Do your party give "running cost" to spellcasters?

[d4]

Compensation for casting costs of spells for the party really must be borne by the party. But so too ought spells which the party specifically wants the Wizard to buy and learn. I've always found that if the Fighters chip in for the bull's strength they are much more likely to get it cast on them!

this works the other way too. if i'm playing a fighter and the wizard wants me to be a meat shield for him, he better chip in for my new suit of magic armor!

 

[Staffan]

this works the other way too. if i'm playing a fighter and the wizard wants me to be a meat shield for him, he better chip in for my new suit of magic armor!

This reminds me of something I read in some RPG (not sure which) about survival tips for a wizard: "Get the best suit of armor you can afford. Polish it until it shines. Enchant it if you are able to. Then, find a big burly fighter to put in the armor, and make sure you keem him between you and danger."

 

[Tzarevitch]

this works the other way too. if i'm playing a fighter and the wizard wants me to be a meat shield for him, he better chip in for my new suit of magic armor!

The groups I play in are more egalitarian. We tend to try to make sure that everyone in the group has the supplies needed to be effective. If the fighter needs a suit of armor to be more effective and he can't afford it, the group will pay for it on the theory that a more effective fighter makes for a more effective group. The same is true for a wizard and his spellbook. He is expected to buy his own spells, but if he can't afford it, the group pays for it out of the group funds. We subsidise the cost of purchasing cure light wounds wands and potions as well as identify pearls and other consumable items that benefit the group. We also don't consider minor consumable items to be "treasure". They are given out as needed but don't count against anyone's treasure draw.

We divide cash and items as follows: everyone gets a cash share and the group fund gets a cut equal to about 2-4 shares. Travel expenses, healing items, resurrections etc., and big party purchases (like a ship) come out of the group fund. If the group fund is short for any reason, the PCs are required to pay equally into the fund.

Treasure is chosen by dicing for it unless the treasure obviously is more effective for someone than for anyone else (i.e. the paladin will AWAYS get the holy avenger) or someone has been getting a disproportionate share of the items. In the event that pure dicing has resulted in someone receiving a disproportionate share, that person is automatically last in the order when time comes to choose items.

Tzarevitch

 

[d4]

The groups I play in are more egalitarian.

my group was even more egalitarian than that. we were a downright commune.

there was no individual treasure... everything was considered party treasure. magic items were distributed based on who could make the best use of an item, and on the rare occasions where there was a disagreement, we'd basically vote on it.

no one kept cash individually -- there was only the party fund. any expenses any member of the group incurred came out of this.

 

[Evilhalfling]

The Party that I DM divides magic on an ad-hoc who can use what system, and all cash, or sold items divided equally, they usually keep it all in a single stash until they return a safe town, and identify costs come out of the stash.
They did all chip in for a wand of cure light wounds, as the druid wasnt keeping up with the healing, and his first wand had run out.
The wizard (3 craft feats) sells items at 90% market value, to other PCs (LN) and occasionally gets craft requests from NPCs - So even though he spends huge amounts of cash, he makes most of it back - the 500 gp magic crafters tax, paid twice a year came as a bit of a shock. He knew there was a tax but had not inquired about the amount.
The party monk not only owns the only house, she also has a interest in collecting books, and has a 5k value library, and 2 ranks profession librarian.
She lets the mage use it in exchange for his organizational skills in setting it up.

 

[kigmatzomat]

i've never seen a party above 5th or 6th level that wasn't swimming in cash and able to afford whatever they needed.

Gee, I'd like to be in your campaigns. IMC they party just got a massive supply of coin and some players are holding on to it until they have more! Two 16th level characters have 80,000gp *EACH*, in coin, and are waiting 'til they can collect another 40,000gp. The rogue wants a manual of health and the cleric wants to build a temple.

My players are running right along the wealth/level table and (with the exception of the hoards) tend to be very cash tight. By cash tight I mean "item buying" tight not "buy beer" tight. Most of them keep a few dozen plat and gold scattered about their gear so they really have no problems paying for food and lodging.

Divying tends to be utility based. The person who gets the most functional use tends to get it. The exception is that "universal" type items generally get split up evenly so that the fighter doesn't end up with the most AC. There's a lot of hand-me-downs and anyone who gets a crapload of gear from one treasure tends to get little for some time.

 

[welby]

I've always recommended that the party chip in for "utility" stuff. Scrolls of Knock, pearls for identify, etc. Most of my wizards aren't the type to spend their hard earned loot on things for other peole.

 

[Nail]

Not that anyone's keeping a running total of opinions....

In the game where I play, we have a party fund, for Cure wands (but now: Lesser Vigor! more hp per charge!), transportation costs (teleport scrolls), and the purchase of a portable hole.

Other than that, we try to parcel out an even share (market gp value) of items...and then people can sell in town or trade to fellow party members as they wish.

In the game that I DM, the players hand out treasure to those that need it most.....and they try to remember to recover magic items lent to NPCs that accompany them!

 

[d4]

Gee, I'd like to be in your campaigns. IMC they party just got a massive supply of coin and some players are holding on to it until they have more! Two 16th level characters have 80,000gp *EACH*, in coin, and are waiting 'til they can collect another 40,000gp. The rogue wants a manual of health and the cleric wants to build a temple.

the games i've GMed and played in have always been right at (or slightly below) the recommended wealth levels in the DMG. i guess my players have lower expectations (or desires) than yours -- i don't remember anyone saving up to buy one of those stat-boosting books, and if i had 80,000 gp i wouldn't even know what to do with it.

 

[I'm A Banana]

One of my girls played a cleric who wouldn't heal until they payed her the usual service cost for casting the xth-level spell. As a cleric of the deity of greed, it was unusually apt.