How often do you randomly roll treasure?

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

We used the random tables _in game_ for a while in 3E, especially towards the end. I personally prefered hand-picking the stuff most of the time (especially since I tend to use classed NPCs that have NPC wealth anyway).

For 4E, we use hand-picked according to the suggestion of following what the PCs need. I wasn't sure if I'd like the result, because it seems very "convenient", but after last session, I think I definitely enjoy it as a player, and the DM seemed to like giving out stuff the players were guaranteed to like, too.

I think I might never go "back" to rolling randomly, but I might mix customized stuff for players with hand-picked to add some extra color. (I will still eye for stuff that's actually useful).

 

[FireLance]

Never - my players handpick everything.

With the possible exception of items that are actually plot devices, of course.

In 3e, I told my players that their PCs could have whatever gear they wanted, up to the standard wealth for a character of their level.

It's even easier in 4e: I just tell them to pick one Level+1 magic item, one same-level magic item, and one Level-1 magic item, and they have gp equal to the value of one Level-1 magic item to spend on whatever else they want.

 

[Runestar]

I roll randomly first. Then maybe "refine" the results as I deem fit. Of course, it helps that I allow magic shops fairly liberally in my games, so there is no such thing as a truly useless magic item, as my players are not really bothered by items they cannot readily benefit from as a result.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I roll randomly first. Then maybe "refine" the results as I deem fit. Of course, it helps that I allow magic shops fairly liberally in my games, so there is no such thing as a truly useless magic item, as my players are not really bothered by items they cannot readily benefit from as a result.

I wonder what's the benefit of having random treasure in this case. Why not cut out the middle-man (magic shop) and go right to what you'll have in the end. I suppose there are two reasons:
1) The middle-man doesn't like to be cut. Especially considering that there are a lot of reasons to have NPCs with lower level magical items that the PCs just don't need, but the NPCs definitely do to "compete" with them.
2) A certain degree of verisimilitude - you don't find stuff that just always happens to fit what you want.
Though I am not happy with the results of random treasure for that purpose - it doesn't take into account what other creatures might need or wanted.

I think the biggest advantage of random treasure is that you might find odd stuff you wouldn't have considered normally. (Magic Items shop, though, tend to remove that wonder - you just sell the item to get what you want)

 

[Runestar]

I wonder what's the benefit of having random treasure in this case. Why not cut out the middle-man (magic shop) and go right to what you'll have in the end. I suppose there are two reasons:
1) The middle-man doesn't like to be cut. Especially considering that there are a lot of reasons to have NPCs with lower level magical items that the PCs just don't need, but the NPCs definitely do to "compete" with them.
2) A certain degree of verisimilitude - you don't find stuff that just always happens to fit what you want.
Though I am not happy with the results of random treasure for that purpose - it doesn't take into account what other creatures might need or wanted.

I think the biggest advantage of random treasure is that you might find odd stuff you wouldn't have considered normally. (Magic Items shop, though, tend to remove that wonder - you just sell the item to get what you want)

You hit the nail right on the head. (2) is the main reason, I don't want my players to find custom-tailored magic eq in every treasure horde they loot (especially since any gear npcs are using should be tailored to the npcs' strengths, rather than those of the PCs, but I do not want to put a damper in the PCs' mood when they start looting gear they cannot readily benefit from, yet are stuck with them because they cannot readily unload them. The enemy barbarian is not going to start using a spiked chain over a greatsword just because the party fighter specialized in chains.

Its prevalance is somewhat akin to technology in today's world. Pretty much what you would expect in a typical FR setting. I mean, if you look at the Waterdeep splatbook, it already lists 4 places where you can trade magic items, and these are just the "official" avenues.

Your reservations about magic shops is not unwarranted, but then again, to each his own (no offense), since magic items don't have that rare, wondrous status in my games. Heck, my party had access to a thayan enclave right from the start, and one of the PCs, a neutral red wizard, already had 6 scrolls as bonus eq by virtue of designating Thay as his starting region!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

You hit the nail right on the head. (2) is the main reason, I don't want my players to find custom-tailored magic eq in every treasure horde they loot (especially since any gear npcs are using should be tailored to the npcs' strengths, rather than those of the PCs, but I do not want to put a damper in the PCs' mood when they start looting gear they cannot readily benefit from, yet are stuck with them because they cannot readily unload them. The enemy barbarian is not going to start using a spiked chain over a greatsword just because the party fighter specialized in chains.

Its prevalance is somewhat akin to technology in today's world. Pretty much what you would expect in a typical FR setting. I mean, if you look at the Waterdeep splatbook, it already lists 4 places where you can trade magic items, and these are just the "official" avenues.

Your reservations about magic shops is not unwarranted, but then again, to each his own (no offense), since magic items don't have that rare, wondrous status in my games. Heck, my party had access to a thayan enclave right from the start, and one of the PCs, a neutral red wizard, already had 6 scrolls as bonus eq by virtue of designating Thay as his starting region!

Well, I don't always mind magic item shops, or magic as prevalent as technology. Sometimes I'd just wish games were more accommodating to allow both at the same time without running into game balance problems or heavy house-ruling.

If you reduce the need for magical items strongly, it becomes easier to put in tailored items - because they are items specifically thought out, or it otherwise might make sense from a story-telling perspective that the party finds or gets these items.

---

I just noticed: We have experimented with a different type of random treaure in 4E - instead of predetermining the distribution of the treasure parcels, these are rolled randomly. And after that, the player that can decide what was found is also determined randomly. Of course, that might feel even more meta-gamey, but it's just the extreme approach. You could just look at your player wish-list when preparing the adventure, and then let the dice decide where the treasure will be found and who will get what parcel.

 

[Korgoth]

This. I find randomness a great inspiration, but occasionally, the outcome doesn't feel right and I reroll.

Same here. I roll treasure randomly. If for whatever reason I'm not happy with the roll, I roll again.

I mean... some people actually don't use random treasure?!?

 

[blargney the second]

In a recent game I gave one character a Purple Bag of Purple Potions. It's basically a bag of tricks that uses the potion list. (The purpleness is because she really likes purple. A lot.)