Early game feels punishing to play with friends with the current loot system

Wicked Feedback
1

Disclaimer: This post is purely from multiplayer pov as I have never played the single player version so I do not know how looting differs between the two.

TL;DR: The shared loot table makes the multiplayer system even more punishing than it already is. It actively discourages players from attempting a full co-op playthrough because it feels like the world’s loot is effectively divided by the player count, leaving everyone under equipped.

After playing for roughly two hours from the prologue, my biggest frustration is that the co-op experience feels more punishing than rewarding. This stems entirely from the shared loot pool system. Currently, the game seems to discourage a full co-op playthrough, pushing players to only join temporarily for specific boss fights (similar to Monster Hunter or Elden Ring) rather than exploring the world together.

The core issue is that early-game resources feel tuned for a single player, not two.

For example, the chest near the opening shore campfire provides 3 mushrooms and 3 herbs. This is enough to craft three soups. In a co-op session, this yield should ideally scale to 4 or 6 items so resources can be split evenly between players.

While the consumable scarcity is a minor complaint, the real frustration arises with essential tools like the fishing rod, pickaxe, axe, and shovel.

These tools are critical to the gameplay loop as they unlock core mechanics (interacting with ore veins, dirt piles, trees, etc.). When approaching these nodes, the game indicates which tool is required. However, multiplayer mechanics backfire here because, in the first two hours, we typically found only one of each tool.

We tried to handle loot distribution by letting whoever found the chest keep the contents, sharing only when we found duplicates. Unfortunately, duplicates were extremely rare; the only extra tool we found in a two-hour session was a fishing rod.

This creates a severe dependency issue. If I find a dirt pile, I have to wait for my friend to dig it up because he holds the only shovel. To make matters worse, if my friend logs off and I want to continue playing, I am effectively locked out of these mechanics because I never found my own set of tools.

6 Likes
2

You can buy tools once you unlock sacrament. While I agree, and had the same experience during the starting hours of the game in co op, this issues is eliminated once you reach the city and can buy your own things. With that being said, I do think it is an issue that needs to be addressed because it makes the start of the game feel exceptionally rough and uninviting to new players. A simple fix would be to up the tool/weapon drop rate in the shallows and leave all other areas unaffected.

3

I honestly think that loot found in chests and stuff should be not be shared but each player get their own random loot.

As for the essentials tools, I think these they should be handed to you in the beginning area of the game through some staged scenery.

For example the first ore vein you see there would be a mob next to a dead person who has his pickaxe stuck inside the ore vein (aka, he got killed when trying to mine ores) and similar stuff through out the beginner area for each of the essential tools. And scale this mechanics also for multiplayer so each player can get their set of tools.

Then remove the tools from the loot table completely.

1 Like
4

I do agree that chest Loot needs to be per player all the rest of it is fine in its current state

5

The dev explanation in the Q&A: jump to 36:55

2 Likes
6

i think the current loot system is great. it really makes co-op really feels like co-op and not just individuals bashing enemies together. there’s a lot of communication that needs to happen. like if I need tools and or if im looking for a particular equipment with a certain enchant, i call it out to my team and if they find it, they put it in our shared chest. ingredients and other resources too. it really feels like a team and not just some individuals who happen to be playing together

4 Likes
7

The biggest frustration is that the current loot system is very punishing to people who start their first play through in multiplayer to the point it feels like the game discourages you.

And I don’t think this feeling is healthy for the game.

Maybe making the loot scale with player count dynamically depending on the numbers of players currently could help.

For example when opening chest, instead of the giving 3 random loot it will give 1 extra per player active in the realm and leave the first come first serve loot mechanics untouched

But in the current form, the early 2 hour ish play through kinda gives a negative incentive that people should play together.

3 Likes
8

The game is based on TEAM EFFORT, not based on “you” looting everything.

If you have people stealing everything, then “change friends”.

We are on full team, played since the coop beta came out and we didn’t found any issue with equipping each of us from head to toes.

You need COOPERATION, not thiefs that eats up every chest :rofl:

2 Likes
9

We tried to handle loot distribution by letting whoever found the chest keep the contents, sharing only when we found duplicates. Unfortunately, duplicates were extremely rare; the only extra tool we found in a two-hour session was a fishing rod.

Yes, we share what we have, but ultimately you are dividing a single player designed loot system into a multiplayer experience.

So what each player get would be less than what they would’ve gotten if they were to play in a single player world.

I spent another hour playing through the opening and the amount of loot I get playing alone is doubled compared to co-oping with one friend.

This does not make sense.

Regardless, I still find the multiplayer experience fun because you get to share an experience, but what I am arguing is that it could’ve been better and less discouraging.

It feels like a trade off currently. I want to have fun with friends so I won’t get as much loot as I would have if I were to play alone. This trade off does not make much sense for this game

1 Like
10

The issue is only about maybe the first 2 hours, once you loop in a zone, you have so much crap on you that you don’t know where to put it.

We are in 4, max diff, and that “issue” (if you want to call an issue, for us it wasn’t) was something only on the first 2-3h.

BUT.. if you wish for an increased loot ammount, i am not against it.

1 Like
11

Absolutely agreed, after playing for about 8.5h co-op, the loot situation makes the game unnecessarily grating. The issue is not only insufficient loot, eventually you do get the tools you need – but having to coordinate, and deal with marshalling just gets tiresome.

Will wait for full release, hopefully they allow more options for multiplayer – mainly separate loot, and disabling friendly fire for those that prefer it.

2 Likes
12

Damn, just stop playing with people who don’t share loot with you. What kind of baseless complaint is that?
So, you invite people into your world or play with people who take everything they can get their hands on, whether they’re an archer, a mage, or a swordsman, and then complain that your loot isn’t duplicated?!
All story loot is duplicated, and you should share gear with your friends. If you encounter situations where your companions don’t share loot with you, the problem is either you or your partner. Find people who can share and farm enough gear for at least four people of different classes if you needed. Ah, i see, you want legendaries of your friend? Then just go to Crusible and fight EchoKnight until you got that, or ask friend for that item

1 Like
13

The way this game handles Bounty and Challenge handins is simply awful too. Only one person in the group gets anything at all and then gets to vendor off all the trash for silver.

As new players, we didn’t know this and our one mate ended up with 40s or 50s by the end of the first night and the rest of us were at 2s or3s.

14

Learn to share. If you have hoarding goblins it’s not the game’s fault. It is all about sharing with each other.

1 Like
15

Learn to read. You’re excusing poor design. Why?

16

@2MinutesofFury
Start to understand game.
Take silver from your guy, what the problem? Farm by yoursef if needed. You forget how to cooperate or he don’t want to share? Loot bound to the world, It is not korean shitty MMO, where everyone gets his own scrap items. If you friend loot all gear, ask him to give it to you, if he sold all out, ask him for money, if that donkey say something like “Why i should give to you my money“ - then dont play with that prick, game loot system are fair, just play with adequats. Why you don’t try to understand game and starts whining, look for mods if you so badly needs it, mb someone did doublication system, but i with friends always shared gear to each other and farm it so, that everyone had that he needed

17

I have never tried co-op in No Rest For The Wicked, but the friction sounds fun; stealing loot from your friends! :ogre:

1 Like
18

You’re defending poor systems design really hard.

Why?

19

You defending your right not to cooperate in co-op

Why?

Just install the discord and coordinate there, stop complaining

20

Even with discord, the loot system isn’t everyone’s cup of tea:

  • some people are loot goblins, but are fun to play with otherwise
  • trying to describe the important details of the items one picks up is cumbersome for beginners
  • sharing is inconvenient – have to first discuss, then stop exploration, face each over, start a steam-style trade, etc.
  • after a boss fight or bounty, only one person gets to enjoy the experience of picking up the reward – even if they share it afterwards, it’s just not the same

Based on the amount of posts about loot, this seems like a common pain point for many players. Best would be to have an option when creating the realm where you can choose which co-op loot style you prefer. Implementation-wise should be straightforward, and everyone would be happy.

1 Like