Selecting Need for your companion

[jellOfish]

This is part of where the disagreement comes from: you don't think the companion actually needs an upgrade outside of quest gear. If someone else disagrees with you, since it's their character and not yours, their choice outweighs yours.

 

Just stop advocating this play style and create your own groups with people who share the same opinion. Problem solved. It's not the new standard, it's just you a few others trying to improve your solo play at the cost of other people. And no, this is not a "WoW thing" where people need for stuff they are going to wear right away on their character. It's pretty much the norm for any loot based MMO.

[Florial]

I haven't had anyone roll need yet for their companion (thank goodness) in our PUGs. Most have rolled greed unless it is an upgrade for their specific class. If I'm in a lower level flashpoint and someone rolls on something for a companion over another player in the group, I would be annoyed and probably say something but it wouldn't be game breaking. As I'm leveling up, I'm pretty relaxed about things. However, when you get to endgame and if someone rolls for a companion over another person who may be gearing up to raid, I could see this becoming a huge problem.

 

My understanding is that companions aren't in operations so why would you mess over another player who may be frantically gearing up for that? Or heaven forbid that you are in an operation and win a roll over another player for your companion. I could see huge strife and grounds for being kicked out a group or guild over that kind of thing. In a raiding guild at least, you are gearing up the players to tackle harder and harder content. That doesn't mean gearing up your companion in the same way. If you really need the top gear for your companion, either craft some or buy it off the market.

 

I'm not in a raiding guild and probably won't raid all that much if we do find a guild that raids. Always my feeling though that players in the group come first---then companions, alts, etc. It has always bugged me when someone rolls need on something for an alt. This was grounds for me leaving a casual raiding guild in another MMO where a guy who was a buddy of the officers rolled on a healing piece of gear and won the roll to give it to his healing alt (who was rarely played). Bad sportsmanship and a huge lack in judgment on the part of the player and the officers who defended him. This little issue did a good job fragmenting some folks in the guild, me included.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Florial

[daemian]

There is no "right" or "wrong" to feeling that needing for your companion is acceptable or not.

 

It is only wrong when you assume that everyone else in a random group is going to feel the same way you do about it and choose not to discuss loot rules prior to the start of the run.

 

Yeah, a little conversation would go a long way toward alleviating the stress over this issue.

Edited January 6, 2012 by daemian

[yoshua]

Don't NEED for companions unless the group you are in has already stated that it is ok. ESPECIALLY DO NOT NEED if there is ANY member of your group that could use it, unless that person says it isnt an upgrade.

 

 

Communication is key, if you needed before talking and AGREEING that it was ok? Then you goofed.

 

That being said?

 

 

Rule of Thumb: If you are in a PICK UP GROUP (pug) meaning you do not know 66.6% of the other players in the group? NEVER NEED FOR COMPANIONS.

 

 

We run guild groups and we discuss needing for companions before we head to a flashpoint so there is no hurt feelings.

[jellOfish]

Hmmm 90% of this game is played single player with a companion, very little time is spent grouped , maybe when BW changes this my opinion may change.

 

I think its reasonable to grab loot for your companion , tho if I was in a group with 3 BH and a uber orange blaster drops , i would not grab it for a companion that I dont use .

But trash green stuff , wouldnt even think twice about hitting need , if I knew for sure my tank needed it .

 

Hopefully BW fixes this game so that , 90% of my game time is not solo with a companion , when that changes I will agree that need for companions is bad, but in its present singleplayerish ness .... phlem ball needs his gear too, I cant lvl without him.

 

Maybe you spend very little time grouped but there are people who run mainly with groups. It's entirely possible to level all the way to lvl 50 by grouping. If I need to improve my solo play I do it myself. There's absolutely no reason for me to run an instance with other people and waste their time by taking gear which benefits them much more then my companion.

[Alcarinn]

This is part of where the disagreement comes from: you don't think the companion actually needs an upgrade outside of quest gear. If someone else disagrees with you, since it's their character and not yours, their choice outweighs yours.

 

No its not if you can kill everything solo with companions current gear then you DONT NEED... if not then craft for him... if this doesnt help

 

 

you NEED something =/= WANT something cos it looks shiney

 

YOU NEED SOMETHING ONLY IF YOU CANNOT ACHIEVE SOME SOLO EXPERIENCE THAT YOU OTHERWISE COULD ( group stuff excluded obviously)

[jellOfish]

No its not if you can kill everything solo with companions current gear then you DONT NEED... if not then craft for him... if this doesnt help

 

 

you NEED something =/= WANT something cos it looks shiney

 

YOU NEED SOMETHING ONLY IF YOU CANNOT ACHIEVE SOME SOLO EXPERIENCE THAT YOU OTHERWISE COULD ( group stuff excluded obviously)

 

Just give up man. You ain't gonna convince him anyway. Just let the sever population sort these people out.

[Matte_Black]

But the key point where you are wrong is ''actually need'' you dont ACTUALLY NEED anything for your companion apart from quest gear you get!

 

You want which is entirely different and thus unacceptable

 

Your companions are balanced part of your character, they are intended to be appropriately geared in order to experience the full range of the game's activities. Their need of gear is as much of a want as your character's need of gear.

 

There is not a universally accepted definition of what "need" is in SWTOR and the game allows for you to do so. There is no official "right" or "wrong" so, the best method is to keep everyone impacted aware of how you will be conducting your choices.

 

I wouldn't get in an argument over it in game. I'd just let people know my perspective and our group can continue or not based on whether they can accept it. I personally roll "need" on very few items overall unless they are notable upgrades to my character or frequently used companions. I'll let the dice decide if they should be mine.

[silverprovidence]

There are two main reasons.

 

• The companions can't use the gear to its fullest extent, while a player can -- moreover, we use our items all the time, but only companions some of the time
  
• The companion isn't there pulling his weight to the run -- it's like if I would need for a guildy (and an underpowered unskilled one at that).
  

 

This pretty much sums it up. Since players use that gear and cant just 'swap themselves out' like you do for your specific needs between companions its always nice to just pass for other players main toons with companions as secondary. I think the only real grey area on that is if its an offspec for your main character. Unless its an offspec you use a lot of the time (like if you group a lot and heal in the group but dps in the open world) it might even out more if the upgrade is for a companion you use a large amount of the time. But main spec player loot that players will be using most, if not all, of the time should have priority.

[SickSwag]

You people are going to kill loot the same way you people killed loot in WoW.

 

You know what this game needs more?

 

Restrictions.

 

Glorious restrictions.

[Eldren]

I find it curious that we're (myself included) actually arguing about this, when it's all going to come down to what we personally choose to do in the moment.

 

My approach to it is simple:

 

1. I consider my companions a valid upgrade path equal in importance to my character.

2. I only use two of my companions, out of the total four I have right now.

3. If an upgrade for either of those companions drops, I will personally ask the group if they mind me rolling Need for my companion.

3a. If the only one who objects is the one player in the group who can use it, I'm going to conclude they're trying to stack the deck and get situational exclusivity on their gear. I'll roll Need regardless of their objection.

3b. If the general party says "no', I'm likely to agree with them, unless it's such a stellar and amazing companion upgrade that I can't let it fly by without trying for it. In that case, I'll deal with any consequences for my choice without complaint.

 

This is how I personally choose to play. You're all welcome to play how you personally choose to.

 

/thread

[Miamivice]

If people are saying that all loot should be considered for the other people in the group before your companions. Then what about the people who have good gear already and click need for something that is only a small upgrade for them, but would be a huge upgrade for me. or my companion. If we are talking about being far and allowing someone else to get better gear so they can help out more than the same would apply.

 

Dont click need if you already have alot of good gear and this is only 1 thing that will help a little or it has a bit better stats.

 

Someone could have a better chest piece than I do already, and so the roll for the current chest piece would be a great upgrade for me and a small one for them. but they select need and win the roll. How is that fair if we are trying to help each other out so we can do raids better?

 

Sure the idea of everyone being far and helping each other out and not being greedy is a great idea. Wonderful and would it be amazing if this actually happened. But I have had plenty of times in other mmo's where people were greedy and nobody helps each other out. The one I have played before. people have gotten endgame gear on their lvl one's just so they could have it as social gear and show it off. Sure they put work into doing that but how is that fair for me when my toon is endgame and I want it also.

 

 

Companions have gear slots so they can be geared. They are apart of the story and your gameplay. Most of the game I will be using mine and im sure at some point there would be a situation where better gear on my companion would help.

[Thorbrand]

I think I will put any and all people who I see roll need for their companion on ignore.

[evil-bob]

I ran into this the other day running through a flash point.

 

I selected Need for my companion. Someone got really mad at me for doing that.

I explained that I use my companion 90% of the time outside of groups and one way of getting decent gear is through flashpoints. Getting gear through questing is only ok gear. I am not about to buy gear all the time. I have a sorc and my companion is a tank. I use my tank a lot.

 

Am I wrong on selected Need for my companion?

 

I would like to get peoples opinion on this since this game I think is a little different then other games since we have companions.

 

My argument is since I use my companion 90% soloing, I feel as my companion and me are treated as 1.

Questions like this are very interesting to me because it is a 100% social rule that has been completely made up. There is nothing in the game stopping you from rolling "need" for a companion - therefore, it is technically fine and completely viable.

 

However, players will often make up social rules and then vehemently enforce them on others. There have been a few interesting studies about how far players go to enforce rules that do not exist programmatically.

 

Many people in this thread attempt to apply social pressure to others to play the game the way -they- believe it should be played. There is absolutely nothing in-game that says it should be played that way; they have just decided it should be true, and resort to lots of anger and negative reinforcement to enforce their viewpoint of what is "right" and "wrong" in the game.

 

At the end of the day, it's a game: anyone who gets bent out of shape because of a loot roll should probably take a break and do something else for a while. It's not a big deal. You can always run the flashpoint again.

 

That said, if you wish to abide by the unwritten and un-intuitive social rules that many are trying to enforce, you may want to at least ask about rolling for companion gear to see what your current group has decided to enforce. If it doesn't bother you what others say, then do what you think is right.

[silverprovidence]

3a. If the only one who objects is the one player in the group who can use it, I'm going to conclude they're trying to stack the deck and get situational exclusivity on their gear. I'll roll Need regardless of their objection.

 

Even if only one person says no, arguably if its an item the other members of the group cant use/companions cant really use then their noncompliance is not really relevent. I personally couldnt countenance taking something over someone else personally for something that will only recieve a portion of its relative use in my case. By basically ignorning the one person whose loot pool it may be designed for it could conversly be argued your only asking in a cynical bid to achieve a 'moral high ground' by calling the other person out as greedy while acting in the same manner.

[Amiracle]

Before the first pull just ask what the loot rules are.

 

If everyone agrees then start.

 

If not then drop group and find the next.

 

May involve actually talking to someone but it will make your game experience much better.

 

Better yet, join a guild or make some friends of like minded people. That always solves this problem.

[lightspeed]

There is no "right" or "wrong" to feeling that needing for your companion is acceptable or not.

 

It is only wrong when you assume that everyone else in a random group is going to feel the same way you do about it and choose not to discuss loot rules prior to the start of the run.

 

This seems to be the best thing I read in this thread. ^^

 

My companion is my main weapon, they are as necessary as the lightsaber I carry. It is as important to keep their equipment up to date as it is to keep my equipment up to date.

[daemian]

I think I will put any and all people who I see roll need for their companion on ignore.

 

Honestly, that might be the best solution. They probably don't want to group with you any more than you want to group with them.

[Nanomancer]

Bioware should only let you roll need on things your class can wear.

 

/thread.

[jellOfish]

If people are saying that all loot should be considered for the other people in the group before your companions. Then what about the people who have good gear already and click need for something that is only a small upgrade for them, but would be a huge upgrade for me. or my companion. If we are talking about being far and allowing someone else to get better gear so they can help out more than the same would apply.

 

Dont click need if you already have alot of good gear and this is only 1 thing that will help a little or it has a bit better stats.

 

Someone could have a better chest piece than I do already, and so the roll for the current chest piece would be a great upgrade for me and a small one for them. but they select need and win the roll. How is that fair if we are trying to help each other out so we can do raids better?

 

Sure the idea of everyone being far and helping each other out and not being greedy is a great idea. Wonderful and would it be amazing if this actually happened. But I have had plenty of times in other mmo's where people were greedy and nobody helps each other out. The one I have played before. people have gotten endgame gear on their lvl one's just so they could have it as social gear and show it off. Sure they put work into doing that but how is that fair for me when my toon is endgame and I want it also.

 

 

Companions have gear slots so they can be geared. They are apart of the story and your gameplay. Most of the game I will be using mine and im sure at some point there would be a situation where better gear on my companion would help.

 

So you want everyone to check all your gear and then decide if they roll for the item that is an upgrade for them? Yeah, sure...

Companions are a part of your gameplay until you come to end game and want to do hard modes and operations. But with the mindset of rolling on other people's **** the companion might just as well be the only one left to group with you.

[FuzzPop]

It's really simple to boil it down to this: if you assisted in downing a boss, you have a right to stake a claim to any gear the boss drops. You aren't guaranteed to get it, but you're guaranteed to have a chance of getting it, a chance equal to everyone else who stakes an equal claim.

 

The issue arises on the assumption of a social contract which some feel is implicit, and others don't. I feel it isn't implicit. I don't subscribe to any rules set I don't explicitly agree to.

 

What any player does with gear they acquire is up to them, and isn't contingent on any other player's approval. It doesn't matter if a particular player feels companions who weren't there don't deserve an equal shot at gear. Those companions are part of their main player, and since that main player gets an equal shot at gear they feel they need, companions can benefit.

 

The "bad player" in this case isn't the one rolling Need on gear they intend to equip on their companion, it's the one rolling Need on a piece of gear that requires an alignment and/or class that they can't meet. At that point, they're literally being greedy, because they can do nothing with that item save vendor it. But if their companion can legitimately use it, it's a legitimate upgrade for them as a player.

 

I'll typically ask to be polite, but understand that if I really feel it's a necessary upgrade, I'm going to roll Need on it. I don't, nor does any other player, require the approval or permission of the others in a group. The priority other players place on their companions in no way affects, nor should it, the priority I may place on my companion, whatever my reason.

 

your entire post is just basically saying "i play by my rules, if you don't like it, tough". you say you typically ask to be polite, but we don't know if suddenly one day, you have a bad day and you decide you want to play "more edgy and bad mannered" just for the hell of it.

 

And since you subscribe to the "my effort, my right to roll" you can easily ninja an item on a whim.

[SingleCoilPickup]

Bioware should only let you roll need on things your class can wear.

 

/thread.

 

Then Bioware should change companions to not need gear.

 

/thread.

Edited January 6, 2012 by SingleCoilPickup

[Amiracle]

If someone in the group rolls need on a healer item for their companion guess what I do.

 

I let them bring out their companion to heal them, because its obvious by their actions they don't want me healing them.

 

If the group is full with players, I hope they brought some meds and know how to dump agro.

[Matte_Black]

Before the first pull just ask what the loot rules are.

 

If everyone agrees then start.

 

If not then drop group and find the next.

 

May involve actually talking to someone but it will make your game experience much better.

 

Better yet, join a guild or make some friends of like minded people. That always solves this problem.

 

I agree. Ideally, there would be a viewable profile where I could declare, "I roll "need" for companion upgrades." Transparency on the topic is the best course.

[Blynks]

Needing something for your companion is a horrible horrible precedent to start. You should NEVER roll need for a companion.

 

The end result is going to be EVERYONE rolling need on EVERYTHING because you can't prove they don't need it as an upgrade for their companion. They can just say its a companion upgrade and then vendor it for the cash or RE it for the mats or pull the mods out of it.

 

You're asking for a lot of trouble by starting a trend like this