Don’t Tax My Loots!
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The guild now requires 100 gold coins from each man, woman and child per fortnight. Any unwillingness or inability to meet these standards will find themselves REMOVED AT ONCE!
That would be rough, eh? …Or would it? Requiring a weekly/monthly stipend from each of your members could yield vast guild resources, or a complete mutiny. As we dive deeper into the world of guild management, more and more situations come up in which there is no right or wrong answer. The more educated and prepared we are for issues that do arise, the better leaders we end off becoming. You decide which path you wish to take: That of English King with your tax demands, or one of a homeless food shelter- complete with moths.
All for one- one for all!
It may sound like a grand ol’ scheme- this taxing your guild. All the members quest, grind, level up, and farm the lands, and proceeds from all this work line the guild bank’s coffers. Currency is always available, needs are always met, and wants are usually permitted. Everybody pitches in for the collective benefit of all. Sounds almost like a fairytale, does it not?
Most guilds go about this by setting a standard amount per level range of their members, and collecting either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The tax expectations are made known upfront upon a member’s recruition, so there are no surprises to be had. As the higher level players can afford to contribute more, their quota is much larger, as to keep the tax percentage similar for everyone. The benefits of this system usually involve guild supplied potions, consumables, repairs, enchants, loans, etc. With the incoming funds arriving on a regular basis, this allows you to create a budget and allocate expenses.
No taxation without representation!
Be sure not to instill a tax policy without discussing the benefits/consequences with your guild. More than a few will become outraged if you were to spring this upon them. Believe it or not, many players work for their own profit and usually have plans for where their coin will be going. They will not be as thrilled to hear about your money making scheme, and will most likely be sure to make it known… loud and unruly.
One of the more difficult portions of running a tax, is justifying it for each and every member. Sure, you’re providing potions, repairs, food, enchants, and all that jazz for your raiders. That’s awesome, and they’re more than happy to mail you a small chunk of change to do all the work for them. Hold on a second, what about that little chunk that came from your struggling level 30? He’s online every night trying his damndest to reap that xp so that he might be able to join your ranks of destruction some day. How is this poor fella benefiting from his taxation? Are you running him through each instance he needs? Buying him gear upgrades, complete with enchants? If you instill a required fund from each member, be sure that each members is reaping a benefit from the guild. No one wants to pay into your pocket, just for the hell of doing so when there are hundreds of other guilds they could be a part of. Make it worth their while, this is not a profit organization for you.
Retirement?
Ok, you’ve got everyone to agree on how great this taxation thing works. Awesome! A week or so goes by, and you collect your very first payment from the guild (You’re remembering to pay into it as well, aren’t you?). What are you going to do with all that glimmering gold? You could start buying up all the materials you can for crafting, maybe reward a few players with a nice chest-equippable treat, or simply… Save it! Yes, you will have quite a pile of coin quickly, but that is no reason to start writing e-checks. Let the pot grow and grow until the day you need it. Hell, you may never need it, but is that really a bad thing? Perhaps at that point, you might get creative and introduce a few rewards/achievements your members can compete for, with jackpot prizes. Regardless, do not let the coins burn a hole in your pocket. Use this situation as a chance to be responsible with currency, even as virtual as it may be.
Your members are counting on you to be successful with your money management skills… and they’re the ones paying the bills.
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September 29th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
In a few months this won’t even be necessary. I remember hearing that one of the guild talents is that for everyone copper you make or gold or whatever a percentage (based on the amount of guild talents spent) will generate extra gold that goes directly into the guild bank.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
I’d rather eat dirt than be in a guild that did this. I don’t need your fish feasts – it’s not the best food for me tyvm. I have my own Alch/Herb/Whatever – I don’t need your flasks, etc. I certainly don’t care about giving someone a ‘reward’ or a damned prize. I guild to raid – and that’s only because I haven’t figured out an effective way to multi-box past most 5 mans.
You want to fund repairs, pad the bank, etc? Fine. Collect all the drops from a raid, DE them, put them in the bank. Sell the patterns you get, even if you have someone that can learn them or needs the pattern. We sell Heroic ToC patters for 8-10k per pattern – and even if we pay 1k per crafting of it (we never have to – but still) we’re money ahead.
/spit on your taxes
LONG LIVE ROBIN HOOD!
October 10th, 2009 at 12:48 am
I do not tax my guild per-say, however, I do get them to donate to the guild bank every week and larger portions at the begining of the month. Nothing is required, everyone gives as they see fit.
Here is how I get them to donate: I have a 50/50 drawing at the begining of every raid week. There are two drawings they can buy into; a 50 gold buy in and a 100 gold buy in. After all the money is collected, we then have a roll off. The highest roller in each category gets half the gold of the category they won. The other half goes to the guild bank. This yeilds about 2,000ish every week for the guild bank. On the first raid day of the month, we also have a 250 gold buy in added to the 100 and 50 gold buy in’s.
This lottery system is a very efficient way of getting the members to give gold to support their guild. This system is a way to keep the members involved, support the guild and give some back.