My very first raid was a 16 man Eternity Vault hard mode. I was the newest member to the guild at the time, and I was one only person in the whole team who had never raided in any game. Period.

Because it was always in the back of my mind that I was invited to this guild as part of “Aldoria’s package deal” (reference to earlier comic), I felt that I had to prove to others (and myself) that I am a capable player who deserved to be here. Perhaps that is why I felt more nervous about potentially messing up during the raid at the time…

To be clear, the person who was speaking on the last panel was our former guildmaster (aka leader of the guild), Teakus. He wasn’t addressing me, but my real life friend Aldoria. “F***stick” was Teakus’ “endearing” nickname for Aldoria, and I personally found that phrase hilarious in hindsight.

I do think it is natural to be nervous when playing with a group of people you have never met before. However, keep in mind that most people are pretty understanding, especially if they know it is your first time raiding. Just keep aiming to always improve your skills – whether it may be via practicing on a dummy or asking your raid members/friends for advice on your spec, gear, rotations, and game tactics.