DM Q&A - Items

[vulpes]

Question: Why do guilds get access to special items and "regular" (non-guild) players do not?
Thanks

[Penguin]

Lorewise, most all restricted groups have some certain things that they provide to their members in order to help them advance the group's cause more efficiently. Guilds do have items specific to the members of the guild, but a long-standing rule for the server has been that guilds have access to nothing that gives their members a mechanical advantage over what can be found or purchased elsewhere in the server. Guild items are intended primarily to provide lore representative flavor items for their members.

While I will note that certain guilds have small items that are very special, such as providing a low level spell once/day, these are more matters of convenience as opposed to something that changes how a character can be played within vs. not within the guild.

Any guild stores that do provide items/gear that gives the guild member an unfair advantage have been reviewed and addressed over the years, which is still an ongoing process.

[vulpes]

Thanks ! Is it possible to buy a guild item without being a guild member? The reason I ask are guild items do most definitely give mechanical advantage over stores and cannot from what I (and others) can find elsewhere?
Thanks Penguin !

[DM Flash]

Hello vulpes,

Thank you for reaching out and we'll be happy to share some information regarding Guild perks. Here on FRC, Community Members have created a variety of guilds to suit the special roleplay interests of all sorts of characters. Some guilds are based on Faith, others are based on Race, a few are based on a particular PrC, and others are based on pursuing a focused purpose. More information about the specifics can be found in Server Rule 27 Expanded - Guilds. Creating a new guild on FRC requires 5 founding members, 250k in funds, and an application approved through the DM Team.

The commitment and burden of roleplay that is required not just to create, but to maintain a healthy and cohesive guild is much more substantial considering it's a group effort versus anything that is incumbent upon an individual player who may come and go as they please. In order to support and encourage that level of commitment, the DM Team matches those efforts by providing a standard set of perks flavored towards those members such as a Guild Hall and a Merchant NPC. Sometimes it becomes necessary to close a guild, in which case the DM Team makes every effort to contact those members for feedback before any action is taken.

The effort that it takes on both sides of the table to start and maintain a new guild is a collective challenge. It can be difficult to find 5 like-minded active members and to come up with an Org Chart and Guild Charter that is a good fit for the setting, and similarly from the Staff it takes time and energy away from other server priorities to create new areas, NPCs, and items with great care to not tip the scales of balance in either direction. Supporting and encouraging good roleplay has always been a top priority of the DM Team and despite these challenges we share in the effort to foster an environment that is fun and engaging to our Community Members.

Lastly, to reiterate what DM Penguin mentioned in their reply to you, the Merchant Shops and Guild Items are an ongoing process.

[Penguin]

Adding to what Flash said, only a character that is an active member of a guild may possess or carry items that are from that guild. This is a server rule. Characters not in a guild found in possession of guild items without DM oversight can have those items removed at DM discretion. Some guilds do pass out small "friends of the guild" tokens that are allowed, but they are small inconsequential things that exist primarily to say "Thank you for being a friend." (Insert theme song from Golden Girls here)

If you do have a specific concern about a specific item, please address that to a DM in a PM for team consideration in order to avoid spoilers or giving away on the forums what should be privileged guild knowledge.