Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

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Judge_Yossarian
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Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

Post by Judge_Yossarian »

While working on the online DCC campaign I'm running, which has become oddly focused on commerce and economics, I realized I needed some kind of reference on how much certain things should cost (a longship relative to a horse or a house, etc). I came across a few resources I thought I would share in case other judges and writers might find them useful.

First, I found the below, which is a fantastic resource:

http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/120D/Money.html

It's a list of relative prices of goods and services in various medieval years, from wine and livestock to fencing instructions and book rental, to travel, real estate and objects d'art, all drawn form primary sources. It really helped me determine how much I should be charging my players for things.

For added realism, I also used the inflation calculator from the UK's National Archives to convert these prices into modern money.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/

By comparisons between, say, the price of a cow in medieval England and the price of a cow in DCC, and doing conversions to modern currency, I was able to peg 1GP in my campaign at around $10 USD today. That gave me a standard to convert all the prices from the list in other eras.
--------------
Chalmers frowned. "Harold, what would be a legal purpose for which to conjure a parrot?"

The Corpse that Love Built PbP:
Obadiah the Sharp: Chaotic Warrior (2nd level), Tax collector
Str: 15 (+1), Agi: 11 (0), Sta: 15 (+1), Per: 6 (-1), Int: 7 (-1), Luck: 7 (-1)
HP: 15/24; Speed: 25; Init: 2; AC: 15; Ref: 1; Fort: 2; Will: -1; Deed Die: d4
Main Weapon: Spear melee deed+1 (dmg 1d8+1+deed)
Secondary Weapon: Javelin melee deed+1 (dmg 1d6+1+deed) (x2)
Armor: Scale Mail (+4) Check penalty (-4) Fumble die (d12) Speed (-5)); Shield (+1) Check penalty (-1)
Equipment: Backpack, Rope - 50', Chain 10', iron spikes (3), small hammer, lantern, 3 flasks oil
Funds: 476 gp, 80 cp; Languages: Common
Jim Skach
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Re: Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

Post by Jim Skach »

Judge_Yossarian wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:35 pm While working on the online DCC campaign I'm running, which has become oddly focused on commerce and economics, I realized I needed some kind of reference on how much certain things should cost (a longship relative to a horse or a house, etc). I came across a few resources I thought I would share in case other judges and writers might find them useful.

First, I found the below, which is a fantastic resource:

http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/120D/Money.html

It's a list of relative prices of goods and services in various medieval years, from wine and livestock to fencing instructions and book rental, to travel, real estate and objects d'art, all drawn form primary sources. It really helped me determine how much I should be charging my players for things.

For added realism, I also used the inflation calculator from the UK's National Archives to convert these prices into modern money.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/

By comparisons between, say, the price of a cow in medieval England and the price of a cow in DCC, and doing conversions to modern currency, I was able to peg 1GP in my campaign at around $10 USD today. That gave me a standard to convert all the prices from the list in other eras.
There is so much out there now on ways to build an economic model for your game. I was always partial to the Bread calculations...
tdsharkey
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Re: Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

Post by tdsharkey »

I like to use prices from the fairly well-researched Harn campaign setting. This .pdf is derived from Harn materials with some other stuff thrown in by the author. Keep in mind that complex weapons that take a lot of craftsmanship are very expensive! So swords are pricey but axes and spears much less so.. Armor is also crazy expensive compared to what you may be used to seeing. The game uses a silver standard with gold coins being worth roughly 30X what silver coins of the same size are worth.

In my game I run a more swords and sorcery feel to it, with bronze being the standard coin taking the place of copper, silver being rare and valuable, and gold being very valuable. I would adjust those prices to bronze for my game just to maintain the right feel.

http://www.backgroundexposure.com/harn/ ... Prices.pdf
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Pesky
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Re: Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

Post by Pesky »

Another good resource is Grain Into Gold:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/13113
Terry Olson
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Re: Resources for In-game Pricing and Economy

Post by Carrot »

GURPS low tech and or low tech companions. well researched and literally spelled out to be put in game terms.
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