Ninja Looting

[*Darkrob]

This is a topic I'd like to put forth for debate. Whether "ninja looting" (the act of grabbing loot as quick as it drops and not sharing) is an accepted play style or something most people hate.

As I'm learning your server more and more I'm also relearning how to play an RPG like this again. I played NwN1 for years. Ran a successful PW for many of those years, so I'm no stranger to the multitude of play styles that exist. One play style we always had to keep in check, for player relation stability, was ninja looting. I've found, in this mod, it is a prevalent, almost accepted, playstyle.

I'm not going to name characters or players, as that would be counter-productive, but am going to address my experiences.

We'd be running through a cave system, a group of around 5 or 6, laying waste... but still having a challenge staying alive. I play an archer so my kills are always done from a distance. Bodies are dropping left and right but before the battle even ends they've all been looted and people are moving on. Scrolls are not being shared with the spell casters. Arrows are not being shared with support and I'm not sure why the mage picked up the +4 bastard sword and ran on without asking if the warrior, who uses a bastard sword, needs it. It is a free for all and unless you're very quick you get nothing... almost reminiscent of Diablo II.

Why don't people like to play as a group? It used to be you'd assign a looter (the Ox of the group) and split the goods when the adventure is over. People would get a fair share and everyone was happy. That doesn't exist here (well very little of it does as I have seen). You pretty much have to bitch out loud to get folks to slow down and then they end up getting angry that you've accused them of "theft".

Anyhow... is this something others are having issues with? Should it be openly spoken of so others learn? Should Ninja looters be shamed or outed?

Don't know how to fix this for myself but I know my adventuring pool is getting smaller and smaller because I'm getting tired of coming out of a big adventure with 3 potions and a scroll of owls wisdom...

[*Tildryn]

Oi

[*Synyster Spirit]

Sounds to me like you had a bad grouping experience.

[*Product of Void]

Ninja looting is a problem any PW. One reason I like to solo hunt. Hunt alone get everything.

though hunt in groups = xp and levels a lot quicker.

Some folk wait till something special drops to ask if anyone wants/needs. Some will go in rotation everyone gets something during rotation.

Lately I see its a dash to drops like blood in the water. Thankfully most places xp goes with gold so does not matter, and majority of my builds can solo just fine.

Plus being a crafter its possible I might get some goodies in trade for enchanting *evil laugh*

*edit*

I have often pondered a group chest of sorts that drops fall into and folks can sort though later though that would be hard to fully script and if someone crashed would utterly fubar the idea.

[*Lucereflame]

hehe something that you need to put down Before you group is a set of rules In game.. about what happens to what you find... usually i run.. whoever needs it the most gets it.. though i cant say im not known for being a ninja.. as Emma is always interested in what has fallen outta a guys corpse..

[*CruorPieria]

Oi

Now, if this was about the people who deliberately sneak or run past a group to get to the chests/bosses before the group, my answer would be different. But you seem to think of a different scenario, so here goes.

I can't make out whether your grief is with the OOC- or IC-part of this problem, so I'll take a shot at both.

It is horrible to see someone else pick up every part of loot that drops, but really...

On the one hand, which would be the OOC-part, what are you really missing out on?

Large parts are either gems, which are easily obtained or mostly useless potions or items that simply take up space until you grow so annoyed that you toss the lot in the bin.

In some cases, usable items do drop. But simply in my few weeks on the server, I've had several inventories fill with items that I have no use for. They're not hard to come by and, in most cases, finding an enchanter will net you better for a small price. Custom made to your specific needs too. Considering you receive GP each time a creature is killed by you or a member of your party, you're never walking away from a group empty-handed.

On the other hand, what's the RP-reason for setting down loot-rules ahead of a dungeon-trip? Is your character always expecting magic or usable items to pop out of corpses? Your character might really not have seen the rogue sneak that +2 dagger into his boot or the mage grabbing those few scattered scrolls. And if you have a character that just really likes collecting things, well.. kleptomania can be a character-trait.

For me, NWN-servers is a refresing change from strict games, such as WoW or some other MMO that has an inbuild system for loot, simply because the game becomes focused on who can get the best gear as opposed to RP. Sigil is a server that primarily focuses on roleplay. Some players will RP their character out in being fair with loot, asking around whether some want particular items, others won't. It's up to them.

Sometimes you'll be in a group with people that prefer looting everything. Sometimes you'll end up with people that don't give a damn about loot. It's all up to chance, but you have the choice of remembering just who is a big loot-whore and avoid them in the future.

All above apart, most players are reasonable. A friendly question of whether they really need that +4 bastard sword will often grant the opportunity to buy it cheap or have it for free. As Syn said, it sounds like you've had a (some?) bad group experience(s). The people I usually group with don't stress loot-issues all that much.

I can see the fun in sitting down at the bar, throwing everything on the table and having a jolly good time squabbling over the remains from those damned iced lizards while spending the profit on ale and pleasurable company. In fact, I think I'll start encouraging such events myself. I, however, don't plan on spending half an hour OOC'ly dividing an ocean of useless scrolls, arrows, gems and what-not of items unless it becomes an RP-experience to, as you say, 'split the goods'.

"Why don't people like to play as a group?"

People do. Why does playing in a group have to be boiled down to who gets those 200 GP more out of a chest?

This is simply my attitude to 'ninja-looting' and I'm well aware that some have other opinions. I have no grief if you'd like to start making OOC- or IC-arrangements before heading off with a group. I do, however, not support any idea that would entail having a 'list of shame' over players that simply play differently from yourself.

[*Synyster Spirit]

I'm adding you to the blacklist, Cru.

[*CruorPieria]

.... Good riddance.

[*Ceremorph]

Okay, so opinion time.

Monster drops are one thing. Yes, occasionally in the more difficult areas a standard monster will drop something extraordinary, but for the most part, as someone said earlier, it's all potions and scrolls. And as far as that goes, especially at higher levels, I'd say enjoy your auto-gold. However...

...there's monster drops, and then there's boss chests. These generally have a good array of things, and are more likely to have "special" items. The person who runs up to one of these and hits the "take all" button is, more or less, simply being a douche. If you want to claim "it's my character's RP"... well then RP your greed.

*Greedy McStickyfingers runs to the chest, quickly pulling items out without even looking at them and shoving them in his bag of holding, giggling all the while*

And even the monster drops, some common sense can be used. If you're a barbarian and you open the loot bag to find scrolls and there's wizards in your party... are the 100gp that Minerva will give you worth the chance of creating ill will with a fellow player who you might otherwise have good, meaningful RP with? If the answer is yes... well then, good luck.

[*CheeseWedge]

I do have problems with this. I suppose most of the time... I'm just expecting people to be courteous about it right off the bat, so I don't think to discuss it ahead of time. On occasion, if it's really bad, I'll mention something. Most of the time, I just let the ninja-looters take what they want and plan to make my own solo excursion later for loot. =P

The rare occasions that I do bring it up... are for those people that start running at and looting things before the battle is even done, and we're still struggling to survive the mobbing monsters. That is blatantly discourteous, and I can't see how anyone could do that without having the "omg gotta grab everything" mindset.