What Makes A Good Shell?

So I've been running my own endgame shell for a little over a year now, and I'm always looking to improve what we do. I've seen some good posts and links on that "#1 LS thread", but mostly that was just flames, so I was hoping to get a fresh thread with just the good stuff.

Leaving aside how people can improve actual job talent, what things have you seen in your own shells, good and bad, that are worth mentioning to others?

My group is mainly event based these days, but we also do HNMs when the mood strikes. And, I think that most good/bad comments can apply equally to endgame shells as well as socials, but I'll leave that for you to decide!

What's worked well for my crew:
- Age limit (we're 18+)
- Detailed, but not draconic, rule list (to avoid confusion)
- Points system for item distribution
- Varied monthly schedule, sticking to planned events

What hasn't worked as well:
- Departure of members (when someone leaves for w/e reason, can be tense)
- Conflicts with other shells (limbus, znm)
- Fitting in people w/o large job variety (e.g. only mnk)

I make the worse the LS mate there is..I wont lie... I do not type at all, I do not greet people, and I am out for myself on getting drops... sometimes I dont even equip my pearl and it does not work in LS's, was I always this way? The answer is no

I can admit that, I didnt start out this way. I remember joining an LS, on the day it dropped for PS2 and a level 70 WHM (her name was Alexandria on Midgard) just found me in going in to a tunnel i found in E. Ronafure..

She stopped me (not by saying What are you doing YOU NEWB! it was hey are you new), gave me a pearl, showed me around, introduced me to other newbs, and had me focus on my first missions 1-1 to 1-3. Once I got to 20, she offered to Power Level any other job to 20 but wanted me to learn the ropes on my own. Her and other members offered gil, I watched them offer help before doing anything. They said hi, how are you, with no following questions after like "are you busy", never got upset if I was in a XP party and didnt want to drop to kill a NM. Then asking for help, left you feeling awkard due to, having too many helping hands for something dumb like subjob items, or AF weapon fights...those days I was just as awesome, I knew not one thing about the game... but I cared for other players (and was just as giving and helpful), then I found that events and knowledge of the game, turns alot of us in to Jerks

so to stop my running my mouth and answer your question... it's people like her, and good leaders.

All it takes is one good leader, and a handful of people like i just described to be sac holders, the rest of us jerks will have to fall into place. You already have the right template,

- Detailed, but not draconic, rule list (to avoid confusion)
- Points system for item distribution
- Varied monthly schedule, sticking to planned events

this right here gives little to complain about, people will still complain, but you have covered the majority of LS complaints (especially the points system, watching someone lot but never put in work killed my drive to be in event ls's). The only difference I have with what you put is
Fitting in people w/o large job variety.......

I have a been a Dark Knight OnRy period since I started, and for example ACP shouts, I cant get in.... and many others, it's something I choose to do, so you shouldnt fit your "events" to match me, if I dont fit something, I'm S.O.L. So I think I can work in LS's, because it's my lost, and the less events I can attend the less points..... which trickles down

eventually I went to my moogle and started a second Job
YAY BLM LEVEL 5 and BST level 21 LMAO!

Quality over quanity, dont need a big ls of ppl who dont know wtf theyre doing. I had a endgame ls with 20 ppl and we did all limbus,znm and scnm without problems and it was fun.

No need to be really strict, its only a game. Make sure ur leaders lead, not just another peral in ur ls to boss ppl around. If theyre in charge they should be running something.

Get rid of dead weight, if ppl only show up for items they want or certian events drops them. Alot of ls die due to lack of events, if u keep busy u shouldnt have a problem getting ppl and keeping what u have.

If ur patient and picky u can build a good ls that should last a long time.

Biggest problem I see in most shells. I have been in many end-game LS's. Some great but greedy others not so great but very fair. It seems the great ones the leaders are only about themselves. They dont care about what the majority of their members want/need so as long as they get another relic. They also can NEVER start events on time. Einherjar 1 hour + late. Dynamis 2 hours + late.

The very fair and decent LS's seem to only do certain events these days. Sky onry or Limbo Onry shells dont last because people want more. They join shells to get the events they want and can not stay in <event> onry shells because its mandatory they do all events with shell they joined.

LS's that make sacks that are vitrually useless seems common also. Every sack should have a roll of some importance like leading something. I have been in a couple that their spouse is a sack but dont know ***. Just sacked because they can be. Others friends are sacked and dont lead anything neither. Just take up space and pretend to be in charge of something. Example: The leader of my sky shell couldnt make a run due to IRL stuff. The sack in charged canceled the run. There was no reason for it. Even with 5-6 people you can farm any triggers in sky.