diff --git a/src/Groups.cpp b/src/Groups.cpp
index ba85d4c..57418b8 100644
--- a/src/Groups.cpp
+++ b/src/Groups.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static void requestGroup(CNSocket* sock, CNPacketData* data) {
         return;
 
     // fail if the group is full or the other player is already in a group
-    if ((plr->group != nullptr && (*plr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER].size() >= 4) || otherPlr->group != nullptr) {
+    if ((plr->group != nullptr && plr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER).size() >= 4) || otherPlr->group != nullptr) {
         INITSTRUCT(sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_INVITE_FAIL, resp);
         sock->sendPacket((void*)&resp, P_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_INVITE_FAIL, sizeof(sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_INVITE_FAIL));
         return;
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void joinGroup(CNSocket* sock, CNPacketData* data) {
     if (otherPlr == nullptr)
         return;
 
-    int size = otherPlr->group == nullptr ? 1 : (*otherPlr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER].size();
+    int size = otherPlr->group == nullptr ? 1 : otherPlr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER).size();
 
     // fail if the group is full or the other player is already in a group
     if (plr->group != nullptr || size + 1 > 4) {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static void joinGroup(CNSocket* sock, CNPacketData* data) {
         addToGroup(PlayerManager::getSockFromID(recv->iID_From), otherPlr->group);
     }
     addToGroup(sock, otherPlr->group);
-    auto players = (*otherPlr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+    auto players = otherPlr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
 
     size_t resplen = sizeof(sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_JOIN) + players.size() * sizeof(sPCGroupMemberInfo);
     uint8_t respbuf[CN_PACKET_BUFFER_SIZE];
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static void leaveGroup(CNSocket* sock, CNPacketData* data) {
 }
 
 void Groups::sendToGroup(Group* group, void* buf, uint32_t type, size_t size) {
-    auto players = (*group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+    auto players = group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
     for (int i = 0; i < players.size(); i++) {
         CNSocket* sock = players[i].sock;
         sock->sendPacket(buf, type, size);
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void Groups::sendToGroup(Group* group, void* buf, uint32_t type, size_t size) {
 
 void Groups::groupTickInfo(Player* plr) {
 
-    auto players = (*plr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+    auto players = plr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
 
     if (!validOutVarPacket(sizeof(sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_MEMBER_INFO), players.size(), sizeof(sPCGroupMemberInfo))) {
         std::cout << "[WARN] bad sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_JOIN packet size\n";
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void Groups::groupKick(Player* plr) {
         return;
     }
 
-    auto players = (*group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+    auto players = group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
 
     if (!validOutVarPacket(sizeof(sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_LEAVE), players.size() - 1, sizeof(sPCGroupMemberInfo))) {
         std::cout << "[WARN] bad sP_FE2CL_PC_GROUP_LEAVE packet size\n";
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ void Groups::groupKick(Player* plr) {
 
     removeFromGroup(sock, group);
 
-    players = (*group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+    players = group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
     for (int i = 0; i < players.size(); i++) {
         CNSocket* sockTo = players[i].sock;
         Player* varPlr = PlayerManager::getPlayer(sock);
diff --git a/src/Groups.hpp b/src/Groups.hpp
index b437827..05bf569 100644
--- a/src/Groups.hpp
+++ b/src/Groups.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ struct Group {
     std::vector<EntityRef> members;
     int32_t conditionBitFlag;
 
-    auto operator[](EntityKind kind) {
+    std::vector<EntityRef> filter(EntityKind kind) {
         std::vector<EntityRef> filtered;
         std::copy_if(members.begin(), members.end(), std::back_inserter(filtered), [kind](EntityRef e) {
             return e.kind == kind;
diff --git a/src/MobAI.cpp b/src/MobAI.cpp
index 1c9b860..4299727 100644
--- a/src/MobAI.cpp
+++ b/src/MobAI.cpp
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ void MobAI::onDeath(CombatNPC* npc, EntityRef src) {
             Missions::mobKilled(src.sock, self->type, qitemRolls);
         }
         else {
-            auto players = (*plr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+            auto players = plr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
             for (EntityRef pRef : players) playerRefs.push_back(PlayerManager::getPlayer(pRef.sock));
             Combat::genQItemRolls(playerRefs, qitemRolls);
             for (int i = 0; i < players.size(); i++) {
diff --git a/src/NPCManager.cpp b/src/NPCManager.cpp
index 682f549..ee38ece 100644
--- a/src/NPCManager.cpp
+++ b/src/NPCManager.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ static void handleWarp(CNSocket* sock, int32_t warpId) {
         uint64_t instanceID = Warps[warpId].instanceID;
 
         Player* leader = plr;
-        if (plr->group != nullptr) leader = PlayerManager::getPlayer((*plr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER][0].sock);
+        if (plr->group != nullptr) leader = PlayerManager::getPlayer(plr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER)[0].sock);
 
         // if warp requires you to be on a mission, it's gotta be a unique instance
         if (Warps[warpId].limitTaskID != 0 || instanceID == 14) { // 14 is a special case for the Time Lab
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ static void handleWarp(CNSocket* sock, int32_t warpId) {
         if (plr->group == nullptr)
             PlayerManager::sendPlayerTo(sock, Warps[warpId].x, Warps[warpId].y, Warps[warpId].z, instanceID);
         else {
-            auto players = (*plr->group)[EntityKind::PLAYER];
+            auto players = plr->group->filter(EntityKind::PLAYER);
             for (int i = 0; i < players.size(); i++) {
                 CNSocket* sockTo = players[i].sock;
                 Player* otherPlr = PlayerManager::getPlayer(sockTo);