Treasure...?


Rise of the Runelords

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Just a quick query, folks, regarding treasure. Specifically, should I be giving out anything not stated in the adventure; i.e. should the goblins in, say the first encounters, have any treasure (e.g. cash) on them if it doesn't specifically say so on their stats? As I'm not sure whether such creature should have treasure as their MM entries unless it tells me otherwise or not.

My thoughts are probably no, they shouldn't, but I'm not that familiar with how treasure is doled out in modules. (Since most of the modules I've played/converted up until now have been AD&D...Runelords/Shackled City will probably be the first actual 3.x modules I've run!)

I'm converting up for a slightly larger number of PCs, so I'm curious as to what treasure numbers I should increase by 50%. It'll make it a darn sight easier to do just stuff that's actually stated in the module, but it wouldn't hurt to know if Paizo as a rule counts treasure as suggested by the MM/bestiary in entries that are stated as being as [reference] or whether the module discounts it. I'm not fussy either way, really, but it'd be nice to know what ball-park I'm shooting at!


I use treasure mostly as written. Sometimes, when I ad an additional opponent he will have an extra item or two.
I DM for two groups of six PC’s and so far (Adv.3) the wealth level seems to be ok, not to poor – not to rich

Paizo Employee Creative Director

The APs assume 4 players, but even then they tend to give out a lot of treasure... more than the PRPG would suggest, in fact. Certain adventures REALLY blow out this expected treasure haul. The main reason here is that we can't accurately predict what each group will find and keep as treasure. If we put a pirate ship encounter in, one group could just loot the pirate's pockets while another might also loot the spices in the ship's hold, while ANOTHER group might also claim and sell the ship itself.

At the end of the day, the distribution of treasure REALLY falls to the GM's responsibility. He's the only one who knows his group and his play style. If you as the GM feel that an adventure gives out too little or too much adventure, change it. Similarly, you should adapt the treasure in an adventure to match your party; if you have a fighter who uses scythes, you should change some of the magic weapons found into scythes; if you have a bard in the party, make sure to drop in a magic musical instrument now and then. We TRY to vary the treasure like this already so that this won't be as much of a problem... but again, you know who's in your gaming group a LOT better than we do.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Thank you! Can't ask for a better answer the from the Man hisself, can you?

That is very much a "no, the goblin's arent carrying any cash" then!

Given as the 2nd ed games I've been converting gave out waaay to much treasure, I'll err on the side of caution. Plus, they'll be slightly more gear anyway, because of the extra NPCs that will be added in the process of buffing the module for our hidiously beskilled players...

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