Im having a bit of trouble getting a general sense of what amount of loot my players should receive during their sessions. They are started as 3rd level, mostly new players to the DnD universe. I wanted to create an enjoyable experience where they are rewarded, but Im running into issues of balancing. Since I recently picked up the Dungeon Masters Guide for 5th Ed I decided to utilize the loot tables for their rewards, to save belaboring thinking of what to reward them on the spot and taking up time. Unfortunately, RNGesus gave them some very powerful items for their low level. Which then imbalances a player from the rest of the party. How do I get it so that everyone is rewarded fairly, evenly, but wont throw off the balance where one player is stronger than the other or I have to throw greater challenges at them that could wipe the party should I give everyone something neat? Besides writing my own loot tables or restricting things to scripted encounters.
TL;DR
How do I balance loot without being a jerk, or making PCs OP?
Best Answer
I am having the same problem, although my characters just reached level 3.
However, I think that the best answer is for the party to better share the loot between each others. They, after all, are the ones who want to survive, not you.
If you have one player who always takes it all, he will create the imbalance, not you as the DM.
For what to "distribute", I use the tables on DMG p. 136-139. That gives me a way to determine the various types of objects I can give my players. The main problem is to avoid giving them way too powerful items.
However, I do not like to roll on the tables because I prefer to be in control to give the players exactly what they are likely to need (plus a little more).
Also, there are certain things that make sense. If you kill a mummy, it makes sense to find a Staff of the Python and if you kill a Wizard to find a Robe of Stars, for example. Plus, I prefer to offer items that make sense in the adventure rather than random things.
That being said, there is one rule that will limit a player from using all the items. If you look closely, there is a rule about attunement (DMG p. 136) which prevents a user from having more than 3 items that require attunement. So if you offer many of those, the one player who wants it all... would not be able to use the extras and may then start thinking he should share a bit more (because such items in his backpack won't do much good to the group as a whole.)
Another way to limit is to give similar items or items that the user(s) do not have proficiency in (i.e. give 3 short swords + 1, it is likely that people will stick to their existing weapon because they don't have proficiency in short swords. That being said, they'll need magical swords for killing those werewolves...) Also you cannot use two magical items of the same type simultaneously (DMG p. 141). So that's another way. Obviously, that could become quite a bit monotonous... but it could be a temporary solution to get everyone to have a similar power level. And the characters can sell or exchange the extras too.
Finally, there are items that require a specific class or set of classes (see Staff of the Adder, DMG p. 203). You could also impose limits such as race or size or even level... since you do not have to specifically use what the DMG presents. I myself use it as a large set of examples rather than the actual source of magic items in my worlds.