New Bullet Points Article - Wealth System

[Mistwell]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/article/20030304a


A brief excerpt by Charles Ryan:

"Today's topic is the Wealth system in the d20 Modern game. I'll start by giving you a little insight into why the designers went with the system they did. Next, I'll talk a bit about how players try to cheat the system -- and why those techniques almost never work when the rules are applied properly. Finally, I'll answer a few questions that have come in about the Wealth system."

Personally, I thought this was a great article. I particularly like the equation for determining an approprite descriptive cash reward from a wealth bonus reward (IE how to convert your Wealth +15 reward into the description "You get a briefcase with $5000 cash").

 

[Ranger REG]

Yeah, but what happened if you're unemployed? With a +15 Wealth Bonus, that is one generous unemployment check.

All in all, I like the simplification of modern-day income and how it definitely differs from the medieval period.

 

[Tellerve]

My only concern with a +15 being $5000 or whatever wasn't so much the math of it but thinking if I were a player in the campaign then I wouldn't probably do a lot of the stuff my GM/DM would want me to do for $5000. I think I would value my life a lot more, and expect some more bling bling to go shooting people/monsters/whatever.

Tellerve

 

[Mistwell]

My only concern with a +15 being $5000 or whatever wasn't so much the math of it but thinking if I were a player in the campaign then I wouldn't probably do a lot of the stuff my GM/DM would want me to do for $5000. I think I would value my life a lot more, and expect some more bling bling to go shooting people/monsters/whatever.

Tellerve

The game assumes you are going on missions for a reason beyond money. It assumes you are not playing in a D&D mentality with gold pieces being the goal. If your games involve wealth as the primary goal - they will end as soon as the first mission is done probably.

 

[jaerdaph]

Personally, I think the Wealth system in d20 Modern is extremely elegant in both its design and implementation. I would go as far as to say that it is innovative, but since I haven't seen every RPG that is out there, I could be wrong.

Anyhow, I still think it's brilliant

 

[Tellerve]

Don't get me wrong, I really like the system as keeping up with actual money would be horrendous. I was just making an observation about the bonus wealth that can be gotten from going on adventures.

Thanks for that insight Mistwell, but I understood that, although even if people aren't about the money I think it is a tad foolish not to want more money for doing the things players do. IF you want to really role-play that situaction. Or maybe you'd be willing to risk yourself for that. Yes Money isn't everything, but it is important and when you have the drug lords being beaten by the players only to find, $8000 in their stash you throw verisimilitude out the window.

sheesh, I throw out an opinion/concern and you question my ability as a DM.

Jaerdaph, I agree, it is an innovative system.

 

[Ranger REG]

If your PC happen to be an agent of law, then you have a choice between executing your duty or take the money and run.

Should you decided to skim some of the money or contraband from the bust, then yeah, I probably give you temporary wealth bonus. They're one-time thing.

 

[Mistwell]

Don't get me wrong, I really like the system as keeping up with actual money would be horrendous. I was just making an observation about the bonus wealth that can be gotten from going on adventures.

Thanks for that insight Mistwell, but I understood that, although even if people aren't about the money I think it is a tad foolish not to want more money for doing the things players do. IF you want to really role-play that situaction. Or maybe you'd be willing to risk yourself for that. Yes Money isn't everything, but it is important and when you have the drug lords being beaten by the players only to find, $8000 in their stash you throw verisimilitude out the window.

sheesh, I throw out an opinion/concern and you question my ability as a DM.

Jaerdaph, I agree, it is an innovative system.

I'm sorry, I never meant to question your DMing abilities. Something I said must have come out wrong.

All I meant was that generally in the real world if you were to take the risks you take in this game, and take down a huge bad guy, I suspect you would find so much money that further adventures would seem unnecessary, from a financial standpoint. That's what I meant by the game ending after the first adventure - I know I would retire if I had a few million to stash away

Anyway perhaps the solution is in the CR and wealth rewards lists. I suspect a Drug Lord would grant the PCs far more than $5000, and would be a high CR. I think that example was for a relatively low level group. That's probably a minor street gang pushing some dope...in which case $5000 might be about right.

 

[jeffhartsell]

According to the article a group of 5th-level PCs has an average wealth of about +20. So, using his example, that would be DC 30 or $35,000. You want to give each PC +5 wealth, which would be DC 35 = $150,000. So, you give EACH hero $115,000 if they take on the mission/job.

I think the wealth system does a decent job of abstracting money. It is not perfect, but it is pretty good IMO =)

 

[jerichothebard]

According to the article a group of 5th-level PCs has an average wealth of about +20. So, using his example, that would be DC 30 or $35,000. You want to give each PC +5 wealth, which would be DC 35 = $150,000. So, you give EACH hero $115,000 if they take on the mission/job.

Right - and keep in mind that their Wealth rating isn't their "total net worth' - it is really just the liquid cash they can afford to spend without going broke and not being able to afford their rent/food/car payments.

Hmm... which brings up an interesting question - would you allow your players to use MORE than their wealth bonus, if it meant they got evicted/begged for food/freeloaded off their adventuring buddies?

It is, conceptually, a valid extrapolation of the idea behind the rules...

jericho