Character Wealth and Cohorts [Archive] - Wizards Community

Character Wealth and Cohorts [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheGogmagog
08-27-03, 11:44 AM I'm currently DMing a campaign and am keeping track of character wealth since in the past my campaigns have degraded into a Monte haul.

One of the PC's took Leadership, and I'm trying to decide the best way to handle the groups character wealth. I think I will just add the Cohort and the NPC suggested character wealth to the group's total allowed wealth. Any other suggestions on how to handle this?
Dave99
08-27-03, 11:58 AM Don't count the cohort for anything. He is the product of a feat, just like craft magic whatever.

Let the player provide for him but just don't count him in the wealth factor.
Lewin
08-27-03, 12:24 PM I don't believe I'd set up a "limit" on the amount they can carry. Just use it as a guide for assigning future treasure.

I've been using it as a guideline, and adjusting the BBEG's treasure trove according to the level they reach at that instant.
TheGogmagog
08-27-03, 01:05 PM oh, I don't as a matter of fact I think one of the 5 players has about a third the party's wealth, untill the only weapon greater than +1, a +3 weapon was given to the cohort.

I do, as you said use it as a guidline and adjust treasure when they fall behind, or cut back so they don't exceed it as a group. Earlier in the campaign one character had over half the party wealth, then left the group.

The funny thing about doing it this way is there is no net drawback for selling at half price or using expended items. Once it's used up, the value drops and they get more treasure. That character though, would still need to convince the party to re-emburse them or petition for more treasure from the group to replace the lost item. It's also amusing how the cleric buys wands of clw out of his own money to heal the tank, instead of the monk paying for it himself, or out of party treasure.
TheGogmagog
08-27-03, 01:11 PM The group is currently underfunded, so they wouldn't notice if I kept the party total equal to the five characters total wealth. I just wasn't sure if this was the way to go, or to have it equal the five characters suggested wealth plus the NPC suggested wealth.
BladeVenom
08-27-03, 05:34 PM I think cohorts start with standard NPC equipment and then get a half share of wealth.

I really don't think I would give the party any more treasure for having a cohort. Part of the penaly for having one is losing a half share of the treasure to the cohort.

As far as following the guide as to how much treasure a party has, remember it's only a guideline. First you shouldn't hand out to much to begin with. Forcing a parties treasure conform to the guideline I think is a problem.

"The funny thing about doing it this way is there is no net drawback for selling at half price or using expended items", exactly. That's why being careful you don't hand out to much is the way to go. Otherwise no matter what they do they always have the same amount of treasure if you do it by following the guide to how much treasure they should have by level. To me that falls in the Deus ex Maxhina scenario in the bad structure section of the DMG. That no matter what they do they wind up with a certain amount of treasure at a certain level just seems silly.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheGogmagog 08-27-03, 11:44 AM	I'm currently DMing a campaign and am keeping track of character wealth since in the past my campaigns have degraded into a Monte haul. One of the PC's took Leadership, and I'm trying to decide the best way to handle the groups character wealth. I think I will just add the Cohort and the NPC suggested character wealth to the group's total allowed wealth. Any other suggestions on how to handle this?
Dave99 08-27-03, 11:58 AM	Don't count the cohort for anything. He is the product of a feat, just like craft magic whatever. Let the player provide for him but just don't count him in the wealth factor.
Lewin 08-27-03, 12:24 PM	I don't believe I'd set up a "limit" on the amount they can carry. Just use it as a guide for assigning future treasure. I've been using it as a guideline, and adjusting the BBEG's treasure trove according to the level they reach at that instant.
TheGogmagog 08-27-03, 01:05 PM	oh, I don't as a matter of fact I think one of the 5 players has about a third the party's wealth, untill the only weapon greater than +1, a +3 weapon was given to the cohort. I do, as you said use it as a guidline and adjust treasure when they fall behind, or cut back so they don't exceed it as a group. Earlier in the campaign one character had over half the party wealth, then left the group. The funny thing about doing it this way is there is no net drawback for selling at half price or using expended items. Once it's used up, the value drops and they get more treasure. That character though, would still need to convince the party to re-emburse them or petition for more treasure from the group to replace the lost item. It's also amusing how the cleric buys wands of clw out of his own money to heal the tank, instead of the monk paying for it himself, or out of party treasure.
TheGogmagog 08-27-03, 01:11 PM	The group is currently underfunded, so they wouldn't notice if I kept the party total equal to the five characters total wealth. I just wasn't sure if this was the way to go, or to have it equal the five characters suggested wealth plus the NPC suggested wealth.
BladeVenom 08-27-03, 05:34 PM	I think cohorts start with standard NPC equipment and then get a half share of wealth. I really don't think I would give the party any more treasure for having a cohort. Part of the penaly for having one is losing a half share of the treasure to the cohort. As far as following the guide as to how much treasure a party has, remember it's only a guideline. First you shouldn't hand out to much to begin with. Forcing a parties treasure conform to the guideline I think is a problem. "The funny thing about doing it this way is there is no net drawback for selling at half price or using expended items", exactly. That's why being careful you don't hand out to much is the way to go. Otherwise no matter what they do they always have the same amount of treasure if you do it by following the guide to how much treasure they should have by level. To me that falls in the Deus ex Maxhina scenario in the bad structure section of the DMG. That no matter what they do they wind up with a certain amount of treasure at a certain level just seems silly.