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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ARandomGod" data-source="post: 2627573" data-attributes="member: 17296">WEll..... I think you're assuming some wrong things here. Take a ruby worth 1000 gp to a merchant, the merchant gives you "full value" (1000 gp). The merchant then combines it with other gems and some gold and increases the relative value of that gem by X% (where X is determined by his skill in the relative craft). Or he cuts that ruby to improve it's base value, maybe because it was previously uncut, or it was large and awkwardly cut and he cut it into several rubies of lesser value but with a total value of 1376 gp. Otherwise why is he buying it?Now several months later the PC's go into town looking for a 1000 gp ruby. Well, the one they sold is already gone, but here's another one. THIS ruby originally came into the store from a different set of adventurers as a 750 gp ruby, but the merchant used his craft skill and improved it's base value, so now it's 1000 gp.Net profit? 250gp from that ruby. 626 GP if you take both into consideration.Now, if I take "something" worth 1000 dollars to a pawn shop, I think that I can get 1000 dollars if I plan it right. Of course, what I'll take with me is ten 100 dollar bills. And what I'll get is fifty twenty dollar bills.  Well, I admit that this is assuming the pawn shop is a big enough one to handle that sort of transaction. But we can cut that by a factor of 10 and it becomes much more likely. Similiarly speaking, you have to find a merchant who's able to take that ruby and who has the cash you need.But ruby's, and gems, and gold and plat and silver and copper... all these things are used as *currency* in the DnD world.You aren't really taking the 1000 ruby that can't be improved to a gem merchant. You're taking it to a bank. And the bank will split that "1000 dollar bill" into "fifty 20 dollar bills". That's how banks operate. Often if it's something on that scale that's an "if you have an account with us" type of operation. On the other hand, on that scale it's also a "so you'd like to open an account?"Of course, in the end all "money" in the game, and indeed all items, all these things are imaginary and given out by the GM. As long as the GM is giving you a 1000 gp gem and intends on you only getting 500 GP from it, it's exactly the same as a GM who's giveing out a 500 GP gem and intends on you being able to get 500 GP from it. The only difference there is that in the book they suggest that gems get full face value, because in the system they're imagining those items are used as currency. And really, in medieval times such items indeed were used as currency. Because some people NEED a "1000 dollar bill". Today we have them as checks and money orders, or simple electronic transfers. Without such things gems as currency is a necessary thing to keep the economy flowing properly.</blockquote>

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