Division of Treasure

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How does your group divide treasure?

One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
wizard, without a problem). We had a recent discussion at our table about
what would happen if we decided to not know each other. It seems like most
people are of the opinion that this enlightened self interest style would
continue, regardless of people not really knowing each other. I thought it
was silly for anyone to do that(I don't care how good and benevolent you
are, magic has intrinsic value). Thoughts?

--
Jeff Goslin - MCSD - www.goslin.info
It's not a god complex when you're always right

 

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In article <ePSdnVRtwt-2ZE_fRVn-qg@comcast.com>,
"Jeff Goslin" <autockr@comcast.net> wrote:

> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
> that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
> possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
> that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
> wizard, without a problem). We had a recent discussion at our table about
> what would happen if we decided to not know each other. It seems like most
> people are of the opinion that this enlightened self interest style would
> continue, regardless of people not really knowing each other. I thought it
> was silly for anyone to do that(I don't care how good and benevolent you
> are, magic has intrinsic value). Thoughts?

I post our system every now and then so:


All treasure nobody cares to keep in its current form is liquidated (art
objects, spices, that sort of thing). That pool of value is divided
among the party members.

Magic is separated and divinational magics cast and/or hired.

The party members gather, and bring any assets they care to use. Magic
items are auctioned. Anyone can bid for anything.

Coin gathered as a result of the auction is redistributed at the
original share rate.

The auctions are fun and everyone is happy. If you didn't get anything
good this go 'round, you'll have more leverage next time.

- Allen

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
>
> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
> that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
> possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
> that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
> wizard, without a problem). We had a recent discussion at our table about
> what would happen if we decided to not know each other. It seems like most
> people are of the opinion that this enlightened self interest style would
> continue, regardless of people not really knowing each other. I thought it
> was silly for anyone to do that(I don't care how good and benevolent you
> are, magic has intrinsic value). Thoughts?

Most groups I have played in (home games or drop-ins) have divided the
plunder in the way you mention above. Magic sword goes to fighter, wands
and rods to the mages and clerics, etc. -- all with no questions asked
or hard feelings. Any magic items that no character has an obvious use
for are then tossed into the communal pile and later sold with each
member getting an equal share. At early levels there is competition for
potions and scrolls but later on these become an "anyone want 'em?"
situation.

The current group I play with is a bit different ... more or less as
above but every item (magical or otherwise) is assigned a "selling"
price by the GM. If any character wants a found magic item they can
'buy' from the group with their share of the treasure (or otherwise
available personal funds).

FWIW.


- Sheldon

 

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Clawhound wrote:
[re: dividing up magic items]
> We roll randomly, then go lowest to highest to lowest until all items
> are gone. This looks like: 123.321.123.321
>
> This way, the person who goes first, and gets the "best" pick then has
> to wait the longest time to pick again. The person who rolls "worst"
> must wait for his first pick, but gets two picks in a row.
>
> It's not perfect, but it solved the bickering that was happening.

What do you do when there's only one or two items? Wait until there's
some set amount to choose from before divvying them up?

Walt Smith
Firelock on DALNet

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
> that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
> possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
> that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
> wizard, without a problem). We had a recent discussion at our table about
> what would happen if we decided to not know each other. It seems like most
> people are of the opinion that this enlightened self interest style would
> continue, regardless of people not really knowing each other. I thought it
> was silly for anyone to do that(I don't care how good and benevolent you
> are, magic has intrinsic value). Thoughts?
>

We roll randomly, then go lowest to highest to lowest until all items
are gone. This looks like: 123.321.123.321

This way, the person who goes first, and gets the "best" pick then has
to wait the longest time to pick again. The person who rolls "worst"
must wait for his first pick, but gets two picks in a row.

It's not perfect, but it solved the bickering that was happening.

CH

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?

Basically, as you indicated, however, I wanted to tell a story about the one
campaign we were playing.

It was a modified 2nd edition campaign. I was playing a monk character,
with all the treasure restricitons that implies, and the other player was
playing a cleric that eschewed arcane magic for religious reasons. The GM
was playing an NPC Bard with no magic or treasure restrictions.

By the end of the campaign, I think we were like 8th level, the Bard was
having to invent new ways of carrying around the magic that neither of us
could take. I'm surprised that she didn't attract the quasar dragon all by
herself.

The GM was a little non-plussed over the whole thing.

 

[Darrell]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

> Jeff Goslin wrote:
>> How does your group divide treasure?

Here's the way that WE do it.

Say there are 8 characters in the party, 5 of which take part in the action
i.e. killing of the monster, clearing out a cavern, etc. then the treasure
gets split 5 ways. With the character who did the most getting first dibbs.
The other 3 characters who did not participate don't get diddly. The 5 who
did participate can vote to give a part to one or all of the others.

We did not think that it was fair to have a select few do all of the nasty
stuff and then everybody split up the goodies. That way it gets more
characters involved if they know that they have to get dirty in order to
collect goodies.

Darrell

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
> that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
> possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
> that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
> wizard, without a problem). We had a recent discussion at our table about
> what would happen if we decided to not know each other. It seems like most
> people are of the opinion that this enlightened self interest style would
> continue, regardless of people not really knowing each other. I thought it
> was silly for anyone to do that(I don't care how good and benevolent you
> are, magic has intrinsic value). Thoughts?
>

Well that's up to the players not the DM. At the moment it's pretty
much whoever needs or wants something, and one or two people keeping
track of the rest of anything saleable.

The people holding and selling the "junk" haven't been splitting the
proceeds with the rest of the party, which I don't like, but none of
the other players either notice or care.

There also seems to be some confusion as to who has what at any given
time, so I'm thinking of trying to keep track myself, but it would be a
lot of extra work.

- Justisaur

 

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drow wrote:
> Alien mind control rays made Jeff Goslin <autockr@comcast.net> write:
> > How does your group divide treasure?
>
> equal division of CGJ, then bidding on individual magic items.
> unwanted magic items are sold, proceeds of bidding and sales are again
> divided equally.
>
> personally, the next time i'm a PC, i'm going to push for aleph's
> bid by consent method.
>

What's that (or did I miss it here)?

- Justisaur

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?

Monetary treasure was more or less split equally. The first magic item
split was based on who could use the item (if only useable by a mage,
then the mage got it). For magic items left and usable by multiple PCs,
it went to whoever needed it the most. After that, it would be given to
a party NPC. I remember only one magic item ever being sold, and the
other players were in shock the PC did it.

Brandon

 

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Justisaur wrote:
>
> Well that's up to the players not the DM.

Not exactly true -- if the party's method (or lack of one) is severely
disrupting the campaign, the DM needs to step in.

Brandon

 

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Justisaur wrote:
>
> Well that's up to the players not the DM.

Not exactly true -- the the party's method (or lack of method) of
dividing treasure is disrupting the game, the DM needs to step in.

Brandon

 

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firelock_ny@hotmail.com wrote:

> Clawhound wrote:
> [re: dividing up magic items]
>
>>We roll randomly, then go lowest to highest to lowest until all items
>>are gone. This looks like: 123.321.123.321
>>
>>This way, the person who goes first, and gets the "best" pick then has
>>to wait the longest time to pick again. The person who rolls "worst"
>>must wait for his first pick, but gets two picks in a row.
>>
>>It's not perfect, but it solved the bickering that was happening.
>
>
> What do you do when there's only one or two items? Wait until there's
> some set amount to choose from before divvying them up?
>
> Walt Smith
> Firelock on DALNet
>

Yep. This also keeps the dividing away from adventuring, so no one is
wasting time arguing about an item.

CH

 

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Some items are obvious who they go to -- magic rapiers go to our rogue,
my cleric gets the "cleric" items, and so forth. For items anyone can
use, we try to give it to whomever could really benefit the party the
most. If an item covers a character's weak spot, we'll it to him. For
items that anyone can use and it just doesn't matter who has it,
whoever wants it can make a claim. If he's the only one, he gets it.
If more than one, they talk it out, either convincing the other they
need it more or conceding to the other another contested item. If no
one wants it, it's sold if possible, held on to if it's something
potent worth bartering with others, or someone just holds onto it if
it's too potent to want to give away and it counts as a party item.
Often times players speak up that another character should have a
certain item and of those times occasionaly have to convince the player
to take it. Any item a character acquires through solo side quests on
downtime or other non-party associated stuff is his without malice. He
often shares with the rest of the party but is not obligated to.

Once this approach failed when the party acquired a trove with several
items anyone could use, too potent to give away, and everyone wanted
everything. Before it got too out of hand we started over and everyone
made it a point to be less selfish. We reaffirmed to ourseleves that
ultimately it does not matter who has a particular item because we're
in this together. Each character doing something really well because
of a magic item means the party is doing something really well.

As a personal being impressed, I am jealous of our rogue's generosity.
He stakes his claim but only his truly fair share even by meta-game
standards and sometimes less.

Gerald Katz

 

[drow]

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Alien mind control rays made Jeff Goslin <autockr@comcast.net> write:
> How does your group divide treasure?

equal division of CGJ, then bidding on individual magic items.
unwanted magic items are sold, proceeds of bidding and sales are again
divided equally.

personally, the next time i'm a PC, i'm going to push for aleph's
bid by consent method.

--
\^\ // drow@bin.sh (CARRIER LOST) <http://www.bin.sh/>
\ // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
// \ X-Windows: The cutting edge of obsolescence.
// \_\ -- Dude from DPAK

 

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"Darrell" <trekkerzANTI@SPAMchatlink.com> wrote in message
news:db0re0$3i1$1@news.chatlink.com...
> > Jeff Goslin wrote:
> >> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> Here's the way that WE do it.
>
> Say there are 8 characters in the party, 5 of which take part in the
action
> i.e. killing of the monster, clearing out a cavern, etc. then the treasure
> gets split 5 ways. With the character who did the most getting first
dibbs.
> The other 3 characters who did not participate don't get diddly. The 5 who
> did participate can vote to give a part to one or all of the others.
>
> We did not think that it was fair to have a select few do all of the nasty
> stuff and then everybody split up the goodies. That way it gets more
> characters involved if they know that they have to get dirty in order to
> collect goodies.

Wow, I have to say, such a division of treasure would result in more than a
bit of strife in our party, I can tell you. I am somewhat impressed that
your group could actually divide treasure like this. It is "technically
fair", I suppose, if you don't get in on the combat, you don't get a share
of the spoils.

What about the guy who watches your back? What if there is a generally
agreed upon perceived requirement that someone "guard the rear", to prevent
you from being back doored? Has he participated in combat, even though
nobody came along and back doored you? Does he get a share of the treasure
that the monster who is actually in the room has?

I can easily see this being quite disparate in both early and late stages.
There will come a time, later on, where your wizard puts a gaggle of
somewhat tough but somewhat weak monsters to bed in such a hurry that
literally nobody else gets a shot off, does he get the entirety of, say, a
bugbear tribe's treasure? This also makes everyone incredibly mercenary, to
the point that, at least in our party, the wizard would have no problem
throwing a fireball on a mix of party members and opponents in melee combat,
without much regard to any PC's current health status, after all, he wants
to get his kills in.

Early on, however, you can pretty much count on the fighters getting the
majority of the treasure, at least in our game. What's a wizard got at 1st
level? Magic Missile? Burning Hands? (Sleep spell, ok, I'll give you
that.) What's a fighter got at 1st level? A big ass chunk of sharpened
steel that he's pretty good at swinging around and lopping parts off with.
People don't tend to survive long when they are missing parts.

What about the thief who disarms the deadly trap on the treasure chest?
Does he get *ALL* of the treasure in the chest? After all, nobody else
could open the chest... right? What about the cleric who runs around
healing people, but doesn't take a swing at the enemy? Without his
ministrations, you would not have survived the battle, surely he should get
all the treasure, right? No? Oh well, it was worth a shot...

I'm impressed that you guys can survive the arguments that would necessarily
start about who did more and who did less, at least in our game. At first
level, there was nobody who could even come CLOSE to touching what my (N)PC
Fighter could dish out, both at short range and long range(bow specialist).
If we divided treasure like you do, none of the "real" PCs would have seen
treasure for a while. (I play the ubiquitous silent cannon fodder aim and
release fighter character as DM to supplement the party, "Fight...
thataway!!" "durr, ok")

--
Jeff Goslin - MCSD - www.goslin.info
It's not a god complex when you're always right

 

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"Jeff Goslin" <autockr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ePSdnVRtwt-2ZE_fRVn-qg@comcast.com...
> How does your group divide treasure?

In groups that know each other, the "enlightened self-interest" method. In
other groups, sometimes a discussion leading to equitable distribution,
sometimes people take what they want if they are strong enough to lay claim
to it. I have seen a few fights over treasure, including several deaths.
Sometimes (in one Evil party in particular) there is an oligarchy of sorts;
the most powerful faction bullies the rest of the group and takes the best
for themselves.

--
^v^v^Malachias Invictus^v^v^

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the Master of my fate:
I am the Captain of my soul.

from _Invictus_, by William Ernest Henley

 

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"Jeff Goslin" <autockr@comcast.net> wrote:
] How does your group divide treasure?

Any character present when treasure is found, the money is divided
evenly. Magic is rolled for, typically by those who need the item.
If no one wants it, the party sometimes puts it in the group game
vault. Othertimes they may give a magic item to a local NPC, maybe a
part of the local town guard or an NPC who has helped them before. I
leave that stuff up to them, giving away or selling items they don't
want.

JimP.
--
http://www.linuxgazette.net/ Linux Gazette
http://crestar.drivein-jim.net/ June 7, 2005
http://www.drivein-jim.net/ May 14, 2005: Drive-In movie theatres
http://poetry.drivein-jim.net/ poetry blog March 12, 2005

 

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Hadsil <forumite@netzero.com> wrote:

>As a personal being impressed, I am jealous of our rogue's generosity.
>He stakes his claim but only his truly fair share even by meta-game
>standards and sometimes less.

It really helps if the party thief isn't out to screw the other
characters to his own advantage. It's an easy step from there
to bending over backwards to be fair. It's a nice non-stereotypical
persona. My own thief is always scrupulously fair about reporting
treasure he picks up while working with the party. Every once in
awhile I hold out a gem or two, but only because the mage likes
casting a suspicious eye my way. Just doing my part for the team.

Pete

 

[drow]

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Alien mind control rays made Justisaur <justisaur@gmail.com> write:
>> personally, the next time i'm a PC, i'm going to push for aleph's
>> bid by consent method.
>
> What's that (or did I miss it here)?

sorry, thought i'd pasted that.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.games.frp.dnd/msg/dfd8a34bea4b7b22

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?

We arm wrestle for it. Encourages us to hit the gym every now and then.

-Will

 

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firelock_ny@hotmail.com wrote:
> Clawhound wrote:
> [re: dividing up magic items]
>
>>We roll randomly, then go lowest to highest to lowest until all items
>>are gone. This looks like: 123.321.123.321
>>
>>This way, the person who goes first, and gets the "best" pick then has
>>to wait the longest time to pick again. The person who rolls "worst"
>>must wait for his first pick, but gets two picks in a row.
>>
>>It's not perfect, but it solved the bickering that was happening.
>
>
> What do you do when there's only one or two items? Wait until there's
> some set amount to choose from before divvying them up?

Cash is divided evenly. Items go to whoever can use them best. Items
with no likely user or with evenly likely users are discussed until a
decision is made. We don't roll dice or anything, unless the decision
is "we will flip a coin for it".

A sensible party doesn't need special wierd methods to do this stuff.




--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/seawasp/

 

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Sea Wasp wrote:
> > [re: dividing up magic items]
>
> Cash is divided evenly. Items go to whoever can use them
> best. Items with no likely user or with evenly likely users
> are discussed until a decision is made. We don't roll dice or
> anything, unless the decision is "we will flip a coin for it".
>
> A sensible party doesn't need special wierd methods to
> do this stuff.

<AOL>

Though sometimes my players argue about items... But only if it's
appropriate *in character* to argue about them. I've had a sorcerer
who was terrified of being damaged actually argue with the monk over
the bracers of armor, despite the rest of the party feeling the monk
would benefit more greatly from them.

--
Nik
- remove vermin from email address to reply.

 

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Sea Wasp <seawaspobvious@obvioussgeinc.com> wrote in
news:42D4712E.2010802@obvioussgeinc.com:

> firelock_ny@hotmail.com wrote:
>> Clawhound wrote:
>> [re: dividing up magic items]
>>
>>>We roll randomly, then go lowest to highest to lowest until all items
>>>are gone. This looks like: 123.321.123.321
>>>
>>>This way, the person who goes first, and gets the "best" pick then
>>>has to wait the longest time to pick again. The person who rolls
>>>"worst" must wait for his first pick, but gets two picks in a row.
>>>
>>>It's not perfect, but it solved the bickering that was happening.
>>
>>
>> What do you do when there's only one or two items? Wait until
>> there's some set amount to choose from before divvying them up?
>
> Cash is divided evenly. Items go to whoever can use them best.
> Items
> with no likely user or with evenly likely users are discussed until a
> decision is made. We don't roll dice or anything, unless the decision
> is "we will flip a coin for it".
>
> A sensible party doesn't need special wierd methods to do this
> stuff.


If you want to do a little more bookkeeping in the interest of fairness,
work out the total value of all the loot. (It's up to you if you want to
use market value or resale value.) Divide the magic items according to
need, deducting the value from the recipient's share. Use the cash to
even things out.

 

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Jeff Goslin wrote:
> How does your group divide treasure?
>
> One reason I really like the start where all adventurers know each other is
> that it makes enlightened self interest style of division a realistic
> possibility, where one would divide treasure equally and give magic to those
> that can use it, regardless of it's value(ie Staff of Power goes to the
> wizard, without a problem).

I guess I'm cruel in that I enjoy distrubing a group of items, each of
which could be equally well used by several members of the party, and
then seeing what results. Sadly, most players are still pretty
unselfish. Damn commies.