The Jingle Jangle of Larp Banks

Some people lately have been discussing Larp banks as of late and one or two people have asked why WAR uses a bank system.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, the bank system functions like this: plot puts out coins, typically with a unique stamp on them (copper, silver, gold, etc. and they are colored to match their name).  Players collect the in-game currency throughout the duration of the event and then hand it in at the end of the event.  The coin can be used for all sorts of things in-game.  Once they hand it in, it gets added to their character sheet or "bank."  Players can take out up to 100 gold at check-in. 

Why do we have a bank rather than just letting players keep their coin?
The main reason to have a bank is to save the chapter money and to help keep event prices low.  Coins can get pretty expensive.  Besides the camps, coin is probably the other top expense.  With a bank, we only have to order every couple of years.  Players aren't able to make every event, they lose coin, it disappears in to the nether.  It also lets us keep a decent idea of what money people have in-game, which can be important to certain plot lines and recognizing we are handing out too much/not enough.

But, but, it doesn't make sense....where is it going "in-game"? 
The simplest answer is literally an in-game bank set up by the guild.  It makes sense, adventurers can't simply go and "bury" their lootz in the woods.  It isn't the real world.  And it's campsite, so actually burying all your stuff probably isn't a good idea.

What if a player wants more than 100 gold? 
If players need more than 100 gold during the duration of the event - say they make a large purchase in-game, etc.  they can simply talk to someone at the "bank." It can be marked on your sheet for easier transactions or we can give you more if you need it for something in particular.  We aren't being a-holes about it - we just need enough to continue putting out treasure and such.

I pay to play the game, doesn't that mean that the coin I get is mine? 
In a nutshell, no.  It's a prop that we use throughout the game to help make it more enjoyable and add a fun feel to the atmosphere.  The treasure box you get on a mod gets returned at some point during the event.  You find an NPC weapon, you return it.  It doesn't go in to your loot box.  Think of going to the Harry Potter Experience.  You pay money, they give you a rob and wand to use that you return at the end of the experience.  If you don't, you get charged more :-)

Why not use paper money instead? It's cheaper! And players can keep it.
Well, there are a couple of reasons.  Paper money is easier to replicate.  It DOES get expensive if you are printing in color.  It doesn't hold up as well, and frankly isn't as cool.   

In the end it is the individual chapter/Larp's decision.  What do you think? Is the bank really that big a deal? Would you be willing to pay $5.00 more an event to keep coin?

All About Troupe Larps and Kishar

We encourage guest posts from players and owners across the Larp genres.  They will not always express our views or fit every game. If you would like to do a guest spot, please email us here with your idea!  J Duncan runs Kishar and here discusses Troupe Larps and Kishar. 

What is a troupe LARP, and what does it have to offer?

Many of the people reading this blog probably play one of the large national LARPs, whether that’s a non-combat LARP like One World by Night (for White Wolf games) or a national boffer game like NERO, Amtgard, or Dagorhir. All of these games offer the ability to take a character from city to city, and possibly even attend many events a month, since different chapters can run on different days.

In contrast to that, troupe games have a much smaller presence, often running only in one city or region, and usually have only one or two games each month. So why would you play in a troupe game? Well, for starters, they have incredible variety. Many of the staff and player groups behind these games have written their own world settings and rules, and you make get a totally different experience in each. If you want exposure to new mechanics, new character types, and new cultures, sampling all the available troupe games in your area is the only way to do that. Secondly, they’re agile. If you’re in a national game, try to think about the difficulty involved in requesting that a rule be updated, or a new class added to the game, or could there possibly be a nation called X in the world setting so that I can be from there? In a troupe game, there’s much less bureaucracy, and the owners and staff are people you see regularly. They may still be busy people (they usually are!), but you won’t have to go through an elaborate chain of command to get to talk to them. Almost universally, the owners aren’t in it to make money – all of the money brought in by the game (and usually, personal funds as well!) gets invested right back in making the game great.