As it stands right now I think the way loot works is somewhat disorganized and cumbersome. Each class has their own full set in each flashpoint (as far as I know) and an average of 3 bosses that each drop 1 thing. That is just unreasonable. There is no way you'd get all the loot from one flashpoint in 20 runs, indeed I have seen people run a flashpoint multiple times with nothing to show for it at all. Also by the time you've run a flashpoint enough times to upgrade gear you have over leveled and trivialized those upgrades.

 

So what we have is the simultaneous problem of too much loot and too little loot if you understand what I mean.

 

I think there are two ways you can make the system better

 

1. Reduce loot table: Reduce what each boss drops to 4-5 core items so it is theoretically possible to get all the gear you would get from the flashpoint in 5 runs max

 

2. Increase drops: keep the loot as it is but greatly increase the number of individual items a boss drops upon death, even like 2-3 pieces of gear per boss (with some kind of smart loot system that makes these gear pieces the same class as the classes running the flash point)

 

As it stands right now flashpoint gear is great, usually big upgrades, but not many people are getting that gear, and if they are it is usually just one or two pieces over the course of many runs. I think if you made it more rewarding to run flashpoints more people would and it would be easier to get groups, just an idea.

How about they put in commendations for the dungeons that you can use to purchase the gear from that dungeon if the item doesn't drop.

How about they put in commendations for the dungeons that you can use to purchase the gear from that dungeon if the item doesn't drop.

 

 

That is another great idea

It would help a lot if flashpoint loot drops were slightly intelligent. A group with no sniper that has the final boss of HS drop 2 of the same kind of sniper rifle....that's just a poke in the eye with a sharp stick (I might be speaking from experience here).

 

Before you "balance a group with 1 of each class and you wont have that problem," well, yeah you would. What if the inquisitor is a sorcerer and a blade-staff drops? What if the BH is a mercenary and an aim shield generator drops? The problem could be significantly mitigated if loot tables were just slightly more intelligent in their drops.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Mhak

The commendation thing isn't a bad idea, as long as you won't be able to buy the gear that drops in the flashpoint. Even decreasing loot table or making the drops "smarter" wouldn't be a bad idea. But anybody who's ever ran flashpoint-esque instances/dungeons know, that sometimes you don't always get all the gear you need out of one, and you have to run it multiple times to get it. I think drop rates are fine, and making people work for the gear they get is good. But, it's just my opinion, and we all know what they say about opinions...

Keep them as is. Chances are with the current flashpoints you will out level the items anyways.

Keep them as is. Chances are with the current flashpoints you will out level the items anyways.

 

This! And I prefer the loot diversity. It shouldn't be too easy to come by and I would certainly hate it if every character of the same class walks around looking exactly the same....

I think something needs to be changed. The loot tables seem bugged, but it is just probably horrible luck on my part. My group of friends ran Athiss 15 times in a row. When I say that every boss dropped the same loot almost every time is not an exaggeration. Both bounty hunters got geared to the max. The sith warrior got 2 items out of the runs and I got greens as a sorcerer.

To me this is beyond rediculous. Seeing the same thing over and over.

By that point we out leveled the place and tried the Mandalorian place. Guess what, 6 runs down and only BH and sith warrior gear drops. More BH than SW. In fact, my Kim Vaal has better gear than I do, even though it's medium armor instead of heavy, still a big upgrade for him.

So now I'm stuck to being horribly under geared for anything newer we run.

I think the gear drop system IS intelligent, but it hates some people.

 

Running with a Jug (me), Sorc and PT.

 

Levelled into the 20s, I was getting so few Jug drops we totally shuffled the deck and I rerolled Operative, PT went tank spec, and Sorc went DPS from heals. The IA is getting gear drops left and right, as are the other 2, and it is a rare day we see a Jug drop.

 

It is so smart, it knows how to make you reroll!

 

But really, it is frustrating having the same item double-drop off of a final boss. Especially if no one can use it. A smart drop system based on group members would be nice (but if you include companions, it would still cover just about every class).

The current random system is fine. Seeing as how there are really only 4 main types of classes in the game, you are far more likely to be able to use an item that drops than you would in, say, WoW. Especially with companions thrown into the mix.

 

My only complaints so far:

 

-Bosses need to drop loot for more slots. Right now it seems the majority of drops are helm, boots, pants, chest, weapons. Getting a moddable slot for belt and bracers is a serious pain. Also, I have yet to see a drop for earpiece/implant slots that wasn't a random trash drop.

-Every boss in a flashpoint needs to drop at least one blue. While this is the case for most flashpoints, BT/Eseless and Boarding Party have bosses who will not always drop a blue. This is kind of insulting.

-Multi-mob bosses use the "lootable chest" gimmick. This is fine, but right now it currently bugs out about half the time giving no loot...especially if you wipe once or twice. This needs to be fixed ASAP, because when people are farming hardmodes for loot you WILL get a huge uproar over this.

 

Other than those, the loot system in this game makes more sense and makes it easier to keep yourself in decent gear while leveling with less repetition of flashpoints than WoW ever did.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Farabee

Considering how every main class is directed to a specific stat, it seems trivial to teach the instance to only drop appropriate gear for the people running it. I'm sure hardcores would object but it makes sense to me.

The current random system is fine. Seeing as how there are really only 4 main types of classes in the game, you are far more likely to be able to use an item that drops than you would in, say, WoW. Especially with companions thrown into the mix.

 

My only complaints so far:

 

-Bosses need to drop loot for more slots. Right now it seems the majority of drops are helm, boots, pants, chest, weapons. Getting a moddable slot for belt and bracers is a serious pain. Also, I have yet to see a drop for earpiece/implant slots that wasn't a random trash drop.

-Every boss in a flashpoint needs to drop at least one blue. While this is the case for most flashpoints, BT/Eseless and Boarding Party have bosses who will not always drop a blue. This is kind of insulting.

-Multi-mob bosses use the "lootable chest" gimmick. This is fine, but right now it currently bugs out about half the time giving no loot...especially if you wipe once or twice. This needs to be fixed ASAP, because when people are farming hardmodes for loot you WILL get a huge uproar over this.

 

Other than those, the loot system in this game makes more sense and makes it easier to keep yourself in decent gear while leveling with less repetition of flashpoints than WoW ever did.

 

From a gear perspective there are more than 4 classes. Marauder loot and juggernaut loot are quite different for example.

From a gear perspective there are more than 4 classes. Marauder loot and juggernaut loot are quite different for example.

 

OK, forgot about the armor type difference between that class. That's really the only exception though, as all IA/smuggler ACs use medium, all BH/trooper use heavy, and SI/JC use light. So for all intents and purposes, there's 5 unique armor types.

 

Weapons, however, are kind of a clusterfunk. There are way too many types of weapons that are used by one AC. Some, like the sniper rifle and autocannon, are used by one AC of one faction. Now I'm not sure if companions can use them, but from what I've heard and seen its a big no on that as well. It's kind of like paladin/shaman loot drops in classic WoW, BW needs to ensure that the instance has a toggle NOT to drop those items for the faction that can't use them. Republic should never get sniper rifles, Empire should never get Autocannons.

 

As far as individual stats, most items I've seen drop from flashpoints are just legacy items with mods slotted in, which means you can easily swap out the mods to get the desired stats. The ones that will be a pain are going to be relics, implants, and earpieces. Even then there is a large amount of stat overlap, such that it isn't a huge deal leveling as an upgrade is usually an upgrade. This MAY be problematic at endgame though, when everyone is trying to min/max.

I'm fine with the loot system idea, but from my limited experience, it does not seem to be working as intended.

 

15 runs of a flashpoint and every loot from every boss is the same with 2 exclusions.

For Arhiss, it has three bosses. The first two drop one item each. The last boss drops two. That's 60 items total. 2 out of the 60 were sith warrior gear. The rest was bounty hunter.

First boss always dropped BH pants. Second dropped BH chest. Last dropped BH helm and a pistol. Every time.

 

I guess it can be horrible RNG or maybe Bioware tried to implement some intelligent loot system and it is not functioning correctly?

 

As far as not wanting people to look the same. Well I don't either, but this is an MMO. Until they allow gear customization, people looking the same is an inevitable result.

Just throwing this out as well.

 

If you get a drop that has the right kind of stats on it, but it is the wrong gear (like a Marauder piece dropping with lots of str, but Jug dps) you can always snag it and rip the mods out of it and build a better piece of gear out of what you have already.

 

This is, of course, assuming you have orange gear already.

 

Same goes for Operatives (I have been gutting sniper rifles for upgrades).

 

Opens up a few more options with repeat drops, but doesnt help with class-specific stats (aim/cunning etc).

Just throwing this out there, but it is not really common in other MMOs I have played to be able to get "fully geared" from a low-mid-level instance without becoming entirely over-leveled. Personally I am OK with being able to snag a couple of items and move on to the next level zone or flashpoint. My 2 credits. Edited December 19, 2011 by IncognitoCat

That is another great idea

 

Good problem solving. I like it.

 

 

Another option is when you kill the boss everyone gets loot. Nothing I hated more than running dungeons many, many times and having nothing to show for it.

Is it me or is the loot system intelligent? I only see items dropping that at least somebody in the group can use.

Is it me or is the loot system intelligent? I only see items dropping that at least somebody in the group can use.

 

Not just you. There are a couple other threads discussing this as well, although I haven't seen any official info from Bioware.

Not just you. There are a couple other threads discussing this as well, although I haven't seen any official info from Bioware.

 

It seems like it tries to be intelligent, but it has failed horribly in my experience so far.

How about they put in commendations for the dungeons that you can use to purchase the gear from that dungeon if the item doesn't drop.

 

+1 really like this idea

How about they put in commendations for the dungeons that you can use to purchase the gear from that dungeon if the item doesn't drop.

 

Thread over in one.

Well, I have no intention of running FP's more than once, but sadly I never use any of the loot that drops because my mods are already better or the armor is just ugly to put on for a guardian (seriously we have the worst drop options) and so I just strip it. A few of my friends had off color rewards too.

Loot system is fine; people just need to stop expecting to be all geared out in like 5-6 runs. It’s not like the instances are long or hard at all. You want something bad enough run it until you get it, if not move on. Because when your lv 50 and that’s all you have left to do is flashpoints it’s not really beneficial to get everything you want so fast. That same concept should be for everything as it is now.

Any info on if the boss drops are based on the classes in the instance? Official word maybe? So far i've got 7 Esseles Scoundrel's chests... on my Scoundrel... But i'm after the Sentinel's Tunic for the looks (since both are medium armor).

 

Also 4 chars that i've done Esseles with, and each and every run the boss loots have always been for the classes in the group /shrug?

 

I just don't know if i'm wasting my time trying to solofarm the sentinel chest or something... :-S