Nekkid, expept for a bag of gold?

[Mercule]

Last week, I threw the group up against 3 Bearded Devils and the PCs won (yay!). So, they started looting the bodies.

Now, I've gotten into the habit of using the random treasure tables unless there's something I specifically want to (or don't want to) place. I usually roll it up before the session and can just whip it out when needed.

Anyway, back to the issue: the random rolls came up with 1500 gold, plus miscellaneous gems, etc., for the horde. I didn't think much of it until one of the players commented on the fact that each critter was carrying 500 gp, none of whom could actually do much with the treasure.

That got me thinking about some of the inconsistancies in default treasure placement. How does anyone else handle the following:

1. 1,000 gp, no sp

It's possible, using the treasure tables to end up with all coins being the same time. While this is fine for a single orc or somesuch, it's a bit harder to swallow for a dragon.

2. Pounds and pounds of metal

In the example of the devils, each one was carrying 500 coins. That's ten pounds of coinage. Where does this come from? Is it in normal currancy? Why would devils (or trolls, hydras, umber hulks, etc.) have such things?

3. Wandering monsters

Not directly related to the others, but -- for those who use random encounters ever -- how do you generate treasure for these? Do you pause the game and roll, make it up, prepare "samples" in advance, or something else?

Basically, how do you handle treasure generation and distribution, as a GM?

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

If there is no logical reason for someone, or something to have treasure, then they don't have treasure. Simple really. Not only is it sensible, but it keeps my players poor!

GOM

 

[Planesdragon]

After realizing that the treasure tables were all just dice rolled times value-equivalent coinage sets, I started just randomly chucking dice.

It would probably be a worthy undertaking to make a "purse table" that came up with more interesting amounts, such as "5d6 gp and 10d10 sp and 2d20 cp", and a seperate "chest table."

 

[AuraSeer]

Except at very low levels, I express all values in terms of gold pieces. If the PCs find a sack full of assorted money, I don't bother rolling for a random distribution, I just call it "coins worth 1500 gp."

When random generation claims that monsters have silly amounts of coins to lug around, I usually convert it to other treasure appropriate to the monster. (Perhaps the devil has a fat diamond that he picked up last time he was called via gate; the calling wizard had planned to use it as a spell component.) Any halfway intelligent critter might keep jewelry or gems, because they're pretty even if you can't spend them.

I almost never use wandering monsters, in the normal sense of random enemies that show up out of nowhere. I think that kind of encounter just slows down the game. A "wandering" monster in my game will be a pregenerated monster whose lair is nearby, whom I already have stats and treasure for. The party doesn't encounter three generic trolls that randomly sprout from the MM; they encounter Bert, Tom, and Bill, troll brothers whose lair is behind a large boulder 300' south of the path, and who have specific items of treasure concealed there.

 

[shilsen]

I was already doing this in part in my last campaign, but in the campaign I plan to start in a week's time, I'm going to move far away from the standard D&D trope of looting bodies. Creatures will only possess and carry treasure which makes sense under the circumstances. So a completely barbaric orc tribe with a barter economy would have little or no coinage. PC treasure and wealth will come more often from rewards and commissions, rather than be gained from slain enemies. I very rarely used random treasure generation anyway, so it's not a big change in my methods. It will require a bit of a shift in the thinking of my players, some of whom were just born to be grave-robbers

 

[Psion]

I move half the treasure value into creature components, and the other half into bounties paid upon return of proof that you have slain such a creature. Adjust to taste.

 

[Boojum]

I usually just tell the characters that they found treasure and then generate it after the session. I do it this way because there are often several different encounters that they might end up facing, and I'd rather not come up with stuff that they never end up getting. This is also useful because ideas for treasure are often jogged for me during the battle. I occasionally roll for treasure, but mainly just come up with whatever I want according to the average value listed. I try to make the treasure unique and memorable, and also fit in with who or what was carrying it. They might find a finely worked gold representation of the nine elements instead of a large sum of gold pieces after defeating a witch, or the jagged obsidian Halberd of the Damned Legion rather than a plain +1 weapon after defeating a devil.

 

[Ymdar]

Or just place the treasure at some location near the fight. (with bones of killed adventurers especially if the treasure includes arms or armor).

 

[Oryan77]

Keep in mind that when a monster says it has treasure, it doesn't mean that it's carrying all of the treasure with him. The treasure values represent what he's worth. So if a Bearded Devil is worth 500gp, he may be carrying 10gp on him and 490gp might be stored at his home.

The treasure value is just a guideline. If my players most likely won't be encountering the creatures lair, I don't even roll for treasure, I just make up a reasonable gp/sp/cp/gems amount that a person might actually carry in his purse. A noble might not even be carrying 500gp around even when he's strolling through town, so no monster will be carrying that much out in the wastelands or forest. That's how I think about it to determine my figures. If they find the lair, then I'll roll for it.

If I do roll and get ALL gold pieces....it only takes a second to subtract some GP and add in PP, SP & CP to make it more balanced.

 

[Terwox]

I move half the treasure value into creature components, and the other half into bounties paid upon return of proof that you have slain such a creature. Adjust to taste.

Woah, that's an excellent idea, and if it fits into a campaign... dang. Good thinkin.
Also adds a bit more to heroism, in a way. "I killed a bearded devil and I took his stuff" is a bit less romantic than "I killed a bearded devil and took his beard, and it now hangs on MY wall of slain beasts at the palace. Plus, they gave me an excellent magic halberd for my golfbag!"

Yeah, cool idea.

As a GM myself, monsters and demons and devils hoarde treasure because, umm, they do. Don't think about it, just kill them and take it. In my more violent campaigns, that's how it works.
My last campaign, all treasure was creature components, and standardized trade did not exist. (There was no currency.) But, that's not feasible unless you're doing something really out there.
My current campaign is similar -- it's all about an elf, and elves simply trade with one another or provide for one another (It's basically a Utopia, in some senses.) All treasure has been gifts from family members or powerful spirits, and I'm not really sure how I'll handle it as it goes along. I think it's going to be low-loot, with most items granted or forged by allies, instead of stolen from enemies... more flair that way, for me. Although claiming an ancient weapon back from a powerful evil has its own flair, of course, but I like the family ties.
And, the rambling, it appears, I'll be done now.