Castle Clash - Don't Be a Dick

When searching Google for blogs on the free-to-play game Castle Clash, developed by IGG, I was disappointed that all the top results for "Castle Clash Blog" had to do with perceived ways to hack the game.  I was looking for informative articles with users impressions.  I was looking for a written form in some sense of what several players are doing on YouTube (ie: Distaggio).

Perhaps I was being too lazy, but I did not find one. So with my inaugural entry on this blog I thought I'd write about etiquette in game.  How not to be a dick.  In general, I'll try to keep these posts PG-13 but my thought process is that the vast majority of users who play Castle Clash are fourteen years old and over so the use of what at this day and age is considered mild profanity should not be reason to leave.

There are some things you should just not do in the game or you could easily find yourself thrown out of your guild, unable to join other guilds or just having an bad reputation online in general. In no particular order:

"... but he could never shed the fact he was really a #2."

1)  We need to be #1/freaking out torch battles - I can only speak from my experience on the Amazon platform, but as a general rule you do not want to be ranked #1 in the torch battle before it ends.  With 10-15 minutes to go you will find yourself as the target everyone goes after. Even with a lot of heavy hitters, you will likely find it hard to get a perfect reward if in the closing moments you are #1. You are not Bono.  It is okay to be #2 (or better yet even lower) in the ranks so long as you end with a full torch haul. 

On the same note, there have been times where your guild will find itself a target, even if you have avoided a high ranking near the end.  Your guild mates will likely be on in large numbers in the closing moments to haul and defend.  You do not need to freak out with repeated messages that someone is attacking you.  If no one seems to notice that level 170 Aries that is halfway to its goal, don't hesitate to just send your guild an FYI.  However, on those occasions where you have 30 heroes knocking at your door do not be chicken little, insisting that the sky is falling.

2) If you get booted from your guild do not bother the lay members - People get thrown out of guilds for various reasons.  Sometimes its a personality conflict, other times not following guild rules.  Perhaps you didn't donate the require shards?

If you get thrown out, it is one thing to politely ask leadership what gives.  If they are reasonable, they should give you an answer.  Do not pester lay members in the guild as to why you got thrown out.  Private messages imploring now-former guild mates to implore leadership to let you back and you will be good is annoying and in all likelihood, they are making fun of you in guild chat.

3) Sabotaging boss battles - I enjoy my guild.  On the Amazon server, we are in the top 10 in might and top 20 in donations.  We developed rules so that lower level members can still take advantage of the boss battle without higher level players dominating it. Our own internal rule is that anyone who can do more than 35 million per round (and thus max out) must wait until 27:15 remaining to start attacking.  We also have "Rising star" nights where anyone who can max takes one swing and just gets the participation bonus.  Your guild may have an "every man for himself" approach.

If your guild, however, does have a more egalitarian approach whereby those without a Pumpkin Duke get nothing from attacking the boss, follow it.  It's one thing when someone is new and doesn't know. But if you are a veteran of your guild and you know you shouldn't attack until xxx amount of time is remaining, be considerate of your fellow players and the laws laid down by your leaders.

4) Begging to be part of a guild - Guilds have a ton of benefits.  Some have strict requirements.  It is one thing to message a leader to ask questions or introduce yourself if you are interested in joining. It is another thing to pester them or arguing with the if you do not meet the requirements.  Think of it this way: If this guild is unwilling to consider you for membership, do you really want to play anyways.

5) Piggybacking on storm mesa - Not everyone has a Pumpkin Duke. As of this writing, I do not.  They are essential for Storm Mesa.  Even the first stage needs one PD in order to succeed.  If you have a guild with a lot of high level players doing SM4 and you do not have a PD, check with them before just joining.  Most will be okay helping you get some good chests, but if your heroes just are not up to snuff to fight five bosses, accept it.  It is one thing to not be able to speed up/boost the team but still contributing.  It is another thing to be dead weight.  If you do not have a PD and no heroes above level 140, don't whine if the guild asks you to gain a few levels first.

6) Stealing storm mesa spots - Another Storm Mesa infraction. If a teammate sends an invite for SM and has already discussed who he/she wants to join, do not sneak in the last. Give the organizer at least a second request to join before you jump in there because someone went AFK.