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Jeramiahh
2009-08-31, 12:30 AM
So, this came up in a recent discussion with a friend... how does your group handle loot?

In all three groups I've been a part of, we use a very socialist method; loot is acquired, and anything not immediately usable goes to party loot, until it can be sold, and then items are purchased using the party's gold, as needed for the general party's benefit.

My friend, on the other hand, divides loot equally; loot you obtain counts towards your total, and everyone gets an equal share, depending on what gets sold and what not.

So, I ask you, which is superior? What does your group use? Why?

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-08-31, 12:41 AM
My groups have generally gone with "everyone gets an equal value of loot, who gets what is determined by what's availible", like your friend does. So if Barb the Barbarian, Wizzy the Wizard, and Rouge the Rogue are adventuring, and they find: A +1 sword(4,000 GP)
A Headband of Int +2(2,000 GP)
6,000 GP(6,000 GP)
Gems, divine-only magic items, and Bard scrolls(6,000 GP value, 3,000 GP if sold)Barb would get the sword, Wizzy gets the headband and 2,000 GP, and Rouge gets 4,000 GP. They each get 1,000 GP when they get back to town and sell the misc loot.

Kylarra
2009-08-31, 12:43 AM
We do ours similar to Sstoopidtallkid.

Approximately equal value out of usable items and then difference is made up in whatever is left.

Mongoose87
2009-08-31, 12:44 AM
Assuming all characters are honest with it...

Everything goes into the party loot pool.

1. If anyone can use any particular item, they are given it, and put the time that it replaced into the pool.
2. If anything is useful to the party as a whole, that is set aside.
3. The face does his/her best to sell the remaining items for maximum returns.
4. All gold, found or acquired through sales, is divided evenly.

TheThan
2009-08-31, 12:53 AM
We don't get loot :smallfrown:

Olo Demonsbane
2009-08-31, 12:56 AM
One way I do it, if Im just randomly generating treasure on the spot (which often happens, some of my players like it better that way :smallconfused:), is say, after dividing up the gold/gems equally: "Each of you gets one medium and one minor item" Then we go around the room "Peter, you get a medium...weapon, and a minor...scroll." Then we roll for Peter's medium weapon and minor scroll. I reroll until they get something they can use, or at least useful to someone. Then the party can trade items. It works out fairly well, though is very random.

Doc Roc
2009-08-31, 12:56 AM
We don't get loot :smallfrown:

Why would you need loot? Friend Computer cares for us all evenly and well.

rezplz
2009-08-31, 01:00 AM
My group does the second version. We are all rather selfish people and like to have our own gold totals. :)

If there's something we need to buy that will benefit the whole party, however, then everybody chips in.

Ormur
2009-08-31, 01:01 AM
We usually identify the items, determine if we can use them and then give them to the party member that has most use for it and will do the party most good by having it.
If they can't be used we sell them and split the gold evenly, just as we do with gold. The items and gold then become the player's to buy and sell as they please.
If we need something for the whole party we usually split the cost. If I want a bigger sword I buy it myself but if the wizard needs some pearls of identification so we can properly distribute the loot, we buy them together.

It has apparently resulted in a uneven wealth-by-level split but it hasn't hurt our party.

MichielHagen
2009-08-31, 01:10 AM
Any item that is useful to someone goes to that person, if it replaces an item, that item goes to the loot.
Once we sell the remaining stuff it is divided among all players, sometimes equally regardless of items received, sometimes the person that received an item declines all or part of the gold.
Some characters (not players) tend to want to receive more, some care less.

<edit> what Ormur said :smallamused:

Innis Cabal
2009-08-31, 01:46 AM
We usually identify the items, determine if we can use them and then give them to the party member that has most use for it and will do the party most good by having it.
If they can't be used we sell them and split the gold evenly, just as we do with gold. The items and gold then become the player's to buy and sell as they please.
If we need something for the whole party we usually split the cost. If I want a bigger sword I buy it myself but if the wizard needs some pearls of identification so we can properly distribute the loot, we buy them together.

It has apparently resulted in a uneven wealth-by-level split but it hasn't hurt our party.


Ditto. Seems to work great. Just sucks when the random table makers 10 swords the fighter can use, and he wants all of them.

Shademan
2009-08-31, 03:58 AM
we have fist-fights over it. the winner gets first pickings and the guy who got knocked out last gets second pickings etc etc.


no not really, we split cash evenly and give items to those that can make most use of them

Ormur
2009-08-31, 06:14 AM
we have fist-fights over it. the winner gets first pickings and the guy who got knocked out last gets second pickings etc etc.

That would be an interesting way of improving melee characters, especially monks.

Shademan
2009-08-31, 07:47 AM
fistfights IRL

AslanCross
2009-08-31, 08:02 AM
So, this came up in a recent discussion with a friend... how does your group handle loot?

In all three groups I've been a part of, we use a very socialist method; loot is acquired, and anything not immediately usable goes to party loot, until it can be sold, and then items are purchased using the party's gold, as needed for the general party's benefit.


My group does this. Any loot that is obviously of benefit to a particular character goes to that character (weapons, stat + items, etc); potions are distributed evenly especially if a character has expended his or her healing potions. Gold is pooled and used to buy items for the whole party.

While I roll random treasure I always make sure the items aren't trash the party would just end up selling. I tend to favor giving items to the melee characters since casters hold out well enough on their own. I just give wondrous items to those guys.

Gorbash
2009-08-31, 08:06 AM
When we get the loot, if anyone wants to use something, he gets it, we sell the rest and divide equally. It may not be the fairest method since those who take items immediately get more in gold value, but in the long run it's the same, since everyone will take items at some point and it spares us of wasting time on calculating who gets what.

If we lag behind the WBL, DM gives us items we want at the end of some boss fight.

Tar Palantir
2009-08-31, 08:18 AM
Most items I drop for my players are useful (not vendor trash), and whoever gets the best use out of it takes it. Then the gold and miscellanea go in the bag of holding, and people pull from it as needed when buying stuff. Equality is enforced by the fact that the guy with the bag of holding is the sorcerer, who has little need for magic items and can kick the ass of anyone who tries to get more than their fair share. :smalltongue:

valadil
2009-08-31, 08:44 AM
So, this came up in a recent discussion with a friend... how does your group handle loot?

In all three groups I've been a part of, we use a very socialist method; loot is acquired, and anything not immediately usable goes to party loot, until it can be sold, and then items are purchased using the party's gold, as needed for the general party's benefit.

My friend, on the other hand, divides loot equally; loot you obtain counts towards your total, and everyone gets an equal share, depending on what gets sold and what not.

So, I ask you, which is superior? What does your group use? Why?

I play in two groups and they use the two methods listed. Both ways work, but I prefer the socialist style. It seems more team friendly. Dividing by GP value doesn't work when you put big items into the pot. One time I gave them a bunch of 3-5k GP stuff and a +2 con tome. I figured that anybody would benefit from the tome. In the end nobody took it, because its value was so much higher than everything else that the reader would have to pay money to buy it out of the pot.

potatocubed
2009-08-31, 08:47 AM
Cash gets divided up equally with any leftover forming a party fund for resurrection doodads and the like. Magic items go to whoever can make best use of them, or whoever has fewest items if there's a dispute. Magic items that nobody wants get sold.

I don't place 'vendor trash' in my games, but I do place items where you might expect to find them - wizards have magic staffs (or orbs, or wands...) not magic greatswords, no matter how badly the fighter might need one.

Rixx
2009-08-31, 12:36 PM
Our parties are pretty lenient about loot in general. Magic items go to whoever can benefit from them the most, and if someone didn't get any magic items, they'll get the largest share of the rest of the treasure instead.

Rhiannon87
2009-08-31, 12:41 PM
Gold and gems are divided immediately amongst the players who are there at a given session, with one share going to the party treasury. (We have a few people who routinely miss game, so they get no treasure). Magic items are identified and given out based on who has the most need for them. Magic items that aren't claimed get two fates: one, they're sold, or two, they go into the handy haversack for possible later use (if it's something cool but with limited use, like a ring of x-ray vision or a ring of shooting stars or an amulet that gives the fire subtype 7 minutes/day. Cool and handy, but they don't need to constantly be carried on someone.)

As the party treasurer, I have a five-sheet spreadsheet where I keep track of the party inventory, treasure, who's claimed what items, what stuff still needs to be sold, and how the gold is being divided. I am a meticulous treasurer. There is color-coding involved.

Thajocoth
2009-08-31, 01:04 PM
Money is evenly divided. Items are given to those who need them most. Items that need to be sold are added to a list, and their revenue is split once we sell them. Items already owned by a player but get replaced by a new item go to another player if useful to another player, otherwise the owner sells it and pockets the gp for themselves.

shadzar
2009-08-31, 01:07 PM
Sometimes they are Necromungers and keep what they kill, other times it goes into a party pool. You get what benefits you the most.

Things people cannot use are sold off and then coin split.

only1doug
2009-08-31, 02:03 PM
Items are given out to those who need them, items unusable to anyone get sold off and remainder is party funds. people wanting a share of funds can have it no questions asked, people needing a specific item list what they want and how it will benefit them (and the group) those falling behind the average party wealth will probably get first claim unless something clearly benefits the entire group more.

Gralamin
2009-08-31, 02:19 PM
Why would you need loot? Friend Computer cares for us all evenly and well.

Well, occasionally commie-mutant-traitors carry experimental weapons above your security clearance. Thus, knowing about them means you're screwed unless you can destroy all evidence of them and kill the commie-mutant-traitors that are your party members.

All hail friend computer!

Curmudgeon
2009-08-31, 02:25 PM
Well, the Rogue goes through all the risks associated with the final safeguards on the treasure store, so some Sleight of Hand skimming off the top is expected. Once everybody knows what's available there's some discussion about who could best use what. Then each person picks an item and multiple claims are resolved either via further discussion or dice rolling. Repeat until done.

Eloel
2009-08-31, 02:30 PM
Price everything at sell-price, and add them up. Everyone gets their share.

Brains the Wizard, Muscles the Fighter, Quick the Rogue.

Loot is
+1 Sword of Uber Magicalness (9000 sell)
Ring of Arcane Power (8000 sell)
+1 Dagger of Sneakiness (7000 sell)
Boots of Speed (6000 sell)
Amulet of Divinity (7500 sell)
15000gp

You add that all up. 52500gp.
There are 3 people, so each gets 17500.

Fighter wants to buy Sword for the 9k price off of party. Since noone else wants it, he buys it, reducing his share to 8500.
Wizard wants the Ring for 8k, and gets it for 8k, reducing his share to 9500
Rogue gets the dagger (Since he's the only one who wants it), reducing share to 10500.
Fighter wants the boots, but so does the rogue. Fighter bids 6000 on the boots, but the rogue who wants it more bids 7500 on it (shop-price is 12k, so it's a good deal on his part). Rogue buys it for 7500, reducing his share to 3000.
Noone wants the amulet, so it's sold in the city.

Now there's 22500. Fighter takes his share of 8500 off of it, and he now has his complete share. 14k left in 'pool'. Wizard gets his 9500, reducing the pool to 4500. Rogue, gets his 3k from the pool, reducing it to 1500.

Since noone has shares left, the 1500 is split between everyone evenly, 500 per person.


I know it looks complex, but it works good enough, and is fair to everyone involved.

Tukka
2009-08-31, 02:44 PM
My group uses pretty much the same method that Ozgun uses, except we hadn't bothered to come up with a method of resolving who gets an item that two or more people want, because it really hasn't come up yet. But the bidding system makes sense.

Crossblade
2009-08-31, 02:49 PM
Since I currently GM for a solo with my gf; she decides which NPCs tag alongs get what, or if it's sold.

Back when I played in university, it pretty much went to who the item complimented the most... unless the item was found in secret; then it was kept by the finder.

Dienekes
2009-08-31, 02:53 PM
My game has a very "you keep what you kill" mentality.

I like to stand back as a GM from enforcing equal share rules and let them handle things themselves, but actually it's been working out pretty well.

Lamech
2009-08-31, 02:54 PM
This is how I think treasure should be done.

1) Remove items that benifit the whole party.
Ex: A scroll of resurrection. Everyone wants the cleric to be able to use it. So this means that the cleric holds on too it. It would be stuipid to say "We're taking this scroll, which won't help you a bit out of your share.:

2) Bid on items people want. The bid has to be at least half the value. Don't be a jerk and run up the price.
Ex: A fighter wants a sword of 10,000 gp price. No one else wants it. He can bid 5,000k. A wizard and an archivist want a ring of magic power. (50,000 gp) The wizard wins at 40k The fighter gets the sword and the wizard gets the ring.

3) Sell everything total the GP value and add the bid amounts.
Ex: Everything else came out to 105k so the total loot is 150k. The fighter puts 5k into the pot and the wizard 40k. (Or get that much less out if you prefer.)

4) Divide evenly.
Ex: Everyone gets 50k. (Or the cleric 50k wizard 10k and fighter 45k if you are subtracting the bids off here.)

I think this would be the fairest. No one can claim less than a fair share. (If they think item X is worth more then they can bid more.) Everyone gets the items they want. (Or can just buy them if the item goes up to full value.) No loot is wasted. (If a fighter thinks sword X is worth 5k too him it would be a waste to sell it if the sell value is 4k).

Its a little confusing, and never happens with my groups (We give items to who ever can use it, in case of a dispute the person holding it keeps it. Splitting gold when the party is handed gold.) But, hey this is supposed to be ideal right.

Foryn Gilnith
2009-08-31, 03:01 PM
My started-up evil group is in a dungeon that they're being forced to trudge through, and ran out of Identify pearls. So people are just claiming random magical items (we have plenty of detect magic, and my character has it at will) and hoping the abilities work.

Unwitting Pawn
2009-08-31, 03:25 PM
As the party treasurer, I have a five-sheet spreadsheet where I keep track of the party inventory, treasure, who's claimed what items, what stuff still needs to be sold, and how the gold is being divided. I am a meticulous treasurer. There is color-coding involved.

I think I'm in lov- *ahem, my GF might read this* Let's just say I'm impressed :smallwink:. To actually have any players in my group that enjoyed bookkeeping (of any sort) would be a dream! Having said that, prob fair to say that I don't give out enough loot for most ppl...

As for how they divide what they get, usually it's fairly equitable. A mixture of an item going to whoever has the greatest need/tactical benefit for the item, coupled with making sure that everyone gets something. That said, it doesn't always work out that way.....more that once the party "merchant" has pocketed stuff and then been so distracted by events that she forgets to ever mention the object's existence to the other party members.

arguskos
2009-08-31, 03:30 PM
My game has a very "you keep what you kill" mentality.

I like to stand back as a GM from enforcing equal share rules and let them handle things themselves, but actually it's been working out pretty well.
This is how I do it. If they want to enforce some arbitrary "equal share" mechanic, that's great. If not, alright. I only really step in if players are getting angry with one another. Otherwise, it's just between characters. :smallamused:

Superglucose
2009-08-31, 03:31 PM
Depends on the character makeup. In the sci-fi game, money is split straight out since there are no such things as magic items. In the Assassins game, it's like an eyeball. I did, however, get totally shafted recently by the GM and the party since I took the spellstoring rapier so our ambushes could get a free and easy ray of enfeeblement off. I'm not actually using it, I'm just making it more powerful so others can use it

Oh well, as a god wizard in a party of rogues I still dominate every encounter :smalltongue:

In a fantasy game we had a while back, the way we did loot was this:

I wrote everything down, divided the gold fairly, sold everything when we went back to town and divided it "evenly." Net result: I had a lot of stupidly broken magic items that I never used and the GM didn't have to worry about unusually high rolls on treasure.

I may add that Princess Ialana, King of the Goblins, Lieutenant Governor of (some province), Captain of the Guard (same province) and heir to the Barony of Hohenheim (she collected titles) has since earned a place of fame in that group.

shadow_archmagi
2009-08-31, 03:36 PM
Earlier, the party had been bickering over who gets what and whether a particular item (part of a skeleton) would be kept by one player, since having the whole thing would be more valuable.

Then one player declared himself Obstructive Bureaucrat, confiscated all the party's loot, and demanded they fill out forms in quintiplicate before requisitioning items.


...

They went along without arguing, although one of them has been sulking and muttering about "commies" for a bit.

Stephen_E
2009-08-31, 04:24 PM
The best method is the one that the players concened are most at ease with.

Currently straight GP convertable items are added to gold from the selling of magic items no one want, and then the lot is split x+1 ways, where "x" is the number of players, and the "1" is the party fund for joint expenditures and death recovery (life insurance, so to speak). The definition of "group expenditures" varies on the PC group, not player. Currently where all family so it's prett easy going.

I've played variants of pretty much everything else mentioned here. The only catastophic failure was under the "items go to who can make best use of it". We had one really good fighter, played by a somewhat pushy person, and I was playing a utility character, bard I think. At the point that the fighter was claiming his 3rd or 4th magic item when I had none I bitched loudly. I pointed out that while I couldn't use the item as effectively as the fighter I could use it and would like it. The fighter player/PC disagreed and was supported by another player who often exhibited signs of a grudge against me. Another player who'd only got one item also backed me up. The fighter claimed the item, and my PC was about to take the item and her share of the treasure and abscond in the night when the GM sat us down as players and worked out a compromise (I got the item). The fighter lasted about 3-4 more sessions before the player left after a game fight where he got in a snit because he decided he was the party comander and several of us weren't treating him that way (nothing to do with him having to give up a magic item and no longer getting 1st dibs on all magic combat items. Really truly).

Stephen E

Tyndmyr
2009-09-01, 11:37 AM
Our loot distribution is as follows:

The first one to find the treasure gets as much as he can conceal before someone else notices it, at which point he distributes the remainder evenly between the rest of the party, unless of course he can bribe the party member to stay quiet, and split it between them.

Further redistribution then takes place in the form of slight of hand checks, and of course, heavy looting while players are asleep or unconcious.

When ressurections are needed due to an unfortunate death, the entire party comes together to loot the body of the fallen, laugh at his misfortune, and head to down to spend the booty.

shadzar
2009-09-01, 11:47 AM
When ressurections are needed due to an unfortunate death, the entire party comes together to loot the body of the fallen, laugh at his misfortune, and head to down to spend the booty.

I just hope your group knows an unwashed booty isn't worth much. The cleaner the more value. :smallbiggrin:

Cieyrin
2009-09-01, 12:57 PM
The groups I play in have never found party pools that useful, given somebody is gonna be carrying it regardless, so it might as well be theirs monetarily, so all valuables are evenly distributed. The treasure value is determined and equal shares of said value is given to each player. If a character wants an item, the item's value comes out of their share and if it puts them over cap for their share, they owe the party and they get that much less next haul. If multiple characters want an item, they bid for it. They can only bid an additional amount equal to what they have available, so no indebting themselves as per the single claim.

System seems to work decently, as far we're concerned. Perfect? Probably not but everyone has been pleased about it in general, so it's fine.