Outlands Power Rankings

Hello and Welcome

Greetings once more, champions of Avadon,

In the wake of the unprecedented success of the Town Struggle Power Rankings, the echo of enthusiasm from the community has been resounding.

The craving for recognition, the hunger for competition, and the appreciation for our carefully considered evaluations have been overwhelming. It seems we’ve tapped into a vein of ardor for strategy, skill, and camaraderie that runs deep within the heart of our beloved community.

Buoyed by your support and heeding your collective clarion call for more, we present to you the 2023 Q3 mid-season Ultima Online Outlands Guild Rankings. Through these rankings, we will delve deeper into the tapestry of our vibrant community, acknowledging the guilds that have excelled in strategy, teamwork, and prowess on the battlefield.

We continue to stand by our unwavering commitment to transparency, rigor, and respect in this ongoing endeavor to assess and appreciate the passion and performance that make our world so enthralling.

The Tribunal

We turn our attention to the architects of these prestigious rankings. As a community, we understand the importance of the judges having first-hand experience of the competitive environment and a deep understanding of the complexities of guild warfare. We are proud to introduce [Bane] as The Tribunal for this important task.

Boasting dominance in our server [Bane] has showcased exemplary participation and victories in numerous events and PvP encounters. From their triumphant record in arranged fights against all accepting guilds to their unprecedented dominance in the Corpse Creek Contest, [Bane] is in an unrivaled position to undertake the ranking of other guilds. As you can see in Fig 1, no other guild is even close.

Fig 1: Bane Dominance in CCC

However, in the spirit of fairness, transparency, and to eliminate any perception of bias, The Tribunal will recuse itself from the rankings. This decision underlines our commitment to providing an impartial and just ranking process, underpinned by extensive in-game knowledge and experience. We believe that it is this meticulous approach that gives our rankings their well-earned credibility.

The Rankings

Without further ado we present your Ultima Online Outlands 2023 Q3 Mid-Season Guild Power Rankings:

Justification

1. [frog]* – Frog has displayed excellent play and limitless potential this season in all facets of outlands pvp including arranged fights, events, and factions. However, this first place ranking comes with an asterisk as we have not seen enough data following the loss of their fearless leader Chappey and esteemed shooter Doink’s mysterious dismissal from the guild.
2. [EVIL] – EVIL has shown tremendous skill and flair when they are able to assemble a team to fight. EVIL has a solid leader in Mara Jade and shooters with hearts of lions. Heavily affecting this ranking are both key wins in difficult event situations and strong showings in arranged fights.
3. [A] – While it pains the judges of this ranking to see Anarchy fall from grace, we feel it to be absolutely necessary, Anarchy has indeed had poor showings in events this season, but what’s worse: what appears to be attempts to inflate CCC stats by showing up to 4am EST events and point sitting has been observed. This is in addition to competing on a second guild stone (s9) where they went 15-249 last season, then deleting the stone so it “didn’t happen”. Truly, the only thing keeping Anarchy in a top position has been individual performances from their duelers and flair in arranged fights. However, any further evidence of stat manipulations will result in a severe ranking penalty next quarter.
4. [IRON] – The IRON army is fierce and strong but they feel bad projecting their strength onto inferior opponents so they handicap themselves with alcohol before every fight. Beware the true strength of IRON.
5. [PEC] – Koreans are renowned worldwide for their exceptional prowess in computer gaming, and [PEC] is no exception. Unfortunately number of players brought to fights, alliances with Matt / almost every other guild on the shard, and 250+ ping handicaps lower the ranking of this guild.
6. [MMx] – MMx displayed strong leadership as they turned a group of ex-syn and new players alike into a competitive DFP force. Not much has been seen of MMx as of late, so this combined with poor performances outside of DFP lower this guild’s ranking.
7. [BoW] – Despite having the 5th ranked town struggle caller in emo trans, BoW has displayed abysmal performances in events (CCC, DFP) and has dodged all arranged fights.

Methods

Compiling these rankings was no mere arbitrary task. We followed a rigorous methodology, relying on empirical data, extensive observations, and meticulous analysis. The central metrics guiding our evaluation are as follows:

1. Kill to Death Ratio (K/D): An objective indicator of a guild’s combat efficiency. It demonstrates not only raw power, but also strategy and tactical prowess. For instance, [frog]*, despite recent leadership changes, has consistently maintained a high K/D ratio – a testament to their formidable strength and versatility in PvP.
2. Event Performance: We took into account each guild’s performance in various in-game events, recognizing those who rise to the occasion. Guilds like [EVIL] have shown resilience and determination under challenging circumstances, raising their rank despite not always being the biggest presence.
3. Arranged Fight Success: An opportunity for guilds to display their tactical brilliance, coordination, and adaptation to various battle situations. Unfortunately, some guilds like [BoW] have avoided these contests, impacting their ranking negatively.
4. Strategic Positioning: This goes beyond mere numbers; it’s about the smart deployment of resources and personnel in the heat of battle. This is where guilds like [IRON] and [PEC] have demonstrated their finesse, albeit with distinct handicaps.
5. Leadership: Strong leadership can significantly elevate a guild’s performance and morale. Case in point: [MMx], who turned a motley crew into a competitive force.
6. Ethical Conduct: Our analysis also takes into account each guild’s conduct, both in and out of battle. Instances of alleged stat manipulations, as in the case of [A], can adversely affect a guild’s ranking, reflecting the importance of integrity in our evaluation process.

Our approach is not static but is continually refined to reflect the dynamic nature of Ultima Online Outlands. The aim is to promote fair play, celebrate excellence, and maintain the spirit of competition among all guilds. Remember, these rankings are not set in stone; they are a snapshot of the current state of play, subject to change with each guild’s future performance.