Let’s Make Better Rpg Currencies
I’m curious what currency systems my fellow #ttrpg GMs have dreamt up when #worldbuilding.
It’s always annoyed me how #dnd’s gp/sp/cp currency resembles the USD system so much in the way it is used, despite the fact that IRL a single gold coin would be worth more than my car. Does #WotC think my backpack is worth $8k? That makes no sense to me.
It’s definitely not what you’re thinking of, but the World of Darkness games have a similar system in that each character has a stat called “resources”, representing their general level of wealth, and can trivially acquire any item rated less than that.
I think d20 Modern also had something similar, though it’s been years ago and I’m not 100% certain that wasn’t a homebrew rule based on WoD.
I can confirm that it’s not, I haven’t tried WoD yet.
I do recall there being a similar mechanic in at least one version of Call of Cthulhu. Among all your character stats you also had a Credit Rating. I think it was left a little bit vague about how to implement it, but a successful check basically meant that you convinced the target you were good for your debt.
I got the impression that it was supposed to be more about your social credit and your ability to convince people of your honourable reputation, but I definitely used it to buy a car once.
…marvel super heroes also featured a resources ability score and feats to represent financial maneuvers akin to lines of credit; it felt frustratingly abstracted as a teenager living in a discretionary cash economy, but after several decades as a real-world adult i realise that it’s an elegant abstraction for how people actually live and conduct commerce…
I really like WoD’s Resources background, one thing I do tend to append to the rules is separate out recurring income from lump assets.
Basically Income Resources are used up and refresh each month worth of time provided players maintain their income or have retainers keep watch over the accounts. Lump Resources are like having a big pile of gold, or a big inheritance from an eccentric uncle or just a bunch of money in a savings account. Once they’re used up, they’re used up.