Frozen Orbituary: The Death of Rolling 'Greed'
by Mathew McCurley 
Mar 2nd 2010 at 6:00PM
No one should fault people for rolling need on frozen orbs at this point in the game. They have new value. Technically, we all can use them. Frozen orbs are directly convertable into some better cash items. While the items you can buy currently with frozen orbs on the PTR are not set in stone, and their costs are subject to change, we know that they will be useful.
Two different solutions to the frozen orb situation present themselves: 1) Blizzard removes the need roll from frozen orbs so everyone gets a chance to get the orb or 2) change the behavior of the populace and everyone roll need on frozen orbs and educate the masses on the new, impending value of frozen orbs.
If you've ever been upset at a random pick up group player rolling need on a frozen orb, you have a weapon to fight it -- just roll need, and tell everyone else to roll need as well. Do everyone a favor and educate -- let people know frozen orbs will have a new place in the economy. Now you've got a random chance for frozen orbs and of avoiding the end of instance standoff.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Deathknighty Mar 2nd 2010 6:04PM
I used to roll greed or even pass. I would get annoyed at the stupid ninjas who would need on something so worthless.
I have seen the light. Now I roll need every time.
jim Mar 4th 2010 5:19AM
I've actually made a macro that basically says, "Just to be fair, everyone please roll NEED on the Frozen Orb at the end so that no one feels cheated. They'll be very useful next patch." And I trip the macro at the start of every random. I'm tired of seeing one person need on something everyone can use, so to combat it, I just chose an easy solution that requires no intervention at all.
zedwards Mar 2nd 2010 6:49PM
Oddly, most people roll greed when I do runs. Occasionally someone throws in a need, whatever. Odd to have an article filling people with "need fear".
Massa Mar 2nd 2010 6:58PM
@ zedwards
I guess it's really different on each battle group. I'm on Azgalor--part of the Ruin battlegroup--as soon as the dungeon finder came out 3 of the 5 people were needing on frozen orbs in each of my groups. It just became standard for everyone on our battlegroup to roll need. I greed or disenchant everything else in a heroic (except maybe the ICC 5 mans--I'll actually check stats there to see if I need it).
ProTech Mar 3rd 2010 3:39AM
In my battlegroup there was no problem with rolling greed on Frozen Orbs. There was some problems at the beginning, but after some week everyone learned to roll greed on it. I didn't cared much because I didn't really need it. Now since the patch came out usually 3 people roll greed on it and two need. I probably make a macro myself to advise everyone to roll need.
What I really hate is, when someone deliberately didn't select anything on the orbs. He waits till the last second, and usually by this time half the party dropped group, so he can get all the loot. The only way to combat this is to check that every drop was rolled for, and is not wait some minutes till the ninja's roll timer expires.
Butts Mar 3rd 2010 12:18PM
1. I'm sick of that one person waiting until the last second and rolling need after seeing everyone rolled greed.
2. Orbs are more valuable now.
Screw it, I'm rolling need.
Kakistocracy Mar 3rd 2010 12:24PM
My server has been rolling greed about as long as there have been level 80's, so even when the orbs themselves could be used to make upgrades.
I think the argument that people should roll need because the orbs "have new value" is a bit absurd. Need has nothing to do with value, I think that's pretty much what is meant by "greed", that is, "It's worth something, so I want it". Otherwise we'd see enchanters roll need on every epic and then DEing it (and keeping it), because the void crystal has value.
With my battlegroup I have only seen a couple people roll need out of the couple hundred I've run with, but I suppose telling everyone that it is okay to roll need is a good way to upset that pleasant balance.
wyzim Mar 9th 2010 6:39AM
Frozen Orb has become an item that no longer has a different value for different players(need vs greed), so the right thing to do here is for Blizzard to automatically assign it to one of the players based on RNG.
I habitually hit greed on Frozen Orbs even when someone had announced at the beginning of the run that we should roll need on it. I don't mind the loss that much. Similarly, I give benefit of doubt to the need-rollers that they don't sit their and sift through all the scrolling chat to see who hit and greed and what they should be hitting - they hit need by habit. Some definitely have ninja-ing tendencies but it is hard be sure. Question to be asked is why are these people ninjaing ONLY the frozen orbs if they are rogue players?
Pyromelter Mar 2nd 2010 6:05PM
Erm, who the heck was still rolling greed on frozen orbs? I was informing people in my randoms as soon as 3.3.0 dropped, everyone roll need. Within a week, everyone was doing it on my battlegroup (bloodlust). You could always have use for the frozen orbs before, if nothing than for pants enchants, but there were plenty of things that they were useful for. And for the time when they weren't all that useful, they vendored for 5g (thank god i never vendored mine). I can't think of anyone who wouldn't roll need for 5g.
Anyway, anyone rolling greed on frozen orbs is rolling pass at this point.
I Like Cheese Mar 4th 2010 9:55PM
Just throwing it out there, but I'm from bloodlust and only just recently have I seen people hit need for frozen orbs, I mean, you got the occasional tool ninja who thought he was cool for needing the orb, but most people were just greeding, unless someone at the start of the instance sais otherwise.
Deathknighty Mar 2nd 2010 6:42PM
And this was all down to you, wasn't it? :P
Henchwench Mar 2nd 2010 8:04PM
I'm in the Bloodlust battlegroup too, and I can't say I've ever seen anyone have a problem with Frozen orbs. Absolutely everyone in the battlegroup seems to roll need, and there's never any drama.
Sir Broose Mar 2nd 2010 9:59PM
I never miss a daily random, and I often do multiple runs, and I have yet to see anyone on my battlegroup roll need on an orb. I expected it to start happening, but as of yet, it has not. Personally, I've been thinking I should start suggesting it to the group, before it starts unexpectedly and causes problems.
Snuzzle Mar 3rd 2010 12:01AM
I run on two realms... Bloodhoof and Aggramar.
On Bloodhoof everyone always Needs.
On Aggramar everyone always Greeds.
I've had a few "oopsies" rolling Need when I'm playing my Aggy toons, so now I also have a macro which I post twice a run... once at the beginning, and once just before the last boss. Saves everyone the drama of my accidental trigger finger, and the times where I do roll Greed I find there is always that one person who rolls Need anyway.
Honestly, I don't know why all people don't just roll Need anymore.
Bobbo Mar 2nd 2010 6:06PM
The problem isn't the Need rolling per se. It's the fact that 99% of the Need rollers I've seen wait until everyone else has already rolled Greed before they Need. Amazingly, they're also always the first to leave the group afterward. In other words, yes, I can very much fault them.
Rob Mar 2nd 2010 6:14PM
Yeah this is typical asshat behavior. Unfortunately there are very few mechanisms in place to prevent this behavior. What would be ideal is either one roll for such items or some enforcement mechanic that would actually work. Ignore doesn't do anything, and reporting for ninjas is a waste of time. It's not a big deal, but it adds up after seeing ninja after ninja night after night.
galestrom Mar 2nd 2010 6:52PM
Pity the ass hat itself is invisible, isn't it?
ben_man587 Mar 2nd 2010 7:06PM
There needs to be a way to ignore people after the group has disbanded. Maybe a "Recent Players List" similar to what XBL has.
keith Mar 2nd 2010 8:07PM
@ben_man
To do this, I've just been using the /ignore command:
/ignore Asshat-Sister's of Elune
/ignore Douche-Korialstrasz
Just make sure you don't put spaces around the "-" or it won't work. Other than that, it seems to work just fine for me!
Sleutel Mar 2nd 2010 9:49PM
Exactly.
By checking your logs (especially in a filtered window) or using an addon like TeksLoot, it's very easy to see what the other players in your group have rolled on an item. To then roll Need on universally-useful item like a Frozen Orb when at least one person has rolled Greed is what makes you a ninja and an asshole.