Treasure Division - Book value or Sale Value?

[dcollins]

During treasure divisions, in determining equal shares of the total share - do you use the book value of magic items (etc) or the sale value (typically half in D&D)?

3.0 PHB p. 146:

When a character gets a magic item, count half its cost against his or her share of the treasure.

 

[Crothian]

At times I wish the group I'm playing D&D with would go in that direction. Any suggestions on how to do that?

My guys just do. There is no greed, no jealousy...justa bunch of friends having fun gaming. But in my groups we tend to always do it this way.

 

[Crothian]

Give them all copies of the Communist Manifesto for Christmas?

Except it is actually nothing like that at all

 

[rbrt_spade]

The way I do it is that you count magic idems at half thier selling value. Mundane things are at full value. If nobody wants something, we sell it and divide the gp evenly. Same thing with gp. I do it buy the book in the phb.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

As the DMG says, sale. Or, more often than not, pool. Magic items tend to go into a 'party pool', used by members of the group at need rather than being divied out, so they do not count against anyone's shares. Only when one PC wants an item as his very own does the price enter the picture.

Very seldom is an item sold, though I have seen some given to worthy causes.

The Auld Grump

 

[sydbar]

Our group has always done magic items go to who can use it the most, if multiple people want an item, the one that gets it doesn't get a shot at next item that might be used by someone else. i've been in the group for 14 years, and we have never had a real problem.

 

[DM_Matt]

I use a system that a friend who is good at math came up with.

Divide the sale value of the treasure into one part for each character, .5 for the cohorts, and one extra share (or two if you want) as a "party fund." This money is owned by the party and used to get things for the party as a whole (disposable healing items, utility items, ransom, spells for hire). There is an assumption that any standard item can be sold at the wholesale price and any standard item bought at the retail price. Everyones share can be used to buy items out of the DMG, with items that came with the treasure only costing half their sale price, since that would mean they were never sold at half price to be converted to cash to buy something else. If more than one character really wants an item, its possible to buy more and split the financial benefit of already having one in the pot. For instance, say two people want a Ring of Protection +3. It is possible to buy another ring +3 by selling other things, but the person who gets the ring from the pot can buy it for half. So, the fair thing to do would be to buy a second ring and both characters pay 75% of the cost. If three people want it, it would mean buying two more and each paying 83.33% of the cost.

 

[Kurotowa]

At times I wish the group I'm playing D&D with would go in that direction. Any suggestions on how to do that?

The shares method works best with a party that's primarily out for profit. That applies both ICly and OOCly. Breaking it down by the numbers prevents accusations of favoritism, hoarding, or cheating. However, if the party is primarily friends doing heroic deeds and the loot is secondary, you can try something else.

My last party used these rules: Items get handed out to those who can use them best. The archer gets first call on Gloves of Dex, the undead hating paladin gets the undead bane sword, wands and scrolls go to the casters. We don't keep track of item prices because it's assumed that over several adventures everyone will average out to the same amount of cool stuff. However it is encouraged that if you're getting something really good, you toss your old obsolete items back in the party pot (third ring, weaker Cloak of Protection, second pair of magic boots). After the useful items are handed out the rest are sold off and added to the cash loot, which is divided into equal shares and paid out.

 

[Jarrod]

Items are worth what you could get at the merchant, which means 50% for magic, mundane, and 100% for cash equivalents.

If you want to buy it for 50%, cool. Otherwise there's a guy next door who will.

 

[LostSoul]

But if a party member -- a friend who has shed blood for all of you, risked his life to save yours, probably at some time made a personal sacrifice for your well-being -- if he wants to buy the item, he has to pay you 3,000 gp?

How in the is that fair?

I guess that would work, unless you're unlucky and don't find items that you can use. In which case the total value of your equipment will be less than other people who were able to use the stuff they found.