These are the basic rules for The Order of the Silverflame [OSF] and we know that all of us will fail at them at times, but try to always abide by them to make everyone's life (Including ours) a little easier as there's nothing we dislike more than telling someone off; at the end of the day we all want to be the best we can at any given moment and following these simple rules will ensure that we come very close to being just that.

1. Have TeamSpeak installed and being able to listen to your raid-leader.
We use TeamSpeak [TS] version 3 from http://teamspeak.com/
* While we are relaxed on TS, excessive chatter or banter is generally not accepted during raids.
* Make sure push-to-talk is enabled.

2. Your gear should be enchanted/gemmed.
Everyone that's in the raid with you wants progress/less wipes, make sure your gear is as good as it can be.
We use http://be.imba.hu , http://wow-heroes.com, RAWR, etc. to evaluate your gear, if you're missing enchants/gems you are making Baby jebuz cry and we'll have your role-officer come down on you like a ton of bricks.
* The level of enchants we'll be expecting is best available
* See 7.2 for requirements

3. Bring pots/flasks when needed (always bring manna/health pots)
Pots are mandatory. ALWAYS bring them, we can understand if you don't use flasks/elixirs on farm content BUT always bring it for progress raids.
Bring enough flasks for the entire evening. 5 is a good number as this leaves a few spare.
* The guild will feasts and other pots for progress push raids [e.g. TOTGC, ICC10 LK, etc]

4. Make sure you rep with Sons of Hodir for your shoulder enchant.
This is basically the same as rule2, the only reason for not doing it is if you're a scribe [have Inscription] and can make the better ones.

5. You MUST have ORA3, OMEN and DeadlyBossMods [DBM] installed
These are your your basic raiding addons; install them and keep them up to date.
See 7.3 for details

6. Be online in time for raids.
Be online and on TS at invite start.
You will no longer have a guaranteed spot 5 minutes before raid start and will be cancelled from attendance if you're not online at raid start if nothing else is agreed upon either in-game or via a note on the raid-planner. [See 7.6] 

7. Come prepared.
Read up on new encounters [see 7.5] and know your specific role in the fights as well as the below:

7.1. Raiding spec
This goes without saying: sort your spec; no half-ass PVP/PVE specs;
If you don't know how to spec ask a class brother/sister or check http://www.elitistjerks.com

7.2. Sort your Enchants / Gems.
The basic rule of the best enchant you can get for item level 232 and above.
Make sure that you are able to buy the "Sons Of Hodir" Exalted enchants.
There have been discussions about tanks favouring the PVP enchant over this one but the only exception to this rule is if you have inscription as a trade skill.
Epic gems in item level 232 and above.

7.3. Have the required add-ons installed and UPDATED BEFORE every raid.
Required add-ons:
Omen threat meter http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... meter.aspx
Deadly Boss Mods http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... -mods.aspx
ORA3 http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... /ora3.aspx
and Tanking Frames for Ora3 : http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... s/wtf.aspx
Pallypower (If you're a paladin) http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... power.aspx
Smartres 2 (If you're a ressing class) http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addo ... tres2.aspx
* Highly recommend installing the curse client to keep your addons up to date
* We also highly recommend RaidBuffStatus [RBS] to check and set buffs
* Grid configured to show people in range, in combination with RBS in just-my-buffs-mode or similar will help you keep you personal buffs up and buff others when they get in range

7.5. Read up on the fights were going to face during the raid.
Use Wowwiki.com or Wowhead.com and check Tankspot.com and Youtube.com

7.6 Be timely.
There are at times going to be in excess of 24 other people waiting on you.
Our raid times are set. Use an alarm in necessary but if the cat is on fire, we are going to spend some time laughing while waiting for you to tell us about it. [see 8]
Sign for raid using the raid planner [See 12]

8. Seriousness and fun in raids.

OSF is not a hardcore raid with strict rules that are enforced without mercy. That being said, OSF is a raiding guild and when we raid, getting an encounter down is serious fun. 
While in preparation for an encounter from getting all buffs up quickly to listening to the raid leader and being quiet on TS when aspects of the upcoming event are being discussed, display your skill and friendliness by showing respect for others.
To keep raids fun we need to concentrate on the aspects of the raid that make it fun and not on the parts that are not as exciting. 
This means ensuring your personal buffs are up without being told, knowing who is in range to be buffed before a fight and to generally be as ready as soon as possible for an encounter so we can play together.

9. Pugs and Alts
These rules apply to members and trialists.
9.1 Pugs
The only raidzones you can pug when ever you like is are posted in a thread updated weekly if required.
"But what if I can't join in on the guild raiding nights?"
Then its OK to pug any of these from MONDAY EVENINGS and onwards. Reason for this is because then you should have enough time to get a group until the reset but still be available for the Monday raid if you're needed.
9.2 Alts
"QQ I wanna join on guild raids with my alt."
At times when we do old content it's fine to bring in some alts. This changes from run to run depending on what we need / don't need, but as a rule you only have ONE main and that's the char you bring to our raids. [ See 10 for additional info]
"Can i PuG with my ALT?"
Yes, of course you can pug anything you like on your ALT as long as you DON'T do it during our regular raid times.

10. Your Main Character
Main: This is the character you sign with to all the raids and the char you and the guild focuses on when assigning loot.
Your main has the benefit of using everything that's in the guildbank and using the guild repair option.
Alt: An alternative char that you play with when were not raiding, this could be a farming character or just a char you enjoy playing.
Note that the guild will in no way help you gear this char or give away free enchant mats or anything else that the guild bank has to offer.
The only exception to this rule is players with exceptional alts/offspecs [multi-mains] who have volunteered their services to the guild.
Note that the player does not choose which alt to bring and that the player has volunteered to do this. This is extremely rare and discouraged.
* See separate post on changing mains
* We do not allow account-sharing

11. Loot Distribution
We do not see the profit of using a DKP system or anything similar. Distributing the loot will be up to the "Loot Council", made up of the Roleleaders and Officers or some standing raiding member/s often discussed via TS.
Distribution is done accordingly:
1. Members (Including Guildmaster, Officers, Roleleaders) MainSpec (incl multi-mains)
2. Casual/PvP and Member's offspecs (dependant on guild-use)
3. Member's Alts / Trialists (in OSF for more than 2 weeks)
4. Casual and PvP Alts
5. Honorary Members 

12. Signing for Raids
We use a web-based raid planner where raids are put up in advance and you can indicate your availability for a specific encounter with a particular character.
The sooner you sign to a raid, the sooner the Role Leaders and Officers can choose the characters required to complete an encounter.
* We shall endeavour to post new raids no later than 24 hours before raid start.
* Signups will be locked at 15:00.
* People will be assigned at most an hour after this.
* If you are not assigned, you are considered to be on backup for an hour after raid start in case of disconnects or no-shows.
* It is a requirement for all Members to sign for all raids and to mark your signup as cancelled if you are not available, preferably giving a reason, though this is not required.
* 60% raid attendance over the last 16 raids during a month is required. Members below this threshold will be demoted on the 1st of every month.
This allows us to choose the members who are keen to raid with us, pick those that are keen and haven't raided recently and to put together a group of people with the synergy required to beat certain encounters.
Generally, an emphasis is placed on fairness over requirements.

13. Raid Markings used
1 / Skull / Tank
2 / Cross / Tank
3 / Star / Tank
4 / Orange / Tank
5 / Triangle / Sheep/Stun/Trap
6 / Moon / Sheep/Stun/Trap
7 / Square / Banish/Stun/Trap
8 / Diamond / Banish/Stun/Trap

14. Trials
We have a 6 week trial period, with no loot rights for the first 2 weeks, and Trialist rights as per 7.3 after 2 weeks
After 6 weeks, should we decide to keep you and you decide to stay, you will be promoted to Member rank with all the benefits that entails.

15. Lines of Communication
If for any reason you need to express any concerns, grievances, suggestions, etc, talk to your role leader(s) first, then the officers and finally the guild master. 

If you have any questions or need to stray from these simple rules please feel free to ask any of the officers.