I am running the Starter Set Adventure (Lost Mine of Phelvander), and the majority of enemies have weapons and armour. For example every goblin has a scimitar, a shortbow, and leather armour.
When the PCs defeat them, do they obtain these as items?
I ruled at the time that armour is rendered useless by the fight but weapons can be looted. (And then the first NPC shopkeeper they met swindled them horribly, so that worked out OK). But I would prefer to know what the rules have to say on the subject, and I can't seem to find an answer.
Best Answer
They can, sure. But the D&D basic rules (p. 45, under "Selling Treasure") are quite explicit that they typically have no value:
So they can collect them, they can even use them, but no, merchants won't buy them unless they are particularly pristine.