[City Stats] [RPM] Enhancing the Economy

[Tyneras]

In Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic it gives an example under Path of Chance of giving an entire town +5 to all economic dealings.

What I would like to do is figure out how to enhance the entire economy. I normally use City Stats to rough-out the economics and budget of any large political entity, so figuring out how to make these work together would be nice.

[vicky_molokh]

You can make a city-wide bonus to Job Rolls, increasing incomes of freelancers and chances of a critical success for employees. Thus, stuff will get done better/faster/etc., and this can be just treated as a Freelance-equivalent increase of city Income. More income means more taxes.

It should also be noted that it is much more cost-efficient to Provide Bonuses to the city mayor's Administration, Propaganda, Politics, Finance, or Streetwise, depending on what the mayor is trying to achieve.

And in case the mayor fails the monthly job roll, it's sometimes beneficial to adjust the odds between the various mishaps.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

In Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic it gives an example under Path of Chance of giving an entire town +5 to all economic dealings.

What I would like to do is figure out how to enhance the entire economy. I normally use City Stats to rough-out the economics and budget of any large political entity, so figuring out how to make these work together would be nice.

Use the Broad category of Bestows a Bonus.

[Tyneras]

My main difficulty is translating those bonuses into the cities budget.

The most direct thing that comes to mind is granting character points that go directly into Wealth, but I'm not sure if that would be a legit use of RPM.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

My main difficulty is translating those bonuses into the cities budget.

For a temporary Job Roll bonus, it seems most logical to treat them the same way bonuses to a Freelance Job Roll are treated: ultimately increasing income for the month. That's for the city-wide Bestowing of a Bonus to Jobs. Now, obviously improving the mayor's Finance roll on an attempt to Increase Wealth, it's all or nothing: either the mayor permanently improves income by 10%, or s/he/it doesn't.

Originally Posted by Tyneras

The most direct thing that comes to mind is granting character points that go directly into Wealth, but I'm not sure if that would be a legit use of RPM.

Well, Granting an Advantage is a temporary solution. Also beware of spell stacking.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

My main difficulty is translating those bonuses into the cities budget.

The most direct thing that comes to mind is granting character points that go directly into Wealth, but I'm not sure if that would be a legit use of RPM.

As Vicky as pointed out, those could be bonuses to Job rolls, skill rolls to invest, rolls to find precious resources nearby, it could mean that the town suddenly becomes a tourist spot, etc. the limitation is your imagination here. Whatever would juice the economy that has a roll should probably get one. Another way to do this might be to use Altered Traits and spend Points For Money. Give it a duration of say, 1 year, and then go from there. The money should be spent, traded, invested into other things by then and wouldn't suddenly disappear. That might get really expensive though.

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

For a temporary Job Roll bonus, it seems most logical to treat them the same way bonuses to a Freelance Job Roll are treated: ultimately increasing income for the month. That's for the city-wide Bestowing of a Bonus to Jobs. Now, obviously improving the mayor's Finance roll on an attempt to Increase Wealth, it's all or nothing: either the mayor permanently improves income by 10%, or s/he/it doesn't.

Well, Granting an Advantage is a temporary solution. Also beware of spell stacking.

Hmmm. Maybe.

[Tyneras]

Thanks for the advice. I LOVE RPM as a concept. I'm still getting a handle on using it, however.

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

That might get really expensive though.

Not to worried about that. Idea is that this is part of an annual celebration, with the entire population acting as part of a massive ritual to bring in the new year and fresh prosperity. So plenty of energy to burn.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

Thanks for the advice. I LOVE RPM as a concept. I'm still getting a handle on using it, however.

Sure.

Originally Posted by Tyneras

Not to worried about that. Idea is that this is part of an annual celebration, with the entire population acting as part of a massive ritual to bring in the new year and fresh prosperity. So plenty of energy to burn.

I'd love to see the final ritual if you're willing to post it..

[Langy]

Ya know, a spell that just provides a general bonus to job rolls could probably dramatically improve an economy; even a +1 should be pretty major. Off the cuff, a +2 would probably allow a lower-TL civilization to out-produce a higher-TL civilization.

I like it.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

Not to worried about that. Idea is that this is part of an annual celebration, with the entire population acting as part of a massive ritual to bring in the new year and fresh prosperity. So plenty of energy to burn.

In that case, you want temporarily give the city 25% of its Starting Wealth worth of money. Probably the best ways to do it are either grating advantage points used for Trading Points For Money as Ghostdancer proposes (a mere 3 points for an Average City), or just grant Independent Income 3, which provides the required money for the year (36% over the course of the year). Either way, you have to make sure the population will actually spend the extra money on investments, so maybe Lesser Control Mind in the bundle. You also want to provide a bonus to the mayor's Finance skill high enough to ensure he succeeds his Finance-(Current_City_Wealth) roll.

Voilà! Guaranteed permanent +10% to city income!