Yet Another Carousing Table
I’m running with gold = xp in my 5th edition game, and as a result, my players are gaining a lot of cash. This raises a problem where said players now have to spend all of that cash to gain xp, and there aren’t a whole lot of money sinks in 5th edition.
Enter that other artifact of bygone days: the carousing table.
There are a couple of tables out there, but none of them really fit my needs. So I’ve concocted a mix of my favorite entries.
Jeff’s Gameblog
Jeff made carousing cool. I love the idea of a mechanical reward for choosing to waste all your money on a good time. I’ve stolen many of his entries. Some are a bit too harsh for 5e sensibilities, some are a bit too juvenile (roll for venereal disease).
Kill it with Fire
This one takes Jeff’s entries and adds some of its own. Moving away from a save vs poison and towards a “luck” stat makes sense. I want carousing to be something that anybody can do, not just the fighters with a high constitution bonus.
A bit too silly here and there but lots to steal!
Anomalous Subsurface Environment
The “I have a horrible secret” table inspired one entry into the table.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide
Yes, there is a carousing table in there already! I like some of it, although it’s a bit slim and most entries are about winning or losing money. Since 5e doesn’t have the “spend gold to gain xp” rule out of the box, the team decided that the mechanical advantage to carousing would be a mini gambling game. Allowing player-input into the details is a very good idea!
Putting it all Together
You can spend a week carousing to convert gold into xp. The maximum amount of gold spent in this way differs per the size of the settlement you’re in (these numbers probably need some tweaking):
Settlement | Maximum expenditure |
|---|---|
Village | 1d4 x 50 gp |
Town | 1d6 x 100 gp |
City | 1d10 x 200 gp |
After spending the gold, roll a d20. On a 20, you gain twice the xp! On a 1, you still gain xp, but also roll on the following table:
d20 | Effect |
|---|---|
1 | Gain a reputation as a lecherous lush. Social interactions in this town are *raises tone* awkward. You decide how you gained your infamy. |
2 | Get in a fight, lose 1d2 teeth, get a black eye, or break your nose and you’ll be sore (-1d4 * level hp) in the morning. |
3 | Minor misunderstanding with local authorities. Roll Charisma check DC 15. Success indicates a fine of 2d6 x 25gp. Failure or (inability to pay fine) indicates d6 days in the pokey. |
4 | Alcohol poisoning. Constitution lowered by 2 until long rest. |
5 | Gambling losses. Roll the dice as if you had caroused again (but in a smaller settlement) to see how much you lose. (No additional XP for the second carousing roll). If this is more than you have you are now indebted to a local criminal organization. |
6 | You make an enemy. This person, business, or organization is now hostile to you. The DM determines the offended party. You decide how you offended them. |
7 | New tattoo. You choose what your tattoo should have been. The DM rolls: 1. magical; 2-3. it’s actually pretty cool; 4. it’s lame; 5. it could have been badass, but something is goofed up or misspelled; 6. it says something insulting, crude, or stupid. |
8 | You are mistaken for someone else, and charged with their tab. Pay 30% more money (no xp for it) or wake up in the slammer. |
9 | One of us! One of us! You’re not sure how it happened, but you’ve been initiated into some sort of secret society or weird cult. Did you really make out with an emu or was that just the drugs? Roll a DC 15 Int check to remember the signs and passes. |
10 | You wake up in stocks. The DM gains a “negative inspiration” that can be used against you in the next session. Authorities let you out after a day. |
11 | You were robbed whilst unawares. Was it that saucy wench that you swear came to your room? Lose a random magic item! |
12 | Wake up under the influence of a quest spell. |
13 | Your boasts have gotten you into trouble. You can’t gain experience until you do something really awesome, like killing a legendary monster or stealing a legendary treasure. You decide your heroic deed, subject to your DM’s approval. |
14 | The roof! The roof! The roof is on fire! Accidentally start a conflagration. Roll d6 twice. 1-2. burn down your favorite inn; 3-4. some other den of ill repute is reduced to ash; 5-6. a big chunk of town goes up in smoke. 1-2. no one knows it was you; 3-4. your fellow carousers know you did it; 5. someone else knows, perhaps a blackmailer; 6. everybody knows. |
15 | You are caught up in a whirlwind romance. Roll a d20. On a 1–5, the romance ends badly. On a 6–10, the romance ends amicably. On an 11–20, the romance is ongoing. You determine the identity of the love interest, subject to your DM’s approval. If the romance ends badly, you might gain a new flaw. If it ends well or is ongoing, your new love interest might represent a new bond. |
16 | You’ve learned someone’s horrible secret and they suspect it. |
17 | Blabbermouth. You told a little too much to a rival adventuring group and now they are going after the same treasure as you are. |
18 | You have invested all your spare money in a local establishment (you do get xp for the gold). You can select the target of your investment. |
19 | You’ve somehow attuned to a cursed magic item, and normal remove curse spells won’t work! |
20 | Friend for life. You have recruited a henchman! You choose the identity of your new pal, they are highly loyal but do require payment. |