THIS IS NOT FOR ANY ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR. IT IS A SUMMERIZATION OF THE WHOLE THREAD. Figured I'd put that as a disclaimer so maybe ppl won't get aggravated at me. TOXICITY: unfortunately we will have that as long as humans exist. Some days it's like water off a duck's back, other days it's water to a dry sponge. How we, WE as in everyone, react to it depends on our mood/how our day is going. SBMM FIRETEAM EVENTS: it's all random if you ask me. Been matched with noobs, been matched with vets, been matched with both. Had some good teams with more wins than losses, had bad teams with more losses than wins. Too many aspects to detail, so I'll just discuss an issue I had with DoE toxicity... 2 players out of 6 incessantly killed everyone else on the team using Eager Edge sword(s). The entire match. Text chat was off so no idea if anything was said, nothing said in voice. At the end of the match, 3 of us who went in as a fireteam prior to SBMM all reported them for sabotage. Haven't seen them since. Still get a few shoulders and Eager Edge from time to time in Doe, so I just brush it off and don't revive them if I see them down. I do teabag them to let them know I saw them there lol. For the most part, I just play and go on, and adjust my playstyle to be airborne when I'm near them so I don't get "misadventure" frequently. MENTAL HEALTH: this is a tricky subject. Everyone is an individual, and what is a trigger for one, is an lol to another. We all vent to one extent or another, but what is healthy and unhealthy venting? Seeing responses to any concern/complaint in any thread... There's no defined line because of the mix of replies. Everyone's thought process, and perspective, is going to vary from person to person. Especially when level of dedication is factored in. Those who have no problem with "taking a break" usually get a reply of two with "You don't understand... I've been playing since D1Day1..." yada yada. Who says the one taking a break isn't a vet as well (beside them saying it themselves that is)? I myself am a New Light-er, 2 months playing, AND F2P. If anyone gets roasted around here, it's me lol. Anyway, no one can really say who is right about what and how they say it, because there will always be toxicity from one or another, be it a reply or OP. Though I do admit there's some OPs and/or replies that are more whiny than others, and to those... Just ignore and go on. Why add more toxicity to an already toxic seeking post/thread? Because... we just HAVE to have that "last word". Another facet to the multifaceted human being. Oh well... BOUNTIES: this one takes me a few mins to figure out. I've gone into an event (let's use Vanguard Pinnacle for example) where the elemental burn is Arc. I've seen ppl go in with sidearms or shotguns running solar or void. It takes a bit for it to dawn on me "Oh, they're doing bounties". Let's admit it... They've not been aligned with Pinnacle requirements for a while now. So when I see that in a run, I'll try to be considerate and let them be when they're shooting so they get the kill. Flip-side is: I've been the one doing the bounty, and tbh it aggravates the 💩 outta me when I'm off in an area all by myself shooting everything I see, and someone else comes in and kills the whole hoard themself. Gee, thanks, now my bounty won't get finished. Did they do it for points? Kill count? To be an -blam!- knowing I was trying to get a bounty so they messed it up on purpose? I don't know. Still bugs me either way. How I handle it from there honestly depends on my mood for the day. I've let it go, and just grind more. I've gotten vengeance and switched weapons to go and kill everything THEY we're going for. That option doesn't end well as they try to "misadventure" me at event's end. I know this is a long read, and I apologize for it, but there is a point I'll get to in the next hour or two lol. CHAT - TEXT: I have mine off. I'm Xbox and honestly, I just don't want to take the time to type/speak it all out. So I can't say for sure what platform(s) or setups have better text options. I know some fireteams use it, but if it's not helpful to have it on, turn it off. If it's necessary to have it on, have it recorded for proof of threats, harassment, toxicity, and report the ayer(s). Does it do any good? Maybe, maybe not. I know it worked for me in that I don't match with them anymore in events. CHAT - VOICE: I only use mine when I'm in a clan and one or more are in my fireteam. Which I'm clanless atm, so I have my settings to full game in the chat mixer. Occasionally I'll hear someone in-game, but they're not really talking, I'll just hear the grunts and words of disapproval when they die or don't get the objective. I've not (not yet) had verbal degrading from poor game results. I HAVE had however, some interesting entertainment in the background when playing. Usually domestic debates over whether the game is more important to housework. And the hubby/boyfriend usually answers in frustration "I TOLD YOU I'LL GET IT WHEN IM DONE HERE!" lol. Ok, y'all's eyes burning from the read, so summerization time! Yay! We're all different, have different views, opinions, mental thresholds, reactions, responses, etc. How we react/respond with forethought or in heat of the moment is all different on any day of the week, and what mood we're in. So what do we do? The best we can and just go on. If someone says something we don't agree with, nor understand the basis for why they said it, why reply with "You need to" this, that, and the other? What works for one doesn't always work for another. Helpful hints, constructive points to ponder... sure, nothing wrong with that. Toxicity? Never a place for that in game nor forum. But you'll always have that one (or several) that just HAVE to be toxic because they know no other way to be. If for no other reason... Report them. It seems to help prevent them from matching up with you in future venues, so there'll be less toxicity the next runs. Whether Bungie bans them or not... Who's to say. Possibly if enough people report toxicity, it'll eventually pile up and they may get banned. Anyway, I'm rambling. A very long winded thought to a multifaceted situation EVERY Guardian faces at one point or another. We're all supposed to be family... Let's all act like the family were supposed to be. Or I'll tell daddy Shaxx on you lmao.