The PCs vs the tax collector

[NewJeffCT]

Well, as April 15 nears, I was hoping to start a campaign in the near future. I just wanted to know if this idea is too harsh or too stupid. Feedback appreciated.

The PCs are first level and human from a small town in a duchy that has been in various wars over the past 20 years. The economy of this duchy is not in the best of shape, as taxes are high (and always increasing) in order to support the military & the ongoing wars. The best food goes to the soldiers, the best quality iron is saved for the troops, with any excess going towards other things (i.e., plows & other farm equipment)

What I was going to tell the PCs is that since they are from a small town, if they have an excess of starting gold (due to good die rolling & being stingy on initial equipment purchases), people will know about it and they will hear from the local tax collector regarding their excessive wealth. The tax collector will either want to know why they haven't paid their taxes this past month, or they will demand 2/3 of all cash in excess of 10gp. So, if a PC has 30gp, they will have to pay 13gp and 3sp and 3cp in tax.

Now, I am not the type of DM to give the shaft to the PCs when it comes to money, unless they do something really stupid...but, is this too tough for the beginning of the campaign? A stupid idea? Any feedback? I was thinking it was a way to reinforce the effects of a war-time economy. (the PCs will soon be commissioned to do some work for a government official, who will then promise them 100gp each - tax free!)

 

[Altalazar]

I think making such adjustments due to economic conditions could make a very interesting part of a campaign. You could also adjust the prices of various equipment, given the war economy - if there is a shortage of swords, they may be quite expensive to start with, though not as expensive as a hoe or other farming equipment, if swords get priority. Perhaps even some enterprising farmers will buy swords (because they are cheaper) and beat them into ploughshares... (and perhaps get arrested?)

As long as you make it consistent, and part of the backdrop of the campaign from the beginning, telling the players up front, then you shouldn't have a problem. Then it becomes a roleplaying /economic issue rather than a 'DM screws the players' issue.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

The idea seems a little over-engineered to me. Why not just restrict starting gold to the minimum amount? Or give next to NO starting gold. You seem to have given a lot of thought to your economy. Just make the PCs conform to it. After all, why should Joe be walking around with chainmail when the town's militia can only be outfitted with Leather? How did Joe get said chainmail when, supposedly, all the good iron is going to the army?

Based on your description, I'd imagine the pcs starting out with daggers and clubs because, quite simply, they CANNOT get ahold of better equipment without joining the army.

What do you imagine the PCs role to be within the context of your world?

 

[NewJeffCT]

The idea seems a little over-engineered to me. Why not just restrict starting gold to the minimum amount? Or give next to NO starting gold. You seem to have given a lot of thought to your economy. Just make the PCs conform to it. After all, why should Joe be walking around with chainmail when the town's militia can only be outfitted with Leather? How did Joe get said chainmail when, supposedly, all the good iron is going to the army?

Based on your description, I'd imagine the pcs starting out with daggers and clubs because, quite simply, they CANNOT get ahold of better equipment without joining the army.

What do you imagine the PCs role to be within the context of your world?

Actually, the stuff on the economy is out of the CS book I have for this nation - depressed wartime economy, best food for the soldiers, high taxes, etc. I just took it a bit further with the iron going towards the soldiers, too. I like the idea above, now that it is out there - make anything of metal more expensive. So, a weapon that cost 10gp before may now be 15 or 20gp, and anything more exotic than your standard spear, axe, longsword & shortsword will be hard to find.

My idea is that the PCs start off as natives to their country and start out first scouting out goblin raiders on their small town, and then (assuming success there), they are commissioned to help with the war against their supposedly evil neighbors by scouting out dwarf insurgents in a secret mountain pass and helping the nation's soldiers to root them out... the PCs won't be in their homeland the whole time, and will eventually travel to this 'evil' nation they are at war with, and then journey to at least 1 or 2 more nations.

 

[Rel]

I like the idea above, now that it is out there - make anything of metal more expensive. So, a weapon that cost 10gp before may now be 15 or 20gp, and anything more exotic than your standard spear, axe, longsword & shortsword will be hard to find.

My idea is that the PCs start off as natives to their country and start out first scouting out goblin raiders on their small town, and then (assuming success there), they are commissioned to help with the war against their supposedly evil neighbors by scouting out dwarf insurgents in a secret mountain pass and helping the nation's soldiers to root them out... the PCs won't be in their homeland the whole time, and will eventually travel to this 'evil' nation they are at war with, and then journey to at least 1 or 2 more nations.

Just don't spring it on them at the last minute.

In life and in gaming, I find that one of the biggest problems stems from the divide between what people expect and what they get. If you tell the players in advance, "Understand that this is a nation that has been involved in a long and costly war. Just about everything is in short supply and is expensive and you just won't have good gear to start with." then I suspect that they'll be fine with it. Personally I would really enjoy the challenge of a "limited resource" campaign like this.

But you should also understand that you may be altering some fundamentals of game balance. The "fighter types" may suffer a lot in effectiveness if they don't have decent armor and weapons whereas a Monk won't suffer at all. If money is in short supply, you might find that Wizards suffer from not being able to add to their spellbooks where a Sorcerer won't have that problem.

If you plan on having it be a considerable amount of time before the PC's get access to decent equipment then you should probably make that clear at the outset. Otherwise the Fighter is going to be pretty irate (and justly so) when he's still got a club and leather armor while the Sorcerer is the best melee combatant in the party thanks to Mage Armor, Shield, Cat's Grace and Bull's Strength.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lobo Lurker has some good points. You need to make sure the players characters fit into the economic situation. If you let them have starting equipment by the standard numbers, then those that roll well are going to be from relatively wealthy families, or they will need other explainations as to how they got so much nice equipment when everyone else is struggling.

I would not have the tax collector chasing the PCs at the start. After all the starting money is supposed to be an accumulation of wealth and equipment over the years before staring as a level 1 character. As a result taxes should have been taken care of long ago. If you are interested in working this aspect, I would recommend letting the PCs roll their starting money and then taking however much off the top as taxes paid over the years. Then I would make the tax man an ongoing theme of the game as they accumulate new wealth.

 

[diaglo]

taxes and death.

some things are true in game as they are in real life.

 

[Old One]

Just don't spring it on them at the last minute.

In life and in gaming, I find that one of the biggest problems stems from the divide between what people expect and what they get. If you tell the players in advance, "Understand that this is a nation that has been involved in a long and costly war. Just about everything is in short supply and is expensive and you just won't have good gear to start with." then I suspect that they'll be fine with it. Personally I would really enjoy the challenge of a "limited resource" campaign like this.

But you should also understand that you may be altering some fundamentals of game balance. The "fighter types" may suffer a lot in effectiveness if they don't have decent armor and weapons whereas a Monk won't suffer at all. If money is in short supply, you might find that Wizards suffer from not being able to add to their spellbooks where a Sorcerer won't have that problem.

If you plan on having it be a considerable amount of time before the PC's get access to decent equipment then you should probably make that clear at the outset. Otherwise the Fighter is going to be pretty irate (and justly so) when he's still got a club and leather armor while the Sorcerer is the best melee combatant in the party thanks to Mage Armor, Shield, Cat's Grace and Bull's Strength.

Listen to Rel...

Good points by others, as well. Set the stage from the outset...so everyone knows what to expect. You can take a page from WWII Great Britain and the US, where there was significant rationing of items needed to fight the war - silk, gasoline, most metals, etc. To "medievalize/fantisize" it, there could be shortages of all kinds of things - iron, charcol, spell components for commonly used combat/healing spells, horses, live stock, wood, stone, etc.

The price of common goods and services needed to prosecute the war are likely to be significantly inflated. Communities may hold "war drives" to collect scrap iron, old weapons, healing herbs and other things to provide to the Royal Requisitioners.

To reflect the economic situation, consider the following:

• Give each PC 100 gold (or however much you deem appropriate)
• They are required to spend all but 5 gold, but can't spend more than 25-50 gold on any one item. This reflects high tax levels and accumulated material wealth that is in goods, not coin.
• Anything bought during PC creation is at normal PHB prices. However, anything purchased after PC creation will be at the inflated, war-time prices. This will encourage PCs to burn most of their starting money, since later purchases may cost 2-3 times as much.
• Consider giving each PC an heirloom item of a type appropriate for their class. This non-magical item is something they couldn't otherwise afford to buy, but lessens the sting of overall "poorness" a bit. A masterwork item would be a nice touch.

I also think hitting them with the taxman prior to play (or immediately after) is a bit contrived. If they get a rich haul or start accumulating significant material wealth, then the taxman may come calling, community leaders may call on them to donate to the "war drive", etc. If they fail to heed such calls, particularly if they stay in their local community, they might find the local populace begin to shun them or the local lord calling them to task.

Press gangs and/or a military draft are also something to think of in wartime and the military may be offering monetary and/or equipment bonuses to volunteers as an incentive to sign up. Done right, a limited resources campaign can be challenging and fun...just make sure the players know what they are in for and can plan accordingly.

~ OO

 

[Hand of Evil]

I tax my players every which way I can .

Goods and services
Land and holdings
Carts and Wagons
Weapons
Henchmen
Road

I am completely unfair about it, the King of the land needs money, the players are there for the picking. Now for loopholes:
nobles don't have to pay as much: players look to become nobles
guild dues cover some taxes: players join guild.
Forgery: proof taxes have already been paid.
Merchant: Move goods before they can be taxed.
Border Guard: Life on the edge, protect the kingdom from the bad guy.

 

[Fieari]

Sounds like an awesome campaign that I would love to take part in. Limited resources stuff can be fun. Just make it clear up front the kind of campaign it is, and I foresee no problems. If incredibly high tax rates are part of the campaign, then it's another encounter and another challenge to overcome, the objective of a potential quest. I like it.