Art Object Database

"Satisfied with a job well done at the end of an arduous dungeon, you pry open the old treasure chest to find... uh... seven +1 longswords!"

This is extending an olive branch to all of those DMs out there. When you're selecting (or rolling up) treasure for the party, do things not feel a little too... unrealistic? Using the tables provided in the Dungeon Master's Guide, and other published books, will lead to player characters mostly finding coins and gems, with some magic items when you're feeling generous. Who are all these dungeon-dwellers that mindlessly stockpile wealth in amounts perfectly divisible by 4, though? Wouldn't it make more sense to spend some of that coin? That said, it's never been the case for the wealthy to only spend on practical items. Not every one of someone's possessions are going to be potions, oils and magic weapons. Having egregious shows of wealth is the whole point of being wealthy!

In comes the second problem, though. The DMG does have a tidy table of art objects that can be found as part of treasure, for a neat alternative to raw monetary units. Said table, however, is woefully sparse - especially as a party approaches the higher levels, where the only pieces of art in circulation are gold rings and gold cups. Just how many nonmagical gold rings could one guy be reasonably expected to have?

Here then, I have an answer to your sparse and unrealistic treasure woes.


Included here is a download for an Art Object Database, which includes over 7000 individual items at a range of prices that span every level of the game.

It couldn't be simpler to use. Once you have it open, simply select the range of prices you want the suggested items to be, then pick the list.txt file that comes included and browse to your heart's content. Now you'll never be hard-pressed to wrack your brain figuring out how to fill in that last 270 gp of a treasure horde.

Art objects especially can make for an effective plot thread or prompt for a potential sidequest. Why did that ogre mage have a chalice engraved by a dwarven king? How did these coins, minted by a nation you've never heard of, find their way here? If there's ever a lean patch in the storyline, the fruits of yesterday's hoard can prevent today's bored.

You can, of course, substitute your own text file, so long as it's formatted the same way the included one is, or edit the one provided to suit your needs. An item come up that makes no sense in your campaign setting? Strike it from the list and proceed unhindered. Some art object priced in a way that makes no sense in your setting? Change its GP value in the text file and it will only come up when appropriate from then on.

The items in the list were compiled from various sources, both online and in print, edited somewhat for variety and interest, and liberally supplemented by ideas of my own. The program itself was programmed by my friend Nico, who did a splendid job of making the whole thing sleek and user-friendly.

The Art Object Database can be downloaded here (30 KB)