D&D 5E Looting dead PCs

[Sunseeker]

That is the only way to get loot in some groups. You have to wait until the loot-whores die so you can take your fair share off their corpses.

Never had that problem and it's not a situation I allow to arise.

 

[leonardoraele]

Considering the act of him creating a second one cancels the first, I'd say the magic is somehow tied to the caster. If the caster dies, the magic goes with it.

Me too

 

[mellored]

This is more fun with simulacrums.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Saeviomagy]

Beyond that, I typically don't like letting players loot fallen comrades.

How do you avoid it?

 

[Sunseeker]

How do you avoid it?

By ensuring players rarely die in a manner by which their loot is preserved. It's really not hard, considering most monsters want to eat the players and most bad-guys will loot them before the players get a chance. I also disallow PVP, so there's noone just waiting to stab the other player in the back and steal his stuff. Looting in combat is a full-round action and you have to have your hands free, so if you try it you're typically unarmed and unshielded, often on your knees (prone) trying to take the stuff, giving enemies advantage on their attacks.

So basically by making it really hard and preventing the obvious.

 

[MechaPilot]

In one of my homebrew campaign settings, I allow for looting of dead PCs. In that setting, raising the dead is harder than it is in other D&D worlds. You must trade a soul for the soul being brought back to life, so any attempt at raising the dead requires human(oid) sacrifice. Plus, people don't come back unaffected by what happened to them: they may have flashbacks or nightmares of how they died (or of their afterlife if they were particularly naughty), or the deity who ruled the destination for their soul may require a service of them in world of the living as an additional price for releasing them.

In my other campaigns, I typically don't allow looting of dead PCs. It's party policy, by DM fiat, that a fallen comrades' gear goes to their next of kin. The journey to deliver the gear can make a good lead in to another adventure.

 

[Mouseferatu]

By ensuring players rarely die in a manner by which their loot is preserved. It's really not hard, considering most monsters want to eat the players and most bad-guys will loot them before the players get a chance.

I don't see how that's feasible. If a PC dies in combat but the party wins--which, IME, is far more common than a TPK or the party being forced to retreat and leave the body behind--the monsters aren't going to have a chance to eat or loot the dead PC.

Can you go into more detail?

 

[Sunseeker]

I don't see how that's feasible. If a PC dies in combat but the party wins--which, IME, is far more common than a TPK or the party being forced to retreat and leave the body behind--the monsters aren't going to have a chance to eat or loot the dead PC.

Can you go into more detail?

I should note that "death" is at negative Con score HP, not negative max HP in my games, so it's a little grittier.

Eating can happen as part of the death. Dragon multiattack kills you, eats your body, yay you're gone!

There are often more monsters than party members (solo fights don't work well in this edition sadly) so a monster can more than likely peel your body off the battlefield before the party can.

But again, this is still after the fact. I prevent loot issues from the get go by saying there are "magic items" in the loot, so people can say well "I found a magic greatsword!" and that takes up one of the items, while someone else can say "I found a magic staff!" and that takes up one of the items. Monetary valuables is also divided up evenly unless the players agree otherwise in which case: they shook on it. DM has full hand-of-god powers to intervene in PVP.

So, to summarize: Deadlier game. No opportunities to be a loot bandit. Non-random loot.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I just had a thought: this could turn into a dark, Spinal Tap meets The Bloody Benders type thing.

"So, Tomackz the Transmuter, do you have any other questions before joining our band of adventurers?"

"Now that you mention it, yes. Ummmm...why is it that you specifically stated "only Transmuters need apply" in your recruitment broadside? I mean, there are other mages in the world. And clearly, you've adventured with Transmuters before- each of you have- what, 3- stones from fallen colleagues? Might not some other kind of Mage suit your team better?"

"No, Tomackz, no. It is just the way things have gone for us. Fate is fickle, but we love what Transmuters bring to us...ahhh...our adventures. Now, come sign your contract that guarantees your share. Sit down right here before this scarlet curtain..."