Blizzard's "new" approach to the endgame is nowhere more apparent than right here in Guildwatch: final endgame bosses use to only be the domain of world firsts and sponsored guilds, but one look through our Downed section this week shows that even casual guilds can now roll all the way up to Yogg-Saron and take him out. Sure, Algalon, that "destroyer of raids," is still no pushover. But the endgame is definitely much more accessible than before.

That downed news can be found after the link below, along with all of the drama and raiding news we've received lately from around the realms. Click on to read this week's Guildwatch, and feel free to send us your tips at guildwatch@wow.com -- you might see them right here next week.

• Congrats to Coven of the Harbinger on Shadowsong-H -- they celebrated their four year anniversary at the end of last month. Almost as old as the game, way to stick together.
• This thread, originally about Continuum on Aegwynn exploiting something in Ulduar, is really a dead horse, but it's worth a read just to see all of the weaseling people try to do to justify exploits. An exploit is an exploit -- if you're not playing by the rules intended by the developers, then you're breaking them. You can try to justify it all you want (and some people do with hilarious results, hence the link here in GW to that thread), but you won't. It's a no.
• The forum thread on this one is lost to us, but the story's still good: apparently Assertive Discipline, one of the raiding guilds on Terenas-H, has a habit of letting people they like in PuGs know that "if you ever need a new guild, look us up." Pretty tame, but Nerfed at Birth, another guild on the server, decided to take exception to it, and flipped out. Laskey, the GM of NaB, had a conversation with an officer from AD, and, we're told "behaved like an utter [jerk]" (we've adjusted the language there, but the original was spicier), including telling AD, a guild that is way more highly rated than NaB on WoW Progress, to "l2 raid." If you think AD's recruiting methods are a little strong, that's fine -- I'm sure if you let them know calmly and seriously, they'd listen. But that's no call to flip out on them and ask them to learn to raid... especially when your guild is nowhere near theirs.
• The Thundering Legion on Garona has a policy of splitting the loot evenly among the folks they PuG with -- unless they come to the conclusion that those folks can't play. Why is it that the ninjas are always the ones with terrible grammar and spelling skills? What is it about stealing things from other players that makes "u" use no punctuation at all?
• Ah, some drama from my old server Thunderhorn: apparently Arkamis laid waste to his guild Reset there, kicking out many of the members. The first reason we hear is that they didn't want to raid, but later he shows up and says he kicked everyone who wasn't interested in jumping factions with them so that they can merge with Lobster Brood. Later on, we hear that instead, they're transferring off server, and there's more: page 2 brings the revelation that this has all happened before. Our tipster says that Ark has transferred off of Thorn to Alpha on Ysera, and back, quite a few times already. There's nothing wrong with that -- but if you want to join a guild that's probably going to stay in one place, Reset probably isn't it.
  
• We don't know the full story behind all of this (the relevant threads have unfortunately disappeared), but we had to share this comic, showing why an alt named Hyster has been causing trouble and drama on Runetotem. It's a sneaky plan, we admit, trying to break up Weight Watchers under the influence of Harakas and Reforged.
• This isn't really guild drama -- not yet anyway. But it's pretty impressive: Sarahpaladin ninja'd some gear on Exodar, and since then has been tracked across servers -- from Argent Dawn to Alleria. Now they're even applying to Schadenfreude, a guild over on Alleria. Just goes to show you never know what they're not telling you in those apps.
• Finally, Tough Chickletz on Baelgun is host to a guy who's (used to be?) named Lynces -- he jumped in a PuG with Integrity, and... well, we'll let them tell the story on their forums. Basically, they did a /roll, and Lynces won, but it was a tank piece and he's DPS, so they gave it to him. The GMs saw it and gave it back, and drama ensues. We hear the looter from Integrity even created a guild called "TC Rehab Center" as a joke, and after TC complained, he had to change the name away from that.

• Team Mayhem on EU Lightbringer finally cleared 10-man Ulduar all the way to Yoggy, and even picked up some server first achievements on the way. Grats!
• Apotheosis on Garrosh is now 10/14 in Ulduar 10. Recently they downed Flame, Razor, and XT in 25-man and have Kologarn on notice. They're also recruiting for some casual 25-man raiding.
• Broot Force of Thorium Brotherhood downed Flame Leviathan, XT, and Razorscale in Ulduar 10-man with only 9 people their second venture in. They're a tiny guild that usually runs casual, so this is a nice achievement. Kologarn's on notice.
• Remains of Light, a small high end progression guild from Elune, downed General Vezax in 10-man. The target now is Yogg-Saron.
• L E G I O N of Shu'Halo downed Auriaya and Kologarn a little while ago. They are also recruiting quality players to fill out the 10 and 25-man rosters. Priests are emphasized, but all quality players will be considered.
• The Spirit Blade on EU Ravenholdt-A has shut down the Flame Leviathan, as well as grabbed their second OS10 and first VoA 10-man a little while ago. They're also looking for more for 25-mans, especially tanks and healers. They run six days a week with no minimum attendance required.
• For Instance on Velen (winner of this week's Best Guild Name award) has been clearing out 10-man content: Sarth and Flame Leviathan have both fallen to their might. They even beat FL on Heroic with just six people, though that sounds like an exploit to us.
• Bone Brigade on Lightninghoof crushed Sarth 3D on 10-man and picked up their titles for the trouble. They're also recruiting: a Prot Pally, Holy Pally, Resto Druid, and a Warlock to add to the 25-man team to start doing hard modes in Ulduar. If you know what you're doing and have a serious sense of humor, they want you.
• Does it for the Lulz on Zuluhed cleared 8/14 bosses in Ulduar 10 their first week in the instance. They've got Hodir on notice for subsequent weeks, too.
• Special Circumstances of Baelgun ditched their usual weekly raid to rock the Midsummer Fire Festival. Oh, and since they were there, they decided to kill any and all Alliance they came across: by the time they had desecrated all of the flames, half of the Eastern Kingdom had been covered with innkeeper and questgiver blood. Good times?
• Nightwatch on Hellscream cleared three sections of 10-man Naxx a while back: Arachnid, Construct, and Plague. They've a very casual PvE guild that's just gotten into raiding, but they've done well already.
• Seekers of Lore on Gilneas-A has downed Yogg-Saron, clearing out Ulduar on 10-man for them. Grats!
• Team Bloodlust on the Cenarion Circle server took down Yogg on 25-man, then Sarth with 3 drakes right at the end of last month. They even sent a pic or it didn't happen.
• The Frozen Core of Steamwheedle Cartel has downed Yogg 10. Which makes sense, considering that they're strictly a 10-man guild. Congrats!
• Draconian Redemption (server?) downed Yogg-Saron 10-man for the first time last month. They're also recruiting for 25-mans as well.
• Infinity of Nesingwary was formed in early June, but they've already finished off 10-man Yogg Saron. Grats!
• Kung Foo Monkey Badgers in alliance with Watchers on EU Runetotem have cleared out Naxx 25, and are currently 4/14 in Ulduar 10 and looking to step up to 25-man soon.
• Resurrection on Thorium Brotherhood finished 10-man Naxx and will be downing, they say, Malygos shortly.
• Fallen on Nesingwary has dropped all of Ulduar 10, including hard modes. Algalon is on notice, and 25-man is being worked on as well. Grats!
• Pernicious on Lightninghoof downed Flame Leviathan with two towers on 10-man, and have been getting really close on XT-002's hard mode as well. Freya's hard mode is being worked on, and Vezax is on notice. You can do eet!

• Project OMG isn't a guild, per se, but it is a raiding project over on Bronzebeard EU that needs some souls.
• Something Epic, Alliance on Shandris, is recruiting all classes and levels, as long as you have a sense of humor. They prefer 18+ (no angry parents so far, and they like it that way) but will make exceptions. They're aiming to get into raiding, but still need a tank and (non-Pally) healer. They'll help you get gears up with crafted or dropped items, too.
• Clutch of Mug'thol is looking for a few players to fill out their 25-man raids. They've gotten through Ulduar to Freya but have lost a few players to summer vacation. Apply on the website if interested.
• The Honor Guard (on EU Terenas) are a casual raiding guild, and one of the longest established guilds on the server. They have Naxx and EoE on farm, and are recruiting keen raiders for the 25-man team in Ulduar. We have Naxx and EoE on farm and are just starting out in Ulduar. They have a mature international membership and are a great place to enjoy the game.
• Darkfriends of Boulderfist is now recruiting 25-man Ulduar ready raid healers and DPS. They also have 10-man Ulduar raid times if you're into that. Please visit the website for more information and to fill out an application.
• Mortuus Est, a Horde guild on Draenor, is now recruiting. All classes/specs are welcome -- they're a fun, social guild looking to find some success in 10-mans. If you're a mature-minded, quality player, join up.
• Hallowed Moonlight is a social/casual raiding guild on the Moon Guard-A server. They are looking for progression minded people as they attempt to work through Ulduar-10, having downed Auraiya already. Raiding is two nights a week right now, but they're looking to make it four, and go Thursday to Sunday. Interested folks are encouraged to apply at the guild page.
• Sparkle Magic is a GLBT-friendly Horde guild on Proudmoore that's currently 13/14 Ulduar in both 10- and 25-man and responsible for a number of Horde/server firsts. They've knocked out all the 10-man hard modes save Mimiron and Yogg and are recruiting many classes to work on 25-man hard modes. If you're exceptional, 18+, and GLBT-friendly, please visit the website and fill out an app!
• Clan du Claw of Kul Tiras is a casual raiding guild that's currently recruiting for most classes, particularly healers. Although they are not a "server first" guild, they do strive to make each clear as fast, fun, and efficient as possible. They're aiming to beef up the 10-man roster for Ulduar and VoA 25. They raid every weeknight between 7p and 10p Server but they don't enforce attendance requirements. Adults only, please.
• The Pirate Horde on Fenris is recruiting healers and tanks: they don't have to be geared. They are a casual late night raid guild raiding 11pm Eastern time Monday and Friday nights, and they clear Naxx 25 and started 10-man Ulduar three weeks ago on off nights. They're up to Auriaya so far, but still working on Ignis and Iron Council.
• Desecration is a casual raiding guild on Fizzcrank-H that recently cleared Naxx-10 and are working on gearing up members in there. Ulduar is on tap, and they're seeking tanks and healers to rotate into the raiding staff, but all classes are welcome. Emphasis is on casual raiding, as most of the guild has families outside the game. If you're into raiding, PvP, or leveling alts, they're the guild for you.

Tags: bosses, downed, downs, drama, guild, guild-drama, guild-recruitment, guild-watch, guilds, guildwatch, raiding, recruiting, recruitment, servers, ulduar, world-of-warcraft-guild-recruitment, world-of-warcraft-guilds, world-of-warcreaft-drama, wow-drama, wow-guild-recruitment, wow-guilds, yogg-saron

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Raiding, Guildwatch, Bosses