The Economy & Encounters

3.0/3.5 Taint

I really want to sunder treasure from mechanics and power. One of the negative things about most 3.0 and 3.5 derived systems is the magic item economy.  It has tainted and entitled a generation of gamers. Most of the gamers at the table for Wyrmbond are people who only understand fantasy RPGs from 3.0 and 3.5.  I am the grognard of the group. None of them have played AD&D and very few of them have read much of appendix N. The challenge is really going to be migrating them from an environment where treasure is a predictable entitlement and encounters are fenced safely within EL boundaries.  It's like getting my sons to take the training wheels off their bikes. 

The harder task is going to involve encounter design.  Too often players will begin griping about "encounter design" or about whether the CR of a monster is over or under powered.  DCC RPG steps away from that and I will be challenged by players on this. I think a focus on story over mechanics is going to help solve this issue, as will a discussion of the realism of encounters trapped with air bags for safety mounted on them.  More on this in later posts.

Narrative Economy

The easier transition will no doubt be the economy and I am going to drive the transition through narrative. The players are either going to be joining the Underground or allying themselves with the Dragons. In either case, they are going to be part of an organization that supports and shelters them and provides them basic gear and supplies. Their material succes will be tied to how much influence they have within their organization, what sort of favors they can call in and what sort of supply they can access. What mundane treasure they secure does not matter as teh majority of it will go to thier patron. 

In terms of campaign mechanics, this will manifest itself as success or failure for their cause.  A small rebel force may be successful becasue they are particualrly well equipped.  The rebels are trounced because their courier was intercepted. The payoffs are material to the story, but not material in terms of goods. Some of their adventures will be focused on securing supply for their organization. I have been toying with an adventure where the players liberate an iron mine for ages. I have an image of a dragon sweeping out over a central cavern filled with chained and screaming slaves looking for the players. 

Nomenclature of Coin

Coppers are Scales

Silvers are Eyes

Gold coins are Talons

All coins sometimes come in larger or half sizes.  A half talon is a 5 SP coin. A double or two scale is worth 2 silvers.  Bars of metal are sometimes used in trade and to secure large purchases with silver being the most common metal supporting this sort of transaction.