Electrum Pieces: Do you still use them?
- Thread starter Tuzenbach
- Start date
Carnifex
First Post
My new campaign uses copper, silver, electrum, gold, gembits, indulgence tokens (coins only exchangeable at the Cathredral of Gansar in return for clerical services such as healing, forgiveness for sins ie atonements, etc), obsidian tokens, crystal tokens, hacksilver... in fact, loads of different types of coinage and trade good.
Electrum tags in at 2 to a gold piece.
Electrum tags in at 2 to a gold piece.
Mouseferatu
Hero
Gah! Electrum!
*hurriedly makes the sign of the cross while backing slowly away*
Sorry. But we didn't use electrum even back when it was part of the core rules.
*hurriedly makes the sign of the cross while backing slowly away*
Sorry. But we didn't use electrum even back when it was part of the core rules.
AFGNCAAP
First Post
Only with previous editions of the rules. However, considering that gold is mixed with silver or copper to give it a bit more durability (and to strength out gold reserves), it is quite feasible that the gold pieces in circulation may be electrum as it is (depending on how far debased the currency is).
As of now, for my generic D&D setting, I pretty much just stick with the "core 4" coinages as per the PHB--it's easier for the players to understand, and it gave me an excuse to develop a little backstory as to why the currency (at those dimensions, values, & weights) is so universally accepted.
As of now, for my generic D&D setting, I pretty much just stick with the "core 4" coinages as per the PHB--it's easier for the players to understand, and it gave me an excuse to develop a little backstory as to why the currency (at those dimensions, values, & weights) is so universally accepted.
When I ran Necropolis I used electrum, tin, all the native coins. I once used electrum when I wanted to "keep the treasure level high but reasonable". It was worth the same as silver, unless they wanted to look for someone willing to trade it at a higher value, which they didn't.
RuminDange
First Post
Still use it to some degree in my homebrew in various parts of the land. Takes 5 electrum to equal a gold on the average. But not highly used.
RD
RD
Orius
Unrepentant DM Supremacist
Mouseferatu said:
I've never used ep or pp either. I've never found any compelling reason to deviate from the copper/silver/gold standard.
Sure, many different currencies may add to a campaign verisimiltude, but from game to game, it's simply easier just to stick with the standard cp/sp/gps.
Chupacabra
First Post
I still use electrum in my campaigns. 2 - to - 1 gp ratio.
My "backstory" on ep's and pp's are that they were once more common coins of a past fallen empire -- so they turn up in old hoards of treasure, or found by luck squirreled away in far off forgotten locales -- and are not generally part of the normal stream of commerce.
They are not very common, but no merchant will refuse my players if they try to settle a bill with ep's. Kinda like if you were in America and you payed for your Big Mac with fifty cent pieces and 2 dollar bills. You may get a few strange looks, but its still legal tender.
My "backstory" on ep's and pp's are that they were once more common coins of a past fallen empire -- so they turn up in old hoards of treasure, or found by luck squirreled away in far off forgotten locales -- and are not generally part of the normal stream of commerce.
They are not very common, but no merchant will refuse my players if they try to settle a bill with ep's. Kinda like if you were in America and you payed for your Big Mac with fifty cent pieces and 2 dollar bills. You may get a few strange looks, but its still legal tender.
Last edited:
Geoff Watson
First Post
I hardly ever used Electrum, even in older editions.
It's pretty silly anyway; if they can make gold coins, they would separate the gold and silver from the electrum.
Geoff.
It's pretty silly anyway; if they can make gold coins, they would separate the gold and silver from the electrum.
Geoff.
LeapingShark
First Post
No never used electrum in any of the editons. The word just doesn't capture the mind's eye like gold, copper, and silver do. It almost sounds like some kind of radioactive material -- "plutonium, electrum, uranium, and neptunium". And the quirky conversion rate never helped either.
Similar Threads
