While hovering on my phoenix in a public spot today, I got a lot of whispers, a few of which got excited when I mentioned my friends would probably go back to TK for more phoenixes. One asked if he could come with us, and I said I'd pass his name to my friends (I will and they'll say no). Another seemed like he wanted to ask to be included, but I "had to" log to get lunch.
Why would they want to be part of my group instead of forming their own? Because the hardest part of the phoenix farming isn't the fight itself, and it isn't the gear. It is finding others willing to go when the possibility of reward grows exponentially smaller with each group member. (And also because letting someone else do all the work is nice.)
My group was unique in several ways, the biggest being that my guildmates went in knowing they wouldn't get anything out of it besides a TK achievement -- they went in specifically to get me the first phoenix.
Competitive groups will have to weigh the pro of possibly winning a phoenix mount vs the con of probably grinding for an epic amount of time just to see the roll go to someone else (and perhaps see that person leave the farming group so that you have to find someone to fill their spot -- and thus keep the odds of winning it very low).
So why has my guild been successful, and why are we likely to see another phoenix eventually?
1. My Guild is Family
We call ourselves a family guild because 90% of us have real life connections to each other. Those who don't have real life connections create connections. Plenty of us who hadn't met before have visited each other. We're a very tight community and we're bent on remaining tight. We grow steadily because people bring in good friends and we stay close because we don't recruit random strangers.
2. My Guild is Selfless
It's true that several of the people farming with me were immediate family, but some weren't. Everyone who came did it to offer their support with no ulterior motives.
3. My Guild is Trusting
They knew I'd go back and help them after I got mine, because that's what a family guild does.
4. My Guild is Loyal
Most of us have been in this guild a really long time and plan on staying in it no matter what game we play. (The guild rules allow for that.) Even slumps don't hurt us too much.
5. My Guild Has Leaders
Technically, I have several leaders in my immediate family. Both my brothers-in-law are raid leaders and my husband is great when he decides to take charge and call out directions. The most important point is that we have people willing and able to Get Things Done for others.
6. My Guild is Proud
We know that we're different and special. And I think the fact that we love each other enough to farm phoenixes is proof of that. I sat on the well in front of the bank and told people: "This phoenix is an effort of my family and guild. They did this because they knew how much it mattered to me." I say this because I am proud of my friends, of the kind of people they are, and I want everyone to know that they are generous and selfless and loving.
7. My Family is Efficient
We have weekly scheduled Family Time where the 5 of us do instances and catch up. Our efficiency lay in arranging alts and mains to make up the core of the team requirements during Family Time, so that we just needed 1 or 2 more people to fill in the gap.
Because of all of this, I truly believe my guild has an edge in phoenix farming over others. I've found it to be an act of love and dedication, where it's best if you can be excited over the prospect of someone you care about getting it instead of you.
When will we start up again? I'm not sure. Real life is going to be busy until the end of Brewfest (we're moving) and my brother seemed relieved at "Never having to run that again," but I'll try to keep myself available for my friends' runs.
Can non-guildies join the farming? It's really not my decision, but probably not. Since the start of the guild, if an IVV group has needed another player, they'll wait until they can fill the slot with a guildie -- even if waiting means no run. Our members are very averse to PUGs and it's just not sensible to increase the chances of losing it to a stranger if we can manage on our own.
Guildies first, right?
Can I join your guild? We don't accept walk-in applications anymore, and nobody wants a guildie who just wants us for farming runs. If you like our personality, we can talk, but I will warn you that phoenix runs will probably be invitation-only to long-term members. Because, frankly, we know long-term members won't grab it and run.
Any other questions can be answered in the comments. <3
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
In IVV, there is no, "Eyem in ur Guild, looting ur BuildBank/Ninjalooting teh Epics/etc, etc" problems for the above reasons.
ReplyDelete...At least, I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Being a non-guildie and all.
^_^;
Exactly.
ReplyDeleteAND, since we don't place all our identity in material goods, even if we had a bad member they'd just be a stupid ninja and wouldn't have damaged who we really are. We can bounce back from losing stuff.
It's just nice when we don't have to.
By my recollection we've had two people steal from the bank. One of them was a trial member who got kicked over it (he was taking items to sell on the AH to finance a mount for his alt), the other was an officer who got hacked (we contacted Blizzard right away and they restored the stolen items... and the player's account).
ReplyDeleteWe don't want to pretend that we're drama-free, but we don't have the kind of drama that leads to the GM taking the bank and transferring servers. Of the original 5 members who started IVV and the 6 they brought in to join them at the outset, 10 are still active players and all 11 are still members of IVV. The one inactive player put WoW on hold to be a dad to his first child -- something we all support, of course -- but still pops into the forums and even the game now and again.
And I'm really hoping I get a nice, long break from TK farming. I know T wants one and all so I'll probably go back there someday, but for now let's all just bask in the warm glow of the orange and pink flames of the one phoenix we ALREADY have.
Oh, and speaking of farming... I'm going to be looking for some low level Outlands instance runs soon (Ramps, BF & Underbog). Z's going to run Leah and I through but if you want to join in for whatever reason... or make a DK to come along for loot + XP. /shrug
^ True dat. I forgot about the kid. And I just really wanted to brag on how much I love IVV, and all our good qualities. ^_^ I've mentioned our guild troubles enough in The Family Business to prove we aren't immune to reality.
ReplyDeleteBut I will ditto that we're not perfect. We have our trials and annoyances just like anyone. Like how we ran Kael'thas three times but that's out of six weeks of trying to pull a group together.
Or how slumps don't lose us members, but people do take a break for other games, reducing our available numbers for raids and things.
From an administrative standpoint, things in IVV can be difficult, but our shining virtue is being able to stick it out. (Oh, and hug fests where half the guild's women get on and /hug at each other in gchat for 5 minutes. I love those. It gets wacky after the first three hugs.)
<3 IVV in a totally sappy way.
@Jon on farming Outlands: I've been running Outlands heroics with B&T for the completion achievement but could use more Thrallmar rep to hit exalted (might as well, right?). Just email when you'll be doing it and I'll get online. :)
ReplyDeleteHey Birdfall. Im a long time reader of yours but have been absent from reading your blog for a little while. Just saw a post on wowinsider about you getting your mount and I did a literal double take whilst sipping my coffee.
ReplyDeleteI'd just like to wish you and your guild a big congratulations!
Sometimes there are items in WoW that fit your character so well you'd almost do anything for them. You have evil thoughts about ninja looting but push them to the back of your mind because you're an honest person. You try your best for the item and if you get it, you get it, if not - sure it's upsetting but WoW being a virtual game it's not the end of the world.
It's truly inspiring to see a guild acknowledge somebodies interest in a characters persona and helping them to obtain a particular mount no matter how much they may have liked it for themselves too. You didn't want it for showing off, you wanted it cause it fit the character of Dustfire so incredibly well. The showing off of a guild achievement in Dalaran is a nice bonus :)
My guild similarly has 5-man farmed Utgarde Pinnacle in the hopes of a blue proto drake drop. We all passed for our Frost mage, Shiver, as it fit his name so well and he had been longing for it to complete his character for some time.
Im a Paladin and last Halloween luckily won the roll on the Headless Horsemans mount. In lore he too was once a paladin and that was the one mount I wanted for my character. I had to win a PuG roll however but maybe it was fate.
It just goes to show, that to all the people out there that find something they really like but it seems impossible to get - there is hope you can get it eventually! :)
/big hugs
ReplyDelete"You have evil thoughts about ninja looting but push them to the back of your mind because you're an honest person."
O.O Mind-reader? Psychic? I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 1,000.
The answer is phoenix. Because who can keep numbers in their head right now? I know I can't.