Sunday, April 25, 2010

The Treasure Hoard Generator

A quick math question: What do you get when you add a treasure generator and Chaotic Shiny Productions? Answer: Treasure Hoard Generator Pack, the best treasure generator available. This is not hyperbole, nor puffery. I've tried several online treasure generators, and all have their merits, but lacked the depth to keep me interested. Hannah "Swordgleam" Lipski has developed a treasure generator that any GM will be thrilled to have in their arsenal.

The Treasure Hoard Generator has eight treasure generators that can be combined or used individually. The first generator is the Treasure Parcel, this is the one that combines all the other generators. You can set what level of treasure you want it to generate up to 30th level and it also has a random level selection if you prefer. There are eight different categories of loot that you can choose to include or not. The categories include (I'll go into more depth in each one soon) jewelry, art, gems, food, potions, artifacts, components and other goods. Right off the bat I liked the selection of categories because of how rarely I've included art or food as treasure. After selecting the level and what type of loot you want included just push the Generate Treasure Parcel and wa-la, a pile of loot to distribute.

The next tab is the Treasure Hoard. This one is interesting. You can select anywhere from 5 to 50 hoards. The hoards consist of a paragraph of stuff and things. Here is an example that was just generated: Seven sheep skeletons, one blue steel dagger, one iron box, one large eagle feather, eleven very small platinum amulets, one large container of sea green paint, forty lock picks, one birch greatclub and nine tiny occult books.

I got about nine ideas just from my first reading. Seven sheep skeletons, I love it. Now all you old schoolers out there, can you see the benefit of this generator? Nothing is detailed, but invaluable suggestions for a GM to develop into their own personal coolness.

Parts of the Hoard
Charms, you can create from 5 to 50 at a time and also select from three categories; Loose, Jewelry and D&D loot. The description of these items lends the GM a handful of ideas should he choose to develop it further.

Gems, are described like no other generator. Included along with the physical description there is information on possible properties. This gem is associated with prosperity, optimism and divine love.

Art, there are several categories to choose from or you can select random. The categories include: Painting, Drawing, Tapestry, Sculpture/Statue, Sketch, Etching, Carving/Engraving, Fresco/Wall Painting and Mosaic. I will continue to say that the descriptions create ideas for the GM to develop a history behind the piece. Maybe that small wooden sculpture of a broad shouldered, gloomy minstrel has an extensive history or a piece to a larger mystery or maybe it has something cool hidden inside.

Potions, this one generates what the potion looks and tastes like. Also included are possible side-effects. These are a lot of fun. Smokey gray and foaming slightly, contained in a brass flask with runes down the side. The potion smells like ginger and tastes like rat droppings. Side-effects may include a temporary loss of the sense of taste. One could only hope if it tastes like rat droppings.

Artifacts, has several categories plus the all popular random selection. The categories are: Any Weapon, Armor and Shields, Polearms, Bludgeoning Weapons, Bows, Swords, Armor Pieces, Full Armor, Shields and Thrown Weapons. As you can see this is not your all powerful type of artifacts, but good old fashion hardware to make the other guy bleed and to keep you from bleeding. There are great descriptions of the look of the weapons and armor and it hints at the powers and possible quirks of them. This dire flail was forged by a legendary smith to be used by healers and is covered in engravings. The grip is knotted with green leather. It allows the owners to speak with the dead.

Coins, okay this is cool. You can make your own coins. You can select the shape of them, text, what is in the center, and if there are glyphs. And if you want, you can add cracks. Why? Because it elevates the cool factor. I included a set of coins I made for Gothridge Manor. I mean if it wasn't enough that the Treasure Hoard Generator created all these great descriptions of loot it also can make custom coins.

And yet there is more. Other features included are the ability to edit the results from the inside of the program, you can print directly from the Treasure Hoard Generator, and save the results of the last 10 things you've generated.

The price of the Treasure Hoard Generator is $3.95. Easily worth the money. This is a tool you can use for any fantasy genre game; Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC, Rolemaster, Castles & Crusades, Pathfinder and all the variations of D&D. And this treasure generator will help any GM create adventures and improve existing ones. One final word, Chaotic Shiny Productions will give you a full refund if you don't like the Treasure Hoard Generator. You've got nothing to lose and only the best treasure generator to gain.

3 comments:

  1. Looks cool. Thanks for the heads up.

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  2. Wow. You said you liked it, but I didn't realize how much. Thanks for the awesome review!

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  3. Hannah, it is an excellent product and provides tons of ideas. I started using it with one of the adventures I was developing and it is a great. Keep up the great work.

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