Our gaming group has tried several different ways of managing the "party fund" in our games. Lately, our strategies have been aimed at insuring that a reasonable amount stays in the pot at any given time. To do this, we've tried doing percentages and "if you buy this item from the loot, put X amount in", etc. We wanted to avoid people volunteering their cash at random times in arbitrary amounts (ie. Ben puts in 500gp, John puts in 1000gp when they happen to have extra cash one time). This was leading to certain players pitching in more than others and the party fund being too meager a lot of the time.
How does your gaming group handle the party fund? How do you make sure everyone pitches in fair amounts? How do you make sure it has enough in it at any given time?
-Brad
How does your gaming group handle the party fund?
Our groups tend to divide the earnings(stuff that was sold) an extra share, then if someone needs money they borrow from that extra share until the next time we sell more treasure. We've been calling it the "Shared Party Fund"
Ex: For 5 PCs, treasure is divided 6 ways.Hirelings/cohorts and such are the responsibility of whomever hired them, not the entire party usually, so their earnings come out of that PC's share. If the party has no cleric and hires one, THAT would likely come out of the "Shared Party Fund", as everyone benefits.(eventually)
We don't have one. Treasure gets allocated as we accumulate it in whatever way seems reasonable (usually equally, but we dont look up prices of magic items we just approximate what seems sensible to us).
If someone is short of money, they can borrow it from someone else or they can wait.
Our gaming group has tried several different ways of managing the "party fund" in our games. Lately, our strategies have been aimed at insuring that a reasonable amount stays in the pot at any given time. To do this, we've tried doing percentages and "if you buy this item from the loot, put X amount in", etc. We wanted to avoid people volunteering their cash at random times in arbitrary amounts (ie. Ben puts in 500gp, John puts in 1000gp when they happen to have extra cash one time). This was leading to certain players pitching in more than others and the party fund being too meager a lot of the time.
How does your gaming group handle the party fund? How do you make sure everyone pitches in fair amounts? How do you make sure it has enough in it at any given time?
-Brad
I let my players decide as a group how they want to handle that (I stay out of it unless they try to pay cohorts with it or they try some sort of VoP/tithing shenanigans -- not that they would), they usually set aside 1 share for a party fund, from which they buy consumables like cure wands, party buff scrolls, paying hirelings and the like so that the casters don't bear the brunt of healing and buff costs, etc., those costs get spread around.
Our gaming group has tried several different ways of managing the "party fund" in our games. Lately, our strategies have been aimed at insuring that a reasonable amount stays in the pot at any given time. To do this, we've tried doing percentages and "if you buy this item from the loot, put X amount in", etc. We wanted to avoid people volunteering their cash at random times in arbitrary amounts (ie. Ben puts in 500gp, John puts in 1000gp when they happen to have extra cash one time). This was leading to certain players pitching in more than others and the party fund being too meager a lot of the time.
How does your gaming group handle the party fund? How do you make sure everyone pitches in fair amounts? How do you make sure it has enough in it at any given time?
-Brad
We dont have a pot. If there is an item that should go to a particular player such as the +2 greatsword going to the barbarian we give it to him, sell what we dont need, and split the rest evenly. If there is something the party needs everyone gives what they can, or what they want to give. I know that won't work for every group but we feel like if one of us is stronger then all of us are stronger so sharing is not an issue.
We dont have a pot. If there is an item that should go to a particular player such as the +2 greatsword going to the barbarian we give it to him, sell what we dont need, and split the rest evenly. If there is something the party needs everyone gives what they can, or what they want to give. I know that won't work for every group but we feel like if one of us is stronger then all of us are stronger so sharing is not an issue.Our gaming group has tried several different ways of managing the "party fund" in our games. Lately, our strategies have been aimed at insuring that a reasonable amount stays in the pot at any given time. To do this, we've tried doing percentages and "if you buy this item from the loot, put X amount in", etc. We wanted to avoid people volunteering their cash at random times in arbitrary amounts (ie. Ben puts in 500gp, John puts in 1000gp when they happen to have extra cash one time). This was leading to certain players pitching in more than others and the party fund being too meager a lot of the time.
How does your gaming group handle the party fund? How do you make sure everyone pitches in fair amounts? How do you make sure it has enough in it at any given time?
-Brad
We run our group very similarly. Appropriate items go to the appropriate character, and there's rarely squabble about "not getting a share." In fact, there's never actually any complaining (unless you count "nothing has dropped for me in a few sessions"). Cash and cash equivalent items (gems, art, jewelry) are divided evenly between the members regardless of who did or didn't receive an item. At times when the group as a whole needs to purchase something, everyone pitches in equally. Our DM is usually very good about passing out both random loot and personalized loot, so things flow smoothly. Excess loot/money is usually funneled into business exploits since our DM is not fond of passing out money or magic items (we usually invest in the feats).
If there is an item that should go to a particular player such as the +2 greatsword going to the barbarian we give it to him, sell what we dont need, and split the rest evenly. ... snip ... we feel like if one of us is stronger then all of us are stronger so sharing is not an issue.
Oh yea, that's pretty much a given in MOST groups that I've played in as well. The treasure/loot that no one wants (within reason) is the stuff that gets sold and then divided amongst players, to include our 'Shared Party Fund'.
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I have two methods from two different groups...
1) The party divide treasure, xp and kill sheet, plot items, and anything else that needs to be tracked to a single individual. When Treasure is handed out that single player writes it down in the parties horde. Once they get a chance to identify items that are magical the items are shared on a need only basis. potions are divided equally with a balance towards abiliities, i.e. less healing potions to the cleric.
2) The other group handles the paperwork in an identicle way to group 1 but treasure is greed distributed. each item is identified one at a time, and once an item is identified each player interested in it rolls 1d20, the highest player wins it. That player can then trade items later on for others if the other players are willing to swap.
As you can imagine the balance of equipment for group 2 heavily leans towards the permanent items. potions wands and such are rarely given out and when they are often get lost in the treasure list or sold to trade for improved weapons and armor.
I dislike group 2s method but I'm in the minority since they dont play pathfinder and some of them refuse to run a game unless we use 2nd edition rules! :(
We pool all items onto the Dwarf's back until we get back to town (unless an item is immediately needed). When we sort through it, we give items out on a "as needed" basis. When all items are claimed that will be, we sell the rest. With the gold from that, we buy consumables, and then split the gold evenly. Repeat for the next adventure.
In all of our groups, we dole out magic items as needed, then liquidate the rest and divide the gold evenly. We don't take magic item value into account. If a magic item received is an upgrade, the person who got it puts their old one in the liquidation pot. We kind of assume everyone will get a fair number of upgrades throughout the course of the campaign.
When someone took Vow of Poverty (before Pathfinder of course), we beat them with a truncheon and/or other heavy objects for throwing off the formula.
If anyone needs to be resurrected and if there is some other kind of party expense, we just give an equal share. If someone's broke, we give them the stink eye and dock their next take.
It seems complicated, but this way we don't have to trust one person with the gold.
In my campaign world, there are banks and national guilds with linked logbooks which the PCs could utilize if they wanted to, but they haven't taken advantage of it yet.
It varies a little but generally we give what is useful to a specific character to the character and split the rest. We do however when dming take care to include things for each player. Generally each player provides the dm with a 'wish list' of items they would like for their character and the dm sprinkles them around in the adventures.
Currently, I'm seeing a couple of ways:
1) The typical "divide up the magic items, sell the rest, split the gold equally". If there's a common purchase, we'd all chip in, presumably.
2) Assign a value to every magic item (based on what it's worth to sell, not what it's worth to buy), and make sure that each person gets a treasure parcel of equal value (e.g. Joe chooses a +2 sword for his share, Bob chooses a Belt of Giant Strength +2 and 2000 gp for his share, and Alice chooses 4000 gp for her share). Again, group purchases come from folks chipping in when needed.
I like #2 a little better than #1 (you avoid the complaints about "why do we never find anything I want?", and it gives you an incentive to sell magic items of limited use rather than just giving them to Joe), but they're both fair, IMO.
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I have played and ran some games in which there were party funds. And in most cases they were used for items that the party wanted(consumables, mounts, buildings, hirelings, and resurrections). I have not seen any rules for dealing with it. Basically if someone (or several someones) in the group wants to use party funds for a project or an item, they mention it to the rest of the group and they decide as a group if and how the funds will be used.
Most group I have seen that use these funds did not have a steady way to put funds in the pot. Every so often the treasure just did not divide evenly and the pot got the remainder, or the group got a very good haul on a particular venture and decided to sock away a set amount before divvying up the rest for a rainy day.
I would not recommend a party fund for a game in which I did not know everyone, but usually it works out fine. I have never seen a fight arise over how party funds were spent in groups that had such funds.
love,
malkav
Most games I've run include some version of a "party fund". Oddly, my wife almost always ends up being the player that is elected to keep track of it, too. Generally, the groups I've run divide everything up evenly, with the odd amount leftover going into the "party fund". The groups use the "party fund" to pay for lodging (but usually not meals), taxes, ship passage, or anything the entire group will get use out of (often, this includes healing potions/scrolls when they can find them for sale).
Just give it all to the halfling rogue... he will have it anyway.
In my campaigns, most halfling rogues who try this sort of thing end up getting the Greatsword the hard way...through the chest. (Excpet for Kender. Any PLAYER choosing to play a Kender of any sort is beaten heavily, stripped, sanded, turpentined, tarred and feathered...but I digress).
As for Party fund, I try to leave it to the players. But if there is no concensus, we try to go with this method.
1) Split up the magic based on who could use it most. Sometimes, people like the support characters will end up with extra potions that others can use with the understanding that they will be shared as needed.
2) Mundane items are divided based on who wants what. (Most of my players collect something, be it rings, books, sculptures, sashes, hand puppets or glass animals....)
3) Loot is divided up using the "Party Members+1" Method, with the +1 being party fund and any odd remainders (Divide 11 gp by 7 characters) get put into party fund.
Party fund covers things like cost of living, restocking potions, wands, scrolls and other consumables, hiring flunkies (who often get a 1/2 share of treasure as part of pay), and so on.
Most of my players have been pretty generous. As long as someone doesn;t abuse it, they don;t try to keep track of the "I need an extra 122 gp from party fund for my +2 Armor". As a matter of fact, the players will often chip in to buy a character something expensive if its worth it. After all, if the Fighter can take a few more hits, that protects everyone else.
But you need the right kind of players for this.
Normally, the arguements aren't about money or the +3 Flaming Ice Dancing Longsword...they tend to be about who gets the stuffed kobold toy or the boots that keep your feet comfortable on a long trip or the blanket of massage.
And the first time they found a hand puppet in a treasure hoard...
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Well honestly it depends from group of PC's to PC's. Sometimes you play greedy bastards and sometimes not.
But the most common method in our group has been. For magic items they go to who ever can use them. If no one can they go into the party pot, gold(all money) is evenly split between the party and the party pot. So for example if you get 100gp and their is 4 PC's then each PC would get 20gp and the party pot would get 20gp. Magic items that end up in the party pot is sold when possible and the gold from it divided the same way as gold found.
Another time this was in a scifi game not DnD it was done a bit differently. The PC's owned a ship or well a company did. How it worked was 35% went to ship funds/upkept, 35% went to the company, 30% went to the employs as pay. (this was set up by the PC's btw) The value of the ship and assest was figured up. Then PC's could buy shares of the company that owned the ship. This would net them extra money long term at the cost of spending money short term to buy shares. Share money that came from people buying shares went to the ship fund.
Actually, how a group deals with loot division can tell you a lot about their ability to survive as a group fro very long...
Currently We've been keeping a party loot list of everything we get with a note about who is using the item. At the end of the adventure people keep what they want out of what they were using, and if they don't really want it the item goes back to party loot. We total up how much each person has gotten out of this adventure's haul at half value (the amount it would sell for. Previous wealth doesn't play into the current adventure). Most everything in the party loot pile is sold (potions and wands are usually saved for future use, as are a few other odds and ends) and then divide up until everyone has an equal share from the adventure. If any gold is left over that is divided into equal shares for everyone, with a portion going into the party loot to start the next adventure. Resurrections, reincarnates and the like are generally paid for out of the adventure haul before the treasure split happens (cause death could happen to anyone, it's considered an "expense" of that adventure just like the potions and wands are).
At the end of our first adventure I was short of loot but I wasn't worried cause I knew I would get a nice stack of gold at the end of the adventure. We are part way through our second adventure and currently I'm 'ahead' on loot, but most of it will be going back to the party.
The advantages are that everyone gets what they can use when they can use it, but at the end of the day everyone also knows that if they shorted during the adventure they'll come out even in the end. Resources that are managed well are also rewarded since it doesn't affect your share of the current adventure.
The disadvantage is of course the book keeping involved, however a general party loot list is always a good idea anyways, and the extra math really isn't that bad.
Actually, though it takes a little prep time, one of the things that has helped with party loot division has been the Gamemastery Item Cards. It gives everyone a chance to see what's available and what everyone already has.
(And props are fun).
It mostly depends on the group, but I've encountered/used the following methods:
1) No party fund, magic items assigned/chosen by an agreed on method (i.e., consensus, pick in random order, etc.), money split equally.
2) No party fund, shares based roughly on the value of magic items vs. money (or even more basic such as "permanent item and no money, consumable/charged item and half share of money, or no item and full share of money").
3) No party fund, shares based strictly on monetary value of all treasure.
4) As 1), 2), or 3), but with a party fund of some agreed upon amount (10% of money only, 10% of total value of all treasure, an equivalent share as if the party had one more person, etc.).
5) Items assigned/chosen by an agreed on method, party fund is all money found on adventure or gained from the sale of unwanted items.
6) All items and money are considered property of the group as a whole.
In all cases, the way the party divides treasure should be something the players decide before they start adventuring, probably during character creation, or by the end of the first session. If there is a party fund, there should also be agreement on how it can and can't be used (healing potions/wands for common use, spellcasting services in emergencies, interest-free loans to be paid back as soon as possible, etc.).
Owner - D20 Hobbies
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How does your gaming group handle the party fund?
I play 4 games a week, different DM's and mostly different players.
None have party funds.
All of them work like this:
If the party needs to buy something to help the party, the cost is divided and all players chip in that amount.
I recently began using campaign coins and item cards in my game. I bought a little wooden box/chest. Whenever the group finds loot I give them either an item card or actual coin.
The group decided to just do a shared party fund for the majority of the campaign... spending coin out of the chest as needed. In a group of 5 players, there was a "no more than 1/5th" rule unless the other 4 players agreed that it was a needed purchase.
Heh, we handle the funds in whatever way we decide. It depends on party composition, personalities and alignments within...
Out of game, I keep a tally of treasure and trade goods given. I make recommendations about who should get what, and try to make sure that everyone else gets goodies before my character does; if a share of treasure goes short, it's usually mine.
In game, Rurik is a halfling who grew up as a berserker in an Orc tribe. He's a barbarian, not an accountant. He understands money, but figures that more wealth than you can carry on one horse is just asking for trouble.
He's got a hand-me-down normal steel sword, just purchased a masterwork chain shirt that fits (rather than a chainmail poncho cut down from one made for a stout human), a large shield, enough food in saddlebags for 20 days of travel, an extra sword on his light war-horse, a crossbow and bolts for it...and more gold that's *his* than he's ever seen in his life - it's like 30 whole gold pieces.
And he even has a magic item! A spyglass! As he's usually the guy riding ahead to scout for trouble, it's an appropriate 'magic item', and he is inordinately happy with it. :)