D&D 5E In fifth-edition D&D, what is gold for?

[CapnZapp]

While discussing xp for gold, I stumbled upon this blog post. I found it so central I wanted to post a summary and discuss it here.

The background is familiar (summarizing the blog posts leading up to the linked one):

The original Dungeons & Dragons game awarded characters an experience point for each gold piece they claimed from the dungeon. See “The fun and realism of unrealistically awarding experience points for gold.” This provided a simple method of awarding non-combat experience and motivating players to loot dungeons—the activity that made the game fun.

Gary had designed the Chainmail miniature rules that Dave used, so a progression from green adventurer to battlefield champion to baron seemed natural to both men. The original D&D game includes prices for castle structures and ships, along with costs for the men at arms and sailors needed to build a kingdom. The game served up riches, but the wealth led PCs out of the dungeon and onto the miniature battlefield.

This scheme suffered one problem: Almost no one went on to the stronghold-building, army-raising part of the game.

Th[e] plan unraveled when nobody chose to abandon the dungeon-crawling fun of their D&D game to put their characters in a different, miniature-battle game. Characters never spent their wealth on armies, fleets, and castles.

Ultimately, none of the revenue-draining schemes lasted, because D&D players hate losing cash with nearly as much venom as they hate losing magical gear.

The Stronghold Builder’s Guidebook tried to raise enthusiasm for the end game, but even the authors write, “Lounging about the stronghold day and night, engaging in the domestic dramas of daily life isn’t the sort of thing that stirs the blood of great heroes.”

The fifth-edition game holds to the tradition of making PCs rich, so DMs running campaigns and organizers of public play face the challenge of making gold good for something—or breaking tradition.

Unlike Third- and fourth-edition, this edition offers no obvious outlet for the PCs’ wealth at higher levels. Earlier editions empowered PCs to buy magic items. PCs spent their gold on equipment that enhanced their power. The DMGs showed the wealth that PCs required to beat the monsters.​

Then DM David explores three ways to fix this.

http://dmdavid.com/tag/in-fifth-edition-dd-what-is-gold-for-three-principles-of-granting-gold/

 

[Tony Vargas]

In fifth-edition D&D, what is gold for?

Keeping score?

 

[Ed Laprade]

It seems to be one of those areas where the GM is supposed to decide how s/he wants things to work for his/her own game. But a few examples would have been nice!

 

[Jentikles]

I think it's more for maintaining and micromanaging gear, provisions, taverns and inns, etc. It seems like the endgame of 5E is much more up to the Dungeon Master as far as what players do with their money.

 

[Demorgus]

Gold is useful for buying equipment and special components needed for spells and rituals. It's also a necessity if you are using the down time activities, plus the character still can buy property and businesses. I think this edition hews closer to the original intent of wealth in the game and less so the video game quality of the past couple of editions where you could walk into the "magic shop" and purchase the ring of protection + whatever because you were toting around a kingdom's worth of wealth.

 

[flametitan]

There's still some castlebuilding rules in the DMG. They aren't nearly as elaborate as in other editions, but if you tell them it's an option, there's quite a few people open to having their own base of operations, even if they never permanently reside there.

 

[ccs]

Gold/treasure is for story.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I've had many a character lust after a Ship or a Castle. Sadly the campaigns never lasted long enough to see their dreams realized.

 

[Blue]

If you're looking for direct mechanical uses, spell components can get very expensive. 100gp for stoneskin, 300gp for each cast of revivify, 1000 for reincarnate or resurrection, all the way up to 25,000 for true resurrection.

But it has a great numebr of uses in the other pillars. Hire, bribe, and influence people. Give to charities and do good works. Fund an organization. Buy a title or commision for the places that do that. Set up a stronghold. Buy a privateer and sail the seven deadly seas. Fund a new adventuring company. Hire spy. Commission songs that make fun of you social rivals. Throw lavish feasts. Have food caravan'd in during a drought to save a town.

Gold is of great and varied uses, you can't just confine your imagination to a few choices on the equipment lists.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Players can use gold for whatever they want. That might be strongholds, businesses, vehicles/mounts, extravagances, bribes, hiring on henchmen, a lifetime supply of basic healing potions, etc. Basically anything that is within the scope of the player's imagination limited only by what the DM will allow.