Why do we use a point system for loot distribution?

     One of the best parts of any MMO is acquiring fantastic treasures with which to equip your character. The problem is these treasures are hard to get and somewhat rare. When two dozen people work together to kill a monster, but only a few pieces of awesome gear drop, it becomes necessary to have a fair and impartial way to determine who should receive the loot. Fortunately, a point system for loot distribution accomplishes exactly that.

     I personally like point systems because they reward players based on their effort. The more you put in, the more you will get out. If you can’t raid as much as others, that’s ok. It will just take you longer to get the gear that you want.

So how does the system work?

     You earn points for doing certain things for and with the guild (we’ll go over details on how to earn points a little later). Think of these points as currency which you can spend on gear to upgrade your character. The more you participate, the more “currency” you will earn, and the more items you will be able to “buy”. How do you buy items with your points? The best way to explain how it works is to provide an example:

     Black Sheep has just conquered uber_mob_01, and among his treasure horde we find [an_item_you_want!] The raid leader says, “Please start the bidding for [an_item_you_want!]” at which time you are free to bid anywhere from 1 point to all the points you currently have. You check your points, and find that you have 55 currently. “I bid 1 point,” you say in guild chat, but, Mr. Same_class_as_you says, “5 points.” You decide that you really want the item, so you say, “6 points.”
Same_class_as_you: “8 points”
You: “10 points”
After a few seconds of silence, the raid leader says, “going once” … “going twice” … “grats on [an_item_you_want!] for 10 points!” The item goes into your inventory, the raid leader reduces your points from 55 to 45, and the raid continues on to uber_mob_02.


How do I earn points?

     The main way that you earn points is by attending “sanctioned” raids. A raid is sanctioned if all of the following apply:

1) The raid is led by the guild leader or an officer of the guild.
2) The raid lasts at least 2 hours.
3) 18 or more people are present.
4) The target(s) is/are at least Epic x 4 mobs.

     Sanctioned raids are for guild members only. Pick up raids involving multiple guilds are not sanctioned, and whether or not points will be awarded for such a raid is at the discretion of the guild leader or officer leading the raid. Keep in mind that while you may be able to earn points at a non-sanctioned raid, you will not be able to spend points at such raids. Loot distribution on non-sanctioned raids is typically handled on a “need-before-greed” basis with a “/random 1000” used if multiple people need the item.

Specifics about points:

1) If you show up at the designated meeting spot on time and ready to raid (i.e. gear repaired to 100%, all the necessary tools for the particular raid, field repair kit handy, etc), and you stay for at least 90% of the raid, you will be awarded 1 bonus point.

2) For every hour that you raid, you will receive 1 point.

3) If you are present for the entire raid, you will receive 5 bonus points.

     So, for example, the raid is scheduled for 6:00 and we are meeting at the Sinking Sands docks. You show up in SS at 5:55 ready to roll. You just earned a point (provided you stay for at least 90% of the raid).

     You travel with your teammates for the next four hours leaving a trail of destruction in your path. At 10:00 the raid leader informs everyone that we are done raiding for the night. Four hours of raiding nets you four more points.

     Because you stayed for the entire raid, you keep the bonus point for showing up on time, and you earned yourself another 5 bonus points.

     So that four hours of raiding earned you a total of ten points which you can use to purchase gear with on future raids. (Note: points earned for the current raid are not added to your total until the raid is over, and cannot be spent on loot dropped during the current raid. When you spend points, they are immediately deducted from your total)

How else can I earn points?

     The guild leader and the officers may decide to award points for activities (other than raiding) that help the guild. As a hypothetical example, we may decide to award 1 point for every 8 writs a member does for a month. The main thing to remember is that points are a reward for participating in activities that help the guild to progress. The primary way to earn points will always be attending sanctioned raids, but from time to time the leader and/or officers may award points for other things as an incentive for the members.
 
Where can I look to see how many points I have?

     Your points will be listed in-game in the guild window.

What if I show up and the raid is full?

     One problem we will run into on occasion is having more people show up for a raid than we can take along. If thirty people show up and we can only take twenty-four on the raid, some people are going to have to sit out. So how do we handle this?

     Those that show up at the designated meeting spot first will have first dibs. There is however a caveat… The raid leader has to take the necessary classes along to get the job done. So if for example, we have twelve healers that all show up at the same time, some of those healers may have to sit out so that we can have enough dps to beat the encounter.

     If you are asked to sit out of a raid, you can still earn points, provided you are “on call” as a back up if someone in the raid has to leave early for some reason.

-ALTS AND RAID LOOT- (added 2/16/09)

     Every member is allowed 1 "main" character and may have as many "alts" as he or she desires. Our primary objective and responsibility as a team is to get loot into the hands of mains, however, we have found it very useful in the past to have well-geared alts available to fill crucial roles when no main is available to do so. For that reason, we have a program in place designed to get raid loot into the hands of the alts that we frequently call upon to fill in any gaps in our main raid force. Now for the details:

1. The raid leader may call on an alt to join a raid if he / she believes it is necessary to beat the encounter we are facing.

2. When an alt is brought in, that alt will receive 1 point. These points are not the same as DKP.

3. When a piece of loot drops that no main needs, the following happens: The raid leader will ask if any alts are interested. If an alt does want the item, the raid leader will look to see if that alt has any points. If so, that alt will receive the piece of loot and be deducted 1 point. If multiple alts want the same piece of loot, the alt with the higher point total will be awarded the item, and be deducted 1 point. If the alt(s) that are interested in the item have 0 points, they will be given the option to purchase the item for plat (or, if the item was going to be transmuted, to trade a current tier mana for it). The base price of the item will be set by the raid leader. If no alt wants to buy the item, it will be sold in the auction channels.

Final thoughts about raids and loot: 

     Let me first say that I expect all members to be mature and understanding in regards to raids and loot. Things are not always going to work out exactly the way you want them to. There will be times when you get outbid on an item you really want. There will be times when you have to sit out on a raid you really wanted to attend. There will be times when the guild leader or an officer makes a decision that you don’t agree with. There will be times when we wipe to an encounter… over, and over, and over again. When these things happen, I ask that you do the following:

1) Take a deep breath and loosen your sphincter! :)

2) Voice any concerns you have to the raid leader / guild leader. Do it in tells, not in guild chat / raid chat. Do it in a calm and rational manner. Do it with an open mind and try to put yourself in the leader’s shoes. Listen to what the leader has to say, and accept the decision that is made, even if it’s not the solution you were hoping for.

3) Always keep the big picture in mind. Being a successful guild requires a team effort. It’s not about any one individual; it’s about all of us working together as a unit. Remember that an upgrade for one of us is an upgrade for all of us since it helps to make the team stronger. Don’t focus only on yourself; focus on the guild as a whole.

4) Be patient. Remember that nothing good comes easy. As cliche as this may be, it’s true: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Don’t whine and cry when we get beat down by a raid encounter. Instead, remain positive and try to help think of new strategies that will help us to pull off a win.

5) We all play the game as a way to relax and have some fun. It’s fun to conquer difficult monsters. It’s fun to explore new areas. It’s fun to get that uber loot. It’s fun to do all of these things with cool people that you consider friends. So always remember to keep a positive attitude and have fun!