Placement of Treasure

[Mengu]

How strictly do you adhere to the treasure parcels in the DMG?

Often times, I'm looking at my allotments, and I find myself wanting to place a low level item instead of a higher level one. Then I chip off some coin, and add another low level item. Or sometimes, I'll place a higher level item, and knock off either some coin, or a low level item.

When I notice someone has been missing a slot for a long time, I might introduce an item that I hadn't even planned for in my initial allotments, or make snap decissions at the end of an encounter to add some alchemical items to the loot.

Is this fairly common? Or do people tend to go strictly by the parcels?

 

[77IM]

I completely ignore parcels. I have a pretty good idea of what my party needs (and wants, thanks to wish lists) and find it much easier to just eyeball the treasure than to calculate the parcels. Personally, I feel that as long as everybody has level-appropriate items in the Big 4 slots (weapon, implement, armor, neck) and one or two other items (or enough gold to buy/enchant one ore two other items), then things are as balanced enough.

-- 77IM

 

[cpendlet]

I just use them as a starting point. I frequently add various parcels together (particularly the cash one) and give the party another magic item.

I also ask them if they want an upgraded version of what they have or something else (wish lists are a helpful thing).

I do try to keep the total gold amount close to the value of the parcels for the level. I don't think adding an extra item every once in awhile will hurt anything (especially if its item level is the same as the party or lower).

 

[Paul Strack]

So long as the total is the same, I don't think it matters that you match exactly.

If you do the math, on average a PC should earn the equivalent of an (Level+2) magic item for each level they advance. For example, throughout their adventures on level 5, they should earn the equivalent of a level 7 magic item, or 2,600 gp each.

 

[ki11erDM]

I brought this up in another thread today but I use Asmor’s parcel generator.
Quartermaster - Asmor.com

If one of my players actually gives me an idea of what they might want I will just swap out something of the same level, but other than that I just use a random parcel.