An Unofficial True Dungeon Treasure Token Guide
Hi... My name is Raven, and I'm a True Dungeon Addict.
Jeff Martin's True Dungeon premiered at Gen Con in 2003. I played. I loved it. I came back for another run through, and another. I loved it so much that when they finished the event on Saturday evening, I came back to help with take-down and meet all the cool people behind the scenes. True Dungeon has an amazing array of talented and dedicated individuals who volunteer large chunks of their lives to pull it off. I decided to come back again next year just to do True Dungeon again. And again. And again. I think I'm hooked.
One of the more addictive aspects of the game is the Treasure Tokens, which came out in 2004. At first, they were added just so folks would have some cool loot to find in the dungeon, and split at the end of the run. Bags of tokens were also made available for sale, in case anyone was interested.
Yes, people were interested.
People were so interested in the tokens, that they sold out. Not once, but several times, since being made available. This has resulted in several printings of tokens, and a thriving community of Token Traders who make deals online at the True Dungeon Forum and in the Tavern at True Dungeon events.
Tokens are so popular right now, that I figured I'd try to cobble together an Beginner's Guide to token collecting. This isn't a comprehensive piece, obviously, but if you just heard about True Dungeon, or just bought your first bag of tokens, I hope this will help you figure out what to do with your pretty wooden nickels.
Quick Questions
What are Treasure Tokens?
Treasure Tokens are "wooden nickels" - little circles of wood about an inch and a half across - which represent items in the game. They have the True Dungeon logo on the back, and item information on the front. There are several types. Some represent your material wealth and are labeled with a GP (Gold Piece) value. These are the basic economic unit of the Dungeon. Others represent your adventuring equipment: gear, weapons, armour, scrolls, potions, and even some cool magic items. The third type represent certain intangible concepts: rumors and "special" tokens.
A complete list of tokens is available on the True Dungeon site. (There's also a very cool Random Treasure Generator available at the TD site which lets you roll up a typical bag of loot. Warning - the Treasure Generator may be addictive. We are forming a 12-Step program to deal with this problem.)
There's also an Official True Dungeon Token Guide which you can check out to see more detailed information about the tokens themselves, how they are used in game, and who can use what sort of armor/weapon/scroll/etc. It is available for download on the True Dungeon Tokens page. I highly recommend reading it over before you enter the dungeon. All the tokens in the world aren't gonna help you if you don't know what they do, or who is allowed to use them, or where and when they can be used.
Return to Index
How do I get Treasure Tokens?
There are currently several ways to acquire Treasure Tokens:
- Purchase Token Kits in advance from The True Dungeon Store. They're $10/bag. Discounts are available for larger purchases.
- Purchase Token Kits from the True Dungeon desk at a Convention.
- Receive one FREE Treasure Token pack as part of your admission price (NEW for 2006!)
- Find Tokens as you make your way through the Dungeon.
- Trade your Tokens with traders in the tavern or the Trading Post (inside True Dungeon).
- Trade with your fellow players, in the tavern or on the forum (at True Dungeon Forums).
I highly recommend that you discuss Treasure with your party before you go into the Dungeon. Players are generally very good about sharing equipment to maximize their parties survival, but some people play like old school Rogues when it comes to finding loot in the Dungeon ("I found it - it's mine. Go get your own treasure.") This is especially a problem if the other player(s) have been through the dungeon before and know where the good stuff is hidden. So, deal with it beforehand. Either agree that the whole party shares the loot, or that you roll dice for it at the end, or that specific items should go to specific character classes. You can even go with the Finders Keepers strategy - it is perfectly valid, albeit a little cutthroat - as long as everyone agrees to it ahead of time.
When trading for tokens, most people use the Token Price Guide (see the True Dungeon Tokens page for the most current version) to give them a general idea of how much tokens cost. The Trading Post inside True Dungeon will probably give better deals, but won't necessarily have all items in stock, all the time. Traders online or in the Tavern vary in what they'll offer you for different tokens, but most of them trade pretty fair. If you have any worries that you're being taken advantage of, consult the price guide and compare the gp (gold piece) value of your token(s) to what is being offered by the other party. It may not be exact, but it should be in the same ball park.
Remeber: an item is only worth what a person is willing to trade for it. So if you really want a specific item, and you see a deal which is out of line with the Price Guide, you'll need to ask yourself how badly you want it. The same works in reverse - you don't have to trade away your good stuff at Guide Prices. Things are always in flux.
Return to Index
How Rare are different types of tokens?
There are 4 levels of rarity:
- Common Tokens are printed in brown ink, and comprise the majority of a Treasure Kit.
- Rare Tokens are printed in green ink and adventurers receive only two per Treasure Kit.
- Very Rare Tokens are printed in red ink, with only one per Treasure Kit.
- Ultra Rare Tokens are in purple ink, and are only found in one out of 100 Treasure Kits. You might also be lucky and find one in the dungeon. Sometimes they are available as prizes for competitions in the tavern.
And how much does this stuff cost in-game?
Most of the generic adventuring equipment (steel mirrors, waterskins, rope) comes pretty cheap - a few gold pieces per item. You are likely to find some in your Treasure Kit, or be able to trade for it at the Tavern, or trading post, or in whichever place True Dungeon sets up as a Token Trading area at the event.
Armor and Weapons may cost a little more, depending on what you're looking for. Some of it is quite common (like leather armor, or a sling) and some is extremely rare (+1 Full Plate, or a +2 Greatsword). You can expect to be able to buy or barter for the common types, but don't expect any of the +1 or +2 stuff to be readily available. Most collectors will only trade the high end stuff (Red and Purple tokens) for other Reds and Purples. Some will sell for coin, but be prepared to see asking prices in the 100's or 1000's of gold.
I recommend that you consult the Official Treasure Token Guide and Doug's Token Price Guide (both available on the True Dungeon Tokens page) to figure out what various classes can use, and what you're likely to pay for it.
Keep in mind that some people are collecting tokens to equip their characters for the game, and others collect tokens as, well, collectors. This latter group will pay more attention to things like the markings on the back of the tokens, and if you get your hands on some of the rare earlier printings, you may find yourself able to make some better trades - with the right people.
A note on Gems and GP
Basically, Gems and Gold Pieces are worth the value which is printed on the token. Some people, however, are trying to make a "Collector's Set" of gems. These individuals are willing to pay a little more for a gem than the token states it is worth. I've seen a 5 GP Quartz go for 6 GP. I've also seen a Moonstone (50 GP) go for 80 GP. It really depends on how badly the collector wants it, and most people aren't collectors... so don't expect the Tavern Wench to give you extra credit for your gems. Personally, I just treat them like gold and trade straight across.
Return to Index
Are different Printings important?
Only to Collectors, really.
Each year True Dungeon has made slight changes to the array of Treasure Tokens available. They have enhanced the tokens (adding a ring of numbers around weapon tokens to represent damage), corrected typos, removed some for game balance, and added others for diversity. To the average players, this means very little. Tokens you acquire one year are usable in next year's dungeon. So, unless you find yourself with an old-style weapon token (one without the numbers around the outside) and need to get it replaced, you don't have to worry about the printings.
Some Collectors will give you better trade-in for older printings, however.
So, how can you tell which printing a token is? Look on the back. They all have the True Dungeon logo and the word "TREASURE". Directly beneath that word, most tokens have a little emblem.
Tokens printed in 2003 have no emblem beneath the word Treasure.
Tokens printed in 2004 have a little star.
Tokens printed early in 2005 have a little face puffing wind (this is the 2005a printing).
Tokens printed later in 2005 have a dragon head in a big D (this is the 2005b printing).
Tokens printed in 2006 have a little spider on them.
Some tokens have .com printed in place of the emblem. These are special tokens, as it's the backing which was used for the event tickets in 2003 and the Ultra-Rare treasure in 2005. The 2006 Ultra-Rares have the same spider logo as the rest of the tokens from that year.
The Treasure Token Guide has pictures of each of these token backs, if you want to see them for yourself.
Return to Index
Okay, but What do I really Need?
You need nothing.
True Dungeon is designed so that it can be played with no tokens whatsoever.
Of course, having certain tokens can really help. Fighters (The classes: Paladin, Ranger, Barbarian, and of course Fighter) don't really shine unless they have some sort of weapon, and some armor. Clerics, Rogues, and Bards also benefit from having weapons and armor, as they can be used very effectively in a fight... but they have other skills which don't require any equipment.
I suggest you try to get some armor for every party member which can wear it. The bad guys will attack you, and wearing even a little bit of leather armour can make it that much harder for them to hit you. Obviously, try to get the best armour you can afford for each character class, but don't sweat it.
In the same vein, make sure your primary fighters have weapons. It doesn't really matter if it's a plain old Longsword or a fancy Greatsword +2. The difference between those two is only a few points. The difference between using a longsword (1-8 damage) or nothing (0-3 for your fists) is a big difference.
Standard adventuring equipment is also good to have: Rope, a flask or waterskin of some kind, a grappling hook or steel spikes... all can be used to good effect in the dungeon. But keep in mind, no room or trap or encounter will require any of these. So if you don't have them, don't panic. There will be another way to solve things.
If you have the resources and can afford it, I suggest you try to acquire the following things:
The BEST armour & weapon your character can use.
Mage Armour (Very Rare) for your Wizard
Boots of Elvenkind (Very Rare) for your Rogue.
A Ring of Featherfall for your party (Very Rare). Let the person taking the risks (at the time) wear it.
Ditto for a Ring of Fire Resistance.
Ditto for a Ring of Frost Resistance.
Amulet of Armor and/or Bracers of Defense
Healing Potions (Common, Rare, and Very Rare). Any and all Healing is useful!
An Elixir of Life (Very Rare) - just in case.
Return to Index
I hope this guide has been of some use to you. If you have any questions that weren't answered here, you can ask always ask them on the True Dungeon Forum, or ask other players at the game. Keep in mind that things do change, and what is true one year might not be so the next.
Wishing you many profitable adventures,
Raven
Return to Index
This treatise has been brought to you by Raven the Traitor (er... I mean, Trader) and He Who Is Known As Tim, and also with the great geekery of Doug Equils
Email: raven@shades-of-night.com
Last modified on April 18, 2006