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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hella_Tellah" data-source="post: 4313702" data-attributes="member: 52669">Let me see if I can get you guys on board with this, because I think it's decent advice for novice DMs.Axiom 1) Good DMs give players magic items they can use.Axiom 2) Good DMs make treasure seem appropriate to the location it was found in.If you agree with both 1 & 2, then I hope you'll agree withCorollary A) Great DMs give players magic items they can use, and make it seem completely natural that the PCs would find those items in the places they find them.Okay, now a second set of axioms.Axiom 3) The DM, particularly a novice DM, does not always have as much rules knowledge the aggregate of her players' knowledge.Axiom 4) The DM, particularly a novice DM, does not always know what his players want from the game.Axiom 5) The best way for a DM to find out something the players know and she doesn't is to ask them.So if a DM doesn't know what's best for each of her players, but wants to give them treasure that they want, what should she do?  I think she should ask the players what they want, and try to make it seem natural that the PCs should find the items they want.I don't think the idea of giving the PCs treasure they want or need is particularly controversial; it's the idea that it might not make sense for the players to find just the right item they need.  Too much coincidence smacks of Deus Ex Machina.  But the DMG suggestion of asking players what they want for their characters doesn't address that--it's simply suggesting that DMs ask their players what they want, and give it to them, which is (IMO) simply good DMing.As an aside, I think it's trivially easy to give the PCs treasure they can use and make it seem like an organic part of adventure design.  You just need to design adventures with the PCs in mind.  The Cleric finds a holy symbol of his deity because he's on a quest that relates to his deity--maybe it was stolen by some temple raiders, or it belonged to a long-dead saint of his order whose remains he needs to touch to receive a blessing.  The Warlock finds a Pact Blade because she was sent by her mistress to defeat an errant member of her coven.  The Fighter who has Weapon Focus: Greatsword is given a +2 Greatsword in reward for serving the king, because everyone in the kingdom knows that the great knight Sir Hackemslashem wields a glimmering greatsword.  This is what good storytelling is all about: giving the audience what it wants, and hiding the pandering well enough that the inclusion seems natural.</blockquote>

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