It's time once again for one of the weekly features we bring you here at WoW - Ten Ton Hammer. Every week, around Monday, we'll have a brand new "WoW Weekly Hot Tips". Each week the Hot tip of the week will present you with a fresh item of information that will help you get things done faster, make WoW life easier, and much more! This week, I attempt to explain loot systems. If you don't see this week's hot tip click on "Read more..."
This week we want to explain the different loot systems. In a group, the group leader can set different ways for items to be looted. The different loot options include: Free for All, Round Robin, Master Looter, Group Loot and Need Before Greed. It is important to understand how each of these work so that you are not surprised by the outcome of a loot when in a random group.
Round Robin: In this loot system, everyone in the group takes turns looting. If a person has left items on a corpse (after viewing all items on the corpse) then those items left can be looted by anyone in the group. If a person has already received all of the quest items they need for a quest, then anyone in the party can loot the quest item off the corpse.
Group Loot: Group Loot is the default loot system. If the group leader does not set a loot option, then group loot will be the way looting is done.
In group loot, any item that is of lesser quality than uncommon, then round robin looting rules apply. However, if an item is above the set threshold for lootable items (the default is uncommon, or green, items) then a roll box will appear allowing players to roll or pass for the item. The highest roll will receive the item.
Need Before Greed: This loot system is just like Group Loot, however, if a player is unable to use the item being rolled for, they automatically pass on the item.
Free for All: In Free for All loot, any player in the group can loot any corpse.
Master Looter: Master Looter allows the group leader (or whomever the group leader sets as the designated Master Looter) to decide who gets any items that would normally be rolled for.
These are the different types of loot. As said before, the group leader sets the type of loot. This is done by right-clicking on your character portrait (located in the upper left corner of the screen). There you will see the Loot system that the group has currently. You can change the system by choosing the system you want out of the menu under the arrow to the right of the current system.
The group leader can change the threshold by right-clicking on their character portrait. The current threshold (the set of items that will be rolled on) is listed under the loot system. Uncommon (green) is the default. When the threshold is set to uncommon, all items that are green or better will be rolled on. This threshold can be changed from uncommon (green) to rare (blue) or epic (purple).
All other players in the group will see the loot system and current item threshold by right-clicking on their character portraits. However, they will not have the arrow to the right that enables them to change the system and threshold.
The best idea is to discuss with the group the loot system that will be used before setting out on an adventure.
Hopefully, this clears up any confusion on loot systems and enables you to be better prepared for looting while in a group.
