D&D 5E What do players spend their treasure on?

[Hand of Evil]

• Cost of living per day - this is food & drink (for self & animals), lodging, taxes, etc. (just work with players)
• Pay for henchmen
• Guild Fees
• Training Cost
• Extra Clothing
• Investments - mostly this is their Adventuring party but it can be supply money to other guilds (Merchant or Adventuring parties) for a bit of the Profit. It is also used for backing City Officials, hint, hint, wink, wink.
• Religion - Have to keep those gods happy with you.

Note: Incorporate your Adventuring Party! Break treasure down into "shares". Sell shares to other guilds.

 

[Agamon]

In ACKS, gold spent in a way that doesn't benefit the party gets transferred as XP to your next PC (at 90% value, though I'm not sure why it's not 100%).

Granted, this makes more sense in a game where you already get XP for GP, but it is quite indirect so that isn't necessary, and doesn't really need to be explained in game. And if the players know that a new PC is coming in at 1st level (which isn't so horrible in "flat math" 5e) there's incentive to splurge on frivolous things when you bring treasure back to town.

 

[Grazzt]

Ale and prostitutes are the socially acceptable means of spending loot.

Came here to say this. Conan would be proud.

 

[DaveMage]

This was certainly an issue in 1E and 2E as well.

After a certain (low) point, gold becomes meaningless as treasure. (Hence why 3E made magic item shops.)

 

[GameDoc]

This was certainly an issue in 1E and 2E as well.

After a certain (low) point, gold becomes meaningless as treasure. (Hence why 3E made magic item shops.)

"There comes a time, thief, when the jewels cease to sparkle, when the gold loses its luster, when the throne room becomes a prison, and all that is left is a father's love for his child."

-- King Osric

 

[SilverBulletKY]

I'm going to allow my characters

[sblock]to rebuild the tavern that the Redbrands had taken over. If they so choose it could eventually turn into a source of income and free lodging but would be a gold sink for awhile.[/sblock]

 

[Hand of Evil]

Oh, knowledge - had a rogue player who would buy floor plans and stock pile them, so he could say; hey I think I have a map of the building. Cost was based on wards/district, age and details.

 

[GameDoc]

Someone mentioned prostitutes.

Apparently that was an actual (and kinda creepy) 1e option:

http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/06/the_12_harlots_of_the_dungeons_dragons_random_harl.php

We've come a long way.

 

[DaveMage]

Hopefully the DMG answers the question of what to do with all the coins.