If you are a hardcore raider and could care less, move along. I just wanted to recount my experiences :D
So on Friday I got my fixed laptop back and started up WoW. While questing, a guy invited me to join a guild as a bear tank (or off-tank, to start). As I have a mediocre tanking set (at least it has the minimum defense needed :-P), and I have a free month in January, I agreed.
Well, the first raid was tonight, so I spent the weekend pugging my Kara key. For the record, I NEVER instance with people. Like, once in a blue moon. At level 70, I had ONLY ever done a SL run once. Only other BC instances I have done were SP and Ramparts. However, I figured I could do ok once I got my feet wet. Interestingly, in most of the pugs I actually came as DPS. Started out with SH, to get my Slabs key. Played as a DPSer because a new Tankadin wanted to try tanking... honestly, it probably would have gone better with me as a tank. Luckily, I took over as MT for the last boss, who was downed with no problem.
On my trip to SLabs, I lucked out by getting a guild priest (shout out to Thepreacher) to help me out, and then three other puggers. I played as the tank, and we one-shotted every boss. I don't think we wiped at all. First fragment, done!
I soloed the part in SV (Druids are really overpowered sometimes, and I love to solo), and then wondered if I could do the same in Arcatraz. I don't have the key, so I had a guildie open the door for me. In I went. Got right outside the room with all the voidwalker guys... and got electrocuted by the guardian there.
I then enlisted the help of another guild druid (shout out to Bannednomore), a Boomkin. After several mishaps, we downed the guardian, and got to the room. Looted the urn, killed the guardian, and looted the fragment just as the voidwalker jumped on us. Hard part done!
Then it was off to the caverns of time. First, Durnholde to get attuned to BM; took FOREVER to get all the members there, but then it went fairly well. No deaths, although a lot of battles were sloppy. I also got the tanking ring off the first boss, so I was flying :D. Today I joined up with a new group for BM; smashed through it after some initial rockiness when killed the nonelite crocs and spiders. I really want to go back; the instance was fast and fun, and good reputation. I liked it a lot better (constant running) than dealing with normal instances.
So, tonight I went to Karazhan. We started about half an hour late, because not all the raiders would log on, but finally got going. Wow. This place is SO cool. Kudos to Blizzard for taking the time to think up such an interesting place! I especially liked the opera event (got R&J) and the fact that the Maiden of Virtue is down a hall lined with concubines. We downed every boss we came to (finished up with Curator) in one go. I off-tanked the adds, one by one, on Moroes, which was a lot of fun. Although I felt like I contributed the least to the group, as I'm in a lot of blues and a couple of greens, but it never really showed up; I was DPSing the entire time besides that Moroes fight, and did decently for my gear, I think. We had a few deaths and one wipe (right near the beginning), but overall it was smooth sailing.
And I came away with a pair of epic gloves (random BoP drop off trash), and the ring for friendly rep, as well as several badges of justice!
Tomorrow night we go back for Illhoof, Aran, the Chess Event, and hopefully the others as well. All in all, a great experience for an inexperienced raider :)