TL;DR - Give substantial benefits to small, specialised guilds to lower risk of mega-guilds and alliances monopolising the game content and resources. Also, it just makes for a more fun game IMO.
1. Premise
We know
from the wiki that Intrepid intends to balance out small vs big guilds a bit by giving buffs to smaller guilds that large guilds cannot attain. Since quantity is a quality of its own, the large and mega-guilds are still going to be top dogs for certain content, but they shouldn't have it all. I agree with Intrepid's desire to buff smaller guilds, and incentivise those over forming large guilds, and I would like to lean into that philosophy even more, because I think it's better for the game long-term. So I would like to see more small and specialised guilds in the game.
Large and mega-guilds are free to split up in an attempt to organise a whole bunch of small guilds into a pseudo-alliance of sub-guilds, but human nature being what it is, there is going to be less cooperation between those guilds, and more friction. This is a desired effect, IMO.
If you don't want to read the wiki, Steven and Jeff give a short overview of some of the planned types of guild benefits in
this video at the 56:06 mark.
I would like to see the total amount of possible guild benefits high enough to where even the smallest guilds of 30-50 players cannot come even close to getting all of them. All guilds should have to specialise a little in some way. I would also like to see a respec of guild benefits be possible, but as an expensive and arduous task for the members.
2. Preventing abuse
On top of a cool-down to switching guilds, I would like to see a system where a new member of the guild doesn't get all the benefits the guild has to offer right away. Certainly not the best ones. I think we need some sort of time and/or contribution based system in order for new members to unlock all the active guild benefits, regardless of the rank they are given. I am thinking at least a couple of weeks, on top of some sort of contribution. I think some of the guild benefits should be fairly significant, and I don't want to see players just jumping around from guild to guild to get the desired benefits for the day, and just game the system that way.
3. Unlocking the benefits
Basic benefits should be available from the start, but I also think guilds need to do relevant content to unlock the higher tiers of benefits. Pretty self-explanatory stuff really. For example, in order to unlock certain bonuses for raiding, the guild members need to complete a certain amount of raid content. Or a merc guild focusing on the caravan system needs to partake in caravan combat for a while.
4. Categories
Some of these might overlap, so read them more as ideas than separate skill trees. I think most of the categories should have some low-level basic buffs open to all.
Combat buffs - This is probably the big one. A bunch of passive buffs to damage, defence, and stats for the most part. I think at the highest tier it should open up for a couple of schools of augments that focus on higher damage or defence.
PvP Content - Be it guild wars, caravan combat or sieges, this category of buffs are those that aren't directly player combat related. Buffs to increase or decrease damage to caravans, buffs to using siege weapons, increased repair ability for walls, doors, etc. It should also tie into the planned Gear enhancement system, where players can get special runestones to slot into their gear.
PvM Content - These are buffs for the guilds that like to focus on running dungeons and world bosses. Bonuses to damage and defence against bosses for example, or bonuses that negate a small portion of negative environmental effects in dungeons and boss encounters.
Naval Content - Bonuses for the mariner classes. Speed and handling of ships, reload speed and damage of ship weapons, etc. At the highest level, access to barrels of rum, Jolly Roger and eye-patches.
Economy and Trade - For guilds focusing on selling or transporting goods. Speed and storage buffs for caravans, reduced comission fees on the auction house and player owned businesses, and perhaps bonuses to the stock-market system we know very little of yet.
Artisans - This should probably be three different categories, one for each branch, but this is stuff like gathering speed and yield and bonuses to taming. At the highest levels, access to the biggest gathering bags. For processing it's reduced timers and a bonus to positive outcomes/procs, should that be a thing. Reduced fuel and material costs for refining. Perhaps even reduced cost to upgrading stations. For the crafters, it can again be slightly reduced material costs, and at the highest levels access to special recipes.
Exploration - Bonuses that tie into the exploration system, including treasure hunts, constellations, finding secret entrances in dungeons, and perhaps even a small buff to travelling speeds.
Social Organisations - Bonuses to the progression in and rewards from the different social organisations. Access to exclusive quests.
Guild Reputation - Another potentially big one in terms of impact. I hope we get to learn more about this system soon, because it ties into the patron guild system and how NPCs react to the members and the merchant services and quests that are available.
Another thing we were talking about I remember early on with regards to guilds is not just that but also having a reputation score; and being able to allocate points to increase that reputation perhaps with a specific node that you may have your guild hall in; and that reputation will interact with the way that NPCs interact with you. It might interact with the way that quests are given in that particular node or merchant services that are present. – Steven Sharif
I would like to see this one expanded a bit to include freeholds as well as guild halls, at least at the higher levels. Like reduced prices and upkeep, or lowering the node specific currency requirements for a freehold.
Anyway, feel free to pick it apart and come with your own suggestions.
