Icon theme PC and character wealth.

[Finuka Disposes!]

As per the rules, a level 6 Icon is a Celebrity, and has a fanbase of millions.

How do you explain how someone can be systemwide famous, yet only have about 15k credits? I realize that not every famous person is going to be mega-wealthy, but if the player asks why his Profession (rockstar) level-7 Idol can't afford to all his pals all the CL+2 equipment that they can carry, what do I tell them? That their agent is ripping them off?

Or is this a non-issue, and having a lot of money doesn't break the game?

[Wingblaze]

Having a lot of money is definitely "a thing" and would be a problem. Money is a major limiting factor on the PCs in my observation.

As for the how, that's up to the player and GM. Youtubers can have millions of views and not be rich. It'll vary depending on the circumstances.

What do you tell the player? "Because it would break the game balance if you had that kind of money, so let's discuss how to describe that in roleplaying terms."

[Xenocrat]

An Idol is famous, but that can be a starving artist who gets some (maybe overall bad!) publicity but no buyers, an activist who stood up once for an especially enduring 15 minutes of fame for a popular cause among the poor (and SpaceGoFundMe cancels all collections on behalf of their corporate overlords), or an artist who refused to sell out and only makes his art for nonpecuniary reasons.

[Ravingdork]

Or perhaps they are wealthy, but no one in their right mind is going to sell you military grade equipment just because you rolled your idol eyes and said please.

You need to earn that kind of hardware.

"Oh, hello Mr. Idol. Normally I'm not allowed to sell these to civilians, but you're not just any civilian, are you? You saved the Kamiras III from that bug infestation, averted the Tamrack Tragedy, AND saved the Vesk envoy from assassination! You're an out and hout hero! So why are you here looking for these? If you're here looking for these, then there must be some trouble brewing. Please allow me to help! Oh, and since I'm a fan, I'll give you a discount too."

[Finuka Disposes!]

Thanks for the replies- it seems like it will be mostly GM-player negotiation as to why their character is not able to cash in on their fame.

[GeneticDrift]

It is the same reason any backstory needs to align to the character as they are at the start of the game.

[Metaphysician]

Who says your not "rich"? You might well be. . . you just also have balancing expenses. Being an Icon isn't cheap. Concerts cost money, publishing books costs money, personal studio space to make SpaceTube videos costs money. All of this made more troublesome since your talking about being a part time celebrity ( since your an adventurer ), not a full time professional.

So, a level 8 Icon probably does have a lot more revenue than just 15K. They just have a lot more outgoing expenses, with their net free wealth being. . . about 15K.

( As an aside, this is almost certainly true for *any* group of PCs with a ship. All the expenses of operating and maintaining the ship are abstracted as part of the BP system, under normal circumstances. This doesn't mean it costs nothing to dock and refuel, it just means the players aren't allowed to raid the "keep the ship flying" fund to buy guns and grenades. )

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Unofficially:
"You are raking in TONS of money. Of course a LOT of it goes to cover the premiums the distributors and label insist you buy to cover loss of future earnings if you are killed on one of your 'mission' thingies.
"But when you retire, you'll be making bank!"

Also, lots of famous people go bankrupt. Lots are barely making a living. And when you add the population of multiple worlds together, "millions" isn't a very big percentage. :)

[DJEternalDarkness]

For my game, the Icon spends so much money on 100% silly stuff that has no game impact. The Vesk has been keeping up her makeup, scale style, and then working with her party to make sure that they are up to her level of style. It's been working for us.

[John Mangrum]

In the campaign I'm setting up, we've generally accepted with a hand wave that the party icon is using most of her celebrity income on maintaining and upgrading the party's starship.

Speaking of which, question for Owen Stephens: Said icon is in a self-described "Hanna Montana" situation where her stage persona is a carefully crafted alter ego. I know the Starfinder Advanced Skill Guide has rules for creating secret identities, but can you say when that book will be released for sale?

Edit: Fixed title. (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1768030821/advanced-skill-guide-kicks tarter-for-the-starfinde)

[Xenocrat]

John Mangrum wrote:

I know the Starfinder Advanced Class Guide has rules for creating secret identities, but can you say when that book will be released for sale?

New game: make up the name of theoretical future releases and the rules you hope are in them, then ask Owen for when they'll be released.

Speaking of which, question for Owen Stephens: there's been debate in a thread recently about nudity in the Pact Worlds. I know the Starfinder Fashion and Accessories Manual has rules for wearing invisible nanotech bodypaint, but can you say when that book will be released for sale?