Finances and coin in TFT
 

Couple of questions:

1. How much do people start their characters with regards to coin?

2. How much do people maintain "finances" and money. For examples the aspects of people having a job, getting paid, room and board , etc.? Anyone include this aspect? How much?

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

I use the recommended $1,000 as a reference and go up or down depending on the character's background. I also don't allow players to buy anything they want for their characters; items like potions, fine weapons, etc. all have to be approved.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

Like Shostak, I go with $1000, but I haven't bothered to move it up or down. I'm reasonably free with fine weapons, but limit healing potions to two at $200 each.

I do use jobs, though I fudge rather a lot by allowing time off more or less whenever needed (or else being an adventurer would be too difficult). I use the recommendation that unemployed characters spend $50 $20 on room and board, etc., and I do use the risk/reward roll, but I play out any bad effects.

One of my players has acquired a large house after killing that baddies who lived there. I increase his cost of living considerably for this very useful bit of real estate.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

LOL!

That explains why he invited my Master Physicker/Alchemist Goblin to stay there.

I haven't started my own TFT group yet but I'm taking notes from ITL and how you are doing it. I think that the ITL info is a great place to start. It can be tweaked some from there based upon the situation and/or economy of one's area of Cidri. I'm essentially rebuilding something similar to what we had in our classic TFT game world with whatever twist has to be made to make it work with the new TFT. Much of that stuff didn't change much, if at all. The difference is that I took over what a deceased friend created. I'm using my old memory to rebuild some of that into a new area of Cidri.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

I’ve got no standard approach for this, it depends on the story I’ve set up. Sometimes I’ll start them with a generous amount of cash and gear, other times I’ll start them with nothing at all and part of the adventure will be getting stuff.

As to the “in between dungeons” bit, I’d rather Role-play this than abstract it with a job table.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

The characters in my campaign all started with $0. Two of them began as slaves forced into arena combats.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

That's brutal but a way to start a character out tough.

I have four main avenues for a character to start, make money, and gain EXP. However, any character with skill sets that have demand can get an appropriate job. All are needed for a vibrant economy.

1. Arena battles are the obvious choice. PCs are 'usually' there by choice and NPC are prisoners from outer lands. Both PCs and NPCs have sponsors/managers or controller/owners in the case of the NPCs. Their sponsor/owners are responsible for their equipment, medical care, pay, etc. PCs get an appropriate cut (sponsor's call) by estimating purse (kind of like boxing/wrestling/prize fighting). The assumption is that there is a huge audience with lots of financial activity going on. If a character likes this, they can remain a gladiator of they wish. If they quit or become an adventurer, they are responsible for their own equipment/supplies so they had better manage their prize monies well enough to do that. EXP is awarded mostly per this guideline. PC Attribute Total PCAT>NPCAT-->50 EXP. PCAT=NPCAT-->75 EXP. PCAT<NPCAT-->100 EXP. This also applies to multiple PC and NPC fights.

2. Join the military. Pay is in line with the ITL jobs table. This starts with a variety of group exercises which are like more specifically designed arena battles where there is no non-military audience or related financial activity. EXP is awarded within similar guidelines as arena battles with augmentation based upon the danger level of the exercise. These military characters will most likely start as military shipment escorts and provide protection to citizens in the outer reaches of the kingdom with a chance at being involved in even larger military engagements.

3. Go straight to being an adventurer--preferably in a group of 4 or more. A starting character gets $1,000 to start from scratch. They had better be good at "finding" things to generate income. EXP is awarded per guidelines in ITL.

4. Related to numbers 2 and 3 above is being a mercenary type. They are hired by anyone that needs them. This is usually individuals, adventuring parties, and even the military. In my area of Cidri, some of the better connected mercenary groups have business relationships with the military.

5. Braniac characters are encouraged to do their things as well to feed the demand for the other characters above. Physickers, alchemists, chemists, engineers, armourers, and wizards are always in demand. ITL job tables apply. EXP award is slower for lower risk jobs.

Re: Finances and coin in TFT
 

Thanks so much for this info, very very helpful! I like the bonus for the AT differentials between the PC and NPC.