After watching the Podcast on Living Guilds at the Warhammer Online website, I decided that I would go into the Guild system a little more than they do, and possibly even point out a few things that I have come across via my various connections that they don’t tell you in their podcast. I think I am supposed to say something about a Spoiler Alert here, but this is my blog, so whatever.

First, I will cover things that you can learn just by watching the podcast. Then I will hit you guys with a few hush hush things that you probably didn’t know about the Living Guild system. Before I do that tho, I have to say that the Living Guild system is done so well that it almost removes the need for guilds to have a website. The guilds are an important organizational aspect of PVP games and I am, for one, glad to see that the folks at EA/Mythic have done such a spot on job with the Living Guild system. Now to the not so secretive information that you can learn by watching the podcast.

The Living Guilds allows for players to compete and play in a “socially competitive” gaming environment.

Guilds are important because of the RVR-orientated aspect of the game, which makes it easier for a large force of players to compete against another group of players.

Living Guilds advance much like a player in a MMORPG. They level up when players contribute to the guild’s experience pool. As you move through the game, things you do help to level up your guild.

Being apart of a guild allows for you to Attack/Takeover/Control a keep. Only guilds can Control a keep and hang their banners from the keep. This gives benefits to allied players in the area.

Guilds have banners. Yes, banners. When your guild reaches a certain level, you are allowed a standard-bearer on the battlefield, he acts as a beacon for your guild and gives them buffs and what not. Later guild levels allow the standard-bearer to be able to brandish the banner and beat people with it, I’m excited.

You can decorate your banners with trophies from previous victories and you can also take enemy banners from the enemy. You do this by picking it up off the ground or by killing the standard-bearer.

Banners also allow the guild to use Tactics. These tactics allow the banner to be more useful in certain situations. I can only hope that all the tactics are good and that people will not just use the best ones like they do with Perks in Call of Duty 4.

You can also have up to three banners available to your guild at any given time when your guild reaches a certain level.

That does it for the stuff you probably already know, but I need this post to have some length to it and maybe you didn’t know all that, it is still fun to read and imagine what the game will be like. Now on to things that I bet you didn’t know!

There are 40 levels that your guild can obtain, yeah you knew that, but do you know what you get at each level? Don’t worry, I do an I will share it now!

The list will go Level Number. Then I will say what you get (eg. 10. Tactics Point).

1. Your guild gains access to the guild vault.
2. Taxes and Tithes, make members pay a membership fee.
3. Guild Calender
4. You guild can now form alliances and its members also gain access to “The Viper’s Pit.”
5. Various crafting components.
6. Your guild is allowed to have a banner, you get your first tactics slot and tactics point, and you are also allowed to give two members the title of Standard Bearer.
7. Guild Auctions!
8. The ability to claim objectives and another tactics point!
9. Heraldry Reservation and Heraldry Reveals: Base Pattern & Color.
10. Warped Standard Tactics Slot 2 and another tactics point.
11. Crafting Containers
12. Standard Post 1 and a Tactics Point
13. The Standard Bearer ability “Flourish”.
14. Warped Standard Tactics Slot 3 and another tactics point.
15. The Viper Pit Leader’s Hall
16. Warped Standard Trophy Slot and a Tactics Point.
17. Expanded Guild Vault
18. A new standard! The Bloodied Battle Standard! You also get the first tactics slot for this banner, a tactics point, and two more standard bearer titles.
19. Transit to The Viper’s Pit
20. The ability to CLAIM KEEPS & a tactics point.
21. Heraldry Reveal: Emblem.
22. Bloodied Battle Standard Tactics Slot 2 & a tactics point.
23. Transit to Gunbad’s entrance.
24. Standard Post 2 & a Tactics Point.
25. Standard Ability: “Rally”.
26. Bloodied Battle Standard Tactics Slot 3 & a tactics point.
27. Transit to Claimed Keep.
28. Bloodied Battle Standard Trophy Slot & a tactics point.
29. Expanded Guild Vault
30. A new standard! The Corruptor’s War Standard! You also get the first tactics slot for this banner, a tactics point, and two more standard bearer titles.
31. Transit to Bastion Stair Entrance
32. Tactics Point
33. Heraldry Reveal: Shame
34. Corruptor’s Standard Tactics Slot 2 and a tactics point.
35. Transit
36. Tactics point and Standard Post 3.
37. Reduced cost Siege Weaponry.
38. Corruptor’s Standard Tactics Slot 3 and a tactics point.
39. **Coming Soon**
40. Corruptor’s Standard Trophy Slot and a Tactics point.

There you have it! I don’t want to go into detail about what each of these are until the Open Beta rolls around, but that should wet your appetite. I have attached pictures of the interface in game where I got this information, just to prove its legitness.

Until next time!