D&D 5E Too Much Money

[Fanaelialae]

You could simply give them less gold (for example, give them the minimum, or half the normal amount). At the lowest levels you might want to be slightly careful with this, since the acquisition of plate armor for front-line fighters is fairly important to long term survival (having played a paladin in a low gold campaign, I speak from experience).

If you're running a sword & sorcery campaign, like the Conan stories that were part of the inspiration for D&D, you might rule that PCs lose most of their unspent gold between adventures carousing and otherwise living it up. Just make certain that this is understood up front.

Lastly, and this is the method that I would recommend, give them cool stuff to spend their gold on.

For example, in a recent game we robbed the mansion of a very rich man, coming away with something like 20,000 gold at 4th level. 5,000 of that was in business deeds, which we decided to return to the people of the town.

There was one deed for a clockworks, whose owner was dead, which we decided to keep as a hideout. Upon searching the shop, we discovered a clockwork man and reactivated him. He explained that he was a creation of his father (who was the dead owner), and that his father had been in the process of upgrading him so that he could attain his intended potential. He wanted to complete his father's work, but it would require 5,000 gp and he understood that we were unlikely to want to part with such a sum for a complete stranger. Of course, being PCs and flush with gold, we decided to grant him the gold and after several weeks of work he began producing more of his kind, unlocking Warforged as a playable race within the campaign world.

Finally, almost everyone rolled well below average for hp when leveling up. The DM announced that for 1,000 gold (each) we could undergo special training that would allow us to reroll. Most of the players took him up on the offer and were very pleased with the results.

 

[Libramarian]

Finally, almost everyone rolled well below average for hp when leveling up. The DM announced that for 1,000 gold (each) we could undergo special training that would allow us to reroll. Most of the players took him up on the offer and were very pleased with the results.

That's cool but I would prefer if this sort of thing were set in place at the beginning of the game, so the players have the satisfaction of saving up for something rather than just waiting for the DM to make them an offer designed to remove a certain proportion of whatever gold they have.

But then my goal would not be simply to remove gold, but to make acquiring gold more fun.

 

[Fanaelialae]

That's cool but I would prefer if this sort of thing were set in place at the beginning of the game, so the players have the satisfaction of saving up for something rather than just waiting for the DM to make them an offer designed to remove a certain proportion of whatever gold they have.

But then my goal would not be simply to remove gold, but to make acquiring gold more fun.

We hadn't been in that city long (having traveled there to steal the other half of a treasure map), so I have no idea whether it was a preexisting option or he made it up on the spot.

I'm reasonably certain that the warforged option was not made up on the spot (we interacted quite a bit with him and he had a fairly detailed backstory).

He's fairly generous on hp already (rolls against us for hp) so it's quite possible he never anticipated that this would happen (out of six players, I was the only one who managed to roll above a 3 on best out of two rolls, despite that everyone has either a d8 or d10 HD) and he wanted to improvise a solution (he also likes to throw some nasty fights our way, such as a chuul against four significantly injured 3rd level characters - we got through that one with luck and using good tactics about 1.5 rounds from a TPK). But that's purely speculation. It's also possible that he already had the option and we learned about it when we did because it was our first opportunity to explore that city and learn what it has to offer (prior to that we were entirely focused on planning the heist).

Prep it before or make it up on the spot. It's just a matter of play style.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Here's a funny thought:

What if the amount of gold you charge PCs for their lifestyle were linked to the quality of the refreshments the players and DM partake during the game? As if to say, "Hey guys, this is what a comfortable lifestyle is. If you want your PCs to live cheaply, you have to prove it by living cheaply yourself. If you want better refreshments, go crawl some dungeons and find some gold to pay for it!"

I'm not sure it would be a good idea, but it is kind of a fun idea. IMO any opportunity to synchronize the emotions of the players and PCs is worth at least considering; and it gives a very concrete reasons for players to want to earn gold.

 

[dgscott]

I'm not sure if others have mentioned it, but an opportunity to get them to reduce the money they have is to temp them to spend it on stuff that is mostly status symbols, like a fancy house. It's how many video game RPGs get cash from micro transactions.

 

[DaveDash]

I did the math, y'all!

So let's say we have a "vanilla" party of adventurers. One could assume that an adventurer would think about retiring when they're middle aged, since their bodies are starting to go downhill. Slower reflexes, weaker bones, etc. I've calculated the approximate wealth required for the four vanilla races to retire at middle age based on living expenses.

Human @ age 40
Comfortable: 29,200gp
Wealthy: 58,400gp
Aristocratic: 146,000gp

Dwarf @ 175
Comfortable: 127,750gp
Wealthy: 255,500gp
Aristocratic: 638,750gp

Elf @ 375
Comfortable: 273,750gp
Wealthy: 547,500gp
Aristocratic: 1,368,750gp

Halfling @ 75
Comfortable: 54,750gp
Wealthy: 109,500gp
Aristocratic: 273,750gp

Total @ middle age
Comfortable: 485,450gp
Wealthy: 970,900gp
Aristocratic: 2,427,250gp

That's quite a bit of cash. Naturally, humans don't have to worry about much since we only live a brief 80ish years or so (your experiences may vary) while our elven cousins are fairly high maintenance. Now, what would it take for our group of adventurers to find that one big score and retire? I used the Random Treasure Hoard tables in the DMG to calculate the potential size of a hoard based on challenge rating.

Approximate Maximum Loot in Gold for Hoards (taking average worth of magic item rarity)
CR 0-4: 20,150.5gp
CR 5-10: 36,112.5gp
CR 11-16: 122,001
CR 17+: 210,001

So, assuming our party is virtually flat broke, they will need to raid at least 2 CR 17+ lairs (also assuming the DM rolls max on loot, which is unlikely) in order to retire comfortably. They could also do a handful of relatively safer CR 11-16 BBEGs or a dozen paltry 5-10s.

Keep in mind, this is with rolling MAXIMUM loot and taking in the retail value of magic items. So, at least from where I'm standing, the PCs should be able to retire in comfort after a good few adventures... If they even want to retire, that is!

Great post.

If they invest in a business however, say running a tavern, they can earn on average about 9GP per day (see DMG running a business) - assuming they stick around to run the business themselves. Meaning they can easily offset their costs and live between comfortably and wealthy.

Of course they might have to brush off their adventuring gear to go and fight any cataclysmic event that effects business.

Adventuring of course is far more profitable. Our group made about 350gp per person per day during Tyranny of Dragons.

 

[Ancalagon]

Here's a funny thought:

What if the amount of gold you charge PCs for their lifestyle were linked to the quality of the refreshments the players and DM partake during the game? As if to say, "Hey guys, this is what a comfortable lifestyle is. If you want your PCs to live cheaply, you have to prove it by living cheaply yourself. If you want better refreshments, go crawl some dungeons and find some gold to pay for it!"

I'm not sure it would be a good idea, but it is kind of a fun idea. IMO any opportunity to synchronize the emotions of the players and PCs is worth at least considering; and it gives a very concrete reasons for players to want to earn gold.

LOL

destitute: river water in an old popcan
Squalid: tap water (only one glass for the group) and soda crackers
Poor: tap water (glasses for everyone), a loaf of generic white bread and a jar of peanut butter
Modest: No-name brand cola and popcorn
average: Coke and doritoes
well off: Beer and 5-layers taco dip
wealthy: Gin and tonics with oysters
Aristrocatic: caterers, champaigns and foie-gras on brench bred and caviar

 

[schnee]

I like the O.G. D&D thing. Gold is a HUGE source of XP, and you only get that XP if you spend it. It kept characters broke and always doing stuff in the real world between adventurers. Very Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.

Not sure if we'll adopt it with a system, but we have 3 DMs at our table, and we're working up some house rules. I think I want to propose something along the lines of 'if you hoard gold, after a certain amount, it becomes a target and a liability. Keep it, and it will be taxed, and eventually, an adventure hook..unless it's spent. It can be tithed to your church, invested in property, spell research, bribes, drinks, carousing, whatever. But it has to be spent.'

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

LOL

destitute: river water in an old popcan
Squalid: tap water (only one glass for the group) and soda crackers
Poor: tap water (glasses for everyone), a loaf of generic white bread and a jar of peanut butter
Modest: No-name brand cola and popcorn
average: Coke and doritoes
well off: Beer and 5-layers taco dip
wealthy: Gin and tonics with oysters
Aristrocatic: caterers, champaigns and foie-gras on brench bred and caviar

I think I would actually try this, with a slight modification:

Cheese pizza and fridge-chilled water: well-off
Pepperoni pizza and cheese pizza, plus milk or Sprite: wealthy
Meat-lover's pizza with root beer floats and mango sorbet: aristocratic

Also, if you partake of a higher level of comfort, that level "sticks" with you for three sessions. To get back to destitute rates you have to drink only river water for three sessions in a row. (Fortunately I have a river out back.)

 

[Ancalagon]

Have you ever had foie-gras? believe me, if you had and had the money....