Editorial: Thoughts on the Ensidia ban
by Dawn Moore 
Feb 5th 2010 at 7:00PM
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cheats, Bugs, Guilds, Raiding, Wrath of the Lich King, Achievements
Filed under: Guilds
Ensidia temporarily banned for exploits
by Eliah Hecht Feb 4th 2010 at 10:40AM
The story is that Ensidia made use of Saronite Bombs to "bypass The Lich King fight mechanics" (Saronite Bombs and similar items were disabled in a hotfix last night). In addition to the temporary ban, all items and achievements they gained from downing Arthas have been revoked. Before the ban (but after the hotfix), Ensidia put up a post claiming that they didn't think the bombs were an exploit; Blizzard obviously isn't buying it.
Meanwhile, Muqq, the Ensidia player who posted about the ban, has taken this as an opportunity to quit WoW (and rant a bit at Blizzard about "half-assed encounters"), saying "to ban people when they do not know what's causing the bugs is just a [expletive] joke."
Update: It's worth a mention that the language Muqq used at the end of his post is identical (save places and names) to this post by Tigole (scroll to the bottom -- it's the last thing on the page), written of EverQuest in 2002. Be warned, neither of these are safe for work.
Filed under: Guilds, News items, Raiding
Breakfast Topic: Getaway guilds
by Robin Torres Jan 31st 2010 at 8:00AM
In a getaway guild, you can level a character without having to deal with your home guild's drama, responsibilities and requests. Sure, you want to be there for your guild and you don't mind helping out your friends, but sometimes it's nice to just play the game without all of the extra baggage that comes along with an ambitious guild. Of course, you can solo incognito or on another realm, but in a getaway guild, you have the social interaction without the expectations.
Do you belong to a getaway guild? Or is all your WoW playtime in one guild and you just stay out of Azeroth when you need a break?
Note: If you like the idea of a getaway guild, but aren't in one, you are welcome to join It came from the Blog on Zangarmarsh, U.S. Please see our FAQ for any questions.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Breakfast Topics
The Classifieds: Buttering up the Panera Bread WoW Man
by Lisa Poisso Jan 27th 2010 at 1:00PM
Remember back during the holidays, when we had a nice cozy Breakfast Topic chat about the fellow who's been spotted schlepping his entire iMac to the local Panera Bread to play WoW? Sharp-eyed reader Paul discovered a followup article at Gizmodo, featuring five questions with the Panera Bread WoW Man. It's no headline news, but it's an interesting peek into how a fellow WoW player gets his fix.
Let's open up The Classifieds ...
Filed under: Guilds, The Classifieds
Breakfast Topic: In-Jokes
by Matthew Rossi Jan 23rd 2010 at 8:00AM
Unfortunately, I chose to tell this story while tanking Jaraxxus who was, at the time, serious business. Several of the DPS found the tale of my apicidal beard so amusing that they ended up not running to the portal in time and we had two annoying sisters instead of just one. Since then, the tale of my beard has grown in guild to the point that people ask me the block value of said beard, or insist I get my beard enchanted with Armsman.
So I turn to you in an attempt to distract from my own constant humiliation (you wouldn't believe the amount of 'furry warrior' jokes I hear in a raid week) to ask what your WoW in-jokes are.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Breakfast Topics
The Classifieds: News briefs on guilds and players
by Lisa Poisso Jan 13th 2010 at 3:00PM
Welcome to our first installment of The Classifieds, an evolution of our former Guildwatch feature. As more and more players move into endgame raiding, we thought it fitting that our guild news should evolve, too. The Classifieds gives you more of the news you can use: who's progressing, who's marking milestones, who's recruiting. But it's not only about guilds. Because we're all down there in the trenches of Dungeon Finder groups at every opportunity, The Classifieds lets you send a shout-out to that player who made your last PUG a thing of real beauty (whether through pure technical finesse or a winning attitude). And if you're curious about how WoW intersects with the world at large, we'll be passing along links to academic research studies seeking participants, as well.
Editor's Note: One thing you might notice missing in Guildwatch's new incarnation is the "Drama" section. In the interest of fostering community growth and positive interaction, we're checking the drama and negativity at the door.
Let's open the Classifieds!
Filed under: Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Guilds, Features, Raiding, Bosses, Achievements
Blood Pact: Leveling a warlock, 40 to 60
by Dominic Hobbs Jan 11th 2010 at 3:00PM
Once again Blood Pact turns its gaze towards those up-and-coming warlocks; those who are learning the craft, battling foes to hone their skills and sharpen their minds. I've said before that leveling a warlock is great fun and part of this is due to the diverse ways in which you can go about it. By the time you start getting a decent pile of talent points to spend you can shape your lock in many and varied forms. There's the unstoppable train of death that is the affliction lock, cursing and corrupting all around it as it passes smoothly through the world. The demonologist, pouring their power into their minion and pushing them into the fore while sitting back and calmly picking off their foes. And of course, the destruction warlock, blazing a trail of raw power in an explosive display of mental prowess over physical frailty.
Let's see how these locks in training are getting on.
Filed under: Warlock, How-tos, Guilds, Instances, Leveling, Guides, Classes, (Warlock) Blood Pact
Sleeper Cartel wins November's Guild of the Month
by Alex Ziebart Dec 23rd 2009 at 11:00AM
We're finally good and ready to announce the winner of last month's Guild of the Month contest, and as you probably saw in the headline above, Sleeper Cartel of the Perenolde server is walking away with the prize: A $100 gift code from SwagDog. This is a guild that almost needs no introduction, considering they've made previous appearances here on WoW.com. I'll let Sleeper Cartel do the talking behind the cut below.
Before that, I want to remind everyone that December's Guild of the Month contest is still ongoing, and you still have time to enter. Make sure you check out the original posting, as well as the official rules. If you've entered previously and weren't chosen, don't get discouraged. Competition is fierce and ever changing.
Take it away, Sleeper Cartel!
Before that, I want to remind everyone that December's Guild of the Month contest is still ongoing, and you still have time to enter. Make sure you check out the original posting, as well as the official rules. If you've entered previously and weren't chosen, don't get discouraged. Competition is fierce and ever changing.
Take it away, Sleeper Cartel!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, Guilds, Contests
The Guild comic available for pre-order
by Zach Yonzon Dec 22nd 2009 at 6:00PM
Readers will learn about the origin of the Knights of Good, as the comic chronicles Cyd's life before she joins the guild, how she became Codex, and how she meets her fellow guild members. The story includes tidbits not found on the web series, making it a delight for fans and serve well as an introduction for those who have never watched the show. The 32-page comic is scheduled to hit the stands in March 24, 2010, and will sell for $3.50.
Like The Guild? We do, too! We've got all the episodes of season 3 posted: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and the season finale. We've also chatted with all of the folks at BlizzCon, including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, and Jeff Lewis and Michele Boyd. And as if that wasn't enough Guild, here's the liveblog of their panel, and the guys were nice enough to stop by our meetup as well. Stay tuned for more Guild here on WoW.com!Filed under: Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Guilds, Humor, Comics
Using the Corehound Pup to secure Guildbanks
by Robin Torres Dec 19th 2009 at 4:00PM
Authenticator owners received a nice surprise in their mailboxes when Patch 3.3 dropped: the corehound pup pet. It's absolutely adorable and a completely unexpected bonus to having a secure account. But it has also caused much kvetching among those who feel they are too careful to ever need the authenticator. Pet envy caused some to sign up for the free application for their phone or buy the physical gadget in order to obtain the two-headed cutie. But they soon discovered that removing the authenticator from their accounts also removed the pet.
Their loss can be your gain, however. One problem that many guilds have is that some of their high ranking members, with full bank access, have account security issues. When a guildbank gets raided by a hacker, it affects the entire guild -- not just the compromised account. One thing guild leaders can do to protect all members is require authenticators for bank access. Previous to patch 3.3, this was hard to prove. Now GLs can just ask to see your corehound pup.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Account Security
Breakfast Topic: My cold, dead fingers
by Matthew Rossi Dec 18th 2009 at 8:00AM
It doesn't happen very often, because I try and be conscientious about it: while it's true that WoW is a game, it is (for me at least) a social game and I consider my guildmates friendly acquaintances at the very least. Just as I wouldn't bail on friends when we have an appointment to go out bowling or for pizza or when I was in a weekly D&D game, I don't like it at all when I have to step out of a raid or bail on an appointed "help me get my Northrend Dungeon Hero achievement" or what have you.
Sometimes it's unavoidable. Recently I had to leave a raid before it was done because I simply couldn't stay focused on what we were doing due to feeling feverish and run down. I enjoy tanking and healing with my guild but my health and real life have to come first so I bowed out once I was sure a suitable replacement was available. I've been with this guild since the launch of Wrath now, and we've seen pretty much the whole of the xpac together.
Where do you stand on it? Do you see WoW as something easily skipped out on, or are you in a tight knit social guild where you feel obliged to show up?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Guilds, Odds and ends, Breakfast Topics, Wrath of the Lich King
The Guild sells out for Christmas
by Mike Schramm Dec 16th 2009 at 6:00PM
It was just on Sunday that we first heard about a Guild Christmas special, and now here it is. The Guild gang have decided that the web series thing isn't really happening with the money, so they're taking the advice of commenters and selling out with six different pieces of merchandise, one for each Guild member. They're actually pretty funny, from a Codex "answer Orb" to a talking Tinkerballa doll to a Vork unbreakable bank (unfortunately, all of the items have been recalled for various reasons). There's some cool guest stars in the mix as well -- see if you can spot Heroes' James Kyson Lee (in a Delorean!) and our buddy Alex Albrecht, along with a few other familiar faces.
Good stuff, and man, The Guild crew is getting really good at making some quality video. No word whether these will show up on Xbox Live at all (they're actually out now on YouTube, so this may just be something the guys did for fun, outside of the Microsoft agreement), but you can watch them all right now above. Merry Christmas, guildies! All I really want for Christmas is a Vork unbreakable bank -- in these troubled times, it's really the safest thing to do with your hard earned money.
Like The Guild? We do, too! We've got all the episodes of season 3 posted: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and episode 12 above. We've also chatted with all of the folks at BlizzCon, including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, and Jeff Lewis and Michele Boyd. And as if that wasn't enough Guild, here's the liveblog of their panel, and the guys were nice enough to stop by our meetup as well. Stay tuned for more Guild here on WoW.com!Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Guilds, Blizzard, Humor
Guildwatch: We're over applications, too
by Mike Schramm Dec 16th 2009 at 3:00PM
The image above is a little tough to read, but you can probably get the gist: someone posts on the forums that secretly, he's been taking things from the guild bank and selling them off on the AH to make money for himself. He posts on his alt, supposedly, but whoops: he leaves his forum signature up. And the very next post is someone from the guild saying he's been caught red-handed, with a gkick imminent. Moral? Steal if you want, we guess, but never, ever tell. Or at least don't use your forum sig when posting on your alt.
Much more drama, downed, and recruiting news in this week's Guildwatch, which starts right after the break. We are super low in the buffer for tips, so please be sure to let us know about your guild's action in Icecrown, any recruiting you're doing, or any drama you see on the forums by sending us a quick email at guildwatch@wow.com. Thanks! Enjoy this week's column.
Much more drama, downed, and recruiting news in this week's Guildwatch, which starts right after the break. We are super low in the buffer for tips, so please be sure to let us know about your guild's action in Icecrown, any recruiting you're doing, or any drama you see on the forums by sending us a quick email at guildwatch@wow.com. Thanks! Enjoy this week's column.
Filed under: Ranking, Guilds, Instances, Humor, Raiding, Guildwatch, Bosses
Felicia Day says The Guild comic is coming in Spring 2010
by Mike Schramm Dec 15th 2009 at 6:00PM
She also says that the Dark Horse published Guild comic book is due out in spring of next year -- Jim Rugg is working on the art right now -- and fans of The Guild may even get a little Christmas present from the show and Microsoft. We'll keep an eye out for that for sure. So even though we're in between seasons (and we assume that season 4 is upcoming next year, even though we haven't heard an official announcement on that yet), there's lots of Guild goodness to go around.
Filed under: Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Guilds, Humor, Interviews, Comics, Fan art
Blood Pact: Meet the minions, part 4 - the felhunter and mage-hate
by Dominic Hobbs Dec 14th 2009 at 6:00PM
When Wrath first came along I wrote a piece about how warlock utility in 25 man raids had all but disappeared. I had many dissenters to that statement, using examples such as Soul Stones and the like. One that came up a few times was the Felhound and how useful he is. I have to agree, he's a regular bag of tricks, but when it comes to 25 man raiding he's been (rightly) left in the kennel for quite some time. This is about to change.
"But Dominic, you seething pot of demonic mage-hating bile..." I hear you cry "...where is all the mage-hate?" Well, yes, I can imagine the title did lead you to expect an article so vitriolic and anti-arcane as to leave nothing more in its wake than quivering lumps of nerdy arcanists, armpit-deep in tears; and maybe a lost looking sheep. I'm not sure I can do that though, as I don't really hate mages -- that point is really going to need clarifying.
Filed under: Warlock, Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, Guilds, Quests, (Warlock) Blood Pact
