D20 Modern: Purchase DC for Items not in Core Book

[reveal]

In my upcoming D20 Modern Campaign, some of the players wish to purchase items not in the book. Some are easy to figure out the DC. If it's comparable to a Chevy Cavalier, use it's DC, etc. But what if it's something like a bicycle? There's not bike listed in the book. So where does one find what the DC should be for things like that? Are there sources on the net/in print that I could look for items not listed in the core book?

 

[Jeremy757]

Well I would say just find an item on the equipment lists thats in the same price range as what you are looking for and give it a similar DC. For a bicycle, depending on the quality and brand, I would give it anywhere from a 9 all the way up to a 14.

If you are looking for more equipment to add to your game outside of that contained in d20 Modern and Urban Arcana, you can also get Modern Player's Companion from the Game Mechanics and Green Ronin. It contains additional equipment. Well you should just get it anyway cause its a good book.

 

[C. Baize]

Or just find the real life price, then refer to table 7-1 on page 204 of the D20 Modern Core Rule Book...
Easy Breezy.

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

Or just find the real life price, then refer to table 7-1 on page 204 of the D20 Modern Core Rule Book...
Easy Breezy.

One step ahead of me you dirty... umm yeah...

It's amazing how many people don't realize this chart exists, maybe it should have been put in the equipment chapter.

 

[reveal]

One step ahead of me you dirty... umm yeah...

It's amazing how many people don't realize this chart exists, maybe it should have been put in the equipment chapter.

I would be one of them. Thanx!!

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Price Conversions to Purchase DCs

Forget that, I just ditched all their problematic ad hoc purchase DCs and use the following formula (the functions will be on any scientific calculator):

Purchase DC = 10 * log (Price in US Dollars)

Round up the final result. So a $25,000 car is DC 44, a $2,000,000 yacht is DC 63. Anything that costs less than a dollar will have a negative DC, so that means the character can automatically take 10 and have the item.

The purchase DCs in the book obey very little rhyme or reason (a friend of mine checked out the prices). I just recommend you just use real world prices and the above formula and ignore the ones in the book. Maybe one day I will actually do the actual analysis, but I have a planet to find (for real, I play an astronomer in real life).

Sincerely,




Sammy Grimes

 

[takyris]

Well, the reason for the price differences could have been based on factors other than the initial purchase price. For example, my Dodge Avenger has, over its eight years of life, required a LOT more work than my wife's Toyota Tacoma, which is two years older than my car. While I did not initially pay more for it than she did for her truck, it has effectively reduced my available money more than her truck did, because I need to spend so much time getting the darn thing fixed.

Other factors may exist as well. That's just off the top of my head.

 

[ledded]

Tacky is quite correct. Several question threads of this nature over on the WotC boards have led me to believe this. The DC cost of a car can be thought of more as not just the best available purchase price but more along the lines of a 'cost of ownership and how it affects your available wealth', at least IMO.

I paid close to the same for my Dodge Durango as I did for a Honda Odyssey, but the Durango is much more expensive in long term costs (higher insurance, higher fuel bills, much more costs in maintenance and repair).

Some of the purchase prices for mundane equipment may seem high (and make sure to check errata for a few that were wrong), but they are normally for the best available item that can take the rigors of 'adventuring'. So you could buy "rope" at Home Depot for a lesser wealth DC than climbing rope in the book, but would you really want to trust it to suspend you and 50lbs of your gear while people are shooting at you?

All that being said, my group often researches and buys things not on the list; we find a good price for it that we can consistently get and the GM adjudicates any additional cost he thinks applies.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Forget that, I just ditched all their problematic ad hoc purchase DCs and use the following formula (the functions will be on any scientific calculator):

Purchase DC = 10 * log (Price in US Dollars)

Round up the final result. So a $25,000 car is DC 44, a $2,000,000 yacht is DC 63. Anything that costs less than a dollar will have a negative DC, so that means the character can automatically take 10 and have the item.

Your method seems off by an order of magnitude.

Compare the purchase DCs of the vehicles as listed in the book. A vehicle with a real-world price of $10k - $20k should have a Purchase DC in the 26-28 range.

Using your method, a $150 handgun would have a purchase DC22.

Which is fine, if you don't want 1st level characters to be able to purchase basic self defense.

Not hacking on you or anything, if you have a simple (and accurate) mathematical solution, I'd love to see it posted here.

Here's the table I use:

Item’s Price @ Purchase DC
Up to 10 @ 2
20 @ 4
50 @ 7
100 @ 10
200 @ 12
500 @ 15
1000 @ 18
2000 @ 20
5000 @ 23
10,000 @ 26
20,000 @ 28
50,000 @ 31
100,000 @ 34
200,000 @ 36
500,000 @ 39
1,000,000 @ 42
2,000,000 @ 44
5,000,000 @ 47
each additional x10 +8

 

[Len]

Some of the purchase prices for mundane equipment may seem high (and make sure to check errata for a few that were wrong), but they are normally for the best available item that can take the rigors of 'adventuring'. So you could buy "rope" at Home Depot for a lesser wealth DC than climbing rope in the book, but would you really want to trust it to suspend you and 50lbs of your gear while people are shooting at you?

I've wondered before how much of a difference this makes, so I looked up your example:

200' of "truck rope" from Home Depot: 2 x $7.49 = $14.98
60m of climbing rope from REI: $125.00 and up

(prices in US dollars)