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Guilds in any MMOG are the backbone of the gaming community and this is certainly true in EverQuest II. Whether you choose a small family friendly guild or a large hardcore raiding guild, the benefits of being in such an establishment go far beyond the enjoyment of friendship and companionship. Learn about the perks and keep reading to find out what makes guilds so appealing in EQ2.

Why Join a Guild?

You’re playing a massively multi-player game, right? Why not enjoy the “massive” part of it to its fullest extent? The biggest reason to guild, even if you don’t take advantage of all the other little benefits, is the comfort of having a solid community. If you’re in a good guild, you never have to look for groups, there is always something going on, and you have trusted crafters available with the asking. It’s like having your very own virtual, dysfunctional and highly diverse family right in game!

How do I find a Guild?

Ask around. Not all guilds are created equal so it is generally best to do a bit of research to find one that is suited to your play style. Checking out the guilds your friends might be in or browsing forums (official and community site) to see what’s available is always a good idea.  There is also a tool in game that will help you find available guilds on your server.

While in game, click your EQ2 menu button then select “Guild”. If you are unguilded this will open up a recruitment window with a list of guilds who are actively seeking new players on your server. This will tell you all about the guild and let you know who to contact if you’re interested. You can generally find a guild website and if you look at the guild name and description on the side bar you will notice little icons. Hover over the icons to get a little more info on what the guild is about.

Types of Guilds

Not all guilds fit into the cookie cutter types but there are some general terms that are often used to describe a guild’s purpose and ideals:

Casual – This usually means that the guild doesn’t have strict play requirements. This type of guild is great for someone who enjoys soloing or grouping but isn’t terribly concerned with guild versus guild competition.

Hardcore – Often has requirements on character performance and is generally competitive. This is suited to players who play a lot and strive to be the “best”.

Family Friendly – All ages and all skill levels are generally welcomed. This is a great option for husband and wives, or parents and children who like to play together.

Adult (18+) – Many guilds have age requirements for various reasons but usually it is just to protect young ears from adult conversation and to raise the maturity level of the guild overall.

Raiding – These guilds tackle raid content on a regular basis and likely have a raid schedule. Depending on how hardcore or casual they are, they may have requirements and hoops to jump through before you are allowed to raid. These guilds are a good option for those who want to experience this content.

Guild Status and Leveling

Guilds aren’t really all take and no give. Guilds need love too, and leveling, in order to thrive and to get the best rewards. Guilds level via status. When you earn status points, your guild earns experience!  10% of all status you earn while guilded will go to that guild. If you leave the guild, the status does not go with you and the guild will not lose status when members leave.  Status is earned a few different ways:

Writs – These are quick and simple quests and tradeskill tasks. They don’t offer much in the way of reward or experience for your character, but they allow you to earn status for yourself and your guild whenever you have a spare moment to run them.

Heritage Quests – HQs award big rewards, big status, and big challenge. These quests are difficult, but they yield a good amount of status and are great to do in groups when trying to level a guild.

Status Loot – The easiest way to gain status! These items drop off of mobs all over the place and can be sold to status loot vendors. You may have seen them and sold them to a regular vendor, but it is very much worth the extra effort to turn them in to the appropriate merchant to get the status reward.

Bosses – There are some group and raid mobs that award status when they are killed.

Guild Rewards

One of the best parts of being in a guild is the guild rewards. Because guilds can now level as high as guild level 90, there are far too many rewards to list, but here are some highlights:

Titles – Want to be a Savior or a Tyrant? Most guild levels unlock special titles that are available to guilded members only. Titles are purchased from the city merchant in your city.

Mounts – Some of the best mounts in game are only obtainable if you have surpassed the required guild level.  My very own Mistrunner Warg was bought the day our guild dinged level 80! Most mounts can be picked up at the mount merchant in the cities including the super cool floating disks available to players who have a guild level of 90.

Items – For your character and home, there are a wide variety of items on the city merchant that unlock with higher guild levels. There are some pretty cool items available so be sure to check them out.

Housing – Looking for a bigger apartment? The biggest and coolest of the player housing requires guild affiliation and status.

Guild Halls – By far my favorite guild perk is the guild hall. For higher level guilds, the hall can easily be your one stop shop for nearly everything. The hall can include merchants, portals of travel, tradeskill areas, and various helpful NPCs that live only to serve you. Raising the guild level unlocks more space and more options for the guild.

Guild Life

Guild families are like any family; each one is unique and everyone has their place. Most guilds have a set form of leadership and they expect guild members to honor that. Some guilds have firm rules in place and others are more free form so you should review the rules and mission statement of the guild you join to understand what is expected of you.

Be a good guild member! Take pride in your community, contribute to your guild, and keep the drama to a minimum. Weirdness always crops up every now and again even in the tightest and most sane of guilds but it always dies down as quickly as it crops up. If you find that the guild you have chosen isn’t for you, never feel bad about leaving. Having a good fit and a great group of people to play with is a key factor in MMOG enjoyment so you should shop around until you find something that works for you!