All I can say is where I'm coming from. I'm not suggesting or branding anyone any names such as thief or whatever. I see gearing up companions as an inherently optional practice (maybe greedy might have some "bad" connotation to some people, but I'm meaning it as an option that you happen to have a taste for). It's not needed, even for leveling. I got my Bounty Hunter to 50 just fine without much of a fuss with any of my companions "needing" to be upgraded. I'm having no issues with my sorcerer at the moment either (it's still pre-20s though). I'm alright with the "play it by ear" situation-based greeding/needing of it. I just find adding another roll button overkill. This is almost a non-issue if you look at it with a impassive view of...it's loot. It's going to drop again. You loot to play the game (getting better gear helps you get further in content, as far as end-game goes), you don't play the game to loot. Gear as you're leveling there's so many ways to get gear (from quests, commendations, world drops, flashpoints, vendors, GTN) that leveling is more important then getting better gear. As soon as you get the gear you want at lvl 20, it'll be obsolete by the time you're 25. I've actually had someone needing a tanking weapon for their companion before, at first I was wondering why they did it with annoyance (because I didn't even think about it as something to do), once I found out I laughed it off. Also, after my initial reaction, I looked and noticed I had a modifiable weapon anyway. All I need to do was get a new barrel with my commendations. (I actually have a blog entry about it: http://finiteuniverse.com/2011/12/the-old-republican-entry/)

I'm not adverse to change. I'm adverse to dumb change. There's no need for another option. Is there an offspec button? No. Why should there be a companion button? It's the same logic to be asking for an offspec button as it is asking for a companion button. But there's really no need for it. Fundamentally, all rolls are either for need or greed/disassemble purposes. I've been in situations where offspec rolls have been rolled need, and no one has complained, I doubt people will be up in arms for companions being /rollneeded (at least in the instance of everyone's toons being geared or has the item in question). Over time this will be a non-issue. This isn't anything new if you see the lack of a offspec button being a non-issue too.

The priority of companions will always be on the level of greed. It's for your own purposes, it's not helping any group at all. Need is based on your class, the level of content, and your spec. Considering that companions are not used in any operations or flashpoints (unless you get a kick out of doing stuff with less actual people in content made for a full group, ie your personal kicks) it would still be on the greed priority level. Unless anyone who actually needs it for their character already has it or better. Which could then be discussed in as much time as offspec rolls do as they arrive. I realize that this may be some people's first MMO, and as such might be new to the different ways things are handled due to group-based content. The companions do make for an interesting solo distraction (and even help), but that doesn't mean companions should be geared up with more priority than a selfish reason. It isn't needy. It's greedy.

I thought something like this would be suggested. It's dumb. There's no reason for companions to have uber gear. This is a non-issue. Companions are used for soloing, not for raiding or most flashpoints (unless you can solo some stuff). There's plenty of quests that give out companion gear. There's even lvl 50 heroic quests that gives out orange weapons for everyone of your companions and it's repeatable. No companion roll option needed. There's also plenty of stuff available for purchase through credits/commendations.