What the title says. Basically, i'm running a campaign in a world i'm creating, with all sorts of house rules, but we generally follow the 3.5 rules pretty closely othrwise. They're all getting pretty knowledgeable and i've been doing this for forever lol. As a random "let's see how this works/if they like it", sorta thing that I sometimes do for a session or two (i think action points lasted 2 sessions lol), I let them roll on their treasure (i picked the charts, and over-ruled certain things (this monster has this treasure, that chest had this type of item, you cannot have that, etc). The LOVE it. And it hasn't broken the game too much. Granted, I hand-tailor nearly every encounter based on the party anyway. Has anyone else tried this? Any other thoughts, considerations, things to be aware of?
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Anybody have any experience with letting players roll on the loot tables?
- Thread starter Ilfirin
- Start date
Fiddling about with items and treasure is the last thing I want to do as DM, I find it the most boring and tedious aspect of adventure design. Generally I use the Magic Item Compendium charts, just reskinning the art objects for something appropriate for the encounter. Sometimes this is straight on the fly, if I've had a busy week.
Generally players in my games love doing this at the end of the encounter, as it feels like gambling, and you are responsible for bringing in a really meagre haul if you roll too low.
I have my own alchemical items and herbal items tables too, which I use in urban or wilderness foraging attempts.
What I hate about using MIC straight off, is that it detracts from the realism and makes it feel more video-gamish. It can also really mess with continuity when players are using detect magic before you are ready. Its also sometimes really stupid when some random unimportant mook turns out to have a minor magic item, but didn't use it to save their life.
So ideally, I prefer to mostly pre-roll on my own ahead of time, and plan and tailor what is hidden in each area. I try and have 4-5 random treasure caches preplanned for each session.
Generally players in my games love doing this at the end of the encounter, as it feels like gambling, and you are responsible for bringing in a really meagre haul if you roll too low.
I have my own alchemical items and herbal items tables too, which I use in urban or wilderness foraging attempts.
What I hate about using MIC straight off, is that it detracts from the realism and makes it feel more video-gamish. It can also really mess with continuity when players are using detect magic before you are ready. Its also sometimes really stupid when some random unimportant mook turns out to have a minor magic item, but didn't use it to save their life.
So ideally, I prefer to mostly pre-roll on my own ahead of time, and plan and tailor what is hidden in each area. I try and have 4-5 random treasure caches preplanned for each session.
Master Chr Smith
Explorer
Loot tables
like Dalmosh mentioned the magic item compendium has a good list. The process is fairly simple if long winded. I generally take into account the gp value of any given encounter consider 1/4 to be common goods if not strictly monster (clothing tents repair goods rope etc) 1/2 as a combination of non specific gems and coins and the rest as common/uncommon magic items (+1/+2 weapon or armor or +1 item common, item with an unusuall material +3/+4 weapon or armor or +2/+3 item uncommon) and if you really want to be 'nice' 10% chance that any given item is cursed. Then if you REALLY want to have fun make the cursed item a working piece; IE Blindfold of blindsight 60' that makes the user blind for hours if removed (gain benefits of blind sight but all penalties IE can't read or distinguish individuals clearly particularly fun giving to a new member of the party.
Aaaany way if you want to let your party to roll their treasure you may want to copy the info for quick refrence. all info is in the DMG, first determin the encounter level of the monster, area, event, dungeon (monster is obviously easier to determin, for the rest consider spell effects/traps and use the lowest caster level to help determin the ECL, the rest are piecemeal or given in the adventure details of pre-printed material.) then go to DMG page 51 for gold value earned, next use tables on pages 52-53 for the random roll (not every encounter will give highest/lowest value...or any if the rolls really suck) page 55 for gems/art, 56 for common goods (as mentioned befor I generally do this befor hand particularly since it is usually farily obvious, non magic armor/weapons/shields etc)
page 216 and up to determin any magic items/potions/scrolls etc...
If you want to use the MIC you will have to find the general lists in that book (don't have it my self)
like Dalmosh mentioned the magic item compendium has a good list. The process is fairly simple if long winded. I generally take into account the gp value of any given encounter consider 1/4 to be common goods if not strictly monster (clothing tents repair goods rope etc) 1/2 as a combination of non specific gems and coins and the rest as common/uncommon magic items (+1/+2 weapon or armor or +1 item common, item with an unusuall material +3/+4 weapon or armor or +2/+3 item uncommon) and if you really want to be 'nice' 10% chance that any given item is cursed. Then if you REALLY want to have fun make the cursed item a working piece; IE Blindfold of blindsight 60' that makes the user blind for hours if removed (gain benefits of blind sight but all penalties IE can't read or distinguish individuals clearly particularly fun giving to a new member of the party.
Aaaany way if you want to let your party to roll their treasure you may want to copy the info for quick refrence. all info is in the DMG, first determin the encounter level of the monster, area, event, dungeon (monster is obviously easier to determin, for the rest consider spell effects/traps and use the lowest caster level to help determin the ECL, the rest are piecemeal or given in the adventure details of pre-printed material.) then go to DMG page 51 for gold value earned, next use tables on pages 52-53 for the random roll (not every encounter will give highest/lowest value...or any if the rolls really suck) page 55 for gems/art, 56 for common goods (as mentioned befor I generally do this befor hand particularly since it is usually farily obvious, non magic armor/weapons/shields etc)
page 216 and up to determin any magic items/potions/scrolls etc...
If you want to use the MIC you will have to find the general lists in that book (don't have it my self)
A
amerigoV
Guest
Back in the 1e days with with my first real character we did that (I was probably 16 at the time). My boy hit the jackpot with a Hammer of Thunderbolts. After a few sessions (once the other key items were gotten) I recall the GM going through the DMG and x-ing out tables 
.
I do not play D&D now, but Savage Worlds has a Fantasy Companion this tables akin to the old DMG . We do occasionally roll loot. I still enjoy that.
The thing I do like about that approach (presuming somewhat balanced set of tables) is it brings out player creativity. Giving a fighter a +2 longsword because that exactly fits their build and its "level appropriate" is BORING. Giving a fighter a couple of Immovable Rods and watch them try something interesting. (I'm not saying never give out the sword, but make sure the interesting stuff gets in there - the players will surprise you with it).
.I do not play D&D now, but Savage Worlds has a Fantasy Companion this tables akin to the old DMG . We do occasionally roll loot. I still enjoy that.
The thing I do like about that approach (presuming somewhat balanced set of tables) is it brings out player creativity. Giving a fighter a +2 longsword because that exactly fits their build and its "level appropriate" is BORING. Giving a fighter a couple of Immovable Rods and watch them try something interesting. (I'm not saying never give out the sword, but make sure the interesting stuff gets in there - the players will surprise you with it).
Master Chr Smith
Explorer
That's generally how I like doing loot. I wont give them what they Want and unless I am feeling rather vengeful for some reason I rarely do coins instead giving a fair value of trade goods gems or slightly excess of magic items (sold at 1/2 price or 3/4 with good barter skills) and, of course, as mentioned before the semi useful cursed item. I remember one particular cursed item I gave a particularly cowardly rogue, gave them +10 to hide and move silent but if they attempted to flee a chalange (not nessesarily a fight) they were under the effect of a slow spell.
nijineko
Explorer
when i use the random tables, i use them in advance of the encounter (part of the prep) and what the npcs randomly have can engender stories and changes in the encounter, which makes it fun for everyone, and can take the adventure off in an unexpected direction. i find it fun personally.
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