[Core] How do you handle treasure?

[Mr. Darke]

The one thing about S&W that really messes with me is the lack of treasure types or, in my opinion, clear guidelines on treasure. For example there is this:

As a general guideline, the monetary value of a treasure ought to be about 2–3 times the monster’s value in experience points,

Ok, clear enough. Then you get this:

"Trading" GP Value for Treasures
In addition to coins, treasures might contain gems, jewelry, and magical items. Treasures have got to be interesting: endless series of, “another treasure worth 100 gp in total” is a surefire recipe for boring your players.
●●For every 100gp in value, there is a 10% chance of a 100gp trade-out.
●●For every 1,000 gp in value, there is a 10% chance of a 1,000gp trade-out.
●●For every 5,000 gp in value, there is a 10% chance of a 5,000gp trade-out.

Now it gets confusing. Does that mean a 1000 gp treasure has a 100% chance of a 100gp trade out or just a 10% chance of a 1000gp trade out?

If you look at the table it is just one gem or jewelry, not the caches of money, jewels and other loot we got with the original game.

Maybe I am missing something here but it looks like this part of S&W could do with a revision.

[Arminath]

Yeah, I used to start with the lowest value and work my way up, taking out the appropriate amount of coin treasure when a trade-out occurred.

Now I created my own treasure matrix, so while it takes the same amount of time, my treasures are more detailed.

[jasons]

I admit to involuntarily switching over to skim mode while reading this section of the Core Rules, but then again I never really paid much attention to any of the treasure rules in any of the editions I've played. I think reading modules and seeing how treasure was handled by the authors did more to set my own internal guidelines. I go by feel, I guess, and by whatever seems "realistic" in terms of the adventure I'm designing. Most goblins are probably pretty close to dead broke, but, if I deem it fun or think it may lead to something interesting, the ones in my adventure may have struck it rich.

[Mr. Darke]

I think I finally figured it out. I'll let you know If I am right.

[Mr. Darke]

I played with this some last night and I came up with a system that works for me. I first take the total xp of the encounter and the roll 1d4. The d4 roll is the multiplier. So if the total XP for the encounter is 100 and I roll a 3 then I multiply 100 by 3 for 300gp in treasure (Coins, gems, art objects, etc). I decided the trade outs could be discarded as I thought it easier to just give a value of treasure. That leaves how to handle magic items. Instead of a 1 in 20 chance for magic items I decided that 10% of the value in gold was the chance for magic items. Considering that most of the items at low-level would be consumable magic items I saw no problem with this. That covers the low end of treasure.

Mid and high end gets tricky but it is doable. Again I add all XP and get a multiplyer lets say I end up with 1225 XP and roll a 2. That is 2450gp in treasure but if you use 10% to get a magic item percentage you get a 245% chance. So, you have to take another 10% off. So you would get a 24.5% chance of a magic item. I truncate the decimal place and go with a 24% chance of a magic item. You can repeat this as high as you need to go.

So far it has worked and I have not gave the store away in the process.

[Arminath]

I gave this answer over at the S&W forum, but I'll repost here for any who don't follow over there:

Why not allow a 245% chance of success for treasure? For every gaurenteed 100%, throw in 1d2 potions or low level scroll or some other expendable magic item, then for any remaining percentages less than 100%, dice to see it there's a permanent magic item.

It won't give away the farm and lets the characters gain some low-powered magic they can expend without unbalancing the game.

[Mr. Darke]

I'll think about that. Off the top of my head I would say that it has the potential of bringing in too many magic items, but the way you describe it there is a protection there. Let me bang it around my brain a bit.

[Arminath]

They may stockpile some expendable items over time, but for 1 shot items, you can still only use 1 per round and the effects are limited in duration for non-healing potions.