There are two major points of etiquette that everyone should follow in-game:
1. Never blindly invite folks into a fellowship.
2. Never interfere in a fight.
Blind Invites
While the folks in LOTRO are an extremely helpful, amicable bunch, it is considered very rude to blindly invite folks into a fellowship, and you'll often end up on an ignore list.
Blindly inviting people is a bit presumptuous: it suggests that your needs are more important than those of the people who you are inviting, that they should drop everything to help you. And just because a level 65 is running around The Shire doesn't mean they are available.
For courtesy's sake, send a /tell first: ask for help, rather than demand it.
One exception is if you're in an area with another person, and it's obvious that you both are doing the same quest. If you have time, though, ask first; it doesn't hurt to request a fellowship. If they decline, don't push the issue.
Tagging
Tagging is interfering with a fight. Interference includes not just bringing your weapon to bear, but also throwing heals (either morale or power) to another player. Any interference will immediately reduce the XP of the person you help by half - and, of course, you'll get no XP for your kindness.
If someone needs help, wait until they are out of the fight - or just ask.
Oh, this is so true. This has gotten quite bad since free-to-play started. Node ninja-ing is also bad these days.
ReplyDeleteIf I am on a healing class, and I see someone getting beaten up, I stand there and see if they are going to win. If it looks like they are going to lose, and are far from winning, I will go ahead and toss them a heal. Better that they lose some xp than get killed. But I do stand there and wait. I also occasionally use an alias to ask "/tell ;target I can heal you if you need, hit r and say y if you would like me to :)"
But yeah, I have been morale surfing on my warden to keep my power up, and a minstrel or RK will just run by and pop me to 75% and run off, and then I'm left there auto-attacking because I have no power. Quite annoying lol.