Good ideas for giving the players gold and magic items?

[Darkmantle26]

I've always had a problem with wealth distribution. Normally I'll pick up two dice when the players loot the bodies, roll them, and add 1 or 3 or something. But that's just not enough. My players are level 5 now, and still have little more than their starting wealth despite my best efforts. It doesn't help the wizard takes all the money and won't share, but then he makes some huge blunder (Most recently he murdered a pickpocket in broad daylight in a busy marketplace, yeah, this isn't Skyrim, you can't just press F9 and make everything better!) and have to pay some huge fine just to keep adventuring. None of them will sell their useless magic items, seriously, they don't need an Alchemy Jug! Sell it! Get rich! I also realized their lack of powerful items when they explored an orc camp, when a single orc war chief layed waste to them, it would have been an easy TPK if the orc had the heart to finish them off. I thought they were good magic item wise! They had a Sun Blade, for goodness sake, but that was the best. The best armor they had was studded leather of cold resistance! That's not going to help against a magic Halberd! They obviously need better gear, there only being 3 of them and ALL of them being spellcasters! I have a Bard, a Wizard and a Warlock, the bard has the sun blade and a +1 bow, the Warlock's pact weapon is a +1 longsword, and the wizard is a third wheel. What are some decent level 5 magic items I could give them?

 

[Yaarel]

For magic items, I do the following.

As loot: The magic items are normally items that are appropriate for the monster to use. The monster almost always uses these items against the heroes during combat. I choose which items the monster should have.

As accident: In certain situations, the magic item seems unpredictable according to the narrative. For example, a dragon hoard could include the items of almost any kind of prey. These are randomly generated, maybe with a tweak here or there.

As purchase: There are no magic shops. In my campaigns, magic cannot be bought and sold, in principle. The magic item only works if its users are already in tune with in, and furthers the purpose of the item. Purchasing one doesnt work. Nevertheless, suitable items can be given or acquired in exchange for various kinds of agreements that seem of interest to the item itself.

Also, someone might know someone who knows someone who can make a certain kind of magic item or knows the location of one. Finding such a person is a common way for a player to get a specific item that they really want.

 

[HardcoreDandDGirl]

If I were you I would put somekind of hobgoblin/orc/gnoll group that has looted around the area, and have them fight the PCs... in there treasure hoard is a TON of money and items of art/trade goods... and the items they took off dead bodies of fallen enemies...

"Why does the orc have a chasuble of foul power when they have no warlocks...they killed "Vintiss the dark sage" and took it.

 

[iserith]

Chaper 7 of the DMG has random treasure tables. Give those a try and see how it goes.

Consider talking to the players about whether they are happy with the player of the wizard claiming all the treasure for him or herself. If they aren't, then a group discussion on the equitable distribution of wealth is in order.

 

[ad_hoc]

They don't actually need any magic items. The game is set up so they will be fine without them. And really, they already have a ton of very powerful ones for their level.

It also sounds like you should have a discussion out of the game about what is expected in the game. Does everyone know that it isn't cooperative? Or are some people trying to be cooperative and others not? They also don't seem to understand other base assumptions, like not murdering people in the street. That should have some dire consequences.

 

[bedir than]

I gave out so little gold, and now they made camp in the haunted capital city of a fallen empire. They're running out of food in fallow lands.

So this is a hook, not a problem.

Having the "wrong" magic items, or a party member that hordes wealth (likely saying that they'll "track it") are hooks. Have greedy mcgreederson get his pockets picked, or his room ransacked. How does the party react?

 

[BoldItalic]

@OP

What purpose(s) does gold serve in your game? Gold only has value (to the players) if there is something to spend it on that they feel they need. Otherwise it's just candy. Give them slightly less gold than they actually need to buy the things they think they want.

If you want them to give up magic items, arrange for an NPC to offer a trade - the alchemy jug for something they do want, such as a map or information that they need to make progress in a quest. Or release from jail, if that's something they are prone to. Work out what they want, and dangle it in front of them. Then, when they are hooked, put it slightly out of reach. The NPC who offered the trade has mysteriously been kidnapped and needs to be tracked down and rescued himself. Or the trade has been made but he's run off with the item leaving a map that turns out to be worthless. Will they find him and demand redress?

A rule of thumb is one permanent magic item (that is, ignoring expendables such as potions and scrolls) per party per level. If your three PCs are 5th level and they have 5 items between them (and from your post it appears that they have) then that's about right. Give them one more as they reach 6th level. They can start to have rare items now, such as +1 armour or rings of protection (though it appears you have already handed out several rare items already). But don't feel obliged to hand out items at all. They don't need them. 5e is balanced on the assumption that PCs don't have any magic items.

 

[Darkmantle26]

@OP

What purpose(s) does gold serve in your game? Gold only has value (to the players) if there is something to spend it on that they feel they need. Otherwise it's just candy. Give them slightly less gold than they actually need to buy the things they think they want.

If you want them to give up magic items, arrange for an NPC to offer a trade - the alchemy jug for something they do want, such as a map or information that they need to make progress in a quest. Or release from jail, if that's something they are prone to. Work out what they want, and dangle it in front of them. Then, when they are hooked, put it slightly out of reach. The NPC who offered the trade has mysteriously been kidnapped and needs to be tracked down and rescued himself. Or the trade has been made but he's run off with the item leaving a map that turns out to be worthless. Will they find him and demand redress?

A rule of thumb is one permanent magic item (that is, ignoring expendables such as potions and scrolls) per party per level. If your three PCs are 5th level and they have 5 items between them (and from your post it appears that they have) then that's about right. Give them one more as they reach 6th level. They can start to have rare items now, such as +1 armour or rings of protection (though it appears you have already handed out several rare items already). But don't feel obliged to hand out items at all. They don't need them. 5e is balanced on the assumption that PCs don't have any magic items.

I didn't give a thought about gold or it's importance until the bard PC was invited out by a shape shifted dragon to dinner, when he realized all he was wearing was his studded leather armor, and then had to go out and pay 15 gold for fine clothes, doesn't seem like much, but he had so little gold it put a massive dent in his coinage. Also, the bail for the wizards little crime left him with only a few gold pieces. (No wonder he's hoarding) I may just be paranoid that next time they need gold they won't have enough, especially since they are paying to stay nights in a tavern and are paying for food as well....

 

[BoldItalic]

I didn't give a thought about gold or it's importance until the bard PC was invited out by a shape shifted dragon to dinner, when he realized all he was wearing was his studded leather armor, and then had to go out and pay 15 gold for fine clothes, doesn't seem like much, but he had so little gold it put a massive dent in his coinage. Also, the bail for the wizards little crime left him with only a few gold pieces. (No wonder he's hoarding) I may just be paranoid that next time they need gold they won't have enough, especially since they are paying to stay nights in a tavern and are paying for food as well....

Looks like they are going to have a problem soon. But you don't have to solve it for them! The DM's job is to create difficulties; it's the players' job to find solutions, if they can. If they run out of money to pay for lodgings and food, they may have to spend some downtime working for a living. Doing whatever their backgrounds are useful for. It's a hard life, isn't it?

It may not have occurred to them that they can use the Alchemy Jug to create a gallon of wine a day. That's six bottles, worth 10gp a bottle, maybe half that if they are selling it on. That's 10gp each a day easy money, which they can squander on a lavish lifestyle. But don't tell them, let them work it out!

 

[Saeviomagy]

Hazarding a guess: your players are getting their asses handed to them because
1) There's only 3 of them
2) It sounds like 2 of them are pretending to be melee combatants, when they really are not
3) It sounds like they're new to the game
4) One of them sounds like he doesn't realize this is a team game

No guarantees that's what it is, but it seems likely to me. Giving them cash or magic items won't help that really.

As for keeping a jug of alchemy... who wouldn't? That thing is great!

Next up - how can they possibly be struggling for lifestyle expenses? According to the PHB, they can flog off a couple of low level spellcastings a week for enough money to live like nobility.