Raid Info

As a Guild currently focused on "Content Exploration" we wish to emphasis the following:
1. We reserve the right to limit our guild emphasis to "Content Exploration" only
2. We reserve the right to prohibit raid event functions when they conflict with Guild goals, programs or policies 
3. While we don't currently prohibit raiding, we reserve the right to insist that raid event times be scheduled in such a manner as to not conflict with Guild Sponsored Events.
4. At this time, by not specifically prohibiting raid events, we believe that we are expanding the game content for all members.
Guild Policy -
The following items outline our guild policy for raid events sanctioned by Retributions Blade. All members are expected to follow these guidelines for the enhanced enjoyment of all:
1. Raiding frequency - not more frequently than once per week (usually on Sat). Attendance not mandatory and totally optional
2. Looting System - Need Before Greed (NBG)
Raid Leader to set Raid Loot Options as follows:
#Need ONLY - if your Character on "that" raid can use the loot now or at any level in the future.
#Greed ONLY - if you want the loot for a guild alt
#Decline ONLY - if you currently have no guild alt of that class
3. General Raiding Guidelines:
- The purpose of a guild sponsored raid is:
* To further the welfare and benefit the guild and it's members either directly through equipment use or via sales of raid loot
* To raid only with participants who hold the rank of "Forager" or higher ^
* To ensure that guild members have priority over non-guild members
* That our raids normally will not be open to non- guild members ^
* That if the raid does not have a reasonable chance of success with a majority of members of the guild in attendance, then the guild sponsored raid should be postponed until enough members are present to represent the guild in a guild sponsored function
* To ensure that Coin Loot be disbursed equally between all members.
* To ensure that Raid Equipment Loot be disbursed in accordance with Guild Policy and Raid Guidelines
* To ensure that all participants of the raiding party understand the Guild's Policies and Guidelines
* To ensure everyone knows that donations to the guild are always greatly appreciated.
^ Unless there aren't enough appropriate ranked guild members available to fill the events' need
Discussion
The Guild Leadership consisting of the Guild Leader, Assistant Guild Leaders and Guild Officers met at various times to discuss the consideration to branch out into the area of raiding. Our criteria we set upon ourselves for creating these guidelines were:
# Limited regulations (less often means more)
# The playing field must remain level and fair for all members whether they raid frequently or not
# Loot options must afford the same access for all raiding members
# The guidelines must make sense and must be needed
# Our core goals and focus must remain first and foremost
# We encourage both aspects of the game, raiding and content exploration.
In our discussions, we took into account
# The recruiting issues we would face with those who might wish to join us just to raid, the quality of member we might get especially if they didn't hold the same desires towards content exploration as our guild
# Guild splits and the possibilities we might face by offering this new area of content
# Reasons for why Guild Point would be desirable and why they wouldn't work.
# All our previous raiding experiences, what worked and what didn't and why.
# What we hoped would come by us venturing into this new area.
# And again, keeping our primary focus on our core values, and our not wanting to loose our current guild "innocence" or "what makes us the great guild that we are".
In asking ourselves "What makes us great" We agreed unanimously that it is our generous nature, our understanding, and being okay with the fact that we may not always get the loot. Our willingness to go slow, and wait for folks, to train our folks, understanding that we have a lot of folks who want or need the "slow" approach and realizing that we must always display patience in all things we undertake. It's always been our willingness to put others before ourselves that truly sets ourselves apart from other guilds.
In the end reasons for why Guild Points wouldn't work, far outweighed the desirable effects of using Guild Points. The use, assignment and management of Guild Points requires special permissions. These are impossible to arrange given our current rank system which was recently remodeled and not easily changed. Rank permissions affect numerous other areas of game-play from accessing the guild hall down to how different amenities respond or are accessible to members. So implementing Guild Points, isn't a simple matter, nor in the case of our how guild is structured, a possible, viable option, nor would it meet our core requirement the leaders faced when selecting a workable loot system. The only loot system we could consider that would meet all the core requirements, was the NbG system.
In choosing to try this new path, we agree that we want to steer away from the old raider mentality of "If I work for it I should be rewarded for it" or "There's no excuse for holding up the raid group", "Folks must be on time or must be anything for that matter".
It's very possible that we may become one of the few, if not only guild to successfully do both, raiding and content.
We know it may very well not please the hard core raiders, and we are acceptable with that. Our response if you fit into that category would be, "We aren't a hard core raid guild. If you want or need that, then unfortunately, you'll need to look elsewhere". "However, If you want good guild support both on a group level as well as a raid level, and are open minded to trying this new approach, then perhaps we can be that guild."
Since Guild Raiding will not be our "focus" and raiding will only occupy a few hours of only one day of the week, there's a lot of time left to do group events, participate in Guild Contests, help with quests and other "content exploration" stuff. When our guild isn't raiding we want and even expect our guild members to be just as supportive of content exploration and as they might be with raiding and vice verses. We hope you'll agree and join us as we explore this new path.
If you feel absolutely against it, I personally ask that you shoot me a tell or an in-game message and not just dropping guild until we get the opportunity to find how many might feel the same way. This isn't a "MUST-HAVE" or "BETRAYAL" to our core values and focus, it's an attempt to see if something new might offer more to us as a guild. We'd hate to loose anyone of either perspective and hope you'll allow open dialogue to occur before bailing.
Thanks for taking time to read this, for your feedback, and for being a member.
~ Councellor