mabon5127 wrote:

rhialto wrote:

mabon5127 wrote:

I just started a new campaign and went in the opposite direction. They gain a level after each adventure, with adventures taking about 3-4 sessions. We are not tracking xp or gold for that matter.

I do something similar: never track XP, just level up after several sessions. We do track gold, though, as they're getting near the level that strongholds/guilds/temples/towers will become important.

I run into that awkward period during a campaign where characters end up with of with lots of gold and nothing to spend it on. They don't act like adventurers, more like stingy accountants. If you're 5th level and have 18k gps why in the heck are you leaving home. Sorcerers have reasons but a fighter? I could be the gm that uses taxes, thieves, levies, training costs, etc to balance the scales or just let the player decide in what way they expend the excess. They are much more imaginative than I and end up with lots of contacts and NPC interactions I would never think of. I'm still working out how they will afford the stronghold and how they can upgrade equipment consistently etc.  

5th level with 18K? Wow, I guess you can start spending money on your Stronghold early, along with better (Magical?) weapons and armor, Hire some Specialists (Potion Makers, Armorers, Weaponsmiths, Mages). There are litterally 18,000 things you could spend money on. Hell as a DM I would have had all sorts of money sinks starting with 1st-3rd level to make sure they didn't have too much of a surplus.
One of my parties has a running contract with a cities potion maker to the tune of 4K GP/month to supply a set of potions (4 extra healing, 2 cure disease, 2 cure poison, with one variable) each month. It comes out of "Party Loot" which is all monies/magic items that the group gains, before anything is divied out. All magics are "sold" to the characters for GP Value out of the party pool. Ex., party runs a dungeon, finds 5K in GP 50K in gems and a single Hold Avenger type sword (over 100k GP value). the Paladin puts in all his loot share, plus what it needs to cover to get the Avenger out of party loot. That said, the party will "loan" him the sword till paid off, and will not cripple him as far as money needed for Maintance etc. 
Maybe the fighter should be chipping into the Party more for services of the Mages/Clerics, It costs them money for some of the things the fighter may be getting as free services.

There are a lot of things that a GM can do for Gold Soak, without coming off as just trying to take it away, (Which is a whole other option, and could lead to some adventure ideas (track the thieves that sole from the characters/Bank (if you have Banks).

Bob

Hello all,

I would really appreciate some clarification on something bugging me badly: XP for magic items.  To quote the section (pg 434) “Each magic item is assigned suggested experience point (XP) and gold piece (gp) values. An item's XP value is intended for characters who retain the magic item earned or discovered. If the PC party elect to sell an item, the GP value is the typical sum derived from the sale. No additional XP is awarded for the sale of magic items.”

So, does this mean: 1) xp is awarded only if keeping an item, and 2) if selling the item, then no XP is earned even though it can be sold for a large cash value?

It is the term “typical sum” that throws me: sum of what? Gold, or XP?  Is the final sentence meaning that the XP value is not also added to any XP earned from selling a magic item?  Or, that selling items earns no XP?

CONFUSED!! 

Antalon wrote:

Hello all,

I would really appreciate some clarification on something bugging me badly: XP for magic items.  CONFUSED!! 

~ If you keep the item, you get the XP.
~ If you sell the item, you get the GP. But you don't get XP for that gold.

What if you keep the item for a while, and having already received the XP, sell it later?
~ You get the GP, but don't get XP for that gold.

Basically the simplest way to put it is you get XP for magic items, but they don't count as far as recovered GP total when awarding XP for gold.

Edited because typing it made it click in my noggin.
 

Last edited by Jimm.Iblis (11/21/2021 5:09 pm)

Thank you all, that is now clear. 

I will be kicking off the game Saturday!  Proper D&D!  Great setting!