i had my rook pierced a couple of years ago and i love it.. when i first got it pierced it never really hurt only a little. i got to the piecing place and of course she cleaned it and she marked it and put a receiving tube on it so that the needle wouldnt go into a random place. anyways it was an easy pierce and it didn't hurt but like every cartlidge piercing it takes TIME lots of it to fully heal. i had it pierced with an 18g captive bead ring and left it and didn't mess with it up till a couple weeks ago when i went to get it changed. it took years to fully heal but now i love it and wudn't trade it for anything. this was my first real cartlidge piercing (i had my upper ear cartlidge but it never healed so i had to take it out) but now i have my tragus which was way worse and most resently my nose which was exciting. so i recommend this piercing totally its really cute and easy and not too common so its great.