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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 4:26PM
#1
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Honestly, I don't remember exactly what prices and such were like in earlier editions—but I felt that in 4e it was easy to amass a huge amount of wealth very quickly.
I'd like to see that changed in 5e. Perhaps it might be interesting to see a game economy in which copper and silver is actually significant. A chest full of silver should be actual wealth, and a handful of gold a king's ransom.
What do you all think?
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 4:33PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Honestly, I don't remember exactly what prices and such were like in earlier editions—but I felt that in 4e it was easy to amass a huge amount of wealth very quickly.
I'd like to see that changed in 5e. Perhaps it might be interesting to see a game economy in which copper and silver is actually significant. A chest full of silver should be actual wealth, and a handful of gold a king's ransom.
What do you all think?
Great flavor wise... function? I mean the gold rush economy with you carrying the gold is damn wierd and might not be the best for some campaigns. I know it jars in mine.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 4:40PM
#3
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Great flavor wise... function? I mean the gold rush economy with you carrying the gold is damn wierd and might not be the best for some campaigns. I know it jars in mine.
Mostly because it clashes with anything I've ever really read, both fantasy wise and historically. It grates a bit, hearing about finding or spending 10,000 gp or whatever. I've had to count that many pennies before, and I had a plastic change counter, still took me all day.
I dunno, it's not the most important thing, certainly—but it'd be nice.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 5:11PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Terrestrial numbers might be nice too ... atleast through heroic and early paragon.
Bilbos share of the treasure was measured in chests... not coins ;p
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 5:24PM
#5
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Terrestrial numbers might be nice too ... atleast through heroic and early paragon.
Bilbos share of the treasure was measured in chests... not coins ;p
True—there definitely does need to be that exception, for things like a dragon's hoard. If I remember my Hobbit corerctly, much of the hoard were objects other than gold coins—and I suspect much of it would be gold plated. Things like "a giant-two-handed cup" or whatever. Lots of silver in there two. I think one of Bilbo's chests was full of silver. It has been a while since I've read it.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 5:39PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Mar 26, 2008
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I'm a big proponent of "No more +X items" because the maths of the game requires players to attain these at certain levels. It happened in 3.5e and it got worse in 4th ed. By getting rid of these items, we can also throw out the "Wealth by Level Chart."
By not having a "Wealth by Level Chart" (which 4th ed did have in the DMG) it empowers DMs to decide for themselves how much treasure to hand out. I would like to see Dungeon articles or a chapter in the DMG-equivalent to offer guidelines for DMs on possible treasure amounts determined by the style of campaign they want.
But by not forcing me to hand out +X items at each level so that players can attack appropriate CR'd/level'd monsters, I can ignore all those guidelines and make up my own. I can say that there is no gp treasure. I can instead offer players flavourful treasure. I can give them a wealth of books that they're more likely to keep because they're not chasing enough gold for that +X item.
I can offer them shiny new armour and make it valuable due to it's historical significance or the materials it's made from. They can sell it, but then they lose that cool item. I can also give them a castle. Or a flying castle. What impact does this have on mechanical economy? None whatsoever, because there is no economy dictated by the mechanics. Instead the economy is dictated by the DM.
So yes, I fully support the reduction of inflation.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 7:31PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2009
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Honestly, I don't remember exactly what prices and such were like in earlier editions—but I felt that in 4e it was easy to amass a huge amount of wealth very quickly.
Its been like that in any edition. 2e in particular had a section in the Campaign & Catacomb Sourcebook that raved against "Monty Haul" campaigns. From what I remember, it suggested introducing a new breed of Rust Monster that corroded and ate gold, and using level-draining undead as often as possible. I'm also told that "all" 1e campaigns fell squarely into the "Monty Haul" category.
Don't ask me where the term "Monty Haul" came from, though.
I think the problem was that there weren't many gold sinks in 2e, because the price tables were all set based on real-world mideval price tables instead of ones where gold coin is a lot more common. One solution I've seen DMs use is having a store called War*Mart that sells "basic" magic items at fairly high prices. Its not my solution, but it works just the same.
I'd like to see that changed in 5e. Perhaps it might be interesting to see a game economy in which copper and silver is actually significant. A chest full of silver should be actual wealth, and a handful of gold a king's ransom.
What do you all think?
I saw a campaign run on Copper Pieces once. It was interesting seeing people playing the equivalent of Penny Ante Poker and taking it deadly serious. I believe Dark Sun also still has Ceramic Pieces as the main unit of currency.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 7:59PM
#8
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You're trying to make a game where a character can start out with barely enough to buy their armor and a riding horse and 100 hours (of gameplay) later be able to own a continent. So long as you accept both those sides of the game as being in the same system, price inflation is inevitable.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 8:19PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Feb 15, 2010
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For 603 Monty Haul was the host of a game show called "Let's Make a Deal" where contestants dressed in costumes and by simply choosing a curtain or box won prizes. The game show required no "skill" to win unlike most other game shows of the era, ala Jepordy or Concentration, ergo a Monty Haul campaign hands out rewards for just showing up to play rather than thru clever play.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 18, 2012 - 8:34PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Sep 19, 2008
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I thought the announcer's name was Monty Hall?
Ahh, so THIS is where I can add a sig.
Remember: Killing an ancient God inside of a pyramid IS a Special Occasion, and thus, ladies should be dipping into their Special Occasions underwear drawer.
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