Random Item Generation

[JeremyK]

Hey folks,

I'm looking for some clarification. I'm generally a proponent of random item generation. I'm reviewing the core rulebook, the gamemaster's guide, and ultimate equipment for random treasure generation.

Ultimate Equipment makes sense to me. I dislike that there is no inclusion of mundane gear on the tables, though.

The CRB and GMG are a little less clear about how you generate treasure. I see a table indicating "minor item, medium item, major item, with associated average values... but I'm not really sure when or how I would use this table. The GMG has a column indicating the same 3 types; however, it gives the potential to roll mundane items.

My question is, how would I go about generating treasure for encounters using the GMG's tables? Do I just roll randomly until I hit the encounter budget? If so, how do I choose between minor, medium, major?

Thanks,
J

[Nawtyit]

What you are looking for is the treasure generator in the appendix of Ultimate Equipment.
Link

[JeremyK]

Hmmm... I think my post was unclear.

I have UE and grasp how item generation works with that system. My question is with the Game Master's Guide. How would one use that system to generate encounter treasure? How does one pick between the minor, medium, and major columns?

[Chemlak]

See "Building a Treasure Hoard" in the Gamemastering chapter of the CRB.

[JeremyK]

I've read that... several times. That's why I finally decided to come here. I would just like to know in your experience, when using the GMG to generate treasure, what does your process look like?

How do you decide which columns to roll on? Minor, Medium, Major? Also, what's the point of the small table in the Building Treasure Hoard section that specifies a gp amount next to minor, medium, major?

[Chemlak]

That is the amount you remove from your treasure budget before rolling for a minor, medium or major item using whichever tables you're going for.

Example time: I'm building treasure for an APL 6 party's encounter on the medium track. My budget is 2,000 gp.

I assign 1,000 gp to coins and gems. The other 1,000 I assign to a minor magic item.

I roll on table 5-2 in the GMG, using the minor column. I roll 71. Potion. Go to table 5-19, roll again. 54. 1st level spell. Roll on table 5-21. 23. Enlarge person.

My 2,000 gp budget hoard consists of 1,000 gp in mixed coins and gems and a potion of enlarge person. (Total value 1,050 gp.) I could have just as easily rolled up a minor wondrous item, type III bag of holding, putting my hoard's total value at 8,400 gp, with exactly the same 2,000 gp treasure budget.

[JeremyK]

Got it! Thanks a ton, Chemlak. So, same situation in mind, you could have also allocated 1k to a minor item and then rolled a mundane item in that column right? So in essence, you can roll items much less than 1k or well-over 1k and over time it should balance out. Yeah?

[Chemlak]

Exactly. I was tempted to use a 10-foot pole instead of the potion, but decided it was exercising a little more GM fiat than I wanted.