Generating Hoards by the Cards, Card Values

In Generating Hoards by the Cards, Groundwork, I suggested different cards might have different ranges of values.

I’ve calculated possible values such that each card is roughly the same amount larger (by ratio) than the card below it.  The values of Aces and Twos overlap the nominal upper values of the next-lower tier, and the values of Queens and Kings overlap the nominal lower values of the next-higher tier.  The table below shows the approximate nominal value of each card.

Additional values (two below Ace, two above King, and two tiers below Basic and two above Epic (three above Legendary)) are shown because they may be useful when ‘near the edges’ of the main body of the table.

Card Values by Tier

Tier	Basic–	Basic-	Basic	Expert	Heroic	Master	Champion	Legendary	Epic	Epic+	Epic++
Echelon Level	-7..-4	-3..0	1..4	5..8	9..12	13..16	17..20	21..24	25..28	29..32	33..36
D&D 3.x CR	?	?	1/6..1/2	1..4	5..8	9..12	13..16	17..20	21..24	25..28	29..32
—	3	8	25	75	225	675	2,025	6,075	18,225	54,675	164,025
—	3	10	29	86	258	774	2,323	6,969	20,908	62,723	188,170
Ace	4	11	33	99	296	888	2,665	7,995	23,985	71,956	215,869
2	4	13	38	113	340	1,019	3,057	9,172	27,516	82,549	247,646
3	5	14	43	130	390	1,169	3,507	10,522	31,567	94,700	284,100
4	6	17	50	149	447	1,341	4,024	12,071	36,213	108,640	325,920
5	6	19	57	171	513	1,539	4,616	13,848	41,544	124,632	373,896
6	7	22	65	196	588	1,765	5,295	15,886	47,659	142,978	428,935
7	8	25	75	225	675	2,025	6,075	18,225	54,675	164,025	492,075
8	10	29	86	258	774	2,323	6,969	20,908	62,723	188,170	564,510
9	11	33	99	296	888	2,665	7,995	23,985	71,956	215,869	647,607
10	13	38	113	340	1,019	3,057	9,172	27,516	82,549	247,646	742,937
Jack	14	43	130	390	1,169	3,507	10,522	31,567	94,700	284,100	852,299
Queen	17	50	149	447	1,341	4,024	12,071	36,213	108,640	325,920	977,760
King	19	57	171	513	1,539	4,616	13,848	41,544	124,632	373,896	1,121,688
—	22	65	196	588	1,765	5,295	15,886	47,659	142,978	428,935	1,286,804
—	25	75	225	675	2,025	6,075	18,225	54,675	164,025	492,075	1,476,225

The values above are merely guidelines and suggestions.  I will be presenting a sample table (at least partially filled) below for potions, where I try to keep (for example) ‘first-level’ potions (spell level 1, caster level 1) in slots worth about 50 gold pieces.  This aligns with my sense of mathematical elegance… but it’s entirely valid to say that all Basic slots are filled with first-level potions.

Populated Potion Table (Incomplete)

Ace	—	flask acid	tanglefoot bag	2 first-level potions	second-level potion	—	—	—	—	—	—
2	—	flask acid	tanglefoot bag	oil of bless weapon	second-level potion	resist energy 30	—	—	—	—	—
3	—	—	first-level potion	3 first-level potions	—	resist energy 30	—	—	—	—	—
4	—	alchemist’s fire	first-level potion	3 first-level potions	—	oil of greater magic weapon +2	—	—	—	—	—
5	—	alchemist’s fire	first-level potion	3 first-level potions	—	protection from arrows 15/magic	—	—	—	—	—
6	—	zero-level potion	2 holy water	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
7	bottle fine wine	zero-level potion	—	—	third-level potion	—	—	—	—	—	—
8	bottle fine wine	holy water	2 first-level potions	potion of enlarge person (CL5)	third-level potion	—	—	—	—	—	—
9	flask acid	thunderstone	2 first-level potions	second-level potion	third-level potion	—	—	—	—	—	—
10	—	thunderstone	2 first-level potions	second-level potion	potion of good hope	—	—	—	—	—	—
Jack	—	antitoxin	3 first-level potions	second-level potion	oil of greater magic weapon +2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Queen	—	antitoxin	3 first-level potions	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
King	—	first-level potion	3 first-level potions	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tier	Basic–	Basic-	Basic	Expert	Heroic	Master	Champion	Legendary	Epic	Epic+	Epic++
Echelon Level	-7..-4	-3..0	1..4	5..8	9..12	13..16	17..20	21..24	25..28	29..32	33..36
D&D 3.x CR	?	?	1/6..1/2	1..4	5..8	9..12	13..16	17..20	21..24	25..28	29..32

I’m skipping a lot here — the ‘first-level potion’, ‘second-level potion’, and ‘third-level potion’ entries are obviously placeholders.  I’d probably select common potions (such as cure light wounds) to fill these slots, if I were preparing a general table.  I might use it just as a marker and roll the spell randomly when the card is drawn.  Where I name specific potions they are typically non-standard cost (oil of bless weapon is shown as a 100 gp potion, the potion of enlarge person is shown as a 250gp potion because it has Caster Level 5).

Incidentally, this would be much easier if I were at home.  Trying to populate this on a single monitor is way more hassle than if I could have the reference material open on the second monitor (as at home) or if I could have the book open next to me (they’re all at home too).

Closing Comments

As much as this table is incomplete, I think it shows that it can be workable.

I’ll look into filling this in more later, or more likely taking a little more time and building a better table (I’m trying to do this quickly while on my lunch break at work).  It seems to be a little light on the chances of drawing any particular potion, so I’ll want to check frequencies in core books to see how likely potions are.  I suspect I’m not hugely out of line because at low levels there is only a small chance of a minor magic item, and then a mediocre chance of a potion, and then each specific potion has only a small chance on the table.  I suspect that if I were to map out the probabilities entirely, it might be plausible that the chance of getting a common potion is comparable between the method presented in the core books and the method presented here.