I need a little tactical advice, as a DM

[Drowbane]

Initial reaction: "So?".

Let the PCs exalt in their new found power, well... endurance. Hordes of mooks are great for letting casters shine. Just be sure to smack them back with the occasional rough encounter, the type where they find themselves wondering if they should've run three rounds ago.

Nice to see you're not the type to just destroy/steal teh lootz.

 

[Greenfield]

Thought I'd offer a bit of closure on this topic.

We did the party treasure split. Two of the highest priced weapons went unselected, which means that they'll be sold.

The vast majority of the wands went unselected, which means that they'll be sold.

Several of the scrolls went unselected as well, though that was more because of what they were than anything else. (Create Undead and Unhallow don't exactly fit the party's style.)

The Shield Golem was taken, along with a +3 Mithral chain shirt for him.

There were several weapons that had been placed in there with specific people in mind. Three of these went where they were expected to go, two didn't get chosen at all. (Really, who needs a +1 Brilliant Energy Whip? Or a +3 Holy Elven Double Bow?)

For the most part, the party acted in a responsible manner.

All that's left now is to figure out what they're going to do with the huge amounts of raw cash they'll have after they sell the stuff they didn't choose.

They'll probably need to market it over several different cities. There's almost a half million worth of loot to dispose of, and there just aren't that many places with enough disposable cash to buy that kind of load all at one time.

 

[Bleys Icefalcon]

Turn it into your plan.

How can you easily modify what you've created thus far - for our earnest adventurers to actually NEED this extra firepower?

Change some, if not all of the encounters to be cold/ice based creatures. And make some of them stupid dangerous. Force it to charge through multiple Walls of Fire just to GET to the PCs - and by this point the creature in question might just be weakened enough due to the flames for them to have a fighting chance.

- or -

The Machine of Lum the Mad.

In my gaming universe, I have modified the Machine to have several "holes" or various sizes (Wand, Rod and Staff sized to be exact) at various places throughout the apparatus. When a the suitable item is inserted into the hole, it is drained of all magic - and for THAT person, they gain utter control of the device for a single use.

Machine of Lum the Mad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Machine's best description imho still resides in the original DMG. Your party might leap at the chance to control this potent Relic (however brief) at the expense of a mere wand.

 

[Greenfield]

Actually, I'm opposed to the idea of a DM intentionally burning through, breaking, stealing or otherwise taking away PC treasure.

The group has pretty much agreed to sell off the bounty of wands, so that issue isn't really there. I just have to provide them with places and opportunities to dispose of the excess loot, and trade it for other stuff.

To put the overkill in perspective: My character spent his share, plus some excess cash, on a *single item* that's worth about 100% of a 12th level character's recommended wealth. He's 13th level, and a bit over-equipped for his level even without that.

Everyone else received a share equal to mine.

 

[Shallown]

My Solution would be to simple talk to the players and explain how things are sort of unbalanced and ask them for solutions or suggest using the money in a non powerful way like buying land/structures/invetments etc. Things that don't make them more powerful.

Talking to them would be first. if not ask the previous GM how to fix it. I wouldn't let it fall in my lap without giving the players some choice. If they want to keep it then let that fall on them. More powerful people want money as well so you can kill them and take their stuff. what ever you want to balance your game you gave them the choice and let them know you are going to balance this some how.

also if you don't give them significant treasure it is easy to drain them.

also some ideas are sundering, disintigrate anything like that. you don't build a whole horde of people who can do that but 2-3 every few encounters will fix things.

also remember you can target everything they have not just the new stuff, destroy their favorite weapon and they'll need to replace it.

later