The benefits of having a mount were numerous, including easily outrunning any enemies accidentally triggered on their way down to the instance they needed to be in. Some were more tenacious than others, but Genesis made quick work of the small set that was still following them when they stopped, Wolfe taking a moment to run around the area presumably to make sure nothing else would come bother them.
[Group] Wolfe: OK! Tanking lessons. Let's get a few things set before we actually head into the instance. First off, your job as a tank is going to be to take hits. That's all it boils down to, at the very core. Tanks take hits, because we've got more HP and STAM than our squishy healers like Ser or slightly less squishy DPS like Fira.
[Group] Valerian: Remember what I said about pretending I know nothing?
There was a pause, and Genesis had a feeling Wolfe was reevaluating that it was very likely Valerian was actually very close to knowing nothing. It would explain a lot.
[Group] Wolfe: Right, okay. You and me? We're what's called tanks. We take hits because we have the stats to let us - like health and stamina. Seraph's a healer, if he gets attacked he will die much more quickly because his stats are all tied up in things that boost his magic so he can do healing.
[Group] Wolfe: Firagan is what's called DPS, his job is to beat the crap out of people, so his stats go into his own strengths, but his stamina and health still isn't where ours are and he will also die faster if enemies target him. Okay so far?
[Group] Valerian: How do they level up if enemies kill them so fast?
[Group] Wolfe: It's not so bad just fighting monsters randomly on the map, even Ser has attacks. It's when you get in the big fights that they run into trouble. We all need each other during those fights. When you go in, you need at least three people, one from each kind. The tank, the DPS and the healer. Here's how it works:
[Group] Wolfe: We go in, and make sure the boss attacks us at all times, because we've got the stats to survive. But just in case, the healer makes sure we stay alive. At the same time, the DPS attacks the boss and is the one who ends up doing the most damage and killing it. You usually want more than one DPS actually, but we're overleveled so one will do.
[Group] Valerian: So we don't fight?
[Group] Wolfe: We fight, but we don't do as much damage as fast as a DPS will - that's what it stands for, "damage-per-second." And against a boss you need a ton of damage done, they've got more HP than monsters on the same level. If this boss wasn't so far under most of our levels we would need more than one DPS with us. We don't actually need Ser but I wanted you to get a feel for how a real raid works while there's not as much pressure.
[Group] Valerian: Okay. So my job is to just attack it first so it attacks me and not them?
[Group] Wolfe: Yeah. You also have special moves called "taunts" that keep your threat up so it keeps attacking you. I've never rolled a Paladin but you can hover over your moves and the description will tell you.
[Group] Firagan: Let me just look it up.
He had a feeling that Valerian would do better having everything spelled out at this point, even if it sounded like he was keeping up with Wolfe's explanations. How much of that would stick while they were in live combat, he didn't know. But a quick google was all he needed to get a rundown on what abilities a Paladin should have, some basics that were unlocked early.
[Group] Firagan: Alright, so you have Righteous Wrath already which you want on to increase your threat from attacking. You can activate that early and it will help keep the enemies on you. Doesn't look like it wears off either. For actual taunts I'm only seeing Call of Challenge. You use that periodically to keep enemies focused on you.
[Group] Wolfe: Cool thanks. Do you see those, Val?
[Group] Valerian: Yes I found them.
[Group] Wolfe: Awesome. So those are the ones you want to make sure stay on when you're working as the main tank. Just use them whenever you need them. Got the gist of it?
[Group] Valerian: I think so.
[Group] Wolfe: Awesome, let's try it out. You keep the attack on you, and Fira can try lower level attacks to drag it out and get a feel for it. If something goes wrong, I'll hop in, okay? You've got a safety net this time.
They headed into the instance, but it was clear fairly quickly that something was still confusing. And unfortunately, with the ability to just do more damage by default, even on his weakest attacks, Genesis found himself the one under fire. Not that he couldn't handle the boss at this level, but it was ruining their goal of helping Valerian learn.
[Group] Firagan: This isn't working. The gap is too big. I'm pulling by sheer damages no matter how much threat he's trying to maintain.
[Group] Wolfe: Right, yeah okay. Look, we just need to level him up some.
[Group] Seraph: I think at this point it would be faster to get three new characters to his level. I have a healer in his range from when I thought I'd try being an Ancient.
[Group] Valerian: I couldn't ask you all to do that. I'll pick it up.
[Group] Wolfe: Nah man he's right. I can level up another knight pretty fast. What do you say Fira?
Genesis considered it. He didn't want to stay on a new character, but it really didn't take that long to level up, especially if they had a party to work with under a bonus. And it would definitely be the quickest way to get Valerian used to what he'd need to do.
[Group] Firagan: Yeah I'm in. Let me make up another mage and I'll whisper when I get in so we can group back up.
[Group] Seraph: I'll be right back with Wingedancient.
Really, the longest part was just making up another character, and even that he rushed a little since he had no intention of keeping it. He stuck with a mage, knowing he'd level that the fastest for familiarity, and went with Hellfiragan as a quick name, clicking through the opening scenes - no need to watch the same thing a third time.
[Whisper] Hellfiragan: Valerian? It's Firagan. I'm ready to group.
The invite came after a brief pause, and apparently he was last in, and he could see the nameplate of what had to be Wolfe's alt, Wolfe-pup, getting some quests in the main square.
[Group] Wingedancient: You two start hitting up targets. Get an exp+ on if you can. I'll work with Valerian.
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Oh! I've got a couple in my legacy inventory, one sec.
He certainly wasn't going to say no to getting through the levels with a boost, given this was a temporary character. Odds were good with a proper boost on top of a subscriber's boost and someone to go through it with they'd catch up enough in a couple hours to be of use again, assuming Seraph didn't manage to really spike Valerian's progress.
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Okay so give Fira and me a couple hours while you two do whatever and we'll catch up to you, okay?
[Group] Valerian: Am I seriously that slow?
[Group] Wolfe-pup: You'll get better! You've never done this before, right? I've been playing MMOs for like, twelve years now okay. Some things are pretty universal and it gives you a major edge.
[Group] Valerian: Twelve years?
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Maybe? I mean it might be a little more. I wasn't a teenager yet, I was like… idk, ten or something? And Calamity Strikes was still pretty new. I've just gotten bored since they haven't come out with any real solid content updates for a few years. Thought I'd try this out. Same for Seraph. We were guildies on there and preordered this so we could try it out together. MMOs are way better with friends.
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Hey, you wanna join our guild? Then you'll always have someone to play with if I'm not on.
[Group] Seraph: You actually log out? That implies you have a life.
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Scandalous, I know. So? Val? Fira, you?
[Group] Hellfiragan: Sure.
[Group] Valerian: Okay? I don't know much about them. Just groups that play together?
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Yeah, pretty much! You get bonuses too. Remind me when I'm back on my main, ok?
[Group] Wingedancient: I will. Go get leveling.
[Group] Wolfe-pup: You got it chief! Come on Fira, grab up all the quests here and we'll get grinding. See you two in a couple hours!
[Group] Wolfe-pup: Oh hey, do you want to jump on Discord or something and make up a team channel? So we don't keep stopping to type?
[Group] Wingedancient: Case in point. I'll connect, you're using the usual one?
[Group] Wolfe-pup: You got it.
[Group] Valerian: What's Discord?
[Group] Wolfe-pup: It's a new chat system. You can do text chat, but it's got the option for voice chat. Just google it, download, and we'll walk you through the rest.
Genesis was familiar with the program, given he'd heard his brothers using it, so it didn't take long to set up his own to run in the background, going by his character name for convenience. A quick exchange of names with the others and they were all invited to Wolfe's channel.
There was a moment of static, then a squeak before a delighted tenor. "Hey guys, you all in? I'm Wolfe."
"Hi Wolfe." The second voice startled Genesis a little, oddly familiar though he couldn't have said from where. "I'm… Valerian."
"Kinda weird to say it out loud the first time, isn't it?" Wolfe chuckled. "I know the feeling. So… Seraph, say hi."
"Hi." There was a surprising amount of indulgent amusement just in one syllable, clear familiarity between them.
"And I suppose I'll introduce myself as Firagan," Genesis said, smiling a little. "Let's play."
"GAME ON!"