Dividing encounter resources

[jebob]

So here goes the idea:
In D&D, each encounter has a budget for treasure. This is a guideline, true, but anyways.

How much of this treasure should be full-value (useful items, coins), half-value (art, jewelery, trash items) and how much should have no value (due to being consumed by the encountees)?

[Endarire]

I give logical treasure, and play up the "wealth by encounter" until about level 3. Creatures never carry coins or gems or consumables (potions, scrolls) unless necessary.

I prefer rewarding the group in cash paid by a sponsor. For example, "Do this mission and get X reward."

It also helps that I award levels at plot-appropriate times instead of using EXP.

[bloodtide]

Depends a lot on the encounter.

Most intelligent creatures will have items to fit their needs. And orc barbarian will have a magical club, a drow wizard rare spell components, and a halfling thief might only have some lucky stones.

Creatures that have no care or use for coins won't have any. Creatures that like art will have something art like.

It's rare for any folks to have piles of coins.

For unintelligent creatures, you just do it more random.

[AslanCross]

For non-intelligent creatures, I usually skip treasure altogether and just add their value to more intelligent creatures I expect the PCs to face soon, or dispense with it altogether.