D&D 5E Best way to deal with greedy players and magic items in a fun game.

[Lanefan]

Please go read the first sentence again. They said: "IMO this is a natural outgrowth of 5e not having magic item pricing."

That really is saying that this is caused by not having magic item pricing. And when talking about other methods they shot them down.

Lack of item pricing simply means a value-based division isn't possible.

Were our crew using a system without item pricing odds are high there would quickly become a real disparity between amounts of magic held by different PCs, mainly due to there being no constraint on how much any one PC could claim (theft being a different and separate issue).

Therefore it seems reasonable to say, given my experience, that 5e's lack of item pricing is at least paertially to blame for this group's woes.

(I'm not a "them", by the way - there's only one of me, despite my being a Gemini )

 

[tetrasodium]

Lack of item pricing simply means a value-based division isn't possible.

Were our crew using a system without item pricing odds are high there would quickly become a real disparity between amounts of magic held by different PCs, mainly due to there being no constraint on how much any one PC could claim (theft being a different and separate issue).

Therefore it seems reasonable to say, given my experience, that 5e's lack of item pricing is at least paertially to blame for this group's woes.

(I'm not a "them", by the way - there's only one of me, despite my being a Gemini )

I agree, when my group switched to levelup & actually had to explain the split to the group & then help the player who volunteered to be lootkeeper a couple times till things clicked in a way where he understood that things like bob's badass magic doodad should absolutely impact bob's share for a bit until things are evened out. Once he realized that the xxxgp pewter cup & yyygp jade frog statue were tools to obfuscate that a little things went easier for the greedier players

 

[billd91]

Were our crew using a system without item pricing odds are high there would quickly become a real disparity between amounts of magic held by different PCs, mainly due to there being no constraint on how much any one PC could claim (theft being a different and separate issue).

No constraint? Other than the other players/PCs, I’d guess, which is pretty much all that’s constraining you now. Pricing just gives you a metric to use as a mechanism to maintain a consensus on those constraints. But there’s nothing sacred about it and you could choose to go with some other estimation of value such as relative utility among the PCs. The constraint is that everyone agrees to the methodology.

 

[Nod_Hero]

This is very similar to one group I'm in. Gold and things convertible to gold we split into N+1 shares - everyone gets a share, and a share to party funds for things we do together. Items go to whomever needs them most, and often whomever gets it, often giving up a lesser item if they have more than others.

Mostly the same at our table:
Spell components like Rez diamonds get taken out and given to the casters. Monetary wealth is an even split afterwards.
Items go to those that can and will use them. Otherwise it's speak up and roll off. We'll trade something away that we don't use any more to someone who will.
Stuff that won't get used by anyone goes into the "sell & split" pile.

 

[Stormonu]

Lack of item pricing simply means a value-based division isn't possible.

Were our crew using a system without item pricing odds are high there would quickly become a real disparity between amounts of magic held by different PCs, mainly due to there being no constraint on how much any one PC could claim (theft being a different and separate issue).

Therefore it seems reasonable to say, given my experience, that 5e's lack of item pricing is at least paertially to blame for this group's woes.

(I'm not a "them", by the way - there's only one of me, despite my being a Gemini )

Just a shout-out, I found this not too long ago for magic item pricing for 5E, though it doesn't include items from supplemental books. May be helpful to those who want to use it for loot division moreso than buying/selling.

 

[Lanefan]

Just a shout-out, I found this not too long ago for magic item pricing for 5E, though it doesn't include items from supplemental books. May be helpful to those who want to use it for loot division moreso than buying/selling.

Brilliant.

I'd quibble with some (as in, quite a few) of the actual prices given, but the idea is excellent.

 

[jgsugden]

D&D is a role playing game. Characters play a role in a story. Up and until character decisions make things bad for the players, it is best to think in character.

The PCs kill a dragon (yeah) and find the treasure pile. In it is a magic longsword, a magic ring, 4 magic scrolls, 6 nonmagical gems and 500 gp worth of coins.

Nothing has a price tag on it. These characters in your RPG story do not usually have a quick way to tell what they are worth. Heck, the DMG doesn't even have a specific price guide. So, in a real world situation, how would this be handled?

It depends on the group.

You might have one person be tasked with making 5 separate piles and then letting people select a pile, with them selecting last.

You might have them split the funds and then auction off the items (and allow for IOUs).

You might have one of them appraise the items using their proficiencies or magic and then allow PCs to distribute it fairly, with PCs offering up items they already have for some value.

You might see the group just take turns selecting magic items and giving someone a chance to delay their turn if there isn't something they ;lik in the pile.

You might have one guy that thinks they can steal one of the items before anyone else notices it is there. In this instance, you'd need to know if the group is ok with this type of activity as players. If not, the DM (supported by other players) should tell the player that the people do not want that in the game, even if the characters should be able to get away with it.

In the end, dealing with it all in story gives you more immersion and a better chance to enjoy the game world. Reducing it to video game style monitization and silliness just keeps it from reaching full potential.

 

[Maxperson]

yeah, I have found that 1st best way to deal with items is to just all be fair and act like adults...talk it out.

We treat gold and items as 2 diffrent groups.... we split gold even. We then split items to 1st who can use it best and 2nd to who has the most need 3rd to who has the least items

We do the same, with the addition that you probably have as well that unusable/unwanted items are sold and the gold divided up.

 

[Lanefan]

D&D is a role playing game. Characters play a role in a story. Up and until character decisions make things bad for the players, it is best to think in character.

The PCs kill a dragon (yeah) and find the treasure pile. In it is a magic longsword, a magic ring, 4 magic scrolls, 6 nonmagical gems and 500 gp worth of coins.

Nothing has a price tag on it. These characters in your RPG story do not usually have a quick way to tell what they are worth. Heck, the DMG doesn't even have a specific price guide. So, in a real world situation, how would this be handled?

It depends on the group.

You might have one person be tasked with making 5 separate piles and then letting people select a pile, with them selecting last.

You might have them split the funds and then auction off the items (and allow for IOUs).

You might have one of them appraise the items using their proficiencies or magic and then allow PCs to distribute it fairly, with PCs offering up items they already have for some value.

You might see the group just take turns selecting magic items and giving someone a chance to delay their turn if there isn't something they ;lik in the pile.

You might have one guy that thinks they can steal one of the items before anyone else notices it is there. In this instance, you'd need to know if the group is ok with this type of activity as players. If not, the DM (supported by other players) should tell the player that the people do not want that in the game, even if the characters should be able to get away with it.

In the end, dealing with it all in story gives you more immersion and a better chance to enjoy the game world. Reducing it to video game style monitization and silliness just keeps it from reaching full potential.

Yes, but you don't finalize the division then and there - you divide it on the fly for utility while you're still int he field then sort it out for real once you're back in town and have time to evaluate and-or identify things.

 

[Maxperson]

Yes, but you don't finalize the division then and there - you divide it on the fly for utility while you're still int he field then sort it out for real once you're back in town and have time to evaluate and-or identify things.

Sure, but if the item is too expensive and the others won't give the PC a loan, the item that would be very, very useful in keeping the group alive and allowing more and better treasure to be found gets sold. The group is gimping itself.