D&D General Rules Lawyers, Powergamers, and Munchkins: Thoughts on the Origins of Diverse Species

[Campbell]

My personal way of looking at it is that a player only becomes a rules lawyer when they specifically only bring up the rules to make arguments that benefit them or the group, but do not speak up when the rules would actively hinder their efforts or the group's efforts. If someone speaks up whenever they think there is a gap between rules as implemented and rules as enumerated in good faith I consider them a rules stickler, which may or may not be an issue depending on the table.

 

[Cadence]

I've been reading old adventures.
View attachment 295576

You can do Monty haul with official modules.

I'm running my son and his friends through Castle Amber. The amount of gold is kind of staggering...

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm running my son and his friends through Castle Amber. The amount of gold is kind of staggering...

Yep I'm putting together a C&C game which uses the 1gp is 1xp.

You remember this but when you see it again.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I'm running my son and his friends through Castle Amber. The amount of gold is kind of staggering...

So, on that.

A few things to remember ...

1. It wasn't just an issue of finding gold. You had to be able to carry the gold as well. So while jewels where always awesome, the GP value of some items often weren't worth the weight.

2. I don't recall it being the same issue in B/X, but in AD&D there were a ton of things to spend GP on. First, you had to split it (with shares to henchmen, etc.). Then you had to spend it on hirelings, experts, gaining levels, basic upkeep, and spells (especially at low levels when you carted out Fred, who had been turned into a statute again). Not to mention basic lifestyle expenses. The amount above and beyond that (assuming you weren't a monk or paladin) needed to be used for spell research or building that keep or wizard's tower ... and those didn't come cheap.


That said, if you were ignoring encumbrance and didn't play with all of the various GP-sink rules ... yeah, it could get silly.

 

[Reynard]

I've been reading old adventures.
View attachment 295576

You can do Monty haul with official modules.

Which module is this from, out of curiosity?

 

[Zardnaar]

So, on that.

A few things to remember ...

1. It wasn't just an issue of finding gold. You had to be able to carry the gold as well. So while jewels where always awesome, the GP value of some items often weren't worth the weight.

2. I don't recall it being the same issue in B/X, but in AD&D there were a ton of things to spend GP on. First, you had to split it (with shares to henchmen, etc.). Then you had to spend it on hirelings, experts, gaining levels, basic upkeep, and spells (especially at low levels when you carted out Fred, who had been turned into a statute again). Not to mention basic lifestyle expenses. The amount above and beyond that (assuming you weren't a monk or paladin) needed to be used for spell research or building that keep or wizard's tower ... and those didn't come cheap.


That said, if you were ignoring encumbrance and didn't play with all of the various GP-sink rules ... yeah, it could get silly.

We barely used henchmen and hurling and group sizes were 4-6.

But we never really used gp=xp. The BECMI DM didn't use it in B2 then we went to 2E.

Basically didn't know about it until later reading the Rules Cyclopedia a year or two later.

 

[Zardnaar]

Which module is this from, out of curiosity?

Vault of Kasil Dungeon Magazinne 18?

Dungeon 13.

 

[Reynard]

Vault of Kasil Dungeon Magazinne 18?

Dungeon 13.

What level is it for?

 

[Zardnaar]

What level is it for?

5-7.

 

[Cadence]

So, on that.

A few things to remember ...

1. It wasn't just an issue of finding gold. You had to be able to carry the gold as well. So while jewels where always awesome, the GP value of some items often weren't worth the weight.

2. I don't recall it being the same issue in B/X, but in AD&D there were a ton of things to spend GP on. First, you had to split it (with shares to henchmen, etc.). Then you had to spend it on hirelings, experts, gaining levels, basic upkeep, and spells (especially at low levels when you carted out Fred, who had been turned into a statute again). Not to mention basic lifestyle expenses. The amount above and beyond that (assuming you weren't a monk or paladin) needed to be used for spell research or building that keep or wizard's tower ... and those didn't come cheap.


That said, if you were ignoring encumbrance and didn't play with all of the various GP-sink rules ... yeah, it could get silly.

1. The 5e encumbrance rules kind of make part of it not even worth checking.

2. I wonder if I should play up some of the local economies having hyper-inflation when they come out spending...