Kirk over at Priestly Endeavors has been pounding out awesome posts about guild management lately, and while leadership and team dynamics and such are always fun to talk about, what gets my brain sparking ideas is when I observe what a situation IS, analyze how well the existing system is working, and then try to imagine ways of improving it. Along those lines, I was musing over the last couple years worth of raid startups, wondering why guildies coming to raids without consumables seemed to be a never-ending woe, and what could I see as a painless way of changing that.
I have checked out quite a few guild websites over time, cause when I see recruitment posts in my realm forums, I can’t help but go visit their websites to check em out. Horde or Alliance, I ond’t care. Also, I’ve been fortunate to have my main and alts in several great guilds that had the range from either massive in-depth websites, to clean minimalistic links pages.
One thing that I have never seen yet, however, is one helpful addition that I’d like to take this opportunity to cry out for. In the spirit of Phaelia and BRK’s recent “What I’d like to see” posts, here’s mine… on Guild Websites.
Now, first, to define the goal. To me, the heart of a Guild is a group of players that have teamed up to tackle challenges together, to enhance fun with camaraderie and shared joys and pains, to share skills and knowledge and abilities to help everyone succeed at their chosen goals. Whether your Guild is based around having fun, PvP, Raiding, whatever, you’re in a guild cause MORE should be BETTER.
Now, the perceived challenge. Yes, I said challenge. It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity for improvement. {Quick, someone call Schlock… lawyer-drone in the house! Shoot! Shoot!}
I have yet to see a Guild website that brought together three key elements… identified consumables that each class should bring to a raid, who makes the consumables in the Guild, and what mats they require.
This is my dream….
A simple (absolutely preferrably one page) section on a website that lists common and desired consumables for each member of a class to bring and use during raids….
The page should be broken down into sections by class, and include;
- Recommended Food
- Recommended Potions/flasks, both Guardian and Battle
- Weightstones or Sharpening stones if used by class
- Runes and Wards for Chest armor and Shields
- Wizard Oils and Mana Oils for casters
Next to each item should be a small list of what materials are used to make the item.
Finally, perhaps via a link on the item, there should be a separate list of who in the Guild both knows how to make the consumable… and has volunteered to make it for guildies for free, when mats are provided, either via live trades or mail.
I think such a thing would have the twin benefit of making sure every Guild member has an easy opportunity to clearly see what common consumables for their class they should seek out and be prepared to bring….
And provide a list for them, printable, of what to gather, trade for or buy themselves, and who exactly to ask, politely, to make it for them.
In a perfect world, each class captain could work on a proposed list for his class’ consuambles, and then produce the list in the class forums or via a pre-arranged guild class meeting and get suggestions from other guildies of that class, so that everyone has a voice and an opportunity for input. Even if someone likes something else, it would foster teamwork, cooperation, encourage that no one would get anything for ‘free’, potentially leading to some Guildies feeling ill used, and would, above all else, encourage Guild members to have zero excuse to come to a raid unprepared.
And now, gentle readers, this is where I invite you to come in and flood my comments… all 5 of you 
I’d like to get comments, ideas and lively banter from you about this!
- If your guild website already does this, please post the link and let us admire your awesomeness!
- Come on everyone, join in!
EDIT: Ok, that was fast work indeed. Kirk took my earlier suggestion about Guild webpages listing consumables, and ran with it, posting a list of his recommended consumables for Healing Priests and Shadow Priests over here.
And it’s a damn good list. I keep a stack of the Charged Crystal Focus in the bank against the day I’m called to heal (and can use Healthstones when I need them), and I used to carry a stack of Demonic Runes all the time when I was a Resto specced 40 man raid healer. Pretty much forgotten about those suckers. Over all, just an incredibly awesome piece of work. Thanks, Kirk.
So, you take Kirk’s lists of consumables for Healing and Shadow Priests, take the list I put together a while ago, and you’ve got some of the research done already. Woot!
So what I’m going to do is make a blog post specifically for class consumable links. I’m putting it here, and if you have a website or link to class focused/recommended consuambles, preferrably with commentary on why, or a materials list, just post it in the comments, either here or at the linklist post, and I’ll go check it out and update that post with proper credit given.
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October 4th, 2007 at 4:01 am
Well, TJ says today is the day for comments. But I have no useful comment other than I appreciate YOUR post about bear-tank consumables, and have it bookmarked.
October 4th, 2007 at 5:48 am
This is a great idea. I know that when we raided few people used consumables and there was always confusion about who could make what (particularly when the guild’s main alchemist left the guild).
October 4th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Actually, Mosshoof, you have no idea how much I appreciate your taking the time to post a comment.
It is ALWAYS nice to have proof that someone stopped by and took the time to say ‘Hi!’.
And being visited by the infamous Mosshoof is a treasure…
@joel… I really do think this is something that should be standard for any guild… even if they don’t raid. Making sure that a guilds’ members share their skills with everyone is at the heart of working together.
I could cry at how often in a large guild I see someone ask who in the guild is an enchanter… or an alchemist… and no one online at the time, out of 20+ players, knows… let alone knows who can do what the asker needs.
oh, and thanks for taking the time to say hi!
October 4th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I (and my guild) are nowhere near raiding and have yet to put together instance runs on a regular basis. So, I don’t have any useful information.
What I do have to get over is using consumables. I drink plenty of water, but tend to hoard my potions. Need ….. to …… change ….. thinking….
October 4th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I have to tell you, I am too much of a flighty, flakey, scatterbrained wow-nub to know any of that stuff, and it would definitely be helpful to see all of that on our guild page.
At least, it would be helpful to BRK, who has to deal with me running behind him saying “WAIT WAIT HELP WAIT HELP WAIT WAIT WHAT?”
October 4th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
I agree this is a fantastic idea. I have done this on guild sites that I have helped managed in the past, but now I do not belong to a raiding guild.
We posted just as you said… Items that we think would better help the raid succeed, along with who can and will do them, and what mats they require or what they were willing to “sell” them for if you did not have them.
We also offered list of enchants, along with crafted items that were sought after, and even had a section for “Elite Quest Help”. We did this to help detour the constant guild spam of “Hey can someone help me!” One shot one kill
Been reading for a while BBB, recovering lurker….
October 4th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I runs in a really small guild, so it’s not hard for us to keep track of who’s got whats professions. But still our cook put together a web page of all da foods he can whip up, and our enchanter has a real nice spread sheet of all her tricks with built-in filters for to let ya search on bracers or +INT or whatnot. And I did up some lists on blacksmithing items. We keep links to these prominently featured on da guild home page so anyone can find ‘em real easy.
I’s flabberdagasted ta hear ya say that dis isn’t, you know, standard operating procedure for da guilds what ain’t tiny. Sheesh.
October 4th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Oh, good idea! I’ve done a complete pre-kara gear list on our site for my Druids, but had not thought about consumables. I’ll work on that tomorrow! /hugs BBB
October 4th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
This is a great idea, BBB — I’m surprised I haven’t seen it suggested before. I’m going to try to find something to help do this within vBulletin (my guildsite software)–you’d think for a commercial program, something should be available. If nothing else, a forum with static pages would do the trick.
(And look! Way more than 5 readers!)
October 4th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Not a guild page, and it could probably do with vetting, but…
As you requested, for priests, it is done.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Infamous? I don’t know about that… and there is certainly more than one Mosshoof around the realms.
I’ve been piling up druid blogs in my ((gasp)) feed reader, and have definitely been enjoying your posts.
Have you seen Ferocious Bite’s post about Rawr ? Looks like a great utility program for those of us still gearing up… perhaps I should drop a comment over there.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
We’re yelling at The Squeekie Priestie to make such a page on our guild’s web site.
BBBB, we’re proud to have sparked your interest in blogging. Now quit doing a better job that we are.
/harumph
October 4th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
@Kirk… it’s poker time! I’ll see your kick ass post at Priestly Endeavors, and raise you a reader call to arms! Hah!
Seriously, i sure do hope that other readers will follow your example, and if they have done this kind of list for their class or spec, post a link here or at the post I set up for it so I can give them a proper shout out.
@BRK… a better job… yeah, right. You’re a funny guy BRK, that’s why I’m gonna…. umm…. read you last. yeah, thats it. That’ll teach you!
October 11th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Since I haven’t found one yet for rogues (and other melee-DPS), I went ahead and created one. Melee DPS is more straight-forward than a lot of other classes, but hey… can’t hurt!
I also put up a second post on my site covering enchants/gems useful for rogues/melee DPS
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Sometimes I wish our guild had a website.
Sometimes it’s hard to make sure everybody is on the same page.
-Stupid Mage