Playing with no gold

[Aurosman]

I am wondering, how much of a handicap would I be giving myself if my character doesn't keep gold. My main class is a monk, so I won't have to worry about weapons or armor thankfully. He may have a small amount, under 100g for random things. He is a lizardfolk, so he is used to living off the land with his tribe.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Vessyra]

It depends on how high-fantasy the world is. Monk's don't particularly need items, so no gold isn't too great a handicap. Even if magic item shops exist in the world, you can get some magic items from looted enemies, so a few missing items won't put you behind the power curve. The only issue I could seee is if the DM is playing very high fantasy, with the other players spending truckloads of gold on magic items.

So, in summary, it shouldn't be a problem, unless the DM gives you huge amounts of gold and magic items shops in which to spend it. Have a quick talk with your DM, to see if your idea will work.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I am wondering, how much of a handicap would I be giving myself if my character doesn't keep gold. My main class is a monk, so I won't have to worry about weapons or armor thankfully. He may have a small amount, under 100g for random things. He is a lizardfolk, so he is used to living off the land with his tribe.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Especially if the group keeps a "group gold" purse it should be fine. Heck, the DM and the group may appreciate having one less D20 rolled for looting immediately after each bad guy falls.

[Aurosman]

Thanks for the responses, sounds like it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[Chrizzt]

We have a savage culture like minotaur in the group, who refuses to take gold.

In the end, the group bought him magic items to buffer him up, because everytime he goes down, things get nasty.

[nickl_2000]

As a monk you need some random adventuring gear, food, and a few weapons. If you are not able to buy magical items with gold you don't need much more than that.

Frankly Monk is the class that needs the least amount of gold overall.

[Urukubarr]

the problem I have with gold in 5e is if you give your group enough gold to get the strong magic items they want then they probably can afford a colossal amount of potions and other minor items, as well as using any kind of monetary value within the world is pointless compared to the PC's. look at the value of staying at an inn, or food, compared to how much gold PC's have.

my solution is to recognize items the players might want and simply include them in the treasure with substantially less actual money.

their are other things of course, but overall items and money is something dnd has never gotten right, wish they would put more effort into it.

[Laserlight]

I don't recall a 5e game in which gold mattered much on a day to day basis. We needed it to buy heavy armor for the martials, one wizard needed it to buy extra spells, and sometimes it was a character motivation or a plot device.

It's fun, once in a while, to get "you have been shipwrecked and only managed to save your weapons and armor and 108gp. You must buy supplies in this town before you set off through the jungle to the Accursed Temple you were trying to reach. Here's a price list." But most players have to work a budget in real life; they don't seem to want to spend D&D time doing that.

[Aurosman]

Since I am playing a lizardfolk, I was hoping to try and use my cunning artisan trait to trade crafted items for food and shelter mainly. Also we are playing out of the abyss, so I dont know if magic item shops should even be available, since I know nothing about that campaign.

I'm just trying to roleplay this character more than I have any other character, and him not keeping gold fit the monster race to je.

[Urukubarr]

Since I am playing a lizardfolk, I was hoping to try and use my cunning artisan trait to trade crafted items for food and shelter mainly. Also we are playing out of the abyss, so I dont know if magic item shops should even be available, since I know nothing about that campaign.

I'm just trying to roleplay this character more than I have any other character, and him not keeping gold fit the monster race to je.

props, I personally find it all the more easy to RP something that is very stylized, lizardfolk fall into that category and as long as your enjoying it everything will come together. campaign and race idea sound great.

[darknite]

I have a monk that just made 15th level. He doesn't even need to eat or drink. Who needs gold?