Downtime lifestyle quality... hmmm!?

[CNdruid]

Okay just to clarify from the rulebook:

If your player has an artisan skill they can live at a modest quality or comfort at a halved rate of the typical cost.

If they have 'self-sufficiency' (i.e proficiency in survival) they live in a comfortable lifestyle.

If they have the performance skill they can live within a wealthy lifestyle quality.

If they belong to an organization, i.e thieves guild, church, I'd like to add, library/museum etc, soldier's barracks they live a comfortable lifestyle

If they don't fit any of these and choose to work they do so to maintain a poor quality lifestyle.

[Vitruviansquid]

Since this is the general roleplaying games forum, I don't even know which game you are talking about.

[CNdruid]

Since this is the general roleplaying games forum, I don't even know which game you are talking about.

Oh ****!

I'm joined today and working it all out myself.... 5e, sorry.

[goto124]

Do you want the thread to be all about DnD 5e, or all roleplaying games in general?

Because you can report your own post (report button at the bottom left corner of the first post of this thread) to get the moderators to move this thread to the DnD 5e sub-forum. If you look at the general Roleplaying Games section (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?30-Roleplaying-Games), near the top of the page, will be the list of sub-forums.

http://i.imgur.com/Sno1ozs.png

What exactly does the quality of lifestyle do, anyway? The players won't be feeling the softness of whatever beds their characters sleep on...

[BWR]

What exactly does the quality of lifestyle do, anyway? The players won't be feeling the softness of whatever beds their characters sleep on...

I don't understand your question or comment.
Of course players don't feel the comfort, but the characters do. Most people prefer more comfort to less comfort, even nigh-suicidal morons who think that trekking through wilderness and fighting against dangerous beasties for a living is a good idea.

Having characters have personalities and taking into things like comfort preferences is what makes them characters instead of a collection of mechanics to kill and loot with.

[Gastronomie]

If you have a "good-quality" lifestyle:
-Nobles will consider you a member of high society and will be more willing to meet you/help you out. In fact, maybe you even befriended a noble at dinnertime in the royal inn you slept in last night, and he could prove to be a major plot device character.
-Some townspeople could respect you or believe your talk is worth listening to. Especially merchants.

If you have a "bad-quality" lifestyle:
-Nobles won't want to meet you. They might not even want to take a mere glance at your greasy, muddy face.
-Some townspeople could try to stay away from you because of...well...your smell.
-Okay, so maybe at least, were-rats could be more friendly to you.

At least, if I were DM'ing I'd make a difference take place.

[Aetol]

Yes, the PHB says so.

Your lifestyle choice can have consequences. Maintaining a wealthy lifestyle might help you make contacts with the rich and powerful, though you run the risk of attracting thieves. Likewise, living frugally might help you avoid criminals, but you are unlikely to make powerful connections.

Wretched ... Other wretched people covet your armor, weapons, and adventuring gear, which represent a fortune by their standards. You are beneath the notice of most people.

Squalid ... You are beneath the notice of most people, and you have few legal protections.

Poor ... You benefit from some legal protections, but you still have to contend with violence, crime, and disease.

Aristocratic ... You receive invitations to the social gatherings of the rich and powerful, and spend evenings in the company of politicians, guild leaders, high priests, and nobility. You must also contend with the highest levels of deceit and treachery. The wealthier you are, the greater the chance you will be drawn into political intrigue as a pawn or participant.

[Xuc Xac]

There are a lot of non-sequiturs here.

"If your player has an artisan skill they can live at a modest quality or comfort at a halved rate of the typical cost."

The lifestyle isn't cheaper if they have the skill. If they have the skill and use it to make money, they can spend that money on their lifestyle. Everything still costs the same when you have more income.

"If they have 'self-sufficiency' (i.e proficiency in survival) they live in a comfortable lifestyle."

Only if you think camping is comfortable. Do farmers also get a comfortable lifestyle because they produce their own food?

"If they have the performance skill they can live within a wealthy lifestyle quality."

They can, but they probably won't. Starving artists outnumber glamorous rock stars by a huge margin.

"If they belong to an organization, i.e thieves guild, church, I'd like to add, library/museum etc, soldier's barracks they live a comfortable lifestyle."

No soldier in the history of ever has considered the barracks to be a comfortable lifestyle. Better than sleeping in a muddy trench, but not exactly a life of leisure.

"If they don't fit any of these and choose to work they do so to maintain a poor quality lifestyle."

Wouldn't that depend on what work they are doing and how much money they make doing it?


If you have a "good-quality" lifestyle:
-Nobles will consider you a member of high society and will be more willing to meet you/help you out. In fact, maybe you even befriended a noble at dinnertime in the royal inn you slept in last night, and he could prove to be a major plot device character.
-Some townspeople could respect you or believe your talk is worth listening to. Especially merchants.

If you have a "bad-quality" lifestyle:
-Nobles won't want to meet you. They might not even want to take a mere glance at your greasy, muddy face.
-Some townspeople could try to stay away from you because of...well...your smell.
-Okay, so maybe at least, were-rats could be more friendly to you.


It would be more accurate to say "If you appear to have..."

Until relatively recently, social status and economic status were completely different things that just coincidentally often matched up. Being an aristocrat didn't make you rich and being rich didn't make you an aristocrat, but usually the two qualities went together. In the Modern period (post-Renaissance), there were many aristocrats who were broke but tried to keep up appearances and many wealthy commoners who tried to buy their way into high society. There have been many aristocrats who lived in empty houses with no furniture except for the parlor where they received guests, because they had to sell all the furniture to afford to entertain high society guests in the front parlor. There have been times when artisans and merchants were incredibly wealthy, but still looked down on by high society because they worked with their hands. Surgeons with medical degrees were in the same class as manual laborers because they worked with their hands.

I'd separate living expenses into two groups: comfort and status.
Comfort covers things like how big and dry is your bed, how clean and nutritious and delicious is your food, how warm and dry are your clothes, how many rooms and rats are in your house, etc.
Status covers things like how impressive your stuff looks and how much useless but flashy bling you have. Money that you spend on something that actively makes your quality of life better is "comfort". Money that doesn't make you any more comfortable, but makes other people aware of how much money you have (or had before spending it on bling) goes toward status.

If all you do is drive around town at 30 miles per hour, then a cheap Honda Civic and a Lamborghini serve the same function. In fact, the Civic is probably much better because it's easier to park, requires less frequent refueling (ignoring money, it's less of an interruption to your day), and carries more passengers and cargo. But which one will get a better reception when you pull up to the valet stand at a 5-star restaurant or high society gala?

A fifteen thousand dollar Vertu phone serves all the same functions as a thirty dollar Nokia (because that's what it is under the fancy case), but it also shows other people that you have the ability to blow 15 grand on a phone!

There are a lot of people who are millionaires but nobody knows it because they don't waste money on status items. They drive the same sensible car for a decade, their house is big enough for their needs but not impressively large, etc. There are other people who go deep into debt trying to maintain the appearance of being much richer than they really are.

Adventurers buy masterwork weapons to get another +1 to hit. Aristocrats buy masterwork weapons because they're decorated with jewels and fine filigree and the craftsman who made it is famous.

[Âmesang]

"Quality of life" is one of my favorite concepts that I… rarely ever get a chance to roleplay, at least in my typical "kick-in-the-door" group. The only time I can ever recall trying to make it matter was when I had my character demand a hot bath and a hot meal at the inn after the party slaughtered a bunch of giant wyst/worm things, getting soaked in offal and entrails for their trouble — that same night the party was being introduced to a new player character, so while the rest happily said "hello" whilst soaked in worm %&#$, I was the only one trying to remain presentable and… nice smelling. :smallconfused:

It's also why the character tends to be decorated in a number of expensive baubles, such as a "fine silver brooch set with a rich purple amethyst" (a reward from The Speaker in Dreams), a "bejeweled glamerweave noble's outfit tailored by Hellien Clamas Clebdecher," a "wand of magic missile mounted with a black opal" (more expensive than an ordinary wand of the same level), as well as cherishing the guilds, academies, and private clubs she belongs to; whatever it takes to make the character look more noble, aristocratic, and absolutely fabulous.

…though on the other hand another favored character of mine was a ranger whom I'd imagine would find such things to be noisy trifles; sleeping beneath the stars of the wilderness and sustaining oneself on the food you hunt/forage is far more wholesome and brings one a greater sense of inner peace. As such, the ranger was trained in Heal with the necessary kit to bandage herself up in emergencies and try to remain as independent as possible. Different strokes for different folks, eh?

Though I imagine even she should be interested in winning a Brass Figlagee with bronze oak leaf palm…

[hifidelity2]

Quality of Life Style is something that my group enjoy (AD&D – 3.5) but we tend to have similar arguments / discussions for other systems

The Party has 2 nobles, an army captain, a commoner and a barbarian

While adventuring the wizard uses Secure Shelter each night. We always dress for dinner and thanks to a home brew (Dehydrate food spell) always have a full 5 course meal with wine, port and brandy

Just because we are in the wilds there is no reason to let standards slip

We also pay an agreed rate to allow us to maintain a town house in the capital, a small country estate and over the years have set up a number of businesses

For our group this is part of the fun (as well as cutting down an evil sorceress and her minions in the last adventure)