Two questions hidden in every group drop
When a group defeats a boss, the game has to answer two separate questions. How many items enter the world, and who receives them? Loot rules mostly differ on the second question, but the first is affected too, because the way a rule is built often decides whether rolls happen once per kill or once per player.
Confusing the two leads to arguments that are really about different things. A rule can be fair in how it divides items and still be generous or stingy in how many exist.
The main families of rules
Shared pool with a distribution rule. The game rolls the drop once for the encounter, and the items go to a pool. Common methods of dividing the pool include:
- Free for all: whoever grabs it first takes it.
- Round robin: players take turns in a fixed order.
- Need before greed: players who can use the item for their role get priority, and the others roll for leftovers.
- Master looter or council: a designated person, or a group process, assigns items.
Personal loot. Each eligible player has their own roll, and the item appears for that player only. Others in the group do not see it or compete for it. Some versions add trading restrictions so that the item cannot simply be given away.
Hybrids. Games often mix the two, using personal rolls for ordinary drops and a shared mechanism for special rewards, or letting a personal drop be traded within the group for a short period.
The odds are different
Compare a 10 percent chance for a specific item among a group of five.
Shared roll, one per kill: the item drops in 10 percent of kills. When it does, one of the five receives it, so on average each player’s share is 10 percent divided by 5, which is 2 percent per kill.
Personal rolls, one per player: each player has a 10 percent chance per kill. The chance that at least one of the five gets the item is 1 minus 0.9^5. Since 0.9^5 is 0.59049, that is about 41 percent. Each player’s own chance is the full 10 percent.
Two things follow. The personal system produces far more items overall: on average 0.5 per kill (5 times 0.10), against 0.1 for the shared roll. And each player’s personal expected wait is 10 kills, not 50. Of course a designer who switches between systems will normally retune the rate, so the headline percentage alone does not tell you how generous a rule is.
What each rule does to fairness
Fairness is a mix of outcomes and process, and different rules emphasise different parts.
- Shared systems with a rule like round robin are transparent: the process is visible, but the outcome can be mismatched to need. The item may go to someone who cannot use it.
- Need-before-greed improves the match between item and user but depends on honest declarations, and a player can claim need to gain an advantage.
- Master looter systems can be efficient with a trusted organiser, though they can also create disputes about favouritism.
- Personal loot removes the competition. Nobody can lose an item to another player’s roll, and the variance each player experiences is their own.
Because personal rolls are independent between players, one player can get several items while another gets nothing. That is simply variation, and the spread is the same one described in the article on expected attempts. It can still feel unfair to the unlucky player, especially when the group is nominally doing the same thing.
Effects on behaviour
Loot rules shape how people act, not just what they receive.
Cooperation. When items are shared, players may compete with the people they are fighting alongside, which can create tension in teams. Personal loot tends to lower that friction, since a teammate’s gain doesn’t reduce yours.
Group size. In a shared system, a larger group dilutes each person’s share while the item count stays fixed, so players may prefer small groups. With personal loot, a larger group does not reduce anyone’s individual chance, and it may raise the total number of items produced.
Trading and the economy. Where items can be traded, personal drops that are tradeable still end up circulating, and the number of items created affects prices. The wider consequences are the territory of player markets and the in-game economy; the short version is that more items entering the game generally lowers their trade value, all else equal.
Rule gaming. Any rule can be exploited. Players may bring extra accounts to multiply personal rolls where that is allowed, or hold back from the group to avoid sharing. Designers often add eligibility checks, such as minimum participation or damage thresholds, for exactly this reason.
Which is “better”?
There is no single answer. A shared pool encourages conversation and negotiation, and some groups value the social side. Personal loot gives a smoother, more predictable experience, with less conflict and a clearer sense of progress. The cost may be that group goals feel less communal, and it can make items feel less special when they come from every kill.
When judging a game’s rule, ask:
- Is the roll made per kill or per player?
- Who is eligible, and does participation matter?
- Can items be traded afterwards?
- Has the stated rate been adjusted for the rule in use?
The answers explain more about your real chances than the percentage printed beside the item.