GM help, how do you deal with loot?

[MalcolmReynolds]

hey there playground,

i'm fairly new to GMing and finding myself swamped by loot. i have little idea where it is appropriate, what is appropriate etc. and dont really know what to do.

i guess i'm asking what you guys would suggest. my group specifically uses pathfinder though i suppose it doesnt matter too much.

what would be useful is systems of dealing with loot: do you roll once per player after every encounter on the random chart? is there a fast automated generator that is helpful? i recall seeing some people using and abstract "loot chip" method where players were rewarded a number after encounters which could be traded for random rolls, would that be an idea?

any and all input is welcome,

Mal

[hoverfrog]

The loot belongs to the creatures. So a hobgoblin might have a potion of healing, 10gp, a suit of chain mail and a longsword (if he's lucky) and when the party beat him up and take his stuff they get to keep it. That is unless he drinks the potion during the fight. It doesn't matter if there are 500 PCs in the fight or just 1, the treasure belongs to the encounter, not to the participants. You need to determine the treasure before the encounter and not afterwards. NPCs will use up items to help them just as PCs do.

Also try to keep the treasure given out in line with the Wealth By Level or the party will end up rich and better equipped for encounters than you've planned or poor and underequipped. I've had some DMs who are very stingy on treasure, not even a +1 weapon for the first six levels. Others give treasure out like sweets. It is easier to be a bit more generous if you've not given enough than it is to take it away later.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/gamemastering.html for advice
http://pathfinder.zonegamma.com/ for random treasure.

[prufock]

I don't like randomly generated treasure. I find it tedious, uninteresting, and often nonsensical. I generally create custom loot in my planning for the session. If there is an encounter with EL (encounter level) of 2, I'll create treasure of appropriate value, which includes (if appropriate) weapons, armor, magic items, coin, etc. You can find appropriate value for each EL here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/treasure.htm) for 3.5 D&D. Hoverfrog has the link for PF.

[ceduct]

pick and choose optimize as you wish after completing a story arch and gaining a level

then try to keep encounters challenging

[Slipperychicken]

If you do roll loot be sure to do it pre-session, or at least pre-encounter. There's nothing like the fridge logic of realizing some goblin eschewed his +5 Vorpal Longsword to use a MWK scimitar. Or realizing they had an Amulet of Health which could have won them the fight.

[docnessuno]

Pick your loot before the encounter. Add a mix of things the players will surely use, (IE: a better shield for the sword&board fighter), some situational items that might come handy sooner or later but that the party may still decide to get rid off to raise cash (IE: a scroll of restoration), and some items that they will probably have no use for (IE: a +1 longword when the party is decked out in +5 gear).

Take into account your party wealth in respect to the assumed WBL, and most importantly, use treasure that makes sense for the enemy/challange. And have said tresure used by the NPC if it's appropriate, including consumables if the need arises.