Would you give your 2nd level party 30 thousand gold?
- Thread starter Crothian
- Start date
The Thayan Menace
First Post
Gather Information Works Miracles
As soon as they make any significant purchases, or tithe a large amount to a temple, their newly-acquired fortune becomes public knowledge.Crothian said:
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The Thayan Menace
First Post
Of Bulky Coinpurses & Prying Eyes
Not everyone will talk about it, but someone typically will.
Furthermore, a standard Gather Information check could be made by any rogue under the pretext of "Where is the next big score?"
A significant purchase could reasonably be considered anything over 1,000 gp.Crothian said:
Not everyone will talk about it, but someone typically will.
Furthermore, a standard Gather Information check could be made by any rogue under the pretext of "Where is the next big score?"
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broghammerj
Explorer
Crothian,
I was a little curious as to the style of your game. I voted yes because my golden rule is, "It's you're game". That being said I would still do it in our game and I'll tell you why.
1. No around the corner magic shops! Even if there were the cost of magic items in the DMG would add up pretty quickly to eat up 30K. The heros would be well equiped at 2nd level but this would go away at 4-5th level I bet. Besides the rapidity at which people level in 3E is atrocious so I don't think that plays out much in the long run.
2. Have you seen the cost of land these days! I don't know what the 3.5 ED equivalent is, but the old 2E castle guide cost a fortune to build anything. I can remember my 7th level cleric had 75K and bought the land and enough to have my 10ft walls erected around my future monastery. Mind you that took like 1.5 yrs to build. My actual worship hall was a small wooden cabin. Didn't have the funds to complete the build.
3. Do you know how much it costs to resurrect someone? Usually our group has an on running campaign that the story moves on while the PCs change. Each person has 1-2 characters during the course of getting to about 10th level. Every so often there is a guy who makes it all the way through. He often becomes a player's and group's favorite. Because he has been through thick and thin, the story often intricately involves him. This is the rare occasion that someone needs to be resurrected. Mind you it's not easy and often involves a quest but it is also expensive. Say 30K.
4. Don't you know you should invest in the future? What group doesn't have a spellcaster of some type who will eventually be able to craft magic items? Today's 2nd level caster is tomorrow's 12th level uber mage. The smart fighter should stow his money away now and maybe his close companion can turn the ancestral suite of armor into something more special.
I feel like this thread has turned into a DND economy lesson by Alan Greenspan......The mere influx of 30K of gold pieces will ruin the local economy casting the craftsman and laborer into the poor house, increasing costs for nobles, and throwing the "balance" of the game into chaos. We the government of (insert favorite game locale) will begin with taxation by the government, tithing by the church, and theivery by the commoners.
I was a little curious as to the style of your game. I voted yes because my golden rule is, "It's you're game". That being said I would still do it in our game and I'll tell you why.
1. No around the corner magic shops! Even if there were the cost of magic items in the DMG would add up pretty quickly to eat up 30K. The heros would be well equiped at 2nd level but this would go away at 4-5th level I bet. Besides the rapidity at which people level in 3E is atrocious so I don't think that plays out much in the long run.
2. Have you seen the cost of land these days! I don't know what the 3.5 ED equivalent is, but the old 2E castle guide cost a fortune to build anything. I can remember my 7th level cleric had 75K and bought the land and enough to have my 10ft walls erected around my future monastery. Mind you that took like 1.5 yrs to build. My actual worship hall was a small wooden cabin. Didn't have the funds to complete the build.
3. Do you know how much it costs to resurrect someone? Usually our group has an on running campaign that the story moves on while the PCs change. Each person has 1-2 characters during the course of getting to about 10th level. Every so often there is a guy who makes it all the way through. He often becomes a player's and group's favorite. Because he has been through thick and thin, the story often intricately involves him. This is the rare occasion that someone needs to be resurrected. Mind you it's not easy and often involves a quest but it is also expensive. Say 30K.
4. Don't you know you should invest in the future? What group doesn't have a spellcaster of some type who will eventually be able to craft magic items? Today's 2nd level caster is tomorrow's 12th level uber mage. The smart fighter should stow his money away now and maybe his close companion can turn the ancestral suite of armor into something more special.
I feel like this thread has turned into a DND economy lesson by Alan Greenspan......The mere influx of 30K of gold pieces will ruin the local economy casting the craftsman and laborer into the poor house, increasing costs for nobles, and throwing the "balance" of the game into chaos. We the government of (insert favorite game locale) will begin with taxation by the government, tithing by the church, and theivery by the commoners.
Crothian
First Post
The Thayan Menace said:
And that could be anything, one of dozen of different scores. I get that you think its a bad idea. It took me a while to see through the vague hints you have posted in this thread, but I finally get it. And it also seems that nothing will alter you from this, even the fact that it is my game and not yours. :\
IronWolf
blank
The Thayan Menace said:
As member of the said party that just received this money, I don't think anyone has spent over 1000gp. In fact, several haven't spent a single copper yet. Others have picked up rather mundane items so far. A miner's pick, materials to craft a couple of light hammers, etc.
The Thayan Menace said:
And if no one has made a significant purchase, we still don't show up on radar even for that gather information check. Even if someone does spend the money or tithe a large amount and the party does show up as a potential next big score - who is to say that caravan that just rolled out of town isn't a better target? Or that noble that lingered in town for a few days after the spring equinox? Sure we may show up on the prospective target list, we may appear more secured than several other easier targets that may or may not exist in town.
Crothian
First Post
broghammerj said:
Obviously, people are more then welcome to dso whatever they want in their game. I just don't usually do this sort of thing and found it something that most wouldn't do. So, it got me curious about what other people do in their game.
As for my game, very plot and player oriented. Its a flexible style that allows for most anything from low magic to high, from rich to poor. Usually in the same campaign
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
A "significant purchase" will vary based on the town/metropolis, how involved the Guild is, and whether the game world has 'magic shops' set up like BBQ Turkey Leg stands at the Ren Faire.
Even just hanging out in the local Tavern may let the secret slip..perhaps paying with an out of circulation coin.. leading to speculation that you have had access to ancient treasure.
In the case above, Crothain mentions it comes in Gems.... not the most portable for small scale purchases. A sudden influx of quality gems into a small time market will be obvious, and a big time market will have a fair amount of Guild involvement as the prefered means of cleaning 'surplus' income. It would be best for the party to slowly sell the gems over a long period of time, using them to maintain normal living expenses. Dropping enough to grab magic items, even at 'Magik Shoppe' styles, should attract Guild or freelance attention.
If the game is not is a 'Magic Shoppe' style, then its even more noticable as they need to do Gather Info checks to discover the mage that has the item or ability to create the item they want.
Of course.. all this depends on your game world. Mine tends to channel Sanctuary and Lankmar in this regards.. with a coloring of the Black Company. The Guild would know that you have surplus funds in a few days after hocking any of the gems.. and if you had a Rogue in the group, they would be aproached to pay thier dues.
Of course, YMMV. You could completely ignore the economic impact on the DnD landscape.. much as most games and campaigns do, and minimize the greedy folk that populate your world. In which case, balancing the sudden boost in power should be a reduction of future gains until the wealth level is more in line with your gaming style.
Buying a ship would be cool
{edit}
Yup, definatley turning into a DnD economy primer There are lots of variables..and so many of them depend on the game style.
The big cash influx can be used to make the game really cool , complex and alive.. or turn it into flat playing magic equipment carried by 2D beings. All depends on the GM and the players.
Even just hanging out in the local Tavern may let the secret slip..perhaps paying with an out of circulation coin.. leading to speculation that you have had access to ancient treasure.
In the case above, Crothain mentions it comes in Gems.... not the most portable for small scale purchases. A sudden influx of quality gems into a small time market will be obvious, and a big time market will have a fair amount of Guild involvement as the prefered means of cleaning 'surplus' income. It would be best for the party to slowly sell the gems over a long period of time, using them to maintain normal living expenses. Dropping enough to grab magic items, even at 'Magik Shoppe' styles, should attract Guild or freelance attention.
If the game is not is a 'Magic Shoppe' style, then its even more noticable as they need to do Gather Info checks to discover the mage that has the item or ability to create the item they want.
Of course.. all this depends on your game world. Mine tends to channel Sanctuary and Lankmar in this regards.. with a coloring of the Black Company. The Guild would know that you have surplus funds in a few days after hocking any of the gems.. and if you had a Rogue in the group, they would be aproached to pay thier dues.
Of course, YMMV. You could completely ignore the economic impact on the DnD landscape.. much as most games and campaigns do, and minimize the greedy folk that populate your world. In which case, balancing the sudden boost in power should be a reduction of future gains until the wealth level is more in line with your gaming style.
Buying a ship would be cool
{edit}
Yup, definatley turning into a DnD economy primer
There are lots of variables..and so many of them depend on the game style. The big cash influx can be used to make the game really cool , complex and alive.. or turn it into flat playing magic equipment carried by 2D beings. All depends on the GM and the players.
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