Rolling Magic Weapons and Armor?

[walruspuppies]

Hi everyone! New DM here. :)

When rolling Magic Items using the Tables in the Core Rulebook, how should I determine which type of mundane weapons, shields, and armor I'm supposed to be advancing with enhancement bonuses and special abilities? I end up with a "+2 armor" and no notion of whether it should be leather or plate.

If I haven't completely overlooked some Tables, how do other DMs choose? Do you give each possibility listed in the Equipment chapter an equal chance, or do you favour certain types of popular equipment (i.e. are there just as many +5 Gnome hooked hammers in your campaign as +5 longswords?)

Also, how do you choose the spells that go into randomly generated potions, scrolls, and wands? Are your wands all fully stocked with charges? If not, how do you set prices? My naive approach of (base price * charges / 50) yields wands with 1 charge that are 60% of the price of a scroll of the same level.

Thanks!

[wraithstrike]

Most of us don't even roll items. We just choose them. For the armor you are supposed to choose as far as leather vs fullplate as an example. I would choose something the party can use.

The only time I roll is when I can't decide, but that rare. If you insist on rolling I would follow the same guideline as the armor. -->Roll for the + bonus and then choose a weapon.

How are you getting random treasure? I try to make it something the monster would reasonably have, even if he is not using it.

Sometime I used partially stock wands. You just prorate the price as an example if a wand has 20 charges then it has 40% of the max number of charges so it is worth 40% of the market value.

As for potions and scrolls I normally choose something the party can use if I am not running an AP, and even then I change it sometimes.

[Azaneal]

Hello,

The tables you´re looking for are in the PFRPG: GameMastery Guide.

[thebluecanary]

wraithstrike wrote:

I would choose something the party can use.

You sir are a very nice person. My last GM just used the random magic tables from the old DMG. Our fighter got a lovly set of drums, and our scout got a nice set of half plate.

You can also look at One Million Magic Items PDF. Nice little list of quick generic stuff.