Money is power, literally.

[RangerWickett]

I want to run a quick game of this before 4e comes out.

Instead of their being an assumption of wealth gained as you level, your wealth determines your level.

You have 100,000 gp worth of stuff? You're 12th level. Gain 10K more, you gain a level.

How would society be affected by this? For one, people would carry all of their wealth with them. I mean, if the bank-owner decided to claim all your money for himself, he'd be too powerful for you to stop him. So everyone would convert all their wealth into magic items. Perhaps deeds for property would count as monetary value, so everyone would have registration saying that they own various objects.

Druids would realize that you can place a price on the natural world. The first person to figure this out would have god-like power. Hm, fertility deity, anyone? How much does sex go for? Multiply that by 15 million times.

What are some other ideas?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Er ... 1E XP?

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

How would society be affected by this?

Without some additonal controls society would be affected in bizzare and incredibly unrealistic and game-breaking ways.

"Hey! My spell just fizzled! What the... Aw, dang... my coinpurse got stolen..."
"Sir Whackamole, can you give me 100,000 gp so I can go slay this giant? I'll give you 110,000 gp on Thursday. I just need an extra feat for a few days."
"I claim this new, uncivilized wilderness as my own for as far as the eye can see and name it MEland. 5th level to demigod in one easy step. What should I roll up for my next PC?"

Other than that kind of abuse it's about as good a cumulative scorekeeping device as something nebulous and fictional like XP and the change in daily goals would certainly make for some interesting gameplay.

"Let the witch HAVE the girl - Just get those Ruby Slippers first, and we'll be able to kick the gloomcookie from here to the Emerald City anyway!"

 

[jaerdaph]

What might be really interesting is if your level drops (just like a level drain) if you lose money.

 

[Felix]

Wow Wickett; you really don't like the Vow of Poverty, do you?

 

[Slife]

I claim the act of claiming!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

How do loans work? What if you're in dept? What if your stocks plunge, and you haven't been told that yet - do you lose a level for seemingly no reason? (The stock market is older than the Middle Ages.) What about married couples who share their wealth?

If you lose money, it's hard to use the skills required to make money (since their values are reduced).

 

[Relique du Madde]

What if you travel to a distant land where gold has no value and everyone does their trade with large round boulders? Do you loose your level while exploring in that region?

 

[bowbe]

Wicket just hit on why:

Batman is one of the greatest superheroes ever:

Unlimited wealth is the greatest superpower.

and Why:

Iron Man is one of the greatest Marvel Super heroes.

An insanely wealthy slightly above average aristocrat in a highly magical world could easily "buy" +5 everything... +5 full plate, +5 bastard sword of woop arse, +5 flying tower shield of Na na na you can't hit me... ring of sustenance, ring of swimming, amulet of health +6, belt of strength +6, Gloves of +6 Dexterity... Headband of Intellect +6, Cloak of Charisma +6, +6 "vest" of constitution, something or other of evasion... and winged boots. Heck, why not make several of them "combo" items. It's all do-able fairly cheap if you have alignment/racial/class restrictions on stuff.

How long would that guy remain level 1 if encounters were run "by the book". He would be a 1st level character against low challenge rating critters afterall. No real need to eat or rest, thus no worries about getting bushwacked in his sleep.

AC around 34 (Sounds Like Rhy from my CoB playtest)... +9 to hit at level 1... very tempting to put such a foil into an adventure... if it weren't for the fact that I don't want my guys ending up with all his gear!

Good thread!

Hope I didn't derail the OPs point. I wouldn't mind seeing what the "cheesiest" 1st level no holds barred "standard magic items only" super hero aristocrat could be!
Case

 

[RFisher]

How do loans work?

Need a couple of extra levels for the next module? Take out a loan! Just hope that you make enough gross profit to cover the interest because a net loss means you lose levels.

(It seems to me that some classic Traveller campaigns wealth does equate to power. It's slow to gain/increase skills, but enough credits means you can buy cool toys to make up for that & afford passage to a world with a high enough tech level but low enough law level that they're available.)