by Hald Twinpack

August 1, 2023

GDKP Explained: Meaning, How It Works, Raid Runs, Guide

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The loot system in WoW has undergone many changes throughout the game’s expansions. Before the introduction of personal loot in Mists of Pandaria, players had to roll on the equipment or follow the rules of a specific loot distribution system. Those might be different in each guild and group. While GDKP has been banned in Season of Discovery, these runs are still popular in other versions of WoW. In this article, we will answer the questions of what GDPK is, how it works, and a breakdown of whether this system is fit with your playstyle.

The Basics of GDKP

GDKP stands for Gold Dragon Kill Points. This is a derivative of DKP — another loot system. DKP implies that a particular player’s effectiveness and involvement in their guild’s life directly influence their chances of getting loot in one instance or another. The more you attend raids and help your guild — the more Points you get, which can be further spent on the item drops. But how can gold be involved here? Or, in other words, what is GDKP?

The system is not quite similar to DKP, even though they partially share a name. Instead of effectiveness points, players spend their gold on the dropped items by bidding on them. Whenever a piece of gear drops, it goes to the highest bidder. The gold earned is distributed between the party members at the end of the run.

You probably want a clear example to answer the question — how does GDKP work? Well, suppose a particular boss drops a pretty caster necklace. It is a 10-man run, and three party members need that item: Jerry the Druid, Richard the Mage, and Alice the Warlock. Jerry bids 1500, Richard ups it to 2000, and Alice closes the auction with an astonishing bid of 4500 gold. The necklace goes to her, while all other party members (including Jerry and Richard) get their share of gold — 500 coins each, in this case.

Throughout the run, many different items drop, and multiple such little auctions are held. The item a player needs may not drop, or they may not have enough money to outbid others. The GDKP basics suggest that such people still don’t leave the raid empty-handed. Imagine how much gold they have acquired from all the bids combined. Now they have more money, meaning they also have more chances to win the bid on a specific item in the next run.

And what if you are the only player in the party who needs a certain item? You probably won’t get it for free since a minimal bid is usually involved. You’ll have to pay it even if there are no other bidders. But still, consider yourself lucky — you got it cheap.

Overall, gold-bid runs are quite a common thing. There are even GDKP addons making the process of loot distribution easier and helping raid leaders do the necessary calculations. The best place to hold such runs is probably WoW Classic because of the 40-man groups. You can have 10 and more people wanting the same item, and the bidding makes sense in this case. Imagine the amount of money that can be made off the mount drops (yes, they go as the auction lots, as well). 

GDKP Pros and Cons

If the loot system was perfect, why would you need other ones, right? GDKP runs, unlike many others, have two main goals: people go there for gear and gold. That provides additional motivation to go raiding even to geared-up players. Moreover, the RL may keep a 5–15% commission out of all the money earned throughout the run. Everything above explains why GDKP might not be a suitable option for everyone. But let’s analyze the system thoroughly, starting with its positive sides:

1. Simplicity and relative fairness. The item goes to the highest bidder, and others get the money, period. The system’s clarity in this sense is one of the most significant GDKP pros. Disagreements on loot are highly unlikely to occur. Players know the rules from the beginning, and they get gold whenever they don’t get the item. It’s a win-win for everyone.
2. Motivation for many people. A person who’s got everything they need from a particular raid is less likely to attend it again unless they do it for fun. Most people will go to the high-end content for the equipment. So why use lower-level GDKP runs? Well, for the gold, of course! Well-geared players might join your raid as a means of farming money. That can help the leader gather a strong party and ensure a quick and smooth run.
3. The feeling of satisfaction. In a gold-bid run, every boss drop feels rewarding for every single player in the group. You either get the item or the gold for it. As a part of such a group, you will never spend several hours on a raid and get nothing out of it. 

However, the loot system in question has attributes that some players may find negative. Here they are:

1. The amount of gold farmed. In a GDKP raid, those who have more money can get more equipment. Gold can be obtained through many various means, not just in the raid. If gold-bid runs are your only income, you will always be behind the players who make money outside of the instances. It’ll be quite difficult to outbid those druids with max-leveled Herbalism and Mining in WotLK, for example.
2. Raids’ eligibility. Whenever an RL thinks of how to organize a GDKP run, they have to consider which instance they want to go to. 10-man groups do not work very well because of the low number of potential bidders. If a great healer mace drops, and your party only has two healers, there won’t be much bidding. And there won’t be much profit for the members, as well.
   
   Although the system has proven effective in many cases, you can see that it has its limitations. It cannot be implemented efficiently in every single raid, and it probably won’t appeal to everyone. Let’s discuss which players will find the GDKP system suitable for them.

GDKP Guide: Which Player Will This System Suit?

The first thing you need to do before a GDKP run — check your pockets. Even though you’re going to make some money during the runs, it’s a useful practice to start off with some savings. Choose this system if you are a money-making type of player, or if you don’t mind giving your raid profits some time to accumulate.

How much gold are we talking about, exactly? That depends on many factors, including your party’s paying capacity, specific items and instances, and even the game’s era you’re playing. Items’ costs differ considerably in WoW Classic and WotLK, for example. Instead of using a general GDKP guide, it’ll be more effective for you to go and check the average prices on your server.

One more thing you should consider is the exact items you need from one raid or another. Suppose you’re hunting a BiS attack power trinket. A lot of people will want it — Rogues, Warriors, Hunters, etc. If you’re not loaded with gold, it will be quite difficult to outbid that many players.

Also, if a particular raid does not have a lot to offer for a profitable gold-bid run, people may not organize one. Why go for a GDKP run if people don’t need half of the drops, and the other half is not that valuable? If you cannot find a gold-bid party for the raid you need, you might want to find a guild or join a pug run.
We hope you now understand what Gold Dragon Kill Points are better. Remember that if you don’t find GDKP an attractive method of farming equipment, we can always help you get all the loot you need. You can buy Dragonflight Boost off our website and get your gear without having to bid on it or test your luck in rolls.