Not all treasure shines the same way to every hero. A swordsmith sees perfection in steel; a cleric sees sanctity in relics; a thief sees opportunity in anything not nailed down. The Dungeon Narrator should think of treasure as character-specific myth - rewards that echo a class's nature, not a table of random gold.
Treasure should speak to who the heroes are, not just how strong they've become. Each class interprets value differently: fighters crave tools of conquest, thieves admire the rare and forbidden, wizards hunger for forgotten insight, and clerics seek proof of their faith.
Class Tuned Rewards
Fighter (Ranger, Knight, Paladin, Barbarian): Favored Treasures: Fine weapons, ancestral arms, armor that bears history.
Hooks by Subclass: Ranger: Trophies of the hunt, weapons carved from the beasts they've slain.
Knight: Heraldic relics, tokens of honor, blades bound by oath.
Paladin: Holy arms, relic armor blessed by divine resonance.
Barbarian: Totems of battle, beast hides, weapons forged in storms or blood..
Thief (Rogue, Bard, Assassin): Favored Treasures: Jewels, unique trinkets, items of charm or deception.
Hooks by Subclass: Rogue: Lockpicks of legend, daggers with whispered names, shadow-slick coins.
Bard: Instruments of myth, stories etched in gold or song.
Assassin: Blades of silence, vials of perfect poison, disguises from forgotten guilds.
Cleric (Druid, Witch, Warlock, Monk) Favored Treasures: Relics, blessings, natural wonders.
Hooks by Subclass: Druid: Seeds of eternal bloom, living stones, relics born of the wild.
Witch: Charms, bones, moonlit artifacts that remember secrets.
Warlock: Pact tokens, cursed relics, objects branded with their patron's sigil.
Monk: Symbols of enlightenment, sacred beads, relics found through trial and silence.
Wizard (Sorcerer, Alchemist, Enchanter) Favored Treasures: Tomes, crystals, arcane focuses.
Hooks by Subclass: Sorcerer: Relics infused with bloodlines, elemental fragments.
Alchemist: Bottled spirits, eternal metals, philosopher's residues.
Enchanter: Living charms, bound memories, mirrors that dream.
Treasure by Context
After a major class triumph, tailor the reward to the hero's nature.
A Fighter might uncover a weapon steeped in legend; a Thief could unearth a relic from forbidden hands; a Wizard might awaken a crystal that hums with their name; a Cleric could receive a blessing carried by faith or fate.
Keep gold secondary. Wealth supports adventure - it doesn't define it.
Rotate the spotlight: not always, but try to ensure each player gains something that reflects their calling and deepens their myth.
Avoid symmetry. Not all heroes find treasure at the same time - the uneven rhythm of reward makes the world feel alive and real.