MOMiT Loot System: The Rationale
Over three years ago now, as MOMiT and Warcraft began making the transition from "vanilla" WoW to The Burning Crusade, we knew we had to identify a loot sytem that would be appropriate for this new style of raiding. Our primary considerations were two-fold. We wanted a loot system that suited our inclusive but focused raid style, and one that had a relatively light administrative component. We believed the system should have some means of giving preference to the guild as a whole, and allow gear to be distributed somewhat evenly throughout the raid. This way we would all gear up and grow together. We chose a system that we thought would be balance our casual-friendly mission, while not hindering the guild's progress through raid content.
Our system of choice was (and still is) a lightly modified version of the Suicide Kings (SK) system.
There were two big points we needed to make right off the bat:
- The loot system does not supercede our "Loot Courtesies" system. Unofficial raids will still use those guidelines, and that spirit should inform loot decisions in the SK system. The two approaches are complementary.
- Most of our decisions have been made with guild progression in mind, rather than personal advancement.
For more a more extensive discussion on the rationale behind our decision, please see our Loot Philosophy.
The SK System: How it Works
To quickly summarize the SK system, it is a list of names. When a piece of loot drops, the person who is highest on the list that wants the item gets it, and then moves to the bottom of the list. Simple. Here's the twist: your position only changes relative to the other raiders who are present on that run. So, for the person who takes loot, they can rest happily knowing that they're not suddenly behind everyone in the guild, and the person who misses a few runs can be happy because he doesn't lose his place in line.
Example! Here is a list. People whose names are in italics are NOT present on this raid.
Gandalf
Frodo
Sam
Merry
Pippin
Boromir
Legolas
Now, say that a dagger of orc-slaying drops and Frodo, Sam, and Pippin all want it. Frodo gets it (Gandalf didn't want it) and moves to the bottom of the list, BUT ONLY INCLUDING PRESENT RAIDERS. New list:
Gandalf
Sam
Pippin
Merry
Boromir
Frodo
Legolas
You'll note that Legolas is still last (he hasn't earned anything by not being here!) and that Merry has maintained his spot as #4 in line. Pippin DID happen to pass Merry since Pippin showed up. Gandalf is safe at the top of the list until his Staff of Pwnage drops.
The SK System: MOMiT Modifications
So we've seen the "base SK" system. We have placed several modifications on top of it to make it feel more MOMiTy.
List Administration
- We will always maintain at least two lists. Lists will be divided by Tier of content, and we'll have one general list and one for tier tokens. For example, there will be one SSC/TK list and one Tier 5 list. And so on. This way, you don't need to sacrifice your chance at Tier gear to get other stuff.
- You will be placed to the very end of the line if you don't raid for one month without prior clearance. Note: being at the end of the line hardly means you will get no loot - in fact, quite a bit will probably drop to you there once we get some experience.
- New lists will be "open" for the first week of a new tier, meaning everyone raiding for that week will be randomly inserted into the list. This includes people who are present but on standby for a particular raid. Exceptions can be made in the event of a long-standing commitment that week: members are encouraged to discuss these situations with Anaea.
- Karazhan and any other non-progression instances are NOT included in these policies. We will continue using /roll and discussion to distribute loot in these raids.
Item Administration
- Any gear that is not claimed by a primary spec will be awarded FOR FREE to an off-spec, usually via /roll. We made this decision to help encourage flexibility in our raid members. Note that the Loot Courtesies are in play here - if someone would like an offset piece for his or her second spec, that should get priority over the person who wants it for a third spec s/he might maybe one day try out.
- If a BoE item drops, someone must suicide for it, or it will be put into the guild bank and eventually sold.
- Disenchant products will be sent to the bank.
- Resistance gear will not cost anything and will be divided by loot council. On resistance fights, it's important that one reliable raider be geared up quickly.
Crafting Administration
- Crafting patterns for BoE items will be loot counciled with a possible /roll involved. We want these in the hands of people who are reliable and will use them to craft things for the guild. There will be no cost for these.
- Crafting patterns for BoP items will be rolled for. As the materials cost for these are often quite extensive, we don't feel it's fair to require an SK slot for these items.
- High end crafting materials, like Runed Orbs, will be sent to the bank for eventual distribution.
To elaborate on the one month decay, we felt that this rule had to be enacted for the sake of guild progression. It seemed unbalanced to have a situation where someone could walk into an instance his or her guildies have been learning for months, and have priority over the people who've worked so hard to get there. Because that person, as he or she contributes to the group, will quickly move up in the list, we felt the decay was a good compromise.
How to See The List
We do not currently have a method for posting the list online, but if you would like to view it in-game you can download the KSK addon here. Ask an admin for a list broadcast.
Special Cases: Exceptions to the Loot System
Every now and then Blizzard gives us an item or class of item that doesn't really work within the our loot system. In those instances, we'll draft and post a separate policy governing how this particular loot will be handled. MOMiTs should be able to access these through our forums. Current and previous exceptions include:
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