Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours

thondar · 10-18-2009, 04:25 AM

Do you think the ufficial price are realistic?
Anyone know something better?

Anders · 10-18-2009, 04:37 AM

We are holding our breaths for Low-Tech. Although, not literally, because it won't come out until sometime next year.

Edit: On a side-note, even having fixed prices is unrealistic. I'm fairly certain there wasn't a rigid system of price control in the Middle Ages (well... maybe China.)

Fred Brackin · 10-18-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thondar

Do you think the ufficial price are realistic?
Anyone know something better?

The official prices are in Gurps $ not any historical unit of currency. The first thing you'll need to do is convert $ into your historical unit of choice and if you don't like the results how can you be sure that your conversion is good?

Rocket Man · 10-18-2009, 09:14 AM

In the case of swords, I think it's more realistic than almost any other fantasy RPG out there. FRPGs tend to price swords low, because "swords are cool" and they want everyone to have one, but realistically, it takes a fair amount of skill and material to make one in the first place.

panton41 · 10-18-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

In the case of swords, I think it's more realistic than almost any other fantasy RPG out there. FRPGs tend to price swords low, because "swords are cool" and they want everyone to have one, but realistically, it takes a fair amount of skill and material to make one in the first place.

Which is why in my GURPS games I have lots characters equipped with axes, knives, spears and pole arms. One of my friends thought I was crazy when I suggested he take an axe instead of a sword, until I explained it to him ($50 vs $500 for a poor charaster).

Polydamas · 10-18-2009, 11:41 AM

GURPS prices armour too cheaply, and swords may be a bit too expensive relative to guns and armour. I have a database of historical prices which I add to as I find more stuff. Most of it is from England between 1300 and 1650.

The problem is that prices varied widely depending on how developed the local economy was. If iron is produced on a large scale, and there are towns with hundreds of people who each specialize in making a different piece of armour (or in one step in making armour) then metal armour will be cheap compared to a society where iron is made a few hundredweight at a time by the same people who make swords, armour, and metal grilles for the king's house. In a low-tech game where realistic economics are important, you basically have to throw out the official price list and write your own. But in most games, economics aren't!

nanoboy · 10-18-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaran_skye

Which is why in my GURPS games I have lots characters equipped with axes, knives, spears and pole arms. One of my friends thought I was crazy when I suggested he take an axe instead of a sword, until I explained it to him ($50 vs $500 for a poor charaster).

Plus, it's easier to make an effective and easy to use character who uses an axe. Axe and shield are really good for characters wanting to deal a lot of damage and keep some protection, all on a budget. If you want to shell it out, you can get a fine axe, too, for about the price of sword. Then, you're really hurting people.

That said, a good player can use the sword to his advantage. Being able to thrust as well as cut can be very, very handy. Thrusts to the vitals are nice for sure.

demonsbane · 10-18-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

In the case of swords, I think it's more realistic than almost any other fantasy RPG out there. FRPGs tend to price swords low, because "swords are cool" and they want everyone to have one, but realistically, it takes a fair amount of skill and material to make one in the first place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaran_skye

Which is why in my GURPS games I have lots characters equipped with axes, knives, spears and pole arms. One of my friends thought I was crazy when I suggested he take an axe instead of a sword, until I explained it to him ($50 vs $500 for a poor charaster).

I like there are room in the system for these things happening. If not, everybody starts and ends carrying the same weapon (sword!) just because gamey reasons. A good sword never is justly appreciated: furthermore, they want the next improved magical sword, because the "mundane" one soon becomes very insignificant, etc. Things like the examples you've put above help to break the homogeneity between characters.

Nymdok · 10-18-2009, 12:13 PM

Agreed.

In D&D 1e for example, eveyone carried a longsword because it was 1d8 vs the mace 1d6 or the axe 1d6.

So what you essentially had were entire classes of weapons that never got used. Fortunately, we were MUCH younger then so it didnt strike us as odd that even the lowliest of peasants carried nice shiny longswords :)

Nymdok

Full on proponent of the axe/halberd! SWING DAMAGE IS NO JOKE!

Dwarf99 · 10-18-2009, 12:26 PM

yeah and when you add RPK's rules for making things bigger... OH GOD HELP US ALL! (ftw!)

10-18-2009, 04:25 AM	#1
thondar Join Date: Oct 2009	Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours Do you think the ufficial price are realistic? Anyone know something better?

10-18-2009, 04:37 AM	#2
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours We are holding our breaths for Low-Tech. Although, not literally, because it won't come out until sometime next year. Edit: On a side-note, even having fixed prices is unrealistic. I'm fairly certain there wasn't a rigid system of price control in the Middle Ages (well... maybe China.) __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius

10-18-2009, 09:14 AM	#4
Rocket Man Petitioner: Word of IN Filk Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Longmont, CO	Re: Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours In the case of swords, I think it's more realistic than almost any other fantasy RPG out there. FRPGs tend to price swords low, because "swords are cool" and they want everyone to have one, but realistically, it takes a fair amount of skill and material to make one in the first place. __________________ “It's not railroading if you offer the PCs tickets and they stampede to the box office, waving their money. Metaphorically speaking” --Elizabeth McCoy, In Nomine Line Editor Author: "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Stronger"

10-18-2009, 11:41 AM	#6
Polydamas Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central Europe	Re: Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours GURPS prices armour too cheaply, and swords may be a bit too expensive relative to guns and armour. I have a database of historical prices which I add to as I find more stuff. Most of it is from England between 1300 and 1650. The problem is that prices varied widely depending on how developed the local economy was. If iron is produced on a large scale, and there are towns with hundreds of people who each specialize in making a different piece of armour (or in one step in making armour) then metal armour will be cheap compared to a society where iron is made a few hundredweight at a time by the same people who make swords, armour, and metal grilles for the king's house. In a low-tech game where realistic economics are important, you basically have to throw out the official price list and write your own. But in most games, economics aren't! __________________ "It is easier to banish a habit of thought than a piece of knowledge." H. Beam Piper This forum got less aggravating when I started using the ignore feature Last edited by Polydamas; 10-18-2009 at 11:45 AM.

10-18-2009, 12:13 PM	#9
Nymdok Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston	Re: Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours Agreed. In D&D 1e for example, eveyone carried a longsword because it was 1d8 vs the mace 1d6 or the axe 1d6. So what you essentially had were entire classes of weapons that never got used. Fortunately, we were MUCH younger then so it didnt strike us as odd that even the lowliest of peasants carried nice shiny longswords :) Nymdok Full on proponent of the axe/halberd! SWING DAMAGE IS NO JOKE!

10-18-2009, 12:26 PM	#10
Dwarf99 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas	Re: Price of fantasy/medieval weapons & Armours yeah and when you add RPK's rules for making things bigger... OH GOD HELP US ALL! (ftw!)