> My Answer: Disassociate the "Wealth" ability from loot the hero has
> acquired. Treat Wealth like any other ability; ignore the special rules
> about acquiring items of value and either "spending" them immediately or
> cementing 1/10th their value. If the hero can make a case that he acquired
> loot, then he can use the "Related" HP cost. Describe the treasure any way
> you like, let the player decide what it is really worth by his spending of
> HP. If you, as a narrator, think that it is worth something, then give the
> player dedicated HP to spend only on wealth. If you think that it isn't
> worth a +4 increase, tell the player so using your Narrator Voice.
I don't see where that gets us. Firstly it seems artificial; secondly it doesn't solve the basic problem. "Accept these 20 cows as a gift! No, I _insist_ that you give me no more than a token counter-gift, you really do deserve them, honoured kinsman!"
> Two characters go out and thump a Rubblerunner each. One Character is a
> brand new player hero, Close Combat 12. The other is Onslaught, with CC
> 10w4. Would you, as a narrator, restrict either from spending an HP on Close
> Combat as a "related" activity as opposed to 2 HP on "unrelated"?
Yes, I know, this line of argument had occurred to me too. Wealth is the more egregious case though, since it has such quantifable _effects_ (hang on, I can't buy that? but didn't I get such and such worth of loot recently, that should "cover" it...). And it has those effects regardless of any mods Julian and I made, by virtue (vice?) of the "buying things" rules.
> So we naturally gravitate to "How much is that cow in the pasture?" in
> monetary terms.
I'd be happy enough with a first-order approximation at "how _many_ are those cows in the pasture..." (I sensed that Julian was giving up a hostage to fortune to the Revolting Conservative Tribesman when he framed his table in "coins"... "New-fangled decadent Dara Happan nonsense!")
> Yes, perhaps "Wealth" was the wrong word to use for the ability of "Getting
> stuff peacefully from others around you". Would it be better if we called it
> "Personal Worth" or "Influence"?
Not given the "buying stuff" rules no, not really. I can buy stuff using my "loot" in principle too, after all.
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