Need Before Greed Need Before Greed describes a rule of looting etiquette as well as the loot setting enforcing that etiquitte . While part of a party most players will expect that if they need an item they should get first pick at it before those who want it for Greed . For example , a party consisting of a Rogue , a Mage , and a Warrior walk into a bar and loot some rare cloth armor . All of them can potentially wear that armor , but only the mage really needs it , the rest will likely just sell it or give it to an alt ( see Greed ) . Therefore , it is expected that the warrior and rogue will allow the mage to have it by not roll ing on the item . Etiquette . It ' s not always obvious who needs an item , perhaps the mage already has better armor or perhaps the party loots some crafting items and it ' s not known who has what professions . Prior to patch 1 . 9 , people would say " n " or " g " to indicate if they want an item for need or for greed . Now this declaration of need or greed is built into rolling for an item . If everyone declares greed , then everyone rolls for the item ; if one or more people declare need , only they roll on the item , which is the usual tactic of ninjas . Loot Level . There is a Need before Greed party loot level which is an attempt to enforce the above etiquette . Those party members who can ' t use an item ( such as mages and mail armor pieces ) or who can ' t use the item most effectively ( such as warriors and cloth armor pieces ) aren ' t given the chance to loot an item until the party members who can most effectively use the item have the chance to loot it . Problems with Need before Greed Loot Level . Before patch 3 . 3 . 0 , the Need before Greed Loot Level only took into account whether or not you could use the item now , not in the future . This means that if a mob drops a piece of mail requiring level 37 , the level 36 warrior in the party would not be able to roll on it . Similarly , a level 39 hunter would not be able to roll on mail items even though they would be able to use it next level . At patch 3 . 3 . 0 the system was changed so Need Before Greed will now recognize gear appropriate for a class in three ways : the class must be able to equip the item , pure melee will be unable to roll on spell power items , and classes are limited to their dominant armor type ( ex . paladins for plate ) . All items will still be available via Greed rolls as well as the new Disenchant option should no member be able to use the item . Also , players will be able to roll on items with a required minimum level higher than then player ' s current level . The changes at patch 3 . 3 . 0 deliberately introduced a new complaint : classes may not roll on gear of lesser armor level even if it is an upgrade , such as a holy paladin wanting mail with spellpower and intellect . The only way for that player to be sure of getting that item is for either for all other players to pass , or for whoever wins that item to trade it afterwards provided it wasn ' t disenchanted . Despite the griping , this is important to ensure equality with other classes : mail wearers can ' t roll need on plate , so plate wearers can ' t roll need on mail . Blizzard expects people should be able to find all the gear they need in their own armor class without poaching from other armor classes . Off Specs . As Hybrid classes ( such as Druids , Shamans , and Paladins ) and other classes capable of performing multiple roles ( such as Warriors and Death Knights ) , items may drop that may be used for any of these roles ; NOTE : This may not apply to Priests because they may or may not use the same gear for both healing and DPS . Many players have different perspectives on rolling for off spec loot . Many players agree that gear rolls should be main spec only , which in most players ' opinion , is the role that they are currently playing with , even if it is the player ' s Secondary spec . In a raid setting , it would be more beneficial to the raid if the active tank is allowed to roll for a tanking item over a Paladin or Warrior currently acting as a DPS . If you are running an instance or raid with the intention of getting off - spec gear , or there ' s a chance that off - spec gear will drop , it ' s best to declare this before the run starts and make sure everyone is okay with it . To be absolutely polite you should be willing to forgo main spec Need rolls .