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Price for Detective Services

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
tacoclone
May 31, 2010 21:18:40 So, me, a changeling bard super sleuth, and my fellow PCs are running a detective agency in Sharn (big city in Eberron campaign setting for those that did not recognize it).

Now...neither us PCs nor the DM were sure what to charge for a detective services. It's a 4e game, but we've been using the fluff from the 3.5e Eberron books (Races of Eberron to help me flesh out my Changeling, Sharn: City of Towers to help with...you know...being in Sharn, and etc). In the Sharn book it gives prices for...um...'Inquisitive Services', and charges (PCs) 10sp - 20sp per day for the service.

We've found that price to be more than moderately smaller than what we PCs would like to get paid, but we're unsure what exactly our agency should ask for.

Any suggestions?
#2
kouk
May 31, 2010 23:42:57 NPC prices for services don't really mean a thing. You're PCs.

I take the NPC-worthy jobs to be things like, "I think my husband is cheating on me," or "Somebody steals inventory every now and again," or "I'm looking for my old 'acquaintance' that I think is in town, but I don't want to go wandering around the lower city to find him."

Whereas your jobs will usually be more along the lines of, "My special item (super artifact) was stolen (by a massive criminal ring of sorcerers) and I need you to get it back for me (so I can complete a the world-ending ritual, but of which you find out about and betray me to save the world)."

Or, "My ancestor (of a thousand years ago, who was a great king) left this book (of cryptic clues) in a hiding place, and it seems to lead to a family inheritance (of potentially a bajillion gp and magic items). I can sort of figure some of it out, but not sure where to go next (the ruined swamp fortress now inhabited by a small Cult of the Dragon Below). I need you to find the treasure for me, and I'll give you a small cut (up to 10,000gp plus unrelated stuff you find along the way)."

Sometimes, "There's a string of killings (serial killer) but we can't find evidence (because he's a damn expert and high level magic-user), and need you to track him down (and by the way he's one of the city's leaders making sacrifices to Caiphon to bring about his own domination of the region and plunge the world into darkness)."

So you can charge a bit more.

Frequently since your jobs are likely predicated on what the DM wants to do, your best option will usually be, "OK, how much are you willing to pay?" and then haggling from there. Likely giving consideration to the financial means of your employer, if you're semi-Good characters.

But, what level are you?
#3
distractingflare
Jun 02, 2010 20:27:22 I'm in a similar situation, but my characters' detective agency is currently being hired to steal a cache of ransom money back from some baddies. The NPC nobleman who hired us has promised a 10% "finder's fee" of the 20,000 gp ransom. Thus, our reward will be an appropriate-ish 2,000 gp for a rather minor mission.

We're level 1, and it's a two-player adventure, if that's relevant.
#4
lionlemur
Jun 02, 2010 20:33:53
I'm in a similar situation, but my characters' detective agency is currently being hired to steal a cache of ransom money back from some baddies. The NPC nobleman who hired us has promised a 10% "finder's fee" of the 20,000 gp ransom. Thus, our reward will be an appropriate-ish 2,000 gp for a rather minor mission.

We're level 1, and it's a two-player adventure, if that's relevant.

Considering that an entire first-level treasure parcel for a party of 5 is 780 gp plus four magic items...umm...that's a lot.

#5
Bandikoot
Jun 02, 2010 21:19:35 I think your DM should set your "fee" to be treasure parcel #10 of your level or something similar. It will keep your services balanced with your level, but most of your treasure is still going to come from adventuring.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tacoclone May 31, 2010 21:18:40	So, me, a changeling bard super sleuth, and my fellow PCs are running a detective agency in Sharn (big city in Eberron campaign setting for those that did not recognize it). Now...neither us PCs nor the DM were sure what to charge for a detective services. It's a 4e game, but we've been using the fluff from the 3.5e Eberron books (Races of Eberron to help me flesh out my Changeling, Sharn: City of Towers to help with...you know...being in Sharn, and etc). In the Sharn book it gives prices for...um...'Inquisitive Services', and charges (PCs) 10sp - 20sp per day for the service. We've found that price to be more than moderately smaller than what we PCs would like to get paid, but we're unsure what exactly our agency should ask for. Any suggestions?
#2 kouk May 31, 2010 23:42:57	NPC prices for services don't really mean a thing. You're PCs. I take the NPC-worthy jobs to be things like, "I think my husband is cheating on me," or "Somebody steals inventory every now and again," or "I'm looking for my old 'acquaintance' that I think is in town, but I don't want to go wandering around the lower city to find him." Whereas your jobs will usually be more along the lines of, "My special item (super artifact) was stolen (by a massive criminal ring of sorcerers) and I need you to get it back for me (so I can complete a the world-ending ritual, but of which you find out about and betray me to save the world)." Or, "My ancestor (of a thousand years ago, who was a great king) left this book (of cryptic clues) in a hiding place, and it seems to lead to a family inheritance (of potentially a bajillion gp and magic items). I can sort of figure some of it out, but not sure where to go next (the ruined swamp fortress now inhabited by a small Cult of the Dragon Below). I need you to find the treasure for me, and I'll give you a small cut (up to 10,000gp plus unrelated stuff you find along the way)." Sometimes, "There's a string of killings (serial killer) but we can't find evidence (because he's a damn expert and high level magic-user), and need you to track him down (and by the way he's one of the city's leaders making sacrifices to Caiphon to bring about his own domination of the region and plunge the world into darkness)." So you can charge a bit more. Frequently since your jobs are likely predicated on what the DM wants to do, your best option will usually be, "OK, how much are you willing to pay?" and then haggling from there. Likely giving consideration to the financial means of your employer, if you're semi-Good characters. But, what level are you?
#3 distractingflare Jun 02, 2010 20:27:22	I'm in a similar situation, but my characters' detective agency is currently being hired to steal a cache of ransom money back from some baddies. The NPC nobleman who hired us has promised a 10% "finder's fee" of the 20,000 gp ransom. Thus, our reward will be an appropriate-ish 2,000 gp for a rather minor mission. We're level 1, and it's a two-player adventure, if that's relevant.
#4 lionlemur Jun 02, 2010 20:33:53	I'm in a similar situation, but my characters' detective agency is currently being hired to steal a cache of ransom money back from some baddies. The NPC nobleman who hired us has promised a 10% "finder's fee" of the 20,000 gp ransom. Thus, our reward will be an appropriate-ish 2,000 gp for a rather minor mission. We're level 1, and it's a two-player adventure, if that's relevant. Considering that an entire first-level treasure parcel for a party of 5 is 780 gp plus four magic items...umm...that's a lot.
#5 Bandikoot Jun 02, 2010 21:19:35	I think your DM should set your "fee" to be treasure parcel #10 of your level or something similar. It will keep your services balanced with your level, but most of your treasure is still going to come from adventuring.