Frogturtle
Veteran
Some of you may know me as Prettybøi on Bleeding Hollow, a 19 Blood Elf Rogue. While I am still far from the best at my class, and even farther from the best twink, I have absolutely and significantly improved since I entered my first war game and set off on my journey to become a better 19 Rogue. My goal is to simplify my experience and share with you what I've learned so far in hopes that it helps you achieve the results you want.
Let's get started!
INTRO: An Introduction to Improvement
The end goal of improvement is always clear - to be a better version of yourself than you were before. But what about that long, winding road between your current level of skill and your desired level of skill?
Improvement is a deceptively simple subject, and it works a bit differently for everyone. But there are general rules that should produce results for any player seeking to up their twinking game to a new level, which this guide will cover.
Obviously there are specific strategies, mechanics, hours and hours of small details and theories that could be discussed, but we're not going to worry about any of that. Instead, we'll focus on the fundamentals, the basics, the essentials to getting better at twinking (or pretty much anything), and how they can be put into action!
1. Identify the Best (Using Context)
The best way to get better is to follow the footsteps of the best. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to figure out everything you'll need to know on your own when pursuing a high level of skill. But what IS the "highest level of skill?" What, or rather who, should you be focusing on to learn from?
This can be a dangerous trap for novice players. Sometimes we may model our intended level of skill off of someone who actually isn't that great, but may be better than we currently are. That's why it's important to establish CONTEXT. For example, in what CONTEXT is someone "good?" Is it someone who gets the most kills in a PuG game as a Surv Hunter against random noobs, or someone who performs extremely well in a high-stakes competitive tournament with a several thousand dollar prize pool?
I think you know the answer - obviously the tournament player! The context of a tournament is that only the best players make it to the last round, and if there's a prize pool, it will attract some serious talent to compete against.
Whether they know it or not, these top players are the ones who will become your mentors. You may have the fortune of interacting with them directly, or you may not. But either way, you must identify these people to establish a 'skill goal' to achieve.
If you are clueless on how to find out who these people are, do a bit of research on XPOff, ask around in-game. You'll hear a few prominent names pop up several times with enough digging. The Twink Cup is a good place to start.
2. Study the Best
Study the (objectively) best players of your game, or more specifically, your class. Research posts on XPOff, watch streams and VoDs, ask people in-game, particularly in reputable guilds. Some people might blow you off, but someone will inevitably be willing to help you out. There's a ton of juicy info out there, so keep trying to find the best material you can!
Taking notes on things that prove of value to you is never a bad idea either.
3. Play with the Best (in War Games)
The reality is that all of the research in the world is worthless if you don't put anything into practice. Furthermore, it has to be the right kind of practice — practice that reveals and addresses your weakest points. If you apply all this knowledge you've gained in random PuGs against noobs who don't challenge or punish you, then you won't learn much about yourself as a player and how to move forward.
This means leaving your casual PuG squad behind and getting into games with the best players, specifically War Games. Egos are big, expectations are high, and mistakes are expertly punished and scrutinized. It's not going to be comfortable for an inexperienced player, sort of like going from LFR into a Mythic raid. The pressure to perform is nuts, and people aren't afraid to chew you out!
But you HAVE to power through the embarrassment, the frustration, and the growing pains of learning to play with the top dogs. Not all of them are particularly nice, but most of them are very good at the game, and have been for a while. Playing with and against them will provide a wealth of knowledge about how to play the game at a high level, and more importantly, equip you with what you need to improve on for yourself. There will always be time to screw around with your buddies in PuGs, but attending War Games should become a priority! Ask around and make sure you get a shot at War Games ASAP, then get ready to power through!
4. Have the Best Attitude
At this point, we've gone over all the things you can do to improve quickly and effectively. You've learned how to identify the best, learn from them, and play with them.
But let's pause and bring the topic back to yourself — specifically, your attitude.
Attitude is what will make or break you in this game. All of this effort will never amount to anything if you let yourself get discouraged, if you let your ego get the best of you, if you think you're right and everyone else is full of it. If your attitude is bad, you're never going to move forward. So let's talk about some examples of good attitude!
HUMILITY: Always stay humble, even in the face of trolling and trash talking. Separate yourself from the petty immaturity and volatile personalities that you're going to encounter in games. Most importantly, never let yourself get cocky. You're a student, and you have a lot to learn, even if you think you don't. A student is far from a master, and has nothing to be arrogant about.
SELF-RESPONSIBILITY: Never assume that you've done nothing wrong in a game, and more importantly, never chase an opportunity to blame someone else. Always focus on what you could have done better, and if you aren't sure what the answer is, then ask someone who might know. Someone who constantly complains about or blames other players is ultimately delusional, limited, and even more so, annoying. Don't be that person. Own your play, whether it's good or bad - and never argue against constructive criticism. Embrace it as a valuable tool for improvement!
POSITIVITY: People are going to get on tilt, and people might even flame you. No matter what happens, do your best to help people focus on the game by showing them an example of mental clarity and optimism. Even if people think you aren't worth much to the team, positivity in the face of anger and doubt are worth recognition in the eyes of anyone — even those who target you.
INITIATIATIVE: Take it upon yourself to help people out or pick up the slack in an area that's lacking. Show interest, be engaged — maybe help form a War Game group, ask what the team needs. Be eager to communicate, and ask for advice rather than waiting to receive it. Initiative is huge, and shows a dedication to becoming better. Show people you're serious and they'll recognize it for themselves.
COOPERATION: Work with your team. Be vocal, ask what needs to get done or what you can do to help if you aren't sure. If your team makes a big call, get ready to help them pull it off. Don't run off and try to be a hero all on your own. Warsong Gulch is a 10v10 game, but each team has to operate like a single machine. Be a part of that machine, not a wrench in its gears.
Some players can get away with having poor attitudes because of their extremely high level of skill, but even then, their attitudes can be a burden to their team's performance. If you can have a good attitude AND achieve a high level of skill, everyone will want to play with you.
5. Stick with it
Improvement doesn't come easy, and it gets harder and harder to make progress the closer you get to becoming the best. What's important is that you discipline yourself to keep moving forward. There are going to be some days where you definitely notice progress, and others where it feels like you've moved backwards. People may or may not confirm that you've gotten better, but that doesn't matter. Remember the old you, and look at where you stand now. Progress isn't always obvious, but if you practice frequently and correctly, then it will always be happening.
---
Hopefully this helps out some newer twinks, or generally people who feel stuck and want to get better. Keep in mind that there are many specific things you will need to learn about general play in Warsong Gulch, your class mechanics, mental game, and so on. But if you keep an open mind and follow these steps, all of that textbook information will be revealed to you as a byproduct of your effort.
Good luck, and get'er done!
- Neebs
*NOTE: I will likely be editing/rewording this guide every so often as new concepts or better ways to present this info come to mind. Improvement is a tough subject to condense! Any feedback from people with similar experiences is welcome. Thanks!
Let's get started!
INTRO: An Introduction to Improvement
The end goal of improvement is always clear - to be a better version of yourself than you were before. But what about that long, winding road between your current level of skill and your desired level of skill?
Improvement is a deceptively simple subject, and it works a bit differently for everyone. But there are general rules that should produce results for any player seeking to up their twinking game to a new level, which this guide will cover.
Obviously there are specific strategies, mechanics, hours and hours of small details and theories that could be discussed, but we're not going to worry about any of that. Instead, we'll focus on the fundamentals, the basics, the essentials to getting better at twinking (or pretty much anything), and how they can be put into action!
1. Identify the Best (Using Context)
The best way to get better is to follow the footsteps of the best. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to figure out everything you'll need to know on your own when pursuing a high level of skill. But what IS the "highest level of skill?" What, or rather who, should you be focusing on to learn from?
This can be a dangerous trap for novice players. Sometimes we may model our intended level of skill off of someone who actually isn't that great, but may be better than we currently are. That's why it's important to establish CONTEXT. For example, in what CONTEXT is someone "good?" Is it someone who gets the most kills in a PuG game as a Surv Hunter against random noobs, or someone who performs extremely well in a high-stakes competitive tournament with a several thousand dollar prize pool?
I think you know the answer - obviously the tournament player! The context of a tournament is that only the best players make it to the last round, and if there's a prize pool, it will attract some serious talent to compete against.
Whether they know it or not, these top players are the ones who will become your mentors. You may have the fortune of interacting with them directly, or you may not. But either way, you must identify these people to establish a 'skill goal' to achieve.
If you are clueless on how to find out who these people are, do a bit of research on XPOff, ask around in-game. You'll hear a few prominent names pop up several times with enough digging. The Twink Cup is a good place to start.
2. Study the Best
Study the (objectively) best players of your game, or more specifically, your class. Research posts on XPOff, watch streams and VoDs, ask people in-game, particularly in reputable guilds. Some people might blow you off, but someone will inevitably be willing to help you out. There's a ton of juicy info out there, so keep trying to find the best material you can!
Taking notes on things that prove of value to you is never a bad idea either.
3. Play with the Best (in War Games)
The reality is that all of the research in the world is worthless if you don't put anything into practice. Furthermore, it has to be the right kind of practice — practice that reveals and addresses your weakest points. If you apply all this knowledge you've gained in random PuGs against noobs who don't challenge or punish you, then you won't learn much about yourself as a player and how to move forward.
This means leaving your casual PuG squad behind and getting into games with the best players, specifically War Games. Egos are big, expectations are high, and mistakes are expertly punished and scrutinized. It's not going to be comfortable for an inexperienced player, sort of like going from LFR into a Mythic raid. The pressure to perform is nuts, and people aren't afraid to chew you out!
But you HAVE to power through the embarrassment, the frustration, and the growing pains of learning to play with the top dogs. Not all of them are particularly nice, but most of them are very good at the game, and have been for a while. Playing with and against them will provide a wealth of knowledge about how to play the game at a high level, and more importantly, equip you with what you need to improve on for yourself. There will always be time to screw around with your buddies in PuGs, but attending War Games should become a priority! Ask around and make sure you get a shot at War Games ASAP, then get ready to power through!
4. Have the Best Attitude
At this point, we've gone over all the things you can do to improve quickly and effectively. You've learned how to identify the best, learn from them, and play with them.
But let's pause and bring the topic back to yourself — specifically, your attitude.
Attitude is what will make or break you in this game. All of this effort will never amount to anything if you let yourself get discouraged, if you let your ego get the best of you, if you think you're right and everyone else is full of it. If your attitude is bad, you're never going to move forward. So let's talk about some examples of good attitude!
HUMILITY: Always stay humble, even in the face of trolling and trash talking. Separate yourself from the petty immaturity and volatile personalities that you're going to encounter in games. Most importantly, never let yourself get cocky. You're a student, and you have a lot to learn, even if you think you don't. A student is far from a master, and has nothing to be arrogant about.
SELF-RESPONSIBILITY: Never assume that you've done nothing wrong in a game, and more importantly, never chase an opportunity to blame someone else. Always focus on what you could have done better, and if you aren't sure what the answer is, then ask someone who might know. Someone who constantly complains about or blames other players is ultimately delusional, limited, and even more so, annoying. Don't be that person. Own your play, whether it's good or bad - and never argue against constructive criticism. Embrace it as a valuable tool for improvement!
POSITIVITY: People are going to get on tilt, and people might even flame you. No matter what happens, do your best to help people focus on the game by showing them an example of mental clarity and optimism. Even if people think you aren't worth much to the team, positivity in the face of anger and doubt are worth recognition in the eyes of anyone — even those who target you.
INITIATIATIVE: Take it upon yourself to help people out or pick up the slack in an area that's lacking. Show interest, be engaged — maybe help form a War Game group, ask what the team needs. Be eager to communicate, and ask for advice rather than waiting to receive it. Initiative is huge, and shows a dedication to becoming better. Show people you're serious and they'll recognize it for themselves.
COOPERATION: Work with your team. Be vocal, ask what needs to get done or what you can do to help if you aren't sure. If your team makes a big call, get ready to help them pull it off. Don't run off and try to be a hero all on your own. Warsong Gulch is a 10v10 game, but each team has to operate like a single machine. Be a part of that machine, not a wrench in its gears.
Some players can get away with having poor attitudes because of their extremely high level of skill, but even then, their attitudes can be a burden to their team's performance. If you can have a good attitude AND achieve a high level of skill, everyone will want to play with you.
5. Stick with it
Improvement doesn't come easy, and it gets harder and harder to make progress the closer you get to becoming the best. What's important is that you discipline yourself to keep moving forward. There are going to be some days where you definitely notice progress, and others where it feels like you've moved backwards. People may or may not confirm that you've gotten better, but that doesn't matter. Remember the old you, and look at where you stand now. Progress isn't always obvious, but if you practice frequently and correctly, then it will always be happening.
---
Hopefully this helps out some newer twinks, or generally people who feel stuck and want to get better. Keep in mind that there are many specific things you will need to learn about general play in Warsong Gulch, your class mechanics, mental game, and so on. But if you keep an open mind and follow these steps, all of that textbook information will be revealed to you as a byproduct of your effort.
Good luck, and get'er done!
- Neebs
*NOTE: I will likely be editing/rewording this guide every so often as new concepts or better ways to present this info come to mind. Improvement is a tough subject to condense! Any feedback from people with similar experiences is welcome. Thanks!
