What kind of income would a Commoner be happy about?

[Hoihe]

Provided your PC is running a business or otherwise employing commoners/NPCs, what kind of monthly salary would a random commoner feel "luxurious"?

Is it 200, 500, 1 000?

[Sun Wukong]

Uhh... Currency...

Alright... If we assume that 1 in game 'gp' is about '1' shilling in medieval times, which gets you an imperial gallon of medium quality beer/ale, which is about 4,5 litres of it. Now, because drinking water was basically like committing suicide by dysentery, it made more sense for everyone to drink beer/ale. Therefore, that imperial gallon should be more than enough liquid for an adult man's daily needs for two days. Therefore the annual salary of 200 in game 'gp' should be an acceptable part time wage for a commoner whose other needs are met by the goods produced by their own household.

As for full time work, I would lean towards the annual income of 1 000 in game 'gp' - but that is just me talking.

[scriver]

According tot the Player Handbook of 3.5 ed:

[Sun Wukong]

The problem with above is the lack of 'silver and copper' pieces in game. For example you have to pay 1-10 'gp' for a torch in game.

[aaron22]

are we assuming the increase in inflation due to the adventuring population (us)? perhaps luxury would be had at 20,000/yr in our crazy world for a commoner.

i am basing this off about half of what a "rich" person makes a day.

in today's world a billionaire would make about 250k a day. one might feel like they have "luxury" if they made in a year about half that. its really a perspective thing though. the more money you make, the more money you spend.

i would imagine a person who makes 125k/yr does not feel like they have luxury and would place that number higher. while a person who makes 50k/yr might say that the minimum could be lower. ive made both, so i know it can be thought of differently for me. this would likely be the same in a 14th-ish century based fantasy world.

[chad878262]

solved by assuming the number of 'gold pieces' your PC has is actually 'copper pieces'... Instead of 1,000,000 gold, you actually only have 10,000 gold.

Of course that doesn't explain why the most epic shop items out there are only valued at 5,000 gold... *shrug* (I can't do those ASCII graphical shrugs like Valefort )

[Flasmix]

Lol... A Laborer gets 1 silver a day, which is enough to afford a poor meal. How the hell can a laborer afford a place to sleep and to support a family? It's nuts.

[aaron22]

1/3 oz gold coin would seem to be pretty big. like an american $.50 piece. something like 30mm? a 1/10 oz gold coin would be more like 17mm or the size of an american dime.

disclaimer: i am only guessing, but gold is about the same density as tungsten and i have access to tungsten. i took filings of some tungsten and weighed them to 1/3oz (9.5g) and then 1/10oz (3g). the 1/3 gold piece pile of tungsten was pretty big.

[MrPsion]

DM Arkanis posted in his ask thread recently about the costs to raise a family of four in BG. Eneed up being somewhere between 3-4k

[scriver]

Lol... A Laborer gets 1 silver a day, which is enough to afford a poor meal. How the hell can a laborer afford a place to sleep and to support a family? It's nuts.

They don't. That's why pauper is synonymous with wretched poor.

[niapet]

The problem with above is the lack of 'silver and copper' pieces in game. For example you have to pay 1-10 'gp' for a torch in game.

Oh wouldn't it be cool of we considered a in game GP 1 CP? Then the numbers start to make soooo much more sense. Is it possible to change the display name from gold to copper or silver?

[aaron22]

The problem with above is the lack of 'silver and copper' pieces in game. For example you have to pay 1-10 'gp' for a torch in game.

Oh wouldn't it be cool of we considered a in game GP 1 CP? Then the numbers start to make soooo much more sense. Is it possible to change the display name from gold to copper or silver?

it would and wouldnt at the same time. i really doesnt "change" anything mechanically. its just a name after all, but it does do something to the "feeling" you get from it. ex. killing wormthrax (or whatever he is called) would give you 10 gp. 10??? that is the "dragon hoard"? 10 lousy gold that i have to now split with 4 other people. **shoulders droop in sadness**

it does make a lot of other things make sense though. the apples that cost 50 gold or something? those are FANCY apples.

[NeonAvenger]

The problem with above is the lack of 'silver and copper' pieces in game. For example you have to pay 1-10 'gp' for a torch in game.

Oh wouldn't it be cool of we considered a in game GP 1 CP? Then the numbers start to make soooo much more sense. Is it possible to change the display name from gold to copper or silver?

You're neglecting basic economics.
There are literally hundreds of millions of gold pieces in circulation on the Sword Coast but zero copper coins. There are tapestries with gold thread, buildings with gold ornaments, armor with gold inlay; but how many times do you see references to copper, brass, or bronze? Clearly gold is very common and cheap while copper is rare and valuable.
The treasuries of city states no doubt contain stores of copper, they just use gold for the coinage since it doesn't tarnish so won't risk damaging their valuable copper through mishandling.

Karond Goldhands clearly adopted the name to suggest that he's poor and easily parted from his money in order to fool people.
To say someone is "Worth their weight in gold" is an insult.
The "Gold Standard" means: The lowest quality acceptable.

#GoldistheNewCopper

// And since this is the internet I'm required to point out that I'm being facetious.

[Reckeo]

You could say we are living in the....."Golden Age".

[aaron22]

You could say we are living in the....."Golden Age".