Equipment in Multi-genre game not jiving - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Equipment in Multi-genre game not jiving

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
new_fashion_guy
Oct 16, 2008 20:28:36 Okay, I'm preparing an arena-world type game, where PCs from various types of worlds are pulled into the arena-world and forced to try and survive long enough to find out why they're there.

So far, I've only had one player make a PC, a robot a la Star Wars/D20 Future. Helped him buy equipment using the Wealth system, and he's tricked out, in my opinion, with some hefty armor, internal melee and plasma weapons, and a heavy plasma rifle with a scope and internal targeting equipment. I gave the character close to the most wealth he could reasonably have at level 4, 18.

When I converted these powerful items, the character's equipment essentially cost roughly 15,000 dollars. Now, I've seen a conversion of dollars to GP, and that makes his starting equipment worth only 750 GP! That's not even enough for a +1 Weapon in D&D, and it's less than a 2nd level character is suggested to start with in the DMG. In my mind, the equipment the robot owns is quite more effective than a +1 sword and a suit of +1 chainmail.

My dilemma is, how do I fairly equip someone from a D&D type world? The direct conversion is not going to be even remotely equitable.
#2
Master_Vega
Oct 16, 2008 21:46:32 Not sure if this is fair, but doesn't tech from a higher PL technically cost more when you purchase from a lower PL?

Wasn't it +/-2 to the PDC per Progress Level difference?
#3
nobodez_here
Oct 17, 2008 7:44:09 -2 for lower PL, +5 for higher PL (max of +5).

Of course, he may have great burst damage, but because none of his gear is magical, it's more susceptible to damage. Oh, and if he's level 4, he should be starting with a wealth of 9 + (ranks in Profession, max 7 at 4th level) + (Occupational bonus) + (Windfall bonus). So, unless he's topped out Profession, +18's a little high.

Also, don't forget that he's probably stuck with those weapons for the rest of the campaign, and the Plasma Rifle will run out of juice since it's not internal.
#4
new_fashion_guy
Oct 17, 2008 8:25:12
So, unless he's topped out Profession, +18's a little high.

He is, in fact, topped out on profession.

So, if I understand this correctly, if I do the conversions on the Future Wealth to $ chart at a cost of +5, my total cost will be much higher. Then when I convert $to GP by dividing by 20, I'll get a more reasonable starting amount. I'll give it a shot.
#5
new_fashion_guy
Oct 17, 2008 8:34:07 Is it really +5 for higher PL, max +5? So essentially if the PL is higher, it's +5 and that's it? That doesn't seem right.
#6
new_fashion_guy
Oct 17, 2008 12:12:28 Okay, with that, I'm getting 2,750 GP, which is a lot more reasonable for 4th level characters (still not a ton, but not too bad).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 new_fashion_guy Oct 16, 2008 20:28:36	Okay, I'm preparing an arena-world type game, where PCs from various types of worlds are pulled into the arena-world and forced to try and survive long enough to find out why they're there. So far, I've only had one player make a PC, a robot a la Star Wars/D20 Future. Helped him buy equipment using the Wealth system, and he's tricked out, in my opinion, with some hefty armor, internal melee and plasma weapons, and a heavy plasma rifle with a scope and internal targeting equipment. I gave the character close to the most wealth he could reasonably have at level 4, 18. When I converted these powerful items, the character's equipment essentially cost roughly 15,000 dollars. Now, I've seen a conversion of dollars to GP, and that makes his starting equipment worth only 750 GP! That's not even enough for a +1 Weapon in D&D, and it's less than a 2nd level character is suggested to start with in the DMG. In my mind, the equipment the robot owns is quite more effective than a +1 sword and a suit of +1 chainmail. My dilemma is, how do I fairly equip someone from a D&D type world? The direct conversion is not going to be even remotely equitable.
#2 Master_Vega Oct 16, 2008 21:46:32	Not sure if this is fair, but doesn't tech from a higher PL technically cost more when you purchase from a lower PL? Wasn't it +/-2 to the PDC per Progress Level difference?
#3 nobodez_here Oct 17, 2008 7:44:09	-2 for lower PL, +5 for higher PL (max of +5). Of course, he may have great burst damage, but because none of his gear is magical, it's more susceptible to damage. Oh, and if he's level 4, he should be starting with a wealth of 9 + (ranks in Profession, max 7 at 4th level) + (Occupational bonus) + (Windfall bonus). So, unless he's topped out Profession, +18's a little high. Also, don't forget that he's probably stuck with those weapons for the rest of the campaign, and the Plasma Rifle will run out of juice since it's not internal.
#4 new_fashion_guy Oct 17, 2008 8:25:12	So, unless he's topped out Profession, +18's a little high. He is, in fact, topped out on profession. So, if I understand this correctly, if I do the conversions on the Future Wealth to $ chart at a cost of +5, my total cost will be much higher. Then when I convert $to GP by dividing by 20, I'll get a more reasonable starting amount. I'll give it a shot.
#5 new_fashion_guy Oct 17, 2008 8:34:07	Is it really +5 for higher PL, max +5? So essentially if the PL is higher, it's +5 and that's it? That doesn't seem right.
#6 new_fashion_guy Oct 17, 2008 12:12:28	Okay, with that, I'm getting 2,750 GP, which is a lot more reasonable for 4th level characters (still not a ton, but not too bad).