Guild A guild is typically an in - game association of player character s . Guilds are formed to make group ing and raid ing easier and more rewarding , as well as to form a social atmosphere in which to enjoy the game . Banking guilds are also used by many individual players as a way to increase the rather limited bank storage space available in the game . Background . From Joining Guilds on the old official site ( much of the info below was based on this page ) : " NOTE : You can move from guild to guild , but this will not enhance your reputation as time goes on . Sometimes the best thing to do is try to make your guild better and leave if that fails . Guilds will be more reluctant to invite you if you have the reputation of joining , taking what you need , and leaving for the next guild that has something better . " Advantages of a guild . Find a Guild . There are many ways to find a Guild . Here are a few spots to check out : Guild size . Guild size can be a big factor in choosing a guild . Guilds that invite too many people , that don ' t pick quality members , and invite new people all the time are generally less organized and less powerful . However , it can be much easier to find people to group within a larger guild . Smaller guilds are more personal . One complaint that players have about large guilds is that you often run into guild members you don ' t know ( " I don ' t know all these people . " ) . With a smaller guild there is much more opportunity to get to know each member . For that reason , some players prefer a small guild . Ultimately , the " Large vs . Small " debate depends on the guild and the members that join . There are large guilds that still remain very good . Leadership and recruitment policies are the main factors in determining how a guild turns out . Active members . Guild size is less important than the amount of regularly online active members . Some small guilds have more active members than large guilds . A big problem with guilds as they grow is the abundance of alt s that pump up the guild size , but not the active membership . You want a guild with lots of active members , since that increases opportunities within the guild . Ideally , a guild you join will have active members in your level range . Grouping . Grouping can be a good way to find a guild . Team up with people and play with them for a while . Make friends with them and play together for several days . If they get to like you , they will usually want you in their guild so that you ' ll continue to play with them . After helping them out , inquire about their guild . Perhaps they may help you join . Reputation . Do your own research into a specific guild . As guilds become powerful , well known , and popular , rumors about them begin to appear . Often when a guild member does something to offend a player , that offended player starts spreading stories about the entire guild . Jealous players make untrue generalizations about the guild and its members . Make sure you find out the real story on your own with whatever evidence you can find such as screenshots or web reports . Sometimes a guild may be good and is just the victim of a bad reputation . Guilds can be very jealous or hostile toward each other and thus make up rumors to hurt the reputation of the other guild . Or , perhaps , the reputation about that guild is true . Maybe the guild is full of troublemakers . Find out yourself . Large guilds who don ' t keep good tabs on and train their members to behave often suffer from poor reputations because you don ' t know what to expect from their members . Generally it isn ' t a good idea to join a guild that doesn ' t maintain some standard of behavior because your reputation can get stained by some immature jerk who isn ' t brought in line by guild leadership . Another point to take away is that what you do while in a guild may reflect on the reputation of your guild and may get you kicked out . You should try to find a guild that fits your play style . It ' s hard to believe , but some guilds form on the basis of being a bunch of jerks ; however , most don ' t . So be aware of the image a guild wants to project . Diversity . Although some guilds form based on specific race or class affiliations , like " Elf Druids of Elune " , most guild have a variety of races and classes . The best guilds have not only a variety of classes ( race isn ' t so important to gameplay due to the nature of powergaming ) , but also many different profession s and play styles . If you like PvP , you should look for a guild that focuses on that play style . If you ' re into making things , then a guild with a variety of trade skills should be sought . You may need specific classes to fill needs for doing quests in a dungeon or instance , so a guild with a diversity helps with all sorts of situations . Visit guild web sites . Visit the World of Warcraft . com Guild Recruitment forums . They contain links to various guild sites . You can visit their web sites , see what activities they engage in , and check out their rules . Quality guilds often have very good web sites and active forums , which can indicate that they are a good guild to join . You can also ask members of a guild if they have a web site . Interview guild members . If you find a guild you like , interview some of their guild members . Ask them how things are in their guild and if they enjoy it . If you ' re interested in joining , ask them who you should talk to . Be very careful when messaging guild members because their impression of you is very important . If you offend the guild member , they may spread the word about your offensive request ( via guild chat ) , and that could harm your chances of joining . Be on your best behavior . Asking to join one of the more powerful guilds can actually be similar to a job interview in real life . Positive guild behavior . Things to consider when looking for a guild : Applications . Many times a guild will request that you put an application on their guild site before they offer you a guild invitation . This is particularly the case with endgame PvE guilds , who require a pool of skilled , intelligent players to progress through raid content . Just because a guild requires an application doesn ' t mean that they are an elitist or exclusive group . Often it is seen simply a routine requirement for guilds to establish a false sense of safety against potential ninjas due to the added effort in being able to join or a way to quickly introduce them to current guild members by sharing personal information . Guild applications vary wildly , but almost all will ask for your character name , class , level , and guild history . Many will also ask about your real - life age and gender , specific instances you are attuned or keyed for , raiding experience , hobbies or interests outside of WoW . In general it is a good idea to be as specific and thorough as possible on a guild application . Unless you already have grouped with or otherwise know current members of the guild , this will probably be their first introduction to you and if you are serious about becoming part of the guild you will want to make an impression that will improve your chances of getting an invite . Some guild leaders and officers look for specific things on an application ( and there can also be specific things they watch out for ) and in general a guild application is examined closely to determine whether the applicant would be a good addition to the guild as a whole . But the best policy is simply to be yourself ; if you present yourself as someone who you aren ' t , your new guild will probably find out quickly ( and you probably can find another guild that you will be happier in ) . Sometimes guilds allow multiple people to apply as a group for the guild ( often because they are real - life friends ) , but often they ask that you do not . If they do not , or if it is not clear whether they do , it is a bad idea to put in a group application . If you truly want to join a guild as a group , the best way in this situation is for one person to join the guild and let them get to know that person . If leaders determine that this first applicant is a good addition to the guild , they will often invite other people because they know that person . Even if this does not happen , you always have the option of leaving the guild in order to find a place that you and your friends are all welcome . Conclusion . Do some research , shop around , and keep trying until you find a good guild . Don ' t give up . There are good guilds out there . You just have to find them . Remember , you can always create your own guild if you want and make one that follows your own requirements . Leaving a guild . Type codice _ 1 . If you are the guild leader and want to disband Type codice _ 2 Don ' t do this too much , because your reputation of guild hopping may catch up with you . Very few guild hoppers can have good reasons every time they quit . In that case , guilds suspect you don ' t do any research . Starting a guild . Talk to a guild master NPC in a major city . A charter can be purchased for . You will need 4 Player s to sign the charter before you can turn it in and start your guild . Due to a bug , your Guild Charter must be in your original backpack when you give it to the Guild Master to create your guild . Another bug is that sometimes the charter breaks and tells you that any name you choose already exists , including random letters . The only ' fix ' for that is to delete the charter and start over . Choosing a tabard design costs , but the guild can be created without paying for the tabard design . When you still have the guild charter you can change the guild name to something that isn ' t taken . Guild names are case sensitive - this means that there could be two guilds , one named Guild of Rogues , and the other named Guild Of Rogues on the same server . ( Note the " o " in " of " is capitalized in the second . ) Note : When signing a guild charter , once a player ' s character signs , no alternate characters on that account may sign . The charter must have signatures from 4 other Player s , each on a different account . This is why people sometimes offer to pay to have their charters signed . Yet you can have different character from the same account join the guild after charter is turned in . Once you begin getting signatures on your charter , focus on getting the remaining signatures on your charter and registering the guild . Signatures can disappear if you delay , since players are allowed to put signatures on other charters until you turn yours in . Banking guilds . It is common for people to pay players to sign a charter so they can make a " banking guild " . If you are creating a guild for the express purpose of using the guild bank space for your own character or characters , please be sure to inform people of your intent up front , and that those who sign your charter will immediately be kicked out once you have formed your guild . If you want to add other characters to your banking guild , you will need someone on a separate account to add your characters since any person invited to join a guild must be logged in , and of course you can ' t be logged in on more than one character at a time on the same WoW account . You can , however , invite your own characters from your separate WoW accounts if you have more than one . You can then remove the friend that helped you invite your characters after you are done adding them . Guild types . Guilds are often classified into types , such as Raid Guild , Social Guild , PvP Guild , Roleplaying Guild , etc . Keep in mind that these categories are not mutually exclusive , and many overlap ( for example , some raid guilds like to participate in group PvP , some roleplaying guilds raid , etc ) . Communicating in a guild . Most guild communication happens via guild specific chat . The guild can also communicate via forums on a guild website . Often the guild will also communicate through a VoIP ( voice chat ) method , especially during instances , raids , or battlegrounds using programs such as Ventrilo or TeamSpeak . Running a successful guild . Running a guild is not easy , and can take a lot of time and effort . It can also be very rewarding . One of the most important aspects to any guild is the quality of its leadership . Before you create a guild . Before you create a guild , think first about what you want out of the guild you will create . Read through the types of guilds listed above for ideas . Maybe you already know exactly what you want and who you want to join , but if not you should think about those things now . Develop your ranks and come up with the responsibilities those ranks will have and what each member needs to do in order to prove they can handle / deserve those ranks . When you create your guild , use your guild control tab in your social window to change the titles and privileges each rank has to reflect your decisions on the infrastructure . If you eventually plan to make use of the full ten ranks allowed to you by the game , you should set them all up as soon as possible ; the all - too - simple rank administration system will not let you reposition ranks , so you have to rename each rank leading up to the new rank spot , then demote everyone to their previous rank . Creating the guild . When you create a guild , you ' ll have five members . It is recommended that you be patient and actually find 5 people to sign the charter who will actually participate in the guild , not just people who will sign it to help you out and leave as soon as the guild is created . The guild charters were created for a good reason . As your members join , make sure they understand the rules and goals that apply to the guild . This will decrease the possibility for drama and fighting within the guild . Use your guild message of the day to get out important information , for example : " Our homepage is @ www . our - guild . com " or " guild meet 5pm Saturday in Dalaran " . Communication & Communication Guidelines . Develop a means of communication exchange so members can communicate even when they aren ' t all online . Some guilds get by without this , but for end - game content guilds it is necessary . You can do this with an external website , from guild hosting services or a forum or website hosted by someone in the guild . Other options are using groups on social networks such as Facebook . Have guidelines for acceptable guild communication behaviors and consequences for those who violate guild values . Some guild members play for recreation , relaxation , and fun - - positive experiences . Bullying , bigotry , and negativity are guild issues and should be addressed swiftly and without regret . All kinds of negative behaviors in guild communication , regardless of whether or not it attacks another guild member , are socially unacceptable and some of the most insidious sources of offense and drama in a guild . Guilds are social places that should be safe for members . Using good judgment is the responsibility of members and leaders in the guild . While some guild managers do not like to " punish " members who are offensive in jest , good members do leave when the attitudes of other guild members are intolerable or unacceptable , which is surely justifiable . Good members may leave without complaining because they believe that such behavior represents the tone and voice of the guild itself ( that they do not belong or fit in a racist , rude , negative , or socially backward guild where bullies and bigots are tolerated ) . Insensitivity to human conditions in the face - to - face world and anti - social behaviors can lead to a bad guild reputation and guild full of immature and socially inept players . Turning a blind eye to these kinds of behaviors has been the downfall of guilds for years - - and tolerance of these things is wrong . As online social codes of behavior continue to evolve , guild leaders should make sure the voice of the guild is above reproach and demonstrates the awareness that it matters how human beings are allowed to treat each other in any environment . Develop a warning system for minor offenses ; communicate consequences to players without good judgment ; include social development as a part of guild management and leadership . Allow people to grow , but guide them in the process , and if they do not align with guild values , send them away . Letting players know these values at the beginning of their membership may help prevent drama in the first place . Make the guidelines and consequences clear . Ranking and Promotion . Most organizing of guild members happens via the UI or guild specific slash commands . Remember that it is okay to allow others to hold power . Promoting members who have earned your trust to " Raid Leader " or " Veteran " can be quite productive . Though in order to maintain a guild , it is important to realize that the structure of the guild can define stability . When assigning ranks and dealing with promotion , it is often accepted that trust must be involved . Creation of the ranks and rewarding payers with advancement is good guild leadership and needs to be deliberate and based on criteria that is not arbitrary but reliable and fair . Having too few ranks leads to too few promotions or opportunities to advance . One way to create guild drama is to be offensive , partial , and arbitrary ; trust in a guild works both ways . Guild members watch the behaviors of guild officers , and aspiring members are observing promotions and rewards , so being a fair and reliable leader who values guild member strengths is important to guild stability and lessens the chances of offending aspiring , dedicated members who may be justifiably angered by a lack of respect or appreciation from people in positions of responsibility , privilege , and leadership . Do not promote people to powerful positions too fast . If you promote a new officer every other day , you ' re going to have 15 new officers in a month . So be wary about who you choose to promote and give authority . The ability to promote people is a very powerful privilege , but if you use it too much , it will lose its power . On the other hand , if you use it too little , people will lose the incentive to stay in the guild . Having multiple ranks and offering promotions that let guild members know they ' re not invisible is a good thing because if for some reason a guild member feels like nothing more than a vault - cow , he or she may look for a guild that appreciates all effort to build a strong guild , including social value . Some players join guilds to feel connected to other players , so valuing a social guild member who creates a warm atmosphere where people feel connected is in some cases more vital and valuable than a loner - type player with lots of experience who will not connect with others . Power mongering does not create a great atmosphere or demonstrate responsible leadership . Valuing a diverse membership with a variety of skills and attitudes will help attract and keep players who enjoy the game , make guild contributions , and experience camaraderie . Give credit where credit is due ; do not overlook all kinds of contributions as you promote players . That kind of promotion policy could create a lopsided guild experience . Encouragement . When someone gets promoted , when a new members joins , or when a member does something generous and so on , make sure you give them incentive to continue on that path . One tactic is to give out " goodies " like free enchantments to people in the guild when they are promoted to some of the higher ranks . Another VERY important thing to do is to congratulate someone on a job well done . Use your guild message of the day to say things like " Congratulations [ Player ] on your promotion to OFFICER ! " or " Welcome to the guild [ Player ] ! " Also if you have a guild homepage , it would be a nice thing to do to put these kinds of messages on the main page . Be enthusiastic . If you ' re not enjoying the guild , why should your members ? Give your members goals . Give them a direction or something to feel like the guild is making progress towards " something " - whatever that something is , is really up to you and what you ' ve designed the guild for . Empower your members . If you ' ve given your guild a goal , then give your members the feeling that they have the power to get the job done . You can do this by reinforcing their faith in themselves , or simple by encouraging statements like " You ' re one of the best [ class ] on this server , I know you can do it ! " Events . Have regular guild events . Try to have some guild meets or events that will keep your members feeling like they are part of an active community . Guild events are a good way for you and the rest of the guild members to see each other and more importantly for you to see who ' s needs help , who has what it takes to be a sub - leader and who needs to be told " don ' t do that . " Make sure that you get the date and times of your guild events known to all your members via communications exchange like a homepage , guild message of the day , mail etc . Dealing with conflict . Show your appreciation to your members and speak with those who are having problems . If you have someone that wants to leave your guild , don ' t let it burst your bubble . Everyone has feelings and if you speak to and ( more importantly ) listen to someone who wants to leave the guild , often enough you will find that they have a good reason for doing so . It is inevitable that conflict will sometimes arise within the guild . The fairness and neutrality of the guild master is vital in resolving these issues , which can result from many things but are often due to perceived unfairness in some way . Do your best to listen to both sides and make a decision only after you fully understand the problem . Make sure to follow the rules you have set and not cave in to a player who breaks these rules , even if they have made significant contributions to the guild - this will only be bad for the guild in the long run , as other players will see it as unfair . Other resources . There are some resources for Guild Leaders on the official World of Warcraft Raid and Guild Management forum . You may find guides and FAQs compiled there that might be able to answer many of the questions you will have as a guild leader . Guild tabards and bank tabs . Each guild can design their own personal tabard which all guild members can wear . The guild leader designs the tabard for a fee of from the Guild Master NPC found in any major city . In some cities , there is a separate Guild Tabard Designer NPC standing nearby . A player can purchase a tabard to wear for from a guild tabard vendor , found near the Guild Master NPC . If you are not in a guild , you may still purchase and wear a tabard , but it will be grey until you join a guild that has already chosen their design . The tabard is a visual symbol or badge of membership for each guild . The only purpose beyond the look is to display your guild or faction pride , otherwise tabards provide no mechanical benefit to your character . Once a tabard is designed , you must pay another each time to change it , so choose wisely the first time around . The guild banks were introduced with patch 2 . 3 to help reduce player - created guild bank characters which often led to Terms of Use violations . More expensive than tabards , guild banks provide space for members to share items , much like a " multi - player bank . " The Guild Leader can limit the players who can add and / or remove items from the bank . It features six purchasable tabs which have 98 item slots each with no bag requirement . The price for the first tab begins at , then increases for each successive tab , , , , , , for a grand total of . The price of the bank tabs have led a few guilds to tax their members and complain that the guild bank prices are tailored for hardcore players and raiders , not casual guilds . Other than items , gold can be stored and used for repairs . Frequently asked questions . What is the maximum number of characters that can be used in a guild name ? This is something that our Game Masters may be able to assist with , Jebbediah , but understand that it is a fairly rare exception - the type we may only be able to provide once . As for the length of time it is taking , our queue times are a bit lengthy with the holidays and fairly new expansion . You can get a good estimate of roughly how long it might take by checking out our Twitter feed - we post estimated queue times twice daily . > ^ . ^ < Blizzard CS Twitter http : / / twitter . com / BlizzardCS Hey there , < character name > ! Thank you for your exceptional patience in waiting to be contacted . We really appreciate it ! We ' d be glad to help you with a one time only Guild Name change ! : ) Here ' s what you need to do : Submit a ticket to us with your top 5 choices for a new name and we ' ll do our best to make sure you get the one you want ! Hope you have an awesome day ! Thanks again for contacting me . : ) May all your hits be crits and your lewtz be phat ! < gm name > Game Master Guild members who decide to relocate with their guild may initiate their own paid character transfer . Upon a successful transfer they will automatically be part of the guild when they first log into the new realm . Their guild rank and guild reputation will be intact . Creating a guild website . There are many ways to build a guild website . The most common approaches are : Typical features for guild websites . Guild hosting services typically offer : Popular guild hosting services . A comprehensive list of guild hosting services can be found here .