Breakfast Topic: What role do you fill in your guild?
by Brian Cutaia 
Apr 1st 2011 at 8:00AM
Aside from official ranks such as officers and raid leaders, there are plenty of niche roles that guild members can fall into. I'm personally of the opinion that every guild can benefit from having a designated whipping boy to call their own. You know who I'm talking about. Everyone cracks jokes at his expense. Failures are blamed on him, even when he's not logged on. From the outsider's viewpoint, it might look suspiciously like everybody hates him! Yeah, that guy.
However, it's all done with tongues planted firmly in cheeks, and everybody has nothin' but love for their friendly neighborhood scapegoat. In reality, he is not just some pusillanimous pushover ... He is simply that special breed of person strong enough to take all that good-natured ribbing for what it really is. (Of course, if my guild's own whipping boy ever stumbles upon this, I'll completely deny ever writing such nice things about him.)
Then there's the Chief of the Guild Note Police. This handy person is obsessed with guild notes and will make sure that they are always filled with useful information. When a new member joins the guild, the Chief is the first to bluntly ask, "Hey, who are you?" Without their dedication, you might not know that the level 12 worgen who just logged on is actually your guild leader.
These are just a few of the various personalities I've seen during my time in Azeroth. What kinds of minor roles have you noticed folks playing in your guild? Is there a specific type of member you believe no guild should be without? What about you? Is there a role you tend to play amongst your circle of friends?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Hairfish Apr 1st 2011 8:04AM
I sniff everyone and make sure they're wearing clean underwear every day.
Knob Apr 1st 2011 8:21AM
And we thank you for your diligent service.
Billlop Apr 1st 2011 8:54AM
I dont wear any underwear... *wink*
Sara Apr 1st 2011 5:49PM
That's what all those worgen are up to!
Yvl Apr 1st 2011 8:04AM
I'm the token Rogue.
So no, I don't fill any role in my guild. >.>;;
Calicia Apr 1st 2011 9:55AM
Me too. I got named class leader by default.
Myramensgone Apr 1st 2011 8:06AM
In my guild I like to call myself the friendly neighborhood tank. I don't really get the crap like the scape goat though people like to vent with me about their classes problems
MusedMoose Apr 1st 2011 8:08AM
I find myself largely responsible for silly jokes, general encouragement, and random "grats!"-ing of various accomplishments.
Eventually I'll provide flasks. ^_^
Noyou Apr 1st 2011 2:08PM
LoL Moosey. I share a similar role. As guild leader I do a lot of different things but my role as court jester seems to fit me best. It also makes guild chat more amusing. I bet you guys have a lot of fun when you are on ;)
Swifteye Apr 1st 2011 8:10AM
This topic actually made me choke up momentarily... not so much the question as the example. The guy who gets blamed for everything, but in a funny, loving way, not a "Why haven't we kicked this guy yet?" way... our guild had one of those for many years... he passed away suddenly less than a month ago. I concur that that role is very necessary; you definitely feel it when it's gone.
Anyway...
I dunno, I'm just the random gopher, I guess. They tell me what they need, I do my best to get it. I've come up with stacks of fish for the guild upon request, my Scribe made several of the 346 relics for those new 85s with his own mats, back when none of the other Scribes had finished grinding their profs... I've spent the last three solid days farming herbs to provide several stacks of flasks and healing pots for the guild's raid tonight... etc.
I don't actually get to raid with them because my work and sleep schedules don't gel with theirs, but at least this way I can feel like I'm specifically contributing to the raids, and someday I'll be able to ride the Dark Phoenix that they're gonna earn, without feeling like I don't deserve it just because I never actually got to punch Cho'gall or Nefarian in the nards, y'know? ^_^
razion Apr 1st 2011 8:11AM
I'm known as the Peace Maker and the Middleman. I'm also The Listener and He Who Buys A Lot of Noggenfogger And Jumps Around Often In His Mechano Hog.
Every guild needs one!
drysta Apr 1st 2011 8:57AM
We call that guy 'HR' :)
e.friedman1992 Apr 1st 2011 10:23AM
Lol, I totally Agree, I'm that random guy who is always makign stupid sexual jokes and random sentences... we'll be raiding and I'll just scream over vent "monkey's like cellphones and refrigerators!" and there is usually a 10 second silent period, and then everyone yelling at me over vent for being a dumba**...(In a friendly way)
Koneko Apr 1st 2011 12:35PM
I'm that role in the guild as well. They refer to me as the 'Guild Diplomat'. Even before I was promoted to officer & became the main tank, I've always had a knack for difussing tension.
Aaron Apr 1st 2011 8:12AM
Yay Cutaia!
I have quite a few maxed prof toons so I'm usually running around cutting this, cooking that, enchanting those boots, mixing flasks, picking flowers, etc etc. xD
MattKrotzer Apr 1st 2011 8:13AM
For several years now, I've been the main tank for my guild, as well as the quartermaster of the guild bank.
I'm sure I'll be replaced as one or both at some point, but for the past few years, I've been the most reliable for both jobs.
Adrammalich Apr 1st 2011 8:17AM
I'm the Guild Encyclopaedia. I keep up-to-date with all the latest patch notes and tell my guildmates the important things they need to know. This also entails being a bit of a lore nerd too - but I enjoy it. Given the first two letters of my main's name are "Ex" - I'm nicknamed Excarta or Excyclopaedia. It's pretty funny, actually.
Wilandice Apr 1st 2011 9:11AM
I am the whipping boy, Holy Paladin gets blamed for everything. I am also the the seldom used scapegoat when we want to forcefully call out a issue in vent without actually pointing the finger at certain individual. ... Everyone knows it's not really my problem but we use this sometimes as a pre-warning, next time it's going to be A, C and D get out of dragons breath.
Of course when we invite a thick skinned PUG from a allied guild, we sometimes turn them into the whipping boy. Since PUG's allways get lots of Fat Loot in our raid so they are allway's well compensated.
Autoslizer Apr 1st 2011 8:21AM
I actually used to be the scapegoat in my oln guild, but it gradually moved from tongue-in-cheek to hands-on-hips, mostly because of differing opinions. Now I've moved back to my old old guild, and there I'm the Nice Guy, helping low levels with RoB and dungeon running. I think what has made me the Nice Guy is that I don't demand gold for it, even when offered.
Rai Apr 1st 2011 8:22AM
I pretend to raid lead but I'm the gnome rogue mascot mostly.