ammount of treasure per encounter

[cbbakke]

I am looking for a guide for how much treasure and what level of loot are given for an encounter. I tend to be pretty tight with treasure so I wanted to see what the "norm" is.

 

[Caliban]

That information is in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

 

[Nytmare]

More to the point, page 125 in the DMG, "Awarding Treasure."

 

[Kordeth]

More more to the point, treasure in 4E is handed out on a per character level basis, not a per-encounter basis. As long as the party is getting all ten treasure parcels over the course of a level, it doesn't matter how much you hand out per encounter.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

If you do the calculations for level 1 based on the DMG treasure parcels it works out to around 500 gp equivalent per encounter. Higher levels go MUCH higher.

As an aside I'm of the point of view that this system (as with all previous systems I've ever looked at) are way heavy on giving out treasure, but it is really entirely up to the DM. Going 'by the book' characters will have tons of cash and more magic items than you can shake a stick at, but that's fine if it works for your game. If you want to run a 'low magic' type of game like I prefer then you may want to give out a lot less than 4 items per level. Listen to your players, if they think they're getting short changed on treasure, then maybe give them an extra big treasure at some point. You can always find a way to relieve them of excess gold later on too!

 

[BobTheNob]

If you do the calculations for level 1 based on the DMG treasure parcels it works out to around 500 gp equivalent per encounter. Higher levels go MUCH higher.

As an aside I'm of the point of view that this system (as with all previous systems I've ever looked at) are way heavy on giving out treasure, but it is really entirely up to the DM. Going 'by the book' characters will have tons of cash and more magic items than you can shake a stick at, but that's fine if it works for your game. If you want to run a 'low magic' type of game like I prefer then you may want to give out a lot less than 4 items per level. Listen to your players, if they think they're getting short changed on treasure, then maybe give them an extra big treasure at some point. You can always find a way to relieve them of excess gold later on too!

I too used to be fairly "treasure stingy" as I liked players to be dependant upon the abilities of there race/class, not the equipment they were carrying. That was pre 4th edition....

4th Edition is different though. In 3.5(3.0) alot of treasure tended to push player "ahead of the curve" too easily. In 4th however you have to look at the numbers on the creatures in the MM. Fact is, if your players arent getting the amount of loot specified in the DM's they will get annihilated in combat.

The whole thing is written on the assumption that a certain amount of loot is handed out per character level, and that amount is clearly specified in the DM's guide. Vary from it at your own peril!

(I am using it and loving it. I am also using a point allocation system to determine who is due the next drop and finding item appropriate to the recipient. Players are happy, Im happy)

 

[dvvega]

You also have to take into account that treasure in 4E is slightly different.

In 3.X mundane equipment was part of treasure and could be sold for 50% as normal treasure could.

In 4E mundane equipment is worthless for re-sale, and magic item sale is 20%(?).

So adventurers don't get to "trade in" items for loot as easily.

D