So has anyone else run into the problem of someone with perform making ridiculous amounts of money when spending lots of time in Kingmaker? A bard in my game is making about 350 gold a month. My main problem is the huge disconnect between the amount made by perform vs craft or profession checks. Anyone have any idea? 3d6 gold per day is a huge difference and I don't know how to handle it and make all my players feel like their skills are worth while.
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So has anyone else run into the problem of someone with perform making ridiculous amounts of money when spending lots of time in Kingmaker? A bard in my game is making about 350 gold a month. My main problem is the huge disconnect between the amount made by perform vs craft or profession checks. Anyone have any idea? 3d6 gold per day is a huge difference and I don't know how to handle it and make all my players feel like their skills are worth while.
well, technically...your PC's are the rulers of the area and shouldn't be performing for coin. The locals would basically be...taxed again?
"bob, what do you think of the kings performance? "
"he's pretty good dave."
"look bob, he's got the donation hat down."
"no way? hell, i already gave him the sheep"
"i dunno bob, i hear he swings amean sword. they killed that rampaging owlbear and everrehthin."
"gah, thats true dave. i'll throw a few coppers in to be safe."
"hey bob look, he'll be here performing tomorrow also!"
"...i can't afford this."
well, technically...your PC's are the rulers of the area and shouldn't be performing for coin. The locals would basically be...taxed again?
"bob, what do you think of the kings performance? "
"he's pretty good dave."
"look bob, he's got the donation hat down."
"no way? hell, i already gave him the sheep"
"i dunno bob, i hear he swings amean sword. they killed that rampaging owlbear and everrehthin."
"gah, thats true dave. i'll throw a few coppers in to be safe."
"hey bob look, he'll be here performing tomorrow also!"
"...i can't afford this."
Exactly what I would do. Peasants aren't going to tip the leaders who tax them.
Now, in addition, there are things you could do as well instead of the money aspect. You can use Perform and Profession skills as a way to introduce Npcs. If PlayerA rolls a good perform check, give them a forshadowing rumor tidbit from a later development. Detail a NPC to recurr in a later scene. Etc. Kingmaker is a slow timeline, so players aren't supposed to maximise every single day of every single week of every single month. Running the kingdom basically pays for their lifestyle expenses so they don't work. They run things. PC's should have office positions and day to day stuff should involve those, not spending 4 weeks streetcorner peddling themselves.
(wanted to throw a few suggestions in addition to my reply above)
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well, technically...your PC's are the rulers of the area and shouldn't be performing for coin. The locals would basically be...taxed again?
"bob, what do you think of the kings performance? "
"he's pretty good dave."
"look bob, he's got the donation hat down."
"no way? hell, i already gave him the sheep"
"i dunno bob, i hear he swings amean sword. they killed that rampaging owlbear and everrehthin."
"gah, thats true dave. i'll throw a few coppers in to be safe."
"hey bob look, he'll be here performing tomorrow also!"
"...i can't afford this."
You can always use disguise...
You shouldn't be letting him milk the same crowd over and over again...Have the crowd get jaded after every similar performance. Add a +1 DC for every performance beyond the first per week in any given city. This should reset after 6 consecutive days of no performance.
+1.
Except i'd make it +2 DC per week of performance.
"bob, what do you think of the kings performance? "
"he's pretty good dave."
"look bob, he's got the donation hat down."
"no way? hell, i already gave him the sheep"
"i dunno bob, i hear he swings amean sword. they killed that rampaging owlbear and everrehthin."
"gah, thats true dave. i'll throw a few coppers in to be safe."
"hey bob look, he'll be here performing tomorrow also!"
"...i can't afford this."
I love this, a lot. Thanks to everyone, you've given me some really great ideas.
My main problem is the huge disconnect between the amount made by perform vs craft or profession checks. Anyone have any idea?
I read this and thought it reflects real life. Some silly entertainer makes millions performing but I actually build something useful via my craft skill and I live paycheck-to-paycheck. Time to go rewrite my resume as an NPC description.
I for one would really like to know where your performer is finding all this downtime in campaign. My cleric has a team of 50 working on her various side projects including the production of moon radish stimulant, she's lucky if the GM says she gets to use her profession: midwife skill occasionally, such are the demands of rulership in our game. I had my PC deliver Svetlana's children, and the children of her party members, but... beyond that it's mainly supervisory.
The GM has house ruled that we basically don't earn anything, just enough to keep our clothes from going to the moths while we're on adventure and our bellies full. Heck, aside from the Duke and our general none of us even have our own digs. Our wizard lives with his family in the villa they built, our rogue "says" he poses as a common city guard and lives in the barracks, and I rent rooms in my own little religious town on the easternmost border in the residential district like a common citizen. One more level, and neither I or my paladin cohort are going to have to worry about teleporting home ever again.
So has anyone else run into the problem of someone with perform making ridiculous amounts of money when spending lots of time in Kingmaker? A bard in my game is making about 350 gold a month. My main problem is the huge disconnect between the amount made by perform vs craft or profession checks. Anyone have any idea? 3d6 gold per day is a huge difference and I don't know how to handle it and make all my players feel like their skills are worth while.
Unfortunately I am not very familiar with the Kingmaker adventure path, I thought it was set in an "untamed" area. [See below for paizo recommended city definitions]
3d6 gold/day is for a DC30+ perform check in a prosperous city. While not stated such a performance would require a venue in which to make such a performance.Such a crowd would require comfort, food and drink to enjoy the performance. Nothing short of a city would be able to accommodate such a performance.
The prime question is why does this character have all this free time? I thought the player's characters were supposed to run a country, they have positions in the government, King, Marshall, General, Treasurer, etc. These positions should require most of the characters "down" time and resources, it sounds like the player is not participating in the campaign.
I am afraid more details would be required to assist further.
Perform
- DC Performance
- 10 Routine performance. Trying to earn money by playing in public is akin to begging. You can earn 1d10 cp/day.
- 15 Enjoyable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d10 sp/day.
- 20 Great performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d10 sp/day. In time, you may be invited to join a professional troupe and may develop a regional reputation.
- 25 Memorable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d6 gp/day. In time, you may come to the attention of noble patrons and develop a national reputation.
- 30 Extraordinary performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d6 gp/day. In time, you may draw attention from distant patrons, or even from extraplanar beings.
The gamemastery guide details as follows
Settlement Population Ranges
A settlement’s population is left to the GM to assign, but
you can use a settlement’s type to help you determine just
how many folks live in the city. Since the actual number of
people who dwell in a settlement has no impact on game
play, the number you choose is largely cosmetic—feel free
to adjust the suggested values below to fit your campaign.
- Settlement Type Population Range
- Thorp Fewer than 20
- Hamlet 21–60
- Village 61–200
- Small town 201–2,000
- Large town 2,001–5,000
- Small city 5,001–10,000
- Large city 10,001–25,000
- Metropolis More than 25,000
* Don't forget to tax these earnings