D&D 5E Why I think gold should have less uses in 5e, not more.


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Decades of experience have taught me that gold is never a true motivator, it is instead an intermediary currency for what the players may really want. If you build mechanical effects for gold expenditure that lead to XP (a problem in and of itself if you are using a milestone system to level up, but lets assume not) then some players will game that mechanic for the XP rather than the engagement experience.

I think it would be a useful optional rule for a group that needs it or sees some value in it, but I think it would only be useful in that way. I'd never adopt this for my game table, where my main goal is to get the players invested in the story rather than the loot. The story elements should not hinge on wealth expenditure whenever possible. Hell....my current campaign, as an example, is 10 levels in with the only endgame reward being land and title to the PCs for their deeds. The material wealth has been infrequent, but the boons and gains through the tale telling have been far greater rewards than any coin.
 

Distracted DM

Distracted DM
Supporter
Decades of experience have taught me that gold is never a true motivator, it is instead an intermediary currency for what the players may really want. If you build mechanical effects for gold expenditure that lead to XP (a problem in and of itself if you are using a milestone system to level up, but lets assume not) then some players will game that mechanic for the XP rather than the engagement experience.

I think it would be a useful optional rule for a group that needs it or sees some value in it, but I think it would only be useful in that way. I'd never adopt this for my game table, where my main goal is to get the players invested in the story rather than the loot. The story elements should not hinge on wealth expenditure whenever possible. Hell....my current campaign, as an example, is 10 levels in with the only endgame reward being land and title to the PCs for their deeds. The material wealth has been infrequent, but the boons and gains through the tale telling have been far greater rewards than any coin.
What edition are you running with 10 levels? Curious, if it's 5e, if you made any changes/house-rules to leveling/endgame etc.
 

Staffan

Legend
Decades of experience have taught me that gold is never a true motivator, it is instead an intermediary currency for what the players may really want. If you build mechanical effects for gold expenditure that lead to XP (a problem in and of itself if you are using a milestone system to level up, but lets assume not) then some players will game that mechanic for the XP rather than the engagement experience.
Right. That's why I think having parallel currencies is the way to go. Then you can be fairly lavish with "worthless" gold which PCs will spend on fun stuff, and let them hoard the power currency which they can then turn into actual power.
 

Distracted DM

Distracted DM
Supporter
Right. That's why I think having parallel currencies is the way to go. Then you can be fairly lavish with "worthless" gold which PCs will spend on fun stuff, and let them hoard the power currency which they can then turn into actual power.
Was this the magic item stuff that you could disenchant items into in 4e? I forget what it was called.
 

Alzrius

The EN World kitten
Was this the magic item stuff that you could disenchant items into in 4e? I forget what it was called.
I believe it was "residuum."

 

Distracted DM

Distracted DM
Supporter
I believe it was "residuum."

Yup. There ya go. So again, we are left with a case of "look, it's something D&D already tried... in 4e."
 

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