Author Topic: Economy of Fantasy World  (Read 2722 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline sulkow82

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 66
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • The truth is subversive.
Economy of Fantasy World
« on: August 10, 2009, 04:51:23 AM »
Hello, Everyone.
I am wondering how do you calculate out the value of items in your games.  How do you arrive at the price of a broadsword, or the services of a local spell-caster (if that's appropriate for your world)?

Initially, I was planning on establishing what one day's pay would be (and call that 1 Duckett).  Then take any item and try to establish how many ducketts it would cost (convert to copper/ silver/ gold later on).  This approach seemed to get hard when it came to services like enchanting magic items (in a world where low level magic is rather common).  I would greatly appreciate any advice on refining or replacing this system.

- Kantron
...formerly known as Kantron.

Offline Nejira

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 403
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2009, 05:54:56 AM »
I use prices from the Old West and arrange them to fit my fantasy setting. I got copper, silver and gold coins. A silver coin is the value of a dollar and worth 100 copper coins. A gold coin is rather rare and is worth 100 silver coins. I never made lists for cost of enchanting items or spell casting costs. Those were always a matter of negotiations in my games. Offer enough and you might find someone willing to enchant an item for you.

But in your case, I would use the duckett as a guideline. Now this one day´s pay, is that for unskilled labor or skilled? Also Guided labor can usually take a little more than day labors. An enchanter would probably ask for even more.

So set a guideline, what would an enchanter required per day just in wages? Then add cost of production (the raw cost of the products used in the enchantment*). This would be your base cost, then add 25-100% if its being distributed further by merchants and vendors.

*I never used the costs in the rules as they seem exceedingly high. I always wondered, why pay this much just to get one magical item when I can hire an army for the same cost. Or feed a village for several years.

(in a world where low level magic is rather common).

Is that all magic, or spell magic or items?
"I'd Rather Be a Rising Ape Than a Fallen Angel"

Offline Winterknight

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 141
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2009, 10:43:05 AM »
I work backwards.  If something is "common", then by its very definition, it's readily available.  Maybe not in every household, but still available.  From there, decide what types of things or services will fall into which levels of the economic strata to make the game world make sense.

For example, a +5 weapon seems like a common item, but IMO, requires a great deal of effort to produce.  These could be purchased by guards and soldiers, but only if they save for quite a while, much like a decent-quality cavalry mount.  Ta-da, there's your price reference.

Low level charms might be much more common, but would probably be focused in their abilities.  Most of the spell lists and alchemy rules are about enchanting items for adventurers, who generally demand a higher quality, and a broader scope.  So, IMO, you might consider that magic that is "common" might not necessarily be on an existing list, but would be of practical daily use to the working class.  Imagine a charmed plate that kept itself at a constant 40 C temperature.  Not a lot of use to most folks, other than as a comfortable bottom warmer. But to a baker, that's the ideal temperature for cultivating yeast and rising bread.  Place a metal bowl on that plate, cover it with towels, and even in the cold of winter, you can raise bread dough without having to excessively heat your kitchen.  

How much easier would a chandler's job be if he had the magical equivalent of a fan?  Something to circulate air over the tapers as they come out of the wax, letting them set before the next dip.  A wand of 10 kph air gust, in other words.  Not very practical for an adventurer, but very handy for any number of industries - blacksmiths, tanners (fume dispersion), etc.

And if these items are targeted to the working class, they must be affordable BY the working class. They might be journeyman-level expenses, much like a set of good quality tools, a purchase that is only made every few years or so, but something that a working person could save for over time.
Ex post facto.

Offline markc

  • Elder Loremaster
  • ****
  • Posts: 10,697
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2009, 12:53:19 PM »
 I am not trying to push books but ICE has a book called ....and a 10' Pole. That has items cost by era and basic times to produce the items. Our group has loved the book and use it for other games as well.

 IMO pricing magic items is very very tough as we do not have a good grasp on the many variables. But as a base I might use an apothecary as an example for minor common magic items and then work from there.

MDC
Bacon Law: A book so good all PC's need to be recreated.
Rule #0: A GM has the right to change any rule in a book to fit their game.
Role Play not Roll Play.
Use a System to tell the story do not let the system play you.

Offline sulkow82

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 66
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • The truth is subversive.
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2009, 04:25:50 PM »
Quote
But in your case, I would use the duckett as a guideline. Now this one day´s pay, is that for unskilled labor or skilled? Also Guided labor can usually take a little more than day labors. An enchanter would probably ask for even more

This would be unskilled labor.  However, most labor skilled or unskilled would be controlled by a guild.

Quote
Is that all magic, or spell magic or items?

Most families except the abject poor would have at least one magic item.  This would be an assistance to doing housework or a modifier assisting a craftsman at his labor, etc.  Casting an evil base list (or owning a magic item) is a crime regardless of level (so that would cost more).

Quote
So set a guideline, what would an enchanter required per day just in wages? Then add cost of production (the raw cost of the products used in the enchantment*). This would be your base cost, then add 25-100% if its being distributed further by merchants and vendors.

Cool this also helps.

Quote
Is that all magic, or spell magic or items?

All magic to about fifth level is available for sale.  Above that it becomes extremely rare or not existent.  Magic items with a like spell (fifth level or below) would be relatively common.  Most families which are not abject poor could have one such item.  However, that would be the family heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

Quote
....and a 10' Pole.

Thanks for the recommendation.  This helps as a baseline for prices and work from there.

- Kantron
« Last Edit: August 10, 2009, 04:36:10 PM by Kantron »
...formerly known as Kantron.

Offline kevinmccollum

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 387
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2009, 09:36:56 PM »
I just noticed that three posters on this board are from the Portland/Vancouver area.

Offline markc

  • Elder Loremaster
  • ****
  • Posts: 10,697
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2009, 10:40:06 PM »
I just noticed that three posters on this board are from the Portland/Vancouver area.
Yes I was quite surprised when I moved here from the Bay Area and found a large gaming community.
MDC
Bacon Law: A book so good all PC's need to be recreated.
Rule #0: A GM has the right to change any rule in a book to fit their game.
Role Play not Roll Play.
Use a System to tell the story do not let the system play you.

Offline thrud

  • Revered Elder
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,351
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2009, 02:33:31 AM »
We try to keep things simple and use the lists provided in various books.
Magic is priced (level of caster) x (level of spell) in silver I think? I havent been forced into buying magic in quite a while so I may be wrong on this one?

Offline Nejira

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 403
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2009, 07:27:16 AM »
This thread reminded me of an old webcomic http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/563.html
"I'd Rather Be a Rising Ape Than a Fallen Angel"

Offline Fenrhyl Wulfson

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 312
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: Economy of Fantasy World
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2009, 12:17:15 PM »
As per this article, I keep the prices in RM tin coins and convert them with a small open office calc tool. Works marvel. I am working on an online tool able to deal with various currencies and proposing adjusted prices (i.e. not the ones found in the rule books, for obvious reasons) but I keep stumbling on difficulties since I am learning how to script at the same time.

The tool I use may be downloaded from the ICE vault.

I use ... and a 10' pole too.