D&D 5E Who else uses silver as the currency denominator rather than gold?

[neogod22]

snowflake All currencies used to be like that ;-)

Just because it's complicated, doesn't make it a good system, and just because it was used historically, doesn't mean it should be used in a game that they tried to keep the rules simple. A lot of these ppl can't even add their damage right, and at least half were complaining it was too complicated to multiply by 10 to change gold into silver. They definitely won't use your system.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

 

[Coroc]

Just because it's complicated, doesn't make it a good system, and just because it was used historically, doesn't mean it should be used in a game that they tried to keep the rules simple. A lot of these ppl can't even add their damage right, and at least half were complaining it was too complicated to multiply by 10 to change gold into silver. They definitely won't use your system.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

But surely there is an app for that ?

 

[Lanefan]

Just because it's complicated, doesn't make it a good system, and just because it was used historically, doesn't mean it should be used in a game that they tried to keep the rules simple. A lot of these ppl can't even add their damage right, and at least half were complaining it was too complicated to multiply by 10 to change gold into silver.

Too complicated to multiply by 10? Seriously?

They definitely won't use your system.

And assuming this means they don't want their treasure because counting and converting it is too much trouble, they can always put it all in a box and send it to any one of my many greedy rich needy impoverished characters, who happen to have a player who is quite happy to do whatever math may be required.....



Lan-"if multiplying by 10 is too complicated then someone needs to take a long hard critical look at the education system they came up through"-efan

 

[snickersnax]

I definitely considered using it, but didn't feel like redoing the equipment tables for proper prices, and I didn't feel like training my players in the old silver standard that I used back in B/X.

I tried to use the silver standard for awhile but it became too much of a pain when using modules that dont use the silver standard.

I haven't found that the silver standard is difficult to implement at all. By silver standard I mean (1 pp =>1 gp) (1 gp => 1 sp) (1sp => 1cp) for both treasure and costs. If I'm using an gold standard written adventure
I just say gold when it says platinum, silver when it says gold and copper when it says silver, if it says copper I divide by 10 and round up. The same goes for starting wealth equipment and component prices in the rule books. I explain the system to players and they don't have any difficulty making the conversion themselves. I don't rewrite anything or do anything that requires any effort.

Its easier to do at the start of a campaign, but the first time I did it was in the middle of one and it wasn't a problem.

The result is that lower level characters tend to deal in copper and silver, middle level characters deal mostly with gold, and high level characters do big transactions in platinum. Copper isn't a trash coin that gets left around in dungeons now. My currency system isn't red-lined at platinum and doesn't require ridiculous weights of gold for simple transactions. Gold becomes the most common currency at about the same time that platinum does in a gold standard campaign. I don't have to hand out bags of holding so that can characters have a way of carrying their wealth.

 

[cmad1977]

I have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SkidAce]

I used the silver standard in a homebrew campaign once, but I found that it didn't make the game better in any noticeable way, so I doubt I'll bother doing it again.

Same here, even though it was just a little effort, it didnt produce enough gain.

 

[jgsugden]

I always stick to the guidelines in the books because it isn't worth deviating. It usually plays out is like this: Low level PCs, that need every copper they can find, usually get an exact accounting over every coin, gem, jewel and art object they find. As they grow in power, and treasure becomes more of an afterthought, we generalize more and more.

Level 1: "You find 8 Copper Pieces in the larger kobold's belt pouch. You also find a small copper ring with a nice dragon design and tiny emeralds in it. Greshan thinks you could get a few gold for it - maybe up to 10."
Level 6: "You find a pouch of coins. If you took the time to count it up, you'd find there are 48 gold worth of coins. You also find some small sapphires - 6 that are each worth 50 gp."
Level 11: "Under the chest is a trap door leading to a small stash of treasure. There is a bag inside that has coins, gems, and jewelry worth 4,325 gp."
Level 16: "The dragon's hoard is truly impressive. The non-magical treasure adds up to 15,000 gp in value."

 

[Ancalagon]

Just because it's complicated, doesn't make it a good system, and just because it was used historically, doesn't mean it should be used in a game that they tried to keep the rules simple. A lot of these ppl can't even add their damage right, and at least half were complaining it was too complicated to multiply by 10 to change gold into silver. They definitely won't use your system.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

This is why the "unit of account" concept is so important. It creates a "two speed" system where quick and easy is done with the unit of account, and when it's needed by the plot the coins are looked at. Any system that is more than slightly more complicated than the "base" 1 gp = 10 sp = 100 cp is not worth it, unless you have a "simple" layer.

I've done the warhammer system where 1 gp = 20 sp = 240 cp, and that is as complex as I would ever go without having a "simple" layer on top of it.

In my game, detailing it:

Simple layer:
1 rupee (unit of account) = 2 sp.

Detailed layer:


1 mohur = 3 gp = 15 rupee
1 gp = 5 rupee = 10 sp
1 rupee = 2 silver pieces = 16 anna = 64 paise = 192 pie
1 sp = 8 anna = 32 paise = 96 pie
1 anna = 4 paise = 12 pie
1 paise = 3 pie

The Mohur is a fat gold coin, the rupee is a fat silver coin, the anna is a tiny silver coin (often debased), the Paise is a stout copper coin, with many in circulation being cash coin from far away xian, the pie is a crude lead coin used by children and beggars,

Another form of "currency" is the tea brick. A tea brick of "the third quality" (the most common) is worth 4 rupee and weights slightly over a pound.

Lastly, there are the is the silver and gold talents, an enormous mass of precious metal (26 kg!) that only the ultra wealthy deal with...

 

[Coroc]

I always stick to the guidelines in the books because it isn't worth deviating. It usually plays out is like this: Low level PCs, that need every copper they can find, usually get an exact accounting over every coin, gem, jewel and art object they find. As they grow in power, and treasure becomes more of an afterthought, we generalize more and more.

Level 1: "You find 8 Copper Pieces in the larger kobold's belt pouch. You also find a small copper ring with a nice dragon design and tiny emeralds in it. Greshan thinks you could get a few gold for it - maybe up to 10."
Level 6: "You find a pouch of coins. If you took the time to count it up, you'd find there are 48 gold worth of coins. You also find some small sapphires - 6 that are each worth 50 gp."
Level 11: "Under the chest is a trap door leading to a small stash of treasure. There is a bag inside that has coins, gems, and jewelry worth 4,325 gp."
Level 16: "The dragon's hoard is truly impressive. The non-magical treasure adds up to 15,000 gp in value."

Part of my intention was to prevent exactly that.

I do realistic prices realistic hoards and a realistic rarity of gold (comparable to our real world)

Do you know those CT maniacs who try to tell you that you should invest in gold coins for the apocalypse / civil war / meteor impact etc.?

So with gold it is this, it always will be worth something but:

In the event of a financial crash its value will drop quickly because everyone who needs some money then will try to sell their gold.

In the event of some catastrophe what do you do? You need some food?
Say some milk for your children? You go to one of the few owners of a cow.
So with your gold coin you could probably buy the whole cow but the owner won't sell it to you. So if you are one of these preppers better get some silver coins instead!

 

[Lanefan]

I haven't found that the silver standard is difficult to implement at all. By silver standard I mean (1 pp =>1 gp) (1 gp => 1 sp) (1sp => 1cp) for both treasure and costs.

There probably then needs to be another coin type (bronze piece?) below c.p., to fill the gap where c.p. used to be. Without that you probably lose too much granularity.

Compare with pre-1970's Britain - the standard unit was a pound, below which you (commonly) had shillings and pence, with 240p to the pound...which made for a very granular system...but not granular enough, thus the need for ha'pennies (1/2p) and farthings (1/4p).

Only having one coin type below the standard unit simply isn't enough.

Lanefan