D&D 5E Microtransactions During the Adventuring Day

[BookTenTiger]

For those who don't know, microtransactions are small, often cheap purchases players can make when playing video games. For example, someone playing Fortnite might purchase a custom skin. Someone playing Candy Crushers might purchase extra lives. Often these transactions cost less than a dollar. Overall they are pretty annoying.

That being said, what if you brought Microtransactions... into D&D???

It's a common complaint that 5e Characters have very little to spend their gold on. What would be some things you could entice the characters with at the cost of gold?

100 gp - +1 to an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.
200 gp - gain resistance against a single attack.
500 gp - turn a successful attack roll into a critical hit.
1,000 gp - your target automatically fails their Saving Throw.

I can just see it now...

Paladin: I swing in with my longsword, striking at the vampire's head! I rolled a... 15.
DM: Oh no, you needed a 16 to hit. You know, for 100 gold, you could add one to that roll.
Paladin: Oh yeah, that seems worth it. Um... yeah, I have more than enough for that.
DM: Okay, you strike the vampire! How much damage?
Paladin: Um... (rolls) 11 slashing damage. Oh, I'm going to use my Divine Strike as well. Let's see, that's... oh man, low roll. Just 6 more damage.
DM: You know, for 500 gold, you could turn that hit into a critical...
Paladin: Do I have enough? Um, wizard, could you lend me 150 gold pieces?
Wizard: No way, I'm saving up to make the vampire fail a Saving Throw!

What are some other Microtransactions you could put into D&D?

(PS: This is a firmly tongue-in-cheek thread.)

 

[Thunder Brother]

Taxes and tolls: the most vile, reprehensible enemies a DnD party will ever encounter

A guard stops the party as they approach a bridge
"Hold there. there's a toll. 5 gold a head, horses and wagons included."
The clinking of coins and treasure can be heard from even across the town as the party stop their wagon.
"5 gold!? That's outrageous! We'll pay no such thing!"
"Well, it's either you pay the toll or turn around. Your choice."
"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!"
The party proceeds to mind control/murder everyone in sight.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I have a similar system at my table...but it uses real-life Doritos, mozza stick or other cheese-flavored junk.

its called the Cheese for Cheese system: if you fail something, you can always give me cheese and I'll let you get your missing +1 or whatever.

 

[Thunder Brother]

I have a similar system at my table...but it uses real-life Doritos, mozza stick or other cheese-flavored junk.

its called the Cheese for Cheese system: if you fail something, you can always give me cheese and I'll let you get your missing +1 or whatever.

Buying the pizza for this week's session may or may not be worth an Inspiration. Only one way to find out really.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Taxes and tolls: the most vile, reprehensible enemies a DnD party will ever encounter

A guard stops the party as they approach a bridge
"Hold there. there's a toll. 5 gold a head, horses and wagons included."
The clinking of coins and treasure can be heard from even across the town as the party stop their wagon.
"5 gold!? That's outrageous! We'll pay no such thing!"
"Well, it's either you pay the toll or turn around. Your choice."
"Oh yeah?"
The party proceeds to mind control/murder everyone in sight.

Yes, I've noticed this too!!!

The characters are boating up river. They rescue a helpful river guide. "I can lead to the rest of the way, for 2 gp per day."

The characters are two days away from their destination. They try to negotiate, roll terribly.

"Well, that's just my price! I've got to eat too!"

The characters try to intimidate. They roll terribly.

"You don't seem like friendly folks. I'm out of here!"

The characters almost sink his raft as he floats away. All for 4 gold pieces!!!

 

[Thunder Brother]

Yes, I've noticed this too!!!

The characters are boating up river. They rescue a helpful river guide. "I can lead to the rest of the way, for 2 gp per day."

The characters are two days away from their destination. They try to negotiate, roll terribly.

"Well, that's just my price! I've got to eat too!"

The characters try to intimidate. They roll terribly.

"You don't seem like friendly folks. I'm out of here!"

The characters almost sink his raft as he floats away. All for 4 gold pieces!!!

Someone's probably described it already but the Inverse Player Pettiness Law might be a good name for it: the lower the amount of money at stake, the pettier the party's behavior.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Someone's probably described it already but the Inverse Player Pettiness Law might be a good name for it: the lower the amount of money at stake, the pettier the party's behavior.

A few sessions later the characters find a Haberdashery with very expensive hats. They then spend hundreds of gold on fancy hats!!!

 

[Krachek]

use Bitcoin rather than gold.

 

[commandercrud]

No. No way. Never.

 

[ninjayeti]

Better yet, use the "loot crate" business model to make money as a pro DM. The game itself is free to play in. But for $1 players get a roll on Magic Item Table A. For $10 they get a roll on Magic Item Table B. Magic Item Table I is a grand, and if you end up with the +1 scale mail your outta luck. But hey, your paladin REALLY wants that holy avenger, doesn't he?