I've been routinely running short stories for my group at the 15+ Level starting point (5-session Expeditions or Dungeon Crawls, maybe 1-2 sessions more depending on the story in question), and I've more or less done away with the default Starting Wealth system and the way you are supposed to calculate custom item value. The whole "Here's your Budget, now go scour the net for fancy items from 5 different splatbooks and 3 forums" treatment has lost its novelty on my players and... I'd be lying if I said I still like calculating how much a CL 12 Death Ward, Usable 2/Day on a pair of gloves that provide +4 Dexterity, and activated when the wearer says "Bazinga!" costs by RAW.
Regardless, they've been asking to go into the epic levels with various short-story premises (which had me occupied for a couple of weeks to make a system that is actually functional for my group's expectations, but that's another story entirely) and I believe it's going to save me quite some legwork. It has done so already for all their Lv15-20 characters. Just saying, it's definitely not for Lv1-10 starting characters.
THE SYSTEM
A character starts with a number of Wealth Points (WP) equal to twice his ECL. He uses them only at the start and they do not replace gold, loot or anything else in actual play (e.g. an ECL 15 Character would have 30 WP). You cannot buy an item with a WP cost that exceeds half your ECL.
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Weapons, Armor and Shields: You spend 1 WP per enhancement bonus, plus 1 more if it is from an exotic material. A +3 keen adamantine Longsword would cost 5 WP. A +5 vorpal Longsword would cost 10 WP.
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Protection or Resistance Items: You spend 1 WP per AC bonus or Resistance bonus to saving throws. A +5 ring of protection would cost 5 WP.
Ability Score Items: You spend 1 WP per 2 points of ability bonus. A belt of strength +6 would cost 3 WP.
Skill Items: You spend 1 WP per 4 points of skill bonus. A ring of move silently +20 would cost 5 WP.
Energy Resistance Items: You spend 1 WP per 5 points of resistance to one type of energy. If you exceed 50, then the item provides immunity instead. A ring of fire resistance 30 would cost 6 WP.
Damage Reduction Items: You spend 2 WP per 5 points of Damage Reduction/Magic. You can turn it to Damage Reduction/Magic and Adamantine with two additional WP. A ring of Damage Reduction 15/Magic and Adamantine costs 8 WP.
Spell Resistance Item: You spend 1 WP for Spell Resistance 10, then 1 WP per 2 points beyond that. A cloak of spell resistance 20 would cost 6 WP.
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Spell Item: You spend 1 WP per spell level of the spell-like ability that the item provides.
-> The Caster Level is twice the spell’s level, the DC Bonus (if any) is 10 + Spell Level +1/4 Caster Level.
-> If the spell has a costly component (more than 1 gp), you add 1 WP. If it has an XP component, you add another 1 WP.
-> You may use it once per day, and pay 1 WP per additional daily use. If you exceed 4 uses, the item can be used at will.
-> Supportive spells with a duration that target one creature (Death Ward) can be made continuous with a single +2 WP adjustment. Continuous Time Stops are not within the scope of this system, just saying.
-> If you want the item’s Caster Level to be equal to your own ECL at the start of the campaign, you can pay an additional 1 WP.
-> 0-Level spells count as 1st-Level for determining price and Caster Level.
-> An amulet of continuous death ward would cost 6 WP (Caster Level 8), or 7 WP if bought by a Level 15 Character and heightened to his Level. A ring of fireball at will costs 7 WP (3 for 1 use per day, +4 for 5 uses per day -> effectively at will).
-> Spells that require XP to function ALWAYS emulate the minimum amount required, no more.
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Inherent Bonus Item: A tome costs 2 WP per point of inherent bonus to be bestowed. You cannot exceed the usual +5 limit. A tome of strength +5 would cost 10 WP.
Consumable Items: 1 WP buys you 5,000gp worth of scrolls and potions.
All other items: 1 WP = 10,000gp (e.g. 9 WP for ring of regeneration).
Spare Change: You may trade one 1 WP per Level as spare money for actual in-game purposes at the rate of 5,000gp per WP. If you are left with 0 WP, you start with 25gp per level (500gp at Level 20).
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Multi-property Cost: Each additional property on the same item adds 1 WP to the total cost. A Belt of Strength +2, Dexterity +2 and Constitution +2 costs 5 WP.
Slotless Items: Add 2 WP to the total cost for an item that is actually, for lack of a better term, an “innate ability”.
Epic Items and WP: You cannot buy Epic Items if your ECL does not exceed 20. If it does, there is no additional “epic cost”, but you may treat 1 WP as 100,000gp for all the epic consumable and utility items not detailed here. An item that costs 11 WP or more is an epic item for the purposes of this system.
NOTES
Reminder: A character cannot spent WP exceeding half his ECL on a singular item. If you are theorycrafting and wondering how a level 15 character could afford a Wish spell item, they can’t.
Disclaimer: I cannot lie that it doesn't undervalue some items while overpricing others, but it's an abstraction I'm willing to make on my table. The costs are examples and, although they might work with my group, they might not work with yours. Also, I do not need to mention there are some heavy no-nos with certain spell-item combinations, but I'm sure your tables have similar such "blacklists".
Regardless, they've been asking to go into the epic levels with various short-story premises (which had me occupied for a couple of weeks to make a system that is actually functional for my group's expectations, but that's another story entirely) and I believe it's going to save me quite some legwork. It has done so already for all their Lv15-20 characters. Just saying, it's definitely not for Lv1-10 starting characters.
THE SYSTEM
A character starts with a number of Wealth Points (WP) equal to twice his ECL. He uses them only at the start and they do not replace gold, loot or anything else in actual play (e.g. an ECL 15 Character would have 30 WP). You cannot buy an item with a WP cost that exceeds half your ECL.
---
Weapons, Armor and Shields: You spend 1 WP per enhancement bonus, plus 1 more if it is from an exotic material. A +3 keen adamantine Longsword would cost 5 WP. A +5 vorpal Longsword would cost 10 WP.
---
Protection or Resistance Items: You spend 1 WP per AC bonus or Resistance bonus to saving throws. A +5 ring of protection would cost 5 WP.
Ability Score Items: You spend 1 WP per 2 points of ability bonus. A belt of strength +6 would cost 3 WP.
Skill Items: You spend 1 WP per 4 points of skill bonus. A ring of move silently +20 would cost 5 WP.
Energy Resistance Items: You spend 1 WP per 5 points of resistance to one type of energy. If you exceed 50, then the item provides immunity instead. A ring of fire resistance 30 would cost 6 WP.
Damage Reduction Items: You spend 2 WP per 5 points of Damage Reduction/Magic. You can turn it to Damage Reduction/Magic and Adamantine with two additional WP. A ring of Damage Reduction 15/Magic and Adamantine costs 8 WP.
Spell Resistance Item: You spend 1 WP for Spell Resistance 10, then 1 WP per 2 points beyond that. A cloak of spell resistance 20 would cost 6 WP.
---
Spell Item: You spend 1 WP per spell level of the spell-like ability that the item provides.
-> The Caster Level is twice the spell’s level, the DC Bonus (if any) is 10 + Spell Level +1/4 Caster Level.
-> If the spell has a costly component (more than 1 gp), you add 1 WP. If it has an XP component, you add another 1 WP.
-> You may use it once per day, and pay 1 WP per additional daily use. If you exceed 4 uses, the item can be used at will.
-> Supportive spells with a duration that target one creature (Death Ward) can be made continuous with a single +2 WP adjustment. Continuous Time Stops are not within the scope of this system, just saying.
-> If you want the item’s Caster Level to be equal to your own ECL at the start of the campaign, you can pay an additional 1 WP.
-> 0-Level spells count as 1st-Level for determining price and Caster Level.
-> An amulet of continuous death ward would cost 6 WP (Caster Level 8), or 7 WP if bought by a Level 15 Character and heightened to his Level. A ring of fireball at will costs 7 WP (3 for 1 use per day, +4 for 5 uses per day -> effectively at will).
-> Spells that require XP to function ALWAYS emulate the minimum amount required, no more.
---
Inherent Bonus Item: A tome costs 2 WP per point of inherent bonus to be bestowed. You cannot exceed the usual +5 limit. A tome of strength +5 would cost 10 WP.
Consumable Items: 1 WP buys you 5,000gp worth of scrolls and potions.
All other items: 1 WP = 10,000gp (e.g. 9 WP for ring of regeneration).
Spare Change: You may trade one 1 WP per Level as spare money for actual in-game purposes at the rate of 5,000gp per WP. If you are left with 0 WP, you start with 25gp per level (500gp at Level 20).
---
Multi-property Cost: Each additional property on the same item adds 1 WP to the total cost. A Belt of Strength +2, Dexterity +2 and Constitution +2 costs 5 WP.
Slotless Items: Add 2 WP to the total cost for an item that is actually, for lack of a better term, an “innate ability”.
Epic Items and WP: You cannot buy Epic Items if your ECL does not exceed 20. If it does, there is no additional “epic cost”, but you may treat 1 WP as 100,000gp for all the epic consumable and utility items not detailed here. An item that costs 11 WP or more is an epic item for the purposes of this system.
NOTES
Reminder: A character cannot spent WP exceeding half his ECL on a singular item. If you are theorycrafting and wondering how a level 15 character could afford a Wish spell item, they can’t.
Disclaimer: I cannot lie that it doesn't undervalue some items while overpricing others, but it's an abstraction I'm willing to make on my table. The costs are examples and, although they might work with my group, they might not work with yours. Also, I do not need to mention there are some heavy no-nos with certain spell-item combinations, but I'm sure your tables have similar such "blacklists".
