Guild Realm Transfer, Faction Change and other services now available
by Matthew Rossi 
Oct 25th 2011 at 4:10PM
You can read the text of the announcement at the official site and we'll have it after the jump, of course.
New Guild Services FAQ
We are in the process of adding new guild services that will make relocating to a new realm, switching factions, or changing your guild name easier than ever before. Relocating your guild to a new realm or faction with this new service will keep your guild structure intact, including the guild leader, guild bank, ranks, and guild name (depending on availability). You won't even need to pack.
Guild members who decide to relocate with their guild may initiate their own paid character transfer. Upon a successful transfer they will automatically be part of the guild when they first log into the new realm. Their guild rank and guild reputation will be intact.
Guild leaders who do not want a change of scenery may also choose to pick a new guild name using another new service.
As a part of the process for adding these new services, we are launching on a single realm (Illidan-US) to perform additional testing for stability and functionality. We expect to be able to add additional realm availability to the service, including EU realms, in the coming days and weeks.
To learn more, read the FAQ below or visit the paid services page.
World of Warcraft Guild Services FAQ
Q. What are the guild services for World of Warcraft?
A. Three guild services are available: Guild Master Realm Transfer, Guild Master Faction Change, and Guild Name Change. These services can only be initiated by a character who is a Guild Master.
Q. How much do these services cost?
A. When purchased individually, the Guild Master Faction Change costs $40 US, the Guild Master Realm Transfer costs $35 US, and the Guild Name Change costs $20 US. You will receive a $10 discount when purchasing Guild Transfer and Faction Change in the same transaction, for a new total of $65 US. In addition, one Guild Name Change is free with the purchase of either a Guild Master Faction Change or Guild Master Realm Transfer. All sales of guild services are final -- no refunds will be given once a purchase is made.
Q. Do taxes apply to these services?
A. Players in select states in the U.S. may be subject to taxation when using a guild service. This includes but is not limited to:
-New Mexico
-Texas
Q. Aside from being a Guild Master, are there any other requirements for the character that initiates a guild service?
A. The Guild Master must meet the same requirements governing the equivalent character-level service (such as Character Transfer), including being at least level 10 (except for Guild Name Change) on an account in good standing. View the Character Transfer FAQ or Faction Change FAQ for more details.
In addition, the Guild Master's Battle.net account must be protected by a Battle.net Authenticator or a Battle.net Authenticator that has been active for at least three days (starting at the time of the first Authenticator-protected login to the game) before a guild service can be initiated. If additional security-related requirements apply to your character, they will be brought to your attention when you initiate a guild service.
Q. Are there any requirements for the guild to be able to undergo a guild service?
A. A guild must be at least level 2 to undergo a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change. There is no level requirement for a Guild Name Change.
Q. How do the two "Guild Master" services work?
A. When performing a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Guild Master Faction Change, only the Guild Master character transfers realms or switches factions. The Guild Master takes the framework of the guild as well, including the guild vault, level, perks, and achievements.
Q. What happens to my guild members?
A. Your guild members remain in the original guild. The original guild will be reset to level 1 and will not retain its guild bank or any of its achievements, reputation, or progression. You will also select a new Guild Master from the guild roster to replace you after your character leaves. Your guild members will be eligible to follow you to the guild's new location by performing their own character service (such as a Character Transfer). If they do so, they will automatically rejoin the guild and retain their guild reputation.
Guild members who plan to transfer to the guild's new location should not quit the original guild – otherwise, they will not regain their guild reputation after transferring to guild's new location.
Q. What happens to my guild bank, level, and so on?
A. The guild bank, level, perks, and achievements transfer with the Guild Master character to the new realm and/or faction.
Q. Will individual members' guild reputation be retained when they rejoin the guild?
A. The Guild Master character will retain his or her reputation after transferring, and guild members who decide to transfer will regain their guild reputation when they rejoin the guild at its new location. However, there are two notable exceptions where this does not occur: if the guild member transfers realms before the Guild Master, or if the guild member quits the guild on the original realm before transferring realms.
Q. Is there anything that doesn't transfer with the Guild Master?
A. Besides your guild members, the only thing that doesn't transfer is your guild rank structure. You will have to reassign ranks at the new location.
Q. How will my guild members know when this happens and how to follow me?
A. After a Guild Master service is complete, your guild members will receive an in-game mail with instructions on how to follow you. They will be directed to Battle.net account management to initiate their own character service(s), which will need to be purchased separately. This process will be streamlined, so options such as the destination realm and/or faction will be preconfigured.
Q. Will there be an out-of-game notification of a guild realm transfer or faction change?
A. No, the only notification will be the in-game mail delivered to your guild members.
Q. How long will a player be eligible to follow a Guild Master after a realm transfer or faction change?
A. There is no time limit on following a Guild Master to a new location, as long as the guild member does not leave the current guild before Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change is complete. If a guild member leaves a guild that has moved to a new location, or joins a new guild, the member's reputation with that guild will be wiped after 30 days.
Q. Are there any requirements for a guild member who wants to follow a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change?/
A. The guild member must meet the requirements of the character service they are undergoing (Character Transfer or Faction Change), including being at least level 10 and on an account in good standing. For the complete list of requirements, refer to the Character Transfer FAQ or the Faction Change FAQ.
Q. How long does a guild service take?
A. Under normal conditions, a guild service takes one to two hours to complete, but please allow up to several days.
Q. Is there a cooldown period for guild Realm Transfers, Faction Changes, or Name Changes?
A. The cooldown periods for guild services are the same as their related character-level services. For more information on these services, please refer to the Character Transfer FAQ or the Faction Change FAQ.
Q. What happens if I transfer my guild to a realm where my guild name is taken?
A. If your guild name is taken on the destination realm, you'll be prompted to pick a new name for your guild during the realm transfer process on the Battle.net website.
Q. Can I customize my character and name when doing a faction change?
A. Yes, the same character customization options offered in the Appearance Change service are included in a Guild Master Faction Change.
Q. I'm ready to move my guild! How do I initiate a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Guild Master Faction Change?
A. Before initializing a guild service, make sure you've created a Billing Profile. (Learn how to create one.) Step-by-step instructions on performing a guild service can be found here:
Guild Name Change
Guild Master Realm Transfer
Guild Master Faction Change
Guild Master Realm Transfer / Faction Change combo
Guild members who decide to relocate with their guild may initiate their own paid character transfer. Upon a successful transfer they will automatically be part of the guild when they first log into the new realm. Their guild rank and guild reputation will be intact.
Guild leaders who do not want a change of scenery may also choose to pick a new guild name using another new service.
As a part of the process for adding these new services, we are launching on a single realm (Illidan-US) to perform additional testing for stability and functionality. We expect to be able to add additional realm availability to the service, including EU realms, in the coming days and weeks.
To learn more, read the FAQ below or visit the paid services page.
World of Warcraft Guild Services FAQ
Q. What are the guild services for World of Warcraft?
A. Three guild services are available: Guild Master Realm Transfer, Guild Master Faction Change, and Guild Name Change. These services can only be initiated by a character who is a Guild Master.
Q. How much do these services cost?
A. When purchased individually, the Guild Master Faction Change costs $40 US, the Guild Master Realm Transfer costs $35 US, and the Guild Name Change costs $20 US. You will receive a $10 discount when purchasing Guild Transfer and Faction Change in the same transaction, for a new total of $65 US. In addition, one Guild Name Change is free with the purchase of either a Guild Master Faction Change or Guild Master Realm Transfer. All sales of guild services are final -- no refunds will be given once a purchase is made.
Q. Do taxes apply to these services?
A. Players in select states in the U.S. may be subject to taxation when using a guild service. This includes but is not limited to:
-New Mexico
-Texas
Q. Aside from being a Guild Master, are there any other requirements for the character that initiates a guild service?
A. The Guild Master must meet the same requirements governing the equivalent character-level service (such as Character Transfer), including being at least level 10 (except for Guild Name Change) on an account in good standing. View the Character Transfer FAQ or Faction Change FAQ for more details.
In addition, the Guild Master's Battle.net account must be protected by a Battle.net Authenticator or a Battle.net Authenticator that has been active for at least three days (starting at the time of the first Authenticator-protected login to the game) before a guild service can be initiated. If additional security-related requirements apply to your character, they will be brought to your attention when you initiate a guild service.
Q. Are there any requirements for the guild to be able to undergo a guild service?
A. A guild must be at least level 2 to undergo a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change. There is no level requirement for a Guild Name Change.
Q. How do the two "Guild Master" services work?
A. When performing a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Guild Master Faction Change, only the Guild Master character transfers realms or switches factions. The Guild Master takes the framework of the guild as well, including the guild vault, level, perks, and achievements.
Q. What happens to my guild members?
A. Your guild members remain in the original guild. The original guild will be reset to level 1 and will not retain its guild bank or any of its achievements, reputation, or progression. You will also select a new Guild Master from the guild roster to replace you after your character leaves. Your guild members will be eligible to follow you to the guild's new location by performing their own character service (such as a Character Transfer). If they do so, they will automatically rejoin the guild and retain their guild reputation.
Guild members who plan to transfer to the guild's new location should not quit the original guild – otherwise, they will not regain their guild reputation after transferring to guild's new location.
Q. What happens to my guild bank, level, and so on?
A. The guild bank, level, perks, and achievements transfer with the Guild Master character to the new realm and/or faction.
Q. Will individual members' guild reputation be retained when they rejoin the guild?
A. The Guild Master character will retain his or her reputation after transferring, and guild members who decide to transfer will regain their guild reputation when they rejoin the guild at its new location. However, there are two notable exceptions where this does not occur: if the guild member transfers realms before the Guild Master, or if the guild member quits the guild on the original realm before transferring realms.
Q. Is there anything that doesn't transfer with the Guild Master?
A. Besides your guild members, the only thing that doesn't transfer is your guild rank structure. You will have to reassign ranks at the new location.
Q. How will my guild members know when this happens and how to follow me?
A. After a Guild Master service is complete, your guild members will receive an in-game mail with instructions on how to follow you. They will be directed to Battle.net account management to initiate their own character service(s), which will need to be purchased separately. This process will be streamlined, so options such as the destination realm and/or faction will be preconfigured.
Q. Will there be an out-of-game notification of a guild realm transfer or faction change?
A. No, the only notification will be the in-game mail delivered to your guild members.
Q. How long will a player be eligible to follow a Guild Master after a realm transfer or faction change?
A. There is no time limit on following a Guild Master to a new location, as long as the guild member does not leave the current guild before Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change is complete. If a guild member leaves a guild that has moved to a new location, or joins a new guild, the member's reputation with that guild will be wiped after 30 days.
Q. Are there any requirements for a guild member who wants to follow a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Faction Change?/
A. The guild member must meet the requirements of the character service they are undergoing (Character Transfer or Faction Change), including being at least level 10 and on an account in good standing. For the complete list of requirements, refer to the Character Transfer FAQ or the Faction Change FAQ.
Q. How long does a guild service take?
A. Under normal conditions, a guild service takes one to two hours to complete, but please allow up to several days.
Q. Is there a cooldown period for guild Realm Transfers, Faction Changes, or Name Changes?
A. The cooldown periods for guild services are the same as their related character-level services. For more information on these services, please refer to the Character Transfer FAQ or the Faction Change FAQ.
Q. What happens if I transfer my guild to a realm where my guild name is taken?
A. If your guild name is taken on the destination realm, you'll be prompted to pick a new name for your guild during the realm transfer process on the Battle.net website.
Q. Can I customize my character and name when doing a faction change?
A. Yes, the same character customization options offered in the Appearance Change service are included in a Guild Master Faction Change.
Q. I'm ready to move my guild! How do I initiate a Guild Master Realm Transfer or Guild Master Faction Change?
A. Before initializing a guild service, make sure you've created a Billing Profile. (Learn how to create one.) Step-by-step instructions on performing a guild service can be found here:
Guild Name Change
Guild Master Realm Transfer
Guild Master Faction Change
Guild Master Realm Transfer / Faction Change combo
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Review the official patch notes, and then dig into what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jennjg1979 Oct 25th 2011 4:18PM
I'm not paying to move my character when my GM moves... My GM can pay for me moving. :P
Calib Oct 25th 2011 4:22PM
Im getting a little sick of the subliminal messing from Blizz advertisements. What is this, the 3rd advertisement now that shows an alliance toon and a horde toon with the arrow pointing from the alliance to the horde? Just hate all the obvious bias.
stephaninator Oct 25th 2011 4:31PM
Really?
J Oct 25th 2011 4:34PM
Oh, give it a rest.
Jyotai Oct 25th 2011 4:34PM
Meh. The race change one has been pointing at a BE for ages anyway, which is kinda like alliance... You can't sin more than that. :)
On my old server, I'd seen one 'top elite we're so cool' raid guild faction change twice. First to horde cause 'they're better' and then back to alliance cause 'oh snap, they don't care for our brand of we're so epic over there.'
I've seen people come and go both ways.
Blizzard has to pick images somewhere...
Niklas Oct 25th 2011 10:45PM
Kinda true though. I'm certain it happens, but I've _never_ personally heard of anyone going from Horde to Alliance. It's just not done.
Dreyja Oct 25th 2011 4:45PM
From a purely numerical perspective he's not wrong. I'm not saying it's a purposeful thing, I don't know but go, look through all the pictures. It's just a fact. /shrug. Likely just coincidence. Or IS it? ... Dum, dum, DUM... /shifty-eyes X-p
drysta Oct 25th 2011 4:53PM
Please, please tell me you are not serious in this comment and you caught me off-guard with some fantastic wit that, clearly, went over my head so that I can keep my sanity.
There are so many people out there who really believe in this 'bias' or believe that Blizz is trying to tell everyone if they don't roll Horde then they are .
Obviously people on the Dev team individually prefer one side of the other and, from all I have ever heard, there is a fair balance with, perhaps, a slight leaning to the horde, if you ask them about their personal preferences. (The same can be argued of certain classes). This is obviously going to happen because people, naturally, have preferences in life if they do anything. But seriously, just think about what you are suggesting regarding them as a company. Blizz cannot afford to be subjective in these matters and, indeed, they are not. Step back and you will see they are very objective in the business model and approach.
You, however, are clearly being defensively subjective in your concerns. Do you feel you have been hard done by because of your race? Have you lost an unreasonable amount of Tol Barads or your city razed by too many 'monsters'? In my mind it can really be the only basis for such comment and, therefore, that has nothing to do with Blizzard nor their preferences. Deal.
hawaiiansouljah Oct 25th 2011 4:54PM
Is purely alphabetical A--->H
drysta Oct 25th 2011 5:17PM
Upon further research, Calib, I see you are quite serious in your statement. I notice on Jan 25th in the comments section of The Queue, you raise very strong concerns. I feel that much of this is coming from a personal perspective. I play both sides but my mains sit on the Alliance side. As a blue player I'm not 'a kiddie' but actually have a son who, this past week since Blizzcon has shown great interest in playing the game himself.
I own several alliance shirts and never faced that sort of trouble before. Even standing in line for WotLK, with my Alliance shirt on, surrounded by 30+ horde players, there was only mutual respect for each other and fun banter. The respect sky-rocketed when I walked out at 12.01am with two collector editions.
My wife received a high-five from her boss for wearing an alliance shirt at work. He rolled red.
We have landed ourselves free drinks from the bartender at Benihana while waiting for our table because, though he was a hordie, he was a fellow wow-player.
My point is, really, in reply to your Q comment but, that being so long ago, I'm answering here. I think perhaps you are either mistaking friendly banter as something more or inviting (re?)victimisation (perhaps stemming from a real-life bad personal experience).
If this is the case - and this isn't really the forum to deal with it because people can be brutal here, though it is a much better environment than, say, the General Forums or Barrens/Goldshire, chat - you really need to find some friends who can help you through this. I think most of the regs here will understand if you are being, effectively, bullied that that is not cool. I think most here also have a fair give-take attitude in poking fun at each other. But not everyone can take what is dished out and, in an environment like this, you need to step back and NOT make it personal because, really, it is rarely (if ever) intended that way. And shame on those that do mean to be hurtful in their view - take heart, they are the ones with the real problems. ;)
Amaxe Oct 25th 2011 5:39PM
Most of the image things I see are from the ugly to the attractive (like Forsaken to Belf)
Skarn Oct 25th 2011 5:44PM
I'm Alliance. Always have been, likely always will be.
Honestly? I didn't even notice until you pointed it out. It just didn't matter me. Still doesn't.
Dr. Rocketscience Oct 25th 2011 6:33PM
If it's obvious, then it's not really subliminal, is it? In fact, I'd say it's pretty liminal.
Not quite superliminal, tho.
Yvanehtnioj!
Shinae Oct 25th 2011 6:34PM
I had a feeling someone would complain about the image. *rollseyes*
The image is obviously meant to be funny.
Dr. Rocketscience Oct 25th 2011 6:35PM
Make that:
Edrohehtnioj!
Revynn Oct 25th 2011 4:22PM
First thought while reading this:
So now instead of Ninjaing the GBank and transferring off, a GM can just take the entire thing with him?
Cambro Oct 25th 2011 4:39PM
Yes. But, the vault from the beginning has been attached to the guild master's account, so by being in the guild and contributing to the vault, you're operating on the assumption of trust that the contents will be handled fairly. There hasn't been anything stopping a guild master (or any other rank with sufficient access) to clean out the vault, so this is just one new way. I think it's probably pretty rare that a guild master ninjas the vault now, so I don't really see this as something to be concerned about.
Noyou Oct 25th 2011 6:01PM
Plus there will be clues. Does your GM take lots of items out now? Does he put in his own gold? Does he take out gold? Does he play on another server a lot? I was thinking of transferring a toon over to my secondary server to help my new toons gear up and with their professions. I have 2 storage guilds. one I want to rename. For the cost of $35 I will be able to transfer one toon and the bank over to my secondary server (with tons of mats!) and change the name? Sounds like a good deal to me. Can't wait til this will be rolled out on all servers.
Boobah Oct 25th 2011 6:27PM
It's not a very effective ninja that leaves you mail telling you exactly where he's gone.
Noyou Oct 25th 2011 9:24PM
Step 1. boot guild members.
Step 2. guild transfer.
There is a reason why it's being tested on 1 server first. One problem I do see is, a GM selling it off for cash. It doesn't take all that long to level a toon to 10. Of course this situation would be pretty rare.
I still say you well see warning signs. Not many GM's are going to wake up one day and go, "Gee, I think I will ninja my guild today." and move it to server X, just because he can. The ones you should be worried about are the ones taking liberties with their guilds now.