Guild Structure and Ranks

The guild is comprised of 7 main ranks, described briefly below. Further detail as to responsibilities and privileges will be provided elsewhere:

 Architect (Guild Master)

• Leader of the guild
• Responsible for overall direction
• Final arbitration of decision making

 Councilors (Officers) 

• Responsible for the operation and conduct of the guild
  
• Expected to uphold all guild rules and be a resource for all guild members to answer questions
• Act as a role model for other guild members
  
• Provide leadership, guidance, and support
  
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
• Also will generally have a specific area of responsibility within the guild management

 Guardian

• Special rank reserved for those Citizens that have chosen to make a commitment to raids and raid progression
  
• Entitled to special bank privileges and preference in 25 man raid spots
• This rank entails certain responsibilities above and beyond those of Free Citizens, detailed in a separate post 
• Act as a role model for other guild members
• Provide support to Officers and guild members alike
• Guardians must maintain an attendance level of at least 75%
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
• May make bank requests for items commonly used in raiding
  

 Partisan

• Rank those who are commited to raiding, but are unable to maintain a high level of attendance
• Partisans must maintain an attendance level of at least 50%
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
• May make bank requests for items commonly used in raiding

 Vindicator

• Vindicator rank is for Free Citizens wishing to take a step up into raiding; proving their commitment and worth to the guild as a raider
• 50% attendance must be upheld by any vindicator for at least three weeks time in order to gain Partisan status
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
• May not request items from the guild bank which are commonly needed for raider

 Free Citizen

• Free Citizen rank covers the general population of Meliora
• Free Citizens are full members, and entitled to all the privileges of normal membership
• Free Citizens may get raid invites from time to time, but should not expect to be considered for raids even if they have been invited before
  
• If a Free Citizen wishes to become a Partisan, they must put in an application to become Partisan; then an Officer will issue them the rank of Vindicator after the application has been reviewed
  
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
  
• May not request items from the guild bank which are commonly needed for raiders

 Seeker

• The rank of Seeker is given to all new applicants for a trial period of approximately three weeks
• After three weeks, new members will be reviewed by Officers and Guardians to determine their fit with the guild
• Seekers may leave at any time and may be removed at any time, should either they or the guild decide they are not right for each other
  
• Seekers who state they want to  become a Partisan must attend 50% of raids throughout the duration of their trial period
  
• Must remain unsaved to raid instances the guild is currently running
• Seekers may not make bank requests of any kind

Rank Evaluation

    At the end of the month, each members' rank will be evaluated based on attendance and behavior. If standards of a given rank are not maintained by a member, then they are subject to rank change, such as a demotion.

Guild Chat

• Show maturity and respect in any channel, within internal guild chat and ventrilo
• Keep heated debates regarding class, spec, choice of gems, etc. out of guild chat. Intelligent discussion is accepted and welcome - argument and any denigration of other's opinions is not
• If you have a disagreement or issue with another player regarding any topic, take it in private, and contact an Officer if you need assistance in resolution. If you have an issue with an Officer, contact the GM
• Keep known hot or contentious topics out of guild chat and ventrilo. This includes: politics, religion, etc. This is a simple measure of respect and common courtesy. There are other, better forums for such discussions
• Spamming guild chat or using any mechanic to impersonate another member in any chat channel is prohibited
• While excessive profanity or rude language is not allowed at any time, the guild specifically follows a no profanity rule in guild chat prior to 11 PM server time, out of respect to members that may have young children nearby
• Be mindful of your activity in public channels, including Trade, General, LFG, party/raid chat, and public forums. Wearing our guild tag is a privilege, and entitles you to be a representative of the guild to the entire server. Decreasing the reputation of the guild or otherwise behaving publicly like an ass will not be permitted
• If an Officer tells you to take a discussion elsewhere, do so. If you are a member and find a discussion in guild chat to be an issue, notify an Officer right away

Guild Notes

Currently all members and alts are permitted to view and change guild notes. Use this space to list your profession, spec, and anything else that might be useful to the guild to know. Abuse of the guild note will lead to revocation of the privlege.

Raid Preparedness

As a raider, it is one's duty to do more than just log in; bring some potions when raid time comes, and log out after raid time. Everyone is required to take personal initiative and study boss encounters before coming to a raid. Remember, there could be 9-24 other people with you, and by not being fully aware of what to expect in a raid increases the likelihood of wipes through careless mistakes; all of which wastes the time of your fellow raiders, and you. If strategies are posted it is expected that all raiders read the forum post and reply to it after reading what has been posted for them. If you do not reply to posted strategies, do not expect to be considered so quickly for a raid invite. The forums will be checked to see who has been responsive and who has not.

How to be prepared

• Read raid/boss strategies for current raids
• Watch videos of raid/boss strategies for current raids
• Study your class role for current encounters
• Be on time for invites
• Be out of groups
• Be on your main
  
• Repair your equipment
• Bring plenty of potions/flasks/reagents/food items
• Come to raid sober, no use of drugs or alcohol, we depend on your performance
  

Alts

The guild allows all members at the rank of Free Citizen or above to have two alts and a main character in the guild.  Alts above level 68 will not count against this limit. Alts must be identified by placing their main's name in their guild note. Unidentified alts are subject to removal.

How to get Alt invites

• Be on your main
  
• Whisper an Officer with the name of your alt
• Log into your alt and whisper the same Officer for an invite

No Exceptions, proper procedure must be followed for alt invites.

Raiding with Alts

We have a firm policy against raiding with alts in almost all cases, there may be the rare occasion where we need to form an effective raid and an alt may make that possible. As a progression guild it is tough enough to fully gear everyones main, so any loot that drops will always be going to mains unless it is not needed by anyone at all, in which case loot would be offered to an alt after all mains have been considered. If an alt is brought to form an effective raid, that persons main will be compensated with loot system points towards future drops.

Inactivity

For all regular members and alts, it is expected that you log in at least once a month. Characters inactive for 30 days or more are subject to removal unless prior notice of the length of absence is given to an Officer (going on vacation in Nepal or something.) Characters absent longer than 30 days and beyond their stated return time are also subject to removal. Also, decreased attendance will cause a members to DKP to depreciate over time as they do not attend raids. The only way to maintain DKP is to regularly attend raids.

Applying to Other guilds

• No member of Meliora is allowed to have an open application to another guild without prior consent from the GM
  
• The GM and Officers reserve the right to remove members that have expressed a serious interest in other guilds/open application without prior consent from the GM
  
• Retraction of an application to another guild will not dismiss a member from being re-evaluated and perhaps promptly removed
• We are committed to keeping Meliora a fun, active, and open community, we understand that not every guild is right for everyone; however, it is most important that you find the place that is right for you, and we'll respect your decision if you leave the guild at any time, whether voluntarily or removed, you will forfeit all rights to any raid points or position in loot order
• Members may request re-admission once, but must be willing to explain why they left and how things have changed

PuGing with Other Guilds

While we do not categorically prohibit membership in other guilds, it is expected that this guild be your primary focus for activity. You can attend raids with other guilds or PUGs; however it is expected that you respect your fellow members and not save yourself to raids that you may be needed for. If you are having doubts about whether an activity you are considering constitutes a conflict of interest, contact an Officer to help clarify.

Conflicts with Other Guilds

If you at any time you have a serious dispute with a member of another guild, please let the GM or an Officer know. We strive to maintain a good relationship with other guilds on the server, and you will have the full support of our leadership in trying to find a reasonable resolution. Please be aware and understand that our ability to influence the actions of other guilds is limited.

Guild website

It is expected and required that all members have an account, be able to access the guild website, and member forums. The forums are an essential tool for communication and if you are unable to view them and read them regularly, your ability to participate fully in the guild will be compromised.

For all new members, it is expected that you have signed up for the website and forums as a condition of promotion to Free Citizen.

Forum Activity

As a member of the guild it is required that you regularly visit the guild forums and stay up to date with current guild events. It is highly encouraged that every member get involved and engage in discussions with other members.

Bank Requests

Bank Requests may only be made by select ranks as stated above. In most cases bank requests will be fullfilled based on availability and the cause of progression.

How to make a bank request

• Post your request in the forums
• Tell us what your request is for
• Speak with an Officer in game to receive your items via trade or mail

Applying to Meliora

An application one submits to Meliora is taken seriously and does matter. Each application to the guild will be fully read, so be sure to give thoughtful and honest answers when applying. There is more to being in this guild than having adequate gear and showing up for raids, one must also have good character and team work oriented ethics. Applying is your one chance to show us you have the drive and personal initiative to work towards a common goal with others. Poorly filled out applications will not be accepted, nor will applicants have the option of immediately reapplying.