinch up my mouth and join one, but I am never a happy camper. Ask Wren.

I swear that our dog Griff COULD play better than some of the dweebs that we've contended with in random groups. Blindfolded, with one paw tied behind his back.

In every pick-up group you'll find at least one or more of the following:

The Loot-hog - rolls on everything, whether or not they can use it, and even if it's no drop. Sometimes claims their alt needs it.

The Lost Soul - the guy who falls behind and gets lost, needing to be rescued time after time after time. Then he falls into a pit. Of doom. Yep, you have to rescue him, too.

The Ninja - says nothing, does little, but when something uber drops, grabs it and promptly disconnects.

The Speed-dater - Wants to know A/S/L of everyone in the group, then starts sending tells to whomever vaguely fits their idea of a date. What am I wearing? Armor and a big-arsed AXE, so back off, monkey-boy!

The Whiner - no matter what the group does, you're not going fast enough, slow enough, fighting the right mobs, getting him enough loot or getting him to the magic clicky thingy of questage that he needs. Typically, when you do get him to his item/progression, he gates out and logs.

The Situationally Unaware - He who pulls a mob by accident... on 8 different occasions. Then he either runs around in circles out of range of the tank and healer, or backs up while screaming. In either instance, usually aggroing more mobs.

The Illiterate - Cannot seem to comprehend what you are saying. The simplest instructions or questions are met with silence, or "huh?", occasionally "what u mean?" If they can actually write, they are possibly watching a movie or a sporting event while playing.

The Auto-follower - goes afk and collects free xp for an hour. Or two.

The Wat-Dis-Do - Has no idea what any of their abilities do, or apparently what class they are playing. Maybe they don't even know what game they are in. There are several subcategories:
- The warrior who does ranged attacks because they don't want to get hurt and have to repair armor.
- The healer who melees and doesn't actually know what the buffs/heals DO.
- The magic caster who uses an underpowered plinky spell that they outgrew ten levels ago (finishing the fight with 95% mana while everyone else is drained dry)
- The magic caster who blows all their mana in 3.5 seconds at the beginning of the fight (finishes the fight out of mana and probably dead).

Thank heaven for friends and guilds, without which I'd never get anything important done in a game.

Our Griffons, Griff and Brasse, at right. See how competent they look?
Mind, I've always been partial to Brussels Griffons, which is why I have two young, partially trained dogs of this breed underfoot now. If I get a few more, we'd have enough for a full group!

Sometimes, Pugs are great. Now, let me clarify. I like the kind of Pugs that are tan or black, have tidy short fur and cute, scrunched up faces, as shown below. NICE PUGS! Not the PUGS that have idiots and malcontents and people who can't get accepted into any guild in them.

Side note 1: If you ever want to hear Wren make the most appalling squeak noise, throw a soda can in the garbage. Heheheeh. She is SUCH a recycling maven.

Side note 2: INES. The drink of choice for late-night gaming, making a deadline, or seeing just what your body will put up with before completely disintegrating. We use the term "INES" to collectively describe all of the many energy drinks out there. They typically have Caffeinne, taurine, guarine, and made-up-ines of all sorts. Some of them actually taste good, but most are like old fashioned medicine - drink it and you will feel better - or at least less like you only had 3 hours of sleep last night. My current favorites are the sugar-free green-tea based ines. How about you?