Calculating treasure value for monsters with "base CR" + class levels?

[Jon_Dahl]

It's easy to say what is the treasure value for a minotaur (1200 gp) or for a 1st-level human fighter (900 gp), but I'm not sure about the treasure value of a 1st-level minotaur fighter. To be honest, I have a system for such cases but I'm not able to explain it because it's so bloody difficult. I could try if you wish but it's going to confusing.

[Malak'ai]

As per the SRD in the Improving Monsters section under Adding Class Levels, subsection Associated Class Levels;
Class levels that increase a monster’s existing strengths are known as associated class levels. Each associated class level a monster has increases its CR by 1.

Barbarian, fighter, paladin, and ranger are associated classes for a creature that relies on its fighting ability.

Rogue and ranger are associated classes for a creature that relies on stealth to surprise its foes, or on skill use to give itself an advantage.

A spellcasting class is an associated class for a creature that already has the ability to cast spells as a character of the class in question, since the monster’s levels in the spellcasting class stack with its innate spellcasting ability.

[Jon_Dahl]

As per the SRD in the Improving Monsters section under Adding Class Levels, subsection Associated Class Levels;

According to that information, what would be the treasure value of a 1st-level minotaur fighter?

[Malak'ai]

I'm just going to be using the SRD's Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/extras/d20encountercalculator/http://) for that, so how about I just link it for you :smallwink:.

Let me know what ya get :smallbiggrin:.

[Jon_Dahl]

I'm just going to be using the SRD's Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/extras/d20encountercalculator/http://) for that, so how about I just link it for you :smallwink:.

Let me know what ya get :smallbiggrin:.

I don't know if that's valid, because NPC gear value is an exception. Actually there are lots of exceptions in the monster treasure values. I don't see that simplified calculator doing its work right.

[Malak'ai]

I don't know if that's valid, because NPC gear value is an exception. Actually there are lots of exceptions in the monster treasure values. I don't see that simplified calculator doing its work right.

That's just the base XP going purely by CR of the creature. If you've given it gear that cause it to be of a higher CR then that's up to you to factor in.
If said lvl 1 Minotaur fighter has +2 fullplate and a +1 large warhammer and a +1 large large shield, I'd personally add on an extra 500-800xp (and allow the PC to loot said Minotaur).

EDIT: I rolled a Nat 1 on brain to fingers check with this post. What I meant to say was "That's just the base treasure value going purely by CR of the creature". All the rest stands.

[ksbsnowowl]

According to that information, what would be the treasure value of a 1st-level minotaur fighter?

I'm assuming he meant that something like a Minotaur Fighter 1 would be a CR 5 creature, and thus should have an average of 1,600 gp in treasure.

I would take it a step further, and give the larger value of treasure for either the improved CR, or the class levels. Thus a CR 5 Minotaur Fighter 1 would have ~1,600 gp in treasure and gear (as opposed to the 900 gp of a 1st level NPC; DMG p. 127). By Minotaur Fighter 2 the values are equal (both 2,000 gp), and remain close to equal through at least Minotaur Fighter 5 (4,500 gp vs. 4,300 gp).

The one thing to keep in mind is that classed NPC's are supposed to have purpose-bought gear, rather than random treasure. Purposeful gear should make them a greater threat, and is an intentional part of an NPC's challenge rating.

[Lans]

I think the actual rule is that it gets 1200 for the Minotaur+900 for the class level. I remember reading the rules on it and thinking that they were stupid, but that could of been 3.0, and it could be one of those rules contradicted be other rules.

[Fizban]

A Minotaur is CR 4 with one standard level 4 treasure roll (average 1,200). An (Elite) Minotaur Fighter 1 is officially CR 5 and has 4,300 from the NPC wealth table. . .

At least until you re-read DMG p51, Treasure, Monsters with Classes:

Many monsters advance by gaining class levels (see the Monster Manual). To determine treasure for monsters with class levels, first give them equipment. Use Table 4-23 NPC Gear Value (page 127) and use just their class levels to determine the value of their equipment. Then generate their treasure according to their monster entry and the rules under Building a Treasure, below. This may generate more items than the monster can use, and that's fine (see Custom Treasures, below).

So actually, an (Elite) Minotaur Fighter 1 is officially CR 5, with an average of 1,200+ 900gp worth of treasure and gear. This happens to be a bit more than the level 5 treasure average, but not drastically so. For comparison, non-CR-adjusted NPCs get about triple standard treasure from their gear (which is still drastically less than the PC WBL, PCs are *rich*).

*The elite tag refers to how giving anything a level of PC class automatically upgrades them to the elite array.