Loot availability/distribution in adventures

Also, this rule has been in effect for almost a year now. I’m surprised the discussion is just coming up now…

It seems that you have forgotten the multiple times I’ve brought it up to you directly.

just because its passed largely unnoticed for so long does not mean it is a good rule.

I’ve come to really despise dice rolling for distributing loot, particularly when its the only option considered or the first option thought of.

I know that sometimes its necessary, I just don’t like it.

if it were associated with less risk, ie the items were available in other means, like for purchase at the end of the module, or through some marketplace type thing that would be different.

Josh,

If things can be worked out equitably without rolling, that’s certainly preferred. Given that there are often no values associated with magic items, it makes it a bit harder to try and figure out how to do a divide by Gc and “buy out” what you want approach. Even then you can still run into the same issue with people wanting the same item.

It may be worth reminding folks – GMs included – about what’s tradeable. It could open up some additional flexibility for resolving disputes at tables.

@Cody: The original Living campaign went down a similar approach. That evolved over time. I don’t remember where things netted out. I don’t recall enough of the details to say if they ever found a system they were happy with. I’d certainly recommend reviewing what happened with that before deciding on a system.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

Getting cool stuff is usually seen as a fun reward. Even if it’s not a mechanical advantage. If I’d thought about it I probably would have asked if Uxbraxtix had horns and could I have sawed one off. Getting something made out of that might have been cool even without any official cert or mechanical advantage.

I totally agree with this. Finding interesting and unique stuff and being able to capitalize on it is the coolest to me. Of course, in many cases you still might need a lot of money and/or access to do so, since after you have his horns if you want to make a “horn of fear” out of the one you took you might need a craftsman and some enchanting. But talk about a bad ass story to the item…

Plus, of course, this takes an order of magnitude more effort from the campaign staff as people come to them and say, “I did this…” I would think that may not be workable because of those issue, but boy it would be cool…

As for the “perfect item” idea, the question comes with what is the perfect item? IF there are two sorcerers at a table and a wand with a sorcery rune comes up, is that a perfect item? I know it is certainly desirable, and in that case if I had a sorcerer and I didn’t manage to get it, I’d walk away from the table a little disappointed. But I’d also hope there will be options for more down the road, so I certainly wouldn’t make a fuss if I didn’t get it.

So, the sum total of options:

1/table of each magic item.
Multiple copies. Everyone can get a copy of everything if they want it.

That’s our initial binary option. Within those options, we have sub-options:

1/Table (Roll off) – Random chance determines who gets an item. Either select group of players who can use it or all players. Everyone at the mercy of Larissa. Not ideal.
1/Table (Purchase) – Character who wants it either doesn’t get a cash share, or has to pay the ‘sale’ value of the item. Sometimes unfeasible due to priceless, unique, etc… items, or because the player simply hasn’t accumulated sufficient capital. Not ideal.
1/Table (In Character Discussion) – Ideal, most realistic situation. Requires communication, common sense, and maturity. Works best at tables where players know and are comfortable with each other. Can (theoretically) work at other times. Dismissed as an ultimately unfeasible option in the long run based on observational experience of human behaviour.

Multiple Copies (Can be sold) – Everyone ends up very rich. Not sustainable.
Multiple Copies (Worth no money) – Everyone ends up with a whole bunch of essentially worthless items. Not sustainable either.

Potentially Multiple Copies (First one free) – The first copy of a magic item is provided free of cost. Any duplicates must be paid for in a similar manner to Purchase above.
Potentially Multiple Copies (Status Quo) – The first copy of a magic item is provided free of cost. Any duplicates are adjudicated by the GM.

Does that about sum it up?

At the end of the day, every option has its ups and downs. I just wanted to post this so everyone is clear on what the options are.

So, the sum total of options:

1/Table (In Character Discussion) – Ideal, most realistic situation. Requires communication, common sense, and maturity. Works best at tables where players know and are comfortable with each other. Can (theoretically) work at other times. Dismissed as an ultimately unfeasible option in the long run based on observational experience of human behavior.
1/Table (Purchase) – Character who wants it either doesn’t get a cash share, or has to pay the ‘sale’ value of the item. Sometimes unfeasible due to priceless, unique, etc… items, or because the player simply hasn’t accumulated sufficient capital. Not ideal.
1/Table (Roll off) – Random chance determines who gets an item. Either select group of players who can use it or all players. Everyone at the mercy of Larissa. Not ideal.

Plus: Character who get it doesn’t get a cash share

These are my preferred methods in order of priority. I think module writers and campaign staff/reviewers need to ensure that there are a variety and frequency of items coming into modules. Any module offering a magic item (that isn’t a ‘story piece’) need to find a way to offer at least 2-3 options so that the availability is there for everyone in the long run.

John

I agree with John, but ultimately its the the decision of the table that decides that

1/table of each magic item.
Multiple copies. Everyone can get a copy of everything if they want it.

Multiple Copies (Can be sold) – Everyone ends up very rich. Not sustainable.
Multiple Copies (Worth no money) – Everyone ends up with a whole bunch of essentially worthless items. Not sustainable either.

Potentially Multiple Copies (First one free) – The first copy of a magic item is provided free of cost. Any duplicates must be paid for in a similar manner to Purchase above.
Potentially Multiple Copies (Status Quo) – The first copy of a magic item is provided free of cost. Any duplicates are adjudicated by the GM.

these on the other hand are the parts the campaign staff can change

My thoughts on the matter:

As with most things this is not just a black and white situation, The simplest solution is “Just one of each item per table” and that matches a model of play that would happen in home games.

but we have to adapt to being a campaign, and the ephemeral nature of players grouping differently from adventure to adventure. This is a complex problem, and the surplus of gold (for many characters) feeds into, and the completely unavailability of magic items is something else.

One solution to the gold / items availability problem is to allow players to spend gold to get magic items. There are multiple ways to do this:

Marketplace – but that’s a whole different discussion.
Allowing people to buy additional copies of items from mods – they are items already going out into the campaign why not give more than one person a chance to get them?
other ideas?

Hello,

Something to consider:

Is loot really that important to make an adventure an enjoyable play experience?

Does getting some sort of reward somehow validate the time spent playing for you?

If you were playing Call of Cthulhu or Star Wars instead of a fantasy game, would you feel cheated at the end of the game because you didn’t get that copy of Libris de Ghoules or a thermal detenator.

Since we’ve already established that magic items are not necessary to continue to play in the game, aren’t the experience points garnered and the enjoyment of the adventure enough?