I have a question. . .I have a hard time when it comes to treasure. I've read the rules for it, but I must be too dense to understand it. I'm always worried about giving too much or too little. Could someone explain it to me like I'm a child, please. Also, I will throw a couple of examples in and let me know what you think?
Encounter: 3 Goblins =
Encounter: 1 Bugbear =
Encounter: 1 Assassin Vine =
Thanks!
3 Goblins:
Goblins are a "class level" monster, so they're treasure is determined by the NPC wealth charts. Since these are probably the example goblins listed in the Bestiary, use the wealth level for level 1 warriors. So the gear they have listed in the stat block (weapons and armor) plus 80 gp of stuff for each goblin (40 gp worth of limited use items--alchemist's fire, for example--and 40 gp worth of mundane gear and/or treasure.)
1 Bugbear:
Also listed as NPC gear, though they don't rely on class levels, so the same thing as the goblins: weapons and armor listed, plus gear at the value of a level 3 NPC from the chart in the Core Rulebook.
1 Assassin Vine:
Treasure listing is "incidental" which means the monster doesn't care about treasure. It may have none, or there might be some stuff lying around from past victims. It's entirely up to the GM here, but you wouldn't want wealth past what you'd normally find for an encounter of this level. So you could maybe have the skeletal remains from a former victim wearing a still-intact chain shirt, with a masterwork shortsword lying nearby.
3 Goblins is a CR 1.333 round down to 1. Goblins have standard treasure. For a CR 1 encounter it is 260 GP. A single bugbear is CR 2 with standard treasure the CR 2 encounters have 550gp. The Assasin vine is CR 3 and incidental treasure which is half the amount for it's CR. CR 3 is 800 so half of that is 400 gp. Not every encounter needs to have treasure. User the WBL guidelines. For example 1 party getting to Level 2 should have about 1000 gp in treasure. So assume a party of 4 that is 4000 GP.
So you will want say 10 encounters. 2 APL -1, 3 APL =, 3 APL +1, 1 APL +2 and 1 APL +3. Throw in 2 CR 1 traps. End with a story award of XP to bring the PC to 2nd level. The APL -1 fight have no treasure as they are vermin. The APL = are 3 sets or 3 goblins, with 780 GP. The APL +1 is 3 set of 1 Bug Bear each with 1650, APL +2 is the assassin vine with 400 gp and the APL +3 is level 1 bugbear cleric with 1150 gp. Comes out to 3980 gp. That is almost the WBL for level 2 characters and the party is just over half way to level 2. So to balance thing you make some of the loot sold for 1/2 price. Stuff like masterwork weapons and armor. Then add in consumable magic items. Do this for about 1/2 that treasure. Do another adventure like this doing the same thing and players should be right on WBL guide line about 1000 GP give or take 100 gp.
You also do not need to have the treasure with the critter. It is perfectly okay to put most of the loot from the goblin minions in the treasure chest in the boss's lair.
If they are going to need the cash earlier have them save a merchant for a reward and then have the bad guys be poor.