DM Bloodyroar - Stealing/Hoarding Loot in Events
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This has become a thing lately, or maybe it was a thing before, but I've just more or less recently rejoined the DM team and noticed the trend.
Here is the thing. When I make an event, especially a dangerous one, I quite often make custom loot for the PCs involved, so that those who participate get rewarded. Sometimes it'll be just consumables to compensate for what the PCs spent to get there, and in plot finales / plot turning events, it'll be pieces of gear.
I personally am not going to allow any loot stealing in my events. I am aware that other DMs might be fine with it, and might even give you cues to try and steal something while the rest aren't looking and I have no problem with it. Just don't do it in my events, because I don't like it for several reasons. One big reason being that when a player steals loot, the other players tend to think that the DM didn't reward them appropriately for the event and the fallout and disgust of that steams onto the DM, not the player or the PC that did the stealing. Another reason is that I also take into account OOC factors when rewarding certain players or groups of players based on the quality of their RP, the level of involvement, forum reports, efforts to develop and solve the plot or getting the job done, etc. So by stealing the loot, you're not only ICly, but also OOCly stealing from a player's work, time and effort at the other end of the internet, sitting on their computers and trying to have fun just as you are.
So to summarise - in my events, any and all of them, please refrain from stealing/hoarding loot meant for the party to keep it for yourself. Unless I state otherwise, my event rewards are meant for the whole party, for both their IC and OOC efforts to get the job done. Chances are that the one stealing will be the one left without any rewards at all if I spot it. And believe me, I'm very tenacious when it comes to inspecting player inventories.
