D20 Modern Wealth System in D&D

[slwoyach]

I'm thinking of using the wealth system from Modern, has anyone done this? What do you use as a general rule for converting gp costs to purchase dcs?

 

[irdeggman]

The D20 Modern wealth system assumes that the characters have a constant income.

This could be very problematic in a D&D game where wealth is equivalent to "booty" and what you can get off of fallen opponents.

I wouldn't attempt to translate the d20 Modern system into a D&D game - instead go with D20 Modern Arcana and make a D&D like game using d20 Modern mechanics.

 

[slwoyach]

I don't really like d20 modern, just the wealth system. This is actually for a Conan d20 game and I much prefer the abstract wealth mechanic as opposed to tracking every silver piece. I don't see why a constant income would be necessary, it's just a number representing the character's wealth. I will, however, limit a character's wealth score when travelling. You're not going to have 20 points of wealth on your horse.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I don't think it would probably be too bad an idea for a Conan game (though I don't really have any specific advice for price conversion type stuff) or for something like Iron Heroes.

I don't think that the idea would work very well with the Wealth by Level assumptions of standard D&D, though.

 

[irdeggman]

Just remember that the wealth score reflects a "life style" and that you don't spend anything to "live according to your means" - which translates into nobody pays for food or housing, unless they are attempting an "upgrade".

Unless I am mistaken Conan would work better for a barter type of system - forget the gp and go with trade goods and "stuff".

 

[Gregor]

If we're talking about d20 Conan as per Mongoose, you also need to keep in mind that the game assumes an episodic approach to the campaign. In other words, the games are intended to be inspired by how R.E. Howard's short stories are written. Thus, adventurers in Hyboria do not have a constant income, they accumulate wealth and then spend it all on whores, booze and lotus. Then they pass out in a gutter, wake up chained to a slave galley and the next adventure begins.

The game is pretty low wealth and assumes that people have nothing and will die poor unless they grip destiny by the throat and take what should be theirs! There is even a Will save for finding vast piles of booty (so...much...treasure....salivating). So, it seems strange that they would have a constant income.

Now, you can obviously divert from this however you like. But just my two copper pieces.