DM Question Time

[DaveW]

Having DMed for some time now, I have some questions that I'd like to hear answered from other DMs. I play 4e but that really doesn't make all that much of a difference to your answers; so if you only play 3.5, answer as if I do too.

1. Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.
2. Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?
3. Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.
4. Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?
5. Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?
6. Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?
7. Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Those are the questions I have for now, looking forward to hearing what other DM's have to say on these matters. Thanks!

-Dave

 

[Celebrim]

[*]Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far.

D&D has always had broken economics and that's IMO probably its worst feature.

I can't give you any better resource than the 1e DMG, which spent a lot of time on the problem of player's with too much money. In a word, taxes. If economics start to be a problem, then the player's have to start living in a world with real economic issues - taxes, inflation, etc. It's not a perfect guide, as it tends to much toward player/DM competition, but its a good start.

[*]Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

Magic items are fun and useful, so don't expect your players to stop wanting them. My solution in the past has always been to offer the players one really nice magic item per character that is intended to offer them utility over the lifetime of the campaign as the character's iconic item, and to make non-consumable magic quite rare other than that. That is, don't be afraid to drop artifacts on your 1st level rogue halfling. Make use of legacy mechanics where items increase in power as the wielder does, emergent properties (new powers come about after certain actions activate them), of drawbacks, and of side effects to keep the balance manageable. Otherwise, go for the 'wow factor'.

[*]Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?

I don't try to match game time to real world time.

[*]Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

I keep track of it when the players are away from civilization. When they are in civilization I just simply deduct a daily amount from their treasure to respresent small purchases. This amount scales with level.

[*]Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

I award XP secretly, so that the players don't know anyone else's XP unless the player wants to share. I don't generally explain where the numbers come from. If player's want to know, I tell them that XP is primarily based on participation, either in problem solving or role-playing. Most of the time, lower XP totals are due to players striking out on their own and doing 'their own thing'. In a few cases, they are due to a party sitting back and not taking any risks while one player is forced to deal with a problem entirely on their own.

[*]Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Tactics is about two things primarily - weapons and terrain. You seem to have a good grasp of the weapons part of it, but your failure to mention terrain indicates you probably aren't using varied enough terrain in your encounters. If you have more than one fight on flat unobstructed ground per session, you are doing something wrong.

 

[megamania]

Having DMed for some time now, I have some questions that I'd like to hear answered from other DMs. I play 4e but that really doesn't make all that much of a difference to your answers; so if you only play 3.5, answer as if I do too.

At a quick glance you are being waaaay to easy on players which leads to players getting an unfair advantage which is the root cause to many of these problems.

1. Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.

1. 
   
   Ethereal Filchers and thieves in general. Have them captured and remove / misplace items to retain balance.
   
   
   

   [*]Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

   
   At least in 3.5 the use / possession of magic items play a large part in game balance. If you want to give out little for magic to effect the game lend out one use items or items that may lead to other adventures instead.
   
   
   

   [*]Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.

   4e thing. YOU make the check. Hide the roll. On a failure tell them what they "think" is happening. As they act on it.... opps. Trap.... oops the Orcs heard you.
   
   

   [*]Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?
   [*]Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

   Keep track of stuff. Players will use your "reset" rules against you. This is part of the adventure- survival and planning ahead. There are times to retreat.
   
   
   

   [*]Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

   I only give out bonus XP at the end of a adventure, not even by session. Allows easier control and you can better guess if someone really did something that was special.
   
   
   

   [*]Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Continue to mix it up. Remember terrian can also creat oppertunnities for tactics. Bridges, walls, gullies and even use of fire and the such.

Those are the questions I have for now, looking forward to hearing what other DM's have to say on these matters. Thanks!

-Dave

as a DM, you will get better and better as time goes.

 

[Edgewood]

Having DMed for some time now, I have some questions that I'd like to hear answered from other DMs. I play 4e but that really doesn't make all that much of a difference to your answers; so if you only play 3.5, answer as if I do too.

1. Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.
2. Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?
3. Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.
4. Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?
5. Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?
6. Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?
7. Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Those are the questions I have for now, looking forward to hearing what other DM's have to say on these matters. Thanks!

-Dave

I have been DMing for many years and have encountered these issues from time to time. Take my answers with a grain of salt however. Just because they worked for me and my groups in the past don't necessarily mean that they will work for you. But as they say, nothing ventured....yada yada.

1. Too much money can be a real hassle, especially at lower levels. Depending on where your group is playing, you can introduce things in subtle ways. If they are traveling on land (which is normal for 1st level characters) you can have them encounter toll houses where they are charged for use of the road. The better maintained the road is, the higher the toll. (1 gold per leg which would include mounts is a start). You can have the PCs charged a tax for entering your major cities at the gate. (5 gold per person). And of course there is always the requirement that they have to register their adventuring party with the local lord (100 gp each member per game year). And remember, that they can also be harassed by thieves, highwaymen and brigands to aid in lightening their pouches somewhat.

2. This comes down to a matter of taste for your group. Players love stuff. Lots of stuff. Don't worry about introducing items to your players, just ensure that it's balanced and makes sense for your game. Also, there is nothing wrong with having items fail, or even cursed for that matter. Go with the flow though. The players want to be challenged and too many magic items and doodads will remove that challenge. Explain that to them.

3. I don't play 4e and really can't comment too much on this. I always have player roll for Perception checks.

4. If we stop mid dungeon, we simply pick up where we left off. No healing, renewed spells and somesuch. I keep note of the passage of time and know when they need to sleep and what not.

5. Food is something that occurs in the background and is not normally roleplayed. It goes along with maintenance of the their equipment, tending to their horses, making camp and using the washroom. It's implied. It only comes into play if it is a real threat, but with clerics that can cast spells that replenish food and water, no point in burdening yourself.

6. I have tinkered with that idea many times and in different way. I offer it to them if what they did was entertaining for everyone. It could be for a simple quote to a heroic action. I never set it to a specific amount, I just go with what I felt the action was worth. Don't try to strictly qualify things too much. If one of your PCs tries to remain in character more than the others, then continue to feed that person more XP. The other players will see this and it may be enough of an impetus to get them to join in. Give too much though and you run the risk of garnering resentment (everything is a balance act).

7. I have tried many tactics. I find that a varied environment lends itself to tactics being used. It's great to have a room where the BBG and his minions battle the PCs but it can be pretty boring. I try to introduce environment. One battle we had was on the docks of a huge city. There were boats, crates, piers, nets, buildings, ships, gangways, ropes and other typical detritus that afforded varied and creative battle. The players always enjoys that aspect. Don't be shy to have the battle on the edge of a cliff near a waterfall, in a cramped, many pillarded catacomb, or a narrow alleyway. The tactics will come. Also, play the NPCs to their intelligence. If it's low, go easy on the tactics. If it's high, then have their actions reflect that. As far as retreat, well that's an inborn trait that all creatures have, no matter what their intelligence. As for surrender, well that's a trait for the higher intelligence creatures.

That's all I have for now. Hope that helps.

 

[SiderisAnon]

Here's my answers, based on a couple of decades of dealing with players.

Just remember that ultimately it boils down to the fact that if you're all having fun, you're doing it right. Whatever "it" is.


1) Too much money is easy to deal with. Money is something everybody else wants. Lords impose taxes. Merchants raise prices. Landlords raise rent. Thieves, con artists, and grifters come calling. Unless you can hide the fact that you have money, money is really hard to hold onto. Especially when you don't have a permanent base with reliable people to guard it. (Which is okay too, since it burns through more money and provides adventure hooks.)

2) Many players see D&D as about the magic items. No items is like Halloween without candy. You either change their expectations or you change yours. A middle ground is more single-use items. I tend to throw out a lot of potions because they are not a permanent increase in power. (Plus typical gamer mentality is to not use them for fear that you'll need them more later, so they just pile up unused. The players like having them, so they're having more fun.)

3) I don't know 4th Edition rules. Discuss the house rule with your players and then stick with whatever is finally decided.

4) If they stop mid-dungeon, we pick up right where we left off, to the second generally. The dungeon is no safe place for a rest. Then again, I don't believe in static monsters. "Was that Bob screaming in pain? Better get some guys and go check it out."

5) I like tracking supplies. Almost all of my players hate tracking supplies. So, I console myself by making them mark off money now and then to cover living expenses and resupply.

6) I do things to encourage good roleplaying. You can also give die roll bonuses, special bennies, or other in-game benefits. For instance, the NPC could offer them some extra information, some supplies, or a future favor. I've had NPCs show up a session or two later to help out the PCs who they were interacting with (like the church leader who got the PCs out of a jam with the tax man because he liked them). If you get some really good roleplay, you can throw in an immediate reward like saying, "That was too good. You don't need to roll. You succeed in convincing him."

7) I use tactics based on the enemy. My goblins tend to mob rush until a bunch of them die, then try and flee. On the other end of the scale, military units use organized tactics. I tend to have the animal level creatures respond by instinct. However, in the long run, D&D is often not about about the enemy running away, unless it's the big bad and you need them to live to fight another day.

 

[Pbartender]

Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.

Too late. Don't penalize them by charging them extra. Let them enjoy their temporary boost, but keep track of how much extra they've collected and when monetary treasure comes up give them just a little less each time until they fall back to where they're supposed to be.

Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

Well, you could just give them the Magic Hat of Flying donkeys. Favors, as detailed in the Dark Dun setting book area great idea, though... An important organization or NPC owes them "favors" with an equivalent gold piece value -- "favors" that can be cashed in for services or equipment.

Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.

Right... In 3E terms, passive perception checks are like Spot, and active checks are like Search. In my opinion, if the player-character is making an active check, then he should be at least dimly aware of how well he performed the check... So let the player roll. Additionally, he can "Take 10" all he wants, but I've already compared Perception DCs to his passive Perception and told him what he sees based on that, so it won't get him any additional information.

Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?

I let players decide when they take extended rests, and normally that only happens in areas and at times when it could reasonably occur. That doesn't always coincide with the end of the game session.

Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

Normally, I only worry about such things when it would appropriate and interesting to the plot to do so... When the PCs are lost in the desert, or stranded on a desert island, or buried alive in a barren cave for days on end.

Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

I've long since given up awarding RPXP. It rewards the naturally good RPers, and penalizes those are aren't good at it or aren't interested in it. Not everyone has fun RPing, and while I'll try to encourage it, I'm not going to force someone to do something unfun to get bonus XP.

And beside which, I've found that individual XP awards can create big divides in character levels, which can likewise create a big headache for me as a DM.

In my games, everyone gets the same XP, and therefore levels at the same time.

If I want to reward an individual character, I'll award bonus action points or give them an in-game RP reward (eg. "You've been knighted by the Emperor of Nerath!" or "You've been granted access to the Secret Library of the Arcane Order!")

Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

In general it depends on the creatures I'm running... WWtMD? "What would the Monster do?"

In general, most of my monsters won't fight to the death. My basic guidelines for morale are: If all non-minions are down, the remaining minions will try to flee or surrender. If a non-minion reaches bloodied value (and especially if they are not an Elite or Solo), they'll start looking for a way to disengage and retreat.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

1. Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.

The campaign world giveth, the campaign world taketh away. The price list in the game assumes that everything is available. If something is relatively rare, prices go up: that's how a lot of people made money during the gold rush of 1849. Instead of mining gold, they sold difficult to obtain goods to miners with their pockets full.

Substitute the word "adventurer" for "miner" and watch their funds dry up a bit.

Beyond that, let them develop and indulge their taste for finer versions of what the world has to offer. Instead of cheap wine, the finest brandies; palatial single rooms instead of sleeping in the common area of the inn.

1. Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

For the Hat of Flying Donkeys, you'll need to talk to weem. Beyond that, it looks like you're doing OK, though I might add favors from powerful or connected NPCs to the list.

1. Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.

Don't always lie when they don't check; make checks vary in difficulty.

1. Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?

If it makes sense, they get a full rest. If, OTOH, they're camped in an area where they're likely to be harried, no such luck- they start the next day feeling like crap...their various resources either not restored or only minimally so.

1. Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

That's campaign/adventure dependent. For the most part, malnutrition or starvation/dehydration doesn't play a role in most games.

1. Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

Not everyone awards role-play, and those of us that do don't always do it in each campaign. When I do, I award it once per when I feel like it. But i don't hand it out immediately- I just fold it into the other XP when I hand it out to all PCs.

1. Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Again, that's up to you and your players. Games can go decades without close attention to tactics; some can feel strange if the party doesn't play like a highly trained SWAT unit.

 

[fba827]

[*]Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.

[*]Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

Players will always want, and whatever you give them will never be enough, or someone will look for 'that thing for their PC' if the loot is the gear off a fighter and that other PC is a wizard, for example.

don't try and keep up, you'll never win and you'll end up with a party that has way more loot than it should. just stick with what you know is right and let the players look at you like lost puppies waiting for more...

having said that, i try and have at least a couple items for the individual pcs scattered over a couple loot spots. so that over the course of a couple sessions at least one item should be available for everyone. and the rest of utilitarian enough that anyone could use them.

i also try and give more unique items... these can be mechanically standard items but perhaps they come in a different shape, or they have some sort of rune or special backstory.. just something. i don't do this too often because it kills the effect and also becomes a waste of time if the players don't care, but once in a while it is a nice twist to keep them focused on what they got rather than on what they didn't get.

[*]Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.

I, too, prefer rolling if the PC is actively trying the check. (reserving passive checks as background to avoid the need to roll every square when going down a dungeon, etc). Because there is always the chance of some random distraction, etc. occurring when you try, that is why it is possible to get less than 'take 10' -- but if it's a BIG sticking point for your players, there is no reason you couldn't just decide it's a house rule "if you want to take 10, fine, but if you roll you can't retroactively go back and take 10 if it's worse" -- in which case, i'd also add in some extra benefit if they did roll and rolled high (thus providing incentive to actually roll). maybe if they get a really high score it counts as two successes (or counts as one success and provides a bonus to someone else's check, etc) if you're doing a skill challenge, etc.

[*]Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?

we try and avoid stopping at a non-extended rest point. but it happens and when it does happen, we don't sugar coat it. so if we stop a session without a good spot for an extended rest, then the players need to keep track of hp, surges, magic items, and daily powers that were used.

however, at minimum, stop at least at a shortrest spot since stopping midbattle has way too many variables to track and often you spend too much time just trying to 're-setup'

[*]Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

depends on circumstance. but in the end, it usually isn't really worth the hassle unless that is the tone you are trying to specifically set for the campaign.

[*]Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

you could end up with PCs at very different levels (while up to 1 level difference may be fine) too much more than that, and you'll have strange encounter scenarios where something is a lot more easily dealt with by some PCs while others are struggling to barely scratch it, etc. So, specifically for 4e, i stopped doing roleplay xp and instead focused more on minor quest reward xp than I used to (i used to really just do major quest reward xp and not so much for minor quests, now i do minor quests in place of roleplay xp)

[*]Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

some of this is flavor -- taking an enemy to 0 hp can be described more as making an enemy no longer a threat (rather than killing). thus, at 0, maybe the enemy does surrender, or cowers, or starts to flee without turning back.

and then skills -- if the PCs use intimidate on a bloodied opponent (see the intimidate skill), they can get him to cower/flee right then.

or you as the dm could just decide based on the situation when a tactical change is necessary -- do all the minions just see their leader taken down fast? yeah, that may be a good point to just have them all turn and flee. just try and approach it from their perspective. if it looks like a very one-sided fight and the enemies aren't "so committed" to the cause then no reason they shouldn't flee. versus a mindless monster that just wants food and doesn't have the smarts to turn when outnumbered, he might stay until killed or nearly killed...

 

[S'mon]

A quick and painless way to extract money from rich PCs is to offer for sale magic items several levels above the level they can craft, at well over 'book price' - the DMG suggests 110-140%, but if there's only one guy who can make +3 items for the 6th level PCs, chances are they'll pay whatever he asks.

 

[delericho]

Too much money: My players made me proud by using my own rules against me to quadruple their money, and now they have way too much for 1st level characters. I want to reduce their gold without giving them too much in return; I've been giving them additional rituals in the hope they'll spend some money casting them, but no luck so far. In other games I've offered them magical items at 100% value, which as worked, but in this particular game I'm trying to make magical items a rarity.

Broadly speaking, you have three options here, any of which can work. Pick one and go with it.

1) Just live with it. The players were creative; they should gain the rewards of their skill.

2) For the next little while, reduce the amount of treasure they gain, until the problem corrects itself. Continue giving out treasure parcels at the normal rate... but each parcel should be worth a little less than would be expected. If the party want the items, they need to spend their ill-gotten gold on them.

3) Speak to the players directly. "Guys, your characters have too much money. Any chance you could be persuaded to donate it to a temple/support a local lord/otherwise get rid of it?"

I'd probably go with #2, personally.

Alternatives to magical items as loot: I've been handing out potions, gemstones, art items, ritual books, wondrous items and information. Yet my players keep looking at me expectantly, waiting for the magic hat of flying donkeys. Suggestions?

"You know how I told you magic items would be a rarity in this campaign? That's why you're not getting any!"

Passive perception and taking 10: One of my players keeps trying to use his passive perception to make perception skill checks, but I'm insisting that he roll for them. The rules say a character can 'take 10' but I think it's a stupid rule; I only use passive insight and perception when the character isn't making an active check, as you're supposed to, eg. noticing a trap without a check, realizing that you're being lied to without a check, etc.

The player is technically correct, per the RAW. However, it's a valid House Rule.

Did you tell your players up-front that you were applying this as a House Rule? If you didn't, you should have.

What you should do now is explain to all of your players that this is the way you're going to be running it, and then ask the one in question to roll his skill check. If it continues to be an issue, then it's a "problem player" issue rather than a "rules mastery" issue.

(Personally, I disagree with your interpretation - the "take 10" rules represent the general competence of a skilled character when not under pressure. The rule also saves a lot of time rolling for trivial tasks. However, it's your game, and if you don't like the rule then you certainly can change it. But you should be informing the players.)

Stopping mid-dungeon: Whenever we call it for the night, I tell my characters that they were able to take an extended rest at the next session to reset their HP, Healing Surges, etc. How do you handle this?

I try to end the session at a good stopping point, but don't force it. We pick up where we left off - so they don't get a 'free' Extended Rest.

Food and amenities in dungeon crawls: The adventurers kit contains all that is needed to survive for a few days, but we've never kept a track of it. Does anyone else?

Depends on the game. For the most part, I don't have the players track any amount of money less than the gold piece, mundane ammunition, food and drink, tavern costs, general upkeep, or anything like that. We don't even track encumberance.

(Two reasons: Firstly, I can't be bothered with minutae; that's not why we play the game. Secondly, if I were to have them micromanage such things, they would be sure to immediately find ways around any of these things - by carrying many bags of holding, endless rations, absurd amounts of ammo, and so on.)

However, if one or more of these is going to be significant to the campaign then it does get tracked. For example, if I were running a low-level Dark Sun game, where getting lost in the desert was both a significant risk and a deadly threat, you can bet I would have them track water supplies closely.

Role-playing XP: I'm offering 40xp for good roleplaying in game, but I try not to give the same player roleplaying xp twice in a session. when I do so I tell the player why I gave them it, and how they could get it again. How does this play out for other DMs in the long run?

I don't use individual XP awards, ever. I also don't give out specific roleplaying awards. At the end of the session, all PCs get some sort of XP award (whether the player, or even the character was present). The nature of that award depends very much on the game, though.

IMO, good roleplaying is its own reward, and there's nothing to be gained by having a character fall behind because the player couldn't make it or had an off night. YMMV, of course.

Tactics: At a small scale, how do you handle tactics? I've had some good sessions where I used mixed units to make a tactical battle, in particular one game where I used a mixture of swordsmen, halberdiers, and archers to good effect. But what about other things like retreat and surrender?

Carefully. With my group, there's a very fine line between "impossible odds" and "pushover". If I applied optimum tactics, it's likely we'd have a TPK every other session.

Beyond that, I can't really answer; the issue is too situational for me to get in to specifics.