Who pays for the traps?

[Zappo]

Well since encounters have an average expected amount of treasure,
and a trap counts as an encounter, the traps literally have treasure
of their own to pay for themselves.

Brilliant.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Okay, then- but isn't it a double-standard to expect pcs to pay for traps in their headquarters?

What? Your PCs don't invade an existing lair, enslave the survivors then use them as a labor pool and power base?

I don't see a double standard, just choices.

 

[the Jester]

Only if you don't allow the PCs the capability to own an economy beyond their basic equipment just like you allow your villains to.

GP per level can't (and shouldn't) account for non-liquid assets such as kingdoms, crops, etc. If your players haven't invested in a kingdom (or whatever equivalent) then yes, take it right out of their pocket.

Similarly, no villain I design has a place more lavish than his own gold or his assets (EDIT: or his behaviour-- the villain IS capable of taking OTHER people's gold, isn't he?) cannot compensate for.

Interesting perspective... I've been puzzling over how to reconcile the pc-wealth tables with just such things as property and business interests. I guess you could say that the charts represent 'liquid assets'- but if you use the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook, which I highly recommend, the assumption is that the castles, etc. are paid for from your wealth (which is why the Landlord feat exists- to help supplement your building wealth).

On a side note, how's it goin, man? We should take formally about D&D and stuff sometime...
ciaran

Pretty well, yeah we should get together sometime! I'm running a low-level halfling group most of the time these days but also a periodic high-level game (Lester, Malford, Drelvin and others you don't know- except perhaps from the story hours I've written) that Hobbes could prolly get into pretty easily...

Low-level game today, if you wanna jump in on it.

 

[the Jester]

What? Your PCs don't invade an existing lair, enslave the survivors then use them as a labor pool and power base?

Actually, it's been known to happen.

 

[Arnwyn]

DMs- do you take the cost of the traps in your villains' lairs out of their gear value?

Of course not. I don't even use the villains' supposed "gear value".

 

[Altalazar]

I've never really thought of it that way before, though it makes a good deal of sense. Then again, I never really pay attention to gp value of gear for villains - I give them what the campaign and their character demands, which probably ends up being less than the book indicates, but sometimes it is more as well - perhaps when you throw in the costs of strongholds and traps...

I like to try and have some sort of simulated economy in my campaign worlds. That makes things more interesting, more realistic, and lets the players plug into it if they want to - with their own strongholds, businesses, even whole towns and nations if they ever get that far. It is only fair to make the villains have to pay their way, in that case.