Drop that loot you thief!

[Wolf Kanno]

In the case of games built around just killing trout for loot (Diablo, Monster Hunter, and MMORPGs for example) I find that it is perfectly fine to have such a system. It's pretty much part of the core gaming experience. I'm less forgiving in other mediums but it largely depends from game to game. Does the game have a huge crafting system? Then it's okay unless the mechanic isn't terribly good.

I don't care for the mechanics in JRPGs because I just don't feel like developers know how to do them right. Take the more recent DQ games as an example. DQVIII has a pretty neat crafting mechanic that makes use of all that old equipment you get. It was a pretty cool mechanic that had you being more careful about what you should sell or drop from your inventory. DQIX on the other hand has the same mechanic but it's kind of a nightmare as it's easily five times larger in content, really forces you to grind those drops in a franchise known for its unforgivably low drop rate, and takes out a good chunk of it's user friendly mechanics such as the alchemy pot being stuck in one location now instead of traveling with you and the game kind of requiring you to use it to upgrade to better gear since decent gear becomes harder to come across in shops and dungeons as you get farther in.

With that said, I love stealing from enemies and I'm cool with that.