My party gives away magical items

[Saeviomagy]

Have they ever told you WHY they give away stuff like this?
Ask them what their character's motivations in handing out items like these is - maybe they really do have something ulterior going on...

If not... I guess they're just a bit... funny in the head?

 

[fba827]

I do this with some of my characters ... a cleric for instance would always turn down magic items found unless they were divinely creatred / linked to the church in some way.. all else would be sold and funds used for donations whenever possible. (just an example of one character but i do similar sorts ofthings with many... in general, I don't like toting around extra stuff.. i just like having a couple basic items that seem flavorful to the character and that's it... I get icky when I carry more tha na light load. )

I can't say that for the rest of the party though... they horde like there is no tomorrow...

 

[Lu Wei Fong]

Ha! My party (especially the rogue and ranger) would have a heart attack if anyone even suggested that! On the flip side the monk I play (different group) did that even before he knew about/took a vow of poverty

 

[pogre]

I have had it happen, but only for meaningful roleplaying moments where the PCs felt they were getting something in return. My players are not quite THAT altruistic.

 

[Sarellion]

One of my players returned a powerful amulet because she thought she couldn´t protect it. It was some kind of key to another artifact important to her race.

But otherwise? My group is hoarding lesser artifacts at this moment. They hope to equip the troops of their county

If you want your party to getmore items, you should consider to give something in return. The oracle or the druids should have given something back as a reward.

One player said once that he wasn´t eager to get more items because this would only increase the challenges neutralizing the power gain.

 

[Jon Potter]

Yep. That's fairly common behavior in my campaign. I can think of three instances off the top of my head.

It's always for "personal" role-playing reasons, though. For instance, a fighter in my campaign gave away a Ring of Magical Beast Command (which does just what it sounds like it might) to her love, a fellow fighter who was heading off to an area plagued with magical beasts.

 

[Crothian]

Have they ever told you WHY they give away stuff like this?
Ask them what their character's motivations in handing out items like these is - maybe they really do have something ulterior going on...

Because others need it more. They gave about 150,000 if gold and items to a country that is rebuilding after they got displaced. THis has been one of the plots early in the campiagn with these people fleeing destruction in their old home and finding a new one. They gave another 70,000 or so to another kingdom who they know the rulers. The rulers have only been in charge for a little over a year in game and the money will be very useful to them.

 

[Henry]

I have two players who, not only would balk at this, but would move to have the PC's doing the giving declared mentally incompetent, so they could manage their affairs!

Others in the group will give away money to the needy, or the occasional magic item to their church or an allied religion, but to give away things that the group could obviously use is alien to them. That's a mighty charitable group you've got there!

 

[LrdApoc]

I guess I would turn this around.. why do players keep every item they find? Especially if being of good or neutral good alignment they know that there are people who can better utilize it? I guess I am not the type of player who hoardes items because they just take up space on a sheet if they aren't used and after all how many items do you need?

I would suggest those players who are keeping the items for the sheer greed of it are not always following the characters position, but the PLAYERS metagame idea of why magic items are useful.

Imagine growing up in a world where you know magic items exist and you have items to complement your skills. Why wouldn't you give them away, for profit or not if your good alingned, unselfish character had no need for them or no percieved need anyway.

 

[LrdApoc]

I have had it happen, but only for meaningful roleplaying moments where the PCs felt they were getting something in return. My players are not quite THAT altruistic.

Well using Crothian's examples I'm not sure the characters were considering that there was no reward.. for example the Chalice was given back to an Oracle who aided them even though they figured everything out themselves in the end.. the Oracle still helped and they agreed to return the Chalice if possible.. makes sense for good characters with any honor to me that they would return the favor even if in the end the Oracle didn't really make a difference.

The gold: Was it actually given to support a nation the party helped establish wasn't it? Or a nation one of the characters came from.

The druids club: Well it seems to me no one wants druide to be mad at them.. they are really nasty enemies.. and if it's a holy relic of the druids returning it might curry favor in a future situation.. even if the players don;t ask for a favor immediately they probably feel that thier deeds will be remembered and if the time came to call on a favor they have the good will to help assure it happens for them..

It appears to me the characters are being very good to anyone, they seem to be using thier fortunes to improve the world around them.. that sounds like a lawful good position to me if you play with alignments.. and if not, they still sound like they are motivated by helping the underdog or allies regardless of personal gain.

(All this is being said as a member of said group acting in character)