Making Treasure Fun

[MightyOwlet]

I've temporarily taken over GMing for my regular group and I found that I have to redo some of the treasure in the AP we're playing, since it was designed for 4 players and we've got 6-7 PCs if the 7th guy ever shows up. I started thinking about how much effort my previous GM must have put in to make the treasure drops on the last AP work. Personally, treasure was never interesting to me. I'm terrible at math and shopping is my least favorite part of the game. Trying to make sense of the magic item we were just given when I was more interested in reading the letter the bad guy was carrying was always frustrating too. So now I'm looking for ways to make it more fun for my players.

While in my situation I'm looking at loot for levels 1-4 with a sort of winter theme, I'm certainly interested in any sorts of cool treasures you guys know of or have designed. What's the coolest treasure you found in game? I'm also interested in any ideas you have to make the process of finding, identifying and dividing treasure more fun and less tedious.

A few ideas I've had:

Since my players have lots of survival and Know Nature skills, I've designed two magical plants for them to find.

Bearberry-unique berry that oozes a sticky, glue like substance when squeezed. When used on cuts and injuries the glue like substance seals the injuries closed, preventing infections, and the nutritious, near magical qualities of the juice help the injuries to heal. When applied, the berries will immediately heal 2 points of nonlethal damage per berry used, and if the juice is allowed to dry and left on for an hour, the healing properties of the juice will heal 2 points of lethal damage per berry used. The berries last about 7 days after picking.

Sarrot- These rare, tiny, magical roots are long lasting and, when powdered, can be used to empower spells. Throwing a pinch of Sarrot powder into the air while casting adds a material and somatic component to the spell, as well as the effects of the Extend Spell feat. Alternativly, the roots can be used to create the Extend Metamagic Rod. Doing so reduces the crafting costs by 250 gp per root used. Up to 1/3 of the total crafting cost can be reduced this way. Each plant tends to have 1 - 3 roots and each root creates about 1 pinch of powder.

I also want to place somewhere scrolls with jokes written on them. If the group identifies them, they discover that they are scrolls of hideous laughter. Now I just need to find some thematic jokes.

[Mark Carlson 255]

I personally look for loot that will make my life easier in the field as I would expect a real person would. I cannot give you any ideas beyond that though.

I do like you herbs, roots and berries and think that is a great way to provide some temporary magic items as the potency of herbs tends to decline after they are harvested(in most game worlds) so they have to be fresh to work.

You might want to give a duration for full potency and 1/2 potency with a reduction in power for when they are at 1/2 potency.

MDC

[Wheldrake]

IMHO, you do not need to further reduce the cost of metamagic rods, which are already cheap for what they do.

This said, introducing special magical ingredients, reagents and formulae is a great thing, odds are your players will find that very cool.

Look at Pathfinder Unchained for another take on Esoteric material components. You might want to look there for inspiration.

[Goth Guru]

I introduced in The Cleaves the glowing Soma Mushrooms. They grow on wood and cannot stand sunlight. If made into tea they cause a rapture state. They halve the cost of making incense of meditation and candles of invocation. The cost of making these are due to these mushrooms because they are a necessary component. Tables of unique treasures are a great way to introduce fun into hordes. There is the flipped holy dagger that is like a dagger of venom, but it injects holy water.

Every time treasure is found, throw in a few table results.