Cost of Living Breakdown

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Really though, I'm currently inclined to use Abstract Wealth for any game where bean-counting isn't a part of the game. For the most part if it's a game where you are spending the 80%, then you might be better off with Abstract Wealth instead, anyhow, IMO.

If I went for Abstract Wealth of some sort (which I might, eventually), I'd go for a homebrew system closer to Exalted's dots in Resources, where you get a reasonable 'many' for stuff that is cheap relative to your Wealth, one or two of medium relative cost, and a difficult ability to buy something that is high cost relative to your Wealth (temporarily reducing your Wealth level, and requiring an adventure or a month of work to restore). Something like that.

I just somehow had bad experience with D20 Modern / Rogue Trader / etc. sorts of Abstract Wealth, maybe I'm biased.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

That's one way to do it (which incidentally doesn't work for Dead Broke characters like owned AIs etc.).

Um...

Originally Posted by B25

Dead Broke: You have no job, no source of income, no money, and no property other than the clothes you are wearing.

RAW fails to distinguish between 'no discretionary income' and 'no money' -- the AI should have a moderate wealth level with a disadvantage reflecting limited control over that money (the AI can't sell its gear because it's on a long term loan, and may have its gear reclaimed under some conditions).

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

RAW fails to distinguish between 'no discretionary income' and 'no money' -- the AI should have a moderate wealth level with a disadvantage reflecting limited control over that money (the AI can't sell its gear because it's on a long term loan, and may have its gear reclaimed under some conditions).

Does my cat have Wealth (other than Dead Broke)?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Does my cat have Wealth (other than Dead Broke)?

Probably not; does your cat have at least $4,000 in cat toys, bedding, and so on?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Probably not; does your cat have at least $4,000 in cat toys, bedding, and so on?

It does have a Patron, though. Or maybe Feline Rank. ^_^

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Probably not; does your cat have at least $4,000 in cat toys, bedding, and so on?

He doesn't have $0 dollars in toys, medicine, and so on.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

He doesn't have $0 dollars in toys, medicine, and so on.

That's a resolution issue at the low end. This is to some degree an issue of philosophy -- I prefer to rate abilities in functional terms, so "I own X" and "X is on semi-permanent loan to me but is owned by Y" are only distinguished by the conditions under which I could lose X.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Um...

RAW fails to distinguish between 'no discretionary income' and 'no money' -- the AI should have a moderate wealth level with a disadvantage reflecting limited control over that money (the AI can't sell its gear because it's on a long term loan, and may have its gear reclaimed under some conditions).

I don't see why. The "gear" if it can easily be removed doesn't belong to the AI. It belongs to the AI's master. If it can't be, then buy it with points.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I don't see why. The "gear" if it can easily be removed doesn't belong to the AI. It belongs to the AI's master. If it can't be, then buy it with points.

Yeah that was my point. If you are property and Dead Broke than any stuff you use isn't yours either. Would you make an agricultural slave buy the master's plow?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I don't see why. The "gear" if it can easily be removed doesn't belong to the AI. It belongs to the AI's master. If it can't be, then buy it with points.

All gear can be easily removed. The issue is how likely it is to be removed. If there is no meaningful probability that the owner will use the fact of his ownership to remove the gear, from a game perspective it should be treated as something belonging to the PC.