Author Topic: A Quandary of Loot Distribution (Read 3287 times)

jaranka · « **on:** May 27, 2012, 08:29:43 AM »

An unneeded, if brief, background: I play the thief type character in our RM campaign, and did early on develop an *undeservedly* bad reputation for secreting loot away from the others (A product of meta gaming). I was "forced" to "promise" early on that I would divulge all knowledge of treasure obtained by me. And this led to an early convention of Gather all loot and split it evenly at the end of the adventure.

Several adventures later, we now have a heap of magical trinkets and treasures that need distributed (minus the obligatory plate mail to the fighter, dagger to the thief, rod to the mage, etc), and I'm trying to think of a fair way to do this.

We could... roll for it I guess. Or take turns going in a circle. Or draft them, like in fantasy football, up and back. Or even create a complex poker chip bidding system where the winning bid is divided among the rest of the players, who then have more to bid on items themselves and are used as a currency of a sort (Yeah I've given that one a little thought..).

Some of you might be/have some indifferent or less insistent players and don't haggle over the loot. But since treasure is one of the major sources of excitement in a role playing game, I'm sure we're not unique in our quandary. Regardless of on which side you fall, what conventions do you guys use to distribute the loot that's not most apt for one particular person?

yammahoper · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2012, 09:23:13 AM »

Roll dice, highest picks first, lowest last.

Barter and negotiation is perfectly acceptable. Any logger heads should be resolved with die rolls.

You will occassionally get the fighter picking the staff of lightning just cuz he knows he can get several hundred gold for it, but normally, players will cooperate as they understand party strength means survival and future loot. If not, then having a magical elemental or construct later in game that can only be hurt by lightning is a fine way to drive a lesson a home, if they sold the staff or not.

markc · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2012, 11:09:15 AM »

Easy, roll and pick for all items. It does not matter who can use what. If party members want to trade or work something out afterwards that is fine. (IMO how most people would do it in RL unless harder #2 is used)

Harder: If two people want an item dice off for it. Can be very lopsided.

Harder #2: Work out the $ value of everything and everybody gets an equal share to spend on magic items.
MDC

yammahoper · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2012, 01:35:40 PM »

if you dice for it, and later the loser of the last roll off should again contend an item, the winner from the first dice off will auto lose against the first challenger, but could dice against others. there is no point allowing one pc to get al the treasure because his dice get hot.

Morthandeus · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2012, 03:56:21 PM »

Quote from: jaranka on May 27, 2012, 08:29:43 AM

I'm trying to think of a fair way to do this.

Does individual ownership actually matter to your characters? Otherwise you can keep it as group inventory, to be used freely as the need arises.

You may also want to consider if certain items might be worth more to outsiders than group members. Depending on the campaign, presenting a magical item as a gift to royalty, a powerful religious order or guild might provide gains for the entire party that is disproportionate to the utility value of the item to adventurers.

jaranka · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2012, 04:47:58 PM »

Quote from: Morthandeus on May 27, 2012, 03:56:21 PM

Does individual ownership actually matter to your characters? Otherwise you can keep it as group inventory, to be used freely as the need arises.

For those random situational items, I could see group inventory working if there were a magical bag of holding that would appear next to whomever in the party wished it. But if you don't have one, and want to factor in encumbrance, who wants to be the guy that carries the Magical Tuba of Mass Stun? Sure it's an awesome item but man whoever gets it is gonna have a hell of a time carrying it. And he sure doesn't want to carry it just so his buddy can use it from time to time. And even for the small items, whoever becomes the carrier of that item for the party undoubtedly develops a sense of ownership of it anyway. And people will forget what was "group" property over time, and who has what, unless everyone takes the extra step of keeping track of everyone's inventories. It's rough enough maintaining your own. I just think its better overall for each person to own and be responsible for the stuff he carries with him. Healing potions and other "emergency" items surely often fall into the group loot category, but must still be carried individually. And those individuals must take their own time and risk to administer them.

Cory Magel · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2012, 03:00:58 AM »

Hmmmm. Well, there are factors in how and when the loot was obtained in my opinion.

A. Would you have been able to obtain the loot without the parties help?
B. Would the party have been able to obtain the loot without your help?
C. Was the party an indirect contributing factor to you obtaining the treasure?
D. Was the loot intended as a reward for the specific encounter for the party in general?

When online gaming we had a system...
1. Current party member most in need of the item gets first shot.
2. Current party member that could best use the item gets second shot.
3. Guild member most in need of the item gets third shot.
4. Secondary characters of current party members get fourth shot.
5. It gets rolled for (taking into account who has not received a randomly rolled for item of relative value).

If you were in a bazaar and you pilfered the items off of a vendor or pick-pocketed it off a random shopper then it is yours unless you choose to pass it on.
If you obtained it out of a chest while the rest of the party was fighting off the 'bad guys' in the room, then I think it's more shared treasure.

While it is easy for me to say, because the group I choose to game with are people who I've arrived at over many years... and some of the people I choose not to game with are the type who would insist on rolling for treasure when it was pretty obvious someone else was in more need of it... but I would really just stop gaming with players who can't be more reasonable and less greedy.

jdale · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2012, 11:46:51 AM »

We've gone around and picked. But for the most part we are strictly communists. We look at the item and its benefits, and try to determine who it will be best used by. E.g. we found a magic sword with an elven spirit, so naturally we gave it to the elven paladin who didn't have a magic weapon. Seemed obvious to everyone. We try to allocate things to people who have the least. "Good of the party" may not be a great system for all parties though...

providence13 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2012, 01:18:04 PM »

Sometimes it's need. Sometimes highest roll.

Whatever system is used, I think some items should still be geared to certain players/professions.
If an item requires an Attunement roll, the party's Mage is likely to be the only one to make it.
So I started keying some items to specific Professions, giving them a bonus (+20) to the roll. My reasoning is that that the item was made for a specific person in mind. Someone commissioned it. If you're closer to that person's mindset (similar Profession), then it should be easier to Attune.

We still have a Mage who thinks he's a Thief..
Mage: "Oh, the enemy spell caster is down? I rush to the body to check his condition. If we keep him alive, he can be questioned..
(Quietly) OK, does he have any rings?"

Adding a few cursed items in the mix also reinforces sharing.
Backbiting Sword of Defense, or a Ring of Aiming Fire Bolts (+20 Dir Spell) that has -20 SCSM.

markc · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2012, 02:31:06 PM »

Side note: As providence13 said above Not all magic items are good or some have good and not so good abilities. This is a good thing to have in your game IMHO and can reinforce sharing as providence13 said.

MDC

Nortti · « **Reply #10 on:** May 29, 2012, 02:15:20 AM »

How does this rolling for ownership work in roleplaying terms? Do the characters actually have dice? What other random method they use?

In our RM group players normally think of who can best use the item. Money has been divided equally.

Cory Magel · « **Reply #11 on:** May 29, 2012, 02:25:42 AM »

Quote from: Nortti on May 29, 2012, 02:15:20 AM

How does this rolling for ownership work in roleplaying terms? Do the characters actually have dice? What other random method they use?

Eh, it's just the out of game way from simulating something like Rock/Paper/Scissors in game. If there's disagreement on how to distribute loot it's pretty much random (and when I say "random" I mean everyone rolls then picks in order) or a possible party fight (and that HAS happened with people I formerly played with).

I like to game with people who simply use common sense and teamwork... but some people don't have that luxury.

markc · « **Reply #12 on:** May 29, 2012, 02:29:35 AM »

In the past we have also worked it out sort of as a bank. You get the sell value of the item to pay off with what ever $ you get from the adventure (or future adventures).
I do see the logic in best person uses the item for the group but what if the group splits up? Or a PC gets mad at another PC and decides to go their separate ways for a time? Do the items stay with the adventuring group? Or do the items go to the PC?
Maybe the best way is to form a Adventuring Company and work things out as a business would. I think one game we did it like a business with players getting a full share (maybe more if a player did a lot of work) and NPC's getting a full share of the $ and a 1/100th share of the magic items. Some times we game magic items as bonuses to good NPC's or those that gave a lot of aid or were in a lot of danger.

MDC

DangerMan · « **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2012, 05:47:37 AM »

We use the "common sense and teamwork" approach, as suggested by Cory. I cant really see any other way of doing it. Dicing for loot? No thanks.

OTOH I've recently seen the process from the GMs chair and been amazed on how players soemtimes fail to understand where which item is most needed.

Dari Holvir · « **Reply #14 on:** May 29, 2012, 08:48:38 AM »

Common sense and teamwork is what we prefer also.

Also we are normally not allowed to discus loot from an out-of-game perspective. We have do discuss it in-game from our chr's POV.

providence13 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 29, 2012, 09:27:20 AM »

Quote from: Dari Holvir on May 29, 2012, 08:48:38 AM

Common sense and teamwork is what we prefer also.

Also we are normally not allowed to discus loot from an out-of-game perspective. We have do discuss it in-game from our chr's POV.

That is awesome. Not every player is able to do this, yet.
If a player passes me a note, I don't even read it. I just pass it to another player..
Some players are better at being "in character" than others. This doesn't mean I'm going to kick them out of the game. But with a nudge, encouragement and positive reinforcement, we can all have fun.
It's interesting that the higher level/more powerful the PC's get, the more difficult it is to divvy the loot. Gaining Ranks in Attunement or a device that casts a Bolt and then perhaps an item that adds to Dir Spell means that more people will be able to use a wider variety of items.