Inera wrote:
Problem with your theory of being strong enough to take it is, the equipment always ends up on the same set of characters, this is what leads to hoarding in the first place. "If I can't keep my gear, nobody will have any."
If you limit the number of high end items one person can hold onto the gear gets spread around, it prevents hoarding, and limits the take it and hide it mentality of it all.
I think you mean same set of players - not the same set of characters. However, you are also underestimating the second order effects a change like this would cause. If you are required to spend time in a public place, a few things are likely to happen:
1. You will meet and interact with characters that you might not otherwise - including characters outside of your normal "clique" so to speak. I can guarantee this alone will result in gear getting passed around that would otherwise sit in a container.
2. Fear and peer pressure. It will be much harder to hoard gear you don't need, if you know it will attract others that want to kill you for it. They don't need to bust your outer guardian or find your wilderness hiding spot, if you have to spend time in an public place like an inn. It will also be difficult to justify keeping more loot than you need to other characters on your "team" - especially if you are evil and they can and will stab you in the back for it. Peer pressure works wonders, but it can't work if no one ever gets to interact with your character.