Am i overpowering my characters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Am i overpowering my characters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheAnarchist
05-02-05, 06:03 AM Hello all,
I'm kinda new here, but have been playing D and D for a couple of years.

I'm currently in a campaign with two friends. One has a Rogue and the other has a Fighter. I also play a Bard, just so i can give them a chance at some cooler, harder monsters.

Anyhoo, by 5th level, we all have some manner of +1 weapon, and the Rogue has managed to aquire a Clock of Fortification and Gloves of Dexterity. We've all also got a crap load of gold; so much that the fighter keeps paying people double what they're owed for items!

What i'm trying to get at, is, do you think i am giving my characters too much in the way of treasure? I realise i'm a generous DM anyway, but maybe i'm going over the top? I know that if i lower the amount of treasure they find, the Fighter will keep saying "We haven't found as much treasure in this dungeon have we?", because he's greedy that way!

So any thoughts? Am i spoiling my PC's?

Many thanks, The Anarchist
:evillaugh
VerinBlod
05-02-05, 07:13 AM Probably, but I can't tell exactly from your post. The best thing to do is calculate how much in GP value each player has and check the table in the DMG "character wealth". If they have more than what the table indicates than you give out too much.

Hope this helps.
Cantankerous
05-02-05, 07:17 AM If you've got characters paying double for equipment, it's obvious that THEY think they have too much money. Take it as a hint and scale back the old payola by 1/2 for a bit. See how that does for you.

You ARE only buying their swag for half of standard value aren't you?

Isshia
b6
05-02-05, 09:36 AM to respond to the topic question:
if you have to ask, then the answer is usually "yes."

that said, however, if all parties are having fun and no one is really getting bothered by the "overpowered" nature of the game, then by all means dont sweat it and continue. i know a lot of players that love high-powered games almost to the extent of never playing anything else. that is just what does it for some people.

if youre as a DM are capable of running the game this way without too much stress -- and the players enjoy it -- then dont feel like you have to conform to the traditional way. do it your way; it is your game after all! :D

[mmm, spelling errors. :(]
TheAnarchist
05-02-05, 09:51 AM Thanks for the response everyone.

b6, i like the way you think! My characters seem to enjoy amassing the wealth, so i think i'll just keep it the way it is.

Cantankerous, i haven't really given the guys a proper chance to sell the things they've aquired yet; much of the stuff is too 'specialist' for the open market, and i've told them they have to wait until we get to a large city to find people who will want to purchase it. But yes, the stuff they have sold has been bought at half value.

VerinBlod, i will check the table, and then let you know what it says.

Again, thanks alot. Any more thoughts?

The Anarchist :evillaugh
Nidair
05-02-05, 11:31 AM Don't forget that your party is fewer than the 4 persons the DMG expects, so some extra wealth may be very welcome, if not needed.
Board_Rider
05-02-05, 12:11 PM Nidair took what I was going to reccomend. Listen with on 2 PCs and you these guys should really be saving that money for items that they will need for later down the line.
Draco Strang
05-02-05, 12:27 PM Well, if your party has all this loot and seems to be burning through appropriate to their level CR enounters with great ease and speed, odds are you're handing out too much treasure and need to scale back, but like Nidair and Board Rider said, if they're going up against encounters geared towards 4 characters, then the stuff they amass could very well be spelling the difference, and remain necessary to their winning.

Either way, you seem to have the situation under control, and your players seem happy, so it's sort of a moot point.
Siduakal
05-02-05, 12:31 PM Also, scale the encounters..

If they can wipe through say.. (Just an example) CR 9 encounters, make them fight CR 11. Or CR 12..

Now, granted.. they'll be harder fights. But they'll also yield more experience. And that will level them faster.

But it will give them a challenge.
Harmonica
05-02-05, 12:34 PM I had the same issue in my campaign. I decided that, although they had more gold and items than they should have at their level,that I could handle it. But more wealth lead me to increase the CR of the encounters by 1 that meant more treasure for the PC's. Which led to more overpowered PC's. So I increases it to +2 CR etc. It started around level 6 and at level 12 all encounters were a brease for the party unless I pulled out the big guns (CR15+).

Now I watch the wealth table pretty close, as to keep it from happening again. I don't want to come up with a believable way to take all their items away again. So if you're gonna go with it keep away from this scenario and you'll be fine.
sherretz
05-02-05, 01:05 PM You can do something relatively easy to level the playing field a bit. Just increase the CR a bit for encounters, but keep the treasure a few CRs lower to limit the characters' wealth and power.

Another great way to take care of this problem is to institiute some kind of governing body over magic. If you've got a group of high powered mages saying who can practice magic where and when, then the characters can draw the attention of some nasty (and/or opportunistic) people if they keep up with their rampant magic use.

As for wealth, increase the prices a bit; indicating that a recent tomb looting by another group of adventurers has upset the economy.

Once you get everything in control a bit more, then scale things back up a bit.
weasel fierce
05-02-05, 01:50 PM Rust Monsters :)
smaugchow
05-02-05, 02:58 PM low-level pcs + too much wealth = high-level thief's wet dream.

If you need to cut them down a bit, anyway. No reason a level 12 rogue can't take an intrest in your little party. If they like the gold - keep it up. There is no problem with them having a billion gold each if it make 'em happy. As long as they are willing to go back out and adventure again, whats the problem? If it were "real" then they might want to quit adventuring anf buy a continent or something, but it ain't so don't sweat it.

I used to scare my players with wealth and magic. I made it abundantly clear that if they got way out of line in wealth or magic power that they made themselves targets for more powerful foes. Then I gave them a vorpal sword (level 8 or so.) They left it in the dungeon, knowing I would jump them with heavy duty monsters if they took it. :D I let them decide their style of play - want hack-n-slash? Pick up the sword - you'll never stop fighting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheAnarchist 05-02-05, 06:03 AM	Hello all, I'm kinda new here, but have been playing D and D for a couple of years. I'm currently in a campaign with two friends. One has a Rogue and the other has a Fighter. I also play a Bard, just so i can give them a chance at some cooler, harder monsters. Anyhoo, by 5th level, we all have some manner of +1 weapon, and the Rogue has managed to aquire a Clock of Fortification and Gloves of Dexterity. We've all also got a crap load of gold; so much that the fighter keeps paying people double what they're owed for items! What i'm trying to get at, is, do you think i am giving my characters too much in the way of treasure? I realise i'm a generous DM anyway, but maybe i'm going over the top? I know that if i lower the amount of treasure they find, the Fighter will keep saying "We haven't found as much treasure in this dungeon have we?", because he's greedy that way! So any thoughts? Am i spoiling my PC's? Many thanks, The Anarchist :evillaugh
VerinBlod 05-02-05, 07:13 AM	Probably, but I can't tell exactly from your post. The best thing to do is calculate how much in GP value each player has and check the table in the DMG "character wealth". If they have more than what the table indicates than you give out too much. Hope this helps.
Cantankerous 05-02-05, 07:17 AM	If you've got characters paying double for equipment, it's obvious that THEY think they have too much money. Take it as a hint and scale back the old payola by 1/2 for a bit. See how that does for you. You ARE only buying their swag for half of standard value aren't you? Isshia
b6 05-02-05, 09:36 AM	to respond to the topic question: if you have to ask, then the answer is usually "yes." that said, however, if all parties are having fun and no one is really getting bothered by the "overpowered" nature of the game, then by all means dont sweat it and continue. i know a lot of players that love high-powered games almost to the extent of never playing anything else. that is just what does it for some people. if youre as a DM are capable of running the game this way without too much stress -- and the players enjoy it -- then dont feel like you have to conform to the traditional way. do it your way; it is your game after all! :D [mmm, spelling errors. :(]
TheAnarchist 05-02-05, 09:51 AM	Thanks for the response everyone. b6, i like the way you think! My characters seem to enjoy amassing the wealth, so i think i'll just keep it the way it is. Cantankerous, i haven't really given the guys a proper chance to sell the things they've aquired yet; much of the stuff is too 'specialist' for the open market, and i've told them they have to wait until we get to a large city to find people who will want to purchase it. But yes, the stuff they have sold has been bought at half value. VerinBlod, i will check the table, and then let you know what it says. Again, thanks alot. Any more thoughts? The Anarchist :evillaugh
Nidair 05-02-05, 11:31 AM	Don't forget that your party is fewer than the 4 persons the DMG expects, so some extra wealth may be very welcome, if not needed.
Board_Rider 05-02-05, 12:11 PM	Nidair took what I was going to reccomend. Listen with on 2 PCs and you these guys should really be saving that money for items that they will need for later down the line.
Draco Strang 05-02-05, 12:27 PM	Well, if your party has all this loot and seems to be burning through appropriate to their level CR enounters with great ease and speed, odds are you're handing out too much treasure and need to scale back, but like Nidair and Board Rider said, if they're going up against encounters geared towards 4 characters, then the stuff they amass could very well be spelling the difference, and remain necessary to their winning. Either way, you seem to have the situation under control, and your players seem happy, so it's sort of a moot point.
Siduakal 05-02-05, 12:31 PM	Also, scale the encounters.. If they can wipe through say.. (Just an example) CR 9 encounters, make them fight CR 11. Or CR 12.. Now, granted.. they'll be harder fights. But they'll also yield more experience. And that will level them faster. But it will give them a challenge.
Harmonica 05-02-05, 12:34 PM	I had the same issue in my campaign. I decided that, although they had more gold and items than they should have at their level,that I could handle it. But more wealth lead me to increase the CR of the encounters by 1 that meant more treasure for the PC's. Which led to more overpowered PC's. So I increases it to +2 CR etc. It started around level 6 and at level 12 all encounters were a brease for the party unless I pulled out the big guns (CR15+). Now I watch the wealth table pretty close, as to keep it from happening again. I don't want to come up with a believable way to take all their items away again. So if you're gonna go with it keep away from this scenario and you'll be fine.
sherretz 05-02-05, 01:05 PM	You can do something relatively easy to level the playing field a bit. Just increase the CR a bit for encounters, but keep the treasure a few CRs lower to limit the characters' wealth and power. Another great way to take care of this problem is to institiute some kind of governing body over magic. If you've got a group of high powered mages saying who can practice magic where and when, then the characters can draw the attention of some nasty (and/or opportunistic) people if they keep up with their rampant magic use. As for wealth, increase the prices a bit; indicating that a recent tomb looting by another group of adventurers has upset the economy. Once you get everything in control a bit more, then scale things back up a bit.
weasel fierce 05-02-05, 01:50 PM	Rust Monsters :)
smaugchow 05-02-05, 02:58 PM	low-level pcs + too much wealth = high-level thief's wet dream. If you need to cut them down a bit, anyway. No reason a level 12 rogue can't take an intrest in your little party. If they like the gold - keep it up. There is no problem with them having a billion gold each if it make 'em happy. As long as they are willing to go back out and adventure again, whats the problem? If it were "real" then they might want to quit adventuring anf buy a continent or something, but it ain't so don't sweat it. I used to scare my players with wealth and magic. I made it abundantly clear that if they got way out of line in wealth or magic power that they made themselves targets for more powerful foes. Then I gave them a vorpal sword (level 8 or so.) They left it in the dungeon, knowing I would jump them with heavy duty monsters if they took it. :D I let them decide their style of play - want hack-n-slash? Pick up the sword - you'll never stop fighting.