Chance of Drop Formulas... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Chance of Drop Formulas... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kg
06-15-04, 09:59 PM I need help with a chance of drop formula for items.. can anyone help me please?

I am tryin to get it so its based on player level so that I can get a decent random number that will give them a decent item for their level, also a chance at getting an item beyond their level.
Seeker95
06-15-04, 10:26 PM Originally posted by kg
I need help with a chance of drop formula for items.Do you mean the chance to drop an item in your possession? If so, I think you're trying for a little too much detail.
Edymnion
06-15-04, 10:32 PM It sounds like they think this is a game of Diablo II.
There are no drop formulas, or anything else. If you want a random treasure generation system, look in the DMG in the chapter named "Rewards". It already has everything you need layed out there.

Although, a good game (IMO) won't use pure random treasures at all, but will tailor the rewards to be appropriate to the characters, to the enemies, and to the location.

Not much thats stupider than killing something that had to fight with a tree branch as an improvised club, only to roll up a +5 Sword of Uber-Death. If they had that sword the whole time, why weren't they using it?
jasper
06-16-04, 08:59 AM i don't know. I recently sat in on a game at the local store where dm rolled up treasure after the monster was dead. Reminded me of some of my begining days.

Now days I either assign magic treasure before hand. Or randomly roll it. Occasionally randomly gives some interesting results and changes the encounter.
Ex, ha ha it just a lone kobold.
Watch guys. the kobold has an uzi!
Edymnion
06-16-04, 08:23 PM Reminds me of one old encounter.
The party had just defeated a Magmin, the small fire elemental thing made of lava. DM rolled up random treasure, and we got... an everburning torch! Yes ladies and gentlemen, the thing made out of fire and living in a pool of molten lava had a frickin everburning torch.

Its like finding an eskimo with a refridgerator.
GSHamster
06-16-04, 10:49 PM Maybe it was just a normal piece of wood that had avoided getting burned up. After time, enough latent fire magic from the Magmin and the lair infused the branch, and it became an everburning torch.

It doesn't seem that bad as treasure. It's better than the orc treasure chest containing a magic sword that none of the orcs see fit to use.
kg
06-17-04, 12:40 AM Originally posted by Edymnion

Not much thats stupider than killing something that had to fight with a tree branch as an improvised club, only to roll up a +5 Sword of Uber-Death. If they had that sword the whole time, why weren't they using it?

Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level.
Edymnion
06-17-04, 12:50 AM Originally posted by kg
Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level. No, which is why there is an intelligent human being behind that DM screen who can just put whatever he wants into the treasure. When it gets to the point that you're making up tables of tables to custom fit all this stuff, its easier to just say "216 gold pieces, a Longsword +1, and a drawing of the hobgoblin's mother" than it is to do all that random generation.

IMO, random treasure generation is either:
A) Something you do when you don't have a clue what something has, perhaps because it came off a random encounter table and you weren't expecting it.
B) As a starting point in making up treasures BEFORE the players arrive to play, meaning you can get random stuff and still be able to go back over it at your leisure and say "Yeah, this is fine, but this and this have got to go..."

Purely random stuff is just a pain in the butt when it comes to treasure, both as a DM and as a Player.
residieu
06-17-04, 12:54 AM Originally posted by kg
Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level.

Can you explain why the current random treasure tables don't do what you want? They don't take PC level into account, but that's good because you don't want the 1st lvl thug in the ally to be lugging a holy avenger around just because they attacked a 20th lvl paladin. Just make sure you roll on them before the battle so the monsters/NPCs can make use of the treasure during the battle if necessary.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kg 06-15-04, 09:59 PM	I need help with a chance of drop formula for items.. can anyone help me please? I am tryin to get it so its based on player level so that I can get a decent random number that will give them a decent item for their level, also a chance at getting an item beyond their level.
Seeker95 06-15-04, 10:26 PM	Originally posted by kg I need help with a chance of drop formula for items.Do you mean the chance to drop an item in your possession? If so, I think you're trying for a little too much detail.
Edymnion 06-15-04, 10:32 PM	It sounds like they think this is a game of Diablo II. There are no drop formulas, or anything else. If you want a random treasure generation system, look in the DMG in the chapter named "Rewards". It already has everything you need layed out there. Although, a good game (IMO) won't use pure random treasures at all, but will tailor the rewards to be appropriate to the characters, to the enemies, and to the location. Not much thats stupider than killing something that had to fight with a tree branch as an improvised club, only to roll up a +5 Sword of Uber-Death. If they had that sword the whole time, why weren't they using it?
jasper 06-16-04, 08:59 AM	i don't know. I recently sat in on a game at the local store where dm rolled up treasure after the monster was dead. Reminded me of some of my begining days. Now days I either assign magic treasure before hand. Or randomly roll it. Occasionally randomly gives some interesting results and changes the encounter. Ex, ha ha it just a lone kobold. Watch guys. the kobold has an uzi!
Edymnion 06-16-04, 08:23 PM	Reminds me of one old encounter. The party had just defeated a Magmin, the small fire elemental thing made of lava. DM rolled up random treasure, and we got... an everburning torch! Yes ladies and gentlemen, the thing made out of fire and living in a pool of molten lava had a frickin everburning torch. Its like finding an eskimo with a refridgerator.
GSHamster 06-16-04, 10:49 PM	Maybe it was just a normal piece of wood that had avoided getting burned up. After time, enough latent fire magic from the Magmin and the lair infused the branch, and it became an everburning torch. It doesn't seem that bad as treasure. It's better than the orc treasure chest containing a magic sword that none of the orcs see fit to use.
kg 06-17-04, 12:40 AM	Originally posted by Edymnion Not much thats stupider than killing something that had to fight with a tree branch as an improvised club, only to roll up a +5 Sword of Uber-Death. If they had that sword the whole time, why weren't they using it? Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level.
Edymnion 06-17-04, 12:50 AM	Originally posted by kg Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level. No, which is why there is an intelligent human being behind that DM screen who can just put whatever he wants into the treasure. When it gets to the point that you're making up tables of tables to custom fit all this stuff, its easier to just say "216 gold pieces, a Longsword +1, and a drawing of the hobgoblin's mother" than it is to do all that random generation. IMO, random treasure generation is either: A) Something you do when you don't have a clue what something has, perhaps because it came off a random encounter table and you weren't expecting it. B) As a starting point in making up treasures BEFORE the players arrive to play, meaning you can get random stuff and still be able to go back over it at your leisure and say "Yeah, this is fine, but this and this have got to go..." Purely random stuff is just a pain in the butt when it comes to treasure, both as a DM and as a Player.
residieu 06-17-04, 12:54 AM	Originally posted by kg Which is why you have a formula setup to throw in the players experience/level, and some stats. Maybe even the monsters level so you can whip out a chance of getting something more useful based on your level. Can you explain why the current random treasure tables don't do what you want? They don't take PC level into account, but that's good because you don't want the 1st lvl thug in the ally to be lugging a holy avenger around just because they attacked a 20th lvl paladin. Just make sure you roll on them before the battle so the monsters/NPCs can make use of the treasure during the battle if necessary.