Flavor text - describing the loot

[sniffles]

I'm a big fan of Paizo's item cards, for convenience of tracking my PC's equipment. But I buy the cards myself - my GMs typically don't use them to hand out treasure. Most of the time I cover up the flavor text with a sticky note containing the stats of the item it represents. I usually try to choose something that looks the way I imagine the item appearing, but most of the time that's purely an aesthetic choice on my part and the GM doesn't offer any opinion.

In the past some GMs I play with have handed out index cards for treasure items, sometimes with an image snipped from a catalog or magazine for illustration purposes. But I can seldom recall when anyone has ever given me an item with a description similar to the flavor text on the backs of the Paizo cards.

A question for GMs here: how often do you describe the physical appearance of an item you hand out as treasure, in addition to describing its mechanical properties? Do you usually just say "It's a +2 ghost touch longsword"? Or do you tell the player something like, "The grip is made of ebony inlaid with fine gold wire, and the pommel is in the shape of a ram's head"?

For players, what would most of you prefer? Do you care what it looks like, or do you only want to know what it does?

Personally I'd like to see more flavor text with loot, or alternately, I'd like to see GMs using item cards and telling me "It looks just like the picture on this card." But I realize that's an added piece of complexity the GM would have to add to his already-full plate.

 

[Arnwyn]

A question for GMs here: how often do you describe the physical appearance of an item you hand out as treasure, in addition to describing its mechanical properties? Do you usually just say "It's a +2 ghost touch longsword"? Or do you tell the player something like, "The grip is made of ebony inlaid with fine gold wire, and the pommel is in the shape of a ram's head"?

"Some of the time". If I think the item should be cool and/or unique, I'll give a more detailed description (much the way you describe an item, above).

For players, what would most of you prefer? Do you care what it looks like, or do you only want to know what it does?

When I'm a player, I certainly care about what certain items look like (not all items, though). I'd say permanent, high-use items.

Personally I'd like to see more flavor text with loot, or alternately, I'd like to see GMs using item cards and telling me "It looks just like the picture on this card." But I realize that's an added piece of complexity the GM would have to add to his already-full plate.

I'm sure players do... :\ ()

 

[DragonLancer]

I did go through a phase at one point not long after 3.0 came out of describing (in small detail) anything that was recovered. It got a bit too drawn out though, and my players would say that X was cool but then just right down that they had a new longsword.

These days unless its something I want them to pay attention to, I rarely go into much detail.

 

[sniffles]

Part of what inspired me to think about these issues is that I receive a number of catalogs that include lots of merchandise which would make for cool loot. Pyramid Collection and Museum Replicas catalogs are full of stuff that looks like something you'd hand out in a game.

As I said, I love the Paizo item cards. But I've been thinking of doing some homemade ones using catalog images, because I hate to see all those gorgeous things in my catalogs go to waste.

 

[Asmor]

As a bonus, if your players get really attached to 'em, you could actually BUY the things!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Depends on a few factors.

Way back in the day, one of the first computer programs I had was tablemaster and it had tons of descriptions for weapons, gems, jewelry, inns, etc...

Also depends on how rare magic items are or if the item in question belonged to someone famous in the past.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

As a GM it pretty much depends on the item. Your basic +1 longsword? "Its a +1 longsword." The more powers or history (that I've thought up for it), the more likely it will have a longer description. (Or if I've happened upon a cool description that will work for an item I'll be giving out. Don't want the players to get too good at knowing what's important and what isn't!)

As a player I love it, but don't expect it much.

 

[grodog]

I always describe the loot, and never provide magical details until after PCs/NPCs identify the items in question. That way when I provide some amount of desc on an item, that's not a clue that it's important/a major magic item/an artifact/etc.

FWIW, I like NG's Mother of All Treasure Tables (written by the Tabletop Adventures folks) for the level of creative detail in their descriptions. The descs are rich, evocative, and paint good pictures of the items they created. Details @ http://www.necromancergames.com/upcoming.html

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I always describe the loot, and never provide magical details until after PCs/NPCs identify the items in question. That way when I provide some amount of desc on an item, that's not a clue that it's important/a major magic item/an artifact/etc.

FWIW, I like NG's Mother of All Treasure Tables (written by the Tabletop Adventures folks) for the level of creative detail in their descriptions. The descs are rich, evocative, and paint good pictures of the items they created. Details @ http://www.necromancergames.com/upcoming.html

That book looks really good, but at $28 I think I'll just do my own descriptive treasure, especially since I would usually have magic treasure included as well and would have to adjust things accordingly.