I have just recently hit 80 on my hunter and have been slowly but steadily gearing him up. I have been running heroics when possible, mostly in pugs, and I am happy with the steady progress he and I are making. He, with steadily improving gear, me with actually feeling like my skillset and timing are improving. I have met many people that are leary of "The Huntard" and most times, I have changed their minds or at least lessened the stigma after running with them. Even after a failed kite on Gluth, the group I was with in Naxx were cheerfully hoping that I would join them again. (I really need to learn how to kite... any suggestions?)
Which brings me to the fractured pug I was in today.
It started out on the wrong foot, I joined the group while doing the bomb run daily, and my toon got stuck/dead at the end of it (this has happened to me several times when bailing out at the end... Hello Blizzard?!). After finally getting in the instance (AN), I had a rapidly developing rl situation during the first boss. A quick "brb" in party chat did not deter them however, as they had already engaged Hydronox by the time I got back. I "packed" into the fight with half mana and set to work on catching up. I realized they were going for the achievement and frantically tried to remember what it was and what I should focus on. I failed, we failed, wipe wipe wipe. No worries. I didn't grief them for not catching my message and they seemed to not be upset about it. Then it happened...
One of the group posted the meter for the fight and I obviously was at the bottom. They ranged from 1600-2300 dps and I was sitting at 1500, under the tank, no less. I let it slide and was about to respond comically to it in chat when one of them sent their comment to party chat.
"tard"
My eybrows shot up and I was genuinely surprised. A quick inspection of the others revealed that I was far less geared than they were. They sported Naxx and Ulduar epics, me in a few nurples (I love that term!). I wanted to respond with something scathing but instead came up with a better response. I cracked my knuckles, narrowed my eyes and set out to apply all that I have learned from this forum to make them eat their words.
We hit the boss again, this time with no achievement, and the Blessed Lady of Procs smiled upon me. Nothing is more gigglicious than b2b LnLs. I was running out of options to fill up the gaps and wound up just riding the wave home. Nobody posted the meter this time. I'm not one to either religiously track the meter or especially brag about it afterward, but I almost doubled my output on the second encounter!
The legs dropped off the boss and I rolled need over the DE greed. I didn't say anything as I normally do because I wanted them to question it. They, of course, did. "wtf" and other comments came out. I said nothing- nothing was actually directed at me. After we dropped the last boss (I did well but not quite on top), I left them with my only comment...
"I gotta get out of these blues someday so I can do some real dps"