Random Loot Rate Generalities?

Guides New Player Help and Guides
1

Good day! Before I start diving too deeply into dungeons, raiding, and other activities where my character is going to have chances to see quite a variety of randomized loot, I had a question or two if there might be any generalities.

As a paladin, I might see the same shield dropping in a dungeon as a Holy spec or as a Protection. This may be a very broad question, but I’m wondering if either spec would have better odds of seeing that shield dropping?

I’m also wondering if I’d be taking away from a group or raids loot pool if I were to select a looting for a role that I wasn’t currently playing? Would the main tank for a group or raid, possibly end up losing out on tank specific loot were I to select tank loot as a healer or DPS? Is that sort of thing considered bad form by most players here? Or would my selection not have any effect on the loot that might drop for other players?

2

Hi, and welcome to Azeroth!

You seem to be a very new player, but you are asking sophisticated questions, so I’m guessing this isn’t your first rodeo MMO?

Two types of loot drop in levelling dungeons: trash loot and boss loot.

Trash Loot: You will often see junk, bits of gold, and gear drop from trash mobs. The gear that drops from trash is usually Binds when Equipped (BoE), usually Green quality or less, and can be sold or traded. This loot is influenced by nothing at all. It is entirely random. Anybody might get anything.

Boss Loot: In random groups, and indeed at max level these days, Boss Loot is Personal Loot. This will usually be Blue gear, and it drops for your Class and your chosen spec - though I am personally convinced that one’s a bit weak or glitchy; I’ve had wrong weapons drop for my spec. Boss Loot will be Bind on Pickup (BoP), aka Soulbound when you get it.

You can select which spec you want loot to drop for. Right-click your portrait and you get a menu of options. One of those is Loot Specialisation, where you can choose “Current”, in which loot will drop for whatever spec you are currently in, or any one of the three. This can be handy if, for example, you are running as DPS but hoping for a Shield for your Tank spec.

You can trade an item of Personal Loot to your party IF you already have a higher item level piece in that slot.

But what drops in Personal Loot is YOURS. It was generated FOR YOU. It dropped FOR YOU. You have no obligation of any kind to anybody about it. If you don’t want it, and you can trade it, and someone asks for it, then sure, you can trade it to them, but it is not bad form to refuse. It’s unlikely anyone will ask in levelling content anyway.

You are certainly not taking anything away from anyone by looting for another spec. The first “roll of the dice” for loot in these parties is: who gets loot from this boss. If you were chosen, your loot spec had no effect on what other members of your party got.

Equip your new shinies in good health and full confidence of ownership!

3

Thank you for the feedback here. That cleared up a few things for me. So far as the actual odds go towards finding specific pieces, it wouldn’t matter which spec/role I selected when the items could drop for multiples there? For my paladin, at least, I wouldn’t see shields dropping for the Defensive spec more often than I would the Holy spec (when they’re the same shield and would be appropriate for either spec/role)?

Edit: I see that sometimes incorrect items will drop altogether, but, in general, do the odds of any types of drops actually favor different roles or specs?

4

My conscience makes me add a nerdy note here. There are variances by expansion when levelling. I don’t want to get far into this because it doesn’t really matter past specific old expansions. In some expansions, items didn’t get all primary stats for the class. For example, as a Paladin, a previous expansion wrist might have Strength but no Intellect, or vice versa.

I hate talking about that, because it complicates what would otherwise be a simple explanation. But it exists. And you are not out of levelling yet.

So as a Paladin, whether you have chosen Protection, Retribution, or Holy WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE to what drops in any slot but weapon. You can use any piece of armor, in any spec. So you can get any piece, in any spec.

Ret NEEDS a two-handed wep. Prot CANNOT USE a two-handed wep. Holy can use either a one-hander+shield, or a two-hander.

  • So if a wep drops for you as Ret, it will be a two-hander.
  • So if a wep drops for you as Prot, it will be either a one-hander or a Shield.
  • Holy could get either.

… assuming they have main stats appropriate to your loot spec.

If, in previous content, a two-hander drops for your Ret spec, it would always have Strength, but might not necessarily have Int.

If, in previous content, a two-hander drops for your Holy spec, it would always have Int, but might not necessarily have Str.

You might look at a breastplate or a trinket and think: that has perfect stats/effect for a tank - why am I getting it as Ret? It’s because

The game doesn’t care which spec it is best for, only which spec can use it.

Only in weapons (and in previous expansions where only one main stat is available) do we get a distinction betwen what drops for the specs.

There are no “odds” that favor one piece for one spec more than another. If your Loot Spec can use the piece, it has an equal chance of getting the piece.

5

Thank you again for the detailed explanation and feedback here!