D&D 5E Deconstructing 5e: Typical Wealth by Level

[CapnZapp]

But the real problem is that the smoother curve just goes way too high, too fast, to be useful as a metric for pricing or buying items. That to me implies that it's not a good scaling rate.

This really is a comment that should be in the other thread, but since this curve is what the DMG leads to, I believe it has value. People will be curious. I think it merits inclusion even if not a recommendation.

Having a curve for every taste is good. Personally I'm fond of the 3e NPC curve.

 

[Krachek]

I think we need a whole new chapter of rules for investment, fund and stock market.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Yep.

Just make sure the bear likes lots of toys...

Halve the bonus of all PF items, double the plusses cost for "virtual plusses" (flaming, holy, fortification, etc.) disallow stacking (except ring of pro. perhaps), disallow +shields, double cost of armor, and you get within the +3's of 5E rather than the +5 of PF. So a +4 holy flaming longsword is equivalent to a +7 weapon in PF and cost 98,000 gp. In 5E it will be a +2 holy flaming longsword, be equivalent to a +10 weapon and cost 200,000 gp.

Consider replacing the bonded accuracy breaking Giant Belts from 5E with "half-plus" PF items (+6 PF = +3 5E).

Doesn't solve the issue of +1 dagger vs. +1 greatsword or +1 leather vs. +1 plate, but it's a place to start.

Thoughts?

 

[tankschmidt]

What a pleasant surprise it is to seeing this thread discussed again! My original motivation was to confirm that awarding experience points for treasure at the rate of 1 XP = 1 GP would not blow up in my face. As [MENTION=12731]CapnZapp[/MENTION] points out, the system does work pretty well until you reach the Tier IV hoards. In practice, I have never played in a game that reached higher than level 12ish, so the high level discrepancy is unlikely to become an issue. Even so, the blog offers a nice solution for high level play.

My error notification is triggered by the large jump at each tier. This tells me [MENTION=35915]tankschmidt[/MENTION] has used the average level of the party to calculate which tier of hoards to use, not the challenge rating of the monster said party just defeated. This is incorrect.

I also wanted to confirm that CapnZapp is correct about my unclear assumptions in writing the original post -- that the party would only obtain hoards from monsters at their level. In my experience, this assumption works pretty well in a megadungeon campaign. While the party is likely to encounter and defeat wandering monsters with CRs higher than their average character level, wandering monsters tend to leave their hoards at home. Moreover, our groups have always been timid about venturing to levels deeper than they can handle. Within this construction, if a level four party is too scared to adventure on the fifth level of the dungeon, they will likely miss out on the level 5 hoards altogether.

I love the new model suggested by [MENTION=6932123]Kinematics[/MENTION].

 

[CapnZapp]

wouldn't a simpler answer just be to stop giving out so much cash?

Absolutely.

Or rather, your choice of wealth curve is (can be) independent of your purchasing power.

The only reason, after all, for handing out cash is that you the DM offer your players ways to spend it.

If you are having trouble explaining how a party of heroes can spend hundreds of thousands of gold pieces without that entirely transforming your game (the world and its economy)... then simply hand out less gold.

This decision can be completely independent of your decision to allow or not allow buying magic items for gold.

 

[Syntallah]

As a final observation, there is one alternate curve available that is just as official and 5e-centric.

You'll find it on page 15 of your very own copy of the Players Handbook ☺

Yes, I'm talking about the Character Advancement table and substituting xp with gp!

On mobile right now and so I can't plot a graph but hopefully it will look smooth and nice.

And it ends up at a somewhat less-absurd 355,000 gp at 20th level instead of the near million in Pathfinder and Typical/Kinematics curves.

Blog of Holding tells you how to roughly get to this curve using the DMG guidelines: double the monetary wealth of any hoard from a monster in the top half of its tier, and ignore tier IV monetary awards completely.

Food for thoughts.

And again, thank you Kinematics (and the original poster)!

Quick question: are you saying that the experience table can be used as a Hoard Guide (355,000gp divided by four PCs at 20th level) OR a Personal Guide (355,000gp to each of the four PCs at 20th level)?

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

I think we need a whole new chapter of rules for investment, fund and stock market.

http://www.dmsguild.com/product/218...al-Revised?src=hottest_filtered&filters=45469

 

[CapnZapp]

Thoughts?

Perhaps to post this elsewhere - as much as I love pricing magical items, this thread revolves around "typical wealth".

Quick question: are you saying that the experience table can be used as a Hoard Guide (355,000gp divided by four PCs at 20th level) OR a Personal Guide (355,000gp to each of the four PCs at 20th level)?

Traditionally wealth is expressed per character, so while "both" is a perfectly reasonable answer, I'm going to use it as a "Personal Guide".

 

[Syntallah]

Perhaps to post this elsewhere - as much as I love pricing magical items, this thread revolves around "typical wealth".


Traditionally wealth is expressed per character, so while "both" is a perfectly reasonable answer, I'm going to use it as a "Personal Guide".

Roger that, thanks.

 

[Ancalagon]

Absolutely.

Or rather, your choice of wealth curve is (can be) independent of your purchasing power.

The only reason, after all, for handing out cash is that you the DM offer your players ways to spend it.

If you are having trouble explaining how a party of heroes can spend hundreds of thousands of gold pieces without that entirely transforming your game (the world and its economy)... then simply hand out less gold.

This decision can be completely independent of your decision to allow or not allow buying magic items for gold.

Hello

In another thread I calculated GDP of cities. Based on these calculations, the GDP of a city of 50 000 people is 11 000 000 gp. A kingdom of 1 million people is about 220 million gp.

So don't worry too much. Besides, the money will be mostly transferred to wealthy magical item sellers!

Lastly I note that the fantastical levels of wealth seem limited to very high level heroes. Only they are capable of finding the ancient hoards. These heroes are very rare, literally one in a million.