"Logical loot" not a new idea at Blizzard
by Elizabeth Harper 
Jul 27th 2007 at 8:36AM
Warcry's recent Zul'Aman preview didn't just introduce us to a new dungeon, it also introduced us to a new loot system. The so-called "logical loot" system promised that if the bad guy you were facing were holding a big axe, you'd be pretty likely to end up looting a big axe off his corpse later. However, Drysc has let us in on a secret: this design philosophy isn't really new.There have always been boss and item design goals to have bosses that drop loot they themselves are wielding. You can see this in Scarlet Monastery, Shadow Labyrinth, and Molten Core, just to name a few.
So don't go off getting too excited about this particular looting philosophy -- examples of it are already in the game, and we have no reason to expect anything new to Zul'Aman's loot philosophy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
KiwiRed Jul 27th 2007 8:52AM
Of course, what they mean by "isn't really new" is actually "is something we've only done on occasion, with special areas".
TQuirino Jul 27th 2007 8:53AM
Maybe I'm not understanding right. What's new about it? Rag's hammer, Baron's Mount, Herod's shoulder... what makes the new loot system different?
Argent Jul 27th 2007 8:54AM
yeah, the concept isn't anything new -- but i hope they don't go ga-ga with the actual implementation.
otherwise we'll have stupid crap like 'ok, rogues, zone in naked and scout the bosses for us -- what's that? axe? well, i want the sword. RESET!' (or using mindvision or stuff like it to scout out the instance.)
that would be pretty darn lame.
Lugburz.wow Jul 27th 2007 9:13AM
i might be wrong, but i remember rhahk'zor in deadmines usually wield an axe, when you could actually loot the green axe from him. any other time he was wielding a mace.
Krick Jul 27th 2007 9:11AM
@3 That would be awesome. Actually USING talents that you have. What a concept!
Nick S Jul 27th 2007 10:02AM
Maybe logical loot applies some places, but it certainly doesn't apply to all places...
My first epic? A Bloodrazor from a Snapjaw on the Hinterlands coast. And a non-hostile turtle has an epic sword... why?
Maybe he swallowed it from the ocean like those birds that swallow coins and such.
JD Jul 27th 2007 10:05AM
I've always wanted to loot that big ass sceptre/ax thing that Murmur drops..... Coupt never find enough room in my bags though.
Verges Jul 27th 2007 10:52AM
As far as I still know, there are a very small number of mobs in game which actually show and use what they will drop if you down them.
The Deadmines first mini-boss Rhahk'Zor will most of the time wield a 2-hand mace (Rhahk'Zor's Hammer) which is usually lootable. However, on rare occasions you'll see him with a 2-hand axe (Rockslicer) and he'll drop it.
The Twilight Cult mobs in Searing Gorge also "wear" their weapons. Most of the time it will be the standard random loot table, but rarely you'll see them equip a different weapon which changes their loot table.
It's a very cool idea, although does lend itself towards exploitation.
Joyd Jul 27th 2007 11:38AM
Mr. Smite also drops the things he uses during the fight. I've heard that what he drops is tied to how rapidly he is defeated, but I don't know if that's really true.
One of my favorite things about Scarlet Monastery is that you can really tell if someone's spent some time in there. The bosses drop gear that looks like what they're wearing.
On the other hand, the current implementation in BC gives each boss a spread of loot so that they usually have something that appeals to a given player. Is that being abandoned? Will a caster mob drop more or less nothing but caster loot?
Arturis Jul 27th 2007 11:39AM
@JD
You can get Murmur's weapon from dropping him in a Heroic run, all though it scales itself down for easy carrying http://www.wowhead.com/?item=29353
Laukidh Jul 27th 2007 12:05PM
SLabs is logical? Why is murmur wearing my shoulders?
Scalin Jul 27th 2007 2:39PM
I think the idea of logical looting was done really well in EverQuest. You see a skeleton carrying around a sword, you know you are going to get that sword after you smash him into powder.
I'd like to see bosses that reliably drop more than one items from their person. Why wouldn't Murmur drop both his shoulders AND his mace? Or the spear and sword both sitting in his 20 slot backpacks? I agree that we couldn't have bosses dropping -every- item, but I think 2-3 would help those people who get frustrated by running the same instances dozens and dozens of times for just one item that has a 10% chance of dropping, but is 0 for 42 (true story, never got my beaststalker chest, wound up rocking the rogue tunic until GS).