Help Me, or "The Low and the Desperate"

Request from a Level 52 to a Level 80
"can u help me?"
"what do you need?"
"well i need hhelp trying to get a mount the. foollow me"

Request from a Level 48 to a Level 80
"okay umm can you by any chance help me do that ill pay you every gold i have it should b 6 gold"

These are so sad they're almost not funny.

Approaching a stranger for something is like going to a job interview. You have to make them want to help you. There has to be something in it for the person helping, and you have to communicate clearly and make sure people know what's going on.

When Mr. 52 whispered me with a request for anything from the ram reins to run the Brewfest quest to the Zulian Tiger in Stranglethorn Vale, my reaction was an automatic "hell no" (okay, I said a little more than that and quite a bit more politely, but that was my first instinct).

Let's say he wanted the Direbrew mount, since that's what it probably was (plenty of people don't realize you no longer need the mount as a drop to get Brewmaster).

First, I want the ram on my druid so there's a stranger rolling against me. Second, he's 52 and doesn't have a summon so our summons would be limited. Third, he's 52 and can't help fight so he's dead weight. Fourth, he's a stranger so why would I waste my precious once-a-day summon on him when my guildmates want it?

How could he have phrased it to make me help him?

• He (or a friend of his) has a summon.
• I don't have to use my summon.
• He lets me roll against him if something cool drops.

That's the only way I'd help a complete stranger. The only way.

Let's look at Mr. Level 48. He asked a guildie for help killing Direbrew and offered to pay. I'm more sympathetic to his case, but he still has the same major roadblock that Mr. 52 had -- no summon to offer.

How could he have phrased it to make her help him?

• He'll pass on everything, just wants the kill.
• He brings his own summon (self or friend).
• She doesn't have to use her summon.

You don't have a lot of bargaining room when you're low level wanting to do high level things. You make cuts and sacrifices and, if those don't work, you keep leveling until you have enough to trade with.

When you don't get to join the big kids, suck it up and do the low level stuff for now. Brewfest will be back again next year when you're 80.