Originally Posted by Links

Ok, I have a question which I feel uncomfortable asking, but I just feel like I haven't been able to get a solid answer by keeping up with the forums. I am a rogue in a pretty casual guild (at least by standards heald in these forums), we have cleared most Tier 7/7.5 content, which is not to say we are a high end raiding guild, but a many seem to know what they are doing. I have finally managed to acquire a decent set of gear (4/5 valorous, some other BiS, but still missing some key items) but I feel that I am still lacking in quite a few stats that I cannot make up for using strictly gems, but nonetheless feel like I should be putting out competitive dps, and within my guild I do. However, when I look at the spreadsheets and parses linked throughout these forums, I honestly feel embarrassed. Generally I pull an overall dps output of 2.5k with something like 3k on bosses, which, especially now that I am looking in /LFGuild forums, seems pretty low. I've read the forums, tried to understand what I can, but no matter what I do in terms of cutting the slack out of my cycle, making sure HfB/SnD don't drop off, I don't see results anywhere near what I see being reported. Some of it is lacking gear I am sure, and I know I can always improve my cycle (in terms of better timing and counting DP ticks, etc.) but, now that I am beginning to become aware of all the other factors involved, I wonder if the discrepancy in dps is purely lack of my own skill (which may very well be) or might there be an issue with raid buffs. I am admittedly new to the game, and while I feel I have a decent understanding of my class, I certainly do not know the details of every buff other classes have to offer. Is it possible that buffing isn't properly monitored and thus results in lower dps for everyone (I know for example that we only have one balance druid willing to spec into impFF, and no spriests)? Would that account for the differences in dps I am seeing reported by others and what I am seeing myself, or would it be better to continue looking at myself as the source of the problem?

Again, I hate asking questions of this sort, because it inevitably seems like I am fishing for compliments ("oh no, you're dps is fine, its your guild that sucks"). I am in search of a more serious raiding guild and I would like to spare myself the embarrassment applying only to put out poor dps because the problem lies with me, not raid buffs being poorly distributed or non-existent.