DKP/ loot distribution addon, what to use?Follow

I don't have any info on DKP or other systems, I just wanted to add something about a mainspec/offspec system. The guild I've been in for nearly 4 years uses this, even in 25mans and it works because of a few things. We have three ranks - Initiate, Potential and Raider. Raiders roll for mainspec first, then it goes to the other 2 ranks as a "non-raider" roll if no raiders want it and then to offspec. So that way you don't have a new recruit winning a tier token over a longtime member and leaving. We've only had a few people leave before making raider status due to this rule since if you sign up and show up to raids, you are promoted fairly quickly. And at this point in a tier, our raiders are already geared. Our only exception is tanking gear - we have 3 "main" tanks and 2 "backup" tanks. The main tanks get first shot at the tank gear, then backups, then everyone else. This is only because we use our backup tanks frequently, so they need to be appropriately geared for content.

EPGP works pretty well. Highly recommended.

Effort Points/Gear Points.

Announce any changes WELL in advance of the changes taking place. For instance, if you're considering starting a loot system, let everyone know when you start considering it, and what you're considering. Also, if you are going to tinker with it, announce that in advance too.

The guild I was in right before ICC came out decided to bring in 6-8 people from another guild for our core 25-man raids, plus some other people to fill out a couple 10-man groups. Rather than start them at in the middle between people that just won a lot of loot and people that haven't had anything lately, the officers decided to reset everyone's points. Except they decided this before we spent a week raiding, and a couple people that had friends that were officers blew all their DKP that week, and the rest of us got some piddly amount of gold.

Damn. That really makes me treasure my guild a lot more. Sure, I've had some **** luck with gear drops on my priest in the last two months (aside from the last two weeks we've raided where I finally got drops again) but I've never been asked to pass because officer so and so's X could use it more. As far as I know, that doesn't happen in my guild at all, although I have heard stories of them having to deal with that in the guild that the founding members came from. That really blows.

Various loot systems, pros and cons. Summed up better than I could do quickly.

Really I guess the question that comes to mind, and the reasoning behind my jest above, is whether or not the 'loot' issues were a symptom or a cause of a problem. A lot of times deeper rifts will open up in a raid group over time that simply manifest themselves in first in loot dispute. Meaning 'fixing' the problem just puts you as raid leader in the middle of a squabble between a couple of officers (just as a random example).

Back when I raid led we used simple current-spec/off-spec rolls. Whatever spec you were for the fight was your 'current spec' with a few notable exceptions (1-tank fights, etc.) However we were often pugging the last couple of spots, and giving the PuGs a shot a loot made things smoother.

Best of luck choosing your system though.

Also: my cynical side likes Nyte's system.


Edited, Oct 19th 2011 3:40pm by someproteinguy

Our current system is very similar with the caveat that we have 1st roll, 2nd roll etc on everything from each raid. So say on night 1 of BoT I win something on a main spec roll, if something drops on night 2 I would have to wait for 2nd main spec roll.

It is a fair system I think. It's just obnoxious seeing most of the loot go to a pug due to sheer luck.

As I said though, if pugs didn't get a shot, then why would they bother coming?

The guild I am in currently uses EpGp and Bidder to distribute loot. Players are allowed to pool points amoung thier character, thus rewarding attendance. New players/raiders can go into negative point totals, allowing them to pick up gear that may have been sharded. We also have a system where the price is discounted during the bid process. Main spec roll were full price, Off spec bid were discounted, then another discount for off off spec and then finally a really reduced Fire Sale... all before the loot was sharded for the guild bank. Tokens are bid on, but you (the character, not the player) are locked out for 2 weeks after winning. We never had any real drama... only over a few pieces that were better optimised by one class over another.

I will say the people in this guild are some of the best people I've ever played with. We are never going to be a true hardcore raiding guild, but I seriously enjoy the time I raid with them.