A Day as a DPS

How many out there started playing as a DPS at the start of their gaming career in the World of Warcraft? Not all, but I am willing to wager quite a few. The reason is that the best advice most people give (me included) to new players is to start with a good DPS class, like a hunter. It is not a complicated class, easy to master, and a joy to level with so little downtime.

However, personally, I would like to abolish the standing notion, which has thus followed, that playing a DPS is by no means simple when it comes to being part of an effectively dungeon group. This is less of an issue on low levels, which is why most people do not notice it at first, but becomes more prevalent beyond level 60, and even more so at max level.

I can already hear some people bewildering, what's so hard about DPS'ing; Just shoot, hack, and loot. This could not possibly be further from the truth. Lets talk about the raid scene, so everyone understands, and when I say "raid scene" it is a misnomer because the first problem a DPS player runs into is simply trying to be worthy of joining the raid scene. As you hit level 80, most will not be able to exceed 900 or 1k as a dps in your atypical hc run and this places them in a horrible dilemma.

The gear you need either drops directly from heroic dungeons or you need to do heroic dungeons to earn the emblems that you can buy the gear with. But with an output 1k most group leaders will laugh you right out of the clubhouse and that is hardly very encouraging. This comes directly from a lot of dps players I talk with, whom all can identifying being in that position once upon a time; unappreciated and unable to join groups to gear up, thus to advance in their game.

It is also important to remember that gear and spec are only part of the solution. Once in a dungeon group you are constantly dodging AOE damage, patrolling mobs, remember your cooldowns, and also try exercise an exact rotation. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to hit your peak you can bet your bet your frostbolt there is at least one yoyo in the group who knows just how to remind you about it.

For me, good DPS is just as important as tanking and healing for the success of a group. I have learned to appreciate the pleasure of having good natured and effective hunters and mages in your group, making short work of the enemy as I hold their aggro. Most people seem to forget, especially tanks, that without them, you would be clearing trash until 4th of july before ever even catching a glimpse of a boss.