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View Full Version : Wealth By Level in the modern world [3.5-ish]



Heliomance
2010-09-18, 08:43 AM
I'm about to start running a D&D campaign set in the modern world. Now, I know the immediate reaction is "use d20 Modern", but D&D is what I know and like. I have cribbed bits from d20 Modern to use in my extensive house rules, but one thing is causing me major problems - money. In the modern world, it just doesn't make sense for adventurers to be raking in loot until they're the richest demographic on earth, especially as most people don't know the supernatural stuff exists. Unfortunately, D&D assumes they are, and higher level monsters require you to have certain items to be able to beat them. So how do I deal with this?
My current solution is to keep track of two money totals. The character sheet has a box marks "Wealth", which will be the character's wealth score by the d20 Modern rules, and this will be used for buying any mundane equipment, technology, etc. It also has a box marked "Faerie Gold", which will be essentially the same as GP. This will be the currency of the supernatural world, and can be used for buying magic items and such, and will increase as they level like normal.

My problem is that this feels a bit awkward and half-assed. Is there a better way to cope?

Soren Hero
2010-09-18, 01:09 PM
if the supernatural world is integrated into the modern world, what is stopping you from allowing the modern currency to be used for buying supernatural items? supernatural shopkeepers, transformed demons/devils, etc would all have need for mundane wealth in the modern world at some point, they have bills too. additionally, there would be currency brokers around who could change supernatural currency for modern currency and vice versa, maybe not for free mind you. i really don't see a problem with just using the modern currency

Heliomance
2010-09-18, 01:12 PM
Because the concept of gaining wealth as you adventure, like D&D assumes you do, doesn't make sense in a modern world. There simply aren't tombs to rob and dragons' hoards to loot. And your average vampire keeps his money in a bank account like anyone else. Also, the sheer amount of money adventurers tend to get would break the world economy. When running a modern world, there's a bit less room for handwaving stuff like that.

Zaydos
2010-09-18, 01:13 PM
Have them rely on magic items they find, maybe. Or give them an NPC ally who occasionally gives them magic items to help them on their quest because they saved his life or some such.

Urpriest
2010-09-18, 03:24 PM
There are a couple Vow of Poverty fixes on the homebrew forums that might help you out. If everyone has magic bonuses equivalent to owning magic items then they won't need the kind of ridiculous gold assumed in D&D, and you can get away with all their wealth being modern and realistic.

Sinfonian
2010-09-18, 04:37 PM
One possibility is to have your players be employed directly by someone else. This person or organization would allow the players access to funds/assets as they prove themselves and take on more difficult missions (as they level up). Making them only a small part of the person/organization's activities would serve as a believable reason they aren't kitted out with all the best stuff from the get-go.

Tyrmatt
2010-09-18, 05:10 PM
There are a few instances of there being (usually ancient) currencies accepted in the supernatural business hidden under a modern world. I think DC Comics Zatanna has some good examples of this.

In my personal storytelling mindset, when players cannot afford to pay the often ludicrous mundane costs needed to buy magic items in the hidden supernatural underworld, I say they trade artifacts of other mystical potencies for what they need which they should find if they are delving into the supernatural.

Or how about the idea that magic itself is the currency in it's raw unshaped form. Possibly the ability to pour magical power into a vessel, as an "Essence" type stat which can be expanded by Feats or substituted for daily spell slots/psi points might be a way of offering something to the magic merchants of your world. Perhaps only they have the skills to shape magic items out of the raw energy, but anyone can effectively "bleed" energy in exchange for items.

Say for example a character has an essence pool that is the sum of all their ability modifiers or is determined by class like hitdice.
Fightery types gain essence in reasonably large quantities coming from their high con, str etc. Clerics gain it as part of their domains, Wizards can pull it from extraplanar locations, Bards gain it by absorbing it during performances and similar. There's a tonne of ways you could supplement their income of magics.

Just a few suggestions. If you'd like me to expand upon them a little more, let me know.

erikun
2010-09-18, 08:21 PM
If you are using fantasy settings and fantasy creatures in a modern setting, then why not include fantasy dungeons and fantasy valuables with them? I mean, if the characters are up against the High Elf Lord of the Fey Court, found in the Burrow tucked sideways between 102 High St. and 103 High St., then why can't they find valuables and treasures inside? If they are fighting a Shamanistic Werewolf wielding Spirit Totems and calling Trolls from the Underworld, then why not have his equipment be magical?

If you want to just use Faerie Gold, though, I don't see a problem with it. Just make the coins out of something otherwise nonvaluable (say, tin) or, rather than make it a physical object, say that all fae merchants are aware of how much Faerie Gold each person is entitled to. Alternatively, you could just go with the barter system - if the players have a wand and want a sword, they need to find someone with a sword who wants a wand, perhaps making an adventure out of it. Either option grants interesting roleplaying opportunities as well - Faerie Gold credit presents problems if the characters are trying to be incognito, while barter could have the players exchange interesting mundane items for powerful magical ones.

Soren Hero
2010-09-18, 11:34 PM
money doesn't have to come from adventuring in the DND sense. i think fallout 3 had a great example of currency usage, with the bottlecaps. while the majority of the game is spent dungeon diving, the amount of actual caps you find is minimal. you find much more weapons, armor and mundane items such as liquor, scrap metal, electrical parts. the majority of your money comes from completing quests for people, and selling your loot.

if we apply it to your modern setting, it makes a lot of sense. sinfonian brought up a great point about being employed by a patron. you can pay out money for the jobs these adventurers complete. it might not be the full WBL guideline total, but you can easily make up the difference during the jobs. the jobs could pay out in dollars, or for more mystical patrons, they could pay out in your magical currency.

for example, somebody wants you to get rid of a vampire, which might be a job for a level 5 party. they commission you for the job, and agree to pay half of the WBL from lvl 5 to 6 which is 4000/2=2000 dollars. when you storm the vampires lair, you are bound to find some valuable things that wouldn't have a place at your local bank, including works of art, rare occult books, magical weapons, or even your magical currency. its entirely possible to use a treasure generator to determine how much stuff would be in this vampire's lair.

to summarize this longish post...
1. there are many flavors of DND adventures
2. there are many ways to reward people for adventures
3. your idea for a modern/quasi magical world rocks!