Community

Sep 17, 2012 -- 7:58AM, JRedGiant1 wrote:

There isn't a right or wrong answer here. Some groups like the vague sense of paranoia of cursed items, some groups want to mutilate every goblin to see if he has some gems in his innards, and some groups just want to hear "okay, you're back to town. You earned level-appropriate gold, call it 6,250 gp each and a 14th level uncommon magic item of your choice."

Talk to your players and find out what their expectations are for treasure, and make sure they understand that while gold and powerful items are fun, they have balance-repercussions, and too much or too little can make the game no fun. Try and find a comprimise everyone will enjoy.

^This man gets it.

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:17AM, iserith wrote:

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:12AM, LunarSavage wrote:

I prefer the game not be broken and the challenge disappear by giving the players exactly what they want when they want it. Feel free to do what you want at yours.

Except that the game doesn't get "broken" and the challenge doesn't "disappear" by giving players what they want. I'd love to retire that old canard.

That's because you're focused on story. If I give player X the weapon of ultimate destruction that allows him to kill deity Y with one swing/attack, then we might as well not even be playing a game. Oh wait, I'm sorry, according to you, it's just a story. I'd love to retire that new canard.

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:30AM, iserith wrote:

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:21AM, LunarSavage wrote:

That's because you're focused on story. If I give player X the weapon of ultimate destruction that allows him to kill deity Y with one swing/attack, then we might as well not even be playing a game. Oh wait, I'm sorry, according to you, it's just a story. I'd love to retire that new canard.

Still gotta travel to Deity Y's domain, fraught with danger as it is. And if that sword can kill Deity Y, then how about Deity Y's allies, Deity X and Deity Z? What about all the fanatical followers coming to stop the PCs from their goal of killing Deity Y? What about all the fantastical locations along the way?

Is that not a game? Is that game also not a story? Who cares if they have a deity-slaying sword. Nothing's an I-win button in a fictional universe, sorry. Imagination.

Then the players demand every weapon and armor to defeat every enemy on the way to deity Y to make every possible thing you can throw at them a cakewalk. And in your style, you're simply giving it to them. It's boring. There's nothing remotely exciting or interesting about that.

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:38AM, iserith wrote:

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:33AM, LunarSavage wrote:

Then the players demand every weapon and armor to defeat every enemy on the way to deity Y to make every possible thing you can throw at them a cakewalk. And in your style, you're simply giving it to them. It's boring. There's nothing remotely exciting or interesting about that.

Nice strawman. You either know nothing about my style or just decided to make stuff up to attack as bad. Also, hyperbole doesn't help when having a discussion. I know you like internet arguments, but still.

The main thing I hear from you guys repeatedly is "why not just give it to them?". If you approach that with one thing, you likely approach that with all things. And honestly, you've already given the players precedent to expect their demands to be answered every time by giving them the ultimate sword. So there's no reasonable reason to not give them anything else they ask for.

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:45AM, iserith wrote:

Sep 17, 2012 -- 8:43AM, LunarSavage wrote:

The main thing I hear from you guys repeatedly is "why not just give it to them?". If you approach that with one thing, you likely approach that with all things. And honestly, you've already given the players precedent to expect their demands to be answered every time by giving them the ultimate sword. So there's no reasonable reason to not give them anything else they ask for.

And in your mind, how exactly do you think they get those "ultimate swords" they ask for?

As you said, you gave them narrative control. They are free to obtain those swords however they're most interested in acquiring them. Which likely, a player on a power trip is going to say "I got it by sleeping with the maidens in my castle". Pretty boring.