The guild also got a bit of grief from its biggest competitor, the most powerful guild on the server. While they were preparing to attack raid monsters needed to move into new zones or obtain new items, their rival would rush in and steal the kill to keep them from catching up to their level. If VeaVictus still started getting too close, their rival would help the third-ranked guild catch up to them so they had more competition for targets.
But for all the cons of large guild life, D received companionship and support. Every time he attended a guild raid he would receive "points." Raid monsters would drop amazing and powerful items that guild members could bid for with their points, so the more raids he attended, the more or better items he received.
Tau, a friend of D's, learned to take guild support to a whole new level in Star Wars Galaxies. While he originally had few intentions of becoming a trader or crafter, the early days of the game saw a large demand for architects. Tau agreed to build a guildhall for a guild in exchange for funding to pursue the architecture class. The deal was beneficial to both parties, and the guild fed him resources and land plots while he skyrocketed through the class until he could construct the hall. Once the transaction was completed, Tau volunteered to stay on as the guild's private architect. "Everyone needs a house, right?"
Tau supplied the guild with resource harvesters and player housing. He had plenty of customers, and his only real setback was his lack of land from which to harvest resources. This problem was solved by teaming up with a tailor, a crafting class that requires very few resources in comparison with an architect. He harvested resources from the tailor's land, providing her with whatever she needed and keeping the rest for himself. Additionally, the two supplied each other with their respective final products. "In time I even just gave her houses to use as storefronts for her tailoring business, and in return she gave me all the clothes I ever needed."
Meanwhile, Tau's guild had a similar give-and-take system with their star architect. He provided them with low-cost housing, furniture, and harvesters, while they supplied him with droids, vehicles, and riding mounts. They all also sent their outside customers to each other with referrals. "If you came to me to buy a house, I'd sell you one ... then you'd ask me 'where can I buy a good R2 unit?' and I'd say immediately, 'I know the perfect man for the job. He's right across the street - tell him Tau sent you.'"
Without his guild, Tau would never have amassed his architecture empire. But while his primary goal was commerce, the trade alliances that Tau formed became close friendships and dependencies. And as friendships developed, trade became easier and easier; the two benefits of being guildmates fueled each other. "We all took advantage of each other's intimate knowledge of what we all needed and we traded accordingly," commented Tau.
On the other end of the spectrum there are, of course, those who join guilds for friendship and obtain monetary rewards only as a byproduct. Ysandre, also of Lineage II's Kain server, is a member of the SemperFi clan. The clan is run by the family of one of his real-world best friends; the clan leader is his friend's father and the second in command is his friend's brother. "I love my clan and everyone in it." Ysandre confidently backs up his family-run group. "Everyone really tries to get along and work together helping each other out. And they are great people to chat with while doing my daily hunting."
