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 4 of 10)
wow fan Jan 13th 2010 3:31PM
Shoo Shoo lil troll
steven.fuller Jan 13th 2010 3:33PM
boooo who's idea was this change? Don't let them make anymore bad choices.
moredrama Jan 13th 2010 3:32PM
No drama?
You have became the only column I won't read in wow.
Peter aka Feanor Jan 13th 2010 3:30PM
I'm sorry but...just not as interesting any longer... hope others enjoy tho...will be bakc if it takes on it's old form....and yes It is nice to know what guilds to stay away from
Saltypoison Jan 13th 2010 3:30PM
Please bring back the drama section. There are plenty of other resources to find guild rankings and guilds that are recruiting.
Jeff Jan 13th 2010 3:32PM
The drama section was fairly entertaining, but why would I care about a half-dozen or so random guilds that are almost certainly not on my server who happen to be recruiting, or downing (frequently old) content?
If I wanted to read about that kind of thing, I could go hang out on my realm forums.. which would at least be VAGUELY relevant to me.
of Mankrik's Wife-EU is recruiting for ToGC-25? Nope. Couldn't possibly care less.
Jeff Jan 13th 2010 3:33PM
Heh, it ate my fake guild name, thinking it was an HTML tag. "[Some Random Lame Guild] of Mankrik's Wife-EU", was how it was supposed to read.
Clydtsdk-Rivendare Jan 13th 2010 3:31PM
IMO, move the Drama section to the Drama Mamas column--talk about one event weekly, analyze what went down and talk about how the situation could have been defused.
wow fan Jan 13th 2010 3:35PM
NO!!!!
Drama Mamas is not guildwatch!
fuser197 Jan 13th 2010 3:33PM
No drama? BORRIIIINNNNGGGG.
Lemming Jan 13th 2010 3:34PM
I agree a change needed to be made, but it was to axe the rest of the column and make it PURE DRAMA, not this. Give the people what they want, not what you think is good for them. You're an entertainment website, not a support group.
Richard Jan 13th 2010 3:34PM
I'd like some clarification as to why you chose GuildOx as the sole link to dictate guild progress?
WoWProgress is just as viable.
I really think you should provide both.
Richard Jan 13th 2010 3:38PM
I mean, here are two huge discrepancies (among many others):
Premonition of Sen'jin is ranked #1 on WoWProgress but 27th on GuildOx??
Premonition had the world 1st Tribute to Immortality - arguably one of the hardest "progression" achievements ever in WoW.
Might of Turalyon had the world #2 Immortality - they are currently ranked 10th in T10 content on WoWProgress - and are ranked 95th(!!!) on GuildOx.
Sorry, any site that ranks a guild like Premonition 27th can't be accurate.
birdtongue Jan 13th 2010 3:37PM
Guild Watch's Drama section was the only gossipy thing i indulged in, and while i'd be cheered by the occasional featured guild event or unusual achievement, i'd skim right over progression lists, downings and recruitment; there's definitely a place for positive thinking, but a venue for constructive venting is equally important. Schramm always seemed to tread that line between objective reporting and light-hearted mocking.
i do like the addition of the gold-star pugger shoutouts, but i'd be content with that and the Drama as a separate column -- the good, bad and weird, as it were. the research heading is also interesting, and fits well with the new theme.
Larghter Jan 13th 2010 3:39PM
I really enjoyed the drama articles - is there a way you can separate it from Guildwatch articles and let it "evolve" into its own weekly column?
I hope so - that article was one of the most entertaining columns on Wow.com
corvaal Jan 13th 2010 3:42PM
^^this
Fatamorgana Jan 13th 2010 3:40PM
The Drama section was like the sex offenders list for WoW.
It's great when someone who ninjas loot, acts a douche, or is a hard-core drama mama gets called out on it.
It's like removing the FBI's Most Wanted List because you don't want to show the ugly side of the population. I don't want to be ignorant of said MMO-felons. Let their mug-shot be shown for all to see.
Tigress74 Jan 13th 2010 3:41PM
Bring back the drama. Seriously this isn't disneyworld we can handle the good and the bad.
Fantastik Jan 13th 2010 3:41PM
I agree with the consensus -- bring back the drama. It was fun to read.
Arthomis Jan 13th 2010 3:42PM
RIP Guildwatch Drama you will truely be missed.