Thoughts on Nobles and wealth...

[thormagni]

As I was preparing to add another level of Noble to Yuri, I really looked closely at the Wealth ability and frankly, I was pretty suprised at how little money Nobles actually get every year. This will probably only add to my legacy as the designated money grubber in the group, but I was trying to figure out how much money Yuri could be generating and funneling through his criminal enterprise.

Consider that a Noble gets an annual stipend of 200 sp + 200 sp per point of Charisma bonus. A strapping, charismatic young lad like Yuri then gets 1,200 sp a year in one lump sum. Sounds like a lot, right?

But...

A night's stay at a good inn is 3 sp. Good meals are 3 sp per day. Toss in four mugs of ale for another 1 sp and the cost of living for a character to live in good style is 7 sp per day. Or 2,555 per year. Way, way out of our new young noble's price range. There is no money for fancy clothes, for slaves, for entertainment, for lavish parties or for expensive jewelry. No wonder so many wayward young nobles turn to lives as adventurers.

How about common style? Staying at a common inn, eating common food and drinking the same four mugs of ale? That is a cost of living of 3 sp per day, or 1,095 per year. Hardly conducive to a life of indolent luxury.

 

[Grimhelm]

Hmmm. That does seem rather out of balance. I guess it is assumed that you have some other lucrative things going on, like sacking temples?

 

[thormagni]

Hmmm. That does seem rather out of balance. I guess it is assumed that you have some other lucrative things going on, like sacking temples?

Or running houses of ill-repute or what have you. I was thinking that the wealth benefit would make more sense if you got that amount every time you leveled up. And then on an annual basis, you received (200sp + 200 sp per Cha bonus) x your level in noble. THAT would leave you sitting pretty.

 

[Grimhelm]

Well, perhaps there are other benefits to being a noble which you have yet to explore? Perhaps you should seek out the aid of other nobles in your business endeavors. Network, my son! With the aid of the Black Falcon, your name is sure to represent swiftness and sureity in business. Investors should be lining up!