[Essentials] Awarding Treasure

[Falstaff]

Hello,

In the Essentials Rules Compendium, on page 298, there are rules for generating treasures. The DM rolls 1d20 for each category and if he/she meets or beats a target number for a listed item (or items) the treasure is awarded.

For example, one of the treasures for a Level 1 Party reads like this:

(18+) 1d2 gems worth 100 gp

If the DM rolls an 18 or higher on 1d20, then he rolls 1d2 to generate 1 or 2 gems each worth 100 gp as part of the treasure award. If he rolls 17 or lower, then this treasure award doesn't have any gems in it.

My question: if a DM decides to award a treasure after designing a goblin encounter, and he rolls poorly for each listed treasure, that is to say not rolling high enough to hit the target numbers for each listed treasure, does he assume these goblins have zero treasure to offer and scratch that treasure award off? Or does he reroll the treasures until he at least hits one of the target numbers?

I could see a DM with badly rolling dice that never awards any treasure.

I hope this makes sense. I'm having trouble explaining my question I think.

 

[AngryMojo]

By most random treasure generators, yes this can happen. It's one of the big reasons why I love the parcel system so much.

But, that being said, it's also the prime example of rule zero coming into play. If you've gone through several encounters with no treasure, most DM's would fudge the roll.

 

[the Jester]

Your question makes perfect sense.

Yes, random treasure makes it perfectly possible that a given encounter yields no treasure- hurray!!- but equally, it makes it possible that the party will get way more than 'standard' treasure in a given haul. In the long term, it should average out.

Personally, I miss the days of random magic items that could be anything at any level, although I fully acknowledge that it was not exactly balanced!

 

[Riastlin]

Aye, random treasure systems can play havoc with the power of the party. I too am a big fan of the treasure parcel system in that it ensures you keep the party appropriately geared (without every encounter needing treasure since you can double or triple up parcels as needed).

However, I also like a certain amount of randomness in the loot system. I'm not a huge fan of the wish list -- particularly with rituals that enable you to change the enchantments, etc. -- and so will often simply place an item of the appropriate level that looks interesting and/or usable by the party. I don't completely ignore wishlists, but I just don't feel like I should be bound to them.

 

[Zaran]

I dislike the wish list too but I thought the parcel system was easy to do. This new random system seems more complicated than what Essentials was supposed represent.

That being said, we have to keep in mind that the Core books aren't getting replaced so the random system is just a new option. In fact, they may have put this new system in just to make sure that the DMG was still needed for something.

 

[Infiniti2000]

My question: if a DM decides to award a treasure after designing a goblin encounter, and he rolls poorly for each listed treasure, that is to say not rolling high enough to hit the target numbers for each listed treasure, does he assume these goblins have zero treasure to offer and scratch that treasure award off? Or does he reroll the treasures until he at least hits one of the target numbers?

Those goblins have zero treasure. Note that the DM should pre-roll this and it'd be a good idea to use in the descriptions of the goblins. In this case, for example, these goblins are wearing very ragged clothes and poor weapons and look in bad health. If the DM were to roll well, then the opposite would be true. The goblins would be well-equipped or maybe even foppish. This provides for RP opportunities, too. For the first case, maybe the party could more easily bribe the goblins. Give them a few gold and the goblins will do what the party says.

 

[Zaran]

So, if I use this new treasure drop system, I'll probably make the rolls and total it all up and compare it to the guidelines and make sure the players at least get the minimum suggested. Magic items especially.

Does it at least say something like not every encounter should have treasure. I get visions of Skags dropping cash and rocket launchers when I kill them.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Or a swarm dropping plate mail? Now let me see...what video game had that...

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

...not sure. But my D&D game would have the swarm still picking at the bones of the former owner of the plate mail. Or whatever else suits the situation. Not all random treasure would be worn or carried by the creatures found guarding it.

 

[Minifig]

Or a swarm dropping plate mail? Now let me see...what video game had that...

. That same game had you killing Zebra's for their hooves and yet when you killed them, hooves wouldn't always drop..

Strangely enough it seemed the Zebra's had all four feet.

...not sure. But my D&D game would have the swarm still picking at the bones of the former owner of the plate mail. Or whatever else suits the situation. Not all random treasure would be worn or carried by the creatures found guarding it.

That's a great idea.