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.
| 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
| d100 | Magic Item | d100 | Magic Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01–06 | Healing potion | 65 | Wand of illumination, 1–10 charges |
| 07–09 | Philter of love | 66 | Wand of illusion, 1–6 charges |
| 10–12 | Polymorph potion (self) | 67 | Wand of lightning, 1–5 charges |
| 13–15 | Speed potion | 68–69 | Wand of magic detection, 1–8 charges |
| 16–18 | Sweet water potion | 70–71 | Wand of metal & mineral detection, 1–13 charges |
| 19–25 | Clerical scroll, 1 spell, 1st or 2nd level | 72 | Wand of magic missiles, 1–5 charges |
| 26–27 | Druidic scroll, 1 spell, 1st or 2nd level | 73–74 | Wand of negation, 1–5 charges |
| 28–30 | Illusionary scroll, 1 spell, 1st or 2nd level | 75 | Wand of paralyzation, 1–5 charges |
| 31–53 | Magical scroll, 1 spell, 1st or 2nd level | 76 | Wand of wonder, 1–3 charges |
| 54 | Clerical scroll, 1 spell, 2nd level | 77–82 | Dagger +1, +2 vs. creatures smaller than man-sized |
| 55–58 | Magical scroll, 1 spell, 2nd level | 83–87 | Arrow +1, 1–10 in number |
| 59 | Rod of absorption, 1 charge | 88–90 | Arrow +2, 1–4 in number |
| 60–61 | Rod of cancellation, 1 charge | 91–92 | Arrow +3, 1–2 in number |
| 62 | Wand of enemy detection, 1–10 charges | 93–95 | Bolt +2, 1–4 in number |
| 63 | Wand of fear, 1–6 charges | 96–00 | Roll on the Rare Item Subtable |
| 64 | Wand of frost, 1–3 charges | colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-left:3px solid black;" |
| d100 | Rare Item Subtable |
|---|---|
| 01–08 | Druidic scroll, 1 spell, 2nd level |
| 09–16 | Illusionary scroll, 1 spell, 2nd level |
| 17–21 | Rod of beguiling, 1-2 charges |
| 22–26 | Rod of resurrection, 1 charge |
| 27–31 | Rod of rulership, 1 charge |
| 32–37 | Staff of command, 1 charge |
| 38–42 | Wand of conjuration, 1-2 charges |
| 43–57 | Wand of fire, 1-4 charges |
| 58–72 | Wand of polymorphing, 1-5 charges |
| 73–82 | Wand of Secret door & trap location, 1-4 charges |
| 83–92 | Figurine (onyx dog) |
| 93–98 | Figurine (serpentine owl) |
| 99–00 | Pearl of power, 1st level |
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 |
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| 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 | ||
