Looting Bodies

[Krel]

I was DMing a session a while back when my 15th level PCs killed off a group of evil warriors. Unfortunately, they left without looting the bodies of the dead. When they realized they forgot and asked how much gp was left behind, I said over 100,000. They argued that they would have naturally looted the bodies, but I ruled that if they didn't say that they looted the bodies, they left it all behind.

Was I being unfair? What would you have done?

 

[Felix]

What you did. They didn't loot the bodies, they don't know what they didn't pick up.

I'd maybe give them a sop from the government if they were wanted bad-guys. 10k or so should do it. But if the recently deceased weren't outlaws, then no dice.

 

[frankthedm]

Telling them how much was left behind was a mistake.

"A fair amount that in the long run you guys won't miss" would be honest without being disheartening. You saw how they reacted when they got the actual number.

 

[Rhun]

Telling them how much was left behind was a mistake.

"A fair amount that in the long run you guys won't miss" would be honest without being disheartening. You saw how they reacted when they got the actual number.

Agreed. I wouldn' have even given them that much information. More like "you have no way of knowing what valuables they carried, as you left without lootinh the bodies..."

 

[frankthedm]

Agreed. I wouldn' have even given them that much information. More like "you have no way of knowing what valuables they carried, as you left without lootinh the bodies..."

They will have thier hunches based on the descriptions they were supposed to be given in combat.

If humaniods give the players a challange in combat, it is usually patently obvious the foes had magic on thier side. Blades turned by deflection magic or extreame skill. Armor far harder than mundane steel has a right to be, skin that stops swordblows, 20% of their foes' weapons glowing as the light spell even if no energy enchant is obvious. Foes barely crisped by a fireball when they should have been burned to ash.

A swordmaster knows no mere steel armor will turn his blade. An arcanist has seen what the flames of hells wrath do to flesh. you are not fooling them when magic protects their foe.

 

[wedgeski]

Was I being unfair? What would you have done?

I would simply have told them they have no idea what was on those bodies. As the DM you're perfectly within your rights not to show your hand when the the rest of the table folds...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Forgot. To. Loot? Are they even playing the game I think we're talking about here? What lousy D&D player would forgot to loot an enemy? Even if it was a peasant, you loot!



Seriously, expensive and powerful stuff isn't always obvious (unless they fought against the Gold Wizards from the Brotherhood of Bling), so you don't have to tell them: "And the wizard blasts you with lightning from his very expensive and powerful-looking staff. It has a knob on the end!"

You could have refrained from telling them the exact amount (though to be honest, I'd have told them an amount much higher than the truth. In your example, I'd have told them something about a couple mil of gil ), but other than that, I think you can expect them to think of looting. It seems they're not cut out to be D&D players: not greedy enough

 

[cmanos]

Their mistake was not looting. Your mistake was telling them how much they left behind.

Granted, they won't not loot from now on, I can almost guarantee it.

 

[MarkB]

Clearly, your players forgot Rule 1: Pillage then burn.

 

[mvincent]

Was I being unfair? What would you have done?

The characters might have known to do this even if the players did not. If they are new players I would typically allow them make a Int check (or use an applicable skill roll like search, survival, knowledge: dungeoneering, or profession: mercenary) to determine if they would have remembered (assuming they did indeed have time to loot the bodies).

This sort of thing occurs often: i.e. forgetting to announce that you are healing between battles, not announcing casting your standard buffs before entering a dungeon, not resupplying ammo, etc.

Being flexible and allowing some grace is not required, but can speed things up (as players don't have to announce all the minor details, like searching, etc.) and make for a more enjoyable game. Plus, this can be applicable for both sides.