Money & Treasure in Fantasy campaigns

[Collective_Restraint]

Hi everyone,

I have started GMing a fantasy campaign and I'm a bit puzzled on how should treasure be handled in these types of games. I have been used to play DnD for quite a few years where treasure types would be attached to the monster you defeated and coming into GURPS, treasure management seems a little bit overwhelming. With the lack of a treasure table, I simply decided to use DnD's and wow was I wrong ! A few encounters and the PCs could be Filthy Rich ! I'm looking for help on how to handle treasure/rewards.

I'm still wondering if I should use a realistic money system 1sp = 4cp and 1gp = 20sp like it seems suggested in the Basic Rules or if I should reduce a little bit the value of gold like it is suggested in p.515 of Basic Rules to 1gp = 20cp. The second option would enable me to give more gold coins in each tresure found.

Other thing I'm wondering is how should I base price of gems (diamonds, rubies, opals, etc.), art objects or jewelry in $ (or cp) ? I find it hard also to handle trade goods like spices, animals, cattle and other commodities.

Also, is 20% of Cost of Living a little bit too high for fantasy settings ? This would base the price of a Status 0 Inn at 120cp per night ! Adventurers do have a tendency to go to inns a lot ! Would anyone have suggestions how to handle this ? Thanking you all in advance...

[David Johansen]

When it comes to book keeping: abstract it and ignore it as much as possible.

Write up as complex a monetary system as you like for flavour but never ever use anything other than the good old solid $ilver piece in play. Not ever.

As far as treasure goes, I generally minimalize it. They've got a few bucks in their pockets sure, but in a medieval setting most of the exchange is barter and hierocentric gift giving. Emulating this will save you a lot of pain.

The king sends the pcs on a quest? He supplies the waggon and provisions and some men at arms. They come back victorious? He rewards them with rich gifts (not crass money) lands and titles.

Next you'll be asking about challenge levels and appropriate XP rewards for encounters. ;)

[Pesterfield]

A table of treasures: http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login...e.html?id=3266

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Collective_Restraint

I have started GMing a fantasy campaign and I'm a bit puzzled on how should treasure be handled in these types of games. I have been used to play DnD for quite a few years where treasure types would be attached to the monster you defeated and coming into GURPS, treasure management seems a little bit overwhelming.

That's 'cause GURPS isn't geared specifically for a kill-things-and-take-their-stuff style of play. But you've probably figured that out already.

Originally Posted by Collective_Restraint

I'm still wondering if I should use a realistic money system 1sp = 4cp and 1gp = 20sp like it seems suggested in the Basic Rules or if I should reduce a little bit the value of gold like it is suggested in p.515 of Basic Rules to 1gp = 20cp. The second option would enable me to give more gold coins in each tresure found.

Since you're using D&D treasure tables, neither seems appropriate to your campaign. The gold piece is the basic unit of currency in D&D, so if you're going to use those tables for your campaign, the $ should probably be equal to a GP. Silver and copper are small change.

Originally Posted by Collective_Restraint

Other thing I'm wondering is how should I base price of gems (diamonds, rubies, opals, etc.), art objects or jewelry in $ (or cp) ? I find it hard also to handle trade goods like spices, animals, cattle and other commodities.

Everything should have its price expressed in $. The fact that a $ is equivalent to a gold solidus, a euro, an interstellar credit unit, a giant abalone shell, etc., is a special effect of your campaign. Or are you asking for prices for such items? The Basic Set has prices for a few domestic animals, and I believe Magic has a formula for determining the price for gems based on their weight in carats. This article, though somewhat out of date, can provide some prices for a small range of trade goods.

Inevitably, there are relevant Pyramid articles. This discusses gems, this is a large, elaborate set of tables for randomly generating valuable items (with a tiny bit of discussion about value), and this has values for a variety of agricultural goods and domestic animals.

Originally Posted by Collective_Restraint

Also, is 20% of Cost of Living a little bit too high for fantasy settings ?

A bit too high for a night at an inn? Yes. Something starting around 5% is probably more plausible.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

Write up as complex a monetary system as you like for flavour but never ever use anything other than the good old solid $ilver piece in play. Not ever.

Repeated because it's that true, and I say this as someone who has more than common tolerance for ancient and Medieval numismatics. My experience has long been that players just want to know how much money they have. Separately counting up copper, silver, and gold pieces (or whatever other units of currency may be at hand) is tedious and makes about as much sense as keeping separate accounts of pennies, nickels, dimes, etc., when alll you really want and need to know is a dollar figure.

[David Johansen]

Though to borrow a bit from Palladium Fantasy, nobody ever complained about comming across a rare old kingdom dragon with the seven jewels intact.

[PK]

Why would most monsters, etc., have money and treasure on them? That doesn't make sense IMO. Like, you kill a wild boar or a hippogriff and it just happens to have a wallet and a few nice pieces of jewelry?

With the exception of the "dragon horde" meme, I can't really think of a single example in (non-D&D-based) fantasy literature that showcases a world in which animals and monsters roam around with handy gold pieces to be dispensed when you off them.

My advice: If you want the players to benefit monetarily from killing fantasy beasts, make their hides, organs, etc., worth something. Have an alchemist in the next town who'll pay well for their eyes or something. A decent Merchant roll could reveal what will sell and what won't. It's more fun if done right and makes a lot more sense.

[Kromm]

In a campaign that focuses on ill-gotten gains, let the PCs have all the money they want. Let them buy an arbitrary amount of ordinary-quality stuff and luxuries. No worries.

However, make them save up points and buy Wealth if they want to own land and buildings; have tenants work the land; hire servants and mercenaries to man their holdings, and to wait on them hand and foot; enjoy the equivalent of a line of credit wherever they go, rather than carry vast sums of money that would attract bandits; and not be in trouble with tax men, nobles, Thieves' Guilds, etc., who want a cut. How much Wealth depends on the amount of money they have, but even if they have enough to be Filthy Rich, they're only going to be accorded the standing that goes with the Wealth level they currently hold. This will determine what extraordinary purchases -- castles, magic swords, whatever -- they're offered in the first place. Nobody smart will do business with someone who has $1 million in gold, an assumed name, no fixed address, and no local connections. Well, unless they're crooked . . .

This is how I run my own campaign. Every PC has vast sums of silver and gold, and can pretty much buy whatever he wants as far as ordinary gear goes. However, those who want to own property need Wealth to be established, and those who want extraordinary gear need Wealth to act as patrons to craftsmen and artificers of quality. As a result, half the players have voluntarily bought Wealth despite it being unnecessary to have cash, because really, cash isn't half as useful as a good credit rating, a reputation as a legitimate businessman, and the sufferance of powerful people who might not otherwise appreciate them having bodyguards, villas, and their own private armorer.

In most campaigns where kill-and-take is typical, the ordinary gear is mostly seen as "starting junk" anyway. It's the extraordinary stuff that's really keen and desirable. If that's only even shown to established buyers with good credit and a local reputation, then the PCs will soon learn to invest a few points in Wealth.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Some people like accounting for pennies. Others find it tremendously liberating to forget that stuff and focus on fencing, fighting, torture, poison, true love, hate, revenge, giants, hunters, bad men, good men, beautifulest ladies, snakes, spiders, beasts of all natures and descriptions, pain, death, brave men, coward men, chases, escapes, lies, truths, passion, and miracles.

Man, I'd like to read a book about all that. That would be sweet!!
Yes, I know. :-)

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Well, moving away from the D&D paradigm you now have a lot more options. For example, you can ignore it. Just let the characters' income and expenses be abstracted by the wealth and status systems, and not worry about what loot they pick up and what their meals cost.

Precisely. I generally read "Wealth" as "Credit Rating" and "Status" as "Social Clout," and stop there. I only track money specifically to know how much each PC has for the purpose of bribes and emergencies, and I only track that so I can assess the encumbrance and bandit-bait factors. I really don't care if PC Without a Credit Rating has $100,000 in silver on him, but he sure as hell has to lug the 100 lbs. around and deal with it slowing him down when the bandit horde attacks. Meanwhile, the PC With a Credit Rating can just waltz into town, flash his signet and arms, and get what he needs on a promise. Of course, the former PC is at an advantage when bribing guards at 2 a.m., but then again, the guards might decide to "confiscate" the cash, and then it's back to dodging with 100 lbs. on your back.