Anyway, I have played since the early days and have had games with and without party loot. I now REALLY like party loot and let me make a quick case for those that have never considered it. Our weekly campaigns have "party loot" and it is usually maintained as a percent of total loot. We use it for the following things;
1) Expensive stuff that would be used by or help the whole party. This includes: Plate mail for the biggest melee character (if they want it), wagons and draft horses, travel fees (boats, etc.), and keeps/towers/houses/etc.
2) mat components, especially revivify/raise dead/etc.
30 Bribes, hirelings, etc.
If the party loot gets too big, we just dispense it in even shares. There are periods when expenses are lower than expected.
Finally, we keep it in a shared Google sheet so everyone knows exactly what comes in, goes out, etc. We are even at the point, in one group, where the players take turn recording the results of the week.
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DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
Unless you have access to WiFi, the one downside to party loot is that one player has the contents and if they don't show up, there could be major issues if you need it.
The other thing is contributing to the party loot and then have everyone else veto your expensive plate mail because they don't want you to have disadvantage on stealth checks.
I think party loot is a good idea. But it does have its pitfalls. Many expenses beyond magic weapons can easily be handled by the player.
I let my players in all three groups manage it on their own, but they all follow the same pattern.
At least one person keeps a log of the loot obtained.
Any functional loot is immediately discussed and claimed if wanted.
Any non-functional loot (coin, etc.) is either divided immediately, or kept in a group storage container until they get to the next town.
When they reach town people talk up what they'd like to make or buy and how much they need. Sometimes everyone cooperates because they really want more healing potions, other times they just sell and split the loot and do what they want individually.
As the DM, I stay out of the way. Unless it creates conflict between the players at the table. One of my parties is composed of childhood friends, etc. so they tend to be very helpful to each other. Another is much more mercenary. It works.
Yeah, I find the more people are friends outside the game the more cooperative they are within the game.
I think I'd say I've found it a little bit different from that. Players that barely know each other at all can, and will, be entirely cooperative within the game unless they have too many "jerk player" tendencies - which means it isn't so much that party loot has pitfalls as it is that playing with people you don't already know aren't jerks has pitfalls. I know I've run plenty of pick-up games in gaming stores with complete strangers, and avoided the majority of pitfalls just by being clear that I won't just sit and tolerate players being jerks to each other, whether it's in or out of character.
So I'd phrase it the other way around; people that more cooperative within the game are more likely to become friends outside the game.
Have the party designate a small portion of profits as "party loot" for things that are party expenses: stays at the inn, rations, wagon, horses, etc.. Split the rest of the money evenly and let people do what they want with their cut. Money is a resource just like anything else int the game that players need to plan for and make decisions about. Things that are for a specific player such as plate mail, spell components, etc. I would make the characters roleplay out trying to borrow money for this stuff from the others with the risk that they'll just say "no." Maybe the wizard is saving up for something and doesn't think the fighter needs an extra +1 to his ac more than the wizard needs the gold for material costs to summon zombies. Maybe they'll also be fine with it. That's an rp encounter for the players to work out amongst themselves.
I let my players in all three groups manage it on their own, but they all follow the same pattern.
At least one person keeps a log of the loot obtained.
Any functional loot is immediately discussed and claimed if wanted.
Any non-functional loot (coin, etc.) is either divided immediately, or kept in a group storage container until they get to the next town.
When they reach town people talk up what they'd like to make or buy and how much they need. Sometimes everyone cooperates because they really want more healing potions, other times they just sell and split the loot and do what they want individually.
As the DM, I stay out of the way. Unless it creates conflict between the players at the table. One of my parties is composed of childhood friends, etc. so they tend to be very helpful to each other. Another is much more mercenary. It works.
This is for the most part how things have gone in my various campaigns. If I'm playing I am usually the pack horse that keeps track of the group loot and I always make sure to record values of items etc and the next stop in town I read off the list of vendor trash and the total for each player. As a DM I let the group handle it how they choose but if there's some uncertainty I usually recommend this type of system. I helps keep things simple and when an item comes up we'll discuss it right there and decide who will get it.
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Calling out to players here! In the DM threads, there are some REALLY good posts on" "Plate Mail"
DM Plate Mail thread
Anyway, I have played since the early days and have had games with and without party loot. I now REALLY like party loot and let me make a quick case for those that have never considered it. Our weekly campaigns have "party loot" and it is usually maintained as a percent of total loot. We use it for the following things;
1) Expensive stuff that would be used by or help the whole party. This includes: Plate mail for the biggest melee character (if they want it), wagons and draft horses, travel fees (boats, etc.), and keeps/towers/houses/etc.
2) mat components, especially revivify/raise dead/etc.
30 Bribes, hirelings, etc.
If the party loot gets too big, we just dispense it in even shares. There are periods when expenses are lower than expected.
Finally, we keep it in a shared Google sheet so everyone knows exactly what comes in, goes out, etc. We are even at the point, in one group, where the players take turn recording the results of the week.
--
DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
Bran -- Human Wizard - RoT
Making D&D mistakes and having fun since 1977!
Unless you have access to WiFi, the one downside to party loot is that one player has the contents and if they don't show up, there could be major issues if you need it.
The other thing is contributing to the party loot and then have everyone else veto your expensive plate mail because they don't want you to have disadvantage on stealth checks.
I think party loot is a good idea. But it does have its pitfalls. Many expenses beyond magic weapons can easily be handled by the player.
I let my players in all three groups manage it on their own, but they all follow the same pattern.
As the DM, I stay out of the way. Unless it creates conflict between the players at the table. One of my parties is composed of childhood friends, etc. so they tend to be very helpful to each other. Another is much more mercenary. It works.
Yeah, I find the more people are friends outside the game the more cooperative they are within the game.
Have the party designate a small portion of profits as "party loot" for things that are party expenses: stays at the inn, rations, wagon, horses, etc.. Split the rest of the money evenly and let people do what they want with their cut. Money is a resource just like anything else int the game that players need to plan for and make decisions about. Things that are for a specific player such as plate mail, spell components, etc. I would make the characters roleplay out trying to borrow money for this stuff from the others with the risk that they'll just say "no." Maybe the wizard is saving up for something and doesn't think the fighter needs an extra +1 to his ac more than the wizard needs the gold for material costs to summon zombies. Maybe they'll also be fine with it. That's an rp encounter for the players to work out amongst themselves.