Without presenting any math or reasoning to back up my assertions, here's how I would have answered as DM:
-- 77IM
2 gp
1 gp
10
-- 77IM
-
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Economy
- Thread starter OakwoodDM
- Start date
Skyscraper
Explorer
frankthedm
First Post
Do you have any linkable sources for this info? Not disputing it, I just want to find some more info.
Wepwawet
Explorer
I'd just say that 4E is no game for that kind of play...
4E is about heroes fighting monsters, undead and sometimes, entire armies.
Why would that character raise an army? Isn't he and his companions powerful enough to fight undead? In 4E they should be.
Anyway, if you want that kind of detail and simulation... probably this isn't the best game to play...
4E is about heroes fighting monsters, undead and sometimes, entire armies.
Why would that character raise an army? Isn't he and his companions powerful enough to fight undead? In 4E they should be.
Anyway, if you want that kind of detail and simulation... probably this isn't the best game to play...
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
Just to add to the complexity above.. what campaign world are you in and what has the recent history been like?
In Eberron's standard setting, two years after a war that caused lots of issues and has relatively large cities existing on an existing agricultural base, you would be better off hiring mercenaries or sell-swords. Perhaps even dropping over to House Deneith to see if they could do all the leg work for you, or talk to a priest of the Silver Flame to see about heading up an Undead hunt...they might even reward your players PC for helping out!
In other settings, some of the same dynamics might exists.
If I were running the game I would shy away from a 'buy an army' and spend a session or so with the PCs rounding up favors from nobles, guilds, and temples to rally support. This rallying might end up having a cost measured in gp, as temples ask for a donation for the needy and nobles asking for assistance in levying the funds needed to call in the peasants.
Turn it from a 'grab a dime bag of troops' and into deeper roleplay involvement in the setting.
All that being said, back in 2e somewhere it stated that a 'middle class' merchant in town made 1gp of profit per month, and generally paid thier apprentice 1sp per month {above food and board}.
Farmers and minors would send thier second sons off to apprentice as it would bring in more income than keeping them working the fields.
Hence freeman farming profits over 1 month are... less than 1 sp.
*note* this is profit only.
As Kzach mentioned above, most historical armies were raised by the land owners ordering thier serfs to either pay extra taxes {if unable to serve in the army} or show up with weapons and armor.
I hope the undead aren't Dread Wraiths or other spawning undead...bringing an army might be the worst thing to do!
In Eberron's standard setting, two years after a war that caused lots of issues and has relatively large cities existing on an existing agricultural base, you would be better off hiring mercenaries or sell-swords. Perhaps even dropping over to House Deneith to see if they could do all the leg work for you, or talk to a priest of the Silver Flame to see about heading up an Undead hunt...they might even reward your players PC for helping out!
In other settings, some of the same dynamics might exists.
If I were running the game I would shy away from a 'buy an army' and spend a session or so with the PCs rounding up favors from nobles, guilds, and temples to rally support. This rallying might end up having a cost measured in gp, as temples ask for a donation for the needy and nobles asking for assistance in levying the funds needed to call in the peasants.
Turn it from a 'grab a dime bag of troops' and into deeper roleplay involvement in the setting.
All that being said, back in 2e somewhere it stated that a 'middle class' merchant in town made 1gp of profit per month, and generally paid thier apprentice 1sp per month {above food and board}.
Farmers and minors would send thier second sons off to apprentice as it would bring in more income than keeping them working the fields.
Hence freeman farming profits over 1 month are... less than 1 sp.
*note* this is profit only.
As Kzach mentioned above, most historical armies were raised by the land owners ordering thier serfs to either pay extra taxes {if unable to serve in the army} or show up with weapons and armor.
I hope the undead aren't Dread Wraiths or other spawning undead...bringing an army might be the worst thing to do!
dragonchild
First Post
Alright, most of this is just repeating what's already been said but...
1) Historically farmers and miners made little if any money
2) This isn't history, it's fantasy, so it can be anything you want, if you want your farmers to make 1000gp a day, go nuts (although your players might have issues with that)
3) I notice you said UNDEAD... which suggests to me that on top of the farmers probably wanting lots of money for risking their lives, means that they would probably be even more reluctant and want even more money since they'd be going up against a horrific foe.
1) Historically farmers and miners made little if any money
2) This isn't history, it's fantasy, so it can be anything you want, if you want your farmers to make 1000gp a day, go nuts (although your players might have issues with that)
3) I notice you said UNDEAD... which suggests to me that on top of the farmers probably wanting lots of money for risking their lives, means that they would probably be even more reluctant and want even more money since they'd be going up against a horrific foe.
mcnathan80
First Post
I ran into a similar situation in my game...kinda. What I did was make the raisingof the army a major quest about 2 levels higher than what the PC's were. Then in the climactic battle prior to the completion of said quest they overthrew an evil warlord who conveniantly happened to have a garrison, and weapons to spare. I think that worked best because we didn't delve in to needlessly complex economics and the PCs enjoyed adventuring for their army as opposed to throwing GPs at the situation that could have gone to magic items.
Mysterious Hu
First Post
The "economy" is D&D is a game balance tool; allowing the players to pick and choose magic items without them overpowering the monsters. It has nothing to do with daily living expenses.
For all the non-adventurers, the Economy is a case of trying to stay ahead of starvation. For anyone to survive, their income must at least equal their outgoings.
I think that a nice system is as follows:
a labourer's household needs 1cp per day
an artisan's household needs 1sp per day; it consumes twice as much as a labourer's household, and supposts 8 labourers' households
a merchant's household needs 1gp per day; it consumes twice as much as an artisan's household, and supposts 8 artisans' households
a noble's household needs 1pp per day; it consumes twice as much as a merchant's household, and supposts 8 merchants' households
a prince's household needs 10pp per day; it consumes twice as much as a noble's household, and supposts 8 nobles' households
a king's household needs 1ad per day; it consumes twice as much as a prince's household, and supposts 8 princes' households, 64 nobles' households, 512 merchants' households, 4,096 artisans' households and 32,768 labourers' households.
If they are travelling; increase their costs by 5. Therefore, adventurers probably count as travelling artisans.
For all the non-adventurers, the Economy is a case of trying to stay ahead of starvation. For anyone to survive, their income must at least equal their outgoings.
I think that a nice system is as follows:
a labourer's household needs 1cp per day
an artisan's household needs 1sp per day; it consumes twice as much as a labourer's household, and supposts 8 labourers' households
a merchant's household needs 1gp per day; it consumes twice as much as an artisan's household, and supposts 8 artisans' households
a noble's household needs 1pp per day; it consumes twice as much as a merchant's household, and supposts 8 merchants' households
a prince's household needs 10pp per day; it consumes twice as much as a noble's household, and supposts 8 nobles' households
a king's household needs 1ad per day; it consumes twice as much as a prince's household, and supposts 8 princes' households, 64 nobles' households, 512 merchants' households, 4,096 artisans' households and 32,768 labourers' households.
If they are travelling; increase their costs by 5. Therefore, adventurers probably count as travelling artisans.
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