Was the goal of this new version to reduce the amount of guilds?
It appears that is what is happening.
Players are leaving smaller and/or less active guild in droves.
Smaller guilds are merging, I was on global chat when this actually occurred.
There does not seem to be a place now for a casual player. Will they just leave the game? I suspect this will happen.
Top guilds are recruiting frequently. Why? Maybe because this is a game and it’s supposed to be entertaining and fun. Not work.
Top players are complaining they “have nothing to do”. So maybe try and help out beginning players with tips and team builds they can actually use.
Chat is major problem for communication within the game and especially to team building.
Just one GM’S thoughts.
Mariana, Realm of the Undead
My guild is casual, yet somehow we are progressing quickly. I run a guild that is called valleyofdeath, it is meant to be casual and for the most part it is. I have restrictions in place to ensure we do not die in the water unlike what happens to smaller guilds. There is no “death detector” for guilds so smaller guilds are merging which increases everyone below their rank. The restrictions are you must collect guild seals within a 2 week period you will be kicked, if you do not have activity for 3 weeks (counted by last battle i beleive) you will be kicked. This guarantees that there are 1 no leeches and 2 no dead players who have left the game. This keeps my guild active and it gives new players a chance to see what a good guild is like, (top 600 woot) and preps them for higher guilds. There are no gold/trophy/whatever minimums and getting seals is as easy as logging in 2 days in a row and collecting them. Thoughts on how i run it, critique is welcome.
i think you are doing it cool way 
also i always try to help new players with team builds etcc when i see them in the channel (too bad chat died again)
If you aren’t getting billions of tips on how to build teams, you’re doing it wrong. Chat is full of nothing but help…WHEN IT WORKS!
Got that covered.
It mainly seems like that since there are a lot of guilds that can be considered top guilds and many of these try to consistently stay at 30 members.
I feel like the current setup of the game is set up better than it has ever been for newer players. Guild tasks are cheaper, guardians exist, multiple minigames to farm, multiple troops to farm resources with, 100s of strong builds that can be made using the lowest 3 rarities in the game, and many more.
The only disadvantage a newer player would have is if they are a completionist. It is starting to become fairly difficult to obtain absolutely everything within the game. This is mainly caused by mythic rarity troops and the rate at which new content is added to the game.
Will the top players leave when they realise they can no longer get mythic troops Day 1?
they wont leave even then, maybe complain more 
We have progressed from a start up guild to rank 254 in just over 3 months so I guess I must be doing something right. 
Yours sounds somewhat similar. Good for you and thanks for the suggestions.
Thanks.
I try to answer questions in chat too. Unfortunately there are lengthy periods of time when chat is almost entirely drivel that has nothing to do with the game and when someone asks for help with the game they get ignored. Which is really too bad.
Yes it is a social forum as well but well let’s just say it can get way out of line at times.
Yes, too bad chat died. Again.
Chat can be entirely non game related for hours at a time and I have seen many times a game related question ignored.
We went from a start up guild to rank 254 in just a little over 3 months so I must be doing something right
Appreciate everything you do for the game Tacet.
There are many though who have limited time so only have time to play.
Lot of whining going on from the top players that is for sure.
Of course they could always stop playing 
Hi I have a guild Rank 3 on ps4.Ive had a lot of requests off low level players.so I opened my second guild.to give these low level players a chance. I donate all my gold to the guild.To help,and stear them in the right direction.And this then gives them the opportunity to join our Rank 3 guild.when they are strong enough.
We don’t focus on gold donations too much as we have a number of players who donate all off their gold.
One guild is enough for me! Thanks though.
How do you run two guilds at the same time?
Two different guildmasters
I spend a few hours on each guild.the 2 guild are also in the same community.I’ve had a few move up to rank 3 already.seems to be working ok .
Seems like a lot of whining from you as well. Complaining about chat? Really? I might see one game-related question go ignored on average of once a week. Typically, that question is so poorly worded or thought out that it’s indecipherable as to what was being asked. Chat is for whatever people want to talk about. If anyone wants advice, there are TONS of options out there besides chat. Not one single person that’s ever played the game OWES anyone any advice on anything, ever. It’s actually amazing that the community IS so helpful, particularly when compared to other games. Telling veterans to just quit is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard…where would you get your demanded advice from then??? 
Well was a civilized exchange of ideas until now
By the way telling get veterans to quit was a joke hence the 