The most you should
ever have to pay to
just get gear once is 36 points because:
Patron (Incalculable assets; Constantly; Equipment +100%, Secret* -50%, Favor x1/5) [36]
For $400k armor in a game with $1000 in starting wealth you only need [12]. Note though, this equipment doesn't have "plot protection" like Signature Gear provides.
* Your benefactor doesn't literally have to be secret here, but this limitation still effectively applies because leaving you gear to find or inherit is purely indirect aid.
EDIT: Plot protection is arguably just a +50% cosmic modifier so this suggests some caps for signature gear:
- Signature Gear worth up to $1000 times starting wealth should cap at [16] points.
- Up to $10000 times starting wealth should cap at [24] points.
- Up to $100,000 times starting wealth should cap at [32] points.
- Up to 1 million times starting wealth should cap at [40] points.
- An absolute cap of [48] points for signature gear of any value.