Treasure and Loot

Rewarding characters with treasure and loot is a fundamental part of the game. This section provides guidelines for distributing rewards that are balanced, exciting, and appropriate for your campaign.

Types of Treasure

Currency

• Copper Pieces (cp): 1 cp = basic value
• Silver Pieces (sp): 1 sp = 10 cp
• Electrum Pieces (ep): 1 ep = 5 sp = 50 cp
• Gold Pieces (gp): 1 gp = 10 sp = 100 cp
• Platinum Pieces (pp): 1 pp = 10 gp = 1,000 cp

Gems and Art Objects

Valuable items that can be sold for gold:

• 10 gp: Small gems (azurite, quartz)
• 50 gp: Medium gems (carnelian, jasper)
• 100 gp: Large gems (amber, jade)
• 500 gp: Precious gems (black pearl, ruby)
• 1,000 gp: Very rare gems (black opal, sapphire)
• 5,000 gp: Legendary gems (diamond, star ruby)

Magic Items

Magical equipment with special properties (see Magic Item Creation)

Mundane Equipment

Weapons, armor, and tools that can be used or sold

Treasure by Challenge Rating

Individual Treasure

For individual creatures (coins carried, personal belongings):

CR 0-4:

• 5d6 cp, 1d6 sp per creature
• 10% chance of 1d4 gp
• 5% chance of 1 gem (10 gp value)

CR 5-10:

• 4d6 sp, 1d6 gp per creature
• 25% chance of 2d4 gems (50 gp value each)
• 10% chance of 1 art object (25 gp value)

CR 11-16:

• 2d6 gp, 1d6 pp per creature
• 50% chance of 3d6 gems (100 gp value each)
• 25% chance of 1d4 art objects (250 gp value each)

CR 17+:

• 2d6 pp per creature
• 75% chance of 3d6 gems (1,000 gp value each)
• 50% chance of 2d4 art objects (2,500 gp value each)

Hoard Treasure

For treasure hoards (dragon lair, ancient vault):

CR 0-4 Hoard:

• 6d6 × 100 cp
• 3d6 × 100 sp
• 2d6 × 10 gp
• 6% chance of 1d6 gems (10 gp each)
• 6% chance of 1d4 art objects (25 gp each)
• 6% chance of 1 magic item (roll on Magic Item Table A)

CR 5-10 Hoard:

• 2d6 × 100 sp
• 6d6 × 10 gp
• 3d6 × 10 pp
• 12% chance of 3d6 gems (50 gp each)
• 12% chance of 2d4 art objects (250 gp each)
• 12% chance of 1d4 magic items (roll on Magic Item Table B)

CR 11-16 Hoard:

• 4d6 × 100 gp
• 5d6 × 10 pp
• 16% chance of 2d4 gems (500 gp each)
• 16% chance of 2d4 art objects (750 gp each)
• 16% chance of 1d4 magic items (roll on Magic Item Table C)

CR 17+ Hoard:

• 12d6 × 100 gp
• 8d6 × 100 pp
• 20% chance of 3d6 gems (1,000 gp each)
• 20% chance of 2d4 art objects (2,500 gp each)
• 20% chance of 1d4 magic items (roll on Magic Item Table D)

Magic Item Rarity

Common

Worth 50-100 gp. Minor magical conveniences.

Uncommon

Worth 101-500 gp. Useful magical items with moderate benefits.

Rare

Worth 501-5,000 gp. Powerful items that significantly impact gameplay.

Very Rare

Worth 5,001-50,000 gp. Extremely powerful items that define characters.

Legendary

Worth 50,001+ gp. World-shaking artifacts of immense power.

Distributing Treasure

Session Rewards

Characters should find treasure appropriate to the challenges they overcome:

• Minor Encounters: Personal treasure from defeated foes
• Major Encounters: Small hoards or notable items
• Boss Encounters: Significant hoards with magic items

Level Progression

By reaching certain levels, characters should have accumulated:

• Level 5: 1-2 uncommon magic items, ~500 gp
• Level 10: 3-4 uncommon, 1-2 rare items, ~5,000 gp
• Level 15: 4-5 uncommon, 3-4 rare, 1 very rare item, ~20,000 gp
• Level 20: 5+ uncommon, 5+ rare, 2-3 very rare, 1 legendary item, ~50,000+ gp

Non-Combat Rewards

Not all treasure comes from defeating monsters:

• Quest rewards: Payment for completing missions
• Found treasure: Discovery during exploration
• Social rewards: Gifts from grateful NPCs
• Earned income: Downtime activities and investments

Special Considerations

Treasure Placement

Place treasure logically in your world:

• Monster lairs: Accumulated wealth from raids and victims
• Ancient ruins: Lost civilizations' valuables
• Noble estates: Art, jewelry, and luxury goods
• Trade routes: Merchant caravans and warehouses

Party Balance

Ensure all party members receive useful items:

• Distribute magic items to benefit different classes
• Vary treasure types (weapons, armor, utility items)
• Consider trading or selling unwanted items

Economic Impact

Large treasure hauls can disrupt local economies:

• Inflation in small towns if characters spend freely
• Merchant inventory limitations
• Attention from thieves and tax collectors

Cursed Items

Some treasure comes with a cost:

• Minor Curse: Annoying but manageable
• Major Curse: Significant penalty requiring removal
• Hidden Curse: Not immediately apparent

Identifying Curses

• Identify spell reveals curses
• Attunement may trigger curse
• Remove Curse spell can break most curses