I stopped being bothered by "OH NOES! MOUNTAINS OF GOLD PIECES!" a long time ago. First of all, if you don't like the idea of huge piles of cash ending up in the PCs' hands, just don't give out so much. Or convert a percentage of it into goods. For example, a band of outlaws might have some gold/gems/jewels they stole, but a large percentage of their loot could consist of just about anything that can be carried off: livestock (esp. horses!), weapons, armor, food, drink, household goods, etc.

More importantly, all those coins, gems and jewels are only valuable (aside from XP) if there's something to spend it on, and that is entirely up to the DM. So what if Falco the Fighter has 500,000 g.p.? Can he buy magic items? Only if the campaign has a magic store. Can he hire a shitload of mercenaries and try to take over the kingdom? Only if there are a shitload of mercenaries to be hired. Can he build a castle? Buy a fleet of warships? Hire craftsmen to build his own?

In other words, there's no way for a big pile of loot to unbalance a campaign without the DM's connivance. Once XPs are doled out and expenses paid, the rest can be used as ballast or dumped in a lake or blown on fast women and slow horses. It doesn't really matter.

First of all, where are they keeping the money? Is it secure? Dozens of money hungry adventuring parties head out to slay a dragon just to get it's treasure, how many groups are going to try to take on a rag-tag party (the players) who probably just got lucky and stumbled into their money.

Would the local ruler really stand around and let some PCs flaunt more wealth than he has? Every con man or burglar in the area is going to be out to grab a piece of that treasure.

If the PCs build a stronghold or hire out a bank and security, that's going to cost money. They are going to be charged exorbitant fees for almost anything because people know they have money.

The logistics of having that much money seems a bit tough. If they're not carrying it around with them (which is highly impractical), then they're going to need to spend a lot of money and find some very trustworthy people to look after it.

Quote from: GoOrange;612201First of all, where are they keeping the money? Is it secure? Dozens of money hungry adventuring parties head out to slay a dragon just to get it's treasure, how many groups are going to try to take on a rag-tag party (the players) who probably just got lucky and stumbled into their money.

Would the local ruler really stand around and let some PCs flaunt more wealth than he has? Every con man or burglar in the area is going to be out to grab a piece of that treasure.

If the PCs build a stronghold or hire out a bank and security, that's going to cost money. They are going to be charged exorbitant fees for almost anything because people know they have money.

The logistics of having that much money seems a bit tough. If they're not carrying it around with them (which is highly impractical), then they're going to need to spend a lot of money and find some very trustworthy people to look after it.

Another way to handle rich PCs.

Relatives.

Cousins, aunts, and others who find out about the wealth and come to mooch or scam some of the money. Family can be the absolute worst when it comes to 'family fortune" or perceived inheritance. Some would even kill for it.

Quote from: TristramEvans;611096I won't arbitrarily have my players get robbed, but if they advertise they have a lot of money (going on spending sprees in a village), word travels fast and they are going to find themselves frequent targets. But my main approach to this is : mo' money, mo' problems, in that the PCs will suddenly find themselves constantly surrounded by suspicious and devious yes-men looking for a handout, rich merchants and lords will suddenly see them as "close to equals" (read: threats), people will begin coming to the PCs with their problems, charitable organizations will pester them for donations, and they'll very quickly get a Reputation, and all the annoyance that fame implies. Basically I'd just look at it as a plot-generator as needed.

YOUR LORDSHIP,

You may be surprised to be receiving a letter to a personage unknown to you, asking a favour of you, but I am a Prince of an ancient Empire in Timbuktu, only recently deposed.  I am requesting aid in retrieving family heirlooms and personal wealth seized by the usurper government.  
Unfortunately my current position means I do not have the means to properly fund either an expedition to retrieve these assets or the army to regain my rightful position.  This is why I beseech your aid, having learned your reputation for goodness and heroic nature.  I estimate the sum of 50,000 gold pieces will be immediately necessary to supply my supporters, bribe the local authorities and Thieves' Guild, and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to regain my full treasury.  I estimate that estate to be equivalent to 20 million gold pieces, enough to finance your own King's government for decades.
I am willing to part with one million gold pieces from my Imperial Treasury, if you are willing to make the minor investment of the 50,000 indicated.  Please deposit the gold in a strongbox at The Black Rat tavern, 419 Skullduggery Lane in the wharf district of Greyport, within one week of receiving this missive.  I will respond within six months of that time.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS.  I HAVE MY OWN.

Yours Sincerely,
PRINCE GALLIBYL
an undisclosed location

Sorry about the "pending mod approval" thing; its an automated response when a low-postcount user makes a post with a lot of links.  The post should be visible now.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;612549Sorry about the "pending mod approval" thing; its an automated response when a low-postcount user makes a post with a lot of links.  The post should be visible now.

RPGPundit

No worries.  I assumed it was something of the like.  I know that I wouldnt tolerate someone linking to scame/virus sites, or even trying to draw users to another forum site without due cause.

Quote from: James GillenYOUR LORDSHIP,

 You may be surprised to be receiving a letter to a personage unknown to you, asking a favour of you, but I am a Prince of an ancient Empire in Timbuktu, only recently deposed. I am requesting aid in retrieving family heirlooms and personal wealth seized by the usurper government.
 Unfortunately my current position means I do not have the means to properly fund either an expedition to retrieve these assets or the army to regain my rightful position. This is why I beseech your aid, having learned your reputation for goodness and heroic nature. I estimate the sum of 50,000 gold pieces will be immediately necessary to supply my supporters, bribe the local authorities and Thieves' Guild, and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to regain my full treasury. I estimate that estate to be equivalent to 20 million gold pieces, enough to finance your own King's government for decades.
 I am willing to part with one million gold pieces from my Imperial Treasury, if you are willing to make the minor investment of the 50,000 indicated. Please deposit the gold in a strongbox at The Black Rat tavern, 419 Skullduggery Lane in the wharf district of Greyport, within one week of receiving this missive. I will respond within six months of that time.

 PLEASE DO NOT SEND PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS. I HAVE MY OWN.

 Yours Sincerely,
 PRINCE GALLIBYL
 an undisclosed location

Very nice.  I might have to copy this and store it away until the time is ripe.

One thing a lot of my players have been starting to get in Albion is the idea of "social investments"; that is to say, things they spend money on, not to make more money or get powerful stuff, but to buy prestige and influence in their level of society.  They've started to see that the PCs who have done this are ultimately able to get much further in public relations and networking than those who don't.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;612786One thing a lot of my players have been starting to get in Albion is the idea of "social investments"; that is to say, things they spend money on, not to make more money or get powerful stuff, but to buy prestige and influence in their level of society.  They've started to see that the PCs who have done this are ultimately able to get much further in public relations and networking than those who don't.

RPGPundit

In my group, a couple of guys have run the FASA STAR TREK game with Klingon PCs and in those campaigns we got "Empire Points" to buy connections with important Admirals, Governors, and the like.  Which, given that this was movie-era, pre-Next Generation Klingon Empire, and the Klingons are depicted as somewhere between the Soviet Union and a Mexican biker gang in space, means prestige and influence are very useful.  

JG