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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 12:09PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Aug 23, 2012
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I was curious to know how I should go about determining what monsters are carrying? I know there's a "treasure" portion in the 3.5 Monster Manual; and I'm a newbie DM to the 4th edition (waiting on my redbox and dm kit)--can anyone give me a brief answer? I was also wondering if there is some sort of roll (d20) or something that would determine if what a leader is carrying is a magic item or not.
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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 2:19PM
#2
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For 4e: The Rules Compendium has a random treasure generator, and the first Dungeon Masters Guide has instructions for designing hoards that can be applied into encounters a little less randomly. There's nothing really that determines if an enemy has any loot or magic items on it in a random sort of way, so if you and your players want it random, I'd go with the Rules Compendium route. Items don't affect monsters in 4e much, and they tend to clog up their mechanics more often than not in my own experience. Better to adlib a monster using an item than to have it actually use one. Hope this helps. Happy Gaming 
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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 4:12PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Aug 23, 2012
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It does help, but how do PCs get geared? Other than experience, what do they get rewarded at the end of a quest? I suppose in a prepared adventure it's written, but if I created one... I would have to reference the rules compendium. Is there anything in the DM Guide about it?
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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 8:13PM
#4
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Well, if you map out events in an adventure like most printed material does, you can make a list of items to drop on the PCs at the end of encounters and just assign them to whatever encounter you feel like. If you'd like to just roll randomly and see where it goes, build a hoard as per the DMG's instructions and have players roll for loot every so often.
Personally, I take a hat, write a treasure list up on some index cards, cut the treasure peices apart, mix them in the hat, and let the players pick one. You could also assign treasure faces on playing cards and have players draw a card from that limited selection. It's not hard to come up with something to just wing it. Hell, you could just leave it to "I'm feeling nice so here's treasure" is you wanted. As long as the PCs get their loot, how they acquire it only matters if they like getting it a certain way. If they like the excitement of finding random stuff, use a random route. If they'd prefer to buy their own stuff, just give them the fundage needed to do so and keep it as a side item in between adventures. And so on for any other kinds of options the players prefer.
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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 10:50PM
#5
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- Biohazard Barbie, on sale now!
Date Joined:
Sep 15, 2005
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An Orc with a pouch of golds is a lot richer tha na peasant with a hole in his coin purse...
I Go with the idea that the Adventure site is a community and determine its wealth thusly - so the poorest monster is likey to have a few coppers on him if he is going to spend them - else home under his pillow (if he values such things) and the BBEG is likely rolling around in the treasure vault Scooge Mc Duck style.
The Citadel Megadungeon: http://yellowdingosappendix.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/the-citadel-mega-dungeon-now-with-room.html
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9 months ago ::
Aug 30, 2012 - 11:34PM
#6
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Well, if you map out events in an adventure like most printed material does, you can make a list of items to drop on the PCs at the end of encounters and just assign them to whatever encounter you feel like. If you'd like to just roll randomly and see where it goes, build a hoard as per the DMG's instructions and have players roll for loot every so often.
Personally, I take a hat, write a treasure list up on some index cards, cut the treasure peices apart, mix them in the hat, and let the players pick one. You could also assign treasure faces on playing cards and have players draw a card from that limited selection. It's not hard to come up with something to just wing it. Hell, you could just leave it to "I'm feeling nice so here's treasure" is you wanted. As long as the PCs get their loot, how they acquire it only matters if they like getting it a certain way. If they like the excitement of finding random stuff, use a random route. If they'd prefer to buy their own stuff, just give them the fundage needed to do so and keep it as a side item in between adventures. And so on for any other kinds of options the players prefer.
Probably the best idea there is. How do your players want their characters to get geared up? Ask them, they can tell you more than we can.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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9 months ago ::
Aug 31, 2012 - 2:42AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Mar 22, 2011
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My group tends to do a mix between wish lists, random (or DM-choice based on what seems interesting or relevant to the encounter) treasure, and money with shopping opportunities. The pseudo-random stuff keeps things interesting, especially when the DM invents items, but the players also like to know that if they really want something, they'll eventually either find it or be able to buy it.
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9 months ago ::
Aug 31, 2012 - 8:49AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Aug 23, 2012
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Awesome; I really appreciate all your guys ideas. I like the idea of making a list and then having them choose at random. I was also thinking of making a list and then having them roll a d20 and then divying it up that way. But I think a draw system is better, and maybe more equal.
I also agree with you yellowdingo; a wizard or some bad ass chief would be more likely to have a magic item then a simple kobold or something
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9 months ago ::
Sep 03, 2012 - 5:46AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Apr 29, 2011
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I keep item wish-lists of my players and if these items fit into the story I might drop one of these. 2 of my 5 players dont have a list because they prefer to have "random" items dropped which are chosen by me. Non-magic items are in the loot sometimes, like a backpack or a canteen, ropes, tools, etc. More valuable things are silver & golden rings, necklaces, a crown maybe or a complete set of chess figures made of different valuable materials, precious hides etc. Last time in a kobold lair I've dropped 2 different kinds of cheese... you cant imagine what this caused - the whole group was ripping the kobold lair apart to find the big cheese-hoard that the kobold boss was hiding somewhere, was really funny and I could add some nice situations. Now my group owns the 2 great cheeses and is really proud of it... sometimes you dont need magic items to start a loot fever 
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9 months ago ::
Sep 07, 2012 - 4:42PM
#10
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I cant seem to find the random option in the compendium, can anyone explain to me how to use the compendium to randomize gear.
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