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Old 10-21-2016, 11:04 AM   #1
benz72
 
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Default Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Sorry if this has been done before, but I can't find it.

I'm about to start a campaign with a lot of travel in it and I'm considering allowing a modification to starting wealth on a larger scale than points for cash. I'd like to give them pretty good access to purchase good gear in the beginning, not have them consider it disposable / easily replaceable and have the story make a bit more sense than having everybody be outright rich.

Does anyone have a suggested value for X?

Thanks
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Old 10-21-2016, 11:20 AM   #2
Stormcrow
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

All gear not taken as Signature Gear is "disposable" (not a character-right).

Starting wealth is not really part of a character concept; it's just a convenient measure of how much value a character starts with. A character, on his first adventure, could lose every item he owns and all his cash, while another might keep everything he owns and find even more cash. This change is not related in any way to his Wealth trait.

If you want characters across the board to have more starting wealth, just give them more starting wealth. If you want, say, every character to own a suit of armor to start with, give it to them. You don't need to modify or interpret an advantage to get this.
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Old 10-21-2016, 11:30 AM   #3
RyanW
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

You might want to take a look at PK's Trading Points for Money house rule. It very roughly scales as a -50% modifier on Wealth.
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Old 10-21-2016, 11:45 AM   #4
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

I have often wondered why you can't take one-use Wealth for 1/5th cost. I am not sure what this would break, if you only allowed it during character creation.

Consider taking a Favor Patron with Equipment
instead of Signature Gear if you are spending more than 16 points on it.

Impulse Buys has a different scaling for Trading Points for Money than the Basic Set, that isn't as generous as PK's house rule. The main thing about any Trading Points for Money thing is that you can do it in play, not just during character creation, so you might want to consider the effect that a different scale is going to have on your game.
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:13 PM   #5
benz72
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
All gear not taken as Signature Gear is "disposable" (not a character-right).
quite true, as far as it goes, but what I was trying to convey was a sense of impact/loss was important in situations where they abandoned the gear.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
Starting wealth is not really part of a character concept; it's just a convenient measure of how much value a character starts with. A character, on his first adventure, could lose every item he owns and all his cash, while another might keep everything he owns and find even more cash. This change is not related in any way to his Wealth trait.

If you want characters across the board to have more starting wealth, just give them more starting wealth. If you want, say, every character to own a suit of armor to start with, give it to them. You don't need to modify or interpret an advantage to get this.
That is sort of the crux I find myself in though. I don't want EVERY character to have more/better gear but rather I want characters to have the option to start with better gear (using wealth) if they are willing to spend the points on it. That option already exists with points for cash, but I'm finding the scaling doesn't cover the range I'm looking for.

Thanks
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:27 PM   #6
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
You might want to take a look at PK's Trading Points for Money house rule. It very roughly scales as a -50% modifier on Wealth.
Thanks, -50% makes sense. I think I'll use that.
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:29 PM   #7
benz72
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
I have often wondered why you can't take one-use Wealth for 1/5th cost. I am not sure what this would break, if you only allowed it during character creation.

Consider taking a Favor Patron with Equipment
instead of Signature Gear if you are spending more than 16 points on it.

Impulse Buys has a different scaling for Trading Points for Money than the Basic Set, that isn't as generous as PK's house rule. The main thing about any Trading Points for Money thing is that you can do it in play, not just during character creation, so you might want to consider the effect that a different scale is going to have on your game.
Good point, but I think I'll just disallow trading points for money post start. Money will come in per the story, CP will come in normally.
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Old 10-21-2016, 04:14 PM   #8
starslayer
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
I have often wondered why you can't take one-use Wealth for 1/5th cost. I am not sure what this would break, if you only allowed it during character creation.

Consider taking a Favor Patron with Equipment
instead of Signature Gear if you are spending more than 16 points on it.

Impulse Buys has a different scaling for Trading Points for Money than the Basic Set, that isn't as generous as PK's house rule. The main thing about any Trading Points for Money thing is that you can do it in play, not just during character creation, so you might want to consider the effect that a different scale is going to have on your game.
I do really like the 'santa claus patron' build, but I do find the specifics of it somewhat questionable.

Quote:
Patron (Assets worth 1000x Starting Wealth; Constantly; Cosmic: Plot Protection +50%; Equipment worth more than starting wealth +100%; Secret -50%; Favor x1/5) [16]
1. Favor is 'one time use' by another name, having your patron have plot protection powers is kind of moot if the patron is 'used up' with one use.
2. While you might not know the 'true identity' of your patron, the fact that the PC/player is getting the exact piece of very expensive equipment they want makes it kind of moot. (again, the point of 'secret' patron is that the PC/player is giving up the capability to directly influence or interact with there patron, it does good things for them, but the PC can never direct or trigger those good things).

I think that a patron willing to give you 1% of its net worth in a single item is about right; Thus you may have to move into higher point values for the patron.

Given those changes I would say that the 'maximum' number of points to be spent on an item:
Patron (incalcuable wealth 30)- (equipment worth more than starting wealth +100%, minimal intervention -50%, only one peice of equipment -60%)[27]

This will give you your patron who will happily give you one piece of equipment worth unlimited wealth on a roll of 9 or less, it has 'loose' plot protection, as it may take you several quests to get the item back (since you need to roll 9 or less to activate the patron), you could increase the rate of appearance up to 'all the time' at 108 points (in which case your patron happily appears whenever even vaguely convenient to replace your gear)
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Old 10-21-2016, 04:21 PM   #9
Warlockco
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Unless you are allowing Signature Gear, just use that for buying extra gear. Just with the caveat that no matter how the item is lost, it is gone.
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Old 10-21-2016, 04:43 PM   #10
Kalzazz
 
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Default Re: Wealth (Starting Wealth Only -X%)

Shieldbunny made a character using 'sir pudding Santa Claus sig gear' for 16 and has not broken anything yet . . . and it was for significantly more than 1% of Santa's assets in this case (in particular, it seems silly and fiddly to argue whether a 10x starting wealth item should cost 16 or 20pts . . . particularly when neither will buy a very nice sword)
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