Essentials and Treasure Parcels Analyzed

[Truename]

You may have heard that Essentials does away with the treasure parcel system from DMG1 and replaces it with random tables. This isn't entirely true. The new system is described in the back of the Rules Compendium, so I analyzed the new system and compared it to the treasure parcel system.

Short version: I love it. It IS the treasure parcel system, but now with added dice rolling fun. What you have is a way of generating parcels through random rolls rather than a small list of options.

First, the DMG1 approach. At level 6, DMG1 says:

Total Monetary Treasure: 3,600 gp

1. Magic item, level 10
2. Magic item, level 9
3. Magic item, level 8
4. Magic item, level 7
5. 1,000 gp, or one 500 gp gem + one 250 gp art object + 250 gp, or 250 gp art objects + 500 gp
6. 900 gp, or one 500 gp gem + 400 gp, or one 250 gp art object + 650 gp
7. 600 gp, or four 100 gp gems + 200 gp, or one 250 gp art object + two potions of healing + 250 gp
8. 600 gp, or two 250 gp art objects + 100 gp, or two 100 gp gems + 400 gp
9. 300 gp, or one 250 gp art objects + 50 gp, or one potion of healing + two 100 gp gems + 50 gp
10. 200 gp, or two 100 gp gems, or two potions of healing + 100 gp

And the Rules Compendium says:

(11+) 8d8x10 gp
(14-19) 1d4 gems worth 100gp (20+) one gem worth 500gp
(18+) 1d3 art objects worth 250gp
(13+) one magic item of level 1d4+6 [odd d20 roll = common, even = uncommon, 20 = rare]

You're supposed to roll ten "treasures" (their new name for "treasure parcel") using this table. You roll in advance, when prepping your adventure. Each treasure consists of four d20 rolls, one for each line in the table. If you hit the number listed, add that to the treasure. You're still supposed to assign the treasures to encounters as you see fit, and they recommend grouping treasures into hoards so that some encounters have a lot of treasure and some have none.

Now, if we look at the average results here--and you will get close to average results, what with 40 d20 rolls each level--the average level 6 party will get:

• Magic item, level 10
• Magic item, level 9
• Magic item, level 8
• Magic item, level 7
• 5 sacks of gold containing 360 gold each = 1800 gp
• 7.5 gems worth 100gp each and 0.5 gems worth 500gp each = 1000 gp
• 3 art objects worth 250gp each = 750 gp

Or, four magic items and total monetary treasure of 3,550 spread over 10 parcels. Which is almost exactly what the DMG says. In short, this is just the treasure parcel system all over again, with dice and more variety. The only difference I see is that the Essentials approach has no healing potions.

Here's an example of the system in action:

[sblock]
Treasure #1: roll 2, 5, 18 (2), 11
2 art objects worth 250gp each

Treasure #2: roll 2, 12, 18 (2), 6
2 art objects worth 250gp each

Treasure #3: roll 1, 4, 16, 19 (3)
1 common level 9 magic item

Treasure #4: roll 4, 5, 18 (2), 16 (4)
2 art objects worth 250gp each
1 uncommon level 10 magic item

Treasure #5: roll 14 (32), 4, 9, 19 (4)
320 gold pieces
1 common level 10 magic item

Treasure #6: roll 7, 12, 15, 19 (2)
1 common level 8 magic item

Treasure #7: roll 12 (38), 5, 4, 14 (2)
380 gold pieces
1 uncommon level 8 magic item

Treasure #8: roll 14 (45), 9, 3, 4
450 gold pieces

Treasure #9: roll 9, 20, 8, 19 (2)
one gem worth 500gp
1 uncommon level 8 magic item

Treasure #10: roll 4, 13, 9, 10
nada!
[/sblock]

 

[Zaran]

I do get that on average you should get the same amount of treasure. But I see it as an unneeded complication. The GM doesn't need to add randomness to their work. They have plenty of time to put together their game and there is no danger so they can take 10s on everything.

 

[Aegeri]

I do get that on average you should get the same amount of treasure. But I see it as an unneeded complication. The GM doesn't need to add randomness to their work. They have plenty of time to put together their game and there is no danger so they can take 10s on everything.

Yeah, I fully agree with this. I'm not going to use the new system because it adds more work for me (not less). I'll just use the old system, it's not like my books are going anywhere and I've no interest in using the new system.

 

[MerricB]

I do get that on average you should get the same amount of treasure. But I see it as an unneeded complication. The GM doesn't need to add randomness to their work. They have plenty of time to put together their game and there is no danger so they can take 10s on everything.

Where this helps is when you don't design adventures "by level". Instead you have a number of encounters (say 4) which is only half a level. Instead of needing to keep track of what you've previously given out, you can just create treasure using this system and (on average) it should be appropriate.

It is really great when you do a lot of on-the-fly DMing, which I certainly do.

Cheers!

 

[Truename]

I do get that on average you should get the same amount of treasure. But I see it as an unneeded complication. The GM doesn't need to add randomness to their work. They have plenty of time to put together their game and there is no danger so they can take 10s on everything.

The DM gets to decide, but I like using random tables for the 'less important' stuff. It saves me the trouble of having to think about trivialities, and I'll often come up with creative reasons for randomization quirks. And of course you can always ignore the dice or tweak the results.

I like the new system because I always found the straight parcel system to be bland and uninspiring. I hate, hate, hate placing treasure. Now at least I get to roll some dice, and the mix of common, uncommon, and rare magic items makes it a little easier for me to decide which items to hand out.

I have to do three levels worth of treasure tonight for WotBS #2--I'm actually looking forward to it!

Another good resource for DMs who are lazy but like interesting treasure: Pimp My Treasure Parcel

 

[Vael]

Hmm, interesting. I will probably alternate between this and the old system depending on needs. As Merric suggests, if I'm not planning out a whole level of adventuring, the new system is great. However, our group tends to run with one DM for a whole level before switching, so I think the non-random parcel system works better in those respects, and I'll just have a roll to determine common/uncommon/rare for the magic items.

 

[Kzach]

I like it.

It's the type of thing that will force people to be more imaginative if they roll treasure randomly on the spot.

 

[vagabundo]

Do they have random tables for the magci treasure? Or do they just say 1 level 8 item. If so I'll still be using Asmor's - hopefully soon to be updated - Quartermaster program ..

 

[Falstaff]

Thanks Truname for your example of the system in action. I see treasure #10 didn't generate any treasures. So, would you reroll that treasure or just throw it out? What if treasures #3, #5, and #7 also generated no treasures? Would you reroll them until they generated a treasure?

 

[Colmarr]

I see real value in gp not coming in multiples of 100, but otherwise I think returning to randomised treasure is a mistake.

One of the design features of 4e was the reduction in randomness and narrowing of power "spread". Randomising the party's treasure actively works against that feature.