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Dimers
2010-02-08, 10:37 AM
GMs: How much trouble have you had with realism/verisimilitude in assigning loot that the PCs can make use of?

The main portion of my question comes down to this -- if I know that one PC needs a particular item to make an ideal degree of contribution to the party, isn't it kind of weird to simply have that item appear in the next hoard?

Choco
2010-02-08, 10:39 AM
As long as there is no logical reason for that item NOT to be in said hoard, you good.

If the player wants the item but the character has made no mention of it there is no problem at all, but if the character has been talking about wanting it and it magically turns up you can get creative. Or just feed the character rumors of where said item can be found.

Meek
2010-02-08, 10:43 AM
I avoid this by just having gold/objects etc that are worth money, instead of loot drops. Then the PCs can cash in, and use the gold for whatever they want (I allow gold to just be alchemized into whatever magic juju substance is required to produce the item). Though this is in 4e, where item creation is pretty easy. But if you have to drop an item so the PC can "keep up" as it were, then I see no danger in doing so. I'd rather trash verisimilitude for a moment than have a PC running around unhappily.

Cyrion
2010-02-08, 10:45 AM
Always give your party useful or potentially useful loot. Maybe the party has to be creative to make it useful, or perhaps they don't see the value until several sessions later, but you really should avoid entirely random crap unless you're running a game with Magic-R-Us and the party can sell what they don't want and buy what they do. I've never known a party to whine about loss of verisimilitude when they're getting stuff their characters can use.

Xenogears
2010-02-08, 10:55 AM
You could always use the suggestion in OA. Since the samurai in the book would find it dishonerable to loot dead bodies it suggests to instead have a lord or other patron gift them with magic items after quests. This also allows you to have a perfectly logical reason why the players A) get stuff you feel they need and B) allows players to have some but not complete (unless you want them to) control over what loot they get.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-02-08, 11:02 AM
Let magical craftspersons re-work things into (similar) items of equal value at a fraction of the normal cost?

(Literary source: Anduril out of Narsil in LotR)

bosssmiley
2010-02-08, 11:31 AM
GMs: How much trouble have you had with realism/verisimilitude in assigning loot that the PCs can make use of?

None. The players make the best use of what their endeavours uncover. If they can't/won't use it, they can just sell or swap it.


The main portion of my question comes down to this -- if I know that one PC needs a particular item to make an ideal degree of contribution to the party, isn't it kind of weird to simply have that item appear in the next hoard?

If their character build (and how I hate that turn of phrase) falls down because they can't have a particular item, then they need to make a more versatile, less item-dependent, character. There's no obligation for me to fulfil their wish list desires as if I were some neckbeard Santa Claus.

If players want/need a specific item then they have to go looking for it. If they want to cry about it, well, I me love the taste of player tears. :smalltongue:

"You want a [foo]? Adventure harder."

(player entitlement: a bad habit that needs curing IMO)

BRC
2010-02-08, 11:47 AM
Well, I'd say it depends on the character, and item, in question, as well as how they expect me to give them the item.

If Swordy mcfighterpants puts it into his back story that his ancestral sword (A Magical Greatsword that aids it's wielder against Evil) was stolen and that his character is actively looking to get it back, that's one thing. I have them go on a quest to hunt down the thief and, when the party is at a level where it is appropriate treasure, he get's a +1 Holy Greatsword that casts Protection from Evil on it's wielder.
Now, if he said "BTW, it's a +5 keen flaming holy greatsword that casts Holy Word everytime it hits", I'm less likely to give it to him, or at the very least he will have to wait a long, long time before it shows up as loot.


If he just comes up to me one day and says "By the way, I really want a +3 Holy Greatsword that casts Protection from Evil on me, so you better put that in the treasure horde", that's a different story altogether.

valadil
2010-02-08, 12:18 PM
I rarely hand out specific loot. Sometimes I'll hand out upgrade tokens that can add an enchantment to a weapon or armor. The rest of the time I just give out money, assuming that those 12 suits of MW studded leather armor got sold automatically. It's easier that way.