How Have You Spent Excess Gold in Downtime?

[BookBarbarian]

More seriously each character I've played usually has a goal as part of their background. Buy a ship, Return wealth and power to my noble family, build a church/cathedral/inn/kingdom/spy network etc etc.

Some of these are easier and cheaper than others.

 

[5ekyu]

I tend to spend it on some form of local investment... making contacts, paying folks to keep eyes abd ears for rumors of interest, letting pay-for-info be a known thing.

Other times if business or farm was hurt, often see if i can become investor or even owner... Again can lead to info later or just cool fun openings for RP.

I view gold as not a "combat reward" but a setting reward and focus its power there.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

At one of our tables, the players are saving up in case they need to make a donation to the local temple in the off chance they need some dead PC raising services for one or more of them. Too bad the corrupt regional governor is rumored to be announcing a "resurrection tax" soon...

 

[MNblockhead]

In my homebrew campaign, much of it when for the upkeep of ship and crew and to support various organizations and factions they were involved with.

Exploration should involve long travel and significant expense. In lower levels, there should be some benefactor (but "bene" should be in scare quotes) covering these costs.

At higher levels, the party may fund their own expeditions.

At even higher levels, perhaps they have their own strongholds and lands. I've not done much with strongholds in 5e, but I backed Matt Colville's Kickstarter campaign, so I may be in the near future.

 

[Draegn]

For the most part my players have purchased presents and gifts for various NPCs. Their next expense was costly clothing to fit into court functions, having the appearance of being civilized. The two rogues are fighting a war with a rival guild, while keeping it a secret from the rest of the party. The magicians have rather costly research and materials to purchase. The paladin donates to charities and good works. The druid and ranger work to bring back the faith in the Old Gods.

 

[UnknownDyson]

Hiya!

Well, I'm a stingy "son of Graz'zt",

Good to see the inquisition didn't track you down brother.

 

[ChaosGenerators]

We hired/bribed/raised a barbarian horde to raid a city in order to get vengeance on a noble house that had slandered our name (and tried to have us killed).

Did a brave group of heroes stand in their way?

 

[Shiroiken]

Did a brave group of heroes stand in their way?

Yea... we killed them too

 

[Bitbrain]

My old half-elf sorcerer would spend his downtime painting portraits for various noble families throughout the Sword Coast and buying expensive wine to keep the gnome assassin black-out drunk (so she wouldn't go on a killing spree in town).

My old lizardfolk cleric spent his downtime constructing and decorating an underground temple-complex to hades . . . Which the Aasimar monk/rogue christened "the Underground Highway to Hell".

The only downtime my current half-orc cleric has had was spent in a wood elf village, where he was more concerned about being on his absolute best behavior so as not to get the locals mad at him. He therefore didn't get the opportunity to do much of anything.

 

[BelleMuerte]

My half-elf rogue/acolyte was raised in a temple. She has only had hand-me-down clothes, so downtime with extra gold means shopping. Dresses, hair ribbone, jewelry, and perfumed oils are common purchases. Plus she gives to the poor.