Anyone using the DMGII business rules?

[Stalker0]

I just got a hold of the dmg II. I like the business rules, just curious what other people think?

They definately seem weighted towards failure for all but very skilled characters, but then again, most businesses fail.

 

[Saeviomagy]

The business rules seem to have been written with two goals in mind:

1. To discourage characters from doing anything with their cash except buying magical items

2. To be as far from any sort of realism or coherence with the rest of the world as is possible

They're so badly done, the only way to fix them is to discard them.

Seriously.

 

[pogre]

I think it reflects an inherenmt problem with the D&D model and it's assumed wealth levels. While I don't think the business rules are a complete wash, they do make setting up a business and making a profit too difficult. I like the simplicity of how some of it is set up - it could form the base of something usable.

I've found creating trading rules and merchant guild guidelines for my campaign have created a lot of wealth for my PCs. A cool side effect of this is that they do not spend money on magic items as much and are looking to grow their business.

Recently, one of the members of the party passed over an armor upgrade to hire a better captain for their trading ship. Fun stuff!

 

[blargney the second]

Cool timing for a thread like this! I'm making a new merchant PC for our Eberron gestalt game, and I *just* started looking at the business rules this morning. I have a feeling it'll mostly be a waste of money, but the plot hooks will be fantastic!

-blarg

 

[Jdvn1]

I used the rules for a little while, for a PC that wanted a business. They seem to work, and I like that they simplify the whole process (having had to run most of a business, I know it can get pretty complex). I don't want to have to worry about all the complexities of owning a business in a RPG, but I can throw in my knowledge of such to grant plusses and minuses to the player.

Moreover, we all enjoyed it, but it does require at least level 5 or 6 to consistently do well.

 

[Saeviomagy]

See, personally I don't think the rules are much beyond simply tallying up all that the PCs put into the business, picking out some encounters and ELs and awarding appropriate treasure in the guise of "profits".

ie - doing it off the top of my head

 

[Jdvn1]

See, personally I don't think the rules are much beyond simply tallying up all that the PCs put into the business, picking out some encounters and ELs and awarding appropriate treasure in the guise of "profits".

ie - doing it off the top of my head

... Which makes a symmetry between business rules and normal enounters.

 

[Stalker0]

So do you think the rules are good, just too hard?

I mean, the numbers could easily be tweaked a bit to make them a little easier to do.

 

[Jdvn1]

They're tough, but it's good that they're tough, I think. If it's easier, I think it's less balanced.

 

[blargney the second]

I've decided that my business will be an arms brokerage. I'll have two business partners/specialists that stay on site to run the business, while I'm the forward scout. I find prospective sellers and buyers, then send the info back to home base for them to broker into deals.

I'll post here when I find out how well it works!
-blarg