Monarch - A guild for newer players

[MuleAxe]

I’ve been playing DDO for a couple years now, and I have to admit that it is my first MMO; I’m not one of the discontent WOW players or someone who had experience with the original NWN or Diablo games to draw from. One thing that really intrigues me about DDO, is the amount of creativity you can have when building your characters (although I think more can be done to help with the physical appearance of characters and the ability to customize to a greater degree), and it seems there are only more of these abilities to craft a complex, and fun to play character in the near future.

With this ability to be creative and diverse comes a very steep learning curve for newer players. Yes, there is a very robust set of player guides and forum resources available for people to pull from; there are also some excellent mentoring programs that vet players have developed to help new players with questions about game play, builds, strategy. There is a lot of value in these types of resources; a lot of hard work and time has gone into these resources, which is absolutely commendable to those who have dedicated their time and energy into doing it.

Many of these new players have been embraced by guilds that seek to bolster their ranks with new blood, and to be honest, don’t spend a lot of time to help develop the abilities of their members. I have recently formed Monarch as a place where newer players can come to feel like they are part of a family, and to learn many of the lessons of the game that cannot be taught by reading the forums and start guides. A place to learn, grow, and be part of a family that looks out for each other, and takes an active part in mentoring, training, and coaching them to become solid players.

At the moment, the guild is a one person operation in its infancy. I’m a veteran DDO player who is interested in helping some of the newer players become accustom to the game, develop their playing skills, and impart some of the knowledge I’ve gained over the years on tactics, methodologies, and game philosophy.

You won’t be judged, harassed, put down, or taken advantage of in any way. If there is an interest, please send me a PM, reply to this post, or contact me in-game on MuleFort, or MuleFist.

~M

[MuleAxe]

The framework for our guild website is up and running: www.ddo-monarch.com. There are still a few beautification projects that need to be done, but if you check it out, you’ll get the gist of what we’re all about. We have a few active members, and are looking for more folks that are either new or returning to the game. We are focused on having fun and learning/teaching the game at the same time.

You may see some Harbor training runs in the LFM sponsored by Monarch; if you are interested in learning some of the fundamentals of the game, learn about the quests, while at the same time interacting with a great group of people, then join the LFM, and learn more about us! Our goal is to get a great group of people together who are genuinely interested in learning the game and having a great time while doing it.

The officers of the group (including myself) are very patient; enjoy imparting our knowledge, and seeing other players get better and better as they learn more about the game.

The best way to get in touch with us is to see us in-game, register for the website and send a PM, or reply to this post.

We look forward to seeing you in-game!

~Mule

[MuleAxe]

Couple quick updates. First, I’m very proud to announce that Monarch Thelanis has been accepted for fan site status! Along with that, I have added the ability for registered users to write and post their own blogs! Although the site does host the Monarch Guild, the mentoring site has a completely separate section that is focused on helping to educate newer players on the game in a positive environment. With that said, we already have a few folks that have signed up to help mentor newer players via the online discussion forums; we could always use a few more folks that wouldn’t mind contributing to discussions every once in a while.

The goal is not to replace anything that’s currently out there, but to provide an additional place for folks to go when they are looking for feedback on a build, or have questions about anything from game mechanics to group/raid etiquette.

You can check out our fan site listing, or goto www.ddo-monarch.com to learn more.

Guild update: We have approximately 10 active accounts at the moment, and are growing every day. We’re looking for new and/or experienced player alike. If you are interested in learning the ropes from a group of vet players, or if you want to play end game content, we have players that can do and run both. To put in an application, go to www.ddo-monarch, register for the site and indicate the reason for registration is guild membership. Make sure to list your main character and any alts you have so we can track you down in-game.

Even though we are very newer player friendly, we will never send blind guild invites; we want to know who we are inviting, and that they have the desire and potential to be good players down the road.

Hope to see you in-game!

~M

[MuleAxe]

Quick update on our recruiting status... We’re currently sitting at 10 active accounts in the guild; some newer folks, and many veteran players. At this point, I’m closing recruiting for at least the next couple weeks to see how the newer folks work out, and give us a chance to start building a guild identity.

Thank you to all the folks out there that have voiced support (in-game and through PM’s) for the guilds effort to connect with and help develop some of the newer players. Your kind words have been much appreciated!

See you in-game!

[MuleAxe]

I've decided to reopen recruiting for a short time. We have 12 semi-active accounts and are currently level 22. Most of my time has been dedicated to TR'ing my completionist project; I'm looking for some active folks that are interested in leveling, and perhaps at some point in the future, starting to put together a raiding schedule.

We offer a relaxed environment focused on enjoying the game, helping others, and accomplishing personal goals.

Play style (depending on your personal level of proficiency) can be fast at times, but we are always helpful, patient, and understand people have different learning curves. All members are helpful to each other, and we look for folks that have have an innate sense of duty to help others.

If you are interested in a no drama, helpful, friendly, and skill-developing environment, you are more than welcome to put in an application.

The process is simple.

1) register for the site - Make sure to include the reason for the registration as "guild membership"
2) once your registration is approved (within 1-3 hours), you will be given access to the application link
3) complete the guild application that is located on the upper left-hand side of the site. Make sure to select "Guild Application", and click submit once completed.
4) either contact me, or one of the other members in-game. We'll chat a bit, review your application, and go from there.

The guild website is: http://www.ddo-monarch.com

[MuleAxe]

Just a quick update on Monarch – We’ve reached level 25 and purchased the Stormglory Bolt! We’re all very excited about the guild accomplishments thus far, and would like to invite anyone interested in being part of a guild focused on having fun, and enjoying the company of good people to put in an application! We currently have 11 active accounts, with characters ranging in levels 1 to 25, and players with experience levels from beginner to experienced vets.

We do have a couple requirements; be mature, have an interest in learning the game, and have tolerance for newer folks. One of the principal reasons the guild was created was to lend aid in the way of a helpful hand, and whispers of encouragement for newer players in the game.

All interested players should register on our guild site (www.ddo-monarch.com); we’ll contact you once that has been accomplished with additional details.

I’ll see you in-game!

~M

[MuleAxe]

Looking for one or two additional people to join Monarch. Would like new members to be fairly active and new player friendly. Interested folks should go to www.ddo-monarch.com to register and submit a guild application. We are personality selective; game skills can be developed, but poor attitudes and personalities will not be tolerated.

Process is simple: > go to URL above >register for site >complete application >we will be in touch

[MuleAxe]

There have been a few updates and changes to the guild that I would like to share with everyone. We have been predominately a very casual guild with a special emphasis on catering to the newer player base; helping, instructing, training and mentoring whenever the opportunity presented itself. For the most part, it seems as though people enjoy being part of a casual guild; where expectations aren’t too great, and there aren’t any strict membership requirements. The recruiting process has been pretty laxed, people may run with applicants once then invite them to the guild.

The original vision of the guild was to attract new and veteran players alike; new players that wanted to get better at the game, and perhaps learn a few things along the way. Vet players that were interested in helping out the new folks. While this still remains part of the program, We’ve decided to mix things up a bit, and raise the bar.

We will still accept applications from new players, but the focus will be on attracting more experienced players that will agree to lend a helping hand to newer folks when needed. So, not necessarily a “new player friendly guild”, but rather a “guild friendly to new players”.

There are other guilds out there that will take any and all members. I you just want ship buffs, I can direct you to several guilds that will happily take into their fold. But, for those who want more… Monarch just might be what you’ve been looking for.

For those interested, we do have a refined set of rules that we like all members to follow.

No drama – Drama is for the emotionally weak – If you are feeling a moment of weakness, go hug your puppy or teddy bear, and tell him all about it – then come back and play like an adult.

Respect - Treat all guild members with respect. Treat all PuG’s with respect. Treat everyone you come into contact in the game with respect. Treat your puppy with respect and don’t have any drama breakdowns.

Be active – Support your guild and online friends by logging in and playing long enough to keep your account from becoming inactive.

Bring all of your Thelanis characters into the guild. We want to build a cohesive team, become friends, and share puppy pictures. All seriousness, I’ve been in guilds that require all characters to be included into the guild, and those who are more casual. Those who require inclusion are much closer and tight knit. That’s the goal.

Be a leader and lead by example. This goes for everything you do in game; you don’t have to be the party or raid leader all the time, but that doesn’t mean you should slack off just because you aren’t in the spotlight. Be on your “A game” all the time. If things don’t go as planned in a run, be an adult about it, and do what you can to fix things.

Be goal oriented – Have something you want to accomplish while you are in game. I’m currently working on my Completionist project; life number 9 of 16 at the moment. After that, I’ll be setting him up for end game material. Whether you are interested in leveling, TRing or Epic content, just have a goal you would like to accomplish.

Loot policy – Your loot is your loot, period. If you feel generous and want to share it with another guildy that could use it, that’s your prerogative. If you are looking for a specific item you know may drop in an end chest, let everyone know beforehand to allow other people to pass it along if they pull it and you don’t. Again, it’s their prerogative if they want to pass it, not your right to get it.

Look out for one another always! – We are a family in the game, and we watch out for our own, first and foremost. We should never under any circumstances disrespect a fellow guildie in a PuG, guild party, or anywhere else; if you have a problem with someone take it to private messages and get it resolved. If you cannot get it resolved, get with a guild officer and they will resolve it for you.

Respect the party/raid leader - The party leader is the party leader. If you have suggestions feel free to give them, but if the leader does not accept the suggestion, don't fight with them, call them out, or anything else that would make the guild look bad. When you are the party leader you can do thing how you want.

Have fun – This is a great game, and we are all here to have fun. Real life always happens and should come first.

The long and sappy guild application is a thing of the past. If you are interested in being part of a goal oriented, mature, and friendly guild, and agree to the above laundry list of thingy’s, then submit your application. How you ask, go to www.ddo-monarch.com and register for the site. Once I receive your request to join the site, I’ll change your status to “registered user”, and send you a PM letting you know the next steps (completing the application). There is more than one step to apply to the guild, so please watch for the approval message so you can submit your application.

Well, that’s it for now – If you’ve gotten this far down the page, ya might as well apply :-)

As always, please reply here or contact me in-game if you have any questions.

~ Mule

[MuleAxe]

Monarch has been renamed to Dark Avengers - I'll post a new guild advert in the next couple days