So you’ve joined a new guild, whether you’ve just started playing World of Warcraft or are an old hand. Congratulations! Now, what’s the best way to stay there?

Welcome to the Guild!

Joining a guild can be a scary experience, especially if you’re jumping from one to another. You’re probably going to know at least one person - usually the person whose vouched for you - but if you don’t, it’s even more terrifying. That rush of terror when the invite comes through will pass and most guildies will chorus a welcome once you accept.

So what do you do? Well say hi back! Introduce yourself then go log in to Teamspeak, Ventrilo, or Mumble. Most guilds will spam the details for new arrivals or at least point you in the direction of the official website. If they do have a website, go sign up on the forums and say hi there too. Especially if your new guild is one of the many who use their sites to organize their raids.

The most important thing to remember is to be yourself. You’re not just an avatar, you’re a person too. Be polite and inquisitive; ask about raids or dungeon runs. If you have professions, let people know what they are and are available to craft items. Get chatty, join in with conversations and don’t be afraid to make jokes at your own expense either. While it may take a week or so to get the lay of the land, it’s well worth the effort.

Guild Dos and Don’ts

There are some subjects you should leave out of guild chat or vent - at least until you get to know people. Topics like religion, politics, Moonguard, furries, sex and personal stuff is best off being avoided. Nothing kills the mood faster than when a guildie asks if someone has accepted Jesus as your personal savior. Of course, most guilds ? including mine - actively ignore that rule, these topics are all we ever talk about. That said, I’ve been in my guild for several years and we’re not just guildmates, we’re real-life friends as well.

Most guilds have some kind of guild bank, Take a look but don’t start pilfering stuff. If you do see something you can us, ask first, even if it’s in a tab you can access. Also, it might be a good idea to deposit some gold as a token gesture every time you make a withdrawal. If you can transmute gems or make glyphs, then it might be a good idea to put some in now and again or offer them to your guildmates. When in doubt, ask if it’s alright to take something.

This might be the scariest screen you'll ever see in WoW but it's all gonna be fine.

The other important thing to do is figure out the guild hierarchy. Find out who the GM, deputy GM, raid leader, officers and, if applicable, your class leader are. These folk are usually the most active of players so add them as friends and you should find yourself a part of the guild’s inner circle pretty quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice when it comes to specs, gear or rotation but don’t push your luck either. Nothing gets you glared at like asking the raid leader to inspect you as they’re trying to kill Deathwing.

So the raid leader is your new best buddy, you’re raiding five nights a week and are doing more DPS/heals than you thought where possible. What do you not do? Well, if you’re smart, you don’t try and usurp officers, your class leader or, most importantly, the raid leader. I’ve seen guilds pulled apart by one player who got too big for their boots and decided they wanted an officer’s chair. If you’re genuine and invest time, you will be rewarded and it’s always better to get it the right way than by destroying a guild.

Most guilds, particularly those who raid, have a list of essential AddOns. This can include things like Playerscore, Omen, Deadly Boss Mod and Recount. If there is a list, make sure you go download whatever’s on it. It’s there for a reason and is usually a requirement; similarly make sure you have a working headset and mic. Whatever you do, don’t spam Recount unless asked by the raid leader, there’s nothing more annoying and make sure you do it in raid chat as well.

Getting to know your Guildmates

You know things are going well if you find yourself in purples a few months later or logging into Vent as soon as you get in from work to find a bunch of good friends waiting for you. Some of the most fun can be with guildies, meeting up in real life for a summer BBQ, descending on BlizzCon or attending an expansion launch event.

Given time, guilds aren’t just a collection of people united in an online world, they’re family. Whether local or scattered across the world, the people you play with online are all bound by experience, by reputation and friendship. By following our tips you should be well on to your way to joining your new Azerothian family. Got any tips that you want to add? Add them in the comments below.