Treasure Generation

[Mark CMG]

So, how do you go about the task of treasure generation? Electronically? The Old School way with tons of tables? Just make it up? Got any funny treasure stories to share?

Here are some links to various treasure generators. Are there more to add to this resource thread? Add the link and I'll transfer it to the first post.

Here's a new (apparently) PF Treasure Generator -

Pathfinder RPG Random Treasure Generator

And a 3E Treasure Ganerator -

Treasure Generator for D&D - Myth-Weavers

And donjon's d20 Random Treasure Ganerator -

donjon; d20 Random Treasure Generator

And the ajs d20 SRD Treasure Generator -

d20 Treasure Generator

And the DM Tools Treasure Generator -

Treasure Generator | DM Tools: No Prep Time, No Problem!

And a simple one with interesting results -

Serendipity

EN Worlder Asmor has one for 4E here -

Quartermaster - Asmor.com

Here's the Labyrinth Lord Treasure Generator -

http://www.mithrilandmages.com/utilities/LLTreasure.php

Alderon's Tower has the (2E) Python Treasure Generator -

Alderon's Tower -- Python Treasure Generator

Seventh Sanctum has a bunch of generators, not specifically for treasure but one for magic and one for technology -

Seventh Sanctum

 

[Crothian]

I like random generation because it can have the aprty find ites I would not normally pick as treasure.

I had a good thread/poll from a few years back asking if DMs would give a single high powered item to s a second level group. I gave out a gem of seeing and they were afraid to use it. They knew it was valuable and didn't want anyone to know about it for fear of it getting stolen of they get killed for it. They ended up bascially sticking it a backpack and forgetting about it for 6 months real time.

Another group of higher level PCs found a ring of protection +5. It was the most valuable thing they had found and obviously very useful for any of the characters. One character, a prince to his struggling people, basically sold it and gave the money to his people. It helped feed and cloth many people so it was not a complete waste. But the rest of the group was not happy about it.

 

[Gilladian]

I like semi-random tables. I'd love to find one for all the 3.5e books. I tried to create one once and nearly went insane trying to figure out how to do it. Now I just use the tables in the MIC, which hits a lot of stuff, but I don't like the way they group a lot of stuff...

Anyway, the worst (most broken) Item I ever gave a party was probably a flying boat that could travel too fast, too easily. It gave them wayyyyy too much mobility at too little risk. I finally had it get struck by lightning and need repairs (that took them on a LONG quest) before it could be used again. Nowadays I'd be able to compensate, but that was back in my inexperienced 2nd edition days.

 

[Celebrim]

I generally place treasure according to what feels believable to me for the situation. However, if the treasure is in the form of a horde collected by some monster I'm not adverse to random generation using either the 1e or 3e method because its nice sometimes to surprise yourself with what is hiding there. When large amounts of coin is indicated, I will frequently take lumps of coin and transform them into some sort of durable valuable good with the same value. Masses of copper coins may become masses of copper kitchen ware with a few copper coins, for example. Silver might become tea services or candlesticks or censers with equivalent value. And so forth.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I haphazardly pick appropriate stuff that looks cool. A magical axe for the axe fighter, magical robes for the wizard, some random doodad for the talkie player. And so on.

 

[Jimlock]

RANDOM = BALANCE PROBLEMS

The Dm should pick appropriate treasure for his NPCs/dungeons/places etc...

The treasure has to be relevant to who has it and to where it is found.

Also... that way, DMs can make sure that an inappropriate magical item does not

get to the hands of the PCs.

A DM has too many things to worry about, he shouldn't be encumbered but yet another problem =

"how to remove this powerful item from my PCs"

 

[Raven Crowking]

I use a combination of random roll and simply selecting, based upon what makes sense to me when devising an area, and what I feel like at the time. If I have a clear idea, I go with my gut. If I do not, I roll.


RC

 

[BriarMonkey]

I tend to use a combination of randomness, arbitraryness, tables, and putting things in by choice.

For instance, if the low-level party has just mopped up some goblins, I tend to be a little random. I'll roll a few dice and that is how many coins the gobs had amongst them, aside from their gear.

When I am figuring out something such as a tomb, I'll figure out what would be likely to have been burried with the occupant. This won't be done randomly, I'll choose based on who is burried, when they were burried, and if there's been any grave robbing (dependant on traps, etc.).

If it's something that just happened off the cuff and turns out to be a more involved scenario - like the PCs opting to pursue that random young dragon who's been eating ranchers' cattle, then yeah, I'd probably use an old table or something similar as I really hadn't thought of it before. However, I will keep an eye toward what the tables give up.

In any case, should the treasure include something overly powerful for the group, rather than not give it to them, I handle it a little differently. I disguise it. I may bump up the needed skill check DCs such that it takes a long time to figure out the object; or I may hide the objects true abilities under other magics; or I may morph the object into something else. (My favorite of these is to replace the Ring of Protection with a Teddy Bear of Protection.) It lets the PCs have something but makes them work at figuring it out.

 

[Celebrim]

In any case, should the treasure include something overly powerful for the group, rather than not give it to them, I handle it a little differently.

I also tend to try to come up with a way to handle the situation.

a) Make the item grow with level. Maybe the sword is a +5 sword, but maybe you have to be 15th level before its full power is unlocked. It becomes an item that the adventurer can keep his entire career.

b) Maybe the item has to be used in a certain way before its full power is unlocked - it's a sword +1 until you slay a dragon with it and afterwords it becomes a sword +3 dragon bane. In 1e the Rings of Elemental Command were explicitly like this. They'd seem to be moderately powerful useful items, but when used in a certain way they'd become one of the most powerful items in the game.

c) Maybe the item has a number of minor drawbacks that make it less than fully pleasant to use. Transform the item into a minor artifact and give it side effects that complicate the value of the tiem.

d) If the item wouldn't completely spot light the character who ends up with it, go ahead and go with it. Ok, so its a sword +4 nine or ten levels before I'd normally make one available, but is it really going to break the game if the fighter gets a cool weapon right now?

 

[BriarMonkey]

c) Maybe the item has a number of minor drawbacks that make it less than fully pleasant to use. Transform the item into a minor artifact and give it side effects that complicate the value of the tiem.

Ya. I use variations on that a lot too. Where something may have bumps to physical attributes (like a Girdle of Giant Strength), I'll also give it minuses to mental attributes.

Transforming a high powered item into a unique item I think adds a lot to the game and the players' enjoyment of it. It also helps get out of the rut of just having the more mundane +1 This or +2 That.