gear for my villain: Too much?

[blelliot]

Have any of you nice people out there in readerland who have had the distinction of being a DM before ever had the urge to give a monster or other NPC an item they couldn't afford by NPC WBL in order to have them "drop" it after being defeated so a PC who could really use said item could have the item? An example: A mage that the party will be fighting in the next few weeks will be wielding a staff of the iceberg (frostburn' p.112), fully because I wish to "give" this item to the party frost mage. Is this totally out of line? Have any of my fellow DMs done this? Any input is appreciated!

[Killer Angel]

I've done it. The important thing, is to maintain the right WBL for your party, when they will acquire the treasure.
I hope at least your villain will use it against the group, before dropping it... :smallwink:

[Rostenoc]

I think we need some more context for any useful advice. What's your party's average level? How powerful is this enemy mage to begin with? Why does your party mage need the staff?

[blelliot]

I've done it. The important thing, is to maintain the right WBL for your party, when they will acquire the treasure.
I hope at least your villain will use it against the group, before dropping it... :smallwink:

He will use it. To great effectiveness.:smalltongue:

I think we need some more context for any useful advice. What's your party's average level? How powerful is this enemy mage to begin with? Why does your party mage need the staff?
The party will be thirteenth level by the time they meet this guy. There are eight members: two straight clerics, two mages(one based around fireball, the other a frost mage), a cleric/fighter/prestige ranger, a barbarian/fighter, a rogue/mage/prestige bard, and a cleric/rogue/skullclan hunter. The enemy mage will be 17th level. The frost mage in the party doesn't need the staff, I'm just trying to give out items that would be cool for the party to use, that's all.

[Brookshw]

I've definitely done this and would recommend dropping additional shinies for the rest of the party in the near future.

[Rostenoc]

Seems like a lot to award a single player in that scenario, considering it'll more than double their expected wealth at that level (average for 13th: 110,000gp vs 138,000gp for the staff). A party I was in received way more gold than we should have once and it completely unbalanced the game to the point where it wasn't fun anymore; either we steamrolled every encounter, or the DM had to come up with far fetched circumstances to negate ridiculous advantages we had, resulting in a TPK. Then again, I've never played with so many in the party, and I don't know how Monty Haul you prefer the game.

[Segev]

It seems fine to me. If the staff's value is a concern, recall that your villain's been using it prior to the encounter, as well. Every charge spent is 2,760 gp removed from its value (and 1,380 gp removed from its resale value, if the party wizard doesn't use it).

Additionally, unless they DO sell it, it is ultimately a charged item. It will be exhausted eventually. Give it fewer charges if you're really nervous it will unbalance things.

[Rostenoc]

It seems fine to me. If the staff's value is a concern, recall that your villain's been using it prior to the encounter, as well. Every charge spent is 2,760 gp removed from its value (and 1,380 gp removed from its resale value, if the party wizard doesn't use it).

Additionally, unless they DO sell it, it is ultimately a charged item. It will be exhausted eventually. Give it fewer charges if you're really nervous it will unbalance things.

For added context about the item in question, even without charges it's a +2 icy burst quarterstaff with a passive walk on ice without slipping; 32,300gp at least that should be balanced with rewards to the other 7 players.

[Segev]

Oh, it should definitely have the other players getting commensurate toys dropped, provided this isn't already something meant to bring the wizard up to match them. You don't have to drop these things now, but should "soon."

[Defiled Cross]

I looted the best axe I've ever weilded from the corpse of a mighty foe.

:smallcool:

[blelliot]

There will be gear dropped for the rest of the party soon. As a matter of fact the battle before this one is meant to get the fighter/barb some cool armor and other items(he already has a nice weapon). The battle after this will be for the clerics. I wasn't worried about unbalancing things, I was more wondering if anyone else has done this sort of thing before with dropping gear for specific party members in mind.

[Krazzman]

Yes I do.

My party of 5 is around level 6 I believe (haven't played in around a 7 month span due to sheduling and a baby). And The Barbarian actually has his "item" (it's a plothook shield of his own blood that activates itself when he hits 0 HP giving him Temp HP and weird illusions) already active, the Huntress will find a Feycraft Bow called Starchaser, the first names item they will find. And the Samurai will get a part of a Magical Armorset from his clan.

NPC's wealth they shouldn't get something like this.