What does a Good Upkeep consist of?

[Dr TPK]

I use the upkeep variant in my game (DMG page 130). It makes the game a whole lot smoother, but my players don't like the fact that they don't know where the goes money exactly. They want to understand how exactly is the 100 gp for good upkeep is used per month.

A good upkeep assumes good rooms in inns. A night is 2 gp, so per month it's 56 gp. That covers the majority of the upkeep, but we still have 44 gp to go. You drink a glass of common wine on meals, so I'd think that's about a half a pitcher per day. That's only 2,8 gp, though... Fine, new clothing every now and then. That would be an explorer's outfit every two months, so that would make 5 gp per month. We now have a total of 63 gp. What else?

[Bullet06320]

I just ran out of soap, shampoo, deodorant, Qtips and Motrin all on the same day earlier this week, its the small stuff we take for granted that ends up adding up over the course of the month.

other things include feed and stabling for mounts, replacing or repairing mundane equiptment that's worn out or been damaged, wizards need spell components(despite RAW spell component pouches don't run out), meals, tips, hookers, toilet paper, candles, lamp oil, mustache wax, barber services, and all sorts of other sundry things im not thinking of at the moment

as long as the PC's are still earning enuf gold an goodies from adventuring, an upkeep fee shouldn't be too much of a problem, unless they are real picky on exactly what they are spending, but most groups don't get that banal about bookkeeping. especially when that can drag down the game unless you like sort of game.

[Ashtagon]

Bribes, also known as "gifts to ensure your job gets prioritised over the jobs that other people have paid the contractor to do". Paying porters to carry your luggage. Restaurant tips and other assorted gratuities. "Rich-looking person's tax" (aka "protection/grease money") paid at the city gates to ensure you don't need to be the person who gets "randomly" chosen to get your bags searched especially thoroughly.

[Geddy2112]

most groups don't get that banal about bookkeeping. especially when that can drag down the game unless you like sort of game.
This is why upkeep systems exist. For 100 gold, I don't require adventurers to keep track of any mundane purchases. Extra arrows/bolts, food, torches, rope what have you. It also ensures that you can go into the tavern and start focusing on gathering information/roleplaying instead of saying "Excuse me, I would like to see your wine list" and then debating between the 2 gp bottle or the 1 gp bottle. This also covers tipping, buying rounds to help further the gathering of information, goodwill, small donations to temples and the like. If I know something costs less than 5 gp, I don't want to look up the exact amount. Need a knife? Got it. Need food and board? Got it. The players can describe it how they want, but we don't play ttRPG's to go shopping, we can do that in real life.


It makes the game a whole lot smoother, but my players don't like the fact that they don't know where the goes money exactly. They want to understand how exactly is the 100 gp for good upkeep is used per month.

Make sure they get most/all of their mundane and sundry gear for free. They don't need to worry about tracking a few coins given to the poor/temple. Encourage players to buy mundane crap to craft/cast with. Everybody needs a hobby, be it oragami, booze, woodworking, fishing, etc. Let players acquire these materials as part of the upkeep and do things with them in downtime.


You drink a glass of common wine on meals
Your players are pretty tame. My group(including me) are the kind to order a pitcher per person per hour. And this means everybody in the bar.

[Malak'ai]

Laundry workers, kitchen hands and bar staff need to be paid somehow. Does this, and the other suggestions above add up to 100gp per month? Maybe, maybe not, but do you want to sit down and count where every copper goes?

[jiriku]

Dubious companionship and illegal drugs?
A bard to play tableside at your meals now and again?

Servants are probably the big one, though. Before the modern industrial era brought labor-saving devices into the home, even modestly well-off people usually employed several house servants part-time or full-time. Wealthy families would have more servants in the household than family members. You've got someone to wash and dry your clothes, someone to heat and pour your bathwater, someone to mop and dust and clean, someone to cook your food and wash your dishes, someone to do your yardwork and home maintenance, etc etc etc.

[Rubik]

Most T1 characters shouldn't have to pay upkeep fees at mid- or higher levels.

Because spells.

Hell, Prestidigitation alone can account for most "upkeep," honestly.

[torrasque666]

Most T1 characters shouldn't have to pay upkeep fees at mid- or higher levels.

Because spells.

Hell, Prestidigitation alone can account for most "upkeep," honestly.
Just because something can​ be accomplished with magic, doesn't mean its not a better use of resources to not use it.

[Rubik]

Just because something can​ be accomplished with magic, doesn't mean its not a better use of resources to not use it.You mean like how Heroes' Feast isn't better than normal food?

Or how Prestidigitation isn't better than using a bucket of grimy water in the inn?

Or how Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion isn't better than an inn period?

[ApologyFestival]

You mean like how Heroes' Feast isn't better than normal food?

Or how Prestidigitation isn't better than using a bucket of grimy water in the inn?

Or how Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion isn't better than an inn period?
I don't think anyone with their head screwed on straight could argue otherwise. But, Heroes' Feast and Magnificent Mansion are high level spells. Unless a player character is of a power level where they're not concerned with spending a 6th- or 7th-level spell slot to do something trivial (tending to a basic need), I would rather just spend a small amount of gold and bum around with the common folk, save the high-level spell slots, and be done with it.

That said, I've found it better by far to become a true outsider and never have to deal with eatin', sleepin', or poopin'!

[jiriku]

Most T1 characters shouldn't have to pay upkeep fees at mid- or higher levels.

Because spells.

Hell, Prestidigitation alone can account for most "upkeep," honestly.

This is true. But wealthy people also "shouldn't have to" pay millions of dollars for expensive artwork by famous artists, when they can hire obscure young artists to custom-make artwork for them. Yet they do pay millions, largely because owning unique and recognizable works is how wealthy people compete for status among one another. It's entirely reasonable that socially conscious high-level spellcasters would hire droves of servants because it creates the expected appearance of great wealth. The lonely wizard alone in his tower is an eccentric kook who is potentially dangerous. That same wizard with a sumptuous mansion and droves of servants is clearly a man of substance and means who should be treated with respect. Heck, for a money-conscious wizard, the savings of do-it-yourself housekeeping are orders of magnitude lower than the income value of using those same spell slots to cast spells for pay, so it's more profitable to cast your spells for some other rich nobleman and use a portion of your profit to pay for servants. Do high-level wizards need servants to maintain their lifestyle? No. Would some choose to have servants anyway? Yes.

[Milo v3]

Do high-level wizards need servants to maintain their lifestyle? No. Would some choose to have servants anyway? Yes.

Admittedly, some of those servants may be outsiders, golems and unseen servants but still.

[Honest Tiefling]

Does the party only have one outfit per person? I imagine more outfits means more laundry, which someone else mentioned. There is also the matter of personal grooming, such as baths, soap, and well, finding hot water. If the group has animals, their maintenance is also going to factor in. If not, mundane gear that isn't armor needs to be repaired and the like. Rope, leather bags, and heck, even shoes.

Also, what does the party DO? I mean, is it reasonable to assume entertainment is a concern? A little extra booze, some money lost while gambling, books (if they are rolling in dough) or even plays and the like.