Picking a Guild for the Right Reason

[blasted0]

Here is a mystical tale woven by my lounge. (Forgive my lounge if it misspells). No guild names are used because this was written to entertain and inform the reader, not to insult other guilds.

Today I was in a party that consisted of two members from my guild and three members from another guild. For ten minutes I had to listen (because the guy was on a headset) about how great their guild was, about how great they all worked together, about how they were the best guild on the server and blah blah blah blah blah. I just wanted to play some D and D today, not pull out a ruler.

Why was this guy gloating to recruit me, I wondered? Was he implying that my guild does not work together? That my guild was not great? That my guild was the worse on the sever?

I have spent countless hours on countless missions with members from my guild. I am experienced with it. I know that if I had the correct individuals online from my guild, I could go to House C, hit the ExPlan mines, and get four stars no sweat. I know who the best rouges are, who the best people are to have as a point man, and who the best healers. Now, what do I know about this gentlemen's fly-by-night guild? Nothing. I was in his party five minutes and he couldn’t tell me anything about his guild that I did not already feel about my own.

If you are being asked to join a guild, ask the following questions before making a decision, because five minutes of vanity should not be what hooks you to decide to join.

1. Why is your guild so great? >>> If you are being told that you are joining the best guild on the server, there is no crime in that. Pride may become an emotion players feel about their guild and without pause a player will say "My guild is the best guild" like a racer would say "My car is the best car," but have them explain why their guild the best. What makes their guild stand out among all the other guilds?

2. What does your guild do to help players? >>> DDO is complex. You can’t take it on alone. You need help and you need DDO friends. What you don’t need is to be added to become a renown farmer. Albeit, no one is going to play the game for you. You have to extend and be social and seek help. Seek help in your guild and you shall find help. If you don't, seek another guild.

A few tips:
I. You may be asked to contribute to the guild airship fund. Do not be told to. It’s your option.
II. The best guilds may not be the highest level guilds. DDO has been out almost a decade, so you might find in some cases that a high level guild just means seniority, a better airship, and nothing more.
III. Shop around. Not only do you get to try on different guilds to see which one feels like home, but you get to mingle with other players. Just because you are in different guilds doesn’t mean you can’t play with the individuals you meet.
IV. If you get guilded and recognized as an active player, you may get promoted to be an officer, which will give you the ability to recruit. If this happens, be confident about your guild when you describe it, not cocky. It turns people off.




Thank you for reading.

[hiryuu42]

To really say much about a player, you need either some very smooth runs, or a disastrous run that still comes out as a positive experience. IOW, any guild that wants to recruit you within five minutes is not a good guild.

[Llewndyn]

Here are my tried-and-True methods for testing a guild out:

1. If they have an online interview process, you don't wanna join. It's a game. I don't like interviewing in real life, the last thing I want is a bunch of self-righteous nerds going over an online application process so they can feel control over some facet of their lives.

2. Run more than once with a prospective guild: You may have gotten the only cool person in the entire guild. See if you can run with a few different players.

3. be yourself: Don't go in there trying to impress everyone. They will expect it every time, and trust me you can't deliver.

If you are recruiting:

1. Your guild is not the best guild on the server. No, it isn't. No. Mine is. See how that works? It doesn't. If that's the only thing you have to lay your hat on when trying to get a respective member, you are not the best.

2. Up Front Pricing: You know how when you signed up for X Cable company they said your service would be "about" 32.99 a month? And after so many months you have never paid less than 80 dollars (what the heck is a line service fee?)? The same could be said in DDO. If you kick inactives, be up front about it. Ditto if you don't allow kids, ditto if you require availability, guild raid runs, etc... Few things more annoying than joining a guild and getting kicked for missing Thursday LARP Shroud night.

3. Exclusivity: I play this game with a lot of people. There are people I like more than I like some people in my guild to run with. If I see a group for something I need thrown up by these few certain people, I will skip guild runs to run with them and thats alright because my guild has mature people in it. This is more of a pet peeve of mine but bears mentioning, if you are recruiting and your policy is they have to have ALL of their toons in your guild, maybe give them a grace period. It is no fun finding out you joined a guild full of suck and having to drop 11 characters in order to move on, and I can't imagine it's fun for the guild leader or recruiter either.

Finally, a few extra guidelines:

Communication: I like a little bit of banter or chat when I log into a guild. I will leave a guild that does not talk at all or register my presence. Yes me logging on is that important. I also don't like extremely chatty guilds either, but have yet to be in one so can offer no insight into that.

Guild Runs: You, and your guild, are no more important than anyone else. If you demand people drop party in a PUG to run with you, your guild sucks. "Well you will never know, we have anonymity!" You might be thinking while piking in a shroud run at the first altar, but when your guildy leaves my group halfway through Sins of attrition on elite because you can't finish a tempest spine loot run without them, even if it's unfair your whole guild goes on my alert list. It's lame, it's rude, and it's completely uncalled for. If you want out of a group, just go, no one wants you there against your will.

Helping others: My son was in a very well known guild on Ghallanda, well known for the wrong reasons. I saw in guild chat every day over his shoulder the MotD was the guild leader telling people to blind invite and also begging for random stuff from his own guild. If this is your guild, disband. Also note that unless it is a test build, terribly made players are a demerit for your whole guild, not just them. If I see a 6 CON "Melee wizard", I am going to wonder why his guild did not alert him to the folly of his ways.

[danotmano1998]

Here are my tried-and-True methods for testing a guild out:

1. If they have an online interview process, you don't wanna join. It's a game. I don't like interviewing in real life, the last thing I want is a bunch of self-righteous nerds going over an online application process so they can feel control over some facet of their lives.

Thank you! FINALLY someone understands this. It's not a lifelong commitment, and I sure as heck don't plan on sharing my toothbrush and underwear with them.

Oh and did I mention that MY guild was the best? Yeah. It is. If you don't believe me you can ask me again, you'll get the same answer.

[Erek_Stormraven]

Here are my tried-and-True methods for testing a guild out:

1. If they have an online interview process, you don't wanna join. It's a game. I don't like interviewing in real life, the last thing I want is a bunch of self-righteous nerds going over an online application process so they can feel control over some facet of their lives.

Respectfully, I disagree with this. While one part of fitting in with a guild is making sure they fit your needs, on the other hand the guild wants to make sure you fit their needs. With the renown decay rules set up as they are, guilds that want to be or already are at the top levels are, by necessity, picky about who joins. They want to make sure your goals for the game, attitude, amount of playtime and play style match theirs. An online application lets them ask the hard questions that the player or players you may be running with and enjoy might not know to ask.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

If I see a 6 CON "Melee wizard", I am going to wonder why his guild did not alert him to the folly of his ways.

Mine is one. Actually. Level 9. Look into my current signature to see him. Although not entirely melee - only when his spell points have run out.
And he has more CON.

But on the other hand I must say that I'm a bit weird on building my characters anyway.

[Raoull]

1. If they have an online interview process, you don't wanna join. It's a game. I don't like interviewing in real life, the last thing I want is a bunch of self-righteous nerds going over an online application process so they can feel control over some facet of their lives.

Respectfully, I disagree with this. While one part of fitting in with a guild is making sure they fit your needs, on the other hand the guild wants to make sure you fit their needs. With the renown decay rules set up as they are, guilds that want to be or already are at the top levels are, by necessity, picky about who joins. They want to make sure your goals for the game, attitude, amount of playtime and play style match theirs. An online application lets them ask the hard questions that the player or players you may be running with and enjoy might not know to ask.

I'm with Erek.... if there is an interview, definitely do it. If the interview is crazy and shows that they treat the game like a job.... you've learned some valuable information. A guild having a low key interview process is pretty reasonable though.

Heck, we even have a form we make people fill out on our Guild Forum. Some people compare it to an interview, but its really nothing more than ensuring people come in and say "Hi!". I don't think anyone has ever been turned down due to the answers they gave.....

[guitarjohn707]

Dear readers,
I have been playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st and 2nd addition "tabletop" game for over 20 years as a Dungeon Master and I have learned alot from this. Playing DDO 3.5 is quite different. There are no tried and proved methods, however there are some important things to consider; If you are playing this game to score points as fast as possible and get to the end and are extremely competitive, in my opinion you don't belong associated with Dungeons and Dragons at all.
This "DDO" is an offshoot of Dungeons and Dragons and that is the most world famous "fantasy role playing game" of all time! DDO makes room for those types of players for a maximum profit ratio $$$.
If you are from the "Old School" of Dungeons and Dragons and are trying to experience it in 3D and have a world wide web's worth of potential players to play with this should have been the best place to go.
I think there still is hope and I intend on making that so - and no not single handedly! As a DM you know the number one rule is: What the DM says goes P E R I O D! However it is wise to make the game as fun as possible or you will have no one to play with. Same goes for guilds and guild leaders/recruiters. You do however have to consider what the majority of your guildies want and that is bassically your type of "guild" or "campaign." If the people you are "interviewing" are going to take the ballance out of your storyline/fantasy you and your guildies are roleplaying or if they are not into roleplaying at all and your guild is a roleplaying guild, then they wont work out.
This is why it is imperitive to interview so as not to waist anyone's precious online gaming time! This is a game - yes, but what type of game is the question to be considered. It is not the typical "video game" that so many seem to think it is and God willing it wont become one either! I for one will fight to maintain DnD integrety forever! Dungeons and Dragons was desighned to bring people together to have a fantasy roleplaying experience and for those who do not know what that means it can be called "play pretend" or "acting w/spontaneous/creative storyline" as well. It would **** me off to the max if this continues to grow into a bunch of "Zergs" trying to reach the end and "win" the game so mommy will go out and buy them another game to speed through!
So if you are trying to find which guild to join or which person to recruit into your guild it probably is a great idea to do some talking between both parties ie; "interview" to help decide whether you are right for each other's ideas of what type of game you are or are not going to play with each other.
Perhaps there should be two types of DDOs: One for "Zergs" and one for people who remember what Dungeons and Dragons is all about ROLEPLAY/STORYLINE/SOCIALIZING! I'LL BET ALL THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IS HAVE AN ADULT VERSION AND A CHILDRENS VERSION AND THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

King Ghonja Flowingwater of Earth
(SELF APPOINTED) New Ruler of Eberron
Grand Master of The Knights of The Covenant
PS: Don't get all bent over my name & title here...it too is part of roleplay!
lmfao at all the Zergers!