Excess Character Wealth CR Adjustment?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Let's say a PC has character wealth that is significantly above the wealth guidelines in the DMG. Let's say to the point that the DM wants to either impose a +1 ECL adjustment or the equivalent XP penalty. Will one or the other impact on other things to the point that one is more appropriate than the other?

For example, off the top of my head, increasing the ECL of a PC would adjust the XP for the entire party, would it not?

 

[Elethiomel]

Increasing the ECL of a PC or imposing an XP penalty on them will only do one thing - make the problem larger. Now the PC is meeting encounters that are higher CR for his level without getting commesurately higher XP for it, but he still gets his share of the loot. Alternately, he still gets an equal share of the loot but less XP for CR-appropriate opponents. In both cases his wealth will increase proportionally quicker than his level. The solution is to bring wealth and level in line through other means.

 

[frankthedm]

I am curoius how the excess wealth landed on the one PC.

 

[mvincent]

imposing an XP penalty on them will only do one thing - make the problem larger.

Agreed.

Options:
1) Remove some of the wealth (rust monsters, thieves, taxes, True Resurrections, etc.),
2) Don't give him much loot (in any) in future encounters, or
3) Give him high CR encounters until his XP meets up with his gp

 

[Jack Simth]

Increasing the ECL of a PC or imposing an XP penalty on them will only do one thing - make the problem larger.

Well, it'll also make a secondary problem - make the DM seem arbitrary and random. It'll also intruduce a tetriary problem: excessive wealth makes a character lopsided if you increase CR based on it. Both are easily considered a part of the first, though.

Throw low-treasure opponents at the party for a while. Send wealth stealing/destroying critters at the party (Rogues, Rust Monsters, Disenchanters, Disjunction-wielding mages, Sundering Fighters, and so on).

Low-treasure opponents usually affect the entire party fairly equally; wealth stealing/destroying critters can be a bit more selective.

 

[RedFox]

Give him harder encounters that are light on the physical loot (animals / beasts and mindless roaming creatures or constructs are good excuses for this). Reward the PC with intangibles until he catches up in level.

Intangibles are things like favors, titles, reputation increases, that sort of thing. They won't translate directly into wealth or boost his ability to deal with most challenges as easily as physical loot can.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I am curoius how the excess wealth landed on the one PC.

Other PCs came and went, starting at lower levels with lower wealth. Treasure isn't divided like XP so the problem grows over time.

 

[Sigurd]

I'd say let the player enjoy it so long as they can.

When it starts to get boring ask them - "are you bored yet?"

Want to start again\retire\donate your wealth?

Sigurd

 

[Dross]

I'm surprised that no one has suggested talking to the player and seeing if a solution can be figured out.