Breakfast Topic: Do you give to beggars?
by Robin Torres 
Apr 26th 2008 at 8:00AM
My favorite beggar plea is when they ask for "spare" cash. Like there is the concept of extra change jingling in your pocket in-game. My usual answer to any beggar is "Of course not", but when I'm feeling verbose I'll give advice as to where a good place to quest is for his or her level.
The Spousal Unit has been known to happily say that he will give the beggar 10 gold. All the beggar has to do is meet him in front of the bank in 10 minutes. Then 9 minutes later, he logs off. The tenacious ones will actually add him to their Friends List and bug him the next time he's on. He is willing to string them along as long as they are willing to keep trying.
Just like Gold Sellers are only around because people are willing to buy, beggars only keep begging because people are willing to give them money.
Yesterday I asked why beggars beg. Today I want to know, do you give to beggars? If not, what do you say when you turn them down?
The Spousal Unit has been known to happily say that he will give the beggar 10 gold. All the beggar has to do is meet him in front of the bank in 10 minutes. Then 9 minutes later, he logs off. The tenacious ones will actually add him to their Friends List and bug him the next time he's on. He is willing to string them along as long as they are willing to keep trying.
Just like Gold Sellers are only around because people are willing to buy, beggars only keep begging because people are willing to give them money.
Yesterday I asked why beggars beg. Today I want to know, do you give to beggars? If not, what do you say when you turn them down?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Making money
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Kaphik Apr 26th 2008 8:04AM
When I'm on my 70 warrior and some low level asks me for gold, I put on my DPS set. Then i tell them if they can beat me in a duel I'll give them 15g.
I usually never hear from them again.
MechChef Apr 26th 2008 10:28AM
If you need a DPS set to beat anything vastly inferior to yourself, lawl.
Kyle Epperson Apr 26th 2008 8:05AM
LOL, ignore lists are a beautiful thing! The beggars don't even deserve a response...
Tumnus Apr 26th 2008 11:12AM
Damn right! Anyone who begs me for gold goes on ignore automatically and immediately.
Imogynn Apr 26th 2008 8:05AM
/r Damn, sorry dude I just got on a gryphon to Stormwind. If you meet me there I'll give you some gold.
/ignore beggar
---
I've also taken to finding senior people from their guild to let them know that people in their guild are begging.
Zhalseran Apr 26th 2008 8:05AM
I just ignore them
Juneau Apr 26th 2008 8:06AM
lol no
Rakashu Apr 26th 2008 8:13AM
I guess I'm a saint compared to the rest of you. When ever I'm on my main if some one asks me for gold 99% of the time I give them at least 10g. I figure I'm not using it, and I can make it a lot quicker than them, so why not be nice? It's not like I've got bills to pay with that gold or any thing.
I've always given out gold as if I had a limitless supply. If I run some one through an instance by the end of it I'll normally give them any where between 5-20g. Money is way too easy to come by now.
Andy Apr 26th 2008 1:07PM
"The greatest harm can result from the best intentions." While you think you may be helping them with this gold. You are actually making them more dependent on the generosity of other players such as your self; thus making them an even bigger leach of this virtual society.
Nick S Apr 26th 2008 1:16PM
LOL hearing that argument applied to WoW tickles me to no end.
Flanker Apr 26th 2008 8:00PM
And of course, there's always the chance that it's part of some gold-farming operation. Probably unlikely, but it is a possibility. Anyway, 10g seems excessive to me. That's gotta be more than any of these beggars really need, so they're most likely gonna waste it, then ask for more, and ultimately wind up with an inaccurate view of how the whole system really works.
I usually just don't respond. Don't bother /ignoring them -- if you don't reply to their first request, odds are they won't ask you again. Sometimes I give them 2c, or a [Dripping Spider Mandible] or something, but meh.
FancyRat Apr 28th 2008 2:15AM
This sounds like a troll to me...
Mats Apr 26th 2008 8:14AM
open trade, put 1000g in the trade option, then go make yourself a sandwitch, or watch a movie or something.
C. E. Croix Apr 26th 2008 9:53AM
I do this as well if someone shoves a trade window in my face and try to see how long I can get them to wait before they give up. Longest time I've had is fifteen minutes.
What's worse, though, is when a higher level player begs. I had a guy who I did some quests with back at around level 40 and by chance met him again in a ZF group. Just a guy I had bumped into and then didn't hear from for four months. Jump ahead to 2.1, and I'm sitting in Shattrath after getting my nether ray mount. I then get a tell from a hunter:
Him: "Hey. This is so-and-so's hunter! Cool ray."
Me: "Oh, I remember you. Thanks."
Him: "Can you give me 500g for my epic ground mount?"
He was 68 at the time and I ended up spending the next five minutes explaining to him why I'm not giving him such a big hand out.
Kryptonls Apr 26th 2008 9:52AM
Yep yep yep - that's exactly what to do. Works a treat. Sometimes they'll get p*ssed at you too and keep poking you to trade, but by that time you're already halfway downstairs thinking of which beverage to make and what food to get.
... Or there's the normal report spam option which keeps them at bay for awhile.
Gessilea Apr 26th 2008 10:36AM
I won't do this if people whisper - I just ignore them usually, though if they're polite I might give them something - but I will do it if people just open trade. I do the same on my rogue if people open trade with a lockbox. If you're not polite enough to ask first, than you deserve what you get.
Elder Apr 26th 2008 7:32PM
Friend of mine is a real A-hole, he did that to a beggar, 1500G and 2 stacks of primals in a trade window with a beggar, then left him there.
He answered the door when I arrived, I wandered into his computer room while he made the coffee, and I saw what was going on.
The poor beggar was saying "OK, U trade no w. Plz trade no w." and other pathetic things
I called out to my buddy (who hadn't told me a thing about this yet) "Dude! I finished your trade!"
Old boy bolted in there screaming "NO! NO!" and slapped his hand down on the mouse and keyboard, screaming about his money and insulteing my parentage and sexual preferences.
I hadn't done anything, the trade was still up, and he saw that. Relieved he closed out the trade... by hitting the trade button out of habit.
I busted, he cried, and to this day he says it's my fault.
Hilton Apr 27th 2008 8:24PM
I do much the same thing.
I sometimes also play with them and ask them a fairly tough general knowledge question (which I know they couldn't answer)
Sargentd Apr 26th 2008 8:19AM
I never give money to a beggar, if a lowbie asks for help on a quests or something and it seems like they are relatively new to the game then I usually give them some gold before I leave. I will sometimes give them things they are asking gold to get. Like "can i hav gold for bag plz?" I can just make them a few.
Oldbear Apr 26th 2008 7:07PM
Same here - if fact i've put them on the friend list to "check-up" on them.