Diving Deep into ESO Guild Stores and Guild Traders: Your Ultimate Guide
So, you wander Tamriel, pockets full of loot. You think, “How do I turn this pile of dragon scales and stolen cheese wheels into gold?” You’re in the right place. Let’s discuss Guild Stores and Guild Traders in The Elder Scrolls Online, the heart of player-driven economy.
Guild Stores and Guild Traders: The Basics
Think of Guild Traders as special kiosks in ESO’s marketplaces. These vendors are NPCs that guilds rent to set up shop. What sells here? Items from Guild Stores. Guild Stores are virtual shops where members list wares for sale. It’s a smart system. Guilds get a platform for goods, players gain a huge marketplace.
- Guild Trader / Guild Kiosk: These NPCs help guilds sell items. Players buy from Guild Stores and guild members sell loot to others.
Accessing These Magical Marketplaces
Ready to browse or sell? Here’s how to enter these shops:
- Accessing Guild Stores: Be a guild member. Once you’re in, visit any bank. Talk to a Banker, find the option for “Guild Store.” Click it, and you’re in your guild’s store to buy or sell. Remember, real banks only. No Banker pets.
- Accessing Guild Traders: Find Guild Traders in zone capitals. Visit major cities like Wayrest, Mournhold, or Elden Root. Traders often gather with eager buyers. Some traders also appear in overworld zones if you want a scenic shopping event.
Guild Trader Requirements: It’s Not a Free-for-All
Want to grab a Trader for your guild? You face one hurdle:
- Minimum Guild Size: You need at least 50 active members to hire Guild Traders. Start recruiting! Fifty sounds like a lot, but in ESO, guilds pop up like mudcrabs.
Selling Your Hard-Earned Loot
Ready to turn dungeon loot into gold? Here’s how:
- Step-by-Step Selling:
- First, join a guild with a Guild Trader. It’s crucial.
- Go to the nearest bank, any bank will suffice (excluding pet bankers).
- Interact with the Banker and select “Guild Store.”
- In the window’s “Sell” tab, navigate there.
- Drag items from your inventory to selling slots. Set your price.
- List your items and wait for gold!
Buying Like a Boss
Looking for crafting materials or a new set piece? Buying from Guild Traders is your best bet:
- Buyer Beware (But Not Really): Players set prices, so they can vary drastically. One’s bargain is another’s robbery. You can sort listings by time remaining. If you’re patient, you may snag a deal when sellers become eager.
Guild Trader Management: The Behind-the-Scenes Hustle
Wonder how guilds secure prime trading spots? It’s not just putting up a sign. It’s more like a weekly auction game.
The Thrilling World of Trader Hiring
- Blind Bidding Bonanza: Guilds compete for locations by placing blind bids. Think poker without seeing cards. Guild leaders or officers can bid, hoping it’s high enough to win. It’s a gamble with unknown offers from others.
- Weekly Silent Auctions: With over 200 public Guild Traders in Tamriel, it’s auction time weekly. Guilds with 50 members can bid on 10 Traders each week. Constant scrambling ensures lucrative spots.
The Price of Prime Real Estate
How much for a top-tier Guild Trader? Brace yourself.
- Eye-Watering Costs: Running a Guild Trader isn’t cheap. A portion of sales goes to ZOS (Zenimax Online Studios), and guilds keep the rest. This “guild cut” funds next week’s bid. In prime spots like Mournhold or Wayrest, traders cost over 20 million gold weekly! Yes, twenty million. Welcome to ESO economics.
Selling Items Through Guilds: Pro Tips and Tricks
Mastering the Art of Selling
We’ve discussed the basics. Let’s refine your strategy:
- Join a Trading Guild: Not all guilds are equal. If selling is the goal, join dedicated trading guilds. These focus on commerce and have prime Trader locations. They have dues, but access is worth it.
- Location, Location, Location: Like the real world, location matters. Traders in Mournhold, Wayrest, and Elden Root see the most traffic. Guilds owning these spots often charge dues for selling. It’s rent for virtual space.
Getting Paid: The Sweet Sound of Gold
- Mailbox Money: Once your item sells, no need to wait at the Trader for gold. Your share (minus a small fee) arrives in your in-game mailbox. It’s like a pleasant surprise checking your mail for gold!
Add-ons: Your Secret Weapon
- Tamriel Trade Centre (TTC): Want to be a savvy seller (and buyer)? Add-ons help. Tamriel Trade Centre tracks sales data across platforms. This helps gauge fair prices, so you don’t sell a rare item for cheap or overpay for common materials. Knowledge is power; in ESO, knowledge is gold.
Guilds in ESO: More Than Just Marketplaces
What Exactly IS a Guild, Anyway?
Beyond trading, guilds form the social backbone of ESO. They unite players with shared interests, be it trading, questing, PvP, or good company.
- Guild Defined: A guild is a group of characters united by goals. They work together to achieve tasks, building community in ESO.
- Types of Guilds: In ESO, find In-Game Guilds (NPC like Fighters Guild) and Player Guilds (created by players). We focus on Player Guilds, especially trading guilds.
Finding Your Tribe: Joining a Guild
Ready to find your guild family?
- The Guild Finder Tool: ESO has a built-in tool called Guild Finder. Press “G” to find it. Browse guilds based on focus (trading, PvP, PvE, social), activity level, and language. It’s like a dating app for guilds!
- Browsing and Filtering: Filter by guild type, focus, playstyle, and more. You can narrow the search to find a guild matching your interests perfectly.
Guild Size and Communication
- Maximum Membership: A guild can have up to 500 members. That forms a sizable community!
- Guild Chat: ESO enables chat with guildmates easily. Use commands like “/guild 1” or “/g1” for your first guild, “/guild 2” or “/g2” for your second guild, and up to five guilds. Keep chat lively!
Guild Leadership and Benefits
- Leadership Transfer: Leaders can pass their position to another member. Open the Guild panel (“G”) and visit the “Roster” tab. Planning for succession is essential, even in games!
- Benefits of Guild Membership: Guilds offer access to communities and content. They also provide events and perks that enhance your ESO experience. NPC guilds have unique quests and daily tasks for roleplaying enjoyment.
- Join Multiple Guilds: You can join five guilds in ESO. This allows diversity: a trading guild, a social guild, a PvP guild, and more!
Types of Guilds: Find Your Niche
- Trading Guilds: For selling to players, a trading guild is a must. These guilds prioritize commerce and maintain Guild Traders in strategic locations.
- NPC Guilds: Do not overlook NPC guilds! The Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Undaunted, Psijic Order, Dark Brotherhood, and Thieves Guild grant unique skills, quests, and storylines that enhance gameplay.
Other Guild Goodies
Guilds provide more than just trade and friendship:
- Guild Housing: Guilds can own halls! The leader must buy a guild deed and upgrade a house to become a guild hall. These spaces serve as social hubs for the guild.
- Guild Missions: Participating in weekly guild missions earns rewards. Check the “Guild Missions” tab weekly for available tasks.
- Guild Treasury: Some guilds use a treasury, which holds shared resources and gold. This aids in projects and Trader bids, benefiting everyone.
- Guild Tokens: In some games, Guild Tokens allow purchases in Guild Event Stores. ESO does not have Guild Tokens for stores but watch for currencies in other games.
A Quick History Lesson: Guilds Through Time
Guilds have a rich history beyond ESO!
- Historical Guilds: They were associations of craftsmen or merchants in medieval Europe. These powerful organizations controlled trade, quality, prices, and training.
- Decline of Historical Guilds: As technology advanced, traditional craft guilds weakened due to competition and internal conflicts. Many dissolved in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
- Modern “Guilds”: Today’s trade unions and professional associations preserve the spirit of medieval guilds. They represent professionals and advocate for worker interests.
- Purpose of Merchant Guilds: Historically, these guilds united traders in cities. They could be local or international, focusing on diversifying trade and goods. They played a core role in the commerce of their time.
Selling in General: Beyond Guilds
General selling skills come in handy:
- General Selling Strategies: Good strategies are vital when selling in any setting. Understand your market, know your product, present it well, and offer incentives to draw buyers. A solid pitch helps attract interest!
Thieves Guild: A Special Case
If you prefer the shady side:
- Joining the Thieves Guild: Want to be a rogue? Join the Thieves Guild with the DLC or ESO Plus. Speak to Quen in an Outlaw’s Refuge to start the “Partners in Crime” quest. Prepare for a life of shadows!
- Thieves Guild Activities: Thieves Guild quests involve “unofficial” activities across Tamriel. Stealing and looting becomes routine. It offers a morally ambiguous lifestyle in ESO.
Housing in ESO: Guild Halls and More
Discussing guild halls leads us to ESO housing:
- Buying Houses: Purchase homes from the Crown Store at any time, furnished or unfurnished. There’s a fit for every adventurer.
- Furnishing Limits: Furniture limits exist in homes. Without ESO Plus, you can place a fair amount. Subscribers enjoy greater freedom. Guild Halls can be extensively decorated for welcoming spaces.
Account Security: A Quick Word
A reminder to keep in mind:
- Account Selling is a No-No: Selling or sharing accounts goes against the rules. Protect your account and play fair!
This guide covers Guild Stores and Traders in ESO! Go join a guild, set up shop, and trade well! Happy trading! May your gold grow!