Player-Run Business

[accipiter]

Sorry if this has been asked before (I tried google-searching, but no luck), but is there anything in the books about how to handle a player-run business? I think I read something about it being in the DMG but I couldn't find it.

If there isn't, how would you handle it? I don't want one player to have a huge influx of wealth, but I don't want to penalize creativity either?

 

[Ruslanchik]

What is the business? Naturally, a player-run shoeshining operation is going to bring in quite a bit less than a high-level cleric specializing in resurrections.

Obviously the crafting rules would be a good place to start here, or spellcasting service costs, but it is difficult to tell without knowing the nature of the business.

 

[fafhrd]

DMG II has about 10 pages of rules on setting up and running a business.

 

[Edheldur]

DMG II has about 10 pages of rules on setting up and running a business.

I was about to mention this. Haven't really tried them yet, but they appear to be useful.

There are also rules for PCs in business in Green Ronin's Advanced Gamemaster's Guide and there are some free rules floating on EnWorld by Old One (Old One's D20 Economic System).

 

[Stalker0]

I've used a modified version of the dmg II rules with great success. I think the core rules make it too hard to make money, but with a little adjustment they provide a solid base.

 

[Kralin Thornberry]

Our group actually has an inn/gaming place that they run for the "legitamate" activities. There is also an illegal gambling den as well.

 

[accipiter]

Awesome, thank you! That'll help me out immensely.

One of my players is planning to go into business (in tomorrow's game) with an NPC artificer as a silent partner to create a very specific magic item he's dreamed up (a single use, command word, refillable item that holds a single spell of 1, 2, or 3rd level, with some neat fluff).

He's put a lot of work into making it unique and deciding how it'd work in the economy of Eberron (I half expect to find a marketing report and sales projections on my desk tomorrow morning), so I want to make it fun but still balanced.

I was vaguely thinking I'd make the research take a while, maybe throw in some 'we're going to need the eyelash of a chimera to complete the prototype!' quests, stuff like that. But I was really hoping there were rules already in place so I didn't have to wing it.

Thanks again!