Which loot system do you prefer for group content?

Hakaiju

Alpha 1 is right around the corner so i would like to discuss one of the most game defining systems in a MMORPG - the loot system. For people new to the genre here is a small explanation of all possible looting rules that i know. I will add some pros and cons to each system if i have some time or if someone has good arguments for/against each system.


Master Loot: The party/raid lead is in charge of all loot and can decide which items go to whom.

Pros:
No random distribution
Enables discussion
Cons:
Exploitable if wrong person is the leader
Personal favors play a big roll

Dice Roll: This is often coupled with the Master Loot system: Each person who wants to have a specific item rolls a dice from 1 to 100. The highest roll wins the item.

Pros:
No tension between party members
Cons:
Not everyone should roll at every item (greed/need)
If unlucky, you dont get any items for a long time

Highest Bid: Each dropped item has its own auction between all party members. The item goes to the person who bids the most gold on it, the gold is automatically distributed to all other party members.

Pros:
Greedy people need a lot of money
If a rare item drops, everyone gets gold
Itemvalue is relevant
Cons:
The rich get most items
People who dont need the item might bid so you have to pay more

Free Loot: The items is not protected by any system and can be looted by every party member.

Pros:
Builds a lot of trust if done correctly
Cons:
Possibel to create a lot of tension between party members
Ninja looter

Personal Loot: Items will be automatically distributed to every party member, without any social interaction.

Pros:
No tension between party members
Cons:
No social interaction between party members
Luck plays a big role

Sathrago

daveywavey wrote: »

Sathrago wrote: »

To be clear the OP only said group content, they did not specify whether it was with random players or friends. This is why I would use need vs greed or bidding for pug groups but masterloot for guild content.

In their very first post, yes, that's correct.

But not in this bit:
"I see how you might manage it with a group of friends or your guild, but with randoms this doesnt really work (at least the way i understand it)"

Well I can tell you for sure that personal loot is a great way to inflate the economy and can still be exploited heavily as most items can be traded unlike world if warcraft.

As for round Robin they have already told you the downside. The reason why dice rolls are good for random players is because you leave it up to chance, with a social understanding that players will only need on items they actually need or risk getting kicked from the group and possibly killed.
The bidding system though could be the hidden gem among these options, and if it works correctly I could see this being one of the prime loot rule choices for both randoms and guilds. Think about it, you dont even have to bid at all and can join these groups to gain a cut of extra gold.

Edit: I just realized the dice roll the op suggested and need vs greed are different. I would rather have a need vs greed system than a straight roll for each item.