Fantasy Economics 101

[Unkempt]

Hello, fellow message boarders (for lack of a better term). This is my first time posting here at EN World. I have an issue that I need some help with. It mostly concerns DMing, but players should probably have a look at it too.

I'm starting a campaign set in a world similar to 18th century Europe. It's intended to be a gothic horror campaign (I REALLY liked "Van Helsing"). But I have an issue with economics: How much should a gun cost?

According to the DMG, a pistol costs about 250gp. I think that sounds too expensive for the concept, but I'm not really sure because at the same time it seems like it might just be right. I don't want guns to be uncommon, but I don't want them to be easy access either.

This of course leads to further questions that go beyond just my campaign, like, "How much does 1gp compare to 1$?" "Should I change the prices of other weapons to make them seem more or less common?"

In closing, this should be a more commonly discussed subject in my eyes, but I suppose most people probably never worried about it too much.

 

[Fenes]

If you have enough trust between DM and players you can drop exact amounts of money from your game, and just tell your players what they can afford with their status.

 

[Felon]

Given any thought to using D20 Modern's Wealth system in place of cold cash? That way you just assign a purchase DC to equipment and don't sweat converting gold pieces to whatever the currency of the land is, especially if your setting uses notes (which, being paper and ink, are only worth what the body that printed is currently worth in the time and place where you're trying to spend it).

 

[Sigurd]

18th Century Guns Varied Greatly

I know its just an example you gave but...

You may want to have a steap curve for gun prices from the single, one shot, and perhaps dangersous to the owner, to the blunderbus and more elaborate guns. The early history of gunmaking was full of experiamentation and really dangerous guns. Jaming, blowing up, powder fires, misfires, wet powder, too much or too little powder -- the list is endless.


sigurd.

The most fun option to something like economics is simply find a publication you can accept for prices and get back to gaming. Its worth the money to stay focused on plot and character.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I'm not sure where I read it, but I recall reading that 1 sp = $1 US.

 

[Alchemist]

I'm not sure where I read it, but I recall reading that 1 sp = $1 US.

Dosen't really matter though, as conversion to "real life" values only works superficially. For a grinding discussion on the economics of building and operating an inn as well as an analysis of the assumed economic system, this thread had a very good discussion on the values assigned to things by the game designers.

If you're playing a 18th century game complete with the trappings of the industrial revolution and commensurate assumed technology level, you should consider picking up one of the "steampunk" supplements. I can't recommend any, but I know that Fantasy Flight Games put one out. I think there may be supplements by other third parties dealing with a Masque of the Red Death style campaign, but I'm not your man for that.

Off the cuff, I would say that your guns would be cheaper, more reliable and more common. Melee weapons, particularly large ones, would be on their way out right along with armour.

 

[Unkempt]

Yeah, I'm using some variant rules from "Unearthed Arcana" to deal with the armor. Essentially, there's almost nothing cheap except for light armor. On using the wealth system, I've considered that, but I still think it'd be more appropriate to use gold. I haven't ruled it out, though.