money value in 1st/2nd/3rd ed.

[T. Foster]

Adding to Quasqueton's post above, OD&D values are all the same as the B/XD&D values with the following exceptions:

OD&D: 50cp = 10sp = (2ep)* = 1gp = (1/2ep)* = (1/5pp)* -- 10 coins = 1 pound
*("If electrum is added it is optionally worth either twice or half the value of Gold. Platinum is five times more valuable than Gold if it is decided to add it to the precious metals list." -- OD&D vol. II, p. 39)

Chainmail: 30gp

 

[green slime]

D&D pricing is weird. For example, in 3E Raise Dead requires a 5,000gp diamond. But from what market? If I have a little chip of diamond and I tell the cleric: "Hey, padre, I'll let you have this here diamond chip for 5,000gp" did the cleric just buy a 5,000gp diamond? If not, then who sets the value and on what standard is it based?

You're not allowed to ask those questions.

Please report to your local friendly lunatic asylum, where we shall guarantee that your remaining grip on reality is cast adrift, and you remain firmly in the grip of the illusion of a stable, and just economic system.

 

[Treebore]

You're not allowed to ask those questions.

Please report to your local friendly lunatic asylum, where we shall guarantee that your remaining grip on reality is cast adrift, and you remain firmly in the grip of the illusion of a stable, and just economic system.

You love running Paranoia, don't you.

 

[El Ravager]

D&D pricing is weird. For example, in 3E Raise Dead requires a 5,000gp diamond. But from what market? If I have a little chip of diamond and I tell the cleric: "Hey, padre, I'll let you have this here diamond chip for 5,000gp" did the cleric just buy a 5,000gp diamond? If not, then who sets the value and on what standard is it based?

I think that technically, the answer would be it must be a diamond that, if it were succussfully appraised by an appraise check, would be appraised at a value of 5000gp. I suppose a DM could get nasty and have NPCs rip them off and sell them bum gems. I mean, it isn't the gods fault the cleric got ripped off and spent 5000 gold on a trinkent barely worth 500 gold. Thats a pretty good arguement for spellcasters having appraise skill.


But really I think the above is secondary. The rule is there for PCs to expend resources in the form of GP. The fact that the GP goes to a diamond is just flavor text when it gets right down to the rules of it.

 

[diaglo]

Adding to Quasqueton's post above, OD&D values are all the same as the B/XD&D values with the following exceptions:

OD&D: 50cp = 10sp = (2ep)* = 1gp = (1/2ep)* = (1/5pp)* -- 10 coins = 1 pound
*("If electrum is added it is optionally worth either twice or half the value of Gold. Platinum is five times more valuable than Gold if it is decided to add it to the precious metals list." -- OD&D vol. II, p. 39)

Chainmail: 30gp

yeah, i left out OD&D. the OP only asked about 2ed comparisons.

sword 10gp
battle axe 7gp
chainmail 30gp
shield 10gp
helmet 10gp
plate mail 50gp
spear 1gp

 

[Korgoth]

I think that technically, the answer would be it must be a diamond that, if it were succussfully appraised by an appraise check, would be appraised at a value of 5000gp. I suppose a DM could get nasty and have NPCs rip them off and sell them bum gems. I mean, it isn't the gods fault the cleric got ripped off and spent 5000 gold on a trinkent barely worth 500 gold. Thats a pretty good arguement for spellcasters having appraise skill.


But really I think the above is secondary. The rule is there for PCs to expend resources in the form of GP. The fact that the GP goes to a diamond is just flavor text when it gets right down to the rules of it.

That sounds right to me. Although, since I don't like the Raise Dead spell much, I might consider making diamonds of that value be rarer than hen's teeth. After all, you can't buy the Star of India in a little town, or in fact in any town at all. Not to mention the fact that, if there are a number of clerics who can bring back the dead, and people know that if you have a diamond of such quality you can be brought back to life, I can imagine 5,000gp diamonds getting bought up by the ultra-rich who want to live as long as possible. At which point a 5,000gp diamond becomes a 5,000,000gp diamond. After all, the King has heard of this great magic as well, and you can be sure he wants a piece of it.

 

[Kelleris]

That sounds right to me. Although, since I don't like the Raise Dead spell much, I might consider making diamonds of that value be rarer than hen's teeth. After all, you can't buy the Star of India in a little town, or in fact in any town at all. Not to mention the fact that, if there are a number of clerics who can bring back the dead, and people know that if you have a diamond of such quality you can be brought back to life, I can imagine 5,000gp diamonds getting bought up by the ultra-rich who want to live as long as possible. At which point a 5,000gp diamond becomes a 5,000,000gp diamond. After all, the King has heard of this great magic as well, and you can be sure he wants a piece of it.

There are two problems with that plan, by the 3.5 rules - raise dead doesn't help if you die from old age (it can't be used to extend your life past its natural span), and you don't need to cover the cost with a single diamond. Rich people are better off just making sure they have neutralize poison and remove disease and possibly break enchantment handy, none of which costs 5,000 gold to use, unless they plan on being violently hacked to death with sufficient frequency that they're willing to drop this supposed 5 million gold on the diamond. Which is a moot point anyway, since the spell actually requires "Diamonds worth a total of least 5,000 gp" - you can make up that cost with a sack of diamond dust if it comes to that.

 

[green slime]

You love running Paranoia, don't you.

What gave me away?!?

 

[Korgoth]

There are two problems with that plan, by the 3.5 rules - raise dead doesn't help if you die from old age (it can't be used to extend your life past its natural span), and you don't need to cover the cost with a single diamond. Rich people are better off just making sure they have neutralize poison and remove disease and possibly break enchantment handy, none of which costs 5,000 gold to use, unless they plan on being violently hacked to death with sufficient frequency that they're willing to drop this supposed 5 million gold on the diamond. Which is a moot point anyway, since the spell actually requires "Diamonds worth a total of least 5,000 gp" - you can make up that cost with a sack of diamond dust if it comes to that.

Interesting. I did not realize that.

So I guess I'd either ban the spell or say that "all diamonds were wiped out in the Great Diamond Blight of 402".

 

[Kelleris]

Interesting. I did not realize that.

So I guess I'd either ban the spell or say that "all diamonds were wiped out in the Great Diamond Blight of 402".

Fair enough. You might try changing it to an XP penalty for the casting cleric, however. I find players are much more willing to spend gold than experience, and then you can introduce power components to cover the XP cost - rare power components which would require them to jump through as many hoops as you like to acquire, of course.