Rogues stealing from their own party

[Steverooo]

I have played a Multi-classed Rogue (not Thief!) for years, now, without the party knowing. I have had him steal from "his party" exactly once. This is the party that could not agree on the division of treasure. My PC was free with the knowledge that he gathered, until he saw that the other PCs weren't (and one of them turned out to be evil). Then, as we were loading the treasure into the Paladin's backpack, he pocketed a gem, just in case. His magical bow, loaned to another PC, was not returned to him... I soon left that campaign, so I don't know what happened with the treasure.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Is it stealing if someone finds a way to profit from the party's activities without sharing the spoils?

I consider that stealing. Say, the rogue pockets a pouch he finds on an enemy before anyone else comes over. That's stealing from the group. Just because noone never knew about it doesn't make it not stealing, in my book.

 

[diaglo]

So as a gamer, do you appreciate being in a game where the realism enforcement is on and you can steal from each other or do you meta game an agrement that players won't steal from each other?

i roleplay the hin in the story hour in my sig. hin is halfling to the other races on Aber-Toril.

i stole from the party. found items i pocketed. and so on.

IC only one remaining player in the group ever caught me. and he repaid me in kind by stealing some things and letting me know he had done it. so we have an understanding. OoC only one player abused his metagame knowledge about it. and shut me in a room with an undead spirit and a trap. at level 7.

i'm currently waiting to reach 15th lvl for my next feat. i've been building up for power attack so i can CdG the character while i'm on guard duty and steal the choice items from him.

i have a whole tally list of exactly what everyone is carrying and what it does and is worth.

 

[WayneLigon]

So as a gamer, do you appreciate being in a game where the realism enforcement is on and you can steal from each other or do you meta game an agrement that players won't steal from each other?

I don't consider it a realism enforcement and I don't consider it metagaming.

Even if it were, for some reason the rogue player always finds it unrealistic that a person, discovering their best magic item has found its way into the rogue's pocket, takes a knife and guts the rouge like fish and leaves him to die lin the gutter begging for his life like a little baby.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

So as a gamer, do you appreciate being in a game where the realism enforcement is on and you can steal from each other or do you meta game an agrement that players won't steal from each other?

Realistically if I found out somebody I hung around with had lifted money from me, I would stop hanging around them.

If I was somebody who routinely killed people based only upon my judgement of the needs of the situation...

Stealing from your average adventuring party is one of the most stupid things a character can do. While they are rich they are rich because they have killed "people" and taken their stuff. Not the ideal canidate.

 

[Hammerhead]

I consider that stealing. Say, the rogue pockets a pouch he finds on an enemy before anyone else comes over. That's stealing from the group. Just because noone never knew about it doesn't make it not stealing, in my book.

That's not what I was referring to. That example is clearly stealing.

For example, in a previous session my party killed the big, bad ogre mage who had a lot of enemies in town. The loot from his castle was split evenly. This ogre mage had some enemies, and my rogue approached these guys and offered to kill the ogre mage in exchange for a reward. (Not mentioning that said ogre mage was already pushing up daisies). Let's say my rogue managed to gain a reward for it (he didn't, unfortunately ) Would this be stealing, or simply being entrepreneurial and finding ways to get money the rest of the party didn't think of?

Or let's say before stopping the dreaded disaster that will destroy the world, the party rogue buys up a bunch of land real cheap in the face of the coming disaster, then sells it back to people after said disaster was averted by the party's actions.

 

[Sejs]

Ever see the show Firefly?

Remember the lesson of Jayne and the Airlock?

Yeah, kinda like that.

They're free to do it, they just have to deal with the consequences of their actions. Adventurers deal with a lot of hard issues and dangerous situations - they tend not to be the most forgiving of folk. Particularly when it comes to traitors.

 

[Umbran]

So as a gamer, do you appreciate being in a game where the realism enforcement is on and you can steal from each other or do you meta game an agrement that players won't steal from each other?

As a gamer, I appreciate fellow gamers having enough wisdom to not do this. Lacking this - I prefer a fellow gamer who is fully willing to take the consequences.

Given the rather "Wild West" approach to law enforcement in most D&D games, the player can probably expect that the offending character will be beaten to a pulp, if not killed, when caught. And given the fact that these characters rely on each other for life and limb, and such an act usually proves untrustworthyness, the character should darn well be ejected from the party.

Whichever way it goes - stealing from the party is biting the hand that feeds you. Unless it makes up for the story-disruption it causes when the offender comes to rough justice, it's dumb.

 

[ThirdWizard]

That's not what I was referring to. That example is clearly stealing.

I wouldn't call that stealing. For example, say you have Profession(brewer) and in your downtime you make ale for profit. There's no reason for party members to expect any of that. There's no reason for them to expect anything from your gambling profits if you so happen to win. And, there's no reason for them to expect any money from side deals you make.

 

[Umbran]

I wouldn't call that stealing. For example, say you have Profession(brewer) and in your downtime you make ale for profit. There's no reason for party members to expect any of that.

If the party did all the hard work to get you the ingredients and equipment you use in brewing, then yes, they should expect some of the profit. If they hauled your hops over the mountains and across the deserts, they'll expect to be paid, and reasonably so. Similarly, if they killed the ogre, and that meant you could run a scam, they'll expect a cut...