PC Wealth & NPCs

[S'mon]

IMC with a lowish magic level most opposition is NPCs rather than mosters. If I gave them all standard NPC wealth the PCs would get far more wealth than the standard wealth-by-level. So I give most NPCs and starting PCs wealth as if they were monsters of level = their CR. This seems to work ok (ie PCs end up with approximately standard wealth eventually), but has the result that starting PCs & NPCs are often weaker than many equivalent CR monsters.
Anyone else have a solution for the problem of NPC wealth?

 

[Carnifex]

What's the likelihood that NPC's will really be carrying *all* their wealth on them? Most of it's likely to be in the form of their property & goods. I wouldn't go out loaded down with gold pieces if I was going to try and murder/assassinate someone.

 

[hong]

What's the likelihood that NPC's will really be carrying *all* their wealth on them? Most of it's likely to be in the form of their property & goods. I wouldn't go out loaded down with gold pieces if I was going to try and murder/assassinate someone.

The "wealth" tables in the DMG should be read as saying how well-equipped a given PC/NPC is, as a function of their level, rather than just straight-out wealth. Think of it as measuring character points, not literal gold pieces. A 15th level guy has powers worth 200,000 points, and how much a given power costs in points is given by the magic item listings.

So yes, you could have an NPC where half his wealth is tied up in other stuff. In practice, that just means an NPC who only has half the powers that he should have, which means it's that much easier for the PCs to overcome him.

I get around this IMC by using an imbued magic hack, which I've mentioned before. There's still bona fide magic items floating around, to provide a carrot for the players, but the bulk of your standard powerups (rings of protection, stat boosters, cloak of resistance, etc) are imbued, which takes them out of the picture as far as loot is concerned.

 

[Wycen]

If I recall the DMG states you can roll on the chart instead of just give it to them, at least if you are dealing with planned or random encounters. I'd make NPC's use that chart as well, for when you don't know what they might have.

 

[S'mon]

If I recall the DMG states you can roll on the chart instead of just give it to them, at least if you are dealing with planned or random encounters. I'd make NPC's use that chart as well, for when you don't know what they might have.

That doesn't really solve the 'loot bodies, sell stuff' problem, though.

My approach (PCs start poor, eventually get something like DMG wealth by level) does mean that PCs' power increases a lot over time, if they survive. So they start relatively weaker than their level would indicate and become stronger. If I made them rich to start with, they'd be much more powerful than NPCs of equivalent level. And if I made the NPCs all rich too, the victorious PCs' wealth would increase far more rapidly, creating a vicious spiral.

 

[Wycen]

Remember that the trade in value for goods is half the price listed. So if they sell the extra +1 longsword, they only get half the gold listed in the book. You could modify this up or down by introducing a Charisma roll or something.

 

[S'mon]

Remember that the trade in value for goods is half the price listed. So if they sell the extra +1 longsword, they only get half the gold listed in the book. You could modify this up or down by introducing a Charisma roll or something.

I do that - half book value is the 'easy trade in' value. They have to pay around x4 book value for commissioned magic items, depending on a Gather Information roll.

My system works ok, problems are that new PCs start a bit weak relative to long-timers, and many monsters (whose CR does not depend on their magic items) are tougher than their CR would indicate.

 

[just__al]

Give the NPC's a lot of non-permanent magic like wands, potions, scrolls etc.

That way looting fallen foes does boost the party but it doesn't accumilate as fast. Also, remember to have the NPC use a lot of these items while the battle is raging.

And if the players get a little ahead of the curve, you can just get stingy or equip the NPC's with stuff the party just can't use.