Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A Proposed DPK Looting System for Massacre End-Game Raiding

The current system for loot distribution in Karazhan has come under increasing scrutiny in the last few weeks. This system, which relies largely on random chance to award drops to those who claim a need, has been impartial and quick to employ. However, as individuals devote more time to end-game raiding and as the competition for drops intensifies one can easily see how the current system would fail to acknowledge raiders' features like seniority, past effort, and personal willingness to bargain for loot. An alternative should be entertained.

Many guilds employ a DKP system (an acronym from a different game in the past) to help distribute loot. These systems award points to members who exhibit various worthwhile features and allow members to use those points to purchase or auction (against other raid members) for particular loot items.

The benefits of such a system: (1) it recognizes personal willingness to bargain for certain loot items, (2) it provides incentives for raidmembers to conform to accepted norms, and (3) it ideally provides a more equitable and less random distribution of loot.

The drawbacks of such a system: (1) All people may not agree on how or why points are awarded, and (2) keeping track of individuals' "one-time" and "rollover" points can get tedious.

Massacre will experiment with a DKP system for the distribution of epic drops. The system details the awarding of points that will refresh at the start of each raid. A DKP point will be awarded for the following:

Non-rollover points -- points that appear at beginning of raid and disappear at its end.

  • GEM installed
  • Ventrillo installed
  • Omen2 installed
  • Preferred spec -- Tank
  • Being on-time and on-site for raid

Rollover points -- points that carryover to subsequent raids if unused.

  • Zero-sum point --- A point is awarded to those who received no epic loot during the previous run.
  • Compensation --- A point can be awarded by the MoA as compensation if an individual is slighted or wronged.

Recalling DPK points

  • Unexpected absence
  • Unexpected AFK for >5 minutes
  • Not following captain's directions during raid

Ideally this system will allow individuals to decide for themselves how much they sacrifice for a given loot item. Once all of one's points are used they may no longer bargain for a drop and could only receive loot from a need roll where the item is uncontested. Also, those who do not receive anything will not be left emptyhanded, for their "zero-sum point" will be allowed to rollover to the next raid.