To Tip or not to Tip! That is the QuestionFollow

I am a level 55 Frost spec’ed Human mage. I have played a Hunter as a main for a while, but have decided that the mage is the much better class and so have made the mage my main and the hunter relegated to farming, tour guide and body-guard duties for Guild mates.

My question is, should I expect a tip when asked for conjured food and water? I give freely (on pun intended) when in a group, but what about when someone completely unknown to me and ungrouped asks for free stuff?

In my research, and there have been many sources that I have looked at (and think this is the best), I have read a mage suggesting that a tip be given for the free stuff. His reasoning puzzled me a bit as he said that the prices of the high end water posted on AH were too high (250g +). Can someone enlighten me on this? I thought we got our conjure water spells from trainers?

The last “beggar” (well they are asking you to give something for nothing in return) stated that I was the first to even suggest a tip as all the mages she has asked never expected a tip. She was a level 60 beggar I think.

I would like to see what you mages think of this. If the consensus is to spend time giving others free stuff instead of doing the things I want to do, then that’s what I’ll do. Please, if you can, provide an explanation as to how you feel on this subject. Constructive is way more helpful than abusive!

Thanks and Good Conjuring!

I have never asked for tip since the product actually is free. I'm only losing my time there. However 98% of people who ask for some water (normally in org) get totally ignored cos I just can't stand that "plz plz plz" mentality. And even worse is when they open a trade and then ask. I hardly ever have any water on my mage cos I rather use cookies.

If someone ask for water and is being polity and mature I almost always give'em all they want for free cos being friendly to someone you ask for something goes high in my book. Same goes with portals, I dont need more tip but if you say you will provide rune or money for that it's enough for me. If you just ask for portal I propably ignore and continue my own business.

Some classes might find these thoughs rude but for mages it's so normal every day that unless someone is being polite ---> ignore totally. It's almost like asking lock for a HS =) (shards are free anyway)

Why do people ask for water unless they are grouped with you?

The answer - they are too lazy to go buy some. There is no difference between this and begging for money (since water costs them money).

And there is no such thing as high end water that costs 250g on the AH (unless someone just put regular water up there for that price). You can buy the highest end water from a vendor for less than 1g.

Edited, Sep 4th 2008 10:58am by YJMark

I may be the oddball here, but I rarely do anything without a tip. I don't make portals/food/water for people without them tipping (unless we are grouped in some fashion). I normally charge 2g for a port anywhere (but if they are spamming trade with 1g or more than 2g I will do it for their value). Food/water I generally expect to be tipped a couple gold for taking the time to conjure them a few stacks of each.

I mean when I have to buy my reagents, pay for my repair bills (unless we are spending the night in Sunwell), etc, it gets pretty expensive to raid and getting tipped by the average joes in org or wherev makes it a little easier on myself.

Edited, Sep 4th 2008 11:16am by Anobix

This statement right here indicates that you are exactly like what I was describing. If you are worried about running out, then you didn't buy enough. I always have 2+ stacks on me at all times.

But, the rest of your post indicates that you have some weird obsession with conjured water.

I'm not sure about you....lol.

In all seriousness, if you have some obsession with mage water because it's conjured, then you should pay the mage for it. If you have some obsession with mage water because it's free and you can waste it, then you are a cheapskate.

Edited, Sep 4th 2008 1:49pm by YJMark

Mage water fetish ftw.

But seriously, it's something that just make me feel... agitated is the right word I think. Whenever I'm carrying mage water with me I turn into a "Don't worry, be happy" mood. When it's normal water I need to watch the amount of drinks I take and doing so is probably what gnaws on me.

Or well, technically I don't *need* to watch how much I drink since I can easily buy more water, but it's just something that's slipped in. I'm weird that way, I tend to have it with reagents and poisons (on my rogue) as well; I really wait until there I simply háve to use something (rogue poisons for example) before actually using it. Even though that's starting to ease out on poisons now... I just made myself a stack of ~50 of each rather than stacks of 20 (and having to 'refill' them every weekend).

I'd have a hard time explaining it, so for now I usually hope some gallant mages wastes his money on a table in AV =)

But to reply to the way you're putting it; it's definitely not that I'm purposefully not buying water, that would be very cheapskate indeed. Just don't like using normal water. Mages ftw *grins*

In my mind, the only difference between giving out food/water and throwing random buffs around is that food and water take a while to make up. If my paladin's Blessing of Kings took 5 seconds to cast, plus the time to trade, I probably wouldn't be giving it to everyone I see either..

This is why my paladin carries around 5 stacks of water, and my hunter keeps two stacks of both water and pet food. Maybe the mage is in a bad mood. I'll take some if he offers, but I never ask. Unless it's a guildy mage in a raid and he hasn't casted a table yet, then I mention the INSANELY OVERPRICED ARCANE POWDER!

I don't often get asked for water or food, outside of groups or BGs, and there I usually just drop a table. Once in a while, I'll get a request for a table, or the odd guy who runs into me in the middle of nowhere and needs food/drink. As long as they ask politely, I'll generally do it without asking for coin. Fortunately, on my realm, people generally tip out of habit anyway.

I get a lot more requests for portals. Same rule applies. I'll generally do it as long as folks are nice about it. If they are low level and don't look twinked, I often refuse to accept payment. I'll ask them instead to help somebody else out when they can, and send them off with whatever they wanted for free.

I make them pay for ports first, i never set a price, anything over 1g and i have no issues, ive had people throw me 10-12g for a port.

As far as food/water/biscuits, if in the tell the person says, "can i please have some water, ill tip" then i say sure! if they don't mention a tip i just don't respond. if they keep naggin, i just say "just because i can make water doesn't mean im obligated to give you some." they usually get all pissy but that makes me happy inside so it's fine. It's like when a homeless person begs me for change "just because your poor doesn't mean im obligated to give you money"

OK, first my stupid n00b question... coming from my last MMORPG where you could simply tip someone by putting /tip $$$ in the chat bar and it would send the tip to their bag, is there such a way to do this in WoW or must you open a trade window? Just wondering on that.

As for tipping, I believe in tipping. Though having said that, (prepare for the double sided arguing with myself) it isn't like any 70 couldn't take 15 minutes run a few dailies in QD and have more than enough $$$ to buy mats - just the same to tip someone doing a service for you. I've tanked some stuff and never gotten a tip. Granted tanks fall into that role (usually) voluntarily, they are providing a service so they can help other generally get good loot. They take the most damage and will usually have the highest repair bills. Though they are in a group and need the DPS roles and CC roles to make things go smooth. How about on BGs, I see people always asking for tables in the BGs and 50% of the time there is no issue, the other part it might be because the mage ignores everyone or says they don't have the regs. Then people ***** and whine about how cheap mages are. Ungrateful, unprepared turds (the whiners not the mages). Point is I guess in a group you do things without expecting a tip - it is for the mutual benefit of everyone so everyone just does their job.

So imo, if I am running up to someone unknown and asking for a port or a summon, I say yes I should offer a tip. For food or water offer it, for a table or something requiring regs offer. If you are a mage and aren't doing anything and someone comes and asks politely for water the few seconds of conjuring and trading won't kill you, so refuse the tip. If you are going out of your way to stop doing something and help then, take it for your inconvenience.

My mage is only 19 and has been put on hold as my main approached 70. But now I am starting to work on it him again. So, as I get into the higher levels, maybe I will feel different. But I think at least offering a tip, even if only a few gold is the way to go. If you were not inconvenienced then refuse it, it isn't like a few gold is tough to make at the higher levels. On terms of being constantly asked to do something, I understand where you come from. Being a feral druid in the OL iI couldn't log on without having 5 whispers coming at me asking to tank this or that within a minute of logging on.

Now if you look at other classes, like a rogue leveling lockpicking and needed your chest to do it, I do not think they should expect a tip as you are helping them out, not the other way. An enchanter that is doing enchants to get their skill higher with your mats... maybe a small tip as some enchant spells are expensive, but realistically you are helping them out. The conjuring of food or water doesn't do anything for a mage in terms of XP (that I'm aware of) so yes a tip should at least be offered.

This is all imho - if you feel differently, then you are entitled to do so.