Greedy player, what should we do?

[Ricochet]

In our high-level D&D campaign, one of the players is really greedy. He knows it, and he has admitted that it is ruining the game for himself and the others to an extent. In fact, every character he has ever had in any game has been greedy, and somewhere deep down it is a reflection of his own personality.

The problem arises whenever the party finds some item of power, he just can't help but need to get involved with the "gold that can be earned from selling it" or something similar. Example: the party's fighter has "adopted" a kobold rogue, and when she found +3 bracers of armour and a +1 amulet of natural armour, she gave it to the kobold. She found it on a solo-run wiping out some bad guys. The player has better equipment than this, and no-one in the group can use it. The problem arises here, because the greedy player wants everyone to get "their share" of the loot, so he can sell his share and get more gold.

On another recent occasion, someone in the party found a Scroll of Miracle, placed there by me (the GM) because a certain situation will require it later on. Knowing my group, they will save it for something special. The greedy player however has a very hard time accepting that another character is carrying the scroll. He is genuinely fearful that the scroll will be used without him getting "his share" of it, whether through the spell itself, or the probably reward they will get through using it to save a village or whatever.

After our last session, the greedy player and I had a talk, and he admitted that it is ruining his fun, because he doesn't so much think about the adventures or the thrills, but more about inventory management, gold piece value pr. character (in which he leads by a longshot), and "shares" of the loot.

We have talked about a new character for him, a monk with the Vow of Poverty from Book of Exalted Deeds. The problem is, he is still going to need "his share" to give to the poor, and another problem is, this guy can't play a LG character, it just isn't his style. Also, since he can't be a poor monk in every game from here on end, we need some help.

So, anyone else have this problem, and any suggestions for both the player, the party and the GM would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Numion]

Well we do the same, every player .. except that its not a problem. Everything we find belongs equally to everyone in the group. We sell everything we find, except items people want. Those they can buy from the group by giving the other members their share of the item (in effect, buying it for 1/2 price compared to market value, since magic items are sold at half price).

 

[robberbaron]

Tell him to become an Accountant.

 

[Quicken]

As you say the vow of poverty will make no real difference. Every player wants gold and items (and xp) but clearly this guy is too keen on bean counting his gold for some reason.

If the guy knows it's a problem then you can deal with it out of game. If he's not doing well enough to change then you can start putting serious in-game consequences. Get him to create a new character that's going to be his "not greedy" character. At the end of each session ask him if he thinks he gave into greed at any point. Discuss with him points you think he was too greedy. Dock him 100xp per character level for each time you both agree he was greedy.

There's no point putting up with something everyone knows is causing a problem

 

[Legildur]

I don't know anything about the Vow of Poverty, but would it be game breaking to modify that so that he doesn't even get his share to start with?

 

[Ricochet]

Well we do the same, every player .. except that its not a problem. Everything we find belongs equally to everyone in the group. We sell everything we find, except items people want. Those they can buy from the group by giving the other members their share of the item (in effect, buying it for 1/2 price compared to market value, since magic items are sold at half price).

Yeah well, our game is different, not so much focus on things and gold, more on the adventure, doing heroic things etc.

Besides, in my campaign you can't just sell everything you find, few people have the cash to buy it, and magic stores don't exist

 

[Numion]

Yeah well, our game is different, not so much focus on things and gold, more on the adventure, doing heroic things etc.

Hmm .. if my game focuses on things and gold, not adventure, I find it ironic that its your game that has the greed problem

Nah, just kidding, Its just the accepted rule of the party - just so that everyone gets their equal share and can concentrate on doing heroic things and adventuring, not bickering on who gets what

In effect, there's no use for being greedy, since you'll end up getting 25% anyway.

Besides, in my campaign you can't just sell everything you find, few people have the cash to buy it, and magic stores don't exist

In our campaign most can be sold.

 

[ironmani]

You know...let him sell the scroll. They when the players figure out they need it, HE has to be the one to go back and buy it. With out the scoll, the game is lost, tell the players. Or better yet, slap a cursed item, such as "The Bracers of the Pious", on him that makes him give away gold if he fails a will save. He has to make the roll everytime he acts greedy.
"Ooooo....that relic would fetch a handsome price on the open market!"
"Make a will save."
"Uh....14"
"You failed. You feel the need to give away X # of gold pieces."
"Thats cool.....I'll get fours times that amount back after we sell this."
"Make a will save...."
and so on and so......... He'll get the hint.
PS I made those Bracers up....feel free to stat them out as you see fit.....

 

[Pacio49]

Mebbe suggest some real-world therapy for the guy, too. Not in a 'you're crazy, go get therapy' mode, but in a "if you've got a problem with all of your characters developing this and you yourself acknowledge it as a problem, you might want to talk to a counselor about it because there might be some underlying real feeling you have that everyone is going to cheat you, or that you aren't getting your fair share in life" kind of way. Depends on how close you are to the player to be able to do that.

But for in-game solutions I do rather like the Bracers of the Pious cursed item. I know a player or two I'd like to slap those on. Luckily none in my current group.

 

[Ricochet]

Guys, I appreciate the replys but they are not very helpful.

Try reading the initial post again, we are all aware of the problem, so punishing him is not a good idea, and neither is "change the campaign", because everyone likes our style of play.

Anyway, I was looking for similar experiences, not different situations entirely.