Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
I use it as a baseline, nothing more.
Wealth by Level Guidelines- how closely do you follow them?
- Thread starter Ellie_the_Elf
- Start date
I try and follow it.... but don't worry about it too much. And my players have this 'knack' for *missing* the big treasure.... or burning the boat before finding the chest...whatever.
They are at about 1/2 of what they are 'supposed' to have, but they are also 7 characters, so that helps balance things. I should be catching them up a bit soon.
I am not as experienced as many others here, so I like to use them as a baseline/guidance, but the goal of the game is (theoretically) fun, not wealth accumulation.
They are at about 1/2 of what they are 'supposed' to have, but they are also 7 characters, so that helps balance things. I should be catching them up a bit soon.
I am not as experienced as many others here, so I like to use them as a baseline/guidance, but the goal of the game is (theoretically) fun, not wealth accumulation.
FireLance
Legend
I've posted how my group deals with gear and treasure in most threads discussing the issue (lately, the threads on how to distribute treasure, and Iron Heroes threatening the low magic style of play). It's not for everyone, but at least one person has found it interesting, so here it is:
In a way, my group follows the wealth by level guidelines exactly. Every time the characters level up, they get to re-select whatever gear they want, up to the standard wealth guidelines for a character of their new level. So, a 2nd-level PC with 900 gp of gear, say, a masterwork greatsword, breastplate, a composite longbow [+2 damage bonus], ammunition, and other adventuring equipment, makes a level. He can select up to 2,700 gp of gear, say, a masterwork spiked chain, full plate armor, a masterwork composite longbow [+1 damage bonus], a potion of bull's strength, a potion of cure light wounds, ammunition, and other adventuring equipment.
In addition to cutting down on intra-party squabbling about who gets what, it also saves the DM the hassle of second-guessing what the players want, and placing appropriate treasure in the adventure. It also ensures that the PCs are relatively well-balanced with respect to each other (nobody gets all the good magic items) and with the challenges they are expected to face (they are always equipped with a reasonable amount of gear for their level).
The standard in-game explanation for how the PC's gear improves is that he belongs to an organization that keeps him appropriately equipped. Along the way, our group has developed additional handwaves: some magic items actually improve with the character (as a paladin grows in power, the +1 longsword he frequently uses becomes a +1 holy longsword, for example) or change because of in-game events (the +1 holy longsword dealt the final blow to a demon and now thirsts for the blood of other fiends, becoming a +1 holy evil outsider bane longsword), the character is given a reward, the character gains an inheritance, the character actually finds treasure at the end of the adventure, etc.
In a way, my group follows the wealth by level guidelines exactly. Every time the characters level up, they get to re-select whatever gear they want, up to the standard wealth guidelines for a character of their new level. So, a 2nd-level PC with 900 gp of gear, say, a masterwork greatsword, breastplate, a composite longbow [+2 damage bonus], ammunition, and other adventuring equipment, makes a level. He can select up to 2,700 gp of gear, say, a masterwork spiked chain, full plate armor, a masterwork composite longbow [+1 damage bonus], a potion of bull's strength, a potion of cure light wounds, ammunition, and other adventuring equipment.
In addition to cutting down on intra-party squabbling about who gets what, it also saves the DM the hassle of second-guessing what the players want, and placing appropriate treasure in the adventure. It also ensures that the PCs are relatively well-balanced with respect to each other (nobody gets all the good magic items) and with the challenges they are expected to face (they are always equipped with a reasonable amount of gear for their level).
The standard in-game explanation for how the PC's gear improves is that he belongs to an organization that keeps him appropriately equipped. Along the way, our group has developed additional handwaves: some magic items actually improve with the character (as a paladin grows in power, the +1 longsword he frequently uses becomes a +1 holy longsword, for example) or change because of in-game events (the +1 holy longsword dealt the final blow to a demon and now thirsts for the blood of other fiends, becoming a +1 holy evil outsider bane longsword), the character is given a reward, the character gains an inheritance, the character actually finds treasure at the end of the adventure, etc.
Ellie_the_Elf
First Post
Thanks all for your input 
I guess I'm just being overly paranoid!
The party did a little better than I expected with tonight's diplomatic mission and gained a patron who provided them with a healing wand (cure moderate), a small bag of holding and a couple of hundred gp each for their 'living expenses'. Everyone's happy, especially the cleric because the wand means he won't need to use his every last spell to heal the party each day.
FireLance, I saw your method before on another thread you posted, and thought it was pretty cool - my players' opinions were divided though so in the end we didn't use it. I'm definitely borrowing the spontaneously improving magic items part though
Ellie
I guess I'm just being overly paranoid!The party did a little better than I expected with tonight's diplomatic mission and gained a patron who provided them with a healing wand (cure moderate), a small bag of holding and a couple of hundred gp each for their 'living expenses'. Everyone's happy, especially the cleric because the wand means he won't need to use his every last spell to heal the party each day.
FireLance, I saw your method before on another thread you posted, and thought it was pretty cool - my players' opinions were divided though so in the end we didn't use it. I'm definitely borrowing the spontaneously improving magic items part though
Ellie
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