Understanding Drop Finder Results

Two Result Views

Drop Finder results are shown in two complementary views:

1. Boss/Dungeon Summary — grouped by source encounter, answering “which boss should I prioritize?”
2. Item Ranking — flat list sorted by DPS, answering “which items are the biggest upgrades?”

Boss Summary

The Boss Summary (or Dungeon Summary for M+ sources) groups items by their source encounter.

What Each Boss Shows

• Item icons with DPS delta badges (green = upgrade, red = downgrade)
• Expected Value — average DPS gain from that boss’s loot table
• Best Drop — highest single-item DPS gain from that boss
• Priority rank — which boss to target (1 = most valuable)

Expected Value

Expected Value is the average DPS increase you’d get from a random drop off that boss:

• Upgrades count as their actual DPS gain
• Downgrades count as 0 (not negative) — you’d simply not equip them
• Unsimmed items also count as 0

Example: A boss drops 4 items. One is +1,000 DPS, the others are downgrades. Expected Value = (1,000 + 0 + 0 + 0) / 4 = 250 DPS

Priority Ranking

Priority combines multiple factors to rank bosses:

1. Group by Expected Value — bosses within 0.2% DPS of each other are in the same tier
2. Rank by upgrade probability — a boss where 3 out of 3 items are upgrades ranks higher than one where 1 out of 5 is
3. Break ties by Best Drop — higher single-item gain wins

This conservative approach values reliable upgrades over lottery bosses. A boss that reliably drops small upgrades may rank higher than one with a single big upgrade but mostly downgrades.

Sorting Options

Sort	Behavior
Priority (default)	Combined ranking (EV + probability + best)
Boss Order	In-game encounter order
Expected Value	Pure average DPS gain
Best	Highest single-item gain

Item Ranking

A flat list of every item sorted by DPS, best first.

What Each Item Shows

• Item icon and name with item level
• Slot the item was simmed in (e.g., “Trinket 2”, “Finger 1”)
• Source — boss name + difficulty (raids) or dungeon name + key level (M+)
• DPS — absolute DPS for this combination
• DPS Delta — difference vs your currently equipped baseline
• Catalyst badge (CAT) for Catalyst-converted items

The Equipped Baseline

Your currently equipped gear appears in the ranking as “Current Gear”. Items above it are upgrades; items below are downgrades.

Ring & Trinket Variations

Rings and trinkets are simmed in both slots. The best slot appears in the main ranking, with a “N variations hidden” toggle to show the alternative slot result.

Statistical Noise

Results within statistical noise of each other show an approximate badge. If a +50 DPS “upgrade” has a margin of error of +/- 100 DPS, it’s effectively the same as your current gear.

Tip

For items within noise, consider secondary factors: item level (for Great Vault calculation), versatility (for survivability), or socket availability.

Making Decisions from Results

Which boss to kill?

Use the Boss Summary with Priority sorting. Focus on bosses ranked 1–3 — these give you the most likely and impactful upgrades per kill.

Is a specific item worth farming?

Use the Item Ranking. If an item shows as a significant upgrade (1%+ DPS), it’s worth pursuing. If it’s within noise of your current gear, only farm it if it’s conveniently available.

Should I do this content at all?

If the Boss Summary shows all bosses at near-zero Expected Value, your current gear is already competitive with drops from this source. Consider a higher difficulty or different content source.

Limitations

• Drop Finder evaluates the next single upgrade only — it doesn’t plan multi-step gearing paths
• Enchants and gems are inherited from your current gear, not independently optimized (use Sim Gear for that)
• Caster weapon comparisons (staff vs main hand + off hand) may require separate runs