Fry
Herping 'n derping
Ello, I’m Fry, and I’ve been twinking in the 20 bracket since 2013—though I took a long break in between. I was never really a guild person; I was briefly part of Nagaz with Attitudez (AP) and Twinks No More (Quel'Thalas), but I mostly just played with friends on Misha (Mixxar) and stuck to pugs without getting too involved in communities.
When I came back to WoW in June 2024, everything felt different. All of my old friends had quit, XpOff wasn’t as active as I remembered, and pugging felt a bit horrible… mainly thanks to the 2 hr queues making it hard to even get a game. I wasn’t really sure what to do with myself, but while browsing XpOff, I saw one of the many Golden Twinkies recruitment threads and figured I’d give it a go (and brought back Phron with me in the process). I had some doubts, though. Years ago, I participated in a few wargames run by different people, and the experience had been way more stressful than fun. My English was worse back then, which made me even more anxious, and some players would rage or yell at anything, which wasn’t the kind of environment I enjoyed. Now I just wanted to play the game but realized that sitting in a two-hour queue for pugs wasn’t it.
So I've made this thread to share my thoughts about various aspects of the guild. As someone who, in over 11 years since Twinkinfo, has never been involved in drama, I thought maybe this would be insightful for people that have heard about GT but haven't been in there.
TL;DR: GT is a rainbow-colored small chaos where wargames are actually fair, gear restrictions could make you wanna cry, and Life will declare you her bestie forever before you can even react. GT spams xpoff like it's Black Friday and some people hate the GM so much they might as well start a support group (seriously, get help). Despite all that, GT wargames are far better than 20 pugs will ever be, and are full of nice, good people that make games fun.
When I came back to WoW in June 2024, everything felt different. All of my old friends had quit, XpOff wasn’t as active as I remembered, and pugging felt a bit horrible… mainly thanks to the 2 hr queues making it hard to even get a game. I wasn’t really sure what to do with myself, but while browsing XpOff, I saw one of the many Golden Twinkies recruitment threads and figured I’d give it a go (and brought back Phron with me in the process). I had some doubts, though. Years ago, I participated in a few wargames run by different people, and the experience had been way more stressful than fun. My English was worse back then, which made me even more anxious, and some players would rage or yell at anything, which wasn’t the kind of environment I enjoyed. Now I just wanted to play the game but realized that sitting in a two-hour queue for pugs wasn’t it.
So I've made this thread to share my thoughts about various aspects of the guild. As someone who, in over 11 years since Twinkinfo, has never been involved in drama, I thought maybe this would be insightful for people that have heard about GT but haven't been in there.
When I joined GT’s Discord, my first thought was, what the hell is this? There were hearts everywhere, channels on top of channels, and a blinding mess of colors. My immediate impression was that it was some kind of childish, roleplaying guild, and I wasn’t prepared for that at all. I almost just left right then and there and resigned myself to the long pug queues, but instead, I decided to at least join their comms and see how things were.
That didn’t exactly make things better. Everyone was friendly—maybe too friendly. Life (GM) told me to be her best friend within minutes, which was genuinely terrifying. At the time, I didn’t realize she was just an extremely extroverted and welcoming person, and as someone with social anxiety, it felt intense and overwhelming. I didn’t stick around in comms much after that, but even outside of voice chat, people would offer help in guild chat or even DM me in case I needed anything.
Despite that, I didn’t accept any help. I’ve always been very self-sufficient, and neither Phron nor I wanted to rely on anyone for gearing. I also didn’t want to feel like I owed anything to the guild or that taking handouts would make it harder to leave if I ended up disliking it. I wanted to be able to make my own decision about staying, so we started updating our old twinks on our own and seeing how things went.
That didn’t exactly make things better. Everyone was friendly—maybe too friendly. Life (GM) told me to be her best friend within minutes, which was genuinely terrifying. At the time, I didn’t realize she was just an extremely extroverted and welcoming person, and as someone with social anxiety, it felt intense and overwhelming. I didn’t stick around in comms much after that, but even outside of voice chat, people would offer help in guild chat or even DM me in case I needed anything.
Despite that, I didn’t accept any help. I’ve always been very self-sufficient, and neither Phron nor I wanted to rely on anyone for gearing. I also didn’t want to feel like I owed anything to the guild or that taking handouts would make it harder to leave if I ended up disliking it. I wanted to be able to make my own decision about staying, so we started updating our old twinks on our own and seeing how things went.
When our toons were finally ready, we jumped into wargames to see how they felt. I was extremely nervous, mostly because of my past experiences with wargames years ago. I had struggled with anxiety, language barriers, and raging players, and I fully expected to run into the same issues again. I was also hesitant to even mention that I had played years ago—I didn’t want anyone to assume I should be good or have expectations for me. The truth was, I had always been a pugger, and the only kind of "teamplay" I knew was surviving alongside three normal players and six braindeads. I had no idea how to function in an actual organized team environment.
I fully expected the games to be toxic, but I was completely wrong. No one yelled. No one was rude. No one was horrible. Instead, people encouraged me.
GT members were friendly and patient. No one judged me for being rusty, and I saw players of all skill levels participating, from strong veterans to people who were still learning. More than that, I noticed they weren’t just forming teams based on comps, but also on balancing skill levels to try and make games fun for everyone. That, more than anything, made me relax. I saw firsthand that they actively tried to avoid toxicity—feedback was given without people insulting each other or telling them to uninstall the game. You could say someone made a mistake without telling them to kill themselves. At the end of the day, it was just a group of mature people who wanted to have fun and make it fun for others.
At the time, there were other attempts to bring the 20s bracket back. Some of the people that participated in them were people who didn’t like GT’s gear restrictions—or their rule against toxicity. I didn’t care or knew some of those people, so I joined everything I could just to get games. I enjoyed the other wargames, but they felt more like slightly organized pugs rather than actual wargames. People didn’t take them as seriously—most wouldn’t join comms, gear properly, or even show up reliably. Over time, it became harder and harder to form teams, and eventually, people stopped organizing them altogether. Phron and I even hosted twice, but it was clear that the effort just wasn’t there.
I fully expected the games to be toxic, but I was completely wrong. No one yelled. No one was rude. No one was horrible. Instead, people encouraged me.
GT members were friendly and patient. No one judged me for being rusty, and I saw players of all skill levels participating, from strong veterans to people who were still learning. More than that, I noticed they weren’t just forming teams based on comps, but also on balancing skill levels to try and make games fun for everyone. That, more than anything, made me relax. I saw firsthand that they actively tried to avoid toxicity—feedback was given without people insulting each other or telling them to uninstall the game. You could say someone made a mistake without telling them to kill themselves. At the end of the day, it was just a group of mature people who wanted to have fun and make it fun for others.
At the time, there were other attempts to bring the 20s bracket back. Some of the people that participated in them were people who didn’t like GT’s gear restrictions—or their rule against toxicity. I didn’t care or knew some of those people, so I joined everything I could just to get games. I enjoyed the other wargames, but they felt more like slightly organized pugs rather than actual wargames. People didn’t take them as seriously—most wouldn’t join comms, gear properly, or even show up reliably. Over time, it became harder and harder to form teams, and eventually, people stopped organizing them altogether. Phron and I even hosted twice, but it was clear that the effort just wasn’t there.
One of the biggest reasons people don’t join GT is the gear restrictions. It’s something I’ve heard people complain about since I got here. I get it—having separate sets for GT games and pugs takes more time. The extra effort of swapping gear, re-gemming, and adjusting mid-games can feel like a hassle. But after playing both styles of wargames, I can confidently say: the extra effort is 100% worth it.
GT games feel different because they are less bursty. That might not sound like a big deal, but when there’s less burst, you actually have room to play strategically. Instead of two overpowered players destroying the enemy team, you get to play smart, outmaneuver people, and actually work together. It’s not just about pressing buttons faster—it’s about positioning, decision-making, and playing as a team.
I personally have three sets of gear: GT Shadow, GT Disc, and a pug set. It took me way longer to gear them all, but I keep coming back because I genuinely enjoy the games.
Some rules can feel strict—like banning weapons on certain class/specs—but it forces players to focus on teamplay over individual performance. The point isn’t to create star players or superheroes—it’s to create actual teams.
I’m not some super knowledgeable player, and I don’t claim to be an expert on balance. But I have played enough pugs and other wargames to notice a huge difference. And even though gearing took extra time, I still choose to play here because the games are simply better.
GT games feel different because they are less bursty. That might not sound like a big deal, but when there’s less burst, you actually have room to play strategically. Instead of two overpowered players destroying the enemy team, you get to play smart, outmaneuver people, and actually work together. It’s not just about pressing buttons faster—it’s about positioning, decision-making, and playing as a team.
I personally have three sets of gear: GT Shadow, GT Disc, and a pug set. It took me way longer to gear them all, but I keep coming back because I genuinely enjoy the games.
Some rules can feel strict—like banning weapons on certain class/specs—but it forces players to focus on teamplay over individual performance. The point isn’t to create star players or superheroes—it’s to create actual teams.
I’m not some super knowledgeable player, and I don’t claim to be an expert on balance. But I have played enough pugs and other wargames to notice a huge difference. And even though gearing took extra time, I still choose to play here because the games are simply better.
The "GT Stigma" in PUGS
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how much random people in pugs hate GT members on sight. I don’t know the old guild drama—I wasn’t around for that—but I’ve noticed that just having GT under your name makes some people immediately start trash-talking, assuming you’re cheating, or accusing you of queueing in premades. The funny thing is, most GT members don’t even pug. The ones who are super active in wargames rarely queue for randoms, yet there’s this weird assumption that GT is constantly farming pugs in premades. Realistically, with over 200 active members and only one game happening at a time, it’s inevitable that you’ll end up in the same match as other guild members. That doesn’t mean we’re in voice chat, coordinating, or trying to stomp people—it’s just the numbers at play. If anything, the few GT members who do pug are just trying to get a game when wargames aren’t scheduled. But the second people see the GT tag, they lose their minds.
Horrible people
I have also seen firsthand that some people genuinely hate Life as a person and, by extension, hate GT. I wasn’t just told about it—I’ve personally witnessed people being outright transphobic, trying to sneak into GT channels just to hurl insults at Life for existing. Some even go out of their way to target me or other GT players in pugs, simply because we have the guild tag. Seriously, get help.
GT SPAM
Yes, GT Spams Xpoff—A Lot. I get why people say GT spams Xpoff, because… yeah, they do. Maybe part of that is just because there isn’t much forum activity anymore, but let’s be real—do we really need three different all-caps threads screaming "GT HERE JOIN" at the same time? Probably not. The recruitment effort is aggressive, and I understand why it might annoy people.
GT Isn’t Exactly for Brand-New Players
GT is super welcoming, and people are happy to answer questions, but it’s not exactly a beginner-friendly guild in the sense that there aren’t structured guides on gearing, playing, or even how to start twinking at 20. There’s no official handbook or step-by-step process, so newer players might have a bit of a learning curve. That said, people here are really sweet, and if you’re completely lost, someone will probably step in to help. But if you’re not brand new, a little proactivity is expected—you’ll get answers if you ask, but no one’s going to hold your hand the whole way.
Lack of flexibility and guild growing too much
There's nights where there's so many people that we end-up doing like 2 hrs. of ABs. I know for some this would be a good thing, but the majority of us JUST WANT TO PLAY WARSONG. Also, with the increase of players, some classes are overflowed, like priests. I love playing priest but I can see we have 300 priests on GT and people don't always wanna make multiple classes or even change to dps instead of heals (or viceversa). I suppose it's difficult to manage so much people. Not really GTs fault but it can be a problem. Oh, and lately no one wants to FC. If you're an FC, WE NEED YOU!
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how much random people in pugs hate GT members on sight. I don’t know the old guild drama—I wasn’t around for that—but I’ve noticed that just having GT under your name makes some people immediately start trash-talking, assuming you’re cheating, or accusing you of queueing in premades. The funny thing is, most GT members don’t even pug. The ones who are super active in wargames rarely queue for randoms, yet there’s this weird assumption that GT is constantly farming pugs in premades. Realistically, with over 200 active members and only one game happening at a time, it’s inevitable that you’ll end up in the same match as other guild members. That doesn’t mean we’re in voice chat, coordinating, or trying to stomp people—it’s just the numbers at play. If anything, the few GT members who do pug are just trying to get a game when wargames aren’t scheduled. But the second people see the GT tag, they lose their minds.
Horrible people
I have also seen firsthand that some people genuinely hate Life as a person and, by extension, hate GT. I wasn’t just told about it—I’ve personally witnessed people being outright transphobic, trying to sneak into GT channels just to hurl insults at Life for existing. Some even go out of their way to target me or other GT players in pugs, simply because we have the guild tag. Seriously, get help.
GT SPAM
Yes, GT Spams Xpoff—A Lot. I get why people say GT spams Xpoff, because… yeah, they do. Maybe part of that is just because there isn’t much forum activity anymore, but let’s be real—do we really need three different all-caps threads screaming "GT HERE JOIN" at the same time? Probably not. The recruitment effort is aggressive, and I understand why it might annoy people.
GT Isn’t Exactly for Brand-New Players
GT is super welcoming, and people are happy to answer questions, but it’s not exactly a beginner-friendly guild in the sense that there aren’t structured guides on gearing, playing, or even how to start twinking at 20. There’s no official handbook or step-by-step process, so newer players might have a bit of a learning curve. That said, people here are really sweet, and if you’re completely lost, someone will probably step in to help. But if you’re not brand new, a little proactivity is expected—you’ll get answers if you ask, but no one’s going to hold your hand the whole way.
Lack of flexibility and guild growing too much
There's nights where there's so many people that we end-up doing like 2 hrs. of ABs. I know for some this would be a good thing, but the majority of us JUST WANT TO PLAY WARSONG. Also, with the increase of players, some classes are overflowed, like priests. I love playing priest but I can see we have 300 priests on GT and people don't always wanna make multiple classes or even change to dps instead of heals (or viceversa). I suppose it's difficult to manage so much people. Not really GTs fault but it can be a problem. Oh, and lately no one wants to FC. If you're an FC, WE NEED YOU!
VC Matters: GT Is a Social Group, Not Just a Wargame Machine
One thing I’ve noticed in my time with GT is that voice chat plays a big role in how social the guild feels, which isn’t exactly easy for anxious people like myself. While not everyone is comfortable with vc, it’s undeniable that the guild is more engaging when people actually talk. Players are much more likely to help and interact if they see you as part of the community rather than just someone who shows up for wargames. GT isn’t a "wargames on demand" team—it’s a group of friends who decided to form a guild together. For many, this is their online family, and people naturally protect their families. If you join expecting only a competitive wargame environment without engaging socially, you might miss out a bit (a lot!).
While there are plenty of text conversations in Discord, vc is where most of the real engagement happens. The guild doesn’t feel like a closed-off clique where outsiders struggle to fit in—I came in knowing no one, and I still found a place here. It’s large, but welcoming. After eight months in GT, I can say I’ve made actual friends. I look forward to playing with—or against—certain people, something I didn’t expect when I first joined. There’s a social layer beyond just showing up for wargames, and embracing that makes the experience far more enjoyable.
And GT isn’t just about wargames. Recently, the guild put together its first level 30 raiding team, something new for the group. In the past, there have been movie nights and other social events, and for a while, people would even hang out in vc with cameras on. Maybe they still do—I just don’t join those as often anymore.
Oh, and we have a Minecraft server, too. (PLEASE, COME PLAY!!!!)
Leadership & Organization
Back when I first joined GT, leadership felt more present and involved in day-to-day activities. That’s not to say they aren’t around now—there are still plenty of officers and leaders willing to help—but with how much the guild has grown, it’s understandable that things feel a little different. The one thing I do recognize about Life is how supportive and approachable she is. Whether it’s about something small like “I don’t agree with this rule” or something personal, I’ve seen firsthand how much time and effort she puts into listening, finding solutions, and being there for people. For the record, I only met Life after joining GT—so there’s no bias here. I just genuinely see the work she puts in.
Once you get used to the colors and layout, the Discord feels structured and useful. The sheer number of channels might feel overwhelming at first, but over time, you realize that most of them serve a purpose. And again, people in general are pretty helpful—you just have to ask.
One thing I’ve noticed in my time with GT is that voice chat plays a big role in how social the guild feels, which isn’t exactly easy for anxious people like myself. While not everyone is comfortable with vc, it’s undeniable that the guild is more engaging when people actually talk. Players are much more likely to help and interact if they see you as part of the community rather than just someone who shows up for wargames. GT isn’t a "wargames on demand" team—it’s a group of friends who decided to form a guild together. For many, this is their online family, and people naturally protect their families. If you join expecting only a competitive wargame environment without engaging socially, you might miss out a bit (a lot!).
While there are plenty of text conversations in Discord, vc is where most of the real engagement happens. The guild doesn’t feel like a closed-off clique where outsiders struggle to fit in—I came in knowing no one, and I still found a place here. It’s large, but welcoming. After eight months in GT, I can say I’ve made actual friends. I look forward to playing with—or against—certain people, something I didn’t expect when I first joined. There’s a social layer beyond just showing up for wargames, and embracing that makes the experience far more enjoyable.
And GT isn’t just about wargames. Recently, the guild put together its first level 30 raiding team, something new for the group. In the past, there have been movie nights and other social events, and for a while, people would even hang out in vc with cameras on. Maybe they still do—I just don’t join those as often anymore.
Oh, and we have a Minecraft server, too. (PLEASE, COME PLAY!!!!)
Leadership & Organization
Back when I first joined GT, leadership felt more present and involved in day-to-day activities. That’s not to say they aren’t around now—there are still plenty of officers and leaders willing to help—but with how much the guild has grown, it’s understandable that things feel a little different. The one thing I do recognize about Life is how supportive and approachable she is. Whether it’s about something small like “I don’t agree with this rule” or something personal, I’ve seen firsthand how much time and effort she puts into listening, finding solutions, and being there for people. For the record, I only met Life after joining GT—so there’s no bias here. I just genuinely see the work she puts in.
Once you get used to the colors and layout, the Discord feels structured and useful. The sheer number of channels might feel overwhelming at first, but over time, you realize that most of them serve a purpose. And again, people in general are pretty helpful—you just have to ask.
Is GT for you?
GT is a guild that thrives on fair, competitive games where teamplay matters more than individual performance. It’s a great place for people who want structured, better-quality wargames without the toxicity that usually comes with PvP. It’s not for players who need to be the star, constantly trashtalk, or can’t manage their emotions in a loss. It’s also not a good fit for players who expect to be handed everything, since gearing help, while still present, isn’t as constant as it used to be.
For me it really feels like the place to be if you care about the 20 bracket. I don’t think GT is perfect and I still pug almost daily. But wargames, even controlled wargames, is where the fun is and what I look forward to when I think of 20 twinking now.
GT is a guild that thrives on fair, competitive games where teamplay matters more than individual performance. It’s a great place for people who want structured, better-quality wargames without the toxicity that usually comes with PvP. It’s not for players who need to be the star, constantly trashtalk, or can’t manage their emotions in a loss. It’s also not a good fit for players who expect to be handed everything, since gearing help, while still present, isn’t as constant as it used to be.
For me it really feels like the place to be if you care about the 20 bracket. I don’t think GT is perfect and I still pug almost daily. But wargames, even controlled wargames, is where the fun is and what I look forward to when I think of 20 twinking now.
TL;DR: GT is a rainbow-colored small chaos where wargames are actually fair, gear restrictions could make you wanna cry, and Life will declare you her bestie forever before you can even react. GT spams xpoff like it's Black Friday and some people hate the GM so much they might as well start a support group (seriously, get help). Despite all that, GT wargames are far better than 20 pugs will ever be, and are full of nice, good people that make games fun.
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