When to Team Quit?

I'm not much of a PvPer -- haven't been since hanging up my once insanely-epic High Warlord gear, which had depreciated to the point where vendors in the Undercity refused to buy them from me. But I still have had sparks here and there where my interest in PvP was peaked a bit. In such instances, I would dabble with it when such opportunities presented themselves. However, and especially lately, those opportunities occur less and less, and when they do, they just don't feel the same way they used to.

The main reason for the change in my response to PvP was the change in the system itself. A change which occurred at a time when I was not interested in Player vs. Player play in the least bit, having completed the draining and regrettable Rank 14 venture. As a result, Arena play started, Resilience was introduced, and I was left behind on both fronts. Only recently was I a part of any Arena team, and while I did and do appreciate the amount of planning and coordination Arena play requires, I can honestly say that I just didn't care for it.

Now, don't mistake what I'm saying. It's not that I didn't want to care for it, because I truly wished to get better and learn the ins and outs of the 2500-rated Arena Warlock, but given the time I would have to put in, and the inconsistent attendance issues my arena teams faced, my natural reaction was a passive one -- I chose not to care. Otherwise, well, you know what happens to people who invest too much of themselves into this game...

Being in a position of passivity, which seemed to be the case for my teammates as well, we just didn't try that hard to do well. As a result, we never broke 1700. We would end up cramming our games in just before server restarts. On many occasions, we'd have a new player involved, which affected our win-loss ratio big time due to the lack of team chemistry. And, we'd only play to reach the 10 game minimum, so we could get our points (as little as they may be). How on earth could we possibly get better in an environment like that?

We couldn't, and we didn't.

The irony in all of this is that my passivity eventually became my bane. I was annoyed, and felt a little disgraced that I was taking a slacker's lack-luster approach to PvP. The Arena experience felt like a cheap pathway to epics instead of a mode of self improvement, and while I didn't and don't care for PvP the way I once did, that doesn't mean that it's okay for me to half-ass it. If I'm going to do it, I'm gonna rock it. Otherwise, it's best I don't associate myself with it at all.

When I made that realization not too many days ago, I emailed my teams owner, a friend, and let him know that I'd be leaving. I explained that the scheduling issues where too much to overcome, and having no course of action for the mediocrity of our performance did not sit well with me at all. Our inconsistencies would not allow for improvement, so, it was time to go. He hasn't responded, but I hope he understands.

Much like the decision to leave a guild or a server, leaving an Arena team is a difficult one. But when your team's situation does not allow for self-improvement, or for whatever it is you are wanting from your Arena experiences, and no matter the effort, then it is time to go. Then and only then will you truly have the opportunity to find what you're looking for -- something even the UC vendors may find worthwhile. =)

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