Making an example

It happened this weekend during a Heroic Naxx run: I had to stiffen my spine and remove someone from the raid just before a pull of the Four Horsemen.

There's a strange disconnect between how I felt as I labored over writing our raiding rules, thinking to myself with satisfaction that 'That'll fix 'em! Anyone who doesn't follow these rules will be booted so fast their head'll spin!' and the sick feeling of dread mixed with indignation that knotted my belly just before I removed the troublesome raid member.

The fact of the matter is that I don't really want to have to be a hard ass. Who does? Sure it's funny to watch the stereotyped jerks that are a staple of any sitcom that takes place in a working environment (Dr. Kelso from Scrubs comes to mind), but to actually step into those shoes and be that guy? There's nothing fun about it at all. For one thing, there are no lines to have memorized. For another, the person you're laying the smackdown on is not an actor paid to look hurt.

I did it anyway.

The priest in question went AFK just before Instructor Razuvious. We pulled anyway and he came back partway through. Then he went AFK just before Gothik. We pulled anyway and he came back partway through and then exclaimed over Vent as if he couldn't believe that 24 other people didn't wait for him to come back. Then we got to the Four Horsemen, where we ran into a bit of trouble with people dying in the back and the raid wiped a time or two. As we got ready for the third attempt, I sent out a ready check. Everyone came back immediately, except for him. I said aloud, "Pull anyway," and my husband, who was tanking, did so. As he pulled, I removed the priest from the raid.

Scarcely a second later, I received a frantic whisper. "Dude! Invite me back! I need this boss!" Since I was busily spamming heals in the back, I made no reply. He kept trying anyhow. Some time towards the end of the fight I died and replied back: "I made my decision for this raid. You have been warned before about your AFK's and I acted as I felt was best for the raid."

Then he got angry and abusive. I informed him that he was welcome to talk to an officer but that I suggest he wait until they were done with the raid as no one would have time to discuss it at present. His ill temper and foul language escalated. I nudged my husband after the last of the Four Horsemen dropped and after a look at that, the troublemaker was removed from the guild.

My hands and voice shaking slightly, I swiftly explained the series of events over Vent and many people, already irritated with the priest's lack of respect, expressed their approval. A few got quiet - other people who had received warnings.

The rest of the raid proceeded smoothly. I didn't have a single person break a single rule. While I always assumed something along these lines would happen - someone would just keep pushing until they were forcibly removed - and that it wouldn't be a great loss to the guild - it would be someone new and arrogant and unlikeable - I somehow never thought it would happen so soon.

I'm very glad, in a way, that it did pan out this way. Now I've had a chance to stick with my guns and demonstrate that yes, I am deadly serious about keeping the rules and holding each raider accountable to what they agreed to. At the same time, I also begin to see why the Raid Leaders of hardcore guilds (or at least the few I've been exposed to) are so callous and seemingly cruel. You have to carry yourself apart from the petty concerns of whether or not people will like you and make the hard decisions and do what's right even when it sucks. This only sucked mildly, since no one was particularly attached to the priest who is no longer in the guild.

Moving onward, I can only hope that no one in the core group of long time guild members who have really established relationships with others in the guild ever finds a need to push me to the same point.