treasure "hoards"

[mirtos]

How are people doing treasure hoards? Lots of gems, different amounts of coins, art objects, magic items that players havent figured out yet, etc?

[Pollution]

Here's how I'm doing it, and it's working well:

You have your dungeon area, we'll say Thistletop from RotRL for example:
They go to a door while exploring the dungeon.
The room beyond is marked with a DM only Pin linking to the room's stats (i.e. they can't see it).
Before I clear the Fog of world from that section, I hover over the pin to check to see if that door is locked or there's a trap, or whatever (I put Locked, Trapped, Creatures, etc... so that I know what to expect before uncovering the room's fog or going to the room)
The room is loaded when I click the pin (linked to C27 we'll say).

Here's the room's topic page:
OVERVIEW:
"The text I'll read to them describing the room"

DESCRIPTION:
Some background info for me to be aware of (i.e. if alarm is raised, then add X goblins, or whatever)

Profile/Story/Points of interest tend to go blank, but sometimes there's relevant info in them.

VALUABLES:
Here's where the treasure goes. Here's the treasure from C27 exactly how I put it in the software:
TREASURE: A search of the cave pool's bed quickly turns up an incredible tangle of bones , all that remains of the bunyip's meals. Many of the bones are from goblins , but a fair amount are larger and human-sized. Several items of value lie scattered down here as well. Each search of the mess takes 5 minutes, and with a successful DC 20 Perception check, one of the following treasures is uncovered: (D5 determines if they find more than gold)
* 3d6 gp (to a maximum of 100 gp)
* a deep green spinel worth 100 gp
* a rusted kukri with an intact violet garnet in its hilt worth 500 gp
* a rotted quiver containing three +1 arrows
* a bone wand of shield with 9 charges remaining.

Challenges is where Monsters, puzzles, etc... go.

I put Traps under Obstacles.

The rest tends to be blank, but things can go in there.

So that's my basic room layout.

TLDR: "I make a bullet list and put it under valuables".

[mirtos]

Thats what I was doing, and its not working for me. I need something a little more drilled down. Where the hoard is the parent, and each item in the treasure can be revealed, changed, etc.


A "Silver Sword" - visible to players
+2 - not visible
"Keen" not visible
"intelligent" - not visible.

So then they might learn its a +2, but not keen or intelligent.... you get the idea. More initial work on my part, but in the game, i can easily see, what they know and what they dont.

[Silveras]

Put the basic description into the text of the snippet. Put the full description into a GM Directions field attached to that snippet. Update the text snippet as play progresses.

The text as you initially enter it doesn't have to remain the same forever.. it is just the "initial state". This will be better when the Repository allows copies and re-use of content, of course.

[Pollution]

Originally Posted by Silveras

Put the basic description into the text of the snippet. Put the full description into a GM Directions field attached to that snippet. Update the text snippet as play progresses.

The text as you initially enter it doesn't have to remain the same forever.. it is just the "initial state". This will be better when the Repository allows copies and re-use of content, of course.

this.

If you're doing something like a cursed sword, but they don't know it's cursed, you could do something like:

Description:
"This item is shiny and sharp. It's very manly"
Stats:
+1 Longsword vs. living creatures, normal damage to undead

Then add a GM snippet for yourself that would say something like:
All natural healing is halved by the possessing character. This effect continues even if the character is not weilding/carrying this item until the item is destroyed.

Then another unrevealed text snippet that talks about how to destroy the item.

[mirtos]

So you're saying each item in the hoard should be its own thing. Which makes sense. Extra work, but it makes the most sense. My players are always learning different things about different items.

[Pollution]

Originally Posted by mirtos

So you're saying each item in the hoard should be its own thing. Which makes sense. Extra work, but it makes the most sense. My players are always learning different things about different items.

Yes, that's how I'm doing special items for my RotRL game.

I put each item into the World Almanac, and then as it's referenced, it will get a link. I can then reveal it to players and put it on the screen for them when the time comes (also, I have a nice quick reference for when the item pops up in a scene).

Here's a screenshot of what I did.

NOTE: Yes, I know I didn't put capabilities correctly, everything ended up under profile with construction requirements under components. I picked this as the easiest method because, well...I'm lazy and putting in a 500 page book. It works for me quite well. Each item only took a couple of minutes to input (maybe 5 for the complicated stuff).

You can make entering your items as easy or complicated as you want. You can fill out each page fully, or just toss everything in one field. It's up to you.

Great thing about RW is that if you want the most complicated DB for your game, just spend the time. If you want it quick and dirty, it'll still be hella useful in your sessions.

[Pollution]

Come to think of it, an even more organized way for you to do this would be to create a group for your horde, then put each item inside the group under container on the right. That way, you would have easier navigation, and you could have each item have a separate description, while being directly related to the overall horde. Look at the Ioun Stones entry on the left in my screenshot.

I put the general rules/flavor text for Ioun Stones for my own quick reference (and reference for my players), then the text for the RotRL ones, then each as it's own description.

Very modular, very easy to work with IMO.

[Silveras]

Originally Posted by mirtos

So you're saying each item in the hoard should be its own thing. Which makes sense. Extra work, but it makes the most sense. My players are always learning different things about different items.

The other reason is that sometimes the location entry says something like, "for each successful search, the PCs find one item from the following list..." in which case, having a separate snippet for each makes it easier to reveal them as they are found, one by one; and only the ones they find when the players do not find them all.

[Pollution]

Originally Posted by Silveras

The other reason is that sometimes the location entry says something like, "for each successful search, the PCs find one item from the following list..." in which case, having a separate snippet for each makes it easier to reveal them as they are found, one by one; and only the ones they find when the players do not find them all.

Excellent point. The only real problem you run into here is the full expanded tree view that cannot be collapsed by default as of yet.

Again, check out my screenshot above. Imagine that with EVERY hoard perception check for an adventure.

20,000 entries on the left, scroll down for ages.

Luckily, there's links to make life easier.