World of Warcraft Groups and Instances
Need before Greed, Free-for-All, Round Robin and Group Loot
Mar 22, 2009
Completing World of Warcraft instances usually requires the cooperation of a group of characters. Enemies in instances often drop rare or even epic loot that more than one member of the group wants. This can lead to arguments within the instance group. World of Warcraft offers several looting systems that help players distribute loot fairly.
Need Before Greed
Need before greed is probably the most popular looting system for World of Warcraft groups. When a monster drops valuable loot a small window pops up. If a player wants the item, but it isn’t essential, they select Greed. If the player really could use the item, they select Need, and if they just don’t want it they pass on the item altogether.
If a player cannot use an item in the Need before Greed system they are automatically passed. This is sometimes a problem, as players may have wanted the item for their alt (secondary character) or to disenchant.
Selecting Need trumps Greed. If more than one player chooses Need then the players roll dice for the item, with the highest score winning the item. Need before Greed works well when group members are considerate of each others needs, and offers a reasonably fair chance at dropped loot when more than one player wants the item.
Round Robin Looting Distribution
Under round robin looting rules, everyone in the group gets a turn at looting corpses, in rotation. Critics of this system note that a careful player can influence the order in which enemies get killed, increasing the odds that they will be the one to loot dungeon bosses and other mobs that drop the best loot.
Group Loot
Group loot combines round robin and need before greed looting rules. Looting proceeds on a round robin basis, but when valauable items are found the group rolls for them. The group leader sets the value limit at which people roll for items: some groups roll for every item that’s green or rarer, others only roll for blue or purple items.
Free-for-all
Under free-for-all rules, whoever gets to the corpse first gets to loot it. very few players enjoy free-for-all, as it only takes one greedy group member to turn the team into a desperate, in-fighting, team member sabotaging mess. Unless the group works very weel together, free-for-all is a good way to destroy all group loyalty very quickly.
Master Looter
Under Master Looter rules the group leader selects one person to distribute all the loot. This system is rarely used as it’s so easy to abuse. The master looter has complete power over the loot distribution, and making this looting system a very unpopular choice.
Ninja Looters and Looting Ettiquette
Under the right (or perhaps more accurately, wrong) circumstances any World of Warcraft loot system can be abused by a ninja looter. Players can avoid being labeled ninja looters by communicating with other party members, being flexible on who gets which loot, and generally practicing good looting etiquette.
Rolling Need on every item won’t get players invited to other instances. Occasionally passing on items so other players benefit will make a player much more respected and popular.
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