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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 9325039" data-attributes="member: 6779196">I mean, first off, it’s not really that much in the way of extra steps. It takes more effort to explain the system than to actually execute it at the table. What is gained out of it is grounding such valuables in the fictional world.When you get a narrative description of the item instead of just “it’s a 50gp gemstone” it has more character, more life. When you need to roll to appraise it and get a range for its value instead of a fixed number, it reinforces the idea that what you’ve found is a real item in the world that might have factors affecting its value, rather than an abstract game object that only exists to be exchanged for imaginary currency. It implies dynamic quality of gems, and an active gemstone market. And it creates a sense of anticipation; “wow, we could get between 30 and 70 gold for this? I’d better look for someone willing to pay on the higher end…”When you go to actually sell it, you might even get an offer that’s actually higher than the upper bound of the range you got on initial appraisal, which is exciting; “Ha! This sucker offered 80 for a gem that’s only worth 70 at most!” Or you might get a lower offer, which might create a feeling of indignation; “What kind of stunt are you trying to pull, offering me 20 when I know damn well this Jasper is worth at least 30?! If you’re not going to take this seriously, I’ll take my business elsewhere.” It also demonstrates that other treasure items might fetch higher or lower prices than you initially get on appraisal, which increases the possibility space such items represent, and encourages players to try to haggle for that higher price.All of this helps drive investment in the shared fiction. It makes treasure feel like a real part of the game world, instead of just a fanciful way to describe what are ultimately just inconsequential numbers on paper.</blockquote>

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