Would you give your 2nd level party 30 thousand gold?

[Hjorimir]

Well I voted 'Yes' simply because I could in my game without unbalancing the power of the group in any way due to an attunement system I use.

In reality, I probably wouldn't because I prefer the PCs hungry and destitute as this makes them very, very adventurous.

However, if the story called for it; sure, why not?

Of course I'd like to see such a low level group hold on to that much gold. I would have to imagine they'd attract a lot of attention with that much coin.

 

[Crothian]

Well, then while they have it, they also don't. Money is only worth what it'll buy - if they aren't buying, then it isn't worth much, and there is no problem.

They are buying, just being careful and planning. Not just going on a huge spending spree.

 

[Captain NeMo]

Depends entirely on the context. The biggest danger is having them plonk it in a bank and accrue interest.

 

[Steel_Wind]

No and HELL no.

Mind you - I'm biased when it comes to money. I wouldn't give my 12th level party 30k gold either, shy of a Dragon's Horde.

And then there would be some serious complications... Oh yes precious.

 

[Ringmereth]

Yes. Just because I shouldn't be trusted not to abuse a lump of cash like that doesn't mean that you shouldn't trust your players if you think you can. Besides, 7.5k each, while a lot, isn't enough to do that much harm. A +1 weapon, +1 armor or +2 stat boost, and a few minor items-scrolls, potions, etc-aren't going to unbalance your game too much, as long as you aren't handing them out like candy.

 

[painandgreed]

Now I really want to do this just to see what PCs would do. Next time I have PCs at 1st level clearing out the bat caves and just hitting 2nd level, I'll let them find a hidden chamber with 300,000 SP just to see what they do. I wonder if they could even move three tons of silver without losing it to bandits, villagers, local lord, etc.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Not if it fits the story arc - and I'd make up for it later: " After defeating the mighty dragon, you find its treasure: 50 gp, 500 cp and a half eaten mars bar"

Ooh! Ooh! Dibs on the mars bar!

 

[Jolly Giant]

I voted yes. I've done "worse" than that myself as a DM.

I never worry about how much stash the PCs have. There are times when they have way too much for their level and there are times when they have too little. It's no big deal. If I feel they are overpowered for their level, I just up the challenges a bit. If they are underpowered I go easy on them for a while.

 

[jgbrowning]

I'll go on record and say I don't use or even look at the wealth guidelines. I don't keep track how much stuff the players have or what their net worth is. They find the treasure that should be there, not the treasure I place there to make sure they accieve some amount in the DMG.

This is pretty much what I do. In my last campaign (Darwin's World) my group found a gasoline tanker stranded in the middle of Lake Michigan. Two million gallons of gas, dozens of small firearms, large amounts of useable machinery... Total monty haul-that's like finding fort knox in D&D land.

They were almost to afraid to leave to check out Chicago's robot factories... I played long before there were wealth guidelines and I'll play long after their gone.

joe b.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I'd say yes, but I'd have ways ready to make spending and keeping the loot a little difficult. A 2nd level dude with ~8000gp in his pockets makes for a mighty fine target...

AR