Guild Wars 2

Executive Summary

The Black Tides [TBT] is an emerging power on Anvil Rock — US. TBT caters to a variety of game styles: WvW, PvE, and sPvP. TBT’s members are welcoming, respectful, knowledgeable, and generous. There are plenty of opportunities in TBT to advance your gameplay experience. Whether you are searching for a social guild, a powerhouse in WvW, or a group committed in helping each other along in PvE, look no further than TBT! We are recruiting committed players who are, at times, willing to put the group ahead of their own interests. Please contact Ovander (West Coast), Noirce (Asia/Oceanic), Telemachus Dreams (East Coast), or SmilingKnight (Midwest) for more details. Videos at the bottom.

Benefits of Membership – Why Should I Join TBT?

There are several reasons why you should consider joining TBT, including, but not limited to, the following:

1) Nightly WvW Excellence – Nothing is more satisfying that breaking up a larger zerg. This is TBT at its finest. Our biggest strength is our excellence in WvW. TBT’s members strive to run WvW-specific builds to optimize zerg busting. TBT runs WvW nightly under a highly experienced and knowledgeable commander. If you are a WvW junkie, TBT is for you.
2) Fun, Frequent, and Profitable PvE – TBT membership offers a rich and rewarding PvE experience. Several officers and guild members organize PvE events throughout the day. Whether you are looking for a 5-man dungeon run, a Fractals run, a World Boss tour, or a 20-man temple run (including opening Balthazar), look no further than TBT. Moreover, several of our members regularly train new players in PvE. If you’ve never done a dungeon or a Fractal run, TBT members are happy to help you, especially if you are looking for better gear. TBT is only as strong as its weakest link, so its in our best interest to help new players gear up.
3) Active & Knowledgeable Community – TBT prides itself on its community spirit. First, we place a high emphasis on collegiality. We facilitate a community of respect. Intolerance of new players is not tolerated. Second, TBT members are very knowledgeable about all aspects of the game. If you have a question related to anything about GW2, someone in TBT is bound to know. Third, TBT is active. We boast both a high overall membership and a high average of in-game attendance. Part of the reason for this strong community spirit is due to TBT’s policy of 100% Guild Representation, discussed below.
4) Guild Perks – There are many tangible benefits of TBT membership. We run Guild Missions weekly, enabling the acquisition of coveted Guild Commendations. We have several guild-wide buffs for our members. There is also plenty of merit-based opportunities for those who are interested in leadership positions in the guild. Finally, we purchase feasts for our WvW players!
5) Theorycrafting Sessions – GW2 is ever-changing, which means game mechanics and, more specifically, classes need to always be optimized. TBT members regularly discuss builds for all classes, sharing knowledge on what works and what doesn’t. If you’re not sure what type of gear you should acquire, what traits to invest in, or what utility skills to use, look no further than the expertise of TBT.
6) Website – TBT has a website! It’s a great way for members to stay in contact with one another, even out of game. Moreover, the website is used to make announcements for everyone to see, even without logging into the game. Finally, the website adds to the overall community spirit of TBT. Link.
7) Private sPvP Arena – TBT boasts its own private, password-protected PvP Arena. TBT members can use this whenever they want to test out a new build. Furthermore, guild officers run WvW training in this arena for new guild members and players.
8) No Crazies – GW2 is just a game. Real life stuff is always more important. At TBT, we understand that! We always strive for the best, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously either. Having fun is ALWAYS the number 1 priority.

Terms of Membership

A well-functioning guild must have some rules. Before we invite any member to the guild, they must agree to the following set of terms:

1)No Drama/Be Nice – This is TBT’s Golden Rule. We are pretty easy going, but something we 100% forbid is negativity such as constant whining. TBT members are also charged with proactively being nice and welcoming. Simply put, common decency is all we require.
2) 100% Guild Representation – While this may seem strict, it is absolutely necessary to creating the social atmosphere and WvW participation we want. Part of why our community is so strong is because our members are loyal to each other and the guild. 100% Guild Representation ensures that we all get to know each other and have synergy.
3)WvW Builds – If you are interested in running WvW with us, that’s great! However, please take note that we require our members participating in our nightly zergs to run particular builds and classes. In particular, we exclude rangers and thieves from joining our nightly zergs because of their low contributions to group play. If that’s all you have, fear not! We will help you level up another class. No uplevels during guild runs.
4)Raidcall – Member are required to download Raidcall, the VOIP we use. It’s a really great program, and it’s super easy to install and use. We have a private channel that’s PW protected.
5) Help New Players When You Can – While not a hard and fast rule like the first 4 terms, it is expected that TBT members help new players. This includes teaching dungeons, helping with map completion, advising on builds, assisting in crafting, and answering other types of questions and requests.
6) Show Up To Events – Like #5, this is also not a hard and fast rule. However, we strongly encourage TBT members to show up to PvE and WvW events, particularly WvW, which is where we need the correct builds to run effectively. TBT’s WvW strategy necessitates strong attendance and individualized strength through theorycrafting. Attendance during WvW is the best and highest way to give back to the guild.

Gallery
Below are some videos taken from the last weeks so you can see the evolution of the guild

Latest Videos (few days ago)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjqtJsLcCsw
http://youtu.be/hSxLGluhqBU

Earliest Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Xp9IjSAjg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu3FMDaXdhU

Best guild ever. I almost quit the game before i found TBT. Super helpful and an all around great guild.

I’ve been apart of this guild for some time now and I’ve seen it grow into something great. We have a great core group of members and it’s growing bigger and bigger every day. I’m glad to be part of a big group of friends that help each other, form new players into formidable allies, keep each other sharp and informed, and on top of it all, we have fun! We are a very skilled guild, but we know the importance of staying humble, and showing humility. There are no big egos to deal with and we do not put up with that, or any other drama. We’re all friends and we want to make more!

Although I’ve only recently joined TBT (2 days…), i can honestly say I’ve had the most fun playing GW2 these last two days. TBT is filled with active players who are extremely helpful and friendly. There is always something going on, whether its dungeons, guild events, WvW, or just farming. Most guilds on AR I’ve joined in the past are dying maybe 10-15 people on at most. TBT there’s always at least 30-40 players on if not more. It’s so much fun playing WvW with the guild, feel like the Riders of Rohan (with no horses) charging at enemy zergs and wiping them, even when they outnumber us. If you’re looking to have fun and play with awesome people TBT is the guild to join!

Great guild, as stated it doesn’t matter what your preferance is. I love me some WvW and theres plenty of that to go around. Even PvE , though I’m not a big fan when I do venture out into the strange land of PvE I always enjoy myself when with the guild.

Why wouldn’t you want to join TBT is the question.

Even though these guys aren’t my time zone, I notice the impact they have running their 25-30 man groups in EBG and ARBL. Wherever they go they leave a trail of paper towers and keeps, if you want to join a good NA guild that helps the server, and has the back up of a large OCX/SEA presence, [TBT] is a great choice.