How have you creativly parted your PC's from their gold?

[Micah]

If your PC is a crewman aboard the Liralen and you happen to have two DM's - you probably don't want to read further.
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We have smart players. And they might in the near future find themselves in the position to sell off treasure for a great deal more gold than they should have at this level. Which I don't mind a bit . . . .providing I can think of a good way to balance that out. How have you dealt with excess gp?

 

[Kyramus]

have you been charging them for training?
Each feat is 50/week. each feat is 2 weeks training. total 100/feat.
50gp/skill point. Each skill point is learned per week. 10 skill points = 500 gp and 10 weeks.

Then charge them for room and board for those times.

Due to the nature in my game, I allow skill training to take place in 1 week regardless of the ranks, at 50gp/point. And feats are 2 weeks at 200gp/feat.

The places that they live at. Or if they purchased a home. Taxes to the government. They will be needed to file an adventurer's charter(liscense) to carry weapons and such in the city. Might want them to also apply taxes to any income they get.

One shot money loss. Shady magic item seller, sells inferior to non magical stuff and skips town.

Another one shot money loss. They sell off magic items at higher price. they get paid. The people left. The money is fake. either all are copper, or worse totally worthless.

 

[John Morrow]

We have smart players. And they might in the near future find themselves in the position to sell off treasure for a great deal more gold than they should have at this level. Which I don't mind a bit . . . .providing I can think of a good way to balance that out. How have you dealt with excess gp?

The first thing to remember is that merchants rarely by equipment from people at list price. Use 50% as a general rule, because the merchant has to mark the prices back up to make a profit. As with used cars, your PCs will get more money if they go through the effort of selling equipment to people who want it rather than selling it to merchants for resale.

The second thing to remember is that if they have a lot of equipment and treasure to sell, there may not be anyone who wants to buy a lot of it. Just because they have something to sell doesn't mean that there is somebody to buy it. Don't forget to take a look at the rules for how much money a town might have available for trading. You'll find that information on page 137 of the 3.5 DMG.

The third thing to remember is to charge the characters taxes, moneychanging fees, appraisal fees (I often charge the PCs a 5%-10% appraisal feel, waived partially or completely if they sell the appraised item to the appraiser), and mark-ups. Remember that pro-modern shops didn't necessarily have fixed prices and a merchant might charge obviously wealthy looking PCs more than list price for the goods that they want.

Finally, if you are looking for a good one-time correction for a mistake that you made in giving out too much stuff, have a thief or bad guy far more powerful than they are take their treasure either by theft or by beating them up and taking it. This could set up a villain for them to go after done the road when they get more powerful. A more subtle version is to have someone swindle their money by lying to them or breaking a contract (e.g., "You give me 50,000gp and I'll get you a..." -- the PCs give the NPC the money and the NPC simply disappears).

Remember that wealthy PCs, like wealthy NPCs, attract thieves, charlitans, and crooks of all sort. If they aren't careful and word of their wealth gets around, there should be no shortage of people trying to relieve them of their wealth. This happens in the real world with lottery winners and all sorts of other people who suddenly find themselves rich.

 

[ivocaliban]

Relations, thieves, taxes, and tithes. This is all based on real-life experience, of course.

Whenever someone comes into a good deal of money there's always going to be at least one person in their family or circle of friends who needs (or wants) some for themselves. The reason can be anything from gambling debts to hiring a cleric to heal a plagued village. I'm sure the characters have a reputation if they're becoming terribly wealthy and nothing brings out lost cousins and childhood sweethearts like piles of gold and gossip.

Gossip, of course, spreads far and wide and greed has many ears. Perhaps, a cunning thief (or Thieves' Guild) thinks the PCs should share their newfound wealth. They might follow the PCs, learn their patterns, sneak in and take what they want...or they might subtly befriend one of the PCs (preferably one who isn't terribly wise) and use them to get at the gold.

Taxes (and tithes for the religious) are always a great way to drain away some of the PCs treasure horde. They have to live somewhere and they probably have some authority figure who wants a chunk of whatever's going around. Send the tax collector around (or an inquisitor if they've been lax in donations to the church).

These aren't terribly creative, I suppose, just the basics. But there's many ways to subtly twist these concepts to fit almost any campaign. Hope they were of some help.

 

[ender_wiggin]

Whatever you do, make an adventure out of it.

If you do something that simply takes money away from the characters without giving them a chance to get it back, as players (not characters), they will know you gipped them intentionally. Thus, in my opinion, the most crucial thing is that you give them some sort of chance to get it back. Did the merchant rip them off and give them fake money? Have them risk life and limb to track him down. Maybe a wealthy man sues them for having singed his skin in one of the PCs fireballs. Have them roleplay a court case. Maybe the thieves guild wants their fair share of the loot. Build this dangerous relationship with the guild and have it go somewhere.

I guess the point is that whatever method you choose, you need to involve the characters.

 

[Crothian]

The tax man. If there are adventures out there making money, you know the local governments are going to want a piece.

 

[Storyteller01]

Best thing I've done: hint at available ships and low cost ship mods. It doesn't take the gold per se, but the group counts its coppers to balance the need of the ship versus buying cool stuff.

I also offer magic item purchase... by special commission only. I generally hike the price by roughly 25 to 50%, more if the item is especially powerful.

Another thing you can do is play on their campaign foibles. I had a sorcoress take her share of the booty and go to the galaxies equivalent of Rodeo Drive. She spent 10,000 on a diamond ankle braclet. They may 'waste' their money by not buying magic items or things that provide bonuses, but the players will have something fun to brag about later. Didn't a character in B5 have a refurbished Ninja motorcycle?

You could give them the option of buying masterwork goods they can have magically enhanced, adding some figures similar to true life (masterwork targeting systems, thrusters, etc).

 

[Micah]

Maybe a wealthy man sues them for having singed his skin in one of the PCs fireballs. Have them roleplay a court case.

Uh, not with an attorney sitting at my game table. But there are some good ideas here. I do like the caution of having an option to chase down the loot, just with certain dangers involved. A couple of my PC's might go for that.

They should be landing in Sharn soon. So there is of course the money changing, the docking fees, a wealth of the unlawful and gang types wandering around as well as merchants out to swindle all that they can . . . . Thanks for the ideas! And please feel free to add to them if there's something that hasn't been mentioned. I really am leaning towards sometype of a scam if I can pull it off. Anyone ever done that in a game?

 

[Greatwyrm]

Have a bunch of adventurers beat them up and take it away. Cuts out the gold and gives you at least one adventures worth of plot-hook.

 

[Steverooo]

I do an awful lot with special equipment, especially since the PHB Prices & Weights are often so far off... The PCs will quickly come up with ideas for stuff that they want made, if you allow it!

The climbing pole from the Rod of Lordly Might, for instance, is featured in a Fritz Lieber story, in its non-magical version. PCs could have one of these made!

I always want a combination Handaxe/Hammer/Throwing Axe/Prybar. Add the prices togather, add on the MW cost, and thereya go!

Your PCs want something real that isn't on the equipment lists in the PHB? Let them describe it, they find a craftsman who can make it. The craftsman may then need plans for the new device, requiring a visit to an Architect/Engineer.

I HATE (loathe, despise) the 3.5e grapnel. As soon as my PC could, he had a collapsible grapnel made, which is lighter, and folds up. Your PCs will want similar stuff, and the best thing about this method is, it is not punitive, like so many of the others, above! Your PCs won't mind losing some cash, if they have a Handaxe that can be thrown like a Throwing Axe, used as a Hammer, and also adds +4 to their opening attempts (and all that without being magical)!

Point out to the Rogue the benefits of that fancy suit of leather armor in the window, with the built-in Climbing Kit and Hand Crossbow bolt quivers... Before long, PCs will be asking you "Can I do this?", and "What kinds of craftsmen are there in this town?"

All that specialty equipment adds up, the campaign effects are moderate, and it makes the PCs feel special, and more in touch with their PCs.

Never tell them they find a +1 Cloak of Protection... Always tell'em they find a Red cloak with gold braiding and trim, which is a +1 Cloak of Protection! Sometimes, they'll even pass on garish magic items, as they don't fit their style!

MW Leather armor, by the way, has NO game effects, and eats up some funds (normally -1 to Max. Dex. Penalty, which, in this case, does not exist)! Fancy scrollwork, jewelled embedding, etc., are equally good.

Whatever the PCs want, let them acquire it. Just make sure they pay the appropriate price, and drain off those excess funds. In return, they get some special goodies!