The Classifieds: News briefs on guilds and players

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!
RECRUITING
- <After Dark> on US Ghostlands-A is peering through the night to find more raiders during the wee hours. The group is aiming for enough to run ICC-25 between 2-6 a.m. server time. Let the coffee flow!
- In more late-night news, <Graveshift> of US Icecrown-H is looking for ICC-10 and -25 raiders for raids starting at 11:45 p.m. server time (10:45 p.m. PST). The group's path to Arthas is already well under way, and officers anticipate full (or imminent) ICC clears by press time.
- Wyrmfoe of US Icecrown-A, a casual progression 25-man raid team led by WoW.com hunter columnist Brian "Frostheim" Wood is looking for healers and DPS. Warlocks are especially needed; hunter slots are full. Wyrmfoe raids Friday and Saturday evenings, focusing on normal mode content (with hard modes and achievements as time permits).
- The relatively new casual guild <Elite Prophecy> of US Grizzly Hills-A is forming a second 10-man raiding team, with a goal of eventually joining the two teams to tackle 25-man content. Members should be 18 years or older; no prot pallies, please.
- Core raiders from <Next Level> and <Government Muscle> of US Norgannon-H have banded together to form <Presence of Mind>, a hardcore raiding guild aiming for nothing short of becoming the number one 25-man raiding guild on Norgannon. Raiders interested in hardcore raiding including Heroic and hard modes should send a tell to Joewalsh, Killakitty, XSlayers, Héctor (alt+130 for é), Thraknar or Tun for more details.
DOWNINGS
- Who you gonna call? If you need TOC-10 cleared, you can now call on <Ghostbusters> of US Nazjatar-A. The casual guild is now moving on to ICC-10. Hey guys, don't forget your Wooly Mittens!
- <Zodiac Braves> of US Khadgar-H has checked off 10-man Firefighter and is now tackling Algalon. Good luck, guys!
- <Shadows of Torment>, a new casual guild on the US Altar of Storms-H, has cleared ICC-10. The guild formed about a month ago, after a year-long partnership between <Torment> and <Order of Shadows> evolved into a full guild merger. Congratulations on a great partnership!
MILESTONES
- Happy anniversary to <Cataclysm> of US Earthen Ring-H, celebrating five years under a single GM. Congratulations to Jurdendorf and the some 400 members of Cataclysm on their long-standing teamwork.
GUILD RANKINGS
This week's top 5 Guildox.com ratings show three U.S., one Chinese and one European guild in the top five positions for 25-man progression raiding. The Euros definitely have the edge for 25-man achievements, taking four of the top five spots. (Follow the links for more extensive rankings.)
25-man Progress
- <Paragon> EU Lightning's Blade
- <V A N Q U I S H> US Blood Furnace
- <Rush> US Dark Iron
- <vodka> US Alterac Mountains
- <第七天堂> TW Silverwing Hold
- <神樣> TW Wrathbringer
- <UndisputeD> EU Azshara
- <Энрейдж> EU Гром
- <Nero> EU Antonidas
- <EF BIE EI> EU Dalvengyr
- <Casually Addicted> US Gilneas
- <Uprising> US Aerie Peak
- <Unholy Trinity> US Burning Blade
- <Adept> US Dreadmaul
- <Harmonium> US Bloodscalp
- <神樣> TW Wrathbringer
- <EF BIE EI> EU Dalvengyr
- <Progenies Infernalis> EU Aegwynn
- <Энрейдж> EU Гром
- <High Council> EU Boulderfist
- <Elysium> EU Hellscream
- <Requiem of the Ebon Rose> US Silver Hand
- <From Chaos> US Suramar
- <Vox Immortalis> US Hyjal
- <Mors Deorum> US Stonemaul
- <Vox Immortalis> US Hyjal
- <From Chaos> US Suramar
- <Saoirse> EU Kilrogg
- <Three> EU Executus
- <Elysium> EU Hellscream
WoW.com does not authenticate, recommend or verify specific research listings.
- Researchers from Saint Louis University are looking at how gamers approach fantasy races in online role-playing game. Visit the web survey online.
- Dr. Jon-Paul Cacioli at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, is conducting a study on body image in virtual worlds. He seeks males age 18 and up to complete a survey on real-world and virtual body images and psychological states. Visit the survey at Deakin University.

Anybody can slap an /ignore on those Dungeon Finder duds we'd rather forget ... What we want to know are the names on your most wanted list! Jot down their names and send them along, plus their server (or your battlegroup) and 50 words or less on why they rocked your PUG world. (Your character name is optional.)
- Cheyenne, Whirlwind battlegroup "I grouped with an awesome druid/warlock pair in Azjol-Nerub. The druid was something like ... Cheyenne? We had a pretty awful tank, and the druid (as the healer) took it in stride, and the three of us managed to make it work. It was good times." (Arnesca, US Cenarion Circle-A)
- Kielik, US Argent Dawn-A "He told us right up front that he was a new 80 with weak gear and a new spec, but he totally worked with the rest of the group, flipped roles when we needed it and ended up being the glue that made the group work." (Anonymous)
Have guild news or a Random Act of Uberness to share? E-mail The Classifieds and let us know what's going on in your corner of the World of Warcraft.
Filed under: Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Guilds, Features, Raiding, Bosses, Achievements
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 10)
corvaal Jan 13th 2010 3:14PM
The drama was what was great about Guild Watch.
You get to see the good, the bad and the ugly about the guilds. It helped people that were victims get a sense of justice in a way. Oh well, was good while it lasted :(
Zach Asay Jan 13th 2010 3:11PM
This is LAME without the Drama section...bring it back please.
Nick Jan 13th 2010 3:12PM
What a pointless and boring column. Bring back the drama, its the only entertaining read we used to have.
oldscratch3 Jan 13th 2010 3:21PM
I have to agree with the above posts. The Drama section was like my weekly soaps or Jerry Springer, where you just enjoy through the pure feeling of shadinfrueder (or however you spell it)
The Hammer Jan 13th 2010 3:12PM
I like the change! 8D
Frank Jan 13th 2010 3:57PM
/agreed. the drama was entertaining at times, but it was getting old. i can get drama any time i want by logging in and reading the trade channel. why would i want to read it here? i was starting to suspect that people were doing things just in hopes of being mentioned on WI. bury away, but that's how i feel.
storment Jan 13th 2010 3:14PM
Thanks for removing the drama, while it could be entertaining at times, this isn't the WoW forums.
Shibdaddy Jan 13th 2010 3:14PM
There are plenty of other sites out there that I can go to check the rankings of the elite guilds out there, but I don't, and have no interest in seeing them here. The only redeeming quality of Guildwatch was the funny, quirky and sometimes outrageous stories that came from the drama section. Very sad to see it go.
Boocat Jan 13th 2010 3:14PM
No Drama!?!?!
There is now no point of this column, nobody really care about downings or progression of guilds we don't know or care about.
Sagretti Jan 13th 2010 3:15PM
I'd prefer it if the drama section was split off into it's own column or something. It was entertaining in a train wreck sort of way, and also provided some nice warning on guilds to avoid.
Ashleigh Jan 13th 2010 3:24PM
We did have a guild like this on my server. In fact it was a guild that approached my own for a guild raiding alliance. We pretty quickly turned it down, but some of the guildies didn't understand why. Whenever the officers were asked about it. We'd go..."Yeah, they used to be known as NC Gaming of Guildwatch fame" and you could hear everyone go "Oooh." like I had just said that they were cannibals that ate their children or something.
corvaal Jan 13th 2010 3:28PM
Guildwatch was a valuable tool.
now its gone :(
LusT4DetH Jan 13th 2010 3:20PM
No Drama? No read Classifieds. How can you take the funniest part of the site and stop doing it?
Seriously, how many people care about what other guilds on servers we don't even play on are doing? I can see for recruitment purposes, but do I really read these articles to find out that Guild YYY beats boss ZZZ every wednesday? OF COURSE NOT. I want to see douchebag ninja's get their douchebag crap posted over the internet for everyone to laugh at. I want to see douchebag guildies robbing guild banks and having their douchebaggery exposed. I want screencaps of morons making wild and unrealistic threats when they get kicked from guilds.
Wow, EPIC FAIL ON NO DRAMA.
Dan Jan 13th 2010 3:23PM
So this is just Guildwatch without the good part. Check. Guild recruitment is everywhere, and guild rankings only matter for those who view WoW as some kind of nerdy competitive sport. The laughs garnered from the drama section were priceless, and I think removing them is a big mistake. On behalf of what I'm sure is many people, please, bring back the original Guildwatch, I miss it already.
iamtheblackmage Jan 13th 2010 3:25PM
Seriously, the drama section was the best part of Guildwatch. Seriously, that's one of the main reasons I read the article. It seems alot of people are of the same mind here. Bring back the drama!
Kragragh Jan 13th 2010 3:26PM
I liked the drama - it was the only reason I read this. And I never went on forums so I skimmed it, laughed, and moved on. Geez, wow.com, it's like saying "there's too much sex on TV and kids will have sex so we need to censor things." I'm an adult, I can read that and not bring the negativity into the game.
Jack Draven Jan 13th 2010 3:26PM
Next on SICK SAD WORLD-
WoW.com removes the Drama section from the Guildwatch column and boy are the rubber necking dirt sheet readers in a tizzy! Stay tuned as readers begin a week long marathon of reality television shows in order to supplement their loss of pathetic sleaze.
Arthomis Jan 13th 2010 3:46PM
That right I like to read the sleaze GIVE ME BACK MY SLEAZE. no really not everything is roses and puppies.
William Jan 13th 2010 3:26PM
Hearing about drama in OTHER guilds doesn't promote negativity at all. It's just like watching the evening news, hearing about guilds' misfortunes actually makes your own seem slightly more sane and normal by comparison.
Glaras Jan 13th 2010 3:28PM
Bravo on removing the drama. I never did like gossip rags.
That said, the fact that every comment applauding the change is voted to darkness, while the whiney complaints about not seeing the so-called drama are voted way, way up, should tell you something about the majority of your readers, who are clearly drooling troggs. So I guess you need to bring the trash back inside.