Guilds in World of Warcraft are the lifeblood of the game. They are that little spark that keeps the game flowing. Sure, they’re not a new idea, nor are they something unique to WoW, but they’re something that I find fascinating. However, there are times when a guild is not all sunshine, ponies, and rainbows. Sometimes guilds are the antithesis to being social and can ruin everyone’s day.

Sometimes you need to investigate the issues with your guild in order to solve them.

We’ve all been through it. Someone the guild leader has invited to join the camaraderie that the guild has proceeds to begin abusing it soon after they join. They’re harassing everyone on guild chat, begging for help constantly, stealing other people's loot, trying to take the “power” away from the officers, and other sundry activities that just get on everyone’s nerves.

Everyone tries to reason with them but the mere mention that they’re doing something bad explodes into guild chat and ruins the entire evening as everyone sits and argues from the comfort of their computer chair. This kind of event can shatter and destroy even the strongest guilds and needs to be dealt with swiftly and with zeal.

That’s right, the cancer that is plaguing the guild needs to be removed.

A One Step Process

I’m going to walk you through the quickest and easiest way to remove the plague that is devouring your guild. Below you’ll find my patented one step process:

1. /gkick <insert bad apple’s name>

There you have it. Glad I could help.

Wait a second; it’s not that easy huh? If the guild leader does gkick the person then there could be severe repercussions. Others may leave behind him or her and the guild may spark into this mangled mess of even greater arguments.

Yet, if they stay in the guild then it’s going to collapse anyway. The complaints and back channel squabble is reaching critical mass. What do you do?

Well, relax, because there are a few things you can do to try and save your guild.

First Things First - Leadership Required

If you’re not the guild leader or an officer, you need to try to work with them to solve the problem. If they won’t help you then you’ll just need to skip to the final solution: leave the guild. There is never a reason to stay in a guild where there is nothing but drama non-stop and no one to intervene. The inevitable collapse will follow shortly thereafter, so finding a new home is usually the best course of action.

How do you know when it gets to that point? Whenever you log on and the drama doesn’t stop or you see others leaving. I hate to be such a pessimist, but usually when things start to go south and no one steps in then it’s usually time to go. Keep reading for a really good idea on how to make the best of everything.

Work Things Out

So how can we fix things? Well, first you can try to work it out.

Sometimes a meeting with your guild is the best approach to everything.

You can attempt to work things out in your guild. It might be a good idea to hold a formal meeting on the guild’s Ventrilo or at least openly over guild chat at a set time to discuss matters. During this meeting you can put forth the issues with the trouble-causing player, request a remedy, and then set forth an action plan. For instance, if the player is harassing people over guild chat then you ask them to please stop and if they don’t you’ll need to take away their chat privileges.

Be reasonable, stern, and sincere with the action plan to fix things. If that doesn’t work then you’ll need a Plan B.

Talk to Everyone Else

If there are other members in the guild standing up for the problem child then have a chat with them. Find out why they think you shouldn’t remove the nuisance and explain how their behavior is detrimental to the guild. A lot of people are reasonable and just talking about things can help work the issues out. Usually they’ll come around to your thinking or present to you a reason for their behavior.

Of course, sometimes people can get unreasonable…

Rip the Band-Aid Off

If all else fails and diplomacy doesn’t work then it’s time to just gkick the problem and try to ride the drama wave through. If your guild offers something that players want then the mutiny and treason will be kept to a minimum, a few others may leave, but your guild will be much stronger for it. If it causes a full scale collapse then it was inevitable anyway and a true captain will go down with his or her ship.

Abandoning the Ship for a New One

Of course, we’re not all captains of ships around here (I slightly detest riding on them) so there is always another option. When things get bad and there seems to be two factions within the same guild then you can always make a strong power move (even if you’re not the guild leader) and splinter the guild into two. With that you can cherry pick those you know are loyal to you and your cause and reform the guild taking in some new members and coming out even stronger, most of the time that is.

Splintering is often frowned upon but I’m a realist who sees the game as something you need to have fun with. If your guild isn’t fun then go make a new one, without all of the things making it unfun. Sure, there will be backlash and mean words said, but at the end of the day you’ll be playing the game with people you enjoy and that is all that matters.

So, what are your thoughts about guild drama? Got a story to share about some crazed lunatic who joins your guild or do you think that no one should ever get kicked ever? Post your interesting, creative, or even boring comments below!