Nights uses a custom loot distribution system to accommodate casual up to moderate raiders. Below you will find several examples and detailed documentation on Shadow Reputation and how points are acquired, spent, and maintained.
Once a character achieves the maximum level(80), (s)he is able to start acquiring shadow rep. Shadow reputation is gained through any of the methods listed below:
New encounters: Members in attendance for new 25-person boss content will be awarded 2% of the highest attendee's Shadow Reputation at the end of all attempts on new content. A boss is considered to be new content only until successfully downed for the first time.
Below is a listing of reputation awarded for each task:
| Description | Reputation |
|---|---|
| Signup for raids by night before | 50 rep/raid |
| Arrive on-time | 5 rep |
| Finish (stay until scheduled end time) | 55 rep |
| Assist in all attempts on new content | 2% rep |
Shadow Reputation is universal and spans all currently farmed tier content. Reputation is not used on old content. Old content is defined as any tier below the current level of guild progression.
When joining Nights, new members receive an initial reputation bonus of fifty (50) reputation to get them started. New members will gain reputation at the same rate as full members from that point on.
When joining the guild or attending the first raid, a member must declare a Main Character. There are several reasons for declaring a main, but the primary reason this is needed for raiding is to help with raid composition and recruiting.
It is necessary to declare a main so the raid leaders know what roles are filled and which ones are needed for recruiting purposes. If a member constantly changes roles in the raid, this can lead to confusion in raid recruiting or cause other members to be sidelined because someone else has taken their role. So, for consistency and fairness, all members must declare a main when adopting a raider status.
There are some caveats to raiding with an alternate character, and they are listed below:
This addition allows a member to share their earned points between all characters and spend them on whichever character they prefer, at any time! A member's points are stored in their main's account on the website, and so all users must be registered for a website account. Also, the username should match the main character's name. If you need assistance with this, please mail Smark in game!
Points are spent from the main character's point pool and item cost is the same, whether on a main or an alt. Alt's are always allowed to roll on items for their spec as if they were a main. Once the alt is in the raid, there is no distinguishing it from a main as far as loot distribution goes.
When you sign up for a raid, we are counting on you to be there. It's not fair to the other twenty four people if someone is late. Therefore, showing up late to raids is frowned upon and will result in lower Finish points awarded at the end of the raid, and in some cases may result in no reputation for the evening at all.
| Description | Reputation |
|---|---|
| < 15 minutes late | -30 Finish points* |
| < 30 minutes late | -50 Finish points |
| > 30 minutes late AND < 2 hours late | No reputation |
* Signup bonuses awarded are retained.
If you are more than 30 minutes late, but less than 2 hours late, you will receive no Reputation for the evening and will lose any signup bonuses you received; however, you will not be counted as a 'No-show' (see policy below) and will not be docked any reputation beyond signup bonuses.
When you sign up for a raid, we're counting on you to be there! Plans are made in advance based on the raid composition and assignments/strategies are prepared based on this group. If for any reason you can't make it, you should cancel your signup BEFORE the start of the raid!
Members who sign up for a raid and do not cancel or show up will lose 20% of their total Shadow Reputation after the first incident. Every member is allowed one "Ooopsie!" per progression tier. Any 'No-shows' after this will result in a loss of Shadow Reputation.
You are considered a 'No-show' if you sign up for a raid and do not show up within 2 hours of the scheduled start time. You may always cancel a raid signup up to the event start time using the in-game calendar, the mobile armory website, the standard armory website, or by emailing Smuffy directly on the guild forums. Canceling a signup will not hurt you in any way.
If you are unsure you can attend a raid, use the Tentative sign up on the in-game calendar. This will show your interest without running a risk of losing Shadow Reputation if you are not able to cancel or show up.
Tentative signups do not receive a signup bonus. However, if you don't show up there is no penalty either!
After two full weeks of absence from raiding, Shadow Rep will decay at a rate of 25% per week. Decay will stop once either a main character or alternate character has attended a full raid. Attendance is recorded at the END of a raid, so a character must be present for one full raid every two weeks to avoid decay.
Decay is processed automatically, beginning exactly two weeks after the character last attended a raid. In the interest of fairness and uniformity, no reasons will prevent decay – the only way to avoid decay is by attending a raid.
However, reputation is gained quickly and will be restored in very few raids after returning. Decay will take about 6 full weeks of absence from raiding to deplete a character's shadow reputation pool. Decay is not processed during US major holiday weeks (i.e. – New Years, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
Shadow Reputation points are spent only in guild sponsored raids (PVE.) Reputation is spent only when gear is won, not when requesting to roll.
When rolling on gear, those rolling for their primary spec (see definition below) will be given first priority. If no one is rolling on gear for their primary spec, a roll will be called for offspec, at which time anyone able to use the item may roll.
Primary Spec: Your primary spec is whatever you are the majority of the time when raiding. If someone changes spec for a night or two to help the raid, they may roll on their previous spec. For example, a shadow priest goes holy to fill in a healing spot. The shadow priest would have been a caster DPS had they not switched spec to help the raid, and the majority of the time the shadow priest is considered caster DPS, so the shadow priest may roll on caster gear that drops without waiting for the offset call.
In a change from the past, all tier levels have identical item cost! Cost is percent based, no maximum, and rounded down to the nearest whole number and is deducted from the appropriate tier pool.
| Item Type | Gear Cost |
|---|---|
| Epic Tier Tokens | 20% reputation |
| Epic Items (non-tier) | 20% reputation |
| Epic recipe | 75 gold |
| Offspec Gear/Item | 75 gold |
When a master looted piece drops, a message will be sent out by the master looter asking for characters interested in the item to say "Aye" in raid chat. Characters interested will be noted in the Shadow Reputation tool. Once requests to roll are closed, the master looter will then use a tool which considers all interested parties reputation and rolls accordingly. The winning character will be announced in raid chat and the loot awarded. Once the loot is awarded, that character will spend the corresponding reputation points.
Any character, be it their first or hundredth time raiding, will be eligible for loot. Those with higher reputation will have an increased chance or receiving loot than those with lower reputation.
Roll results are now recorded on the website and viewable in real-time via the Shadow Reputation area of the website.
Members may spend shadow reputation or gold to obtain materials from the guild bank for item enhancements (i.e. - Enchants, crafted gear, belt buckles).
Item enhancement cost is a tiered scale, the withdrawn materials must be used for personal gear enhancement and may not be resold.
| Item Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Abyss Crystal | 50 reputation each |
| Infinite Dust / Greater Eternal | 50% AH Value |
| Crafting Orbs | 200 reputation |
| Belt Buckle | 20 gold |
| Other mats, as available | 50% AH Value |
Any guest who attends a Nights sponsored raid will be given early reputation points upon joining the raid, except in repeat circumstances; however, the character *must* register on the website for an account in order to roll on loot.
A guest who raids with Nights on more than one occassion will be able to accumulate reputation points, just as normal members (assuming the guest has registered on the website.) Guest raiders suffer the same point decay as Nights members and are not awarded Veteran Bonuses during progression jumps.
Getting gear for a character is a time consuming process. For the casual characters, this may be a very long process since they cannot attend every raid we schedule. However, they will gain points over time and that could give them the advantage in some situations when their loot does happen to drop. We must all keep in mind that we're in this together - we are a team and a family of friends and acquaintances who are here to have fun, not to bicker over loot and drops.
It is fair that those who attend raids more frequently be given the opportunity to get their gear, as they have been putting in time to get that gear. It is also important that those coming for the first time or on a casual basis be given the opportunity to get their gear.
For the casual characters, keep in mind that you may not get your loot the first time you go into an instance if it drops. But, also remember that those who are in the group with you and who have been going for weeks on end didn't get their loot the first time they went into the instance either. As a guild of friends and fellowships, I know we are all here to help one another out and to be understanding and not let gear come between our bonds and friendships we have formed.
For the moderate to hardcore raiders, keep in mind that casual members may win loot over you from time to time with this system, but that those who save their reputation points will have a higher probability of winning gear when they want it.