NPC monster rewards

[Jacob Saltband]

Since there is no exp for killing monsters what do you get from the monster after you kill it? Being still alive is good but... Will monsters drop treasure of some type (wheather it is body/hide parts or other loot type items)?

[leperkhaun]

they will drop resources you can use. So you want some dragonscale armor...well you better be ready to kill a dragon to get the scales to use.

Have a potion that needs eye of newt, well better start killing newts.

[Neadenil Edam]

those newts ... so annoying

[Imbicatus]

Killing monsters will also be needed to unlock badges allowing you to learn new abilities in conjunction with skill training.

[Arlock Blackwind]

There is also the benefit for the hex for killing monsters ryan ad devs have stated that each hex will have stats like a pc and some of those stats will be moddified by the security of the hex. I can see it as a common quest to clear out pesky monsters from a peticularly civilized hex.

[Neadenil Edam]

Arlock Blackwind wrote:

There is also the benefit for the hex for killing monsters ryan ad devs have stated that each hex will have stats like a pc and some of those stats will be moddified by the security of the hex. I can see it as a common quest to clear out pesky monsters from a peticularly civilized hex.

Plus the rate of appearance of monsters is linked to how often they are cleaned up. So unlike a "normal" game where if you leave the spawns alone their numbers stay constant it would seem in PFO if you just try to ignore them the monsters will quickly get out of hand and become a major hindrance.

EDIT: Ryan Dancey said:

Encampments: Encampments represent organized bands of monstrous humanoids actively engaged in trying to control their hex. They begin as fairly small, easy-to-eliminate camps, but left unchecked, they will escalate, becoming larger, more numerous and generating more and more powerful foes. Eventually they can overrun a hex and begin spreading to nearby hexes as well. If the people living in a hex don't regularly sweep their lands and the nearby region for encampments and deal with the ones they find, the residents may find themselves facing a full-blown horde with the potential to destroy even player created structures!

[Kobold Catgirl]

Neadenil Edam wrote:

those newts ... so annoying

This may have just given me the inspiration for the next misadventure in my campaign: send the PCs on a long delivery quest for lots of newt eyes, then offer them the option of a nearby supply of salamanders instead (offered by a rather shady customer). The salamanders turn out to be Lawful Evil outsiders, and hilarity ensues.

Anyway, sorry for the threadjack. Just wanted to say, thanks for the rather tangential inspiration! ;P

[Ravenlute]

I hope they drop things appropriate for their creature type, including coin or other treasure if they would have it on them.

[Jacob Saltband]

If monsters drop "treasure" what could it consist of? Coins, mundane weapons/armor, mundane gear, magic stuffs? Or if your in a forest its carrying resources (cut logs)?

[Imbicatus]

Ravenlute wrote:

I hope they drop things appropriate for their creature type, including coin or other treasure if they would have it on them.

The treasure type by monster and CRs are right out. Monster will drop stuff, but it won't match up to PnP. Coin, yes. Loot like weapons, armor, or magic items no. Gear is going to be player-made. They will drop coin and hides/bones/other base materials that can then be made into treasure by you or other players.

In the PnP, most of your items come from the DM via treasure drops from npc monsters. In PFO, almost all of your items and gear will be created by players. If monsters drop gear that is better than can be created, then it devalues the crafting system and everyone who plays a dedicated crafter.

[clynx]

Heh, this made me think of a Penny Arcade strip I read once:
Penny Arcade

[Jacob Saltband]

Monsters dont have to drop better then what PC crafters can make but not having any gear/magic item drops take away ALOT of the fantasy rpg feel for me. Challange appropriate treasure is a standard in any rpg, take that away and force players to only be able to buy from other players looses alot of immersion for me in this fantasy adventure mmo.

[Hardin Steele]

Jacob,

They will drop challenge appropriate treasure when you kill them, but it won't be a glowing "Wand of Ultimate Doom!" It might however be the hide of a manticore that can by used to wrap the hilt of your next sword that adds +1 poison (+2 on every crit). That'd be pretty nice!

Now, where can I find a leatherworker and swordsmith skilled enough to make my new blade?

[Neadenil Edam]

Wondrous items will almost certainly be PvE drops.

However expect magic items to appear in a dungeon near Thornkeep or at least deep in a crypt in the woods in standard PvE fashion.

The random badger munching acorns is unlikely to provide anything other than a dead badger.

[Ryan Mercy]

I think coin drop was discussed in a past thread as well, and that is it's own thorny issue. If coin drops too freely, it creates a market imbalance - or at least it could, depending on drop rate and how quickly coin goes back out of the market. If NPCs (humanoid I would assume) drop coin, the players need to be required to spend said coin in some sort of timely manner, to keep people from accumulating so much that it loses any value. The same goes for item drops - if an NPC boss drops an item that is as good as something you can make, what is the incentive to make the item, or spend time trying to buy it? Fun in the short term, but makes crafting a hobby instead of a central part of the game.

[Marthian]

Yeah I don't think monsters should drop equips (unless they actually use them, and even then should be worse than crafted items.) They should drop materials at best, and then whatever would be reasonable to find on them (IE Goblins have random trash, bugbears have skulls.)

Also be wary of skinning. Skinning intelligent creatures isn't generally smiled upon. And know your dragons.

[Bluddwolf]

I'm hoping that whatever drops from standard mobs are things that make sense.

I don't want to get a long sword from killing a wolf!

But, it would be great if mobs actually dropped the items they used against you. IE. A Goblin attacks you using a short bow, and it drops a short bow and arrows.

A wild animal only drops what body parts that you can harvest.

[Neadenil Edam]

Bluddwolf wrote:

I'm hoping that whatever drops from standard mobs are things that make sense.

I don't want to get a long sword from killing a wolf!

But, it would be great if mobs actually dropped the items they used against you. IE. A Goblin attacks you using a short bow, and it drops a short bow and arrows.

A wild animal only drops what body parts that you can harvest.

+1

This is the big immersion killer in many games.

You kill the gobbo with a club and get a longsword, then later you kill an orc in studded leather with an axe and somehow find full plate and a greatsword.

Silly stuff.

[DarkOne the Drow]

Bluddwolf wrote:

I'm hoping that whatever drops from standard mobs are things that make sense.

I don't want to get a long sword from killing a wolf!

But, it would be great if mobs actually dropped the items they used against you. IE. A Goblin attacks you using a short bow, and it drops a short bow and arrows.

A wild animal only drops what body parts that you can harvest.

I fully agree with this. Can't have just pure random loot for NPCs. Some logic needs to be there.

[Arlock Blackwind]

as long as it makes sense I am ok with it. a goblin cheiften may have had a very powerful shamen at one time and might have a healing potion or two as proof of it. an orc ranger might have one time made use of three arowns of animal bane. a tribe of giants might keep large anounts of minned ore for making giant sized armore one day. a lich may have several magic items it had accumulated over the years but it also stands to reason it might have cursed one or two to slow down thieves. A city that has been known to raise and care for dragons may have a suit of golden dragon scale armore left over from a war when one of their pets died, although I cannot see them leting go of such a sentimental item for anything less than three times the value of said outfit. (for anyone who gets the following joke props to you)you can't take away wild treasure like that! Why one time I kiled a rat and out popped a whoal chest, how else you going to fund an adventure like this?

final line. make it sound reasonable. coins on monstrous humanoids is not a strech but a wolf should not be carrying logs and hydras don't carry around hunks of pure silver in their gullet. Carp on the other hand I am not to sure, those things will eat ANYTHING!