Standing of living clarifications

[jmartinclass]

Hello adventures,

Need some help using standing of living, ok I know the woodland man can't buy a house in lake city, but during the adventures how to make this rule more real? My company got lots of treasure points, they can always afford a tavern, buy horses, trade information for money, things like that.

How do you experienced loremasters create situations where standing of living can be a good thing or even be a trouble during the adventure?

[zedturtle]

First off, how do they have tons of money? What is the Standing of the heroes and are they maintaining that? Do they have any Holdings that they're investing in? Are you using the encumbrance rules for Treasure?

The way I run Standard of Living is that it represents 'petty cash' and that what a Laketowner considers petty cash a Woodman regards as a small fortune. I only charge Treasure for things over and above those petty cash things, but I also keep my characters poor and they don't focus on material gains anyways.

[jmartinclass]

They always have some gold with them, they bought a poney to carry a little money and extra things. That's why a write this post, they are always trying to take money with them, the rest of the gold they earned is kept safe in their home lands when the fellowship phase comes.

I think it's starting to become a problem, because it's something they are trying not to worry to.

[zedturtle]

They always have some gold with them, they bought a poney to carry a little money and extra things. That's why a write this post, they are always trying to take money with them, the rest of the gold they earned is kept safe in their home lands when the fellowship phase comes.

I think it's starting to become a problem, because it's something they are trying not to worry to.

I think we might be having a little bit of a language issue. How much Treasure do they have (most of my players have 20 or less)? What form is it in (mine have some in jewelry, some in coin)? Have you pushed the Standing rules? Do you have the Holding rules?

EDIT: Are you charging those that are living above their Standard the appropriate monthly fees?

[jmartinclass]

I don't have the holding rules, they have gold coins, a think everyone in my company has always with them 4 to 6 gold coins, wich I assume 4 to 6 treasure points. But there are at least 10 to 15 with the poney.

Thanks for the help

[Indur Dawndeath]

a think everyone in my company has always with them 4 to 6 gold coins, wich I assume 4 to 6 treasure points. But there are at least 10 to 15 with the poney.

Hi Jmartinclass,
You could just rule, that treasure cannot be used to buy normal goods. The only way to have pocket money is then to invest treasure to become either prosperous or rich 1 or 2 treasures / month, as per the rules.

My problem with Standard of living is that there are too few occations where it is relevant in my game, so it would be nice to hear from others what situations you have come up with.
In my game no one has invested any treasure in Standard of Living, and so far it has not been a problem.

Ideas, anyone?

[zedturtle]

I'm afraid I really don't see the problem. When they go to purchase stuff te those that have a lower standard of living that they have to pay Treasure. Start encouraging the Standing rules (maybe requiring a certain Standing in order to go or do something).

That sounds like it wouldn't cause any trouble and it's not like (most) heroes in TOR are in for the gold pieces anyways...

[Stormcrow]

The Standard of Living rules only work so long as you don't look too closely at them. For instance, suppose you're a Prosperous character looking to buy ponies for your party. You can afford to "pay for one companion." (Does this mean "one pony for you and one for a companion," or "one pony"?) You can't buy ponies for your entire party because you can't afford to. You go on your journey, but along the way you lose your ponies. You take care of your business, but get no Treasure doing so. For the journey back, you want ponies again. As a Prosperous character, you can afford to "pay for one companion," so you do so. But if you can buy another pony now, why couldn't you do so before the first journey?

One way to resolve this is to assume that your Standard of Living is depleted in the first market you buy stuff in, and it can only be replenished by going home or spending Treasure. (Minor expenses prior to that can be ignored.) If it's time to make preparations for your journey, you spend your money in the market and get whatever quality your Standard of Living can afford. Until you spend 1 or 2 Treasure to go up to Prosperous or Rich, or until you go home, for any further markets or expenses you're assumed to be Poor.

[Feanor]

Money.

Hmm. Our GM holds fast to 1 Tp = 1 Encumbrance point. So if all the members of your party carries 4 to 6 in encumbrance for every session of an adventure, it either means they will die because they are weary when fighting, or they will die due to wounds because they have virtually no protection in armor.

My point is, that to constantly be holding 4 to 6 Tps is not possible without good protection. Id say 1 to 3 points are more in the right area, at least to constanlty be carrying it. A pony cannont "carry" the treasure to relive a character of their heavy burden, at leas6t when it comes to Encumbrance. But the pony will decrease the number of fatigue points gained, if one failed a travel roll.

For instance my Beorning character has the virtue Great Strength, so ive made it a point to choose whenever i feel like carrying, i can carry alot, BUT my characters encumbrance will suffer for it, i.e he becomes weary very fast and is an easy target to hit without Great Strength being operative. And for Great Strength to work most of the time one cannot hold more than a 1D or 2 D armor.

regards Feanor

[Glorelendil]

Wait....in your game the Encumbrance of Treasure contributes both to starting Fatigue and to travel gear?