Earlier I saw, for the nth time, a post that had someone thinking that trade guild owners rake in large amounts of money on the backs of their guildmates for ''vendor fees'. So, I decided that perhaps it's time to give people an idea of what they should be able to expect from a good social/trade guild. This is pulling from my own experience in SneakyBo, which seems to be one of hte most stable and reasonably effective guilds I've ever seen. There are a lot of things that make up a good guild, but this is to give you an idea of what should be in common amongst them.

A good guild provides services to its members. In a good guild, it's not uncommon for guild members to craft gear for their mates at cost, or perhaps slightly below on occasion. This does not mean that a guildmate should be required to make you *free* gear, only that they're usually willing to give their guildmates a deal on the material cost and the effort made to acquire traits and motifs needed. To give an example: I will routinely make nirnhoned research items for guildmates who supply just the nirncrux for the item. Occasionally, if it's someone I know, I might craft a quick enchantment or a few potions or a few servings of a food for someone for free, simply because they need it right away. I know that I can usually expect that reciprocated if I need something. In a good guild, people stick together and help each other, because everyone benefits from such a situation.

A good guild also provides groups that, during group play (dungeons and trials usually) will ask each person what they want/need out of a specific run, and then everyone in the group will offer the otherwise bound items to the guildmate who needs them at the end of the run. Likewise, if a member is shy a few potions, soul gems, repair kits or the like, that's usually given out by a group member who has more. The bankers and merchants are always on offer from the group-mates who have them during the run. For a good guild's groups, it's often share and share alike of what is needed or acquired.

A good guild supplies its auctions (in order to get up money for the needed trader spot) from various guild members. Most of the time, the guild-leaders supply large amounts of materials or other items for these auctions, and so do other guild members who happen to have a little extra. These auctions are important to the guild, and members should attempt to be present for them if they can be, so that they can support the vendor, and usually also get some nice items for a decent price. If you can't make the auction, it's always good form to support via the guild's raffle, because that also goes toward the guild trader, and you can't win if you don't play.

A good guild offers to teach newer players how to handle things, or older players who want to learn something new. There's usually always someone who's willing to walk a guild-mate through the dungeon, or to give advice on builds and equipment. In many cases, if someone's build needs something special, a group will form specifically with the intent of getting that idea for the guild member in need.

A good guild keeps a supply of other things, like motifs and recipes on hand where one member might need something dropping from a holiday scene, and one of their guildmates will often either give away, or sell very cheaply, the item so that the guildmate can get their achievements.

What a good guild doesn't do is steal from its players, or punish players for not being at a specific level of play. We need to encourage each other, help each other to succeed, because we all benefit when a member gets a little bit better. This is what it takes to have a good guild. And there are an awful lot of good guilds out there.

@Alassirana (Silver)