L2 - The Perils of Being a Clan Leader : Lineage 2 General Discussions

The Perils of Being a Clan Leader

"I'm gonna make the best clan EVER!"

Have you said this to your self at one point or another? How far did you get in turning that thought into a reality? For most of us, we got as far as making a cool clan tag and a level 3 clan. And then the dream died. Recruiting is hard work, dealing with every single members problems is time consuming, helping people with gear and crafting can be downright annoying! Not to mention the hours, days, weeks of your life you will spend planning clan events and hopefully seiges and high end raids. We're going to go over some of these issues here in this article and show you how to avoid them, or at least how to plan for them.

Q: How do I recruit likeminded players!

A: Do NOT go straight to Dion and start inviting everyone you spot without a clan tag. Doing so will get you members that stay...for about a day. Be picky! Hunt with people, make friends with them. Make your self a document describing your clan goals and your expectations of a clan member. This way you won't be scrambling for an answer when the questions are asked. If the person is not asking questions, you should consider not inviting them. People who do not ask questions about your clan will inevitably break the rules. They will PK someone and cause drama, they could even just be there to scam you out of some gear.

Q: How do I keep all these people in communication, make plans for things and everything else?

A: This is the part of being a clan leader that can be annoying. You'll probably want to get a Ventrilo or TeamSpeak server going so you can communicate with folks. You'll probably want a website and forums for planning, organization and other tasks. This can add up in cash if you are not careful. Teamspeak is free, Ventrilo is not. Guildportal is a good cheap way to get a website for your clan if you are not a webguru.

Q: I don't have the time to recruit, deal with peoples egos and drama!

A: Appoint someone to help you. This person must be someone you trust, they should be level headed and have good problem solving skills. This person will be your right hand man. Delegating authority is very important to being a clan leader. Don't like organizing groups for raids? Appoint someone who does to do it! Not the best at diplomacy? I'm sure you have someone in your clan who is!

Q: Every single one of these people needs gear! I can't afford all of this!

A: Stop. Stop right now. You do not need to provide every single person in the clan with gear. This is too much and not your job! When the clan is is still in it's infancy, make sure you are planning for it's future. Start simple. Weekly clan hunts can provide much needed materials and cash for your fledgling clan. Start every clan hunt the same way, empty your inventory. Carry no materials, books or anything else you might pick up from the monsters you kill, this includes adena, carry a set number so you know what you all made and can collect it. Set your party for finders keepers and make sure they know not to pick up anything. As your clan grows and members start needing things that are expensive, you will be able to help them with funding, materials, recpies and guidance. Treat your clan Dwarves well. Make sure your Crafter has recipes for shots and commonly crafted items. Make sure your spoilers are grouped and happy, they will provide a lot of valuable money and resources for you if you do. Raiding can be a wonderful way to gear up your members, or to provide extra funding for doing so, but remember they are hard! Do not play favorites when it's time to start gearing up people! Make a post on your forums to stand as a wish list for people. You can work in first come first served, or participation(WoW players know this as DKPs) or time in clan or whatever system you decide is best for you and your clan.

Q: All this work! When do I get to play?

A: Do not let all the work overwhelm you. Once you start delegating authority and have a stable core of players in your clan, the workload will lighten up considerably. Have officers handle the day to day while you deal with the overall business of running the clan. Learn to say "No!". There will be many demands on your time, and between work, family, running marathons or whatever it is you do in your real life and running a clan you still have to make time for your self. Be available but do not let your clan members become completely dependant on you.

These are just a few of the problems you will have to deal with when you are a clan leader. There is always drama going on in every clan in this game, the good clans learn how to deal with it, and those that dont just fall apart. Be honest with your self and your members. Only make promises you can keep. Find a good balance of "Me time" versus "Clan Time" and don't get completely wrapped up in all the little things. This is the internet and this is a game, every single person here has their own personality and goals, the job in front of you is to help mesh those personalities and goals into one solid clan. I hope this helps you, good luck!