How to be a Better Wizard

For my 101st post, I'd like to discuss something I find very important in this game. Being a good wizard rewards you in ways you may not have thought of. This is how I would like to celebrate 101 posts on my favorite 101 game!

In the past 3 years of playing the game, I've experienced a wealth of different attitudes of players, both good and bad. Playing a game in which many people aren't helpful isn't fun at all. When players get angry for messing up, it discourages others from group play. Wizard101 is about making friends along the journey, not making enemies.

For many of you, this post isn't necessary. Most players are good people with good intentions. Still, it doesn't hurt to take a quick refresher on becoming a better wizard!

Encountering New Players
Being a brand new player for any MMO is usually intimidating, especially if they've never played other MMOs. It takes awhile to figure out how the game works, what's socially acceptable, and that there's usually a wealth of information online. I remember only turning to the internet for guides sometime after level 15, which was at least 5 months after I started playing Wizard101. I wandered blindly through the game for way too long. I wish I had known about the online guides sooner.

Typically, Unicorn Way is filled with two types of wizards: Beginners and well-seasoned PvPers. Often, the beginners ask for help. They try to friend the "high levels" for guidance. Sometimes they get help or friended, but mostly they aren't. I'm guilty of not friending a "low level," but I want to change that.

Act on it

I'd like to encourage all experienced players to take one "low level" under your wing and be their mentor. When they have questions, kindly answer them. Offer to help every now and then! You don't have to necessarily be at their beck and call, unless you have nothing better to do & are willing to.

When I was in Moo Shu, about level 32 or so, someone named Dakota something, a level 50 Balance wizard, friended me. He helped me farm the Jade Oni for the pet, which I was never successful in receiving. He even offered to train and hatch his Jade Oni pet with me! He gave me advice on my gear (I was stubbornly using my Zeus' Bolt of Arbitration instead of the Sky Iron Hasta) and my deck. He really helped me become a better wizard, but he is no longer on my friends list. (If you are out there reading this Dakota something, Balance wizard extraordinaire, who helped me in Moo Shu, thank you!)

Group Play
Nothing can be more frustrating than going into a boss fight with random wizards who don't know the cheats. It's worse when they trigger a cheat that defeats your team. It's also infuriating when a higher level wizard takes the kill when helping a lower level wizard. Playing in a group is rewarding, but if you have a bad attitude no one will respect you. Being a good team player is essential to this game.

Act on it
Whether you like it or not, you're often stuck with a hodgepodge of wizards varying in experience and knowledge. You can be the rude wizard who immediately ports out, or the good wizard who tries to make it work.

When in boss battles or dungeons that practically require outside knowledge, such as the last battle of Waterworks, be prepared for an inexperienced team. If you are able to communicate to them to look up the cheats online, quickly do so before entering the battle. If you aren't able to communicate, adjust your deck for a tough fight. The other wizard(s) will be thankful for the opportunity to complete it. Chances are, if they don't know the cheats, they probably are on the storyline quest rather than farming.
If you're helping a lower level wizard with a tough quest, don't randomly quit on them just because you don't feel like completing it. It's one thing to have to log off because of dinner or to go to bed, but leaving someone that you agreed to help mid-quest is rude. Additionally, don't take control of the quest. Guide the wizard through each part, suggest deck construction, when to hit, and what not to do. Don't take the final kill unless it's okay with the other wizard(s) or defeat is imminent. By helping the wizard, you are teaching them to be self-reliant and more inclined to help others.

The most ideal situation is playing in a group of experienced wizards. The battle or dungeon is done quickly and success rates are high. Sometimes the group pressures a wizard to buff or hit when the wizard wants to do the opposite. I have sometimes found myself buffing storm wizards so much that I don't even get a chance to hit, even when I have great spells that could do the job. I've played roles in battles that I'd rather not. Respect it if someone wants to hit, but also be ready to play a supporting role. Your role in a group isn't permanent! Let people step up/step down. Just try your best to accommodate often.

Common Manners in The Commons
The Commons is a busy place. Wizards of all levels pass through it, chat, or stand idle. A lot of things are said and done, some being good, others are bad. It's pretty common to see a level 17 wizard running around saying, "I need a girl," or a level 6 wizard begging for a hoard pack. This is super annoying to everyone. If you're one of those people, please stop! It's not going to work.

Something I really despise is mid-level players trying to trick low level players into gifting or trading treasure cards. One situation I've seen is the glitch to get into the yard next to the robe shop in the Shopping District, where mid to high level players were only friending people who would trade/gift in order to teleport in. Letting someone in to a free area of the game is ethically not profitable!

The Commons is also a hub for finding help. Wizards of all levels are constantly asking for help. Some even ask for access to housing gauntlets.

Act on it
This game is not about manipulating others. Stop tricking wizards out of there treasure cards or crowns, and if you see it happening, try to stop it. It's absolutely wrong and a low move to con a lower level/oblivious wizard out of their treasure cards or crowns!

If someone is asking for help, and you have nothing better to do, why not lend a hand? If someone wants to use a housing gauntlet that you have, why not temporarily friend them? I remember desperately needing a team for Mount Olympus, and when someone finally offered and got me through the dungeon, I was so excited to have it done! I think it's important to help new wizards so that they stick to the game and enjoy it.

The Antagonist
Some players are just mean. They insult your gear, your school, your deck construction, and even when you duel them in PvP. All they do is complain and antagonize you or others. Perhaps you block them, but they continue to insult others. They go on saying inappropriate things to those around them. You've blocked them by now, but what else do you do?

Act on it

The first thing to deter an antagonist is to ignore them. Don't respond to anything they say, no matter what. Hopefully this makes them leave you alone. Block them for safe measure, and even switch to a quieter realm. If you found that they were insulting others or were being wildly inappropriate, report them with good reason! Be careful, though. Only report them if you know it's obvious that they were harassing you or others. If KingsIsle doesn't find any fault in the reported wizard, they could end up banning you!

An alternative to reporting is simply asking them to stop. However, it will probably make it worse, but at least if you do end up reporting, there's proof that you asked them to stop. If someone is antagonizing you. don't let it get to you. You are a stronger wizard than that!

A Random Act of Kindness
I was once given 60,000 crowns. I didn't know what to do with it, so I bought a new player a crowns wand. I randomly gifted some people packs, and it felt great! If you have extra crowns, gift someone something they want. You could make their life easier! Plus, if everyone randomly gifted, there's a good chance you could be gifted the one thing you were dying for.

If someone needs a good pet to hatch, hatch with them! Your stats could go on to be used for their perfect pet, and then they hatch with someone else. Soon a bunch of people have perfect pets, and possibly some time from then, you hatch with someone you didn't think would be willing to, and they contribute to your perfect pet!

Compliment someone's outfit. Express your amazement over their beautiful house. Even comment on how nice/helpful they've been! You'll definitely put a smile on their face. You never know, they could be having a terrible day. Little things like compliments really go a long way!

One random act of kindness makes the Spiral a better place. 

If you take away one thing from this post, let it be this: you were once a helpless wizard that sooner or later figured things out. Don't turn a cold shoulder on someone!

Now go out and make the Spiral a better place!

**What kind of behavior have I observed in Wizard City? Check out my brief observation here! This is a great supplementary reading for this post.