When the guild comes together to raid we will use the following system to determine who gets the items that drop.
Why? When we work as a team to defeat encounters and acquire loot we should distribute the spoils as equitably as possible. While most of the time DKP maybe overkill for a 10 man guild it does ensure openness and removes any random elements (from our side at least) for rewarding team members.
Before the system is applied
Before the system is applied there is an expectation that each player knows how to optimally gear their character and also is mindful of the raid as a whole. Consider the following principles...
- Know what is good for your toon and know what is reasonably available.
- If there is competition on an item and its better suited to another character consider passing.
- You are expected to upgrade. We cant get that rare heroic drop in the future if we don't upgrade now.
- The system doesn't punish you for taking a sub optimal upgrade. So even if its not great for you, if its an upgrade, take it (so long as someone else isn't able to use it better).
The System:
Causality uses a fixed price, zero sum system. For detailed info you can read
here but basically every item has the same fixed price (per slot) and when someone takes loot using points those points are distributed evenly to all raid members present. Zero sum works very well when you have a consistent raid group with similar starting gear levels which is exactly what we have. Ultimately it sets up a rotation for loot. When competition for loot arises the current point totals will reflect how much loot one player has received relative to the other and we can distribute fairly.
An example of the numbers:
- Everyone starts on 0 points.
- A Boss is killed and an item drops.
- Player 1 takes an item using 10 points. They are now on -10.
- Everyone in the raid gets a share. So 1 point each.
- Player 1 is on -9. Players 2-10 are on 1.
In a perfect world player 1 would have to wait until the other 9 players have got something before they are back to 0 but the reality of the drops is at any time people will be quite negative and some quite positive and this will ebb and flow. The important thing is that when there is competition items are given out to the person who so far has received the least for their effort.
A few extra rules:
Pay once per slot. If you have used DKP for a slot and another item of
equal ilvl drops you may take the item without using DKP. This can only occur if no one else wants to use DKP for it. This is to encourage taking upgrades that maybe replaced by better upgrades in the same level of content. Ultimately it helps us defeat encounters. A good example is the DPS sword I took as a tank. I use points now (and upgrade slightly now) but when the more optimal tanky weapon drops I am not punished.
Off Spec Items. If an item is clearly off spec for you you can take it without using DKP. This can only occur if no one wants to use it for their main spec/role. Again this helps us later on if we need you to fill a different role for a particular fight.
In all cases when DKP is not being used /roll will determine the winner if competition exists.
Point Costs:
All current content (Firelands) will be 20 points per slot (40 for 2 handers).
Old content is no longer included (BWD, BoT etc).
Future content may have an increased cost.
Other notes:
- Crafted, reputation and points bought items always remain outside of this system. They are based on individual effort or other reward systems.
- BoE's and raid acquired mats will be distributed via this system for use on raiding toons. Mats will cost the equivalent of the item they make. If no one wants they will be sold by the guild and used for repairs / consumables or the money evenly distributed.
At all times, DKP information (totals / earned / spent / etc) will be available to raiding members via the web.