D&D 5E XP for gold 5th Edition campaign
Jeffrey Malcolmson
First Post
I'm not a fan of this idea. There's a few holes.
1. It encourages players to steal anything and everything, sell anything that isn't money, steal their goods back, and resell the stolen goods.
2. It encourages players to do everything for money and nothing for good.
3. It encourages players to set up extortion rackets.
4. It encourages players to bribe the BBEG into paying them tribute in return for not having to get into a fight.
5. It encourages players to seek positions of authority and jack up taxes.
6. It encourages players to take part in every form of unethical business practice in existence.
7. It encourages players to save valuable things before they save people.
In essence, it turns your players into a bunch of Ferengi.
1. It encourages players to steal anything and everything, sell anything that isn't money, steal their goods back, and resell the stolen goods.
2. It encourages players to do everything for money and nothing for good.
3. It encourages players to set up extortion rackets.
4. It encourages players to bribe the BBEG into paying them tribute in return for not having to get into a fight.
5. It encourages players to seek positions of authority and jack up taxes.
6. It encourages players to take part in every form of unethical business practice in existence.
7. It encourages players to save valuable things before they save people.
In essence, it turns your players into a bunch of Ferengi.
Edwin Suijkerbuijk
Explorer
most of that sound pretty good if your playing a pirate campaign.
though burying your gold and making a eleborate map woeld give more xp then spening the gold
Greenstone.Walker
Adventurer
That is pretty much the reason why the Primeval Thule game suggests the rule.
It encourages a mercenary style of play that is closer to the pulp books about Conan and Thongor and so on.In reference to my post above, I found the exact rules (Primeval Thule Campaign Guide, page 154).
Mishihari Lord
First Post
Awesome idea. I've nothing to add, but please come back to the boards and let us know how it turns out after you've tried it.
CapnZapp
Legend
Then perhaps this mode isn't for you?
In other words, this is not the appropriate place for having the "don't use the xp for gold playstyle, I think it stinks" discussion.
Instead, this thread is where we're having the "assuming you want to try out xp for gold, how do I go about it?" discussion
CapnZapp
Legend
On the other hand, something like this really works well for when a player want to try out the "rogue with a heart of gold" archetype. That is, helping those villagers even with little or no xp is a real sacrifice. All those movie characters that do go along and help out but are pissed about it - now we know why they're so upset
CapnZapp
Legend
You could even make the argument that creating a treasure hunt IS equal to squandering it on other things...
After all, you no longer have the gold, you no longer can buy anything with the gold. For all practical purposes you have spent the gold
CapnZapp
Legend
Yes.That is pretty much the reason why the Primeval Thule game suggests the rule.
Do note this is not my idea. It is not a new idea - this has been around for ages!
The basic idea is to harken back to nostalgic times. Here's a fairly notable old school discussion about the concept of xp for gold and how to (not?) implement it:
http://grognardia.blogspot.se/2009/10/arduins-xp-system.html
Here's another discussion about it:
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?734318-(5E)-XP-for-Gold-possible
Remember, the idea is for xp to gold to be a fun way to play. Don't use it if you don't like it.
Here's a blog post examining the way D&D stopped using xp for gold but still continue to heap lots and LOTS of gold on the player characters:
http://dmdavid.com/tag/dungeons-dragons-stopped-giving-xp-for-gold-but-the-insane-economy-remains/
CapnZapp
Legend
More from DM David's blog:
Lamentations of the Flame Princess, a recent game with an old-school XP-for-gold system, lists many sources of gold that do not count for XP.
The following may gain the characters wealth, but they do not count for XP purposes:
Coins looted from bodies outside of adventure locations
Rewards
Selling equipment stripped from foes
Selling magical items that have been used by a PC or retainer
Tax income
Theft of wealth from mundane merchants, rulers, and citizens
Trade, commerce, and other business activity (including selling of mundane items stripped from foes)
Just throwing this out here, since someone has clearly given this a lot of thought.
Lamentations of the Flame Princess, a recent game with an old-school XP-for-gold system, lists many sources of gold that do not count for XP.
The following may gain the characters wealth, but they do not count for XP purposes:
Coins looted from bodies outside of adventure locations
Rewards
Selling equipment stripped from foes
Selling magical items that have been used by a PC or retainer
Tax income
Theft of wealth from mundane merchants, rulers, and citizens
Trade, commerce, and other business activity (including selling of mundane items stripped from foes)
Just throwing this out here, since someone has clearly given this a lot of thought.
