What makes a Monty Haul Game?

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi-

I am currently DM'ing a Greyhawk campaign here in Chicago and I was curious, how much treasure should I hand out with out the campaign seeming like a monty haul type of campaign.


Scott

 

[EricNoah]

I don't have a number for you, but here's my general treasure advice: Leave 'em hungry for more, and make sure there's a reason for it (answer questions like why hasn't it been found, why hasn't it been spent). And "interesting treasure" is always better than "more treasure." Some time spent coming up with some detailed jewelry or other artwork often pays off.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

If your players are 3rd level and their back-up weapon is a Holy Avenger then you are probably running a Monty Haul camapaign.

On a slightly more serious note, I would check out the expected wealth per character level in the DMG. If your PC's have 4-5 times what the table says they should have then they are probably going to be a little more powerful than someone who just have the average wealth.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing but if you hand out the really cool stuff too early on then the players won't be challenged and won't have a whole lot to look forward to.

Olaf the Stout

 

[XO]

Follow DMG Advice...

The DMG gives you a rough sketch of wealth.

It also spells out how much treasure for a given encounter.

Most opinions tend to follow these lines:

- DMG may be a little generous, and many DMs like to tighten the money and magic supply

- A little over recommended wealth is permissible if justified (they worked hard for it, or had perhaps once a lucky break)

- If you reach 150% of DMG advice in terms of wealth, you are on the Yellow Brick Road to Monty Haul's Curtains of Doom

 

[Slife]

http://www.hoboes.com/pub/Role-Playing/Humor/Best of Munchkin Humor 2

replace "be a munchkin" with "playing in a monty haul game"

 

[tx7321]

Let them fill their backpacks with gold, they cross an underground lake, the boat flips "ahhhh!" (from some attack) and likely some will drown. Treasure and greed are the ultimate traps.

The key to this question is making it unpredictable, keep treasure and magic rare (thus "magical" and special), but do use the tables. Remember your DM, so you can over-rule those roles when need be. Its a story your guiding, but ultimately its developed and "written" by the players and the dice. Let them fall where they may.

As for MC, forget that. Some of Gygax's early modules had tons of magic and treasure. Anyhow, its the ones with powerful magic that end up getting cocky and dieing first.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Let them fill their backpacks with gold, have them cross an underground lake, the boat flips (from some attack) and likely some will drown. Treasure and greed are the ultimate traps.

Heward's Handy Haversack, ! I buy one every campaign I'm in.

Seriously, follow the wealth by level guidelines. That is, if you're playing 3e.

 

[drdevoid]

On a similar note to the "interesting treasure" idea, always rolling random treasure is my absolute pet peeve as a player. After a while, it really irks.

 

[balterkn]

Monty Haul feel for me is when the players spend more time managing the influx of treasure than adventuring.

"You kill the kobold, in the sack the poor beast was carrying was a +5 sword, 2 rubies, 2100 gold coins..."

However, if the players are being effective at capturing benefits of encounters that were unplanned (such as capturing, rather than sinking, an opponent's ship - then selling the ship as a prize), then more power to them - that kind of insight should be rewarded as a benefit; and it will be a short one in general, as the expected wealth increases fairly fast. They may even end up, briefly, at several times the expected wealth.

Let them have fun with it, get overconfident, and then have fun with them.

If, as DM, you feel that the characters are too wealthy relative to the campaign for their level, you can alway move into "non-treasure encounters" - have them spend time fighting things that don't keep treasure (dinosaurs anyone?).

 

[Quasqueton]

deleted by self

Quasqueton