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4E DnD Arena Magic Item Rules and Loot Tables

For information about magic items chosen during character generation, see the character generation section.
The arena maintains one economic system, which is related to the distribution of magic items and gold, which are given out after every encounter. The levels and size of these prizes are directly related to the difficulty of the encounter group. These have been referenced to the DMG's treasure parcel tables and the actual results are on the table below. Potions are also handed out in this way. The type of item is also randomly generated, much in the same way the encounter level modifier is generated. It uses a string of ten options, which are crossed out after being selected. When the list is entirely crossed out, it refreshes. The string looks like this:
Weapon / Weapon / Armor / Armor / Weapon-Armor / Slot / Slot / Slot / Implement / Implement
The kind of weapon or armor (short sword, chainmail, dagger, leather) is not chosen until it is purchased. The implement is chosen at generation: it is randomly chosen among all possible implements usuable by the current participating characters. The choice between weapon and armor (with the weapon-armor choice) is determined by vote by the current players before generation.
When an item is generated (and after gold is handed out), players immediately have the option to buy it. The order of buys goes by amount of gold owned, from highest to lowest. The player with the highest amount either passes or opts to purchase. If the item is purchased, the player subtracts the appropriate amount of gold and gets the item. A player's gold piece total may become a negative value when buying like this. If no player buys the item, it goes into the "kitty", which is just a list of unpurchased items. After any buying phase, any player may opt to purchase an item from the kitty. If there is a dispute over who gets it (or which item should be bid on first), the player with the highest gold total wins. There is only one other way that magic items are placed in the kitty. This is when a character dies. After that battle, all magic items on that character's person are put in the kitty at 50% of their listed value.

Magic Item and Loot Table
EL Level of Item Generated Gold Value Potion?
+3 Highest CL+4Equivolent GP ValueNo
+2 Highest CL+3Equivolent GP ValueNo
+2 Highest CL+2Equivolent GP ValueNo
+1 Highest CL+1Equivolent GP ValueNo
+1 Highest CL+0"Parcel 5" GP ValueYes
+1 Highest CL+0"Parcel 6" GP ValueNo
+0 Highest CL+0"Parcel 7" GP ValueYes
+0 Highest CL+0"Parcel 8" GP ValueNo
+0 Highest CL+0"Parcel 9" GP ValueYes
-1 Highest CL-1"Parcel 10" GP ValueNo
  • The EL (Encounter Level) directly corresponds to the ten randomly-generated encounter group modifiers
  • CL is Character Level
  • The equivolent gold piece value is simply the generated magic item's value, divided among players
  • The parcels are listed in the DMG, without potions, the total gold value sum of all treasure in that parcel, divided among the players
  • The level of parcel is the same as the highest level participating character
  • The potions in the parcels are not used, instead consult the table
  • The type of potion (healing, vitality, recovery) is the same as what is given out in the current parcel