Before you join a guild

[dorotka]

Remember folks, joining a guild is a lot like picking up some wayward floosy you met at the bar.......you don't wanna take the first one that says yes home with ya.
Sure it might seem like the right thing to do at the moment, but more often than not you regret it.

If your a new player, take some time to find out which guild suits you best, if your have been playing a while, ask yourself why hasn't guild X asked you to join already. Its not like you dont get ship invites before a quest so there really is no urgency to get guilded.

When you are ready, a guild worth being in will ask you to join them. If you get a blind invite, be sure to click NO. If your a decent player the only thing you will accomplish is making a bunch of guild favor that will be wasted on a guild that can not keep up with their rate of decay.
Nothing worse than being stuck at guild level 70 for 2 years and watching the jokes fly in general chat when the global announcement declares that so-and-so has just hit level 70 (Disclaimer: This is in no way, shape or form a reference to Citadel)

[danotmano1998]

Meh...

Joining a guild is more like going on a date..
If you're not happy with the way things are going, just excuse yourself politely and walk away at the end of the day.

It's not like you're signing a permanent contract. Heck, you can leave a guild 1 second after you join if you feel like you need to.

[jortann]

I would suggest just the opposite. Join guilds and try them out. If they are not working for you find another. Its kind of like dating.

But running around hoping that someday the 'Guild Uberz' will ask you to join is like expecting Miss America to come to your door and to propose to marry you. Probably not going to happen.

[danotmano1998]

Miss America to come to your door and to propose to marry you. Probably not going to happen.

Aw darnit! NOW you tell me.
I'm crushed.

[FranOhmsford]

If you're not willing to put in the work to level up a guild then what makes you think a guild who've already put in that work would want you?

When I first started playing this game I created my own guild - I have now been playing just over two years and in that time we have reached Lvl 41.
There has been plenty of people come and go in that time - In fact only two players {myself incl.} are still in the guild from when it was created.
Most have been the join guild and disappear type {play for a day or two then never return}. Some have gone on to other {usually higher level} guilds - I am not going to begrudge them this.
However this will not stop me from giving people the chance to find a home on Cannith and maybe one day we will be one of those UBER GUILDS - For now we're still on that long road.

[McFlay]

If you're not willing to put in the work to level up a guild then what makes you think a guild who've already put in that work would want you?

When I first started playing this game I created my own guild - I have now been playing just over two years and in that time we have reached Lvl 41.
There has been plenty of people come and go in that time - In fact only two players {myself incl.} are still in the guild from when it was created.
Most have been the join guild and disappear type {play for a day or two then never return}. Some have gone on to other {usually higher level} guilds - I am not going to begrudge them this.
However this will not stop me from giving people the chance to find a home on Cannith and maybe one day we will be one of those UBER GUILDS - For now we're still on that long road.

Agreed. I'm pretty much in the same boat you are. Its pretty interesting how many people want nothing to do with a 4x guild when they could just join a 6x guild and already have access to all the buffs. Its also interesting how those same guilds complain the most about decay.

I've had people asking in chat to join a guild, so I'll send them a tell letting them know how many people are in my guild and what our schedules are like, and ask what their schedule is like, and the first thing they ask back is what level is your guild? Yeah...they're really interesting in finding a group of people to run with, right?

But the best part about that is soon as their main concern is what level is your guild, you know right off the bat they probably aren't the type of player you want in anyhow. I just figure soon as my guild gets to the level where recruiting becomes easy becuase people just want the buffs, I'll just charge an entry fee.

[FranOhmsford]

Agreed. I'm pretty much in the same boat you are. Its pretty interesting how many people want nothing to do with a 4x guild when they could just join a 6x guild and already have access to all the buffs. Its also interesting how those same guilds complain the most about decay.

I've had people asking in chat to join a guild, so I'll send them a tell letting them know how many people are in my guild and what our schedules are like, and ask what their schedule is like, and the first thing they ask back is what level is your guild? Yeah...they're really interesting in finding a group of people to run with, right?

But the best part about that is soon as their main concern is what level is your guild, you know right off the bat they probably aren't the type of player you want in anyhow. I just figure soon as my guild gets to the level where recruiting becomes easy becuase people just want the buffs, I'll just charge an entry fee.

I'm actually less worried about what people want from a guild myself - If someone asks in general chat for a guild invite I'll usually just send one as I know 15 other guilds will be doing exactly the same thing and by the time I've typed out a question that person will already be in a guild {I can ask questions / get to know said person afterwards and I have no compunction about booting people - The renown loss is not the issue people make it out to be for my guild as yet}.

I don't take kindly to people blind inviting and have booted officers who have done such in the past the instant I found out. However I have no issue with putting up a recruitment notice in General Chat and inviting anyone who answers said message - This tells me they actually want to be invited after all.

Usually the people asking about level aren't actually worried about being in some UBER GUILD - They just want to make sure they can use their UBER SWORD with the Small / Medium augmentation slot OR make sure they are going to get a specific buff.
Who am I to begrudge them this? They don't know me, I don't know them; In time we may find we are glad to be in the same guild but for now I will let them join and see how it goes.

The only rule I enforce is that if you're not willing to at least log your character on once a month then I'm going to assume you've left the game.
People are told this upon joining and the standard answer is "Oh I'll be on every day". Guess how many actually ever log on again after a couple of days?

[jortann]

guess how many actually ever log on again after a couple of days?

0.34125%

[Enoach]

I'm a firm believer in the interview process - Both the Guild interviewing you as a player and you as a player interviewing the Guild.

Why?

The most important thing a Guild provides you has nothing to do with the ship and amenities it provides. The most important thing it provides is a social network geared towards the same goals you have as a player. Be that regular raiding, TR character development, Role Playing, or anything else your looking for.

The only way to get to know this is by questing with them, talking to them, possibly visiting the Guilds Web site, which often has an About Us and shows activity.

Basing your decision to join a guild based on its already achieved rank, will rob you of a good guild experience. Just don't join any guild, get to know them and let them get to know you. After your sure this is the group of people you want to hang out with, feel free to ask about recruitment. If you've made a good impression there will most likely be room for you.

[FranOhmsford]

I'm a firm believer in the interview process - Both the Guild interviewing you as a player and you as a player interviewing the Guild.

Why?

The most important thing a Guild provides you has nothing to do with the ship and amenities it provides. The most important thing it provides is a social network geared towards the same goals you have as a player. Be that regular raiding, TR character development, Role Playing, or anything else your looking for.

My goals in DDO have changed radically over the past two years yet I am still happy running my small guild.

If someone is after a Role Playing Guild, A PvP Guild or a Permadeath Guild they will generally stipulate that. I have no issue with letting a person who says this after joining know that they have every right to do all these things in my guild but we are not a one trick affair.

Anyway as is we have 25 members - some like myself with a number of alts - We are not in any way prepared at the moment for Raiding or TRing together.
However if someone who joins us wants to Raid or TR they are more than welcome to and I will run with them on whichever alt is at their level at the time {so long as I'm not in the middle of something myself of course}.

It is possible that we will never have 100+ members and as such will never have enough people in guild to quantify Raiding / TRing as a guild goal.
This does not preclude each person in guild from joining Raids or TRing their toons as many times as they like.

If this makes us a stepping stone guild then so be it.

[danotmano1998]

I'
The most important thing it provides is a social network geared towards the same goals you have as a player. Be that regular raiding, TR character development, Role Playing, or anything else your looking for.

The only way to get to know this is by questing with them, talking to them, possibly visiting the Guilds Web site, which often has an About Us and shows activity.

Or you can join said guild, try them out, see if they fit, and move on if they dont?

You're looking at the guild as a lifetime partnership. It's not.
People come, people go, it's basically just a numbers game. Like dating.
Not everyone will fit, no matter how exhaustive and detailed the screening is.
The only way to be sure what someone is really like is to move in with them, so to speak.
Otherwise, you're just seeing what the other person wants you to see.

I've tried the application route, and it just doesn't work for me. I'm usually too busy running quests, helping other guildies, crafting, etc..

Don't get me wrong. I understand the guilds that decide they want to do the screening thing, more power to them!

But the OP makes it sound like it's a monumental decision in your life.
Yes, finding the right one can make ALL the difference. No doubt about it.
But you should feel free to shop around, looking for the right fit.

[~Quilny]

some guilds just have a lot of bad apples and get a bad rep chances are you join one of said guilds without knowing it you might get declined a lot and people might not join your lfms because of it. so it does kind of matter.

I would say this is like 1% of the guilds on my server but just the same its those guilds that recruit in harbor and korthos. Beware.

[Gkar]

Remember folks, joining a guild is a lot like picking up some wayward floosy you met at the bar.......you don't wanna take the first one that says yes home with ya.
Sure it might seem like the right thing to do at the moment, but more often than not you regret it.

If your a new player, take some time to find out which guild suits you best, if your have been playing a while, ask yourself why hasn't guild X asked you to join already. Its not like you dont get ship invites before a quest so there really is no urgency to get guilded.

When you are ready, a guild worth being in will ask you to join them. If you get a blind invite, be sure to click NO. If your a decent player the only thing you will accomplish is making a bunch of guild favor that will be wasted on a guild that can not keep up with their rate of decay.
Nothing worse than being stuck at guild level 70 for 2 years and watching the jokes fly in general chat when the global announcement declares that so-and-so has just hit level 70 (Disclaimer: This is in no way, shape or form a reference to Citadel)

I disagree with you on one point. Accept the blind invite. Then immediately resign. This will cause them a guild size/decay penalty for a couple week and will hopefully make the point that blind invites are rude.

I actually have 3 mules guilded in random blind-invite guilds. I saw reason not to say yes and to keep my zero-renown ever character, who will always have "active" status, sitting in their guild. So far, none have seemed upset I never group with them lol.

[nicnivyn]

When you are ready, a guild worth being in will ask you to join them.

While I'm in general agreement with the majority of the OP's comments, this I disagree with.

Some guilds are non-recruiting - they don't actively go out looking for people to ask to join them, but they're not opposed to getting a new member who is a good mesh for their style and personality.

If you encounter a guild you enjoy playing with, don't wait around for them to ask you to join. Stalk them! Get to know their players, ask about their sceduled events (if any - raid nights for example), make yourself available at those times if they work for you, be personable. And when you feel comfortable with them ask about joining.

Shop around definately, but don't be shy about going after what you want when you find something that suits you.

[FranOhmsford]

some guilds just have a lot of bad apples and get a bad rep chances are you join one of said guilds without knowing it you might get declined a lot and people might not join your lfms because of it. so it does kind of matter.

I would say this is like 1% of the guilds on my server but just the same its those guilds that recruit in harbor and korthos. Beware.

Maybe all of those 1% do recruit in Harbour and Korthos but so do a vast majority of low level guilds and mid level guilds.
You're tarnishing every guild that has ever put an advertisement in general chat in the harbour {or Korthos or the Marketplace etc.} with this statement.

In my experience btw it's the guilds that Blind Invite {i.e. send an invite to everyone they see not in a guild} that have this issue as opposed to those that use General Chat.
Those people who use the Who panel to find people not in a guild and send invites are the worst of the worst in my opinion.

[pvpgod]

I would suggest just the opposite. Join guilds and try them out. If they are not working for you find another. Its kind of like dating.

But running around hoping that someday the 'Guild Uberz' will ask you to join is like expecting Miss America to come to your door and to propose to marry you. Probably not going to happen.

you cant just enter guild and say :this is not my cup of tea,and leave...with my guild new players have interview,so at the verry beggining of anything they meet rules and everithing,if im not happy with them and they are not willing to participate in guild runs,thats it..no reknown bonus lost for 14 days departure and all is good