Giving your players Loot - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Giving your players Loot

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
korik1
Feb 11, 2009 15:03:34 So prior to the current campaign I'm running I've never had one last long enough for the party to start getting equipment as a reward. My party now has members between level 5 and level 7. I feel like I should start handing them out useful items as rewards to be found during quests. However, I don't really know what to give them.

Should I provide items that are obviously for one person or another? How powerful should such items be? What should their uses be? Should it be obvious what they're used for? Should finding said loot be "railroaded" in?

In the last session, the party fought foes with rifles, of lesser quality than their own, and flamethrowers. They took one flamethrower for awhile but ditched it in the next battle. They snagged the ammo from the rifles but that was all. They had been shelled by mortars, and could've found them, but they rolled badly when trying to find them during the shelling, and never bothered trying after the first time.

In terms of suggestions, just about anything can fit. The setting is a weird west/steampunk with lots of SCIENCE! and even a little magic. Any help is welcome.
#2
TheRealOrion
Feb 11, 2009 15:32:53 I don't think I can help with hard numbers (there are some numbers in the Core book with regard to Wealth bonuses at the ends of adventures, I think), but in a Weird West/Science! game (sounds like fun, by the way), you might look to Trigun for inspiration. It's an anime series with some funky gunslinger technology in it.

Off the top of my head, what I'd suggest is taking a good listen to your players during a game. If they complain about having a Defence score that's too low, or running out of ammo, or what have you, you can design some steam-punk/science! devices that fulfil those needs. That way, they're getting stuff that's tailor-made for their PCs and you can take the opportunity to balance off any rough edges in the party. It's even better if they see people using said devices and think "I want that!" and have to defeat the villains in order to get it. Gives it a sense of accomplishment and narrative synchronicity. "I need the thing that the villain has, therefore it's poetic justice that I beat him/her/it/them and take the thing for myself."
#3
DwarfFighter
Feb 11, 2009 17:32:59 Magic weapons are good for loot, magical firearms even.

-DF
#4
backstabbist
Feb 11, 2009 17:44:52 I agree.
Start using Magic Weapons against the party
Like a +2 Derringer, or Sap of Blunt Wounding, or 105Howitzer of Frost
#5
layla_minogue
Feb 11, 2009 20:00:50 Agree with all of the above, but don't go overboard. if you start using too many magic items as loot they become commonplace. Have a good amount of expendables like ammo or potions, and toss in the occasional magic thingy, and the rare item that almost seems to be meant for a particular player (because it is.) Also, sometimes its surprising how some players will latch onto a piece of loot that seems inconsequential, like an art object or an article of clothing. The more detail you put into this stuff and the more you showcase it as part of the plot, the more your players will want it. I recommend checking out the Draconomicon book for an interesting chapter on hordes of loot.

I had a GM who wanted to know when his players' real life birthdays were, and then he gave us a one-shot on our birthday that was tailored for our character and included a sweet piece of loot at the end. That was fun:D
#6
TheRealOrion
Feb 12, 2009 17:39:33 I love the birthday thing. That's lovely.

I just wanted to add that giving out a Pistol +1 isn't necessarily all that exciting even if they're rare. There are lots of ways to get a measley little +1. Giving out, as you say, a Gun that does only non-lethal damage, or electricity, or something flashy, even if it's basically the same damage, is way more fun. It's good to balance flashy fun and crunchy bonuses.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 korik1 Feb 11, 2009 15:03:34	So prior to the current campaign I'm running I've never had one last long enough for the party to start getting equipment as a reward. My party now has members between level 5 and level 7. I feel like I should start handing them out useful items as rewards to be found during quests. However, I don't really know what to give them. Should I provide items that are obviously for one person or another? How powerful should such items be? What should their uses be? Should it be obvious what they're used for? Should finding said loot be "railroaded" in? In the last session, the party fought foes with rifles, of lesser quality than their own, and flamethrowers. They took one flamethrower for awhile but ditched it in the next battle. They snagged the ammo from the rifles but that was all. They had been shelled by mortars, and could've found them, but they rolled badly when trying to find them during the shelling, and never bothered trying after the first time. In terms of suggestions, just about anything can fit. The setting is a weird west/steampunk with lots of SCIENCE! and even a little magic. Any help is welcome.
#2 TheRealOrion Feb 11, 2009 15:32:53	I don't think I can help with hard numbers (there are some numbers in the Core book with regard to Wealth bonuses at the ends of adventures, I think), but in a Weird West/Science! game (sounds like fun, by the way), you might look to Trigun for inspiration. It's an anime series with some funky gunslinger technology in it. Off the top of my head, what I'd suggest is taking a good listen to your players during a game. If they complain about having a Defence score that's too low, or running out of ammo, or what have you, you can design some steam-punk/science! devices that fulfil those needs. That way, they're getting stuff that's tailor-made for their PCs and you can take the opportunity to balance off any rough edges in the party. It's even better if they see people using said devices and think "I want that!" and have to defeat the villains in order to get it. Gives it a sense of accomplishment and narrative synchronicity. "I need the thing that the villain has, therefore it's poetic justice that I beat him/her/it/them and take the thing for myself."
#3 DwarfFighter Feb 11, 2009 17:32:59	Magic weapons are good for loot, magical firearms even. -DF
#4 backstabbist Feb 11, 2009 17:44:52	I agree. Start using Magic Weapons against the party Like a +2 Derringer, or Sap of Blunt Wounding, or 105Howitzer of Frost
#5 layla_minogue Feb 11, 2009 20:00:50	Agree with all of the above, but don't go overboard. if you start using too many magic items as loot they become commonplace. Have a good amount of expendables like ammo or potions, and toss in the occasional magic thingy, and the rare item that almost seems to be meant for a particular player (because it is.) Also, sometimes its surprising how some players will latch onto a piece of loot that seems inconsequential, like an art object or an article of clothing. The more detail you put into this stuff and the more you showcase it as part of the plot, the more your players will want it. I recommend checking out the Draconomicon book for an interesting chapter on hordes of loot. I had a GM who wanted to know when his players' real life birthdays were, and then he gave us a one-shot on our birthday that was tailored for our character and included a sweet piece of loot at the end. That was fun:D
#6 TheRealOrion Feb 12, 2009 17:39:33	I love the birthday thing. That's lovely. I just wanted to add that giving out a Pistol +1 isn't necessarily all that exciting even if they're rare. There are lots of ways to get a measley little +1. Giving out, as you say, a Gun that does only non-lethal damage, or electricity, or something flashy, even if it's basically the same damage, is way more fun. It's good to balance flashy fun and crunchy bonuses.