Handling Wealth in Warriors & Warlocks

[Sophistemon]

Warriors and Warlocks is a supplementary book for the Mutants and Masterminds roleplaying game that was written to accommodate those players that wanted to use the mutable system to play games in a sword and sorcery fantasy setting. I've been reading through the book again in preparation of putting together a game that I've been thinking about, but I'm having trouble figuring out how wealth should be handled in this sort of setting.

The book itself suggests either of the following (pages 29-30):

The first is to distinguish between mundane equipment and important or special equipment. Rope, clothing, rations, and the like are all covered by the rubric “mundane equipment.” Unless the lack of having said materials is important to the story, simply assume that characters come equipped with whatever they reasonably need at the Gamemaster’s discretion. Ignore equipment point costs for these items. Weapons and armor may or may not qualify as important equipment depending on the types of stories the GM wants, but exotic or specially designed equipment (such as gear that departs from the standard build of such items) should always cost equipment points. For example, in a dark-medieval milieu, Balasarus the Bold should pay equipment points for his primitive leather-winged glider as it is obviously not normal equipment for his environs (and is likely to have story significance for him personally, especially if his reputation is as “The Flying Warrior”). Similarly, a time-tossed soldier from the 20th century transported to a vaguely Norse-inspired setting should pay points for his fabled thunder wand “SmitundVesson” as his pistol—standard equipment for his place of origin—is very special indeed when surrounded by opponents with nothing more advanced than bows and arrows.

Or:

A second option is to simply compare the characters’ individual wealth ratings with the expected cost of whatever equipment they need. So long as they can afford what they need, actual equipment point cost is ignored. Special or exotic items, such as the previously mentioned glider or pistol, are priceless. If no reasonable cost can be applied to an item, it will always need to be acquired through the expenditure of points in the character build. This is perhaps the easier of the two options as it removes some of the onus from the Gamemaster in choosing what is and isn’t “mundane equipment.” If an item isn’t unique or special in some way, it simply gets a price comparison and character creation or outfitting moves quickly on.

Which of these would you suggest that I employ, and why? Or, if you have a better suggestion than is provided above, would you mind listing it and explaining its merits? It may be the late hour (so late it's very early), but I can't seem to get my mind around this right now well enough to make a decision and I could really use a helping hand.

[hiryuu]

Our group tends to use the first; it actually works out a lot smoother in practice than it seems like it would. Rewards in a good session of Mutants & Masterminds or Warriors & Warlocks tend to consist or furthering of character goals or the acquisition of abstract wealth. The system itself favors extreme abstraction of wealth to include things like the concept of the warrior king with an ancient golden city as his base of operations or the idle prince looking for adventure; find a magical sword in a pile of treasure isn't something the game does well, though I imagine that if someone wanted to keep it, they'd buy it with character points. Afterward, though, I always figure the money goes to the upkeep of gear, a flurry of all-you-can-eat restaurants, and late-night benders with mighty-thewed companions and other forms of revelry (or is buried in the wilderness inside a giant barrel).

[J.Gellert]

I am kind of using method 1; that is, I let my players take any gear they want in the beginning. They didn't even go overboard. The thief took a rapier and a custom leather armor he had from a previous campaign, and the fighter/mage took a bastard sword and bearhide armor.

During the course of the game, they find silver which they can use to buy new stuff, but it isn't often that they care to upgrade, anyway. They spend their money on consumables, like regenerative potions.

However, I should point out that we are using the optional rule about Weapon/Armor Proficiencies, so technically they are still paying for their gear, just not with the "Equipment" feat. And if they had chosen something weird or magical (like the wings mentioned) I would just tell them to buy it as a device.

[Sophistemon]

Ah, so monetary rewards would be handled in an abstract fashion, then?

For example, being paid for a service rendered wouldn't actually have a quantifiable effect on their character sheets?

Maybe my problem is that I can't imagine a fantasy game that doesn't result in hideously wealthy protagonists.

Firkraag: I assume that, when you provide your players with actual wealth, you use the second option?
How do you handle decreasing wealth? Also, would you mind pointing me towards those weapon/armor proficiency rules?

I ask these questions because I imagine PL and pp progression as being rather slow, and I want my players to feel as though they're being adequately rewarded for their adventures, which to me means the acquisition of better and better gear.

[J.Gellert]

Firkraag: I assume that, when you provide your players with actual wealth, you use the second option?
How do you handle decreasing wealth? Also, would you mind pointing me towards those weapon/armor proficiency rules?

No, I just "houseruled" silver pieces. Coins, like in D&D. It's easier for my players to understand (and digest), even though I sometimes have to guess at items' prices.

So if a player kills a bad guy, he may find a healing potion and 50 sp. They mostly use these rewards to buy the kinds of potions that they lack, or to bribe people. And it often ends up exactly how hiryuu said; wine, women, or buried. My players just love treasure even if they have no real use for it.

The proficiency rules are in the Mastermind's Manual, if I remember correctly. I'm not using them exactly as-is, but really, I have so many custom rules (especially feats) that you won't really care. I just find it more elegant to pay with a proficiency feat than an abstract "equipment" feat.

[Sophistemon]

I think that I'm going to have them buy everything as Equipment (excluding mundanities such as rope, clothing, rations, etc., which would be free, and magical or exceptional items, which would be purchased as Devices). They can use their Wealth Ratings for consumable goods and the occasional service rendered.

Is this acceptable, or do you think my players will complain that they aren't being financially compensated for their actions? I figure that if I reward them with two or so PP per completed chapter in the story, they should be able to update their characters rather well, including new and better equipment.

Your thoughts?

[Beleriphon]

I think that I'm going to have them buy everything as Equipment (excluding mundanities such as rope, clothing, rations, etc., which would be free, and magical or exceptional items, which would be purchased as Devices). They can use their Wealth Ratings for consumable goods and the occasional service rendered.

Is this acceptable, or do you think my players will complain that they aren't being financially compensated for their actions? I figure that if I reward them with two or so PP per completed chapter in the story, they should be able to update their characters rather well, including new and better equipment.

Your thoughts?

That sounds like a fine plan. Only thing to keep in mind would be that if you want "tangible" benefits give them a crate full of gold. Dont' assign it a value, it's just a crate full of gold. Then give them reasons to spend it on mundane things, like booze, or bribes. Basically look at the way Conan operated for many stories, he might collect mighty treasures but he spends on mighty hewed things.

[J.Gellert]

That sounds like a fine plan. Only thing to keep in mind would be that if you want "tangible" benefits give them a crate full of gold. Dont' assign it a value, it's just a crate full of gold. Then give them reasons to spend it on mundane things, like booze, or bribes. Basically look at the way Conan operated for many stories, he might collect mighty treasures but he spends on mighty hewed things.

Conan D20 even has rules for this :P The short version is that you are supposed to start each adventure broke (no items, even), because you've spent/stashed/lost most of your gold in between, and that's why you are adventuring again

Any way you handle it is fine, as long as you remember that since magical items cannot be bought, money is primarily a "roleplaying" reward. Mundane items don't really matter.

[Sophistemon]

Whoops, I've neglected this thread.

Thanks for all of the advice, everyone.

I think that I've reached a workable decision.