Price (Reward) For the Head of an Epic Pirate? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Price (Reward) For the Head of an Epic Pirate? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thorsbjorn
08-29-07, 06:39 AM I have two epic pirates that the party has fought and killed, one 21st (fighter 2/rogue 2/swashbuckler 1/dread pirate 16) and the other 24th (fighter 2/rogue 3/swashbuckler 3/dread pirate 16). They're thinking of taking the pirates' bodies to a an anti-pirate city-state in the island chain where they fought the pirates. They're also taking the bodies of the slave galley's slave master and the third mate, as well as 5 petty officers I've decided that the city-state is offering a reward for their capture or death, but I'm not sure how much to place on each one's head. What do you think?
BillTheManiac
08-29-07, 07:37 AM If you gave those guys NPC wealth, not too much, because the PCs already got plenty of treasure. If they were part of an adventure with some NPCs and some monsters, add up the appropriate treasure for the adventure and subtract the amount you've given them so far.
Gemstone
08-29-07, 08:01 AM You can also give them a title that makes them feel more important. For example, they could be given the title:
Lord _____ of the sacred coast or something similiar. It could grant them a +1 or +2 to different things when it's important.
KRATOS_BLADE_of_SPARTA
08-29-07, 08:39 AM If you are concerned about Player's Wealth getting to much then follow the above advice, otherwise take a page out of the Garotte's book.

When offering a reward for someone's head use the following forula, (Level of Contracter) x (Level of Target) x 1000gp = REWARD.
Then if you want them to stay dead times it by 25%.

Then expect the PC's to demand atleast (PC's EL) x (Target Level) x 1000gp (times 25% if you want them to stay dead).

This gives you two prices, the PC's are demanding the price that the Garrote would, and the Contractor is offering a price somewhere between what he thinks the Target is Worth and what he can afford.

Now let the "negotiating" begin!
SokenzanMarauder
08-29-07, 02:36 PM Arr and arr (sorry, had to do it...)?

Seriously though, he's likely got a ship and maybe even an honest-to-goodness treasure map on him. Not to mention his crew, which may or may not join the players after seeing their great strength in defeating their leader.

If you just want a straight GP reward, 500-1,000 gp. per level sounds fair enough. Though depending on the levels of the players it may be a bit much.

-Gene
KoreKore
08-29-07, 03:03 PM I suggest that you throw in land and title along with a bride. Always good for later plot hooks (defend your land and wife) and gives the PC's something to play with even a ongoing resource that, if properly managed, will give them ongoing funding.
Thorsbjorn
08-29-07, 09:49 PM Arr and arr (sorry, had to do it...)?

Well it's a tough job, but somone had to do it, and for a change it wasn't me! So more power you to, friend! :D

Seriously though, he's likely got a ship and maybe even an honest-to-goodness treasure map on him. Not to mention his crew, which may or may not join the players after seeing their great strength in defeating their leader.

If you just want a straight GP reward, 500-1,000 gp. per level sounds fair enough. Though depending on the levels of the players it may be a bit much.

-Gene

Well the players all have 30-some levels :D but the PCs are 21st (2) and 20th (1). The party's regular NPCS are also 20th (not including the wizard's dragon familiar/cohort who has an ECL of 17).

I want to say to you and every one else who has posted so far that these are all great ideas! I'm not sure about the treasure map right now, as they're already on another major adventure which is itself really a side-adventure from the main adventure's adventuring. :P If I can come up with something I might toss it in. Since it's a republic offering the reward, I'm thinking that they probably wouldn't offer a title per se, but perhaps a medal, like Hero of the Republic or something. Oh, I know! Since the city is heavily influenced by the priesthood of Apollo, how about the Apollopian Medal of Valor? Something that looks good on your uniform but alas doesn't pay the bills. :D

I'm thinking that brides probably aren't for this reward either, though I could see the dragon familar (a female silver) and the drow sorceress busting a gut over that one. (Actually the drow is very non-reactive; she rarely says anything unless someone addresses her first, and even once when some bar-lagura were about to teleport away with her, she just say, "Uh, gentlemen, I could use some help over here. :D The very young dragon on the other hand hardly ever shuts up. After all she is the superior being in the group. ;)) I really need some neutral-aligned king or something who would get really offended if they didn't except the proffered brides. That's a good idea for the future though. I'll have to think where to throw that in. Hmm. I have an idea. If they kill the CR 25 abomination (the Minotaur), maybe the villagers on the island will offer them brides, get offended, and attack, forcing the party to defeat them with non-lethal means. :D

I could see the city council maybe granting them some land on an island on the "border" with a rival city-state island so that the party ends up being a buffer between the two--always having to repel adventurers and vagabonds out from the rival city-state. It's a long way from the main adventure though. Something to consider for sure.

I like the various ideas for computing the rice. I think 1,000 gp per level might not be too bad. I really have to take the one suggestion to go through the wealth of the NPCs and add up all the gp prices (including for the slave galley itself) and see how much remains. I tend to be inadvertantly stingy with the treasure because I'm an old-school DM from back in the old original D&D days of the 1970s when we tended to do things by the seat of the pants. I've been trying to catch them up a bit now that the wizard needs lots of wealth to create epic spells, so that's why I thought of the idea of the reward in the first place. Also it seems most fitting from a storyline perspective that the powerful city-state that hands slavery and piracy would have a price on the heads of a pirate ship so powerful that both the captain and the first mate had reached epic levels.

Anyway, thanks again, and feel free to keep the great ideas coming!

P.S. Speaking of things we just have to do, does um anyone have any opinions about the age-old (i.e. three-year-old) debate over pirates versus ninjas? :P
LordBOB777
08-29-07, 10:36 PM EDIT: Post removed since no one liked what i posted
Symon_says
09-11-07, 01:57 PM This (http://www.stanford.edu/~scodary/tkam.htm) is something to help out with the debate of pirates vs ninjas.

Its a LONG flash, but well worth it (IMHO). Its slow in the beginning but totally worth.

EDIT: Seriously, someone needs to watch this and tell me what they think.

Sorry, but I feel dumber for watching that... And taking the time to wait for it to load... It hurt my soul! :weep:

~jingle~
Thorsbjorn
09-11-07, 09:08 PM Sorry, but I feel dumber for watching that... And taking the time to wait for it to load... It hurt my soul! :weep:

~jingle~

Thanks for the warning! :eek:
Harbin_Dunewalker
09-18-07, 12:37 AM I couldn't help but think of this when I saw this thread, so here's their reward:

REAL ULTIMATE POWER! (http://www.realultimatepower.net/index4.htm) :D
Thorsbjorn
09-18-07, 12:48 AM I couldn't help but think of this when I saw this thread, so here's their reward:

REAL ULTIMATE POWER! (http://www.realultimatepower.net/index4.htm) :D

Heh. So I could reward them for defeating the pirates by turning them into ninjas? :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thorsbjorn 08-29-07, 06:39 AM	I have two epic pirates that the party has fought and killed, one 21st (fighter 2/rogue 2/swashbuckler 1/dread pirate 16) and the other 24th (fighter 2/rogue 3/swashbuckler 3/dread pirate 16). They're thinking of taking the pirates' bodies to a an anti-pirate city-state in the island chain where they fought the pirates. They're also taking the bodies of the slave galley's slave master and the third mate, as well as 5 petty officers I've decided that the city-state is offering a reward for their capture or death, but I'm not sure how much to place on each one's head. What do you think?
BillTheManiac 08-29-07, 07:37 AM	If you gave those guys NPC wealth, not too much, because the PCs already got plenty of treasure. If they were part of an adventure with some NPCs and some monsters, add up the appropriate treasure for the adventure and subtract the amount you've given them so far.
Gemstone 08-29-07, 08:01 AM	You can also give them a title that makes them feel more important. For example, they could be given the title: Lord _____ of the sacred coast or something similiar. It could grant them a +1 or +2 to different things when it's important.
KRATOS_BLADE_of_SPARTA 08-29-07, 08:39 AM	If you are concerned about Player's Wealth getting to much then follow the above advice, otherwise take a page out of the Garotte's book. When offering a reward for someone's head use the following forula, (Level of Contracter) x (Level of Target) x 1000gp = REWARD. Then if you want them to stay dead times it by 25%. Then expect the PC's to demand atleast (PC's EL) x (Target Level) x 1000gp (times 25% if you want them to stay dead). This gives you two prices, the PC's are demanding the price that the Garrote would, and the Contractor is offering a price somewhere between what he thinks the Target is Worth and what he can afford. Now let the "negotiating" begin!
SokenzanMarauder 08-29-07, 02:36 PM	Arr and arr (sorry, had to do it...)? Seriously though, he's likely got a ship and maybe even an honest-to-goodness treasure map on him. Not to mention his crew, which may or may not join the players after seeing their great strength in defeating their leader. If you just want a straight GP reward, 500-1,000 gp. per level sounds fair enough. Though depending on the levels of the players it may be a bit much. -Gene
KoreKore 08-29-07, 03:03 PM	I suggest that you throw in land and title along with a bride. Always good for later plot hooks (defend your land and wife) and gives the PC's something to play with even a ongoing resource that, if properly managed, will give them ongoing funding.
Thorsbjorn 08-29-07, 09:49 PM	Arr and arr (sorry, had to do it...)? Well it's a tough job, but somone had to do it, and for a change it wasn't me! So more power you to, friend! :D Seriously though, he's likely got a ship and maybe even an honest-to-goodness treasure map on him. Not to mention his crew, which may or may not join the players after seeing their great strength in defeating their leader. If you just want a straight GP reward, 500-1,000 gp. per level sounds fair enough. Though depending on the levels of the players it may be a bit much. -Gene Well the players all have 30-some levels :D but the PCs are 21st (2) and 20th (1). The party's regular NPCS are also 20th (not including the wizard's dragon familiar/cohort who has an ECL of 17). I want to say to you and every one else who has posted so far that these are all great ideas! I'm not sure about the treasure map right now, as they're already on another major adventure which is itself really a side-adventure from the main adventure's adventuring. :P If I can come up with something I might toss it in. Since it's a republic offering the reward, I'm thinking that they probably wouldn't offer a title per se, but perhaps a medal, like Hero of the Republic or something. Oh, I know! Since the city is heavily influenced by the priesthood of Apollo, how about the Apollopian Medal of Valor? Something that looks good on your uniform but alas doesn't pay the bills. :D I'm thinking that brides probably aren't for this reward either, though I could see the dragon familar (a female silver) and the drow sorceress busting a gut over that one. (Actually the drow is very non-reactive; she rarely says anything unless someone addresses her first, and even once when some bar-lagura were about to teleport away with her, she just say, "Uh, gentlemen, I could use some help over here. :D The very young dragon on the other hand hardly ever shuts up. After all she is the superior being in the group. ;)) I really need some neutral-aligned king or something who would get really offended if they didn't except the proffered brides. That's a good idea for the future though. I'll have to think where to throw that in. Hmm. I have an idea. If they kill the CR 25 abomination (the Minotaur), maybe the villagers on the island will offer them brides, get offended, and attack, forcing the party to defeat them with non-lethal means. :D I could see the city council maybe granting them some land on an island on the "border" with a rival city-state island so that the party ends up being a buffer between the two--always having to repel adventurers and vagabonds out from the rival city-state. It's a long way from the main adventure though. Something to consider for sure. I like the various ideas for computing the rice. I think 1,000 gp per level might not be too bad. I really have to take the one suggestion to go through the wealth of the NPCs and add up all the gp prices (including for the slave galley itself) and see how much remains. I tend to be inadvertantly stingy with the treasure because I'm an old-school DM from back in the old original D&D days of the 1970s when we tended to do things by the seat of the pants. I've been trying to catch them up a bit now that the wizard needs lots of wealth to create epic spells, so that's why I thought of the idea of the reward in the first place. Also it seems most fitting from a storyline perspective that the powerful city-state that hands slavery and piracy would have a price on the heads of a pirate ship so powerful that both the captain and the first mate had reached epic levels. Anyway, thanks again, and feel free to keep the great ideas coming! P.S. Speaking of things we just have to do, does um anyone have any opinions about the age-old (i.e. three-year-old) debate over pirates versus ninjas? :P
LordBOB777 08-29-07, 10:36 PM	EDIT: Post removed since no one liked what i posted
Symon_says 09-11-07, 01:57 PM	This (http://www.stanford.edu/~scodary/tkam.htm) is something to help out with the debate of pirates vs ninjas. Its a LONG flash, but well worth it (IMHO). Its slow in the beginning but totally worth. EDIT: Seriously, someone needs to watch this and tell me what they think. Sorry, but I feel dumber for watching that... And taking the time to wait for it to load... It hurt my soul! :weep: ~jingle~
Thorsbjorn 09-11-07, 09:08 PM	Sorry, but I feel dumber for watching that... And taking the time to wait for it to load... It hurt my soul! :weep: ~jingle~ Thanks for the warning! :eek:
Harbin_Dunewalker 09-18-07, 12:37 AM	I couldn't help but think of this when I saw this thread, so here's their reward: REAL ULTIMATE POWER! (http://www.realultimatepower.net/index4.htm) :D
Thorsbjorn 09-18-07, 12:48 AM	I couldn't help but think of this when I saw this thread, so here's their reward: REAL ULTIMATE POWER! (http://www.realultimatepower.net/index4.htm) :D Heh. So I could reward them for defeating the pirates by turning them into ninjas? :D