Magic Item Distribution

The Magic Item Distribution tables are an attempt to produce a rational allocation of magical items for encountered creatures, based on the assigned amounts of treasure they possess for their number, including an "X.P." assigned number for magic. What magic items then received should reflect this amount in a way that allows only small, less-powerful items appearing in the hordes of more ordinary creatures, while permitting highly dangerous and powerful creatures to possess a meaningful trove of effective, potent items for the players to overcome and in turn acquire.

Table Distribution

This requires a scaling of magic upon each table, listed simply as I, II, III and so on, with each progressively having magic of a greater potency. The first table accounts for items between 100 x.p. (the minimum) and 200, as listed in the original Dungeon Masters Guide, with zero-X.P. items being rated according to the average of that type of item. For example, a cursed potion, either "poison" or "delusion," would appear on a table that fitted the average of all potions that could possibly be obtained — placing them at midpoint in the likely span of possible potions that might be found. As a further benefit, lower-potency magic items would not appear on higher-tier tables, ensuring a minimum value whenever one of those tables was rolled upon.

Treasure Distribution

Total X.P.	Magic Table
	I 150 x.p.	II 300 x.p.	III 550 x.p.	IV 950 x.p.
less than 100	—	—	—	—
100-225	1	—	—	—
226-375	—	1	—	—
376-500	1	1	—	—
501-625	—	—	1	—
626-775	1	—	1	—
776-900	—	1	1	—
901-975	—	—	—	1
976-1050	1	1	1	—
1051-1175	1	—	—	1

Though not strictly accurate, the table shown indicates, first, the average experience of items found there. The leftmost column indicates the amount of "magic experience" granted by the monster's treasure table, which is then compared to the columns to determine which is rolled on when that amount of magic is specified. For example, let us say that 31 troglodytes have accumulated a treasure that the party has obtained. With 22.3 x.p. per troglodyte, the total is 691, the fraction ignored. As such, one roll would be made on Table I and one upon Table III. The ignored fraction applies only in determining the encounter's total magic X.P. — it does not alter the values of the items subsequently rolled.

Importantly, the table does not spend the available magic X.P. point by point. It rounds the total to the nearest available combination of table averages. Thus, 691 x.p. is represented by Table I and Table III because their stated averages total 700 x.p.

It should also be made explicit that each numeral means one independent roll on that table. A dash means that no roll is made there. The user does not choose between the indicated tables, exchange several lower-table rolls for a higher-table roll, or retain any unallocated amount. The values at the tops of the columns are averages, not guaranteed results. A roll on Table III does not necessarily produce an item worth exactly 550 x.p.; it produces an item from a group whose average value is approximately 550 x.p. The actual total value of the items obtained may therefore fall above or below the creature treasure’s assigned magic X.P.

Table I

Common Magic Items

d100	Item
01–13	Healing potion
14–20	Philter of love
21–26	Polymorph potion (self)
27–33	Speed potion
34–39	Sweet water potion
40–55	Scroll, 1 spell, 1-2 level
56	Figurine of wonder: onyx dog (1-11), serpentine owl (12-20)
57–68	Dagger +1, +2 vs. creatures smaller than man-sized
69–81	Arrow +1, 1–10 in number
82-87	Arrow +2, 1–4 in number
88–90	Arrow +3, 1–2 in number
91-97	Bolt +2, 1–4 in number
98-00	Roll on the Rare Item Subtable

Rare Item Subtable

d100	Item	d100	Item
01	Rod of absorption, 1 charge	36-40	Wand of illusion, 1-6 charges
02	Rod of beguiling, 1-2 charge	41-43	Wand of lightning, 1-5 charges
03-06	Rod of cancellation, 1 charge	44-57	Wand of magic detection, 1-8 charges
07	Rod of resurrection, 1 charge	58-70	Wand of metal & mineral detection, 1-13 charges
08	Rod of rulership, 1 charge	71-75	Wand of magic missiles, 1-5 charges
09	Staff of command, 1 charge	76-83	Wand of negation, 1-5 charges
10	Wand of conjuration, 1-2 charges	84-86	Wand of paralysation, 1-5 charges
11-17	Wand of enemy detection, 1-10 charges	87-89	Wand of polymorphing, 1-5 charges
18-21	Wand of fear, 1-6 charges	90	Wand of secret door & trap location, 1-4 charges
22-23	Wand of fire, 1-4 charges	91-94	Wand of wonder, 1-3 charges
24-25	Wand of frost, 1-3 charges	95-00	Pearl of power, 1st level
26-35	Wand of illumination, 1-10 charges

Table II

d100	Magic Item	d100	Magic Item
01–02	Animal control potion	32-33	Studded leather +1
03	Clairaudience potion	34-37	Shield +1
04–05	Clairvoyance potion	38-44	Sword +1
06	Climbing potion	45-46	Sword +1 (cursed)
07-08	Diminution potion	47–49	Arrow +1, 11-20 in number
09–10	Extra-healing potion	50	Arrow +2, 5-8 in number
11	Fire resistance potion	51	Arrow +3, 3-5 in number
12	Gaseous form potion	52-53	Hand axe +1
13	Growth potion	54	Battle axe +1
14	Heroism potion	55-56	Bolt +2, 5-8 in number
15–16	Invisibility potion	57	Dagger +2, +3 vs. creatures larger than man-sized
17-18	Invulnerability potion	58-59	Warhammer +1
19	Levitation potion	60-61	Mace +1
20-21	Oil of slipperyness	62	Military pick +1
22	Philter of persuasiveness	63	Morning star +1
23-24	Plant control potion	64–85	Roll on the Scroll Subtable
25	Water breathing potion	86–98	Roll on the Rods, Staves & Wands Subtable
26-29	Leather armour +1	99–00	Roll on the Rare Item Subtable
30-31	Ring mail +1

Rods, Staves & Wands		Scrolls		Rare Items
d100	Magic Item	d100	Magic Item	d100	Magic Item
01–03	Rod of absorbtion, 3 charges	01-12	Clerical scroll, 1 spell, 3rd or 4th level	01-11	Hill giant control potion
04	Rod of beguiling, 3-4 charges	13-16	Druidical scroll, 1 spell, 3rd or 4th level	12-18	Figurine (ebony fly)
05–15	Rod of cancellation, 2 charges	17-21	Illusionary scroll, 1 spell, 3rd or 4th level	19-34	Dagger of venom
16	Rod of resurrection, 2 charges	22-61	Magical scroll, 1 spell, 3rd or 4th level	35-50	Javelin of lightning
17	Rod of rulership, 3 charges	62-64	Clerical scroll, 2 spells, 1st & 2nd or two 2nd level	51-67	Javelin of piercing
18	Staff of command, 2 charges	65	Druidical scroll, 2 spells, 1st & 2nd or two 2nd level	68	Pearl of Power, 2nd level
19-21	Staff of curing, 1 charge	66	Illusionary scroll, 2 spells, 1st & 2nd or two 2nd level	69-85	Shield, large, +1, +4 vs. missiles
22-25	Staff of striking, 1 charge	67-75	Magical scroll, 2 spells, 1st & 2nd or two 2nd level	86-00	Arrow of slaying
26-27	Staff of withering, 1 charge	76-77	Clerical scroll, 3 spells, three 1st or two 1st & one 2nd
28	Wand of conjuration, 3-5 charges	78	Druidical scroll, 3 spells, three 1st or two 1st & one 2nd
29-33	Wand of enemy detection, 11-20 charges	79	Illusionary scroll, 3 spells, three 1st or two 1st & one 2nd
34-36	Wand of fear, 7-13 charges	80-88	Magical scroll, 3 spells, three 1st or two 1st & one 2nd
37-39	Wand of fire, 5-8 charges	89-91	Clerical scroll, all 1st
40-42	Wand of frost, 4-6 charges	92	Druidical scroll, 4 spells, all 1st
43-48	Wand of illumination, 11-20 charges	93	Illusionary scroll, 4 spells, all 1st
49-52	Wand of illusion, 7-13 charges	94-00	Magical scroll, 4 spells, all 1st
53-55	Wand of lightning, 6-10 charges
56-65	Wand of magic detection, 9-16 charges
66-71	Wand of metal & mineral detection, 14-26 charges
72-76	Wand of magic missiles, 6-10 charges
77-85	Wand of negation, 6-11 charges
86-88	Wand of paralysation, 6-11 charges
89-91	Wand of polymorphing, 6-11 charges
92-93	Wand of secret door & trap location, 5-8 charges
94-00	Wand of wonder, 4-6 charges