Lifestyle Costs

I like lifestyle costs. However a +5 on all social interaction rolls is huge! Yes, the cost is a lot. But I expect that at tiers 3+ those costs won’t really be all that prohibitive. (I could be mistaken.) Regardless,a +5 works out to a roughly 40% to maybe 43% increase in the probability of success on a roll. (Assuming that the target for the roll is near the average for the dice you are using. i.e. a 16 for 2d10 + d10 or a 15 for 2d10 + d8.) I would be worried about the effects of having such a high bonus on social encounters.

Scott

I was actually really happy that we had done away with lifestyle, as it was more of an accounting exercise than anything. I think it would be a better idea to make money sinks that are interesting rather than the same ol same old

I was actually really happy that we had done away with lifestyle, as it was more of an accounting exercise than anything. I think it would be a better idea to make money sinks that are interesting rather than the same ol same old

Technically, the same applies to Earning a Living rolls; they’re an accounting exercise with nothing but a net gain. As is really any game ‘economy’.

An alternative would be to say “At the beginning of every mod, you get X amount of coin based on your current social status. You can spend it or not as you choose, but it doesn’t carry over. You get what you get, and that’s that.” Then you don’t have any accounting whatsoever from module to module. Magic/special items become the sole purview of modules to give out as loot from fallen foes. Which would be an interesting way of going about it, but doesn’t fit with something we’ve already established in the Arcanis: RPG; that there is an economy, there is an ebb and flow of money, and that ultimately whether we introduce Lifestyle costs or not, there is accounting that is being done.

What we can do, however, is make the ‘accounting exercise’ serve the story, rather than the other way around. Off the top of my head I can think of a half dozen mod encounters shaped by the Lifestyle that some people take. One quick example: Someone takes exalted Lifestyle, then heads into the Old Coryan slums trying to get information. Well, they’re pretty damn likely to be jumped by a gang of ruffians unless they’re obviously well protected, and even then they may be a target of someone who just brushes by them and pick pockets them, simply because they *look* all fancy.

I like this personally. I do the living rolls most of the time when I remember. Having a tangible benefit to spending money would be good too. My character would personally use it a lot. I think the bonuses should be based on Tier, however.

Cost Base (with Expensive Tastes):
High: 8 Sc (10 Sc) / Tier for a +1 Social Bonus / Tier
Exalted: 16 (20 Sc) / Tier for a +2 Social Bonus / Tier

Because otherwise at higher tiers, the cost will be negligible as would the bonus.

John

I like this personally. I do the living rolls most of the time when I remember. Having a tangible benefit to spending money would be good too. My character would personally use it a lot. I think the bonuses should be based on Tier, however.

Cost Base (with Expensive Tastes):
High: 8 Sc (10 Sc) / Tier for a +1 Social Bonus / Tier
Exalted: 16 (20 Sc) / Tier for a +2 Social Bonus / Tier

Because otherwise at higher tiers, the cost will be negligible as would the bonus.

I like this modification. Make the bonuses and costs scale better if you want a boost based on tier. A +5 is monstrous at tier 1 but likely not as huge a deal at tier 3 (well, it would be +6 but close enough).

To make this simpler for casual players, I would suggest:

Low lifestyle: No cost / -2 social rolls / No “Earning a Living” roll allowed (takes money to make money)
Regular lifestyle: No cost / No bonuses (-2 Social w/ Expensive Taste).
High Lifestyle: 10 Sc / special +2 social rolls (minimum for Expensive Taste flaw)
Exalted Lifestyle: 25 Sc / special +4 social rolls

Smooths out the paperwork requirement, as Regular Lifestyle means no change to the post-game.

This doesn’t seem to make sense. Why would anyone ever take Low given this?

Funny, I also don’t roll making a living rolls either

LOL! My main character Eisener doesn’t either…both because I don’t like keeping track of the extra paperwork and because earning a mundane living seems to be “below” a Holy Champion of Nier. I like to think that between modules he is … essentially doing the same thing off camera … out roaming the world looking for a (just-ish) fight.

OTOH I do try to remember to make rolls with Tukufu, because he’s supposed to be hip deep in the “antiquities” trade and a busy busy little bee. Tukufu would definitely “live large” if given the opportunity.

On the whole, in theory, I have no real qualms about a lifestyle cost in the LA campaign. To me its not that big a deal either way…Though it would help me remember if the CPs had a dedicated line for them.

Low lifestyle: No cost/-2 to all social interaction rolls
Regular lifestyle: 4 Sc (5 Sc w/Expensive Taste) / No bonuses or penalties
High lifestyle: 12 Sc (15 Sc w/Expensive Taste) / +2 to all social interaction rolls
Exalted lifestyle: 25 Sc (31 Sc w/Expensive Taste) / +5 to all social interaction rolls

These bonuses are Lifestyle bonuses, and would stack with any other social bonuses or offset any penalties you may possess.

Okay, in practice I think these numbers are off. Both the bonuses and the costs.

(A) I think the bonuses for low and high lifestyles should be +/-1 rather than +/-2. Again, because the game creates a bell curve of probability rather than a straight 5% for each +/-, I would be conservative in giving out bonuses and penalties.
(B) I think buying an Exalted lifestyle should hurt the pocketbook and 25 sc doesn’t do that. There is no real reason why my PC Tukufu couldn’t/wouldn’t take it every time it was available. He’d still make money in most adventures. That seems wrong to me since doesn’t have access to any nifty “richness/connectedness” talents or paths despite the fact he calls himself Ambassador. IMO an “exalted” lifestyle should cost around 50 sc since that is more or less the default earnings of an adventure (individual adventures vary a great deal). I think at that point the cost begins to have bite. At this “price point” Tukufu would currently only purchase this life style when he felt flush.
(C) I think exalted life style should only grant a +3 bonus. Bell curve, blah blah blah.
(D) I think there should be something beyond exalted. Maybe the naming conventions could be rejiggered, I’ll call it ridiculous … but really maybe we should call it legendary (and change the other lifestyles to fine and exceptional). This is moving into powerful noble/rock star level. Not sure what this price point is but it should be measured in gold coins (plural), not silver. Most players, most of the time, would not think this is a good deal … though maybe some certs and favors could give them access to it at reduced/free costs. This is where I’d give a +5 bonus.

I like Southern Skies idea about integrating expensive tastes as a requirement (of sorts) to take high lifestyle where available. There is a Miserly flaw now as well. You should have to make the roll verses your own discipline to buy high lifestyle. Finally the talent Benefits of Station should have some impact on lifestyle.

On the whole, while I like the idea of differentiated levels of success, I do not think the most important element in social interaction should be how much money you outlaid at the start of the module.