PDA

View Full Version : Converting 3.5e Costs to d20 Modern



Milo v3
2013-09-12, 10:22 PM
I've been encouraged to use d20 modern for a campaign/webcomic where I intended to use 3.5e splat books. The major issue that I have come across is that the wealth systems of the two do not mix (at least from a glance).

Is there anyway to convert 3.5e prices and costs of goods to d20 modern's wealth check system or the reverse?

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 12:33 AM
Yes. Yes, there is. It's in an odd location though.

d20 Future, in the chapter on Starships, towards the end of the chapter, there is a table that describes the conversion from purchase DCs to dollars. From there, just decide on a dollar:gold piece exchange rate, and you're done.

Basically, it's a logarithmic function, in which the dollar value increases by ×10 for every +8 in purchase DC. DC 10 is arbitrarily set at $120, and DCs below 10 break the logarithmic function pattern.

.... Ah... I lack the books and am working from the MSRD on D&D Wiki. So I can't find such a table....
But based on what you said, it is like this:
{table=head]DC|$
10|120
18|1,200
24|12,000
32|120,000[/table]

But I lack the understanding to determine the numbers between those points.

EDIT: Also to raise further questions, a +1 weapon costs has a DC of +10. Which would mean $120 = approximately 2000 gp... Or am I completely wrong there.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 12:56 AM
I suspect there are legal issues with copying the table directly. Although it is a log function, there is rounding in the table from the book, which isn't strictly a mathematical function (also why I didn't detail numbers below DC 10). If you are any good with Excel (or have a friend who is), it's easy enough to calculate the intermediary values.

Sadly I think that'll be impossible.
I guess I'll just have to approximate the DC's around those figures.

Though that is a conversion from DC to $. Now I need to figure out how to do gp to $.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 04:40 AM
Or, you know, you could just obtain a copy of the book.
Doubt it. None of the nearby stores have d20 modern books, I lack a car, and I lack money. Could get a pdf for free.... but ethical issues and stuff.


The ale standard is the traditional measure. A D&D beer is 1 sp. Convert that to the current US$ price, and there's your conversion ratio.
That's perfect. :smallsmile:

Kalmageddon
2013-09-13, 05:07 AM
The table is also in the Core Book, in the Equipment chapter if I'm not mitsaken.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 05:59 AM
The table is also in the Core Book, in the Equipment chapter if I'm not mitsaken.
I'll check the MSRD again, though I didn't see it.


A +n purchase DC check (addition) translates to a ×n modifier (multiplier). In this case, +10 is about ×18.

Get yourself a spreadsheet.


Column A is numbers 0 to however high you like. This is the purchase DC.
Column B is column A / 8.
Column C is 10 ^ column B. If you have a +n purchase DC modifier, this is a multiplier on the final total gp/US$ price.
Column D is column C × 6.75. This is the US$ price.
Column E is column D / 50. This is the gp price.


There's your numbers. Column C is also the relevant total price multiplier if you have a +n modifier on a purchase DC.

Round it off how you like.

----

A sword is 10 gp in 3e. That's equivalent to purchase DC 15. The +1 magic modifier makes it DC 25, or 180 gp. So if you like, you could call a +1 enhancement bonus on a one-hand melee weapon a +170 gp modifier and call it close enough for government work.

Ok. I made the table working from 0 to 57 then it starts going weird. So D&D gp limit stops at 1,800,253.933 gp. Considering magic stops at 5th level this should be more than necessary.

Though... is A meant to be the DC or what?

Also my intent is to convert D&D goods to modern so the prices seem abit off... +1 shortsword 3.5e = 310 + 2000 = 2310 gp = $115500....

The Rose Dragon
2013-09-13, 06:08 AM
I'll check the MSRD again, though I didn't see it.

The Modern System Reference Document likely doesn't have it, since as far as I remember, it isn't part of the OGL content (along with the XP and advancement table, and things like how to create a character).

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 06:30 AM
The Modern System Reference Document likely doesn't have it, since as far as I remember, it isn't part of the OGL content (along with the XP and advancement table, and things like how to create a character).

Which reminds me... Does d20 Modern use the normal XP advancement table of 3.5e?

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 07:11 AM
Yes. That's why I said it was in my earlier post :smallwink:

Ahh... Didn't notice your ninja edits. :smalltongue:


You probably should decide to either use the D&D prices and use modern to fill in the gaps for missing items, or use d20 Modern prices and use D&D to fill in the gaps. The two rule sets will give different answers for items listed in both rules sets.
Definitely be using the Modern prices for stuff that crosses over, sooo much cheaper.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 07:42 AM
Think in terms of what works better for your campaign, not necessarily what is cheaper. How rare/expensive do you want crossover items to be?

Cheaper is better, at least for these characters. 17 to 19 year olds aren't exactly super rich.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 08:10 AM
Well, of course the characters want stuff to be cheap. My point was, what price level works best for the story you want to tell?

The Fellowship of the Ring probably wanted magical healing to be cheap. It wasn't, and that made for a better story in that case. Similarly, will it be a better story for your game if magical weapons are rare or common?

They will be low level characters, with no-money, and the setting has less than 1% of the people in the world able to create a single magic item.

If I want them able to get a single magic item they don't craft I'm going to Have to use the cheaper d20 modern prices.

Milo v3
2013-09-13, 08:22 AM
Or you can say "screw wbl" and just let them find one in a treasure chest, or be loaned one by their employer, or loot it after the first major villain they meet, or find a device that enchants one of their mundane pieces of gear, or...

The possibilities are endless. They don't just have to go in a shop and buy it.

Backstory for the setting has the universe works on the rules, they can never outrun WBL just like they can't fly just by jumping. :smalltongue:

I know they can get it in other places, especially since one of them will be trying to enchant basically everything he can, I just rather keep the wealth system closets to the rules, as the purpose of this whole thing is to make a webcomic which makes fun of the rules. :smalltongue: