TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  2  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  WRAITH WRIGHT’S 
   
  Design and Editing: Randall Right of Wraith Wright Productions 
  Production and Publication: Randall Right 
  Illustration: Eric Deschamps (cover), chapter heads courtesy of Wizards of 
  the Coast 
  Other Graphics: Unattributed (CC0 1.0 universal licenses), Randall Right 
   
   
   
   
  On the Cover 
  The Madwood by Eric Deschamps 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s 
  Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the 
  Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other 
  countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is 
  protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of 
  the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of 
  the Coast. ©2016-2017 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured 
  by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, 
  Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
   
  The Comprehensive Manual titles, the Wraith Wright anvil, and other related titles and branding are 
  trademarks of Wraith Wright Productions. All other original material in this work is copyright Wraith Wright 
  Productions 2019 and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. 
   
  
  CONTENTS | 3 
  CONTENTS 
  INTRODUCTION ....................................... 4 
  COMPREHENSIVE MANUALS .................... 4 
  Trust..................................................... 4 
  What’s in This Product? ....................... 5 
  USING THIS PRODUCT .............................. 5 
  Dungeon Master’s Use .......................... 5 
  Printed Use ....... Error! Bookmark not 
  defined. 
  ASSETS ........................................................7 
  MATERIAL ASSETS .....................................7 
  Options for Coinage ............................ 10 
  NONMATERIAL ASSETS ............................. 11 
  Letters of Recommendation ................. 11 
  Medals ................................................. 13 
  Titles ................................................... 14 
  Rights .................................................. 14 
  Favors .................................................. 14 
  Renown ............................................... 15 
  Time as Treasure ................................ 15 
  SELLING ASSETS ...................................... 17 
  Sale Values .......................................... 17 
  Haggling ............................................. 18 
  Finding Buyers .................................... 19 
  Finding Sellers .....................................20 
  WEALTH .................................................. 23 
  STARTING WEALTH ................................. 23 
  Existing Systems ................................. 23 
  Wealth beyond First Level .................. 24 
  DISTRIBUTION RATES .............................26 
  Why Use Distribution Rates? ............. 27 
  Story Treasures ................................... 28 
  Treasure Bundles ................................29 
  Calculating Treasure ..........................29 
  Stocking the Treasure Chart ............... 31 
  Awarding Treasure ............................. 34 
  MAGIC ITEM VALUATION ........................ 42 
  Value Ranges ...................................... 42 
  Additional Costs ................................. 42 
  Magic Item Tables .............................. 45 
  ENCHANTMENT ...................................... 54 
  THE POWER OF SELECTION ..................... 54 
  CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEMS .......................... 55 
  Trading Magic Items .......................... 55 
  Essentia and Seeds ............................. 55 
  PHYSICAL ALTERATIONS ......................... 64 
  INVESTMENT ........................................... 69 
  CRAFTING ............................................... 69 
  Alternate Hours.................................. 69 
  Crafting Craft Components................. 71 
  Commercial Manufacture .................. 72 
  BUSINESS INVESTMENTS ......................... 73 
  Structural Systems ............................. 73 
  Outside Investment ............................ 77 
  Non-Profit Investment ....................... 78 
  CONSTRUCTION ..................................... 81 
  OWNING LAND ........................................ 81 
  Starter Kits ......................................... 82 
  MODIFYING PROPERTY .......................... 87 
  Components ....................................... 87 
  Growing Parcels ................................. 92 
  SHIPS ...................................................... 92 
  Ship Requirements.............................. 92 
  Ship Components ............................... 93 
  SIEGE ENGINES ....................................... 95 
  Standard Engines ............................... 95 
  Siege Guns .......................................... 99 
  RECRUITING .......................................... 103 
  GAINING MILITARY MIGHT ................... 103 
  Costs (and Defrayment) .................... 103 
  Culture-Based Acquisition ................ 104 
  Ancillary Costs .................................. 105 
  Restrictions to Arming ...................... 105 
  LEADING TROOPS .................................. 106 
  Loyalty Score ..................................... 106 
  Tracking Loyalty ............................... 106 
  Effects of Loyalty ............................... 106 
  CLASHING ARMIES ................................. 107 
  Historical Overview ........................... 107 
  A Rational Approach ......................... 107 
  Casualties .......................................... 108 
  Players’ Roles, Pre-Battle .................. 110 
  Players’ Roles, Mid-Battle .................. 112 
  After the Fighting ............................... 113 
   
   
   
  
  4  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  CHAPTER ZERO 
  “Money is like muck—not good unless 
  it be spread.” 
  - Francis Bacon 
  UCH CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE USE 
  to which adventurer’s put 
  their treasures. In editions 
  past, the majority of a party’s 
  coins were spent on magic 
  items, a direct conversion of found wealth to 
  enhanced power. In the 5th Edition, the 
  purchase of magic items falls outside the 
  standard setting (and the standard 
  mechanics), leaving players to wonder what 
  other uses gold may be put to. 
  The Comprehensive Wealth Manual answers 
  these important questions. This product 
  contains myriad guidelines for the ways that 
  players can use their wealth. It talks about 
  wealth and assets in their various forms, 
  including systems for balancing the starting 
  wealth of characters made beyond 1st level 
  and the rates at which treasure may be safely 
  distributed during a campaign. It presents 
  closed-loop systems allowing players to have 
  some input on their magic item selection 
  while maintaining the party’s balance of 
  magic power. And its later chapters describe 
  the investment of wealth in crafts and 
  businesses, land and property, and armies. 
  You are looking at one of Wraith Wright 
  Production’s interrelated products 
  addressing the acquisition and use of wealth, 
  equipment, and magic items.  
  The first book, the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual, presents a vast quantity 
  of additional armor, weapons, adventuring 
  gear, and other equipment, as well as new 
  rules related to the use and customization of 
  equipment. 
  The other books, including this one, the 
  Animal Handler’s Handbook, and the 
  Expanded Special Feature Manual, were once 
  a part of that book. With the continued 
  swelling in size of the original Equipment 
  Manual, these books were pulled out of it and 
  presented in separate sets of Dungeon Master 
  and player tools. 
  If you previously purchased the 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual, you will 
  find both the Wealth Manual and Special 
  Feature Manual included as bonus PDFs in 
  that now-slimmer product. 
  Wraith Wright’s Comprehensive Manuals 
  contain unofficial rules! The very idea can 
  chill even the most adventurous Dungeon 
  Master. If you’ve played with unofficial rules 
  in the past, perhaps some of the Unearthed 
  Arcana offerings, chances are you’ve 
  regretted it at least once. 
  Making “balanced” publications is a 
  deliberate process. It requires mastery of the 
  game’s systems, extensive practice creating 
  custom mechanics that reign in advantage-
  seeking players, and careful playtesting 
  directed by quality assurance professionals. 
  This is how we ensure that our rules aren’t 
  overpowering. We work hard to make our 
  
  INTRODUCTION | 5 
  unofficial rules balanced because we want to 
  keep your trust. 
  This product includes six chapters, their 
  contents summarized below. 
  Chapter 0: Introduction. This foreword 
  acquaints you with the book’s content and 
  design philosophies. You are currently 
  reading the introduction. 
  Chapter 1: Assets. The types and forms of 
  assets, from tangible wealth like coins and 
  trade goods, to intangible assets like rights, 
  favors, and renown. This chapter also 
  addresses the liquidation of assets of various 
  kinds. 
  Chapter 2: Wealth. A chapter entirely 
  dedicated to helping the Dungeon Master 
  moderate and manipulate the party’s treasure 
  income, including more-nuanced mechanisms 
  for equipping characters created beyond 1st 
  level. The exact magic item prices in this 
  chapter help to facilitate this effort. 
  Chapter 3: Enchantment. This chapter is 
  only for campaigns that allow players to 
  influence or alter the magic items the party 
  has access to. It presents character tools to 
  create magic items or alter existing ones. 
  Chapter 4: Investment. Alternate and 
  expanded rules for mundane crafting, plus 
  expanded systems relating to business 
  investments and their returns. 
  Chapter 5: Construction. Additional rules 
  for the acquisition of property, plus the 
  creation, expansion, and maintenance of 
  features on the land. 
  Chapter 6: Recruiting. An examination of 
  the true costs of using gold to raise armies 
  and the methods that can overcome these 
  prohibitive costs. Additionally, this chapter 
  contains a system to help measure the 
  outcomes of large-scale battles. 
  This product is aimed at a narrower use than 
  its sister publication, the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual. 
  This product is intended for Dungeon 
  Masters. While players may enjoy 
  understanding the many potentials provided 
  in these pages, these systems are the sole 
  province of the Dungeon Master, who alters 
  and administers them to suit the campaign. 
   
   
  
  6  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  
  CHAPTER 1: WEALTH | 7 
  CHAPTER ONE 
  HIS CHAPTER TALKS ABOUT ASSETS OF 
  all kinds. It begins with material 
  assets, discussing coins, gems, 
  trade bars, and trade goods of 
  various sorts; these items are the 
  foundation of commerce and enrichment, 
  concepts very dear to adventurers. The 
  second half addresses assets of the type that 
  players don’t often consider, those 
  nonmaterial things of great worth like rights 
  and power. This chapter also explores the 
  sale of assets, particularly high-value items. 
  The material assets portion of this chapter 
  is duplicated from Wraith Wright’s 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual, for those 
  who do not also use that product. 
  Material assets are immediately useful, 
  tradable for an adventurer’s present needs of 
  goods and services, or for expenses like 
  bridge tolls and taxation. 
  In contrast to nonmaterial assets, material 
  assets are less portable but much more 
  spendable. Material assets are an important 
  form of wealth because they can be easily 
  stored, carried, exchanged, or simply 
  reserved for future needs. 
  Currencies in fantasy worlds typically take 
  the form of conveniently-sized bits of rare 
  metals, each with distinct weights, sizes, 
  purities or other factors that make them 
  fungible. 
  Coins are minted in various denominations, 
  their worth rated by the value of their metals. 
  The “gold standard” in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
  is, unironically, the gold piece. 
  Because these coins are valued by the metal 
  of their compositions, their worth is almost 
  universally consistent, regardless of origin. 
  Although rare, various markets might devalue 
  foreign currency based on the current 
  political climate; the coins of one realm might 
  be worthless in the neighboring realm due to 
  ongoing warfare, or they might require 
  exchanging for local money with a certain 
  percentage removed as a service fee. 
  The common coins are the gold piece, the 
  silver piece, and the copper piece. Uncommon 
  coins include the platinum piece and the 
  electrum piece. The adamantine piece, 
  mithral piece, and iron piece are rare coins. 
  Iron coins are rarely seen outside poor 
  societies with very weak economies. 
  Adamantine and mithral are only used in 
  closed societies where these materials are 
  relatively accessible, such as dwarven 
  citadels. 
   
  COINS AND EXCHANGE RATES 
  Coin 
  sp 
  gp 
  pp 
  Iron (ip) 
  1/50 
  1/500 
  1/5,000 
  Copper (cp) 
  1/10 
  1/100 
  1/1,000 
  Silver (sp) 
  1 
  1/10 
  1/100 
  Electrum (ep) 
  5 
  ½ 
  1/20 
  Gold (gp) 
  10 
  1 
  1/10 
  Mithral (mp) 
  20 
  2 
  1/5 
  Adamantine (ap) 
  50 
  5 
  1/2 
  Platinum (pp) 
  100 
  10 
  1 
  
  8  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Gems can appear in any size and quality (any 
  gp value), but some cuts are standardized. 
  Gems of standard weights and cuts have value 
  transcending cultural and political borders. 
  They are sometimes used in place of coins, 
  particularly by the very wealthy. 
  Halve the value of a “small” version of any 
  gem and double the value of a “large” version. 
  A “giant” version will fetch ten times the 
  listed value. If a standard-weight gem is raw 
  (uncut, not polished or otherwise treated to 
  enhance its luster) halve its value. 
  Loose gemstones should not have 
  appreciable weight unless carried in bulk. 
  When it does matter, weights can be difficult 
  to calculate; the Dungeon Master’s Guide does 
  not provide official weights for the gems it 
  lists, nor would a standard gemstone of one 
  type normally be equivalent in weight to 
  another type. As an abstract system, simply 
  assume that 200 “standard” gemstones weigh 
  1 pound, as do 100 “large” versions or 20 
  “giant” versions. 
  These bars are bricks of precious metals. 
  They appear in standardized weights, usually 
  in a one-pound form. 
  Unlike other coins, trade bars tend to be 
  readily accepted across vast political and 
  geographical expanses, at least among 
  merchants. Trade bars are important to 
  regular high-level commerce because they 
  exist without the political implications 
  carried by minting; there are usually no 
  marks of origin to offend the peoples of one 
  nation or another. A merchant who deals in 
  trade bars typically keeps a merchant’s scale 
  on hand to test the weight of exchanged trade 
  bars. 
  Money is only used by those of middling 
  wealth. The very poor and the very rich 
  exchange trade goods instead. When there is 
  no coin to be had, or when barter is simply 
  more convenient, people commit commerce 
  by exchanging items with static, widely-
  accepted and understood values. 
  For an urchin on the street, trade goods 
  might consist of captured rats or collected 
  scrap iron, the key to acquiring a hot bowl of 
  soup. For a poor farmer, this might mean 
  trading wheat and livestock for a few luxury 
  items. On the other end of the spectrum, a 
  GEMSTONES 
  Value 
  Goods 
  10 gp 
  Azurite, banded agate, blue quartz, eye 
  agate, hematite, lapis lazuli, 
  malachite, moss agate, obsidian, 
  rhodochrosite, tiger eye, turquoise 
  50 gp 
  Bloodstone, carnelian, chalcedony, 
  chrysoprase, citrine, jasper, 
  moonstone, onyx, quartz, sardonyx, 
  star rose quartz, zircon 
  100 gp 
  Amber, amethyst, chrysoberyl, coral, 
  garnet, jade, jet, pearl, spinel, 
  tourmaline 
  500 gp 
  Alexandrite, aquamarine, black pearl, 
  blue spinel, peridot, topaz 
  1,000 gp Black opal, blue sapphire, emerald, fire 
  opal, opal, star ruby, star sapphire, 
  yellow sapphire 
  5,000 gp Black sapphire, diamond, jacinth, ruby 
   
  TRADE BARS (1-LB.) 
  Value 
  Goods 
   
  Value 
  Goods 
  1 sp 
  Iron 
   
  50 gp 
  Gold 
  5 sp 
  Copper 
   
  100 gp 
  Mithral 
  5 gp 
  Silver 
   
  250 gp 
  Adamantine 
  25 gp 
  Electrum 
   
  500 gp 
  Platinum 
   
  
  ASSETS | 9 
  guild-sanctioned master merchant’s trade 
  goods might include huge shipments of raw 
  textiles exchanged for platinum trade bars. 
  For the nobility, trading hunting birds or 
  exotic beasts is a matter of fashion as well as 
  expedience. 
   
  SLAVES AS TRADE GOODS 
  Many evil races and societies, like the drow 
  of the Underdark, trade in slaves. Most 
  slavers prefer to own members of their 
  own race, but some trade in a variety of 
  races that are less civilized or less 
  technologically-developed. 
  Slaves are used for labor, status, 
  consumption, ritual sacrifices, and other, 
  viler purposes. Their values vary widely by 
  race, health, age, training, innate 
  capabilities, and the slaver society’s exact 
  proclivities. It is difficult to create a 
  baseline value for slaves due to these many 
  variables. 
  For this reason, and because the 
  commercial aspect of slavery is rarely a fun 
  focus for a roleplaying game, this product 
  does not include values for using sapient 
  beings as trade goods. For games that 
  include such dark subject matter, it is 
  better to keep these values abstract. 
    
  Of all the trade goods, beasts have the 
  greatest variance in value. From the common 
  and domestic, to the wild and exotic, the 
  market for animals varies greatly based on 
  the accepted purpose of each creature and its 
  geographical rarity.  
  Animals on this table are assumed to be 
  young enough to train. For beasts that have 
  common uses as trained specimens, halve the 
  value of an older specimen that is beyond its 
  functional training age or useful lifespan. 
  Otherwise the price is consistent, regardless 
  of age. Despite being beasts, vermin (snakes, 
  insects, and arachnids) tend not to be used as 
  CREATURES 
  Value Goods 
  1 cp 
  Frog, rat, or spider 
  2 cp 
  Cat or chicken 
  5 cp 
  Lizard, quipper, or turtle 
  1 sp 
  Bat, crab, or octopus 
  5 sp 
  Raven or scorpion 
  1 gp 
  Goat, owl, songbird, or weasel 
  2 gp 
  Hyena, jackal, poisonous snake, or sheep 
  3 gp 
  Baboon, common dog, giant crab, giant 
  rat, pig, or deer 
  4 gp 
  Badger, giant fire beetle, giant sea horse, 
  untrained donkey, or untrained mule 
  5 gp 
  Ape, boar, giant frog, small parrot, vulture, 
  or wolf 
  10 gp Constrictor snake, cow, elk, giant 
  centipede, giant goat, giant weasel, or 
  giant wolf spider 
  12 gp Crocodile, eagle, or untrained mastiff 
  15 gp Axe beak, giant badger, giant bat, giant 
  spider, hawk, ox, untrained pony, or yak 
  20 gp Black bear or giant wasp 
  25 gp Giant poisonous snake, untrained camel, 
  or untrained draft horse 
  35 gp Blood hawk, brown bear, large parrot, or 
  untrained riding horse 
  50 gp Almiraj, giant hyena, giant toad, panther, 
  or untrained riding horse 
  75 gp Dire wolf, giant eagle, giant octopus, giant 
  owl, giant vulture, lion, reef shark, or 
  tiger 
  100 gp Giant constrictor snake, flying monkey, 
  giant elk, untrained elephant, or 
  untrained giant lizard 
  125 gp Untrained flying snake 
  150 gp Untrained giant seahorse 
  200 gp Giant boar, hunter shark, polar bear, or 
  saber-toothed tiger 
  250 gp Giant scorpion, killer whale, or rhinoceros 
  500 gp Giant ape, giant crocodile, giant shark, or 
  mammoth 
  800 gp Hulking crab 
   
  
  10  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  trade goods except in less-civilized societies 
  or foreign regions like the Underdark. 
  Some of these animals are described in the 
  Monster Manual, but some have no official 
  game statistics. 
  For any animal valued based on edibility, 
  like a crab or a hulking crab, dead versions 
  are valued equally to live versions, so long as 
  they are fresh. 
  These common household items are in 
  demand everywhere; moving large quantities 
  of them is what keeps many merchants in 
  business. 
   
  DRY GOODS 
  Value Goods 
  1 cp 
  1 lb. of wheat 
  2 cp 
  1 lb. of beans, cheese, flour, potatoes, or 
  turnips; per board ft. of unusual lumber 
  5 cp 
  1 lb. of coffee, salt, or sugar 
  1 sp 
  1 sq. yd. of canvas or per board ft. of rare 
  lumber 
  5 sp 
  1 lb. of cooking herbs or tobacco or 1 sq. 
  yd. of cotton cloth 
  1 gp 
  1 lb. of cooking spices, ginger, or honey 
  2 gp 
  1 lb. of cinnamon, pepper, wool, or per 
  board ft. of exotic lumber, or 1 common 
  pelt (beaver or wolf) 
  3 gp 
  1 lb. of cloves or 1 uncommon pelt (fox or 
  mink) 
  5 gp 
  1 sq. yd. of linen or 1 rare pelt (ermine or 
  seal) 
  10 gp 1 sq. yd. of silk 
  15 gp 1 lb. of chocolate or saffron 
  The particularities of money create a frequent 
  reminder to players that the game world is 
  not generic; that nations of your setting have 
  their own ways of doing things and their own 
  unique modes of commerce. 
  Not every society will make use of each of 
  the eight denominations of coin listed above. 
  Electrum, for example, is rarely used 
  anywhere. In addition to omitting certain 
  coins, your markets can come to life if you 
  make the coins interesting and specific to 
  your setting. 
   
  RARE METAL COINS 
  The adamantine and mithral coin values 
  here are extrapolations of the value of 
  those metals when used as portions of 
  magic armor. (See the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide.) If you prefer the higher implied 
  value of prior editions, feel free to adjust 
  these numbers. However, doing so can 
  alter the stated costs of other adamantine 
  and mithral appearances in the 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual. If you 
  want to enhance the rarity of these two 
  metals, it might be enough to simply say 
  they aren’t available as coins, or that the 
  coin versions are made with alloys or 
  unrefined material. 
   
  Some game worlds use different basic 
  currencies, things other than coins. Perhaps 
  valuable metals are hard to acquire. Maybe 
  some other convenient things have been used 
  since the beginning of time and no one ever 
  thought to use coins. Or maybe the gods have 
  dictated what works as currency and none 
  can gainsay them. 
  As examples, certain rare seashells might be 
  used in an undersea kingdom that has no 
  mining traditions. A society ruled by 
  necromancers might trade glass beads to 
  which souls are bound; all merchants are 
  trained to identify the power of the souls, 
  which corresponds to various denominations. 
  On a harsh desert world, wizards may have 
  learned how to convert water into small,  
  
  ASSETS | 11 
  gelatinous blobs of standardized sizes, which 
  can later be turned back into water. 
  Whatever the case, the new currency 
  should be portable, identifiable as roughly 
  equivalent to other alike pieces 
  (interchangeable) and should probably have 
  an innate value based either on material 
  rarity or a value based on a useful function of 
  the item other than commerce. 
  Not all nations or societies use coins made of 
  inherently-valuable metals. Some use coins 
  made of common materials or no coins at all. 
  These societies use currencies that represent 
  a portion of the national treasury or that 
  otherwise have value based on the economy. 
  For ease of translation, currency holds 
  equivalent value to standard coins, unless the 
  DM determines that fluctuating currency 
  value is a part of the story. 
  Representative currency tends to be minted 
  from common metals that are not themselves 
  of significant value. If metals are rare in the 
  game world, alternate materials like ceramic 
  can be used for minting. If the campaign’s 
  available level of tinkering has advanced to 
  the point of printing presses, money might be 
  issued in the form of printed paper. 
  Societies that use representative currency 
  go to great lengths to avoid forgery. Minting 
  and printing often include subtle or complex 
  anticounterfeiting techniques. Detecting fake 
  money could be a matter of skilled (or even 
  magical) examination performed by 
  merchants. Because the survival of the whole 
  economy relies upon the currency’s value, 
  along with the survival of the nation and its 
  subjects, societies that use representative 
  currency punish counterfeiting with death. 
  Even though players almost universally refer 
  to money by its material composition, i.e., a 
  “gold piece” or “silver piece,” characters 
  should not. Issuers of coins, be they nations, 
  temples, or other institutions, have their own 
  names for coins of each denomination. 
  It is a good idea to research the coins of a 
  historical nation to find a set of consistent 
  coin names. To make your set unique, switch 
  around a few coins to name them after 
  important rulers or the gods. As an example, 
  pages 20-21 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  give a full description of coins for the 
  Forgotten Realms campaign setting. 
  Following are some of our favorite example 
  coin names from real-world locations and 
  times. These are available to borrow, or you 
  can make up your own! 
  Aaureus, argenteus, dahekan, dong, daric, 
  denarius, dinar, drachma, dram, dupondius, 
  elymais, escudo, farthing, florin, franc, 
  guilder, kartez, groat, lira, mark, metica, 
  penny, peseta, peso, potin, prutah, qiran, rial, 
  rigsdaler, ruble, rupee, ryo, scudo, sestarius, 
  sheqel, shilling, sigloi, stater, sucre, tael, 
  talent, tetradrachma, tremissis, zaire, zuz. 
  Nonmaterial assets are not physical things, 
  yet they can still be extremely valuable. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide calls these “marks of 
  prestige.” These assets are explained and 
  expanded upon as follows. 
  An influential person or organization will 
  often show its favor by granting a letter of 
  introduction (or letter of recommendation). 
  This finely-calligraphed letter is probably 
  offered in an ornate scroll case or leather 
  folio. It is marked with a signature, seal, or 
  coded message that confirms its authenticity. 
  A letter is typically only valuable in a way 
  that reflects the importance of the person 
  who wrote it; a noble’s favor probably has no 
  
  12  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  value in a neighboring kingdom. If a letter is 
  used frivolously, used too often, or otherwise 
  used to the writer’s detriment, a messenger 
  might come to revoke it. 
  A letter of recommendation usually names 
  the intended bearer(s) and provides a brief 
  description of the bearer to prevent the letter 
  from being transferred or stolen. Selling or 
  trading such an item constitutes a fraud, 
  typically with dire results. Likewise, forging 
  such a letter is a risky prospect; while 
  potentially profitable, the use of letters of 
  recommendation is usually noted with formal 
  observation or record-keeping, and they will 
  be investigated if suspicious. 
  Here are some common letters and their 
  effects. 
  This letter typically conveys the authority of 
  an important person, instructing and allowing 
  the bearer to act as the issuer’s agent in a 
  limited capacity. For example, the bearer 
  might be empowered to negotiate a certain 
  border dispute on behalf of the duke. Such 
  letters typically come with a mandate to act 
  as well as the authority to do so. They are 
  distinguished from similar letters in that they 
  are very narrow in scope. 
  A particularly gruesome form of this letter, 
  sometimes called a death warrant, comes 
  from a ruler and obliges the bearer to hunt 
  and kill a named person, perhaps a political 
  enemy or a spy in the court. This letter might 
  come from a ruler who wants the target killed 
  or be granted as a favor to a bearer who 
  wants to kill the target. Such letters are 
  expected to be shown only if the bearer is 
  caught and has no other option. 
  A letter of hospitality allows the bearer to 
  command room and board at any public inn 
  or eatery within the affected region. The 
  owner may record these expenses and pass 
  them along to the letter’s issuer to receive 
  repayment, but often the cost is not worth the 
  effort. Ingratiating business owners may find 
  it commercially useful to host a famous or 
  well-regarded patron. Repayment is more 
  commonly sought if the bearer is requiring 
  several days of support, and the 
  establishment’s owner may well follow up 
  with a complaint to the issuer if the bearer 
  imposes herself for much longer. 
  This letter is granted by a religious authority 
  and can be used to demand forgiveness for a 
  religious or moral crime, typically the 
  “victimless” sort, or to demand a favor from a 
  member of the faithful. The letter might 
  specify the exact crime, or it might be open 
  ended. Such letters typically have no 
  influence on civil authorities but carry great 
  weight to the followers of that religion. 
   An indulgence is often used to 
  preemptively protect the faithful from the 
  moral weight of certain duties. When sought 
  out sincerely and issued with the proper 
  authority, such a letter can act as preemptive 
  forgiveness or divine intercession for a cleric 
  or paladin. For example, a paladin who breaks 
  an important oath to go undercover and 
  rescue a group of innocents may seek out an 
  indulgence from the master of her order to 
  salve her conscience and prevent her being 
  an “oathbreaker” in a mystical sense. A cleric 
  may have to make a bargain with the clergy of 
  an opposing faith for the good of his 
  congregation, and an indulgence would grant 
  him the confidence of knowing that a higher 
  authority within the religion approved of the 
  act; any divine retribution is likely to fall 
  upon the issuer, rather than the bearer of the 
  indulgence. 
  
  ASSETS | 13 
  This letter grants license to the bearer, a 
  private citizen, to act as a military agent of the 
  issuer. The bearer may enter enemy territory, 
  attack military and commercial interests, and 
  personally profit thereby. If captured, the law 
  of nations probably requires that the bearer 
  be treated as a prisoner of war rather than a 
  brigand or pirate. A letter of marque can only 
  be given by a person who governs an area 
  and has the authority to make war. It is only 
  useful during a time of war. 
  This letter explains that the bearer holds the 
  favor of the undersigned noble. The bearer, 
  and any companions, might receive 
  preferential treatment by showing the letter. 
  It can open doors and grant access to parties 
  and people who would otherwise only 
  associate with the nobility. It can also be used 
  to clear “misunderstandings” with local 
  authorities who would normally not take the 
  bearer at her word. The value of this letter 
  depends on the importance of the noble who 
  granted it. Some people may react poorly to a 
  letter from a noble based on politics or past 
  grudges; showing a noble’s favor can 
  occasionally get the opposite of the desired 
  reaction! 
  Granted by a trading conglomerate or 
  merchant’s guild, this letter allows the bearer 
  to buy and sell goods at standard rates at the 
  conglomerate’s many shops and trade houses, 
  even when these rates might otherwise be 
  unfavorable due to regional shortages, 
  fluctuations in the market, or the presumed 
  foreignness of the bearer. 
  A ruler so well trusts the bearer as to grant 
  her broad investigative and policing powers. 
  A warrant is proof against retribution or 
  prosecution for any offense given or minor 
  crimes committed in the course of the 
  bearer’s investigations. It requires all citizens 
  to cooperate with the bearer’s inquiries, 
  under penalty of law for failure to do so. The 
  bearer of a warrant may also carry weapons 
  in places where normally disallowed, like in 
  the presence of the issuing monarch or in a 
  city or district where weapons are forbidden. 
  This is an appropriate reward for 
  characters who have repeatedly aided a 
  kingdom by foiling criminal enterprises or 
  intrigues. 
  A “lesser warrant” is a weaker version of 
  this letter that grants only the right to bear 
  weapons where they are otherwise 
  forbidden. 
  Typically fashioned in intricate forms using 
  precious materials, medals are symbols of 
  favor or accomplishment granted by a ruler. 
  They are meant to be worn prominently. 
  A medal can provide the wearer with a 
  certain measure of respect. Members of the 
  realm to which the medal applies are likely to 
  recognize the medal and its meaning. 
  Under the right circumstances, a medal can 
  give social benefits. For example, a member of 
  the royal army who recognizes a military 
  medal may approach the wearer with a better 
  starting attitude in a social interaction. (See 
  page 244-245 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.) 
  A medal sometimes comes with a degree of 
  military, religious, or civil authority. A medal 
  in such cases can act as a letter of 
  recommendation, after a fashion. For 
  example, a medal in the shape of a star or 
  shield is commonly associated with the 
  bearer of a warrant, signaling that authority 
  to everyone around without the wearer 
  having to present the paperwork. A special 
  pin indicating a lesser warrant could serve to 
  
  14  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  notify the city watch that the wearer has the 
  right to carry weapons in public. 
  A medal can typically be bought or sold for 
  10 to 50 gp, at least for its material value, but 
  this is a dubious prospect. Wearing an 
  unearned medal is often a crime. 
  Rulers can dispense titles, as can many nobles 
  or lesser authorities within a government. A 
  title usually comes with a grant of land, if it is 
  a noble title in a feudal system, but it can 
  instead convey the mere status and authority 
  of a political or military position. 
  Political and military positions often grant 
  the same benefits as a letter of 
  recommendation, but without having to show 
  the paper. This is because the character’s 
  identity becomes widely known as a function 
  of office. 
  Noble titles come with grants of authority, 
  nobility, lands, strongholds, or royal stipends. 
  They typically come packaged with these and 
  other rights but are subject to removal at the 
  whim of the sovereign. 
  A character can hold multiple titles. Some 
  titles can be inherited by the holder’s heirs. 
  Some titles come with actual duties. Failure to 
  attend to such duties or acting in a manner 
  not befitting such a title, can result in it being 
  revoked, along with any authority, benefits, 
  or lands that go with it. 
  Rights are typically granted by the maker of 
  the right, or its previous holder, often in 
  written form. A right is indicated by a letter of 
  recommendation, an awarded medal, a 
  possessory interest in certain land, or a title.  
  Rights typically flow from a ruler, but they 
  might simply be granted by the owner of the 
  thing over which the right is granted. For 
  example, a deed is normally the written 
  expression of a right to possess and use land, 
  given by the sovereign. Such writings can 
  describe other rights; a lease is a secondary 
  right to possess and use land, given by a 
  deed-holder. A license is a right to possess 
  and use items, or to operate as a franchise or 
  under the banner of a known entity. 
  Mercantile rights can be very important, 
  often acquired as part of a business 
  investment. These might let the bearer move 
  inventory along shipping lanes, trade in select 
  markets, or buy and sell assets regulated by 
  the crown. These rights typically have upkeep 
  costs in the form of annual taxation or dues 
  owed to a trading guild. 
  Feudal rights often come with titles. They 
  allow the grantee to build a stronghold on 
  selected land, raise armies, and tax the 
  peasants living in the bearer’s territory. 
  These rights require payment of taxes to 
  higher-ranked nobles or royals whose larger 
  lands include the character’s smaller 
  property. For example, a duchy contains 
  many counties, and each count pays taxes to 
  the duke. Most require the right-holder to 
  keep knights or soldiers employed that can be 
  called upon for service by those nobles or 
  royals. 
  Rights can also come in the form of 
  allowances, perhaps to break certain laws or 
  even to worship certain gods. They are often 
  very campaign-specific. 
  Favors are less spendable than rights and are 
  harder to evaluate the worth of. Characters 
  themselves often owe favors to others, debts 
  which can be called in at unexpected times or 
  in uncontemplated ways. 
  Players should keep track of favors (due 
  and owed) along two axes: who owes (or is 
  owed) the favor, and what it is owed for.  
  
  ASSETS | 15 
  The more important the person who owes 
  the favor, the more valuable it is, but the 
  more mercurial a result you can expect. Very 
  important people often fail to grasp the true 
  value of money and land, their daily 
  attentions being drawn to matters of state or 
  religion. Nobles often return favors in ways 
  that they themselves appreciate, such as the 
  lauding of praises and acknowledgement, 
  grants of privileges related to political power, 
  or bestowal of lofty-sounding titles that 
  otherwise have no associated benefits. While 
  these will not fill an adventurer’s pockets, 
  they might help her renown. 
  Favors held against skilled persons can be 
  very valuable for adventurers. Particularly 
  when such persons cannot afford a monetary 
  repayment, they might craft items for the 
  character (if provided materials), train the 
  characters in skill or weapon proficiencies 
  (given sufficient time), or otherwise use their 
  time on the characters’ behalf without 
  compensation. 
  Also important is the nature of the favor. If 
  the king owes you for saving his life in heroic 
  fashion, that is worth quite a bit. If he owes 
  you for returning his fifth-favorite horse, 
  which you found running wild near the castle, 
  that is worth much less. Of course, demanding 
  that the king return (“cash out”) a favor of 
  any magnitude is a politically-risky tactic. 
  Interconnected with rights and favors is the 
  concept of renown. This is a system that 
  abstracts the standing of a character (or an 
  adventuring party) with certain 
  organizations. It works equally well with 
  national governments, religious 
  organizations, and similar institutions. 
  Renown often plays a role in the value of 
  favors as they are cashed in. Having greater 
  renown than someone you owe can provide 
  the social leverage needed to reclaim favors 
  in unusual or inequitable ways. 
  Renown is also a ready prerequisite for 
  rights or letters of recommendation. The 
  granter of a right is associating with the 
  receiver of the right, and few important 
  people want to associate with people who 
  have bad reputations. Conversely, having a 
  high applicable renown makes it easy for a 
  right to be granted, such as the right to build a 
  stronghold. 
  The optional rules for renown are found on 
  pages 22-23 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Renown is not a necessary system, and not 
  required in the contemplation of rights and 
  favors. The DM can abstract it to determine 
  how effectively rights and favors can be 
  leveraged with various groups. 
  Free time is a nonmaterial asset dissimilar to 
  the marks of prestige described above. It 
  means valuable breathing room for the 
  characters, a few days to pursue their own 
  downtime activities rather than having to 
  chase the story. Along with gold and magic 
  items, an award of “days off” functions like 
  other treasure, except that players get to 
  customize the benefit to suit themselves. 
  Time is usually awarded in downtime days. 
  It can be provided between adventures, or 
  during lulls within adventures. Each 
  downtime day represents a potential wealth 
  amount that characters can earn from crafts 
  or professions. 
  For characters who spend the day Practicing 
  a Profession (Player’s Handbook page 187), 
  the income varies. The innate “cost” of other 
  downtime activities, like training a new 
  proficiency or researching a new spell, is 
  relative to what a character could earn with 
  the Practicing a Profession activity. 
  
  16  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  For this activity, unskilled labor is worth 1 
  gp per day. Members of an organization that 
  provides gainful employment, like a temple or 
  guild, instead earn 2 gp per day. Finally, 
  characters proficient with the Performance 
  skill can earn 4 gp per day. 
  Downtime activities must be balanced against 
  a character’s lifestyle expenses, paid out over 
  the same period, changing net income. 
  The Player’s Handbook assumes that 
  characters will elect to enjoy a modest 
  lifestyle. For most characters, this will reduce 
  to 0 the net income for the Practicing a 
  Profession activity. In this way, players who 
  don’t want to manage downtime can simply 
  ignore it, breaking even on any downtime 
  days awarded by the Dungeon Master. 
  In search of greater efficiency, a player will 
  often try to earn the maximum income from 
  this activity and pay only for the cheapest 
  tolerable lifestyle. There is nothing other than 
  unfortunate story events (fostered by the 
  Dungeon Master) to prevent characters from 
  living rough and keeping their entire incomes. 
  But few players want to think of their 
  characters as sleeping in alleys and drinking 
  from ditches or horse troughs. Some lifestyle 
  expense, even a minor expense, is typical. 
  There is no official guideline for how many 
  downtime days a Dungeon Master should 
  award, despite the inherent value of time. Too 
  many downtime days will allow the 
  characters to generate excessive wealth, 
  while too few will prevent them from crafting 
  or accessing various other options available 
  only in downtime. Often, the pacing of the 
  story will control whether characters get any 
  downtime or how many days they get when 
  they do. 
   
  THE VALUE OF TIME 
  Most player characters can turn days of 
  downtime into wealth and equipment at a 
  value rate somewhere between 0 and 5 gp 
  per day, depending on their activities, 
  proficiencies, and expenses.  
    When calculating the gp value of a 
  downtime day for treasure distribution 
  purposes, this product suggests abstracting 
  it to a value of 3 gp. Some players will 
  make better use of this time while others 
  will earn less, but this degree of variance is 
  acceptable unless you are awarding an 
  exceptional number of downtime days. 
   
   
  Even when downtime might be available, 
  some players will have no interest in 
  downtime activities. Downtime rules call for 
  lifestyle expenses and other bookkeeping that 
  players might not want to deal with. On the 
  other hand, some players might be very 
  interested in downtime. It is up to the 
  Dungeon Master to make sure it’s available in 
  reasonable quantities when the players want 
  it, or to dispose of it entirely when they don’t. 
  For campaigns that have little interest in 
  downtime, or little room for it, particularly 
  those that require frenetic activity, travel, and 
  racing against a clock, the Dungeon Master 
  should suggest that players use wealth to hire 
  minions for some of their important 
  downtime activities. For example, if the 
  players need something researched but don’t 
  have the time, a trained hireling could do the 
  work and write a report that will catch up to 
  the party later. 
  As this notion shows, downtime is truly a 
  treasure like any other, one that can be 
  converted to gold, and vice versa. 
  
  ASSETS | 17 
  If using the rules for rivals and complications 
  from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, be aware 
  of their effect on the value of the downtime 
  days you award. Value is reduced if the player 
  characters cannot use downtime activities for 
  fear of interference or attack. This reduction 
  can only be calculated ad hoc, but it should 
  consider the number of rivals, as well as the 
  magnitude of those rivals’ assets and 
  activities. For example, if you think the 
  characters can only get value for about half 
  their downtime days, consider the value of 
  days awarded to be halved. 
  When players acquire things of value, they 
  usually want to liquidate them as soon as 
  possible, turning them into spendable coin.  
  This section limits itself to the sale of 
  material assets. Nonmaterial assets can be 
  traded, but their values vary wildly, and are 
  often based on the holder’s imagination and 
  skill at ingratiation. Where possible, the 
  mechanisms to liquidate nonmaterial assets 
  are given in their descriptions. More often, a 
  nonmaterial asset is exchanged for another 
  nonmaterial asset, a process that does not 
  lend itself to easy quantification. 
  Selling treasure is an abstract process in the 
  5th Edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The 
  Player’s Handbook now provides four easy 
  categories of sale value. 
  Weapons and armor pieces used by monsters 
  are rarely good enough to sell. This prevents 
  parties from “scraping,” looting absolutely 
  everything not nailed down, regardless of 
  how small its value. It also relieves the DM 
  from having to contemplate mundane 
  monster equipment values when building 
  encounters and balancing treasure. Monster 
  equipment has no resale value. 
  Undamaged weapons, armor, and other 
  equipment fetch half their sale prices when 
  sold at market. DMs balancing treasure can 
  consider mundane items, particularly found 
  in bulk, as “loot” valued at half the items’ 
  standard cost. This applies to equipment the 
  players have previously purchased, as well as 
  good-quality gear taken from civilized foes. 
  Art objects, jewelry, and trade goods are 
  fungible, they sell for their full noted values. 
  Such items are already listed at their salable 
  (or tradable) values. So static are the prices 
  for these items that they are often used in the 
  place of currency. 
  Magic items are very valuable assets. 
  Although the Player’s Handbook maintains 
  that their value is “far beyond simple gold,” 
  the guidelines of the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  suggest that they are readily ratable in gold 
  pieces, and that some of them are relatively 
  cheap. 
  Magic items normally sell for half their 
  purchase costs. (The standard rules for 
  finding a buyer suggest that this value may 
  fluctuate, going as high as one and one-half 
  times the value, or as low as one-tenth of the 
  value.) Alternately, because they are the type 
  of things that interest the very wealthy or 
  important in society, magic items can 
  sometimes be traded for rights or favors, or 
  they can be gifted to organizations in the 
  hopes of gaining renown. 
  If using the standardized item prices in the 
  next chapter, the Dungeon Master may prefer 
  to make magic items sell for their full listed 
  values. 
  
  18  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Players love to haggle when buying and 
  selling. They see it as a chance to earn 
  additional treasure, one with the exciting 
  element of gambling. However, there are 
  several reasons that Dungeon Masters should 
  be wary of allowing it. 
  First, treasure values have their best impact 
  when revealed as the treasure is acquired. 
  This temporal connection between finding 
  the treasure and knowing its value strongly 
  reinforces feelings of success in whatever 
  process resulted in the finding. If the results 
  of haggling later increase or decrease that 
  value, nearly nothing is added to the game in 
  terms of your players’ feelings about 
  achieving rewards. 
  Second, once you allow characters to 
  haggle, particularly if you predicate results 
  upon die rolls like Charisma checks, your 
  players will want to haggle over everything 
  they buy or sell, regardless of its significance. 
  If you tell the player of a Charisma-based 
  character that “better prices” are a feature of 
  that character, the player will want to 
  implement the feature in every exchange of 
  goods. Allowing rolls rather than using 
  standard pricing will drag your game into a 
  mire of boring negotiations every time the 
  party passes a market. 
  Third, there are no standard mechanisms 
  for varying prices due to haggling. 
  Unfortunately, to make player efforts feel 
  rewarding, Dungeon Masters are too willing 
  to fill this void with significant price 
  fluctuations based on die rolls. These are 
  typically too generous. In addition to being 
  unrealistic, the additional wealth quickly adds 
  up until it is impacting the Dungeon Master’s 
  intended rate of treasure distribution.  
  As a counterpoint, a rare scene of haggling 
  can be interesting to your game. Keep these 
  scenes rare and make clear to your players 
  that this is not normally how for-coin 
  exchanges work. 
  To distinguish such scenes, only provide 
  them when the players are attempting to buy 
  or sell something that defies easy or 
  standardized pricing. This particularly 
  applies in the case of something worth more 
  than its material composition, a value that 
  greatly transcends the materials and labor 
  used to create it. 
  For example, selling the duke’s signet on 
  the black market may be good fodder for a 
  haggling scene since the value is unrelated to 
  the metal or craftsmanship of the item. That 
  which is haggled over is the potential to cause 
  mayhem once the ring is acquired, not the 
  inherent value of a normal signet ring. 
  Like haggling, appraising is a process that can 
  vary the value of treasure. Page 178 of the 
  Player’s Handbook provides a standard 
  mechanism for characters to “estimate the 
  value of a precious item.” This requires an 
  Intelligence check unrelated to any skill. 
  Unlike haggling, the value-randomization of 
  appraisal checks almost never goes in the 
  players’ favor. An adventurer who 
  underestimates the value of an item will not 
  sell it for its true worth. Conversely, even if 
  the character overestimates the value, 
  merchants are usually more careful at their 
  pre-purchase investigations, particularly 
  when buying loot off of adventurers. At best, 
  an appraiser can only hope to find an item’s 
  true value and hold out for a merchant who 
  will pay it. 
  Although the rules provide standard 
  mechanisms for appraisal, such rolls should 
  not be used with any frequency. For the same 
  
  ASSETS | 19 
  reasons that haggling should be minimal, 
  appraisal should be limited to scenes where 
  an item’s value is truly obscure, and the story 
  will benefit from the price’s uncertainty. 
  Pedestrian treasure like gemstones and 
  objects of art should particularly not be 
  subject to price variance through appraisal.  
  The only obstacle the 5th Edition provides for 
  selling treasure is the availability of a buyer. 
  The Player’s Handbook repeatedly 
  emphasizes this need but gives no guidance 
  on the process. 
  For ease of play, assume that buyers can be 
  found automatically in communities of 
  certain sizes. This system is a particularly-
  good option for campaigns that don’t use 
  downtime actions or where downtime rarely 
  applies. 
  The Buying Power by Population table 
  suggests the maximum value of any single 
  item that can be sold or traded in variously-
  sized population centers. This table does not 
  distinguish the type of item sold, only its 
  ultimate value. 
   
  BUYING POWER BY POPULATION 
  Type 
  Population 
  Max Value 
  Small village 
  Up to 300 
  150 gp 
  Village 
  Up to 1,000 
  500 gp 
  Town 
  Up to 6,000 
  3,000 gp 
  Large town 
  Up to 12,000 
  6,000 gp 
  City 
  Up to 25,000 
  12,500 gp 
  Major city 
  Beyond 25,000 
  Any value 
   
  While some sales might be possible in 
  smaller locations, they might wipe out the 
  buyer’s life savings. This type of exchange can 
  be harmful; if the buyer manages to resell the 
  goods at a great profit, the local economy may 
  become unhinged by the influx of wealth. 
  This system relies upon the concept of 
  downtime, making it unsuitable for games 
  that don’t regularly make use of the 
  downtime rules. Its official version comes 
  from page 129 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  and is titled “Selling Magic Items,” but it has 
  greater potential when applied more broadly, 
  when used for selling other valuable assets 
  like exotic poisons or deeds to land. 
  This process treats downtime days as a 
  commodity; someone seeking a buyer must 
  “pay” varied amounts of days for each search 
  conducted. This can get cumbersome, but it is 
  rare that players need to find a buyer for 
  something so valuable as a magic ring or a 
  certificate granting the right to take lumber in 
  the king’s woods. 
   
  SELLING A PRECIOUS ITEM 
  Sale Total 
  Buyer Result 
  20 or lower 
  1/10 of the base price 
  21–40 
  1/4 of the base price (or a shady 
  buyer offering 1/2) 
  41–80 
  1/2 the base price (or a shady 
  buyer offering full price) 
  81–90 
  Full base price 
  91 or higher 
  A shady buyer offering 1½ the 
  base price, no questions asked 
   
  Step One. For each item to be sold, the 
  seeker attempts a DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. If another seeker is 
  assisting, also spending the same number of 
  downtime days, apply advantage to the check. 
  Buyers for multiple items can be sought at 
  the same time, their search times running 
  concurrently with no additional cost in 
  downtime days. Roll for each search 
  separately, and track the times spent 
  separately but concurrently. This might 
  require you to reference a calendar to keep 
  track of the expenditures. 
  
  20  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Failure on a check indicates that no buyer is 
  found and that 10 days are used up in the 
  search. Success indicates that a buyer is 
  found, and a variable number of days were 
  used in the search. The number of days is 1d4 
  for a common magic item, 1d6 for an 
  uncommon, 1d8 for a rare, and 1d10 days for 
  a very rare magic item. For the sale of things 
  that are not magic items, approximate their 
  values to magic items to determine how long 
  a successful search takes. 
  Step Two. If a buyer is found, the next step 
  is to set the price. Generate a sale total and 
  compare it to the table. A sale total is the sum 
  of three values. These include a Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check result, a percentile dice 
  roll, and an item rarity modifier. Item rarity 
  modifiers are +10 for common items, +0 for 
  uncommon items, –10 for rare items, –20 for 
  very rare items, and –30 for legendary items. 
  Again, if the thing being sold is not a magic 
  item, approximate its rarity and value to 
  determine an item rarity modifier. 
  ADVICE: USE WITH CARE 
  This mechanism from the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide has some problems, particularly when 
  the players don’t know how much downtime 
  will be available to them. 
  What if the duke returns in eight days and 
  demands the return of his signet ring? A 
  successful sale will happen before the duke 
  returns, but a failed sale will require a 
  number of downtime days that the selling 
  character is unable to spend based on 
  unforeseen circumstances. 
  Moreover, as explained previously in this 
  chapter, variable prices for treasure are 
  rarely good for your game. These drawbacks 
  can be mitigated by limiting this system to 
  truly-unique and important items. Try to use 
  this system sparingly; if you can’t articulate 
  why you’re rolling for a buyer, switch to the 
  automatic buyer system described above or 
  simply let the players sell the item without 
  interference. 
  Sometimes players need to find a seller 
  instead of a buyer. Maybe they are looking for 
  a magic item or an illegal poison. 
  To find a seller, use the same system 
  described above for finding a buyer of magic 
  items. If the item is illegal, the Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check suffers disadvantage 
  unless the seeker speaks thieves’ cant. The 
  DM can remove this disadvantage under 
  other miscellaneous circumstances; perhaps 
  if the seeker has the Criminal Contact 
  background feature or if the player has 
  accrued sufficient renown with a criminal 
  organization. 
  Again, this system should not be allowed 
  unless the DM is fully comfortable letting the 
  sought item into her campaign. It is also 
  perfectly reasonable for the DM to limit this 
  application to various rarities, perhaps only 
  to uncommon magic items, cheap poisons, 
  and the like. 
   
  BUYING A MAGIC ITEM 
  Buy Total 
  Buyer Result 
  20 or lower 
  10 times the base price 
  21–40 
  4 times the base price (or a shady 
  seller offering 2 times) 
  41–80 
  2 times the base price (or a shady 
  seller offering normal price) 
  81–90 
  Normal base price 
  91 or higher 
  A shady seller offering 3/4 of 
  base price, no questions asked 
  These rules provide flavor and expansion for 
  the additional magic-finding options in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. You can alter 
  the nature of these events or simply ignore 
  this option altogether. 
   
  
  ASSETS | 21 
  USE WITH CARE 
  This system is not intended to allow 
  players access to anything they want; 
  instead, the DM should specifically decide 
  if a particular item is available before 
  allowing its seller to be sought out. 
  As a general rule, applicable to any part 
  of this section, do not make a magic item 
  available if the rarity would exceed what 
  the party should get access to according to 
  its characters’ levels. 
   
   
  A magic selling party is an event where a 
  collection of magic items is for sale by one or 
  more wealthy owners. Magic items are so 
  expensive that these opportunities to buy 
  must be found by ingratiating oneself into the 
  upper crust of society in a place no smaller 
  than a large town. Because these items are 
  held by wealthy socialites, bargains are not 
  subject to as much risk as those made with 
  dealers of less repute. 
  This search requires setting a schedule of 
  important high-society events to attend, 
  requiring 5 downtime days and 100 gp of 
  expenditures. This cost includes a wealthy 
  lifestyle for the affected time. For every 
  additional 5 downtime days and 100 gp spent 
  to enhance and lengthen the seeker’s social 
  calendar, a +1 bonus will apply on the 
  following roll, to a maximum of +10 following 
  a 55-day schedule. 
  Once the seeker has networked with 
  enough high-society types (at the end of this 
  social schedule) she can make her bid to get 
  invited to a magic market. The seeker rolls 
  Charisma (Persuasion). In a high-magic 
  campaign, add a +10 bonus to this roll. In a 
  low-magic campaign, instead apply a –10 
  penalty. If the result is 1 or higher, the 
  character is invited to a private social event 
  where magic items are for sale. The higher 
  the roll, the better the party and the rarer the 
  magic items available. 
   
  MAGIC PARTY ITEMS 
  Check 
  Available to Buy 
  1–5 
  1d6 rolls, Magic Item Table A 
  6–10 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table B 
  11–15 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table C 
  16–20 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table D 
  21–25 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table E 
  26–30 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table F 
  31–35 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table G 
  36–40 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table H 
  41+ 
  1d4 rolls, Magic Item Table I 
   
  The referred-to Magic Item Tables are 
  found on pages 144 to 149 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. The Dungeon Master should 
  roll secretly and adjust the results prior to 
  revealing what is for sale. 
  A very influential character, one that makes 
  waves in wealthy social circles, can try to 
  arrange for the owner of a specific magic item 
  to be at a party, and be willing to sell the item. 
  If the Dungeon Master determines that the 
  item sought is suitable to the campaign, it will 
  be available if the check result meets the 
  item’s rarity: 10+ for common, 15+ for 
  uncommon, 20+ for rare, 25+ for very rare, 
  and 30+ for legendary. 
   
  
  22  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  
  ASSETS | 23 
  CHAPTER TWO 
  HIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES THE 
  relationship between character 
  levels and their expected degrees 
  of wealth, doing so in the context 
  of the power that wealth and 
  treasure provide. It is divided into two 
  sections, one addressing wealth for 
  characters made at levels beyond 1st, and one 
  addressing safe (yet rewarding) rates at 
  which treasure can be distributed during the 
  adventure. 
  This section addresses starting wealth for 
  characters made higher than 1st level. Poling 
  data indicates that more than half of 
  campaigns start at higher level. Although 
  most such campaigns begin in the range of 
  2nd to 3rd level, there is still a significant 
  number that start even higher. 
  Naturally, the question of starting 
  equipment is important in such cases. 
  Likewise, when a new player joins an existing 
  campaign, or an old player makes a new 
  character, a rational system of starting wealth 
  is required if these new characters come in at 
  a level higher than 1st. 
  Prior editions had robust systems and 
  uniform charts for starting wealth by level. 
  From this wealth, magic items could be 
  purchased. The 5th Edition takes a different 
  approach. The Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  envisions four “tiers” of character power and, 
  for new characters above 1st level, it provides 
  a table that separates wealth and magic items. 
  Because this additional wealth cannot be 
  spent on more magic items, readers are left 
  wondering what else a starting character 
  could buy with such gold. The starting 
  equipment systems in the Player’s Handbook 
  already tend to ensure that characters have 
  enough equipment to get by. 
  The table on page 38 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide has problems, but those can be 
  ignored if your whole campaign (every player 
  character) is beginning at the same level. 
  Your characters will be relatively balanced 
  against one another and, if they are too weak 
  to face the challenges of the game, the 
  Dungeon Master can reduce those challenges 
  to suit. 
  Unfortunately, the table fails utterly where 
  new characters enter an existing campaign. 
  Existing characters will likely have wealth 
  and magic items (at least) conforming with 
  the guidelines on page 37. Those treasures 
  will significantly exceed what is held by new 
  characters made with the table on page 38. A 
  new character with this system can feel 
  unfairly down-powered, and it can be a 
  detriment to the party if not suitably-
  equipped to face the same challenges. 
  Moreover, the breaks at each tier are 
  problematic. Imagine a situation where a new 
  character is made at level 10 (+525-750 gp 
  and no magic items). Another player joins the 
  game only one level later and makes his new 
  character at level 11 (+5,250-7,500 gp and 2 
  uncommon magic items). By coming in one 
  level later, the character is many times as 
  wealthy as the early one. The table makes 
  
  24  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  abrupt jumps at each of the tiers, lacking a 
  smooth and useful level-by-level progression. 
  For the above reasons, this product does 
  not recommend that DMs use the table on 
  page 38 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Instead, this section provides a more-nuanced 
  table for new characters above 1st level. 
  Large jumps still exist between each tier, but 
  these are mitigated somewhat by distributing 
  wealth more evenly across each tier. 
  The following table provides wealth for 
  characters made higher than 1st level. A 
  newly-made character adds the gold listed in 
  the table’s Wealth column and may buy 
  mundane or magical equipment with it, 
  limited by the Major Magic column. 
   
  STARTING TREASURE BY LEVEL 
  Level 
        Wealth 
  Major Magic 
    1st (Tier 1) 
           0 gp 
  — 
    2nd 
           15 gp 
  — 
    3rd 
           45 gp 
  — 
    4th 
         135 gp 
  1 UN 
    5th (Tier 2) 
       325 gp 
  1 UN 
    6th 
      1,265 gp 
  1 UN 
    7th 
      2,390 gp 
  2 UN 
    8th 
      3,765 gp 
  2 UN 
    9th 
      5,515 gp 
  2 UN 
  10th 
      7,765 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA 
  11th (Tier 3) 
  10,390 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA 
  12th 
    16,015 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA 
  13th 
    23,515 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA 
  14th 
    31,015 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR 
  15th 
    40,390 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR 
  16th 
    51,640 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR 
  17th (Tier 4) 
  62,890 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR 
  18th 
  162,890 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR, 1 LE 
  19th 
  262,890 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR, 1 LE 
  20th 
  387,890 gp 
  2 UN, 1 RA, 1 VR, 1 LE 
   
  Magic items can be purchased using the 
  pricing scale found later in this chapter. The 
  Major Magic column shows the maximum 
  number of major magic items by rarity that a 
  character may purchase. This column 
  functionally limits the maximum number of 
  such items that a character may start with. 
  A character may purchase an item of lower 
  rarity than indicated. For example, a 10th 
  level character is allowed up to 2 uncommon 
  items and 1 rare item but may instead elect to 
  purchase 3 uncommon items. 
  Minor magic items are not affected by this 
  table and may be purchased without 
  restriction. Minor magic items include all 
  consumables and a handful of permanent 
  items. The latter includes all common-rated 
  magic items and any uncommon items found 
  on Magic Item Tables A through E. (See the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, pages 144-145.) 
  If one of the character’s table-given magic 
  items has an additional value based on 
  material or special features, as explained in 
  the next chapter, wealth from this table must 
  be used to cover that added value. 
  Additionally, certain items are not available 
  to starting characters without explicit 
  Dungeon Master approval. These magic items 
  are described in the sidebar below. 
  Some class features require great wealth 
  expenditures to fully realize their potential, 
  particularly wizards and any character 
  proficient with medium or heavy armor. 
  Spellbooks. To effectuate the intended 
  versatility of a wizard’s spellbook, allow it to 
  include 3 spells per spell level that the 
  character can prepare, instead of the class’s 
  default of 2. This simulates the wizard’s 
  having had an adventuring career. 
  Additional spells can be purchased as spell 
  scrolls, automatically and freely transcribed 
  into the spellbook. 
   
  
  WEALTH | 25 
  SUGGESTED MAGIC ITEM RESTRICTIONS 
  When players get to select their own magic items, problematic combinations often crop up, 
  particularly with any items that provide exploitable numerical bonuses. This is a separate 
  consideration from the “power of selection,” described in the Enchantment chapter.  
  Exploitation in this sense means gaining an unfair advantage during character creation or 
  stacking bonuses to break out of the balanced ranges intended by the game. Certain nonsensical 
  arrangements result when building a character from the ground up with knowledge of what 
  magic items it will have. Such arrangements should not be allowed. 
  Each of the following limitations can be overcome with explicit permission of the Dungeon 
  Master, who can moderate whether any individual item or combination of items is unbalancing in 
  the context of the character being created. 
   
  • 
  Characters may not start with an amulet of health, belt of giant strength, gauntlets of ogre 
  power, headband of intellect, or any similar ability-setting items. These are too potent when 
  combined with character-creation decisions because they replace ability scores. A player can 
  create a character with an important ability as a (low-rated) “dump stat,” distributing 
  markedly-higher scores into other abilities with the knowledge that the dump stat’s rating 
  will be replaced by a magic item. 
  • 
  Neither may characters start with more than one item that gives a magical bonus to Armor 
  Class or to all saving throws, unless such bonuses are incompatible. The 5th Edition of 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS utilizes a “bounded” system to balance the chances of success in 
  combat, and too many of these bonuses place characters too far beyond the range the game 
  relies upon. 
  • 
  For spellcasters, items that overcome the game’s inherent spell-balancing mechanisms are 
  also restricted. Characters may not start with more than one item that stores spells or spell 
  slots, or that restores or provides additional spell slots to the user. A spellcaster’s daily slots 
  are intended to balance casting between cantrips and higher-level spells within the span of 
  various rest periods. Selecting multiple items of this type negates, rather than mitigates, the 
  intended balance. 
  • 
  Likewise, spellcasters cannot start with a mizzium apparatus if you allow the Multiclassing 
  optional rule. The spell list of a multiclass spellcaster is broader than that of a single-class 
  spellcaster, balanced by the fact that it does not contain the highest-level spells a single-class 
  caster can achieve. The mizzium apparatus allows characters to ignore this limitation. 
   
  Expensive Armor. To allow classes that 
  need expensive armor to realize the potential 
  of their armor proficiency class features, a 
  character may select a mundane suit of armor 
  from the normal Armor table. (See page 145 
  of the Player’s Handbook or refer to the 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual.) 
  This typically means a breastplate or a suit 
  of splint or plate armor. Gaining this suit 
  replaces the character’s ability to purchase a 
  single uncommon magic item, so it should not 
  be given below 4th level. However, it does not 
  reduce the character’s starting wealth. 
  (Wealth can be used for ornamentation or 
  
  26  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  masterwork features, if the suit is to be 
  enhanced by mundane means.) 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, this 
  suit might be mechanically identical to a 
  normal suit of armor but come with 
  restrictions. It could be old, battered, or 
  otherwise shabby in appearance such that the 
  character will never cut an imposing figure. It 
  might also be ill-kept armor taken from an 
  armor-using monster. Armor of these types 
  has a lesser value when sold. 
  Alternately, the armor comes with strings 
  attached, like association with a demanding 
  noble patron or membership in a knightly 
  order that imposes strict behavioral 
  standards. The armor might even bear 
  heraldry or religious markings that can cause 
  trouble in some parts of town. 
  These limitations can be overcome by later 
  purchasing a suit with found treasure, 
  allowing the battered or borrowed armor to 
  be discarded or returned. 
  When a completely new campaign begins, 
  with all characters starting together at a level 
  higher than 1st, the Dungeon Master might 
  choose to forego normal starting treasure in 
  favor of this option. 
  The Dungeon Master in this scenario pools 
  all the wealth and starting magic items for all 
  the characters and makes one list of it. The 
  players or their characters then select from 
  the list in turn, or through some other fair 
  system, to divide the pile of treasure. 
  This option is particularly suitable for 
  certain kinds of campaigns. For example, the 
  characters begin as professional gladiators 
  until, one fateful day, they are ordered to go 
  on an important mission in service to the city. 
  The lord mayor escorts the characters to a 
  treasure room where they may outfit 
  themselves as desired before embarking. 
  This sort of system avoids many of the 
  pitfalls that come with players choosing their 
  own equipment and magic items for their 
  new high-level characters. 
  New campaigns often begin with a unifying 
  factor for the player characters and often this 
  takes the form of some shared thing that 
  might otherwise cost a lot of wealth to obtain. 
  For example, the characters lead a band of 
  merry men in the king’s forest, stealing from 
  the rich to give to the poor. They already have 
  a small band of military hirelings, fully 
  financed, along with some safehouses and a 
  fortification deep in the forest. Similarly, the 
  characters might own a ship from which they 
  operate their privateering enterprise and 
  employ a trained crew. Perhaps the 
  characters begin as powerful merchants and 
  their allies, and they begin the campaign with 
  a large merchant inventory for various story 
  reasons. 
  Whatever the nature of the shared item or 
  items, the Dungeon Master can simply award 
  ownership of it to the group without any cost 
  or can reduce each character’s starting gold 
  to compensate. The method used should 
  probably depend on the nature of the item; 
  the merry men or the privateers have set 
  goals that require them to make use of the 
  items in question. These should not call for 
  starting wealth reductions. On the other hand, 
  with a bit of work, the powerful merchants 
  could fully liquidate their inventory and 
  directly bolster their own wealth. In this case, 
  a shared reduction of starting wealth is 
  appropriate. 
  This section asks the question, how much 
  gold should players get as treasure as the 
  campaign progresses? How many magic 
  items? Regardless of edition, these difficulties 
  
  WEALTH | 27 
  have long-haunted even experienced 
  Dungeon Masters. Major “errors” in 
  distribution can have far-reaching effects on a 
  campaign, something this section attempts to 
  steer DMs away from. 
  Having an established rate of distribution can 
  guide Dungeon Masters in the allocation of 
  treasure and rewards. A peek behind the 
  curtain reveals why this can be important. 
  The rate of treasure distribution in your 
  campaign is only important under certain 
  conditions, when the amount becomes far too 
  high or far too low. The 5th Edition of the 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Roleplaying Game 
  reduces the importance of treasure relative to 
  prior editions, revising what “too high” and 
  “too low” mean in this context. 
  The official rules provide very little to buy 
  with mundane wealth, such that a few 
  thousand gold pieces is enough for an 
  adventurer to retire on. Gold is no longer a 
  route to power since the ability to purchase 
  magic items is discouraged and hindered by 
  the official rules. Moreover, magic items 
  themselves are greatly reduced in potency, 
  equip-able quantities are reduced, and fewer 
  monsters are require magical weapons to 
  harm. This set of new features creates an 
  environment where a much greater range of 
  treasure distribution is “safe.” Characters can 
  only be said to have too little treasure or too 
  much treasure when they are at the extremes 
  of this broad range. 
  Unfortunately, it is still quite easy for a 
  party to reach one of these extremes. 
  Dungeon Masters are prone to pay more 
  attention to the progression of the story 
  rather than the characters. They may become 
  surprised deep into a campaign to discover 
  that the party’s treasure ill-suits its character 
  levels. Either the party is too poor to afford 
  equipment and services appropriate to the 
  challenges it faces, or the party easily 
  overwhelms its foes with wealth and magic 
  items. When the party has too much wealth, it 
  also ceases to find motivational value in 
  reasonable offers of pay or treasure, 
  requiring the DM to tune up such rewards in a 
  dangerously-rising spiral of wealth. 
  Somewhere between these extremes, there 
  is a happy medium. Finding that balance can 
  be harder than it initially appears. The rates 
  of distribution in this section aim to help DMs 
  premeditate their distributions and maintain 
  a healthy balance of party wealth. 
  The official 5th Edition rules have a 
  prescribed rate of treasure distribution, both 
  for mundane wealth and for magic items. The 
  official rate is broad, based on the random 
  results of the tables where it is hidden, and 
  official adventures mostly ignore it. 
  Previously, to approximate the official rate, 
  a Dungeon Master would need to perform a 
  rigorous analysis of the three data points in 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide. These points are 
  (1) the random outcomes of rolling the 
  prescribed number of times on the Treasure 
  Hoard tables, (2) the indefinite references to 
  magic items in the Tiers of Play, and (3) the 
  Starting Equipment table for higher-level 
  play. The official rate exists within the range 
  where all three data points overlap. 
  The later release of Xanathar’s Guide to 
  Everything provided much more certainty in 
  the realm of magic items. It confirmed the 
  standard rate, although it did so by tier rather 
  than character level. It also officially 
  recognized the difference between “minor” 
  (usually consumable) magic items and 
  “major” (permanent) magic items. 
  Ostensibly, the exposure of the official rate 
  in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything was first 
  
  28  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  motivated by a desire to guide adventure-
  designers in the placement of treasure. 
  However, the official published adventures 
  greatly exceed these numbers. An in-depth 
  analysis of all 5th Edition adventures 
  published to-date shows a wealth and magic 
  item distribution rate more consistent with 
  prior editions, assuming players are diligent 
  and collecting most of it. Not only are treasure 
  rates doubled or tripled, but characters often 
  get access to magic items of a too-high rarity 
  either one or two whole tiers early. 
  A Dungeon Master concerned that the party 
  is hovering too close to the upper range of 
  what is safe and balanced in terms of magic 
  items should closely-regulate the official 
  adventure books. Once players accept such 
  treasure rates as the norm, rather than 
  expecting the numbers in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide and Xanathar’s Guide to 
  Everything, they will be disappointed if the 
  normal rate is later adhered to. 
  Sometimes you want the party to acquire 
  something costly but story-related. This 
  might be a sailing vessel, a plot of land with a 
  stronghold on it, or a legendary magic item 
  that will drive the characters into the quest of 
  a lifetime. Story treasures of these types 
  typically fall outside of the regular rates of 
  distribution. With the right approach, 
  providing access to such items should not be 
  a concern.  
  A story treasure should not be the type that 
  magnifies an individual character’s power; it 
  should instead unlock new modes of play or 
  allow access to otherwise-unreachable story 
  features. 
  Where there is crossover, perhaps an 
  intelligent artifact that is also a useful weapon 
  in combat, you can attempt to value-rate just 
  the features that enhance a party member’s 
  personal power. Alternately, you can restrict 
  the item’s features. Perhaps an intelligent 
  artifact weapon only allows its powers to be 
  used when the item so desires, or the item 
  activates its features at inopportune 
  moments. Curses or cultural restrictions can 
  help balance these treasures as well. 
  Finally, make sure that such items have a 
  limited duration of ownership by the party; if 
  the players stop making use of the item for 
  story purposes or try to sell it for additional 
  wealth, have a plan in place to remove the 
  item or mitigate how the sale impacts the 
  party’s treasure rate. Perhaps the item was on 
  loan or only rented to the party; when the 
  players are done or want to move on to other 
  things, the true owner can return for it. 
  Perhaps the intelligent artifact turns against 
  the party for failing to pursue its goals or the 
  queen recalls her grant of title to land. 
  Obtaining story treasures can be as simple as 
  finding a magic item. However, for some 
  acquisitions, official ownership is important 
  to establish. For example, acquiring a 
  stronghold or a pirate ship may require a 
  deed or provenance of some sort. 
  For buildings and ships described in the 
  Constructions chapter of this product, the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide suggests that 
  characters come into such ownership after 
  11th level, in the Masters of the Realm 
  character tier. Some groups would instead 
  prefer to acquire these items sooner, and 
  there is no reason to use the party’s lack of 
  wealth to prevent such a thing. Indeed, many 
  parties in the Masters of the Realm tier still 
  can’t afford a stronghold. 
  Where a purchase is desirable, and the item 
  also is a story device desired by the Dungeon 
  Master, prices can be adjusted to suit the 
  party’s current level of saved wealth. Perhaps 
  
  WEALTH | 29 
  there is a problem; the castle is haunted, the 
  ship needs a full refit, or some other problem 
  exists that reduces the cost. Just make sure 
  that the item is immediately usable, even if at 
  a lower degree of functionality. The balancing 
  factor should not effectively negate the fact of 
  the item’s purchase! 
  Another mechanism is to use loans or 
  investment to bridge the gap between the 
  party’s current wealth and the item’s 
  purchase price. Having a mortgage can be a 
  powerful, though banal, motivator for players 
  to adventure and acquire new wealth. 
  Alternately, the gap could be paid by a backer 
  or investor who expects a percentage of the 
  party’s treasure going forward. 
  Finally, an item might be granted by a 
  governmental authority, like a king. Such 
  grants typically come with strings, like the 
  expectation that the party will swear fealty, 
  direct the productive use of the surrounding 
  land, collect taxes for the crown, and maintain 
  soldiers to help protect the realm. Moreover, 
  a grant of this nature typically reverts to the 
  crown if the party abandons it or dies. It 
  cannot be sold because the crown remains 
  the true owner. In this way, the value of the 
  property is not a true gift to the party and 
  does not offend the expected rate of treasure 
  distribution. 
  Treasure bundles are discrete collections of 
  wealth and magic items designed to be given 
  to the party one or two at a time. The 
  Dungeon Master pre-calculates the party’s 
  anticipated treasure for each level of the 
  party’s characters and divides that into 
  bundles for ease of distribution. 
  This system can be an enormously helpful 
  guideline, so long as the Dungeon Master 
  does not feel constrained by its contents and 
  knows how to raise or lower treasure values 
  to reward or penalize the party’s actions. 
  Clever and heroic deeds call for greater 
  rewards, while significant bungling means the 
  party overlooks opportunities to find 
  treasure. Tips for flexible implementation are 
  given later in this section. 
  Perhaps the most beneficial result of 
  premeditating the party’s treasure awards is 
  the ability for the Dungeon Master to fully 
  flesh out the treasure, to give rich 
  descriptions to objects of art, vary the type of 
  coins found, carefully integrate special 
  features for magic items, or otherwise make 
  the treasure interesting and unique. 
  The new system in this product is inspired by 
  one used in a prior edition of DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS, but it is designed to overcome some 
  of the important criticisms that system bore. 
  It mitigates the lack of flexibility and the over-
  serving of players’ magic item expectations 
  that the prior edition suffered from. 
  The treasure bundle system is designed for 
  DMs that want a solid baseline for treasure 
  distribution—it may not suit the play style of 
  all DMs or groups. It borrows from prior 
  editions to ensure wealth consistency with 
  flexibility, fairness, and game balance. 
  A treasure bundle is a collection of treasure 
  designed to be found or earned by the player 
  characters all at once. It is designed ahead of 
  time so that the DM doesn’t have to spend 
  game time rolling on tables or imagining 
  forms of treasure while the players wait to 
  hear what they’ve found. 
  Dividing treasure into bundles also helps 
  the DM calculate treasure values and 
  distribute it with ease. Bundles aren’t divided 
  by encounter; most monsters have no 
  treasure whatsoever, while other encounters 
  might provide pieces of a single bundle or 
  
  30  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  multiple bundles at once. Bundles might be 
  found in a monster’s layer or be given by a 
  noble as a reward for rescuing his grandson, 
  while other challenges do not receive such 
  rewards. 
  Over the course of each character level, the 
  party should find 4 to 7 wealth-related 
  bundles and might find a couple of magic 
  items. The standard number of bundles is 5 
  per level, but characters, through poor or 
  exceptional play, should earn fewer or more 
  bundles. For each party level, the Dungeon 
  Master should have 5 bundles written out 
  ahead of time, and perhaps a couple of spare 
  bundles in case of exceptional player results. 
   
  WEALTH CALCULATIONS 
  A character that saved every gp in its share 
  for levels 1 through 19 (an impossible 
  task) would have almost 776,000 gp upon 
  achieving level 20. This figure is based on 
  average results of the hoard rolls in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide (pages 136-139). 
  Each table has an anticipated number of 
  times a party will roll on it (page 133). The 
  average wealth roll for each table was 
  multiplied by its anticipated number of 
  rolls and divided by four, the number of 
  party members that were probably 
  contemplated in those rules. 
  The result for each tier was distributed 
  across each level within it, using a ratio to 
  match each level’s XP requirement, 
  rounding off to whole-gp figures. The ratio 
  of gp to XP earned is 2:20 in the first tier, 
  5:20 in the second tier, 15:20 in the third 
  tier, and 100:20 in the fourth tier. 
  The value of treasure bundles in this 
  product was determined by splitting the 
  standard per-level wealth gain for each tier 
  by five, the average number of treasure 
  bundles earned at each level. 
    
  To get the true wealth value of each bundle, 
  multiply the gp number in the wealth column 
  by the number of party members (the 
  number of characters that will get an 
  ostensibly-fair split of the treasure). 
  For example, five 11th level characters 
  should collect treasure valued at about 
  11,250 gp in each bundle, doing so about five 
  times before reaching 12th level (a party total 
  of 56,250 gp). 
  If characters in the party are different 
  levels, use the average of their levels for this 
  calculation, rounding up. 
   
  TREASURE VALUES 
  Party Level 
      Bundle 
  Magic Items 
    1st (Tier 1) 
           6 gp 
  ¼ UN 
    2nd 
         12 gp 
  — 
    3rd 
         36 gp 
  ¼ UN 
    4th 
         76 gp 
  — 
    5th (Tier 2) 
       375 gp 
  ¼ UN 
    6th 
       450 gp 
  ¼ RA 
    7th 
       550 gp 
  ¼ UN 
    8th 
       700 gp 
  ¼ RA 
    9th 
       900 gp 
  ¼ UN 
  10th 
    1,050 gp 
  ¼ RA 
  11th (Tier 3) 
    2,250 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ VR 
  12th 
    3,000 gp 
  ¼ RA 
  13th 
    3,000 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ VR 
  14th 
    3,750 gp 
  ¼ RA 
  15th 
    4,500 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ VR 
  16th 
    4,500 gp 
  ¼ RA, ¼ LE 
  17th (Tier 4) 
  40,000 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ VR 
  18th 
  40,000 gp 
  ¼ RA, ¼ LE 
  19th 
  50,000 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ VR 
  20th (per 30,000 XP) 
  30,000 gp 
  ¼ UN, ¼ LE 
  In addition to five wealth bundles, a magic 
  item or two might also be among the treasure. 
  Multiply any ¼ magic item value indicated at 
  a level by the number of party members (the 
  number of characters that will get an 
  
  WEALTH | 31 
  ostensibly-fair split of the treasure). At the 
  level where that value reaches a whole 
  number, one magic item of the indicated 
  rarity will also be among the treasure for that 
  level. Carry forward any remainder values. 
  For example, six 1st level characters should 
  reach a total uncommon magic item value of 
  1½ during 1st level, meaning one uncommon 
  magic item is among their treasure. The 
  remaining ½ uncommon value carries 
  forward. Nothing is added during 2nd level. 
  At 3rd level, the six characters accrue another 
  1½ uncommon magic item value, for a total of 
  2 with their prior remainder. The party finds 
  two uncommon magic items during their 3rd 
  level and has no remainder value to carry 
  forward. 
  Characters at 20th level continue to earn 
  treasure. The party finds a level’s worth of 
  bundles for every 30,000 experience points 
  they earn above 355,000. 
  The party also calculates additional magic 
  items at those intervals. When the party 
  reaches at least 1 legendary item per 
  member, exchange future-indicated LE 
  fractions (and any remainder) for VR 
  fractions. When the party reaches at least 1 
  legendary and 2 very rare items per member, 
  exchange future-indicated VR fractions (and 
  any remainder) for R fractions. 
  For ideal results, the Dungeon Master can 
  make a “treasure chart” of each character 
  level at the start of the campaign, each level 
  having five “bundle” lines, a couple of “magic 
  item” lines, and maybe a couple of spare 
  bundles charted in case of exceptional play. 
  (Keep these latter bundles separate from the 
  others.) Charting bundles just a few levels 
  ahead of time is probably a more reliable 
  system, since it allows the DM to consider 
  recent events and treasure when making 
  calculations. The DM should make sure not to 
  fall behind in the charting process, lest 
  treasure awards be forgotten. 
  On each bundle line, the DM should write in 
  treasure with a wealth value based on the 
  chart and the number of players. If one 
  bundle goes a bit over, remove the excess 
  value from one of the coin bundles. Likewise, 
  if a bundle is a bit under-valued, add the 
  difference to one of the coin bundles. 
  On the magic item lines, the DM should 
  write in any magic items that will be 
  discovered within that level. These results are 
  again based on the chart and the number of 
  players. 
  For a balance of items, consider using (2) 
  coin bundles, (1) simple magic bundle, (1) 
  objects of art bundle, and (1) mundane object 
  bundle. 
  Bundles should probably be themed to 
  make their treasure seem like a logical 
  collection of items based on the setting and 
  their owners. 
  fill two bundles with “money,” like coins, 
  gemstones, trade bars, and other lightweight 
  fungible assets. These should be easy for the 
  party to carry and readily spendable. 
  Coins should be described colorfully where 
  possible. “Loose” coins usually come in purses 
  (tiny pouches with no weight or value beyond 
  their contents). Alternately, they may be tied 
  together with strings running through the 
  coins’ center holes or kept together by some 
  other simple method. The coins themselves 
  should indicate where and when they were 
  minted, sometimes providing a bit of history 
  to the treasure. Most coins should be local in 
  origin, but you can mix things up by making 
  some coins foreign or ancient in origin. 
  Where the source of the coins doesn’t matter, 
  mix in some trade bars. 
  
  32  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Letters of credit are also good coin 
  alternatives. Their value may depend on what 
  banking house or financial account they are 
  drawn upon. Letters of credit are worth a 
  fraction of their face values unless redeemed 
  at the appropriate financial institutions. Some 
  letters could be for accounts that are 
  overdrawn, or they could be expired, 
  reducing their worth or making them entirely 
  worthless. A truly ancient letter of credit will 
  have no value except to historians. When 
  placing such objects, use their true values to 
  fill a wealth bundle, not the amount written 
  on these letters. If their value is situational, 
  perhaps requiring the party to travel to 
  redeem them, calculate the value after 
  considering the party’s cost in time and effort. 
  Fill one bundle with potions, scrolls, magical 
  ammunition, or any other magic item that is 
  useable once (or a limited number of times) 
  before being completely and permanently 
  expended. This includes limited-use magic 
  items like a necklace of fireballs. It also 
  includes wands if your campaign uses the 
  rule variant: Wands That Don’t Recharge. In 
  addition, you may occasionally include 
  common-rated permanent (“minor”) magic 
  items in this bundle. 
  The minor category also includes all non-
  consumable common-rated magic items, such 
  as those that only have special properties, as 
  well as the following uncommon magic items: 
   
  Alchemy jug, bag of devouring, bag of holding, cap 
  of water breathing, chime of opening, cloak of the 
  manta ray, decanter of endless water, driftglobe, 
  eyes of minute seeing, folding boat, goggles of 
  night, helm of comprehend languages, Heward’s 
  handy haversack, horseshoes of speed, immovable 
  rod, lantern of revealing, mariner’s armor, periapt 
  of health, portable hole, ring of swimming, robe of 
  useful items, rope of climbing, saddle of the 
  cavalier, sending stones, wand of magic detection, 
  wand of secrets 
   
  Permanent magic items in this category 
  should be dispensed rarely but should not 
  interfere with the distribution rate for normal 
  (“major”) magic items. 
  Be mindful of party levels when selecting 
  item rarity. Do not place magic items that are 
  rare until the party reaches level 5, or very 
  rare until the party reaches level 11, or 
  legendary until the party reaches level 17. 
  Be particularly careful not to exceed the 
  one-bundle value of minor magic items if you 
  use the essentia rules found in the 
  Enchantment chapter. Each character should 
  find, on average, 20 simple magic items in the 
  course of leveling from 1st level to 20th level. 
  Additionally, if your party has a wizard, 
  consider placing one or two wizard spell 
  scrolls, at least one at the highest spell level 
  the wizard can prepare. Without these 
  occasional spellbook additions, the intended 
  versatility of that class feature suffers. 
  Finding another wizard’s spellbook is a great 
  alternative to scrolls and is usually enough to 
  satisfy a wizard for several character levels. 
  Place objects of art in one bundle. This 
  category covers an endless variety of objects, 
  from sculptures and paintings with values 
  based only on the talent and popularity of the 
  artist, to jewelry and other objects 
  manufactured from inherently-precious 
  materials. 
  Some art objects, like jewelry, are easy to 
  carry. Others, like a set of gilded antique 
  chairs, are harder to move. Provide a range of 
  items with variable portability; don’t always 
  make these too easy or too hard to carry 
  home and cash in. 
  A list of example objects of art from the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide is provided below. 
  
  WEALTH | 33 
  You can use these items directly or take 
  inspiration from them to create your own. 
  These are provided here so you don’t have to 
  pick up another reference book when making 
  treasure bundles. Each example object of art 
  is grouped alphabetically with items of like 
  value. 
  25 gp. Black velvet mask stitched with 
  silver thread, carved bone statuette, cloth-of-
  gold vestments, copper chalice with silver 
  filigree, embroidered silk handkerchief, gold 
  locket with painted portrait inside, pair of 
  engraved bone dice, silver ewer, small gold 
  bracelet, small mirror set in a painted 
  wooden frame 
  250 gp. Box of turquoise animal figures, 
  brass mug with jade inlay, bronze crown, 
  carved ivory statuette, gold bird cage with 
  electrum filigree, gold ring set with 
  bloodstones, large gold bracelet, large well-
  made tapestry, silk robe with gold 
  embroidery, silver necklace with a gemstone 
  pendant 
  750 gp. Bottle stopper cork embossed with 
  gold leaf and set with amethysts, carved harp 
  of exotic wood with ivory inlay and zircon 
  gems, ceremonial electrum dagger with a 
  black pearl in the pommel, gold dragon comb 
  set with red garnets as eyes, obsidian 
  statuette with gold fittings and inlay, silver 
  and gold brooch, painted gold war mask, 
  silver chalice set with moonstones, silver-
  plated steel longsword with jet set in hilt, 
  small gold idol 
  2,500 gp. A necklace string of small pink 
  pearls, embroidered glove set with jewel 
  chips, embroidered silk and velvet mantle set 
  with numerous moonstones, eye patch with a 
  mock eye set in blue sapphire and 
  moonstone, fine gold chain set with a fire 
  opal, gold circlet set with four aquamarines, 
  gold music box, jeweled anklet, old 
  masterpiece painting, platinum bracelet set 
  with a sapphire 
  7,500 gp. Bejeweled ivory drinking horn 
  with gold filigree, gold cup set with emeralds, 
  gold jewelry box with platinum filigree, jade 
  game board with solid gold playing pieces, 
  jeweled gold crown, jeweled platinum ring, 
  painted gold child’s sarcophagus, small gold 
  statuette set with rubies 
  In addition to these examples, the 
  ornamentation rules in the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual can be used to turn a 
  variety of useful armaments and equipment 
  into objects of art. 
  Place mundane items into this final one 
  bundle. Armor, weapons, tools, and various 
  non-precious trade goods make up the 
  content, so long as they’re worth hauling 
  home to sell. Remember that most mundane 
  objects sell for half cost, so build this bundle up 
  to double its normal value in mundane goods. 
  Remember to treat masterwork or 
  ornamented components as trade goods, 
  worth full value. 
  Mundane objects should be relatively 
  portable; eight bleating goats, a 200-pound 
  cask of oil, and a troubadour’s wardrobe of 
  colorful costumes are valuable things, but 
  they might leave your players wondering why 
  they still play in your campaign. 
  Characters proficient with medium and 
  heavy armor will not achieve the full 
  potential of these class features without 
  obtaining expensive suits of armor 
  (breastplate, half plate, plate, or splint). 
  Considering placing such suits when the party 
  is between 4th and 6th level, even if their 
  values would take up multiple bundles or 
  would displace future levels’ bundles. 
  Alternately, to match values, count a good 
  suit of expensive armor as the equivalent of 
  an uncommon magic item. If replacing a 
  
  34  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  magic item with an expensive suit of 
  mundane armor, make the armor special with 
  ornamentation or a masterwork feature. 
  If the players are wholly bent toward 
  commercial endeavors, like running a large 
  mercantile business or collecting taxes as 
  important landholders, these treasure 
  bundles can be awarded in very different 
  forms. Instead of dividing treasure among 
  coins, art objects, and the like, you can award 
  it as rising bank balances, notes of debt, and 
  accounts receivable. 
  Half the magic items you place for your party 
  should be generically-applicable, at least 
  somewhat useful to more than one member 
  of the party. The other half should be tailored 
  to specific characters, either usable only by 
  that character, or to a better effect by that 
  character. This is not hard to do; an attentive 
  DM knows what items would be useful to 
  each character in the game. 
  The previous edition suggested that 
  Dungeon Masters poll their players to find out 
  what magic items they wanted to find. This 
  approach (and “tailoring” in general) got a 
  poor reception. Players like to think they’re 
  earning their magic items through adventure, 
  discovery, and good fortune, not having them 
  handed out in exactly the form desired. 
  Therefore, direct player inquiries should be 
  avoided when using the bundles distribution 
  method lest the players acquire a sense of 
  inevitability to the magic items they find. To 
  avoid that appearance, make sure that most 
  tailored items are not exactly to the 
  specifications that a character might wish. A 
  dwarf that favors a battle axe might get along 
  just as well with a new magical warhammer. 
  About every eighth or tenth magic item that 
  a party encounters should have a curse or 
  some sort of serious quirk or drawback to it. 
  Without tracking this, it is easy to go through 
  an entire campaign and not remember to 
  include such staples of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
  as a sword of vengeance or the old bag of 
  devouring! 
  Except for cursed items, the Dungeon 
  Master should take care to avoid placing 
  magic items that have little or no use to the 
  party, unless there is a specific, story-driven 
  reason. After all, if you give an item that no 
  one can use, have you really given a magic 
  item at all? Or is it just an expensive 
  paperweight? 
   
  SAMPLE TREASURE CHART (PARTIAL) 
  This sample chart is for a 1st-level party of 
  five characters. 
   
  Level One (30 gp per bundle): 
  - Coins (34): A sack of 18 gp, a stack of 6 
  ep, a string of 27 sp, a purse of 30 cp, 
  one azurite (10 gp) 
  - Coins (15): Three silver trade bars (5 gp 
  each) 
  - Magic (50): A potion of healing 
  - Art (25): A gold locket with painted 
  portrait inside (25 gp) 
  - Mundane (26): Calligrapher’s tools (5 
  gp) and three additional vials of bright 
  purple ink (5 gp each) within a velvet-
  lined box (5 sp), thirty sheets of clean 
  paper (1 sp each) in a scroll box (25 sp) 
  - Uncommon: A +1 morning star, with ¼ 
  UN remainder 
    
  This segment talks about the circumstances 
  that can change the distribution of treasure. 
  Running the bundle system is quite simple; 
  only managing the vital deviations requires 
  the DM’s careful attention. 
  
  WEALTH | 35 
  If the DM already knows the number and 
  nature of the encounters a party will face, she 
  can determine how the party will acquire 
  each bundle. Otherwise, the DM may consult 
  her campaign’s treasure chart and select 
  bundles (or parts of bundles) and magic items 
  ad-hoc as players search monster layers, 
  execute heists, or get rewards from the king. 
  Characters often meet their experience or 
  milestone requirements after dramatically 
  changing plans or otherwise foiling the DM’s 
  attempt to give out some treasure in a timely, 
  measured manner. The nature of bundles 
  allows the DM to easily catch up if she forgets 
  or is unable to dispense bundles within the 
  applicable level, adding remaining bundles 
  onto those awarded at later levels. (In such 
  instances, the wealth bundle system is 
  invaluable for reminding the DM to keep the 
  party on track for their rewards.) Characters 
  don’t have to get everything on the treasure 
  chart before they go to the next level. 
  The suggested number of treasure bundles 
  per character level is 5 (a “baseline”), but the 
  party should earn up to 1 less or 2 more in any 
  given level, based on their own actions. For 
  particularly-notable deeds or failures, the DM 
  can also adjust the number or nature of magic 
  items discovered. 
  Sometimes the characters acquire additional 
  bits of treasure, often things not planned by 
  the Dungeon Master and not on the five 
  bundles of the treasure chart. 
  Allowing a gain to exceed what is on the 
  chart encourages the utilized treasure-
  collecting method. Likewise, not rewarding 
  an attempted gain will instead discourage 
  that specific behavior. 
  All gains made within a level should be 
  recorded by the DM to ensure that total 
  values are no higher than twice the wealth 
  value of that level’s treasure bundles. 
  Here are the primary ways treasure gains 
  occur, and the recommended ways to handle 
  them, whether you wish to encourage them 
  or not. 
  Earned Reward. Earned rewards should be 
  the most common deviations from the 
  treasure chart. They occur when characters 
  go above and beyond what is expected, using 
  bravery, cunning, or just excellent dice-
  rolling, to earn rewards the DM would not 
  normally have provided. Earned rewards 
  (and earned deficits, described in the next 
  section) are critical for tying treasure to 
  player deservedness. Without these, treasure 
  rewards will feel too automatic or 
  predestined; they won’t satisfy the players’ 
  sense of earned rewards. 
  Investment income is one example of 
  earned rewards. Successful business ventures 
  should earn rewards that exceed the treasure 
  chart. Otherwise, why would anyone bother? 
  The various degrees of deviation are 
  discussed more in a later chapter. At the same 
  time, investments should not be allowed to 
  exceed the chart by so much as to unbalance 
  the game. After that point, it’s likely that the 
  focus of the game has shifted into whatever 
  activity is causing the additional gains. For 
  example, if the characters’ investments are so 
  lucrative as to exceed the suggested 
  limitation for bundle gains, the characters 
  have probably stopped adventuring to focus 
  on banking. The DM should therefore strike 
  future rewards from the treasure chart to 
  balance; the characters start getting normal 
  game rewards, doing so by investment 
  instead of adventure. 
  Whatever their form, earned rewards 
  should flow from competence and diligence, 
  heroism and risk. But they should not become 
  commonplace. Even if the players are 
  
  36  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  constantly playing well, you should only 
  reward the very best instances of play. 
  Scraping. Scraping is any distracting 
  activity that intends to scrape every ounce of 
  “treasure” out of the game. When players 
  spend all their time thoroughly searching 
  every corner of every room in the dungeon or 
  stopping to collect every fallen enemy’s 
  weapons and armor to drag back to town for 
  sale, the focus of the game shifts from fast-
  paced adventure to slow-paced logistics and 
  unnecessary dice rolls. (To reduce scraping, 
  the Players Handbook provides that “weapons 
  and armor used by monsters are rarely in 
  good enough condition to sell.”) 
  Some games encourage scraping. 
  Historically, published DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
  adventures hid important treasures in places 
  characters would not normally think to look. 
  This created the tradition of rolling checks to 
  search every nook and cranny, every deep 
  ravine or icy riverbed, despite there being no 
  rational basis for treasure to be there. If your 
  players truly enjoy scraping, you can decide 
  when and where to lay additional treasure 
  and what means are needed to collect it or 
  carry it back to town. (You can often 
  recognize a scraping party by the mules or 
  wagons they bring to the dungeon, intending 
  to haul away even the cheap, goblin-made 
  furniture.) 
  If you wish to discourage scraping, do not 
  reward searching random locations at all, let 
  alone provide gains from the treasure chart. 
  (And make sure that local merchants have no 
  desire to buy things like battered equipment, 
  used furniture, or chunks of wolf meat.) 
  Conversely, where a thorough search is a 
  rational activity, perhaps in response to clues, 
  feel free to reward the characters with 
  something valuable. As a quick guide, a find of 
  incidental treasure should be no more 
  valuable than the level-appropriate Wealth 
  rating on the Treasure Bundles table, above. 
  This deviation from the treasure chart 
  rewards successful rolling and proper 
  interpretation of environmental signals. But it 
  should not be successful very often. (Nor 
  should permanent magic items be awarded so 
  fickly.) 
  Stealing. Like scraping, stealing is an 
  activity traditionally encouraged through the 
  various editions of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. But 
  unless the game’s focus is something like 
  membership in a thieves’ guild, it is also one 
  that distracts from the game and defies the 
  Dungeon Master’s usual plan for treasure. 
  Stealing often takes the form of 
  pickpocketing. A random person’s incidental 
  possessions should rarely include more than 
  a few silver pieces in a “purse” (a tiny pouch 
  with no weight or value of its own). Purses 
  should also include random tidbits like a 
  handful of ammunition pieces, a few small 
  mundane items, personal letters, or anything 
  else likely to be found in pockets. Roll on the 
  trinket tables in the Player’s Handbook or the 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual for 
  additional inspirations. (Picking every pocket 
  in the market is another form of scraping.) 
  Stealing becomes problematic when the 
  plunder is an important magic item. 
  Sometimes a powerful NPC ally will possess a 
  legendary magic item, one you did not intend 
  the characters to possess. Or perhaps an 
  important temple houses some powerful 
  religious relic in its halls, the pride of the 
  whole city. However, against all odds, through 
  a series of clever, lucky, or brutal maneuvers, 
  the characters manage to take the magic item. 
  If the item can be kept by the party without 
  being too disruptive or unbalancing, the DM 
  should strike a magic item of the same rarity 
  from a later position on the treasure chart. If 
  it is unbalancing or maybe just because it is of 
  a rarity for which the characters are not high 
  
  WEALTH | 37 
  enough level, it can be removed from the 
  party’s grasp using the methods described in 
  the Treasure Losses section. Alternately, the 
  magic item’s powers can be diminished or 
  negated by various quirks or requirements 
  that the party cannot (yet) fulfil. Possessing 
  the item might also attract additional danger 
  comparable to what would be involved with 
  finding such an item in the normal way. 
  If the DM wishes to encourage or reward 
  stealing from NPCs, the DM should feel free to 
  apply no penalties or additional risks due to 
  the players’ daring or ingenuity and let them 
  have their ill-gotten loot as an addition 
  beyond the treasure chart. A good DM will 
  recognize when such an acquisition was a 
  significant and fun part of the story, to be 
  rewarded rather than diminished. 
  Story Treasure. Treasure that the party 
  acquires that is dictated by important story 
  events can sometimes be disruptive to the 
  game. This often happens when utilizing pre-
  made adventures. For example, Curse of Strad 
  provides your party with legendary magic 
  items (albeit weak ones) while they are still 
  within the first two tiers of character power. 
  Some such items are necessary for the 
  advancement of the story, but the characters 
  might be left over-powered if they play those 
  same characters beyond the end of the 
  adventure. 
  As with stolen magic items, if the item is of 
  a rarity for which the characters are not high 
  enough level, it can be removed from the 
  party’s grasp using the methods described 
  later or the magic item’s powers can be 
  diminished or negated when its story-need 
  has concluded. If the item is not too 
  disruptive or unbalancing for the party to 
  keep, the DM should simply strike a magic 
  item of the same rarity from a later position 
  on the treasure chart. In this way, certain 
  unique magic items, particularly weapons, 
  can become “signature” items for characters, 
  carried the rest of their careers. 
  When the story treasure is a massive 
  amount of wealth, perhaps because the 
  characters recovered the king’s stolen 
  treasure but then kept it for themselves, it is 
  best to use a couple of the treasure loss 
  techniques described below before eventually 
  striking enough of the treasure chart’s lower 
  wealth bundles to get the characters’ treasure 
  back toward the baseline. Of course, if some 
  imbalance was particularly earned due to 
  clever play, feel free to allow the characters to 
  keep a greater measure of it. Whatever the 
  case, wealth reductions toward the baseline 
  should be spread out over time, perhaps 
  several levels, so as not to create the 
  impression of “balancing” or invalidating the 
  party’s victories. 
  Sometimes the characters get too much 
  treasure; for whatever reason, they end up 
  with a great surplus of wealth or magic items. 
  This section talks about simple, organic ways 
  to diminish a too-potent advantage on the 
  treasure front. It also talks about reducing 
  baseline treasure rewards based on party 
  failures. 
  The first question the DM must ask is 
  whether the excess treasure should be 
  removed or left in place. The game is 
  designed so that a surplus of magic items will 
  not break it. (The balance will not break 
  down within a certain range of magic item 
  distribution.) This resilience allows the 5th 
  Edition to boast that a DM can fairly apply her 
  own rate of magic item distribution, although 
  that claim fails when the rate goes above or 
  below certain points. 
  Likewise, having essentially nothing to 
  spend excess wealth on in the core rules 
  means that character power is not disrupted 
  by too much treasure. (Even when magic 
  
  38  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  items can be purchased, the costs and item 
  availability are explicitly DM-controlled.) 
  Moreover, the problem of magic items isn’t 
  always too many, it’s often the wrong 
  combination. Certain of the game’s balancing 
  points can be thrown off with the wrong 
  equipment. (Some of these the DM will not 
  notice until the characters already have the 
  wrong combination in-hand, thus these rules 
  address diminishing previously-given 
  rewards.) 
  Particularly treacherous terrain includes 
  any items that give numerical bonuses. Armor 
  Class ratings, to-hit bonuses, saving throw 
  modifiers, and DCs for all types of rolls are 
  carefully balanced within this edition. Most 
  vulnerable to disruptive unbalancing is the 
  bounded Armor Class of the 5th Edition. A 
  character wearing armor +3 (legendary) and 
  using a shield +3 (very rare) can have an 
  Armor Class as high as 26. Throw on a ring of 
  protection (rare) and a cloak of protection 
  (uncommon), and the value jumps to 28. This 
  doesn’t count additional character-specific 
  features like the Defense Fighting Style or a 
  shield of faith spell. 
  If the Dungeon Master allowed the party to 
  get these items, perhaps believing that the 
  players would spread out the wealth instead 
  of putting everything on their “tank-like” 
  fighter, this might be a time to employ some 
  treasure loss mechanisms to restore the 
  balance of the bounded accuracy system. 
  However, if different characters each wore 
  only one of the items, the effect of too many 
  items (or too-powerful items) might not be 
  unbalancing and might not call for any magic 
  item removal. These analyses tend to be fact-
  specific and cannot all be avoided by DM 
  foresight. 
  When deciding whether existing treasure 
  should be reduced, one of the most important 
  questions to ask is whether it has made other 
  treasures worthless. Having the legendary 
  sword means the fighter no longer cares 
  about most other magic items. If she has 17 
  more levels of advancement ahead of her in 
  the campaign, that can be disincentivizing. 
  Likewise, having a vault of endless gold 
  means that characters lose all sense of 
  material worth, putting them out of touch 
  with how the rest of the world operates and 
  approaches problems. These issues rob the 
  DM of important character motivators, the 
  enticement of future gains and the 
  satisfaction that comes with achieving them. 
  Earned Deficits. The other techniques in 
  this list are used to remove treasure that was 
  improvidently rewarded. But this technique is 
  different. It exists because of the notion that 
  treasure bundles and magic item finds are not 
  guaranteed rewards. The treasure chart exists 
  so the DM doesn’t have to continually 
  calculate the balance of existing treasure in 
  the party each time she goes to distribute 
  new treasure. (Doing that would also 
  discount the times where players earned the 
  right to have less or more treasure than 
  expected.) Nothing says the characters must 
  accrue everything on the chart. When the 
  characters operate particularly poorly, miss 
  multiple or obvious clues, or simply refuse to 
  correctly perform the tasks that would 
  otherwise be rewarded, the DM should feel 
  free to reduce the value of a bundle, or to 
  strike off a whole bundle or magic item 
  instead of distributing it. 
  For example, the characters agree to bust a 
  ring of bandits operating out of the nearby 
  forest. They discover that the mayor has been 
  in on the operation the whole time, tipping off 
  the bandits and collecting half of their take. 
  Fearing political reprisal, the characters 
  decide not to confront the mayor, despite 
  their good alignments. The town is safe again 
  (and experience points or milestones thus 
  
  WEALTH | 39 
  earned) but the party does not get the cut of 
  ill-gotten plunder that the mayor stored in his 
  basement. The DM strikes a whole bundle of 
  gold coins from the treasure chart for that 
  level. 
  Foregoing treasure can often come with 
  other rewards. Sometimes a gain of 
  reputation or influence might occur instead of 
  treasure bundles. If the bandit-busting party 
  reported the mayor to the religious 
  authorities and left them the simple task of 
  bringing the mayor to justice (and collecting 
  his ill-gotten gains), the characters might find 
  themselves in the favor of that temple despite 
  being poorer than the DM expected. If the 
  party did nothing about the mayor, the mayor 
  may see them as potential allies who are 
  owed an important favor. See the 
  Nonmaterial Assets section of chapter 1 for 
  more ideas about the value of such rewards. 
  Importantly, poor results on Wisdom 
  (Perception) check or Dexterity check using 
  thieves’ tools, the failure to decipher a 
  treasure map, or other disasters of the dice 
  might also lead to the reduction of a treasure 
  bundle. It is important to enforce that the 
  characters’ own successes and failures are 
  what drives their rewards, and to let players 
  know that such rolls are not meaningless. 
  However, luck-based results (poor rolling) 
  should not be used too frequently or to 
  reduce treasure too much. It is usually better 
  to reward good rolls than punish bad ones. 
  This reduction is best restricted to the 
  mundane value of wealth bundles—the 
  extreme step of striking off a permanent 
  magic item should be based on player 
  decisions rather than a few die rolls. 
  Chart Balance. The easiest way to balance 
  having given out excess treasure, whether 
  intentional or unintentional, is to simply 
  mark off an equal value of gains for later 
  levels from your treasure chart. Did the 
  players get an extra magic item because they 
  let an NPC ally die in battle, hoping to get his 
  enchanted armor off him? Simply mark off the 
  next magic item the party would have found 
  of the equivalent rarity. In this way, keeping a 
  treasure chart is an incredibly useful system, 
  not just to distribute treasure in a balanced 
  way, but to cure imbalances that naturally 
  occur. Without a point of reference, a DM will 
  find that it is nearly impossible to keep track 
  and accordingly reduce a treasure award as it 
  is being crafted later. This is particularly easy 
  to do with wealth bundles, since the amount 
  of gold given at each level in the higher tiers 
  is much greater than what is found in the 
  previous tiers. The wealth-to-earned-XP ratio 
  is 50 times higher in the 4th tier than it is in 
  the first! 
  Chart balancing is a great way to use 
  published adventure modules designed by 
  others. Instead of changing where magic 
  items are found, or changing the treasure 
  these adventures award, the DM can maintain 
  balance by simply crossing off equivalent 
  wealth and magic items from the treasure 
  chart. Only when the chart is being fully 
  depleted at its levels will the DM need to 
  reign in what the published adventure is 
  providing. Likewise, an adventure that gives 
  too little treasure will be evident by the 
  remaining wealth and magic items on the 
  treasure chart. If this is the case, the DM can 
  easily add in some or all the leftovers from 
  the chart to keep things fair, particularly if the 
  party is playing well. 
  This technique is also appropriate if a 
  player character dies, leaving her equipment 
  to the party. Either the replacement character 
  should come in with no equipment, trusting 
  the new party to equip her, or it should come 
  in fully-equipped and the old character’s gear 
  should be divided up, its value offset by 
  striking equivalent treasure from later in the 
  
  40  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  chart. This prevents a series of new 
  characters from being an endless source of 
  additional wealth and magic items for the 
  party. 
  Chart balancing, striking later rewards off 
  the treasure chart, only works if excess 
  treasure has not yet become a problem. A 
  reduction later is often enough to take care of 
  a similar increase now, but sometimes the DM 
  must take more immediate balancing actions. 
  This is particularly true when a glut of 
  treasure is demotivating the players. 
  Diminished Magic. A quick-and-easy way 
  to reduce the excess of magic items or the 
  power of magic items held by characters of 
  too low levels, is to reduce the power of the 
  item. 
  For example, the party destroys Count 
  Strahd von Zarovich and escapes Barovia (see 
  the Curse of Strahd adventure book). Now 
  they have a handful of legendary items, which 
  rarity they should not be using for another 7 
  to 10 levels. The DM can reduce the power of 
  these items to bring them in line with rare 
  magic items (they’re already very close, much 
  lower in power than standard legendary 
  items), saying that their legendary powers 
  were tied to the realm they were found in. 
  This works for almost all legendary magic 
  items (and artifacts) that are story-provided, 
  and it also works for items acquired in other 
  ways. 
  Incompatibility is another way to reduce 
  magic item power, particularly items that give 
  numerical bonuses. If the party in our Armor 
  Class-stacking example above surprised the 
  DM by putting all the magic items on one 
  character, it is a simple matter to rule that the 
  bonuses provided by these items (or all magic 
  items) are not cumulative. “Incompatibility” 
  can also apply between an item and a certain 
  character who wants to use it. Perhaps an 
  NPC’s artifact only works for members of her 
  bloodline, thus foiling the characters’ 
  dastardly intentions for it. 
  Adding new power to an item seems 
  counter-productive to this goal, but it can 
  work. If the new magic necklace turns out to 
  be sentient, and it won’t let its powers 
  function under many circumstances, the DM 
  is positioned to allow or prevent 
  overpowered effects on a case-by-case basis. 
  Similarly, a character might discover that 
  certain powers or numeric plus-ratings of a 
  magic item will only function for characters of 
  a specific power level, reputation, religious 
  rank, or other mutable restricting factor. This 
  can bring the item back into balance and 
  allow the item to grow in power as the 
  character grows to be worthy of it. 
  If the question is one of too many magic 
  items, hidden curses or side-effects (like the 
  Possessive special feature), can work to 
  diminish the owning character’s inventory of 
  other magic items. Perhaps one item 
  demands the periodic consumption of 
  essentia or the sacrifice of other magical items 
  and will lose its power if the owner does not 
  comply. 
  The Tax. Taxation, guild dues, upkeep costs 
  for fortifications and similar properties, the 
  cost of diamonds to raise trusted retainers 
  from the dead, and other unexpected 
  expenses can serve to diminish unintended 
  excesses of party wealth. 
  Such direct methods should be used 
  carefully. Players will notice if these costs 
  come due exactly when they get their excess 
  treasure. It is usually better to have a debt 
  growing or simmering in the background just 
  in case of such an error, a debt that can keep 
  getting put off until the characters find 
  themselves with too much wealth. Then, 
  having heard of their amazing good fortune, 
  the debt holder suddenly decides to press her 
  claim and pressure the characters to settle 
  
  WEALTH | 41 
  the debt now, even in part. Perhaps the bank 
  calls in the mortgage on a beloved ally’s farm, 
  and the characters decide to pay the loan. Or 
  perhaps they loan the ally enough to pay the 
  bank, letting the ally yearly pay the party 
  small portions of the loan. By holding such a 
  debt, the characters theoretically still own an 
  asset of the stated amount, but the DM now 
  controls the rate at which the players can 
  access it. 
  Another form of the tax is when the rightful 
  owner of the treasure (or anyone who 
  disputes ownership) comes to collect. If an 
  item was stolen from an NPC (or taken from 
  an allied NPC’s corpse after a battle), the 
  item’s true owner or the NPC’s heirs might 
  come looking for it, and they might enlist the 
  aid of local authorities to enforce their claim. 
  If the party found great wealth in the bandit 
  camp, the clergy might press them to 
  distribute a certain amount back to the local 
  peasants from which it was originally stolen, 
  and failure to do so might earn a reputation 
  as just another band of thieves, hunted or 
  hassled by the authorities. 
  When reducing wealth this way, never 
  make the taxed amount the same as the 
  treasure the party just found; doing that 
  makes it look like they never actually found 
  anything, and it degrades the sense of agency 
  and reward that most players desire. 
  The Trade. With this option, the characters 
  participate in their own reduction of treasure. 
  Once the characters accrue too much wealth, 
  or a valuable magic item, a commercial 
  opportunity shows itself that wasn’t 
  previously available. 
  Too much gold? Well, that ship the party 
  wanted as a home base just happened to go 
  on sale. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, 
  and the characters can convert their wealth 
  into something that isn’t overpowering them 
  and doesn’t diminish their desire for future 
  treasure. In fact, the ship might need 
  additional repairs and upkeep, motivating 
  additional adventuring! 
  When converting wealth to magic items or 
  vice versa, the opportunity that presents itself 
  often comes at a steep price. The wizard that 
  can cast the enchant magic item spell, 
  described in the Enchantment chapter, wants 
  a steep fee in addition to the material costs. 
  It’s a small price to pay since he’s the only one 
  who knows how to make this special magic 
  item. This might mean double or triple the 
  standard price for an equivalent magic item. 
  Likewise, the young noblewoman willing to 
  pay good money for that unbalancing magic 
  item, despite its now-evident flaws, only 
  wants to put the item in a museum. She’s not 
  worried about the item’s curse, but she’s not 
  going to pay the full price because of it. She 
  knows no one else wants to buy. 
  The simplest form of the trade is 
  exchanging an item for cold, hard cash. You 
  can reduce the value of an item at its sale 
  point by limiting the number of people willing 
  to pay full price. An object of art that has no 
  use except for its sale value might only get 
  offers for half its worth, or even less. The 
  players are left to decide if they want cash or 
  if they want to hold on to it, waiting for a 
  better buyer. And while they’re holding the 
  item, its value is not disrupting the economy 
  of your game. 
  DM Confession. This method of treasure 
  removal is a common one. Most players will 
  understand if the DM admits that the treasure 
  award had a negative impact on the game and 
  informs the players that some changes will be 
  made. Many players will have already noticed 
  they are receiving an unfair advantage if their 
  characters have something too potent. Most 
  players prefer a balanced game (although 
  some will not). 
  
  42  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  After a DM confession, the Dungeon Master 
  can simply remove the item from play with no 
  in-game explanation, or she can employ one 
  of the other techniques described on this list, 
  using the DM confession to reduce any sense 
  of arbitrary punishment the players might 
  feel because of the loss. 
  A DM confession is not a necessary tool. But 
  it is a useful one, particularly for new DMs 
  with understanding players. Even if a DM 
  uses a removal technique with no 
  explanation, preferring to keep it “organic,” 
  she can later employ a DM confession if the 
  players complain that the loss was 
  orchestrated to depower the party. 
  A great deal of an adventuring party’s wealth 
  lies in its magic items. Keeping close track of 
  wealth means keeping close track of magic 
  item values. For this task, a more-precise 
  system of valuing magic item is needed. 
  This section assigns specific prices to each 
  magic item that comes from official 5th 
  Edition game materials to-date. This 
  information helps you, the Dungeon Master, 
  value treasure for safe distribution rates. If 
  your campaign allows such things, exact 
  pricing helps you manage the sale and 
  purchase of magic items, as well as trades or 
  closed-loop systems like those described in 
  the next chapter. 
  Each magic item fits into a broad valuation 
  category. The table below combines two 
  tables found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, 
  providing the general power level, costs, and 
  restrictions on items of each type. The 
  bracketed values are inferred from other 
  pages of that book. 
  Artifacts are an exception; no prices are 
  assigned here or in the official materials. 
  Artifacts should enter the game for story 
  reasons and have a limited function outside of 
  story-based applications. They should also 
  spend limited time in players’ hands. 
  A magic item’s price does not normally 
  fluctuate. The fact that price ranges are used 
  allows you to set the price of items and to 
  differentiate them within the same rarity. 
  When using the set prices here, you can use 
  static adjustments to modify those prices for 
  various value factors. 
  To keep things simple, ignore the mundane 
  value of an item that bears an enchantment if 
  its mundane value is 50 gp or less. If the 
  mundane value is higher, add it to the magic 
  item’s total value. 
   
   
   
   
   
  RARITY, VALUE, AND POWER 
  Maximum 
  Bonus 
  Maximum 
  Spell Level 
  Minimum 
  Character 
  Rarity 
  Rating 
  Value Range 
  Common (CO) 
  Minor 
  [1] – 100 gp 
  – 
  1st level 
  1st level 
  Uncommon (UN) 
  Major or minor 
  101 – 500 gp 
  +1 
  3rd level 
  1st level 
  Rare (RA) 
  Major or minor 
  501 – 5,000 gp 
  +2 
  6th level 
  5th level 
  Very Rare (VR) 
  Major or minor 
  5,001 – 50,000 gp 
  +3 
  8th level 
  11th level 
  Legendary (LE) 
  Major or minor 
  50,001 – [500,000] gp 
  +4 
  9th level 
  17th level 
  Artifact (AR) 
  Major 
  N/A 
  +4 
  9th level 
  N/A 
  
  WEALTH | 43 
   
  POWER AND VALUATION, A TALE OF TWO SYSTEMS 
  The 5th Edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has two systems for rating magic items’ power and value. 
  Item Rarity. The first system is found in the Magic Item Rarity Table on page 135 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. The rarities are “common,” “uncommon,” “rare,” “very rare,” and 
  “legendary,” with “artifact” items falling outside the scale. These ratings are accompanied by 
  suggested value ranges that increase with rarity. 
  As the Dungeon Master’s Guide notes, rarity provides only “a rough measure of an item’s power 
  relative to other magic items.” This acknowledges that some items’ ratings are inharmonious 
  with their power levels. Sometimes, this seems to happen accidentally, like the flame tongue and 
  frost brand swords which, based on their relative power, seem to have swapped their applicable 
  rarity categories. At other times, rarity distinguishes variations of a single item, despite each 
  variant lacking mechanics-related justification to fit it into multiple rarity categories. Examples 
  here include horns of Valhalla and potions of giant strength, the varieties of each of which are 
  close in power to one another. 
  Another example of “rough” measuring in this system, the DMG also provides that single-use 
  items should be priced at half of what a permanent version would cost. A belt of storm giant 
  strength, which will affect every battle for the rest of the campaign, is valued the same as two 
  potions of storm giant strength, which will probably affect only two encounters. 
  Table Rank. The second system is hidden in the stratification of the nine Magic Item Tables on 
  pages 144-149 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Magic item power is ranked alphabetically across 
  these nine tables, and it is divided into “minor” and “major” categories. 
  “Minor” magic items are those found on the first five Magic Item Tables (A – E). In essence, they 
  are consumable magic items of any rarity rating, plus all permanent common-rated items and a 
  handful of uncommon-rated items of very low power. “Major” magic items are found on the last 
  four Magic Item Tables (F – I). These are permanent items rated uncommon or rarer. 
  Table ranks show magic item potency in a progressive spread. Each table contains similarly-
  powerful items, despite many of those items having different rarity ratings. This reminds us that 
  power and rarity are not exactly equivalent. For example, a suit of +1 leather armor and a suit of 
  +1 plate armor have the same rarity, but their different table rank denotes a difference in value. 
  For major magic items, the table rank system only provides four tables, and thus four rankings 
  of relative power, a system that does not lend itself to nuance in pricing. 
  Using Both. The prices in this product’s tables were established by a complex feature-rating 
  mechanism that uses both systems. It rates items’ values relative to one another, like a more-
  nuanced version of the table ranking system. It is this nuance that allows individualized item 
  prices to have meaning. These tables further incorporate the item rarity system by using its 
  suggested price ranges as a baseline for the value scale. Only a handful of items fall outside the 
  suggested price range based on their rarities, as explained on the next page. 
  If the prices on this chapter’s tables seem low to you, it is probably because you abandoned the 
  wealth scale in the Dungeon Master’s Guide in favor of something like the previous editions, and 
  you should therefore adjust costs to match what is normal in your campaign. 
   
   
   
  
  44  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
  VALUE RANGE DEVIATIONS, FURTHER EXPLANATIONS 
  Deviations in price-to-rarity occur because these values track primarily to the usefulness of items 
  relative to one another. There is no way to make such prices fall within their suggested value 
  ranges in every single case. 
  For example, some items have identical or near-identical effects. The horn of Valhalla comes in 
  three rarities. All versions summon berserkers (CR 2 creatures) but in slightly different 
  quantities. Each progressively-more potent horn simply summons, on average, three more 
  berserkers at a time. Because the effects are so similar, these items have similar costs, despite 
  being spread across the rare, very rare, and legendary item categories. 
  The range-deviation problem particularly applies to legendary magic items. Although most 
  come close, very few of these incredibly-scarce items have powers sufficient to justify costing 
  over 50,000 gp. Many are comparable in power only to rare or very rare items. For example, the 
  legendary ring of invisibility only duplicates a 2nd-level spell, despite being usable by non-
  spellcasters and having an unlimited number of (self-applicable) uses per day. Based on all 
  factors, the ring is in the legendary item category but priced at only 1,100 gp, not 50,000+ gp. 
  In the opposite direction, some items’ powers are too potent to fit the value of their rarity 
  categories. For example, uncommon magic items typically provide only a small (+1 or +2) 
  numerical advantage to one or two types of rolls. However, the uncommon gauntlets of ogre 
  power can far-exceed this, situationally granting up to +6 or higher, and doing so for every roll 
  that includes Strength, not just attacks. Such items must rationally exceed the suggested value 
  ranges set by their rarity categories. 
  The ring of invisibility illustrates how spell-duplication, a common function of magic items, 
  frequently fosters price deviation from the suggested value for each rarity rating. Items that 
  duplicate spell effects, or allow the user to cast spells, are costed based on the level of the spell, 
  the number of times the effect is usable per day, any restrictions on who can use it, any 
  enhancement or reduction of the effect compared to the standard spell, whether there is a 
  particularly-high saving throw DC, and several other factors. These factors are applied 
  consistently across all items to give uniform costs relative to actual spell value, meaning that 
  spell-duplicating items have deviated costs more often than other items, although there are still 
  relatively few instances of price deviations overall.  
  Where price falls outside the suggested ranges of their rarity ratings, rarity still functions in its 
  literal sense, to make some items rarer than others. The legendary iron horn of Valhalla remains 
  much rarer than the uncommon silver horn of Valhalla, and it shouldn’t normally be accessible to 
  the player characters until they reach 17th level. (If you are using the treasure hoard mechanisms 
  of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, you don’t need to make any adjustments to random treasure.)  
  Rarity ratings (and their level restrictions) continue to play an important role in power balance. 
  Look at the cloak of protection and the ring of protection, which fall into different rarity 
  categories. Even though the items have similar effects, the fact that one object is rarer than the 
  other serves to keep the party from acquiring and combining both items until they can access the 
  higher-level rarity category. In another example, a character may acquire a +1 shield before a suit 
  of +1 armor, preventing these cumulative pluses from applying at 1st level. 
   
  
  WEALTH | 45 
  Most special features are so useful or potent 
  as to be worth an increase in cost. If a magic 
  item has additional powers or benefits that 
  are not represented in these rules, the 
  Dungeon Master should feel free to modify 
  the overall value of the magic item to suit. 
  An otherwise-mundane item that has only 
  special features is a common-rated magic 
  item. It keeps this rating, even if it has 
  multiple minor properties that would bring 
  its value over 100 gp. 
  A non-consumable magic item that has only 
  special features has a minimum value of 50 
  gp, even if its balance of quirks would reduce 
  its value below that point. 
  Specific Costs. The tables of minor 
  properties and quirks in Wraith Wrights’ 
  Expanded Special Features Manual itemize the 
  value of such special features. If you do not 
  use that manual, the following paragraphs 
  suggest price variances for the smaller set of 
  features found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  For minor properties, try adding 50 gp for 
  beacon, compass, delver, gleaming, hidden 
  message, song craft, strange material, 
  temperate, waterborne, and war leader, or 
  100 gp for harmonious, guardian, illusion, 
  language, sentinel, and unbreakable. 
  For quirks, subtract 50 gp for covetous, 
  hungry, frail, loud, metamorphic, muttering, 
  and slothful, or 100 gp for blissful or 
  possessive. 
  Sentience alone does not increase the value of 
  a magic item; although having an extra set of 
  “eyes” (or other senses) to keep watch at 
  night can be valuable, the potential for 
  conflicts more than makes up for the added 
  value. However, if the sentience has some 
  additional power that can be brought to the 
  wielder’s aid, the Dungeon Master should feel 
  free to modify the item’s value accordingly. 
  For spell scroll costs, add the value of any 
  costly material components that the spell 
  needs, whether consumable or otherwise. 
  These components are “baked in” to the scroll 
  at creation so that the spellcaster does not 
  need them on hand to use the scroll. 
  The tables below set base prices for each 
  standard magic item, to be modified as 
  described above. Each table, sometimes split 
  across multiple pages, addresses one rarity. 
  Some 5th Edition adventures have examples 
  of exact values for certain magic items. 
  However, these are not meant to be “true” 
  values; they are examples for use in specific 
  contexts. We can say this for certain because 
  these examples conflict with one another, 
  with the values in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, 
  and even with values used in Adventure 
  League games, where league rules are set by 
  officials with inside knowledge of the system. 
  As a result, it is best not to rely on price 
  examples from adventures. 
  Instead, the following prices are pegged to 
  functionality and work within the original 
  ranges given in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  These costs are internally consistent with one 
  another. Therefore, when using a closed-loop 
  system for magic items, their costs remain 
  reasonable regardless of the amount of gold a 
  party has. (See the next chapter for details on 
  a closed-loop magic item system.) 
  In the following tables, letter notations refer 
  to source books as follows: 
   
  
  46  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Curse of Strahd [CoS], Guildmaster’s Guide to 
  Ravnica [GGR], Hoard of the Dragon Queen 
  [HDQ], Lost Mines of Phandelver [LMP], 
  Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes [MTF], Out of 
  the Abyss [OotA], Prince of the Apocalypse 
  [PotA], The Rise of Tiamat [TRT], Tales of the 
  Yawning Portal [TYP], Tomb of Annihilation 
  [ToA], Volo’s Guide to Monsters [VGM], 
  Waterdeep Dragon Heist [WDH], Waterdeep 
  Dungeon of the Mad Mage [DMM], 
  Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron [WGE], 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything [XGE]. 
   
  An item without a listed source comes from 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Consumable items are minor-rated. If a 
  non-consumable magic item is noted with an 
  asterisk (*), it is also a minor-rated item. 
  CONSUMABLE MAGIC ITEMS (PART 1) 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Common 
   
   
     Storm boomerang PotA 
  65 gp 
     Ammunition of walloping XGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Rare 
   
     Bead of nourishment XGE 
  6 gp 
   
     Ammunition, +2 
  250 gp 
     Bead of refreshment XGE 
  2 gp 
   
     Bead of force 
  500 gp 
     Candle of the deep XGE 
  1 gp 
   
     Elixir of health 
  150 gp 
     Moodmark paint GGR 
  5 gp 
   
     Necklace of fireballs 
  270 gp per bead 
     Perfume of bewitching XGE 
  50 gp 
   
     Oil of etherealness 
  1,500 gp 
     Pot of awakening XGE 
  25 gp 
   
     Potion of clairvoyance 
  150 gp 
     Spell scroll, cantrip 
  10+ gp 
   
     Potion of diminution 
  100 gp 
     Spell scroll, 1st-level 
  25+ gp 
   
     Potion of giant strength, fire 
  500 gp 
     Unbreakable ammunition XGE 
   5 gp 
   
     Potion of giant strength, frost 
  200 gp 
  Uncommon 
   
   
     Potion of giant strength, stone 
  200 gp 
     Ammunition, +1 
  25 gp 
   
     Potion of gaseous form 
  150 gp 
     Bottled breath PotA 
  160 gp 
   
     Potion of heroism 
  200 gp 
     Dust of disappearance 
  30 gp per use 
   
     Potion of invulnerability 
  1,500 gp 
     Dust of dryness 
  75 gp per use 
   
     Potion of mind control, beast TYP 
  640 gp 
     Dust of sneezing and choking 
  110 gp per use 
   
     Potion of mind control, humanoid TYP 
  1,000 gp 
     Keoghtom’s ointment 
  200 gp per use 
   
     Potion of mind reading 
  100 gp 
     Oil of slipperiness 
  150 gp 
   
     Potion of superior healing 
  500 gp 
     Philter of love 
  75 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, anchor 
  200 gp 
     Potion of animal friendship 
  75 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, bird 
  270 gp 
     Potion of fire breath 
  100 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, fan 
  110 gp 
     Potion of greater healing 
  150 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, swan boat 
  165 gp 
     Potion of giant strength, hill 
  150 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, tree 
  75 gp 
     Potion of growth 
  100 gp 
   
     Quaal’s feather token, whip 
  110 gp 
     Potion of poison 
  150 gp 
   
     Scroll of protection, any 
  250 gp 
     Potion of resistance 
  150 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 4th-level 
  320+ gp 
     Potion of water breathing 
  150 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 5th-level 
  500+ gp 
     Seeker dart 
  55 gp 
   
  Very Rare 
   
     Smokepowder WDH 
  1 gp per charge 
   
     Ammunition, +3 
  2,500 gp 
     Spell scroll, 2nd-level 
  55+ gp 
   
     Arrow of slaying, any 
  7,505 gp 
     Spell scroll, 3rd-level 
  135+ gp 
   
     Candle of invocation 
  550 gp 
  
  WEALTH | 47 
  CONSUMABLE MAGIC ITEMS (PART 2) 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
     Nolzur’s marvelous pigments 
  525 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 6th-level 
  1,800+ gp 
     Oil of sharpness 
  2,600 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 7th-level 
  2,100+ gp 
     Potion of flying 
  1350 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 8th-level 
  3,600+ gp 
     Potion of giant strength, cloud 
  550 gp 
   
  Legendary 
   
     Potion of invisibility 
  210 gp 
   
     Potion of giant size SKT 
  7,600 gp 
     Potion of longevity 
  4,800 gp 
   
     Potion of giant strength, storm 
  950 gp 
     Potion of mind control, monster TYP 
  7,200 gp 
   
     Sovereign glue 
  1,000 gp 
     Potion of speed 
  370 gp 
   
     Spell scroll, 9th-level 
  8,100+ gp 
     Potion of supreme healing 
  950 gp 
   
     Universal solvent 
  1,000 gp 
     Potion of vitality 
  1,100 gp 
   
   
   
   
   
  COMMON MAGIC ITEMS 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Arcane focus, imbued wood WGE 
  50 gp 
   
  Lock of trickery XGE 
  30 gp 
  Armblade WGE 
  25 gp 
   
  Moontouched sword XGE 
  20 gp 
  Armor of gleaming XGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Mystery key XGE 
  20 gp 
  Band of loyalty WGE 
  100 gp 
   
  Orb of direction XGE 
  15 gp 
  Boots of false tracks XGE 
  50 gp 
   
  Orb of gonging DMM 
  25 gp 
  Cast-off armor XGE 
  100 gp 
   
  Orb of shielding WGE 
  100 gp 
  Charlatan’s die XGE 
  75 gp 
   
  Orb of time XGE 
  10 gp 
  Chest of preserving DMM 
  45 gp 
   
  Pipe of smoke monsters XGE 
  35 gp 
  Cleansing stone WGE 
  25 gp 
   
  Pole of angling XGE 
  35 gp 
  Cloak of billowing XGE 
  25 gp 
   
  Pole of collapsing XGE 
  50 gp 
  Cloak of many fashions XGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Rope of mending XGE 
  55 gp 
  Clockwork amulet XGE 
  100 gp 
   
  Ruby of the war mage XGE 
  100 gp 
  Clothes of mending XGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Scribe’s pen WGE 
  15 gp 
  Dark shard amulet XGE 
  75 gp 
   
  Shield of expression XGE 
  15 gp 
  Dread helm XGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Shiftweave WGE 
  25 gp 
  Ear horn of hearing XGE 
  50 gp 
   
  Smoldering armor XGE 
  15 gp 
  Enduring spellbook XGE 
  35 gp 
   
  Spellshard WGE 
  1 gp per “page” 
  Ersatz eye XGE 
  25 gp 
   
  Staff of adornment XGE 
  35 gp 
  Everbright lantern WGE 
  50 gp 
   
  Staff of birdcalls XGE 
  50 gp 
  Feather token WGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Staff of flowers XGE 
  35 gp 
  Glamerweave WGE 
  25 gp 
   
  Talking doll XGE 
  70 gp 
  Hat of vermin XGE 
  35 gp 
   
  Tankard of sobriety XGE 
  25 gp 
  Hat of wizardry XGE 
  75 gp 
   
  Veteran’s cane XGE 
  55 gp 
  Heward’s handy spice pouch XGE 
  20 gp 
   
  Wand of conducting XGE 
  75 gp 
  Horn of silent alarm XGE 
  40 gp 
   
  Wand of pyrotechnics XGE 
  25 gp 
  Instrument of illusions XGE 
  65 gp 
   
  Wand of scowls XGE 
  50 gp 
  Instrument of scribing XGE 
  55 gp 
   
  Wand of smiles XGE 
  50 gp 
  Keycharm WGE 
  15 gp 
   
  Wand sheath WGE 
  25 gp 
  
  48  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  UNCOMMON MAGIC ITEMS 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Adamantine armor 
  300 gp 
   
  Immovable rod* 
  175 gp 
  Alchemy jug* 
  125 gp 
   
  Inquisitive’s goggle’s WGE 
  310 gp 
  Amulet of proof against detection and location 
  350 gp 
   
  Insignia of claws HDQ 
  400 gp 
  Bag of bounty WGE 
  275 gp 
   
  Instrument of the bard 
   
  Bag of holding* 
  400 gp 
   
     Doss lute 
  900 gp 
  Bag of tricks 
  425 gp 
   
     Fochlucan bandore 
  570 gp 
  Balance of harmony TYP 
  100 gp 
   
     Mac-Fuirmidh cittern 
  560 gp 
  Balloon pack PotA 
  30 gp 
   
  Javelin of lightning 
  160 gp 
  Blood spear CoS 
  410 gp 
   
  Lantern of revealing* 
  220 gp 
  Boots of elvenkind 
  115 gp 
   
  Lightbringer LMP 
  500 gp 
  Boots of striding and springing 
  105 gp 
   
  Mariner’s armor* 
  150 gp 
  Boots of the winterlands 
  750 gp 
   
  Mask of the beast ToA 
  60 gp 
  Bracers of archery 
  400 gp 
   
  Medallion of thoughts 
  165 gp 
  Brooch of shielding 
  200 gp 
   
  Mind carapace armor VGM 
  1,605 gp 
  Broom of flying 
  1,350 gp 
   
  Mithral armor 
  270 gp 
  Cap of water breathing* 
  250 gp 
   
  Mizzium apparatus 
  500 gp 
  Circlet of blasting 
  110 gp 
   
     (22,500 gp if Multiclassing optional rules are available) 
  Circlet of human perfection DMM 
  275 gp 
   
  Pyroconverger GGR 
  150 gp 
  Cloak of elvenkind 
  165 gp 
   
  Shield, +1 
  225 gp 
  Cloak of protection 
  1,300 gp 
   
  Skyblinder staff GGR 
  490 gp 
  Cloak of the manta ray* 
  950 gp 
   
  Slippers of spider climbing 
  115 gp 
  Decanter of endless water* 
  435 gp 
   
  Spell gem, obsidian OotA 
  50 gp 
  Deck of illusions 
  7 gp per card 
   
  Spell gem, lazuli OotA 
  100 gp 
  Driftglobe* 
  215 gp 
   
  Speaking stone WGE 
  150 gp 
  Elemental gem 
  1,000 gp 
   
  Spies' murmer GGR 
  475 gp 
  Eversmoking bottle 
  250 gp 
   
  Staff of the adder 
  350 gp 
  Eyes of charming 
  60 gp 
   
  Staff of the python 
  250 gp 
  Eyes of minute seeing* 
  100 gp 
   
  Stone of good luck (luckstone) 
  1,500 gp 
  Eyes of the eagle 
  150 gp 
   
  Wheel of wind and water WGE 
  250 gp 
  Figurine of wondrous power, silver raven 
  55 gp 
   
  Stone of ill luck TYP 
  50 gp 
  Gauntlets of ogre power 
  1,500 gp 
   
  Sword of vengeance 
  450 gp 
  Gem of brightness 
  300 gp 
   
  Trident of fish command 
  530 gp 
  Gloves of missile snaring 
  250 gp 
   
  Wand of entangle TYP 
  225 gp 
  Gloves of swimming and climbing 
  150 gp 
   
  Wand of magic detection* 
  115 gp 
  Gloves of thievery 
  100 gp 
   
  Wand of magic missiles 
  175 gp 
  Goggles of night* 
  220 gp 
   
  Wand of secrets* 
  115 gp 
  Guild keyrune, Rakdos GGR 
  500 gp 
   
  Wand of the war mage, +1 
  350 gp 
  Guild signet GGR 
  60 gp 
   
  Wand of web 
  225 gp 
  Hat of disguise 
  200 gp 
   
  Weapon, +1 
  250 gp 
  Headband of intellect 
  1,500 gp 
   
  Weapon of warning 
  275 gp 
  Helm of comprehending languages* 
  200 gp 
   
  Wind fan 
  110 gp 
  Helm of telepathy 
  1,210 gp 
   
  Winged boots 
  400 gp 
  Hew LMP 
  500 gp 
   
  Wingwear PotA 
  135 gp 
   
  
  WEALTH | 49 
   
  RARE MAGIC ITEMS (PART 1) 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Amulet of health 
  1,500 gp 
   
  Figurine of wondrous power 
   
  Amulet of protection from turning TYP 
  4,600 gp 
   
     Bronze griffon 
  905 gp 
  Armor, +1 
  525 gp 
   
     Ebony fly 
  605 gp 
  Armor of resistance 
  600 gp 
   
     Golden lion 
  1,510 gp 
  Armor of vulnerability 
  4,500 gp 
   
     Ivory goats 
  3,000 gp 
  Arrow-catching shield 
  1,575 gp 
   
     Marble elephant 
  905 gp 
  Badge of the Watch WDH 
  3,500 gp 
   
     Onyx dog 
  505 gp 
  Bag of beans 
  505 gp 
   
     Serpentine owl 
  505 gp 
  Banner of the krig rune SKT 
  4,500 gp 
   
  Flame tongue 
  4,525 gp 
  Belt of dwarvenkind 
  3,545 gp 
   
  Folding boat* 
  840 gp 
  Belt of giant strength, hill giant 
  5,000 gp 
   
  Gavel of the venn rune SKT 
  950 gp 
  Berserker axe 
  1,325 gp 
   
  Gem of seeing 
  1,080 gp 
  Blod stone SKT 
  2,200 gp (+5,000 gp gem) 
   
  Ghost lantern ToA 
  1,200 gp 
  Boots of levitation 
  200 gp 
   
  Giant slayer 
  750 gp 
  Boots of speed 
  550 gp 
   
  Glamoured studded leather 
  725 gp 
  Bowl of commanding water elementals 
  1,000 gp 
   
  Guild Keyrune 
   
  Bracers of defense 
  5,000 gp 
   
   Azorious GGR 
  3,020 gp 
  Bracers of flying daggers WDH 
  1,250 gp 
   
   Boros GGR 
  4,290 gp 
  Brazier of commanding fire elementals 
  1,000 gp 
   
   Gruul GGR 
  2,725 gp 
  Cape of the mountebank 
  640 gp 
   
   Izzet GGR 
  1,500 gp 
  Censer of controlling air elementals 
  1,000 gp 
   
   Orzhov GGR 
  650 gp 
  Chime of opening* 
  550 gp 
   
     Selesnya GGR 
  1,650 gp 
  Claws of the umber hulk PotA 
  3,200 gp 
   
  Gulthias staff CoS 
  560 gp 
  Claw of the wyrm rune SKT 
  4,200 gp 
   
  Hell hound cloak TYP 
  3,250 gp 
  Cloak of displacement 
  3,300 gp 
   
  Helm of teleportation 
  3,150 gp 
  Cloak of the bat 
  3,120 gp 
   
  Heward’s handy haversack* 
  350 gp 
  Cube of force 
  4,200 gp 
   
  Horn of blasting 
  540 gp 
  Daern’s instant fortress 
  4,100 gp 
   
  Horn of Valhalla, brass 
  2,700 gp 
  Dagger of blindsight DMM 
  3,200 gp 
   
  Horn of Valhalla, silver 
  1,890 gp 
  Dagger of venom 
  525 gp 
   
  Horseshoes of speed* 
  550 gp 
  Dimensional shackles 
  2,000 gp 
   
  Instrument of the bard 
   
  Docent WGE 
  3,100 gp 
   
     Canaith mandolin 
  1,094 gp 
  Dodecahedron of doom DMM 
  225 gp 
   
     Cli lyre 
  2,010 gp 
  Dragon slayer 
  1,250 gp 
   
  Ioun stone 
   
  Dragonguard LMP 
  675 gp 
   
     Awareness 
  750 gp 
  Dragontooth dagger TRT 
  5,675 gp 
   
     Protection 
  850 gp 
  Eagle whistle TYP 
  1,350 gp 
   
     Reserve 
  1,000 gp 
  Elven chain 
  625 gp 
   
     Sustenance 
  200 gp 
  Daern’s instant fortress 
  4,100 gp 
   
  Iron bands of Bilarro 
  3,300 gp 
  Feather of diatryma summoning WDH 
  185 gp 
   
  Knave’s Eye Patch WDH 
  525 gp 
   
   
  
  50  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
  RARE MAGIC ITEMS (PART 2) 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Loadstone TYP 
  50 gp (+150 gp gem) 
   
  Rope of entanglement 
  2,200 gp 
  Mace of disruption 
  800 gp 
   
  Saint Markovia’s thighbone CoS 
  650 gp 
  Mace of smiting 
  825 gp 
   
  Scorpion armor ToA 
  850 gp (+1,500 gp plate) 
  Mace of terror 
  860 gp 
   
  Shield, +2 
  2,250 gp 
  Mantle of spell resistance 
  2,500 gp 
   
  Shield of far sight VGM 
  12,200 gp 
  Mind blade VGM 
  4,550 gp 
   
  Shield of missile attraction 
  2,200 gp 
  Mind lash VGM 
  4,500 gp 
   
  Spell gem 
   
  Mirror of the past TYP 
  3,800 gp 
   
     Bloodstone OotA 
  1,350 gp 
  Mizzium armor GGR 
  1,300 gp 
   
     Quartz OotA 
  550 gp 
  Mizzium mortar GGR 
  315 gp 
   
  Spider staff LMP 
  715 gp 
  Necklace of prayer beads 
  0 gp (+beads) 
   
  Staff of charming 
  1,200 gp 
     Bless bead (per bead) 
  +20 gp 
   
  Staff of defense LMP 
  1,100 gp 
     Curing bead (per bead) 
  +110 gp 
   
  Staff of healing 
  1,800 gp 
     Favor bead (per bead) 
  +1,000 gp 
   
  Staff of swarming insects 
  1,890 gp 
     Smiting bead (per bead) 
  +110 gp 
   
  Staff of the woodlands 
  5,000 gp 
     Summons bead (per bead) 
  +2,600 gp 
   
  Staff of withering 
  110 gp 
     Wind walking bead (per bead) 
  +2,600 gp 
   
  Stone of controlling earth elementals 
  1,000 gp 
  Opal of the ild rune SKT 
  2,720 gp 
   
  Stonespeaker crystal OotA 
  550 gp 
  Orb of the stein rune SKT 
  1,070 gp 
   
  Sun blade 
  4,500 gp 
  Pariah's shield GGR 
  2,700 gp 
   
  Sunforger GGR 
  2,770 gp 
  Periapt of proof against poison 
  2,400 gp 
   
  Sword of life stealing 
  1,050 gp 
  Piwafwi of fire resistance OotA 
  705 gp 
   
  Sword of wounding 
  1,450 gp 
  Portable hole* 
  3,000 gp 
   
  Tentacle rod 
  1,100 gp 
  Professor orb DMM 
  1,350 gp 
   
  Vicious weapon 
  275 gp 
  Ring of animal influence 
  950 gp 
   
  Wand of binding 
  1,550 gp 
  Ring of evasion 
  2,700 gp 
   
  Wand of enemy detection 
  770 gp 
  Ring of feather falling 
  75 gp 
   
  Wand of fear 
  950 gp 
  Ring of free action 
  3,200 gp 
   
  Wand of fireballs 
  1,490 gp 
  Ring of protection 
  1,300 gp 
   
  Wand of lightning bolts 
  1,490 gp 
  Ring of resistance 
  600 gp 
   
  Wand of paralysis 
  5,000 gp 
  Ring of spell storing 
  5,000 gp 
   
  Wand of the war mage, +2 
  2,600 gp 
  Ring of the ram 
  810 gp 
   
  Wand of viscid globes OotA 
  3,300 gp 
  Ring of x-ray vision 
  2,400 gp 
   
  Wand of winter HDQ 
  940 gp 
  Robe of eyes 
  1,480 gp 
   
  Wand of wonder 
  810 gp 
  Robe of summer TYP 
  750 gp 
   
  Weapon, +2 
  2,500 gp 
  Rod of rulership 
  600 gp 
   
  Weird tank PotA 
  1,600 gp 
  Rod of the pact keeper, +2 
  3,000 gp 
   
  Wings of flying 
  2,450 gp 
  Rod of the Vonindod SKT 
  550 gp 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  WEALTH | 51 
  VERY RARE MAGIC ITEMS 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Amulet of the black skull ToA 
  7,200 gp 
   
  Lord’s ensemble WDH 
  5,750 gp 
  Amulet of the planes 
  42,000 gp 
   
  Manual of bodily health 
  48,000 gp 
  Animated shield 
  5,250 gp 
   
  Manual of gainful exercise 
  48,000 gp 
  Armor, +2 
  5,250 gp 
   
  Manual of golems 
  6,000 gp 
  Bag of devouring* 
  150 gp 
   
  Manual of quickness of action 
  48,000 gp 
  Belt of giant strength 
   
   
  Mirror of life trapping 
  50,000 gp 
     Fire giant 
  25,000 gp 
   
  Navigation orb SKT 
  35,000 gp 
     Frost giant 
  10,000 gp 
   
  Nine lives stealer 
  38,950 gp 
     Stone giant 
  10,000 gp 
   
  Oathbow 
  8,730 gp 
  Blast scepter DMM 
  6,225 gp 
   
  Pennant of the vind rune SKT 
  610 gp 
  Bracelet of rock magic TYP 
  9,560 gp 
   
  Peregrine mask GGR 
  32,600 gp 
  Carpet of flying 
  5,500 gp 
   
  Ring of regeneration 
  12,000 gp 
  Cloak of arachnida 
  2,400 gp 
   
  Ring of shooting stars 
  1,260 gp 
  Conch of teleportation SKT 
  36,000 gp 
   
  Ring of telekinesis 
  10,000 gp 
  Crystal ball (basic) 
  10,000 gp 
   
  Robe of scintillating colors 
  5,100 gp 
  Dancing sword 
  5,300 gp 
   
  Robe of stars 
  20,140 gp 
  Demon armor 
  325 gp 
   
  Rod of absorption 
  22,000 gp 
  Devastation orb PotA 
  7,200 gp 
   
  Rod of alertness 
  14,900 gp 
  Dragon scale mail 
  5,275 gp 
   
  Rod of security 
  21,000 gp 
  Dwarven plate 
  5,400 gp 
   
  Rod of the pact keeper, +3 
  30,000 gp 
  Dwarven thrower 
  27,950 gp 
   
  Scimitar of speed 
  7,750 gp 
  Efreeti bottle 
  16,660 gp 
   
  Shard of the ise rune SKT 
  1,890 gp 
  Figurine of wondrous power, obsidian steed 
  1,280 gp 
   
  Shield, +3 
  22,500 gp 
  Frost brand 
  5,150 gp 
   
  Shield of the uven rune DMM 
  3,170 gp 
  Guild keyrune, Dimir GGR 
  3,550 gp 
   
  Spear of backbiting TYP 
  5,250 gp 
  Guild keyrune, Golgari GGR 
  5,290 gp 
   
  Spell gem 
   
  Helm of brilliance 
  5,250 gp 
   
     Amber OotA 
  3,200 gp 
     Diamond (per gem) 
  +6,300 gp 
   
     Jade OotA 
  5,000 gp 
     Fire opal (per gem) 
  +405 gp 
   
     Topaz OotA 
  18,000 gp 
     Opal (per gem) 
  +405 gp 
   
  Spellguard shield 
  7,000 gp 
     Ruby (per gem) 
  +906 gp 
   
  Staff of fire 
  5,040 gp 
  Horned ring DMM 
  5,000 gp 
   
  Staff of frost 
  13,430 gp 
  Horn of Valhalla, bronze 
  3,780 gp 
   
  Staff of power 
  49,850 gp 
  Horseshoes of a zephyr 
  6,000 gp 
   
  Staff of striking 
  26,500 gp 
  Illusionist's bracers GGR 
  24,000 gp 
   
  Staff of thunder and lightning 
  3,650 gp 
  Ingot of the skold rune SKT 
  1,150 gp 
   
  Sword of sharpness 
  1,675 gp 
  Instrument of the bard, Anstruth harp 
  12,300 gp 
   
  Sword of Paruns GGR 
  3,500 gp 
  Ioun stone 
   
   
  Tearulai DMM 
  2,215 gp 
     Absorption 
  8,000 gp 
   
  Tome of clear thought 
  48,000 gp 
     Agility 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Tome of leadership and influence 
  48,000 gp 
     Fortitude 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Tome of understanding 
  48,000 gp 
     Insight 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Voyager staff GGR 
  2,700 gp 
     Intellect 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Wand of polymorph 
  2,160 gp 
     Leadership 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Wand of the war mage, +3 
  25,100 gp 
     Strength 
  5,600 gp 
   
  Weapon, +3 
  25,000 gp 
   
  
  52  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  LEGENDARY MAGIC ITEMS 
  Item 
  Value 
   
  Item 
  Value 
  Apparatus of Kwalish 
  55,000 gp 
   
  Iron flask 
  60,500 gp 
  Armor, +3 
  52,500 gp 
   
  Korolnor scepter SKT 
  34,060 gp 
  Armor of invulnerability 
  11,600 gp 
   
  Lost crown of Besilmer PotA 
  4,400 gp 
  Azuredge WDH 
  26,650 gp 
   
  Luck blade 
  50,050 gp 
  Belt of giant strength, cloud giant 
  55,000 gp 
   
  Mabaran resonator WGE 
  450,000 gp 
  Belt of giant strength, storm giant 
  95,000 gp 
   
  Master’s call WGE 
  425,000 gp 
  Black crystal tablet DMM 
  9,500 gp 
   
  Moonblade 
  Varies based on effects 
  Blackrazor 
  225,000 gp 
   
  Orcsplitter PotA 
  5,300 gp 
  Blackstaff WDH 
  55,950 gp 
   
  Plate armor of etherealness 
  52,000 gp 
  Bookmark ToA 
  26,430 gp 
   
  Rakdos riteknife GGR 
  27,000 gp 
  Cloak of invisibility 
  6,400 gp 
   
  Ring of djinni summoning 
  28,800 gp 
  Crystal ball 
   
   
  Ring of elemental command 
   
     +Mind reading 
  12,200 gp 
   
     Air 
  9,570 gp 
     +Telepathy 
  12,500 gp 
   
     Earth 
  8,450 gp 
     +True-seeing 
  17,200 gp 
   
     Fire 
  5,570 gp 
  Cubic gate 
  61,200 gp 
   
     Water 
  10,780 gp 
  Dawnbringer OotA 
  4,750 gp 
   
  Ring of invisibility 
  1,100 gp 
  Deck of many things 
  100,000 gp 
   
  Ring of spell turning 
  4,500 gp 
  Defender 
  51,250 gp 
   
  Ring of three wishes 
  48,600 gp 
  Dimensional seal WGE 
  100,000 gp 
   
  Robe of the archmagi 
  70,000 gp 
  Dragon mask 
   
   
  Rod of lordly might 
  31,295 gp 
     Black HDQ 
  16,850 gp 
   
  Rod of resurrection 
  25,200 gp 
     Blue, green, red, or white TRT 
  16,700 gp 
   
  Silver sword, greater MTF 
  28,750 gp 
  Dragonstaff of Ahghairon WDH 
  14,500 gp 
   
  Scarab of protection 
  7,900 gp 
  Efreeti chain 
  76,600 gp 
   
  Spell gem 
   
  Elemental weapons 
   
   
     Diamond OotA 
  81,000 gp 
     Drown PotA 
  7,750 gp 
   
     Ruby OotA 
  36,000 gp 
     Ironfang PotA 
  10,900 gp 
   
     Star ruby OotA 
  21,000 gp 
     Tinderstrike PotA 
  12,900 gp 
   
  Spell sink WGE 
  125,000 gp 
     Windvane PotA 
  10,850 gp 
   
  Sphere of annihilation 
  75,000 gp 
  Gurt’s greataxe PotA 
  810 gp 
   
  Staff of the magi 
  109,950 gp 
  Hammer of thunderbolts 
  89,550 gp 
   
  Storm spire WGE 
  145,000 gp 
  Hazirawn HDQ 
  27,500 gp 
   
  Sunsword CoS 
  4,700 gp 
  Helm of the Scavenger DMM 
  275,000 gp 
   
  Sword of answering 
  55,000 gp 
  Holy avenger 
  101,500 gp 
   
  Talisman of pure good 
  177,850 gp 
  Holy symbol of ravenkind CoS 
  17,200 gp 
   
  Talisman of the sphere 
  15,000 gp 
  Horn of Valhalla, iron 
  4,590 gp 
   
  Talisman of ultimate evil 
  169,750 gp 
  Icon of Ravenloft CoS 
  4,590 gp 
   
  Tome of the stilled tongue 
  2,500 gp 
  Infernal Tack MTF 
  15,000 gp 
   
  Vorpal sword 
  65,500 gp 
  Instrument of the bard, Ollamh harp 
  12,540 gp 
   
  Wave 
  64,000 gp 
  Ioun stone 
   
   
  Waythe TYP 
  1,495 gp 
     Greater absorption 
  30,000 gp 
   
  Well of many worlds 
  200,000 gp 
     Mastery 
  10,000 gp 
   
  Whelm 
  52,500 gp 
     Regeneration 
  2,640 gp 
   
   
   
   
  
  WEALTH | 53 
   
   
  
  54  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  CHAPTER THREE 
  N THIS CHAPTER, WE ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE 
  several important, common scenarios 
  that Dungeon Masters face regarding 
  the party’s acquisition of magic items. 
  Particularly, when players want 
  specific magic items for their characters, they 
  begin to ask how they can use their wealth to 
  buy or craft magic items, or even modify 
  existing magic items to suit their needs. 
  The 5th Edition’s answers to these 
  questions are not particularly robust. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide “assumes that the 
  secrets of creating the most powerful items 
  [were] lost as a result of wars, cataclysms, 
  and mishaps.” That book further states, “even 
  uncommon items can’t be easily created.” To 
  this end, the DMG suggests that only 
  common-rated magic items be purchasable, 
  and even then, acquired in exchange for 
  services rather than gold. This is poor fare; 
  there are just a few common-rated magic 
  items in the entirety of the core rules. These 
  include only potions of healing and climbing, 
  and spell scrolls containing cantrips or 1st-
  level spells. The default inability to craft 
  anything else means that eventually every 
  other consumable in the world will get used 
  up and be unreplaceable. 
  Mechanically, the lack of marketability for 
  magic items is reinforced by the pricing 
  mechanism. The DMG assigns price ranges to 
  magic item ratings rather than pricing each 
  item individually. Not only are items grouped 
  by broad categories, those categories don’t 
  well-correspond to power in many cases, and 
  they don’t provide guidelines to distinguish 
  between items within the same category. 
  As for crafting items, the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide provides only half a page of text under 
  downtime activities. Its chart costs are 
  wholly-divorced from the wealth a party can 
  expect to acquire using the game’s standard 
  rates of treasure distribution. Only with the 
  Dungeon Master’s intervention can enough 
  treasure be found to facilitate such a creation. 
  Moreover, the creation of a magic item of any 
  rating beyond uncommon takes time the 
  length of which is typically beyond the scope 
  of a campaign. This has every look of a system 
  that is not meant to be used; it simply exists 
  to illustrate why crafting magic items is 
  beyond the ability of player characters. The 
  much-diminished alternative presented in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything readily 
  concedes this point, but it still has problems. 
  It is these, and other issues, that we address 
  in the sections below. 
  One of the important notions that comes from 
  the Craft a Magic Item downtime activity is 
  the idea that creating a magic item requires 
  up to ten times as much gold as the item 
  might be worth. This acknowledges a maxim 
  of pricing that Dungeon Masters have known 
  about for a long time, the power of selection. 
  A magic item is more powerful if it is 
  selected by the player. Given the chance, the 
  player will invariably select something that 
  synergizes maximally with the character 
  sheet, resulting in a potent combination of 
  class features and magic items. The same item 
  in the hands of a random character may 
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 55 
  provide a much-diminished benefit, so it will 
  be worth much less. 
  To balance the power of selection, player-
  chosen magic items should come at a 
  premium in terms of their various costs, and 
  the Dungeon Master should act to reserve 
  too-potent combinations of items, keeping 
  them out of the hands of players altogether. 
  In practical terms, magic items rated 
  uncommon or rarer are not makeable or 
  marketable under the standard rules. This 
  creates a dual-track system of treasure 
  distribution, one for mundane wealth and one 
  for magic items. 
  Closed systems allow the party’s sum of 
  magic items to expand at a controlled rate. 
  New-found magic items go into it, but value 
  from the mundane wealth track cannot be 
  easily-injected into the magic item track.  
  In a closed system, magic items can be 
  interchanged. A closed system is not 
  necessarily stagnant. It simply assumes that 
  magic items can only be acquired at the cost 
  of other magic items, thereby limiting their 
  movement to a loop. 
  Because the magic item track is closed, its 
  prices can also exist in any scale, without real 
  reference to the amount of mundane wealth a 
  party earns. A party might be magic item-rich 
  and gold-poor, for example, or vice versa. 
  Following are two samples of closed-loop 
  systems. The Trading Magic Items method is 
  the simple version, while the Essentia and 
  Seeds method gives players and Dungeon 
  Masters more options for customizability.  
  The simplest form of a closed loop for magic 
  items is trading. If you decide that magic 
  items are available, particularly a magic item 
  that a player is looking for, set the price in 
  reference to the player’s current magic items 
  rather than gold. The Finding a Seller system 
  described in an earlier chapter provides 
  excellent ideas for facilitating such trades. 
  This version of a closed loop gives players a 
  chance to be more selective about the magic 
  items they possess but it also limits their 
  items to what the Dungeon Master decides 
  are available. Moreover, because the DM’s 
  offers call out specific magic items that the 
  party owns, it is a chance for the group to 
  voluntarily relinquish items that may have 
  proved troublesome for the game. 
  This closed system allows transmutations of 
  magic items into others within limits set by 
  the Dungeon Master. These limits take the 
  form of essentia and seeds. 
  Essentia is a magical substance created by 
  destroying magic items, a concept influenced 
  heavily by several prior editions. 
  Seeds are exotic components that shape the 
  power of essentia into the form of specific 
  magical items. They are simply a flavorful, 
  tangible expression of existing options in the 
  current edition. 
   
  ESSENTIA IN EBERRON 
  In Eberron, essentia comes from one of the 
  three types of dragonshards, crystals 
  imbued with magical energy. In their raw 
  form, the crystal shards are rosy hued with 
  deep, crimson swirls. These “Eberron 
  crystals” can present another means by 
  which adventurers can acquire raw 
  essentia. When processed, the substance 
  becomes a glowing dust rather than taking 
  on essentia’s normal form. 
   
  Essentia is created by destroying magic items 
  using methods like the disenchant magic item 
  spell. It is the marrow of magic items, the vital 
  
  56  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  life force required for their creation and 
  continued function. The techniques for 
  creating raw essentia in other ways were lost 
  long ago, matching the restrictive flavor of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Essentia is a dark brown mass of pulpy 
  fibers that cling together in physics-defying 
  ways. This material resembles wet wood pulp 
  but is dry to the touch. For safe storage, 
  spellcasters diffuse the fibers into a container 
  of water. Essentia is typically carried in one-
  pound flasks, each holding up to 1,000 gp in 
  essentia value. The material can be easily 
  identified by its unique smell, like ozone. 
  Wealthy spellcasters sometimes trade 
  essentia with one another in exchange for 
  important favors, but they almost never sell 
  it. The substance remains incredibly difficult 
  to acquire without destroying a magic item; it 
  is found rarely, and only then in very valuable 
  treasure hoards. Essentia can be detected by 
  such spells as detect magic, and its exact gp 
  value is apparent in that viewing, but essentia 
  shows no specific school of magic. 
   
  MINOR MAGIC AND ESSENTIA 
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide states that the 
  techniques for creating common magic 
  items are still known. However, it makes 
  no provision for the creation of 
  consumable items with other rarity 
  ratings; all potions in the world, other than 
  potions of healing and climbing, will 
  eventually get used up and be unreplaced. 
  The default rules should have allowed the 
  creation of minor-category magic items, not 
  common-rated magic items. This would 
  allow new spell scrolls, potions, and 
  magical trinkets to be introduced into the 
  world. In deference to what should have 
  been, this system applies no essentia cost 
  to the creation of minor magic items. All 
  other restrictions apply. 
   
   
  Essentia has several functions. First and 
  most importantly, it is an ingredient to the 
  creation of magical items. A magic item 
  crafter must incorporate an amount of 
  essentia into the process, the value of which 
  equals the full value, or half the value, of the 
  item being built, depending on techniques 
  and outcomes. Details for this process are 
  described below. 
  Second, essentia can be used in the place of 
  costly spell components that are expended 
  when casting spells. For example, a raise dead 
  spell requires a diamond worth at least 500 
  gp, which the spell consumes. The spellcaster 
  could expend essentia in place of the diamond 
  or to make up the difference in value if only a 
  smaller diamond is available. For example, a 
  cleric needing to raise someone from the 
  dead right away, but having no diamonds 
  nearby, might choose to disenchant a magic 
  item to make use of its essentia. This function 
  of essentia works for any spell with costly, 
  consumed components. It does not work for 
  spells whose costly components are not 
  consumed. 
  Essentia in the right amounts can also be 
  mixed with ink to duplicate the effects of 
  “rare ink,” the substance needed to create 
  spell scrolls or to scribe spells into a wizard’s 
  spellbook. The amount of essentia within the 
  ink must be worth at least 50 gp per level of 
  the spell to be inscribed. 
  Because essentia is detectable as magic, 
  there are many other uses to which it can be 
  put. An amount mixed with lacquer and 
  coating a wooden box might foil a detect 
  magic spell, masking the magic of contained 
  items, so long as the essentia used was 
  costlier than the value of any single item 
  within. A trail of essentia could be left through 
  a forest, sprinkled too lightly to notice with 
  the naked eye, but clear to someone using 
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 57 
  detect magic. Additional uses, and their exact 
  parameters, are left to the Dungeon Master. 
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide instructs that a 
  magic item may require special materials or 
  locations for crafting. Just as a spell might 
  need a material component (a mundane item 
  whose essential nature helps a spellcaster 
  conjure and shape the magic of a spell), so too 
  does a seed help an artificer conjure and 
  shape the magic for her creation. However, 
  unlike most spell components, which are 
  purchased in a comprehensive pouch, seeds 
  are more difficult to acquire. 
  Every magic item requires a seed to create, 
  except for spell scrolls and certain potions. 
  When acquired, a seed had some tangible 
  physical form, or it is held representationally 
  in some sort of container, or it is a location 
  where all enchantment must take place to 
  infuse certain properties. 
  Once the seed’s power is transferred into an 
  object to create a magical item, the seed 
  becomes a formless essence attached to the 
  magic item, the “spirit” that defines the item’s 
  power and direction. (Its physical form 
  remains, but it is unable to be used as a seed 
  in future creation.) A seed is also the 
  foundation for a sentient item’s temperament 
  or the personality behind an item’s minor 
  properties and quirks. The nature of such 
  items reflects the pieces from which they 
  were fashioned. For example, a seed that 
  required evil deeds to harvest gives the 
  resulting item an evil mien or alignment. 
  Seeds take many forms. Usually, they are 
  not “magical” and cannot be distinguish by 
  detect magic spells. What they have in 
  common is the need to overcome some sort of 
  challenge for acquisition. The rarer the item 
  to be crafted, the harder it will be to get the 
  seed. (Seeds gathered from evil deeds or 
  sources tend to be a little easier to acquire.) 
  When characters wish to create magic 
  items, the DM decides the nature of the seed 
  required. This information is contained in a 
  formula. (See below.) Sometimes an outlay of 
  gold is all that is needed to buy such a seed. 
  Sometimes a journey to the neighboring city, 
  handled in downtime, is the only 
  requirement. But more often, the crafter will 
  need to go somewhere distant and do 
  something dangerous to get a seed. As with 
  finding a magic item by delving into a 
  monster’s layer, crafting a magic item 
  probably requires a similar level of risk-to-
  reward. The DM should also allow the 
  character to seek out one of several seed 
  options for the same item. This is particularly 
  important when describing esoteric or non-
  concrete items to collect. The seed used has 
  deep implications for the flavor or special 
  features of the new magic item, so the player 
  should have some choice in the matter. 
  The exact form of a seed must match key 
  parameters of the item; not just the magical 
  effect, but also its shape. Such conformity is 
  determined by the Dungeon Master. This 
  requirement explains why some magic items 
  are limited to certain forms. A different form 
  would be possible with a different seed, but 
  only a few seeds are known among arcanists. 
  A character intending to craft a magic item 
  can automatically determine what seeds 
  would be suitable if the creation is a standard 
  magic item or if the creator possesses a 
  formula. (See below, or page 141 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.) 
  For example, an oathbow is always a 
  longbow (Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 183). 
  It is never any other type of bow. If someone 
  wanted to make a shortbow into a version of 
  this magic item, a different seed would be 
  required, one not commonly known to magic 
  item crafters. Discovering the right seed might 
  require a significant amount of exploration, 
  research, or invention. 
  
  58  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  SAMPLE MAGIC ITEM SEEDS 
  Rarity 
  Example 
  Common 
  An uncommon type of fur, as from 
  a wolf; sweat from the artificer’s 
  brow, collected while working in 
  a garden; moss taken from a 
  temple roof 
  Uncommon 
  Rainwater collected in a silver 
  basin on the night of the full 
  moon; oak leaves from a tree 
  that grows over a grave; the 
  signet ring of some minor-
  ranked noble; a laboratory or 
  library where great learning 
  takes place 
  Rare 
  The ashes of a very valuable 
  painting; mushrooms from a 
  faerie ring; a bone from your 
  distant ancestor; the site of a 
  recent ritual sacrifice of a 
  sentient being 
  Very Rare 
  The blood of a hanged person who 
  was sentenced and executed but 
  innocent of the crime; a flower 
  that grows only in the distant 
  and treacherous fire swamp; the 
  teeth of a powerful beholder; a 
  platform built of rare materials 
  high above sea level and etched 
  with runes 
  Legendary 
  The petals of a rare cactus that 
  flowers only once in a decade; 
  roots of a rhyme tree which 
  grows only in the haunted forest 
  from which no one returns; ore 
  from the heart of a volcano; the 
  forge of a primordial creature 
  located in a deep fissure in the 
  ocean floor 
  Artifact (for  
     illustrative 
     purposes) 
  The tears of an ancient dragon; 
  the brain of a creature that will 
  become extinct when you kill it; 
  the severed voice of a powerful 
  emperor 
  A Dungeon Master who does not wish to 
  regulate what magic items the party turns its 
  essentia into can make seeds for standard 
  magic items available from local spellcasters 
  for a nominal price, or otherwise make seeds 
  easy to acquire. This still allows the DM to 
  impose special seed requirements if a 
  character wishes to create a magic item that 
  varies from the standard options in official 
  source books. 
  If the seed requires defeating a monster, the 
  challenge rating of the creature should 
  adhere to this range: CR 1-3 (common item), 
  CR 4-7 (uncommon item), CR 8-13 (rare 
  item), CR 14-19 (very rare item), CR 20+ 
  (legendary item). 
  The very first requirement for crafting a 
  magic item is acquiring a formula. 
  Spellcasters do not automatically intuit the 
  complex methodology of stuffing magical 
  power into mundane items and producing 
  specific results. Limiting formulas is another 
  way the Dungeon Master can control what 
  magic items the party has access to. 
  A formula imparts the various techniques 
  needed for a specific magic item. A formula is 
  a cross between ritual directions and the 
  notes for a science experiment. It is usually 
  written in a book or on a loose sheet of 
  parchment, often accompanied by complex 
  diagrams. When not in a book, formulas are 
  typically kept safe in protective scroll cases. 
  Importantly, a formula describes at least 
  one, but typically several, seed options. Two 
  formulas for the same item can have a great 
  deal of variance in the methods and materials 
  used; just like seeds, the nature of the formula, 
  or the deeds needed to follow its instructions, 
  can have an impact on the flavor and special 
  features of the resulting magic item. 
  A formula, particularly one not created 
  from scratch, may or may not include minor 
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 59 
  properties or quirks. This is determined by 
  the Dungeon Master and may affect the value 
  of the formula. 
  Alternately, the Dungeon Master may allow 
  that minor properties and quirks themselves 
  have their own distinct formulas, a 
  combination of these with a normal formula 
  allows the spellcaster to customize the craft 
  of a magic item. (Purposefully adding quirks 
  to an item is useful because these reduce the 
  amount of essentia needed for an item’s 
  creation.) An item with only minor properties 
  or quirks is a common-rated magic item. 
  Depending on the rarity of magic items in 
  your game world, formulas can be purchased 
  from certain sellers, experts in their fields, or 
  they can be found as treasure. A formula 
  typically has double the gold piece value of 
  the magic item it provides directions for 
  crafting. While not magical itself, the formula 
  can be used to combine essentia and seeds to 
  make the magic item in question, doing so as 
  often as time and resources allow. 
  A formula might be discovered in a hoard in 
  the place of a magic item. Or it could be 
  pieced together from multiple discoveries 
  using downtime activity for research. 
  Sometimes these notes or activities simply 
  give the ability to craft the sought formula 
  with calligrapher’s tools, using the normal 
  crafting rules. 
  The copying or creation of formulas might 
  be beyond the ability of player characters, 
  particularly legendary formulas. Remember 
  that the default setting makes these 
  techniques rare, essentially nonexistent. 
  The following 1st-level spells make use of the 
  seeds and essentia system to manipulate 
  magic items. They are particularly useful in 
  campaigns that do not provide years of 
  downtime so cannot use the optional magic 
  item crafting rules in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide or Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. 
  These spells can be learned or prepared by 
  any spellcaster, but not automatically. They 
  represent one set of methodologies for 
  creating and manipulating magic items. At the 
  Dungeon Master’s option, these spell effects 
  can be produced (as if they were not spells) 
  by spellcasters with the ritual casting feature. 
  To keep these systems rare or mysterious, 
  the Dungeon Master may restrict them to 
  non-player characters. Alternately, the 
  Dungeon Master might only allow access to 
  the Brew Healing Potion or Scribe Spell Scroll 
  spells, designating them as using different, 
  more-common techniques. 
  Another approach to limit these spells is to 
  prevent them from ever being learned or 
  known by a caster, while distributing a 
  limited number of them on spell scrolls, the 
  same number of distributions as the number 
  of magic items the Dungeon Master desires to 
  add into the game. In this case, whichever 
  classes the Dungeon Master wants can cast 
  the spells as though they were available on 
  that caster’s class spell list. 
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 4 hours 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: M (rare herbs valued at up to 5 
  gp, which the spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You cast this spell to infuse healing power 
  into the contents of a small container, a liquid 
  or salve that will take on curative properties 
  and become a potion of healing. 
  You must have proficiency with an 
  herbalism kit and construct the target 
  substance out of the material components. 
  Alternately, you must have a spell that heals 
  hit points, either known or prepared, during 
  
  60  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  your casting of this spell on its target item. In 
  this latter case, you do not need any 
  proficiency to get the material components to 
  mix sufficiently for the item. 
  After the first casting of this spell, the 
  material components are subsumed into the 
  object, which is then detectable as magic. 
  Often the potion has no curative benefits after 
  just one casting. To finish the magic item, this 
  spell must be cast repeatedly until the total 
  value of the rare herbs expended equals half 
  the market value of the healing potion. Each 
  individual spellcaster can only cast this spell 
  on the same item once per day, but multiple 
  casters can contribute to speed up the 
  process. Additional casters must have 
  proficiency with herbalism kits or have a spell 
  that heals hit points known or prepared while 
  casting. 
  With a spell slot of sufficient level (see 
  below), this spell can add rare herbs to 
  enhance an existing healing potion, turning it 
  into a more potent version. Use the same 
  process of enchantment described above but 
  subtract the item’s existing value from the 
  total value of the rare herbs required for the 
  item’s new rating. The resulting healing 
  potion must be of a type that the spell slot’s 
  level can affect. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you 
  can spend up to 25 gp worth of rare herbs 
  with each casting and you can create a potion 
  of healing or greater healing. When you use a 
  spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can spend 
  up to 100 gp worth of rare herbs with each 
  casting and can create potions of healing, 
  greater healing, and superior healing.  When 
  you use a 9th level spell slot, you can spend 
  up to 1,000 gp worth of rare herbs with each 
  casting and can create potions of healing, 
  greater healing, superior healing, and supreme 
  healing. 
  When you use spell slots of higher levels, 
  you can split the rare herbs of this spell into 
  multiple targets with each casting. This 
  allows you to brew multiple potions at a time, 
  and potions of various potencies. 
   
  OPTION: MORE MUNDANE HEALING 
  According to the Player’s Handbook, a 
  character can already create basic potions 
  of healing just like any mundane craft. This 
  requires an herbalism kit and proficiency 
  with it, the right amount of ingredients, 
  and no magic whatsoever. 
    Because Xanathar’s Guide to Everything 
  suggests simpler methodologies for 
  creating healing potions; the Dungeon 
  Master may allow healing potions of any 
  rarity to be crafted with this same 
  mundane method. This allows a direct 
  transfer of wealth to magic items; it would 
  potentially spoil the separation of the 
  party’s two treasure tracks, were healing 
  potions not so innocuous. 
    Regardless of how it is implemented, the 
  choice is left to the DM. 
   
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 10 minutes 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You maintain contact with the target 
  uncommon magic item for the duration of the 
  spell’s casting, at the end of which its magic is 
  destroyed, along with its seed, turning it into a 
  quantity of essentia equal to half the magic 
  item’s value. The pulpy, magical substance 
  appears on the ground at your feet or in one 
  or more indicated containers on your person 
  at the spell’s completion. The physical form of 
  the item remains unharmed but is now 
  completely non-magical. 
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 61 
  When calculating essentia, do not count an 
  item’s additional value based on its physical 
  form, like the cost of plate armor or the gold 
  value of a magical crown. Only the base magic 
  item value, plus the value added by special 
  features or other magic effects, impacts the 
  resulting amount of essentia. 
  This spell cannot recover essentia from any 
  magic item that did not use essentia in its 
  crafting. This typically applies to minor magic 
  items and some artifacts. 
  If this spell is used on a sentient magic item, 
  the magic item has the option to cause the 
  spell to fail, depending on its own interests or 
  whims. 
  This spell will not work on an item that has 
  a mystical connection with a creature, 
  whether by attunement, the bond of a 
  warlock’s pact weapon, the magic of an active 
  curse, or some similar effect. The connection 
  must be severed before the spell can have any 
  effect. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you 
  can affect a rare magic item. When you use a 
  spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can affect 
  a very rare magic item. When you use a 9th 
  level spell slot, you can affect a legendary 
  magic item. 
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 4 hours 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (essentia worth up to 5 
  gp, which the spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You cast this spell to infuse power into a 
  mundane object with the intent of creating a 
  common or uncommon magical item. You 
  must begin with an appropriate mundane 
  object, and you must have the right formula 
  and seed to define the resulting magic. These 
  parameters are determined by the Dungeon 
  Master on a case-by-case basis. 
  After the first casting of this spell, the seed 
  and any material components are subsumed 
  into the object, which is then detectable as 
  magic. Usually, such an item has no magical 
  capabilities or effects after one casting. To 
  finish the magic item, this spell must be cast 
  repeatedly until the total value of the essentia 
  expended equals the value of the magic item. 
  A spellcaster can only cast this spell on the 
  same item once per day, but multiple casters 
  can target the item with this spell to speed up 
  the process. When calculating a magic item’s 
  value, do not count an item’s additional value 
  based on its physical form, like the cost of 
  plate armor or the gold value of a magical 
  crown. Only the base magic item value, plus 
  the value added by special features or effects, 
  determines the required amount of essentia. 
  This spell does not normally give a magic 
  item any magical special features or 
  sentience. However, at the Dungeon Master’s 
  discretion, a specific formula or particularly 
  rare seed may allow a magic item to gain one 
  or more useful special features or sentience. 
  If these have associated values, the total 
  amount of essentia required for the 
  enchantment is modified. 
  If the mundane item this spell targets is 
  being crafted from raw components (perhaps 
  using the crafting downtime rules), this spell 
  can be cast on the materials even before the 
  mundane object is fully constructed, so long 
  as the seed is present at the first casting. 
  Simultaneous crafting and enchanting is a 
  revered method for creating magic items, 
  particularly among artisanal races like 
  dwarves. 
  Items that produce spells (or that create 
  effects essentially identical to spells) have a 
  special requirement. You must have any such 
  “item spells” known or prepared at the same 
  time you cast this spell. If the item spells have 
  
  62  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  material components, these must be used in 
  the first casting of this spell as well. If the 
  item has the charge-capacity or the natural 
  ability to use the spell more than once per 
  day, multiply any necessary costly consumed 
  components by the number of possible daily 
  uses, or 10, whichever is lower. If an item is 
  consumed after only one use, you need only 
  use enough costly consumed components for 
  a single casting. These components are 
  additional to that of the enchant magic item 
  spell. 
  With a spell slot of sufficient level (see 
  below), this spell can instead be used to 
  increase the power of an existing magic item. 
  The item must be one that has a variable 
  numerical bonus, with a current rating less 
  than +3. Use the same process of 
  enchantment described above but subtract 
  the item’s existing value from the total value 
  of the essentia required for the item’s new 
  rating. The resulting rarity must be one that 
  the spell slot’s level can affect. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you 
  can spend up to 25 gp worth of essentia with 
  each casting and you can create or affect a 
  rare magic item. 
  When you use a spell slot of 6th level or 
  higher, you can spend up to 250 gp worth of 
  essentia with each casting and you can create 
  or affect a very rare magic item. 
  When you use a 9th level spell slot, you can 
  spend up to 2,500 gp worth of essentia with 
  each casting and you can create or affect a 
  legendary magic item. 
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 4 hours 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (essentia worth up to 10 
  gp, which the spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You can use this spell to repair the 
  enchantment of a common or uncommon 
  magic item whose magic has been destroyed. 
  The item’s physical form must have survived 
  or been repaired, and the Dungeon Master 
  must determine that the item’s seed was not 
  destroyed, as happens with the disenchant 
  magic item spell. This spell has no effect on 
  items designed to be destroyed after use, like 
  a potion that was consumed or a wand that 
  died after its last charge was spent. 
  After a single casting of this spell, the object 
  is once more detectable as magic, but a single 
  casting is usually not enough to allow any of 
  the item’s magical effects to work yet. To 
  finish the repair, this spell must be cast 
  repeatedly until the total value of the essentia 
  expended equals half the value of the magic 
  item. This cost applies even if the target is a 
  minor magic item, one that was initially 
  crafted without the need for essentia. A 
  spellcaster can only cast this spell on the 
  same item once per day, but multiple casters 
  can cast the spell to speed up the process. 
  For this calculation, do not count an item’s 
  additional value based on its physical form, 
  like the cost of plate armor or the gold value 
  of a magical crown. Only the base magic item 
  value, plus the value added by special 
  features or other magical effects, impacts the 
  required amount of essentia. 
  Alternately, this spell can repair (remove) 
  one or more quirks from a common or 
  uncommon item, so long as the Dungeon 
  Master does not rule that the quirk is 
  essential to the item’s function. The cost in 
  essentia is 10 times the value reduction for 
  the quirk. (See the previous chapter.) 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you 
  can spend up to 50 gp worth of essentia with 
  each casting and you can repair a rare magic 
  item or remove its quirks. 
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 63 
  When you use a spell slot of 6th level or 
  higher, you can spend up to 500 gp worth of 
  essentia with each casting and you can repair 
  a very rare magic item or remove its quirks. 
  When you use a 9th level spell slot, you can 
  spend up to 5,000 gp worth of essentia with 
  each casting and you can repair a legendary 
  magic item or remove its quirks. 
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 4 hours 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, M (essentia valued at up to 5 
  gp, infused in ink, which the spell 
  consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You cast this spell to create a spell scroll of a 
  cantrip or 1st-level spell. Spell scrolls are not 
  made in typical fashion; their method of 
  creation is completely divorced from that of 
  other magic items. Instead, they are spells 
  partially-cast and hung in time with mystic 
  rites, bound to a physical object. A spellcaster 
  with the potential to cast the hung spell may 
  read the written symbols of unbinding to 
  unleash the stored magic.  
  You must have proficiency with the Arcana 
  skill and target a single sheet of parchment, 
  using a pen to write mystic symbols with the 
  rare ink component. You must also know (or 
  have prepared) the scribed spell when you 
  cast this spell, and the scribed spell’s material 
  components are added to the casting of this 
  spell. 
  After the first casting of this spell, the rare 
  ink is absorbed into the parchment, which is 
  then detectable as magic. Often the spell scroll 
  is not complete in one casting. To finish it, 
  this spell must be cast repeatedly until the 
  total value of the expended essentia infused in 
  the ink equals half the market value of the 
  spell scroll, not counting increases for costly 
  material components. If a costly material 
  component is normally consumed in casting 
  the scribed spell, you need only expend it 
  during the first casting of this when creating a 
  single spell scroll. 
  Unlike other items, a spell scroll cannot be 
  collaborated on to hasten its creation process. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  with a higher-level spell slot, you can create a 
  spell scroll scribing a spell of the same level as 
  the slot expended. Alternately, you can create 
  a lower-level spell scroll more quickly because 
  higher-level slots allow you to infuse more 
  essentia per casting. 
  By casting this spell with a spell slot higher 
  than 1st level, you can spend up to the 
  indicated value of essentia infused in ink: 2nd-
  level (10 gp), 3rd-level (25 gp), 4th-level (40 
  gp), 5th-level (65 gp), 6th-level (180 gp), 7th-
  level (210 gp), 8th-level (360 gp), 9th-level 
  (675 gp). 
  When you use spell slots of higher levels, 
  you can also split the writing to cover 
  multiple parchments with each casting. A 
  high-enough level of spell slot thereby allows 
  you to scribe multiple spell scrolls in a single 
  casting. Any costly material components that 
  would have been expended in the casting of a 
  scroll’s spell must be expended when creating 
  each such spell scroll. 
   
  OPTION: GOLD FOR SPELL SCROLLS 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything suggests 
  simpler methods for spell scrolls than the 
  normal item creation techniques, a system 
  that allows the direct transfer of gold to 
  magic items. At the Dungeon Master’s 
  option, the essentia-infused ink used for 
  spell scrolls can be replaced with normal 
  rare ink, the type that can be purchased 
  from shops. If doing so, consider using the 
  higher costs per spell scrolls given in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. 
   
  
  64  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  1st-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 hour 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (essentia worth 25 gp, 
  which the spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  For the duration of the spell’s casting, you 
  maintain contact with an uncommon magic 
  item. You also maintain contact with a 
  mundane item into which you wish to 
  transfer the magic item’s power and seed. At 
  the end of the spell, the magic is transferred, 
  making the target item magical and leaving 
  the previously-magical item non-magical but 
  otherwise physically intact. 
  Because of the peculiarities of seeds, the 
  physical form of the new item is somewhat 
  restricted. It must be one that matches the 
  original if the name or the magic item’s 
  description. For example, the magic of a 
  shabby old cloak of protection could be 
  transferred into the exquisitely-made cape or 
  mantle that is your symbol of office, but it 
  could not be transferred into a belt. Magic 
  item effects that are flexible allow for more 
  differences in the new item. For example, the 
  description of armor of resistance says it can 
  apply to any kind of armor, so you could shift 
  its enchantment from a suit of studded 
  leather to a suit of half plate with no difficulty. 
  In rare instances, the Dungeon Master may 
  allow you to transfer an enchantment to a 
  wholly different (or otherwise disallowed) 
  physical form. Doing this requires the 
  discovery and use of a new seed, one 
  previously unknown to magical artificers. 
  If using the Rare Material Armor variant 
  rule from the Comprehensive Equipment 
  Manual, adamantine armor and mithral armor 
  derive their effects from mundane material 
  and are thus unaffected by this spell.  
  If used on an item that has special features, 
  this spell transfers each effect that is 
  attributable to magical power, but not the 
  portions of special features that simply 
  describe the magic item’s original physical 
  form or history. 
  If this spell is used on a sentient magic item, 
  the magic item has the option to cause the 
  spell to fail, depending on its own interests or 
  whims. 
  This spell will not work on an item that has 
  a mystical connection to a creature, whether 
  by attunement, the bond of a warlock’s pact 
  weapon, or some similar effect. The 
  connection must be severed before the spell 
  can have any effect. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell 
  using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you 
  can transfer the enchantment of a rare magic 
  item. The material component for this rarity 
  is essentia worth 125 gp. 
  When you use a spell slot of 6th level or 
  higher, you can transfer the enchantment of a 
  very rare magic item. The material 
  component for this rarity is essentia worth 
  1,250 gp. 
  When you use a 9th level spell slot, you can 
  transfer the enchantment of a legendary 
  magic item. The material component for this 
  rarity is essentia worth 12,500 gp. 
  You found a magical bronze shield carved 
  with the face of a leering demon. You want to 
  use the magic item, but the appearance 
  doesn’t suit your goodly clerical demeanor, 
  nor is there room to properly emboss the 
  emblem of your holy symbol upon it! Can you 
  just… grind the demon face flat? How much 
  alteration or damage to a magic item will 
  destroy its power? 
   
   
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 65 
  RANDOM RAMBLINGS: REASONABLE COSTS AND PLAYER AGENCY IN ITEM SELECTION 
  When players voice a strong interest in a magic item, the Dungeon Master is presented with the 
  opportunity to fulfil those desires, hopefully by creating opportunities to acquire them rather 
  than granting the items via illogical windfalls. 
  The previous edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS suggested that DMs solicit magic item suggestions 
  from the players, then stock their treasure charts with those items. While players were able to 
  get what they wanted, this approach robbed the game of the wonder and discovery associated 
  with finding magic items. It was a bit like buying and wrapping your own birthday presents. That 
  said, players should have some (limited) ability to decide or alter the magic items that their 
  characters possess, so long as that method doesn’t ruin the “magic” of those magic items. 
  Previous editions addressed this by letting players purchase magic items. And while the 5th 
  edition initially discouraged that practice, it did include some bare rules for selling and creating 
  magic items. Only years later in the product line, with Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, did the 5th 
  Edition get explicit, liberal guidelines for buying and creating magic items. Unfortunately, these 
  systems are complex, nonsensical, and seemed to price such crafting out of the player’s reach. 
  For example, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything suggests that creating a one-use spell scroll of mass 
  heal (level 9) might require a quarter-million gold pieces and 240 days of work. That’s five 
  times the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s cost for crafting a permanent legendary-rated magic item. 
  That’s half what it cost to build the emperor’s palace! That’s a third of the amount of gold a 
  character should see across her entire 20 levels of adventuring! For that cost, there is no need to 
  get the scroll—you could pay a handful of high-level clerics to follow you your whole career and 
  cast that spell at your every whim. This sort of astronomical pricing is the result of a system 
  where gold distribution is not explicitly defined. Because the levels of a party’s wealth (and free 
  time) are unknowable to the rules-designer, being effectively unlimited, these two costs are set 
  very high, up in the stratosphere of mere imagination. 
  As far as time goes, that system is a vast improvement over the Dungeon Master’s Guide, which 
  suggests a whopping 10,000 days (27 years) to craft such a scroll. This is beyond the adventuring 
  lifespan of most characters. These systems create an illusion of player-made magic items but set 
  costs that are typically-insurmountable. While common or uncommon items can be made within 
  the suggested spans, rare is the campaign that allows enough downtime for a rare magic item, 
  and almost no campaigns provide enough time for a very rare or legendary creation. 
  A closed system addresses this problem succinctly. It keeps the party’s two treasure metrics 
  (wealth and magic items) in separate tracks, as the game strongly suggest. Astronomical costs 
  are no longer required for balance, even if the mundane wealth track is potentially infinite, 
  because there is no effective crossover of wealth into magic items. Particularly with the Essentia 
  and Seeds method, the Dungeon Master can allow players to pursue their own magic item wants, 
  and simultaneously adhere to the original magic item value ranges in the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  (or the more-precise costs in this supplement) without fear that the party will buy 10 of 
  everything. Particularly when using the measured treasure bundles of the previous chapter, this 
  separation insulates the campaign from unexpected windfalls or errors in wealth calculations. 
   
   
   
   
  
  66  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Most magical items will allow some minor 
  alterations. The two changeable factors to 
  consider are shape and veneer. Alterations on 
  either scale might be limited by the nature of 
  the magic item’s seed, or simply by the 
  physical integrity of the item itself. These 
  restrictions are determined by the Dungeon 
  Master or by the magic item’s own limitations 
  to form, found in its description. 
  Shape is the general form of a magic item. An 
  item’s shape must generally remain 
  unaltered, though it can be resized or have 
  small modifications. A belt must remain a 
  belt, not a bracer. A breastplate must remain 
  a breastplate, not incorporated into a larger 
  suit of plate armor. So long as the item 
  remains generally intact, and most of its 
  major components remain, the magic should 
  remain unharmed. 
  For example, if it doesn’t already resize 
  itself magically, a suit of magical armor made 
  for a dwarf might have the interior padding 
  replaced, the straps altered, or other 
  adjustments made to fit a gnome. (See the 
  Variant: Equipment Sizes sidebar in the 
  Player’s Handbook for suggested costs for 
  such an enterprise.) 
  Loose magical gemstones are particularly 
  adaptable and can usually be set into jewelry 
  or made to adorn armor or weapons without 
  damage. Despite a great alteration in overall 
  shape, the luster and gravitas of a gemstone 
  sets it noticeably apart from the combined 
  item. At the DM’s discretion, certain other 
  magic items might likewise be adaptable to 
  significant changes in overall shape. 
  These alterations are done by painting, 
  engraving, embossing, gem-encrusting, spike-
  attaching, and the like, or by removing such 
  decorations. Alterations to veneer almost 
  never disrupt the magic of an item, unless the 
  item’s veneer has a specific purpose 
  intertwined with its magic, or the veneer is 
  somehow dependent on the limitations of the 
  seed itself. 
  For example, an evil item might be built so 
  that decorating it with good-affiliated holy 
  symbols will interfere with its power. 
  Likewise, a sentient magic item might reject a 
  new coloration as a defiance of its identity 
  and cease allowing its powers to function. 
   
  VARIANT: RARE-MATERIAL ARMOR 
  In prior editions, adamantine armor and 
  mithral armor were mundane items with 
  special properties derived from the rare 
  metals of which they were constructed. 
  With this rule, adamantine armor and 
  mithral armor are treated as magical only 
  for dispensing them as treasure. They are 
  otherwise completely mundane and will 
  not indicate to the detect magic spell unless 
  they have other enchantments on them 
  (something now allowed by this variant). 
  Under this option, adamantine armor and 
  mithral armor do not require magic 
  techniques to craft. They require only their 
  rare metal components, valued according 
  to the terms given in the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual. Due to rarity, some 
  crafters may have to pay several times this 
  value to acquire the metals. 
  Just as essentia requirements prevent the 
  simple exchange of gold for magic items, so 
  too should the inaccessibility of these rare 
  metals prevent the ready exchange of gold 
  for mithral or adamantine from which to 
  make weapons or armor. The Dungeon 
  Master may relax this requirement in 
  places where these materials are 
  commonplace. 
    
  
  ENCHANTMENT | 67 
  A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, made 
  after examining the item for an hour, is 
  usually sufficient to determine the limits of 
  alteration that a magic item will bear. The DM 
  should make this roll in secret; a failure will 
  yield a false result as to the degree of 
  alteration permitted. Because of the 
  importance and rarity of magic items, a wise 
  owner might try to get several second 
  opinions from other skilled arcanists before 
  making any sort of change. 
   
  VARIANT: BLACK ARROW 
  In Tolkien lore, Bard of Laketown owned an excellent (perhaps magical) arrow, forged by Thrór, 
  son of Dáin, King under the Mountain. Despite many uses, Bard never lost this arrow, and it 
  served him faithfully, even against a dragon. 
  These rules follow a similar concept; magical ammunition, instead of becoming nonmagical 
  after being fired, remains magical. Contrary to the terms of the ammunition weapon property, all 
  these ammunition pieces can be found and reused after the battle. 
  When using this rule, double the value of affected magic ammunition because it is no longer a 
  “consumable” item. 
  Such ammunition should be found singly, not in batches like consumable ammunition often is. 
  The Dungeon Master may apply this permanence selectively to some ammunition and withhold it 
  from others. It should not be combined with effects that require the ammunition to be destroyed 
  upon use, like the cruel weapon property. The difference between consumable and non-
  consumable ammunition is apparent when the item is identified. 
    
   
   
   
  
  68  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  
  INVESTMENTS | 69 
  CHAPTER FOUR 
  HIS CHAPTER’S TOPIC IS THE USE OF  
  wealth to create more wealth, 
  also known as investing. It first 
  addresses how players can use 
  their artisan’s tools in different 
  ways. The rest of the chapter talks about 
  investing wealth into businesses or similar 
  money-making enterprises. 
  Official crafting rules are found in the Player’s 
  Handbook (page 187) and expanded upon in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (page 128). 
  To summarize, a character proficient with 
  (and possessing) the appropriate tools may 
  craft items with them. The material cost is 
  half the total value of the item, and the project 
  requires a number of eight-hour crafting 
  work days equal to one-fifth of the item’s 
  standard gp value. (Items cheaper than 5 gp 
  can be manufactured in less than a day.) 
  Multiple proficient crafters can contribute to 
  a project, reducing the time requirement 
  proportionally. While crafting, a character 
  maintains a modest lifestyle at no cost or a 
  comfortable lifestyle at a cost of 1 gp daily. 
  The following optional rules allow Dungeon 
  Masters to add variety and alternatives to the 
  crafting process. 
  The creation system assumes that a character 
  uses exactly 8 hours a day for crafting. The 
  following options add flexibility, allowing 
  characters to spend more time or less time on 
  their daily craft projects. 
   
  VARIANT: LIGHT WORK 
  A character can perform light work, crafting 
  for 4 hours and completing only 2.5 gp worth 
  of effort toward a project in that day. This 
  allows crafters to split effort between two 
  projects in a work day or to work fewer than 
  8 full hours in a day. 
  Light work is well-suited for characters 
  who are travelling or adventuring. Normal 
  travel assumes 8 hours of movement and 8 
  hours of sleeping, eating, and other personal 
  maintenance. This leaves 8 hours for standing 
  watch, sharpening blades, grazing the horses, 
  greasing wagon wheels, and other activities 
  that adventurers perform daily. Within this 
  non-traveling, non-sleeping time, a character 
  with the right tools and materials can carve 
  out 4 hours to craft with. 
  To perform light work while out on the 
  trail, a character must carry with her the 
  appropriate artisan’s tools and materials. 
  Even before it is complete, the item being 
  created has the same weight as a complete 
  version, making some projects impractical 
  outside of a workshop. While adventuring 
  (not in downtime) it is easier to track “work 
  days” by counting long rests. This is one type 
  of uptime activity. (See the sidebar below.) 
  For example, a dwarven fighter wants to 
  craft a glaive during her upcoming adventure. 
  She buys the raw materials needed, spending 
  10 gp (half the market value of a glaive). 
  These materials already weigh 6 pounds, the 
  full weight of a glaive. In addition, she must 
  carry her smith’s tools with her, requiring 
  another 8 pounds in her pack. Because the 
  market value of a glaive is 20 gp, and each 
  
  70  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  light work day of crafting contributes 2.5 gp 
  toward that total, completion requires 8 long 
  rests (workdays of light work). 
  Advice. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything 
  provides an optional rule for Dungeon 
  Masters to allow small craft projects to occur 
  during adventures. The book suggests that a 
  single dose of acid, alchemist’s fire, antitoxin, 
  oil, perfume, or soap could be crated with 
  alchemist’s tools as part of a long rest. 
  Likewise, a character proficient with weaver’s 
  tools can craft a whole outfit within a single 
  long rest, and a character proficient with 
  woodcarver’s tools can craft 5 or 20 arrows in 
  a short or long rest, respectively. 
  The timing suggested for such small crafts 
  is completely divorced from the cost of the 
  product, totally upending the crafting system. 
  Use that alternative (with the suggested 
  artisan tool proficiencies) only if you favor 
  abstracting the crafting mechanics selectively. 
  Just be aware that players who have selected 
  unaffected artisan tool proficiencies may 
  want to reduce their crafting times as well. 
  VARIANT: PURE FOCUS 
  Providing that 8 hours are used for sleeping, 
  eating, and other personal maintenance, a 
  character still has 8 available hours after a 
  day otherwise filled with crafting. A character 
  that has nothing else to do can choose to craft 
  during this period too, working almost every 
  waking hour. Using pure focus allows a 
  character to complete 10 gp worth of effort 
  toward the completion of the project in a day. 
  However, this intense activity can be 
  fatiguing, mentally and physically. 
  A character that utilizes pure focus gains 
  one level of exhaustion. This exhaustion 
  cannot be removed by non-magical means 
  until the character goes at least one day 
  without using the pure focus crafting option. 
   
  VARIANT: UPTIME ACTIVITY 
  The uptime activity variant allows access 
  to the downtime rules, even while 
  adventuring. Downtime is an important 
  part of the 5th Edition of DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS, but when stories are too fast-
  paced for such breaks, players otherwise 
  have no access to these opportunities. 
  Instead of spending downtime days, 
  characters use this system to pursue 
  “uptime” activities. After traveling and 
  adventuring, sleeping and eating, and 
  performing miscellaneous related duties, 
  characters typically have a few hours 
  available during a day, about half the time 
  needed for a normal downtime activity. 
  Uptime activities are therefore half as 
  time-efficient as downtime activities. For 
  every day of uptime activity, the character 
  accrues only half a day’s worth of 
  downtime results. (The light activity 
  variant rule provides an example related to 
  crafting.) The character must have paid all 
  associated costs and have all necessary 
  tools, materials, research books, trainers, 
  or similar resources with her while 
  attempting uptime. 
  This system applies only to activities that 
  could be performed while on the road, like 
  crafting, researching, training, and 
  gathering craft components, and only so 
  long as conditions are appropriate. 
  Record uptime activities at the same time 
  the party takes a long rest. This is the usual 
  time players record healing, mark off 
  rations, and resolve other incidental 
  bookkeeping. If the party can’t take a long 
  rest on a specific day, it is probably 
  because the characters are too busy, and 
  such distractions tend to get in the way of 
  uptime activity as well. 
    
   
  
  INVESTMENTS | 71 
  Every crafting project requires raw materials 
  that cost half the item’s market value. 
  Sometimes, these craft components 
  themselves can be crafted from raw 
  ingredients, requiring no wealth outlays for 
  the entire project. Creating these craft 
  components requires time and a ready source 
  of ingredients. 
  Accessing ingredients typically requires tools. 
  For example, harvesting wood for a carpentry 
  project requires carpenter’s tools (and 
  proficiency with them). But some activities, 
  like gathering plants for herbal brews, 
  require nothing in the way of tools or 
  processing equipment, simply a location 
  where the right ingredients grow. 
  Similarly, these ingredients are usually non-
  portable. A stand of good timber or a patch of 
  potent wildflowers requires the character to 
  stay nearby to harvest. Creating craft 
  components is not an activity that mixes well 
  with uptime actions when the party is 
  travelling. It might also require the character 
  to first find an appropriate source location. 
  Craft components can only be used to make 
  a particular item, determined before the 
  gathering and shaping of components begins. 
  At the DM’s discretion, very similar items of 
  equal or lesser value could also be made from 
  them; a blade blank for a one-handed sword 
  can be fashioned into almost any type of one-
  handed sword. 
  To create craft components for an item, a 
  character must spend 2 days of work per 5 gp 
  of the finished product’s market value. This 
  effectively triples the time it takes to craft an 
  item when doing so from scratch.  
  For example, our dwarven fighter wishes to 
  craft a glaive but she does not wish to pay for 
  the processed lumber for the haft or the blade 
  blank to make the head. Instead, she mines 
  and smelts ore in her ancestral halls below 
  the mountain, shaping the materials to 
  prepare for the “crafting” portion of the 
  project. For this, she uses a miner’s pick, 
  smith’s tools (with which she is proficient), 
  and her grandfather’s forge. Next, she collects 
  lumber with a saw and shapes it with 
  woodcarver’s tools to build the haft. (Because 
  woodcarver’s tools are artisan’s tools, our 
  dwarf fighter must also be proficient with 
  them.) With a market value of 20 gp for a 
  glaive, this pre-crafting collection process 
  takes 8 days. At the end of this period, the 
  character has a haft suitable for making a 
  glaive, and a blade blank of the right size for 
  its head, ready to be shaped, attached, and 
  sharpened. Unfortunately, needing to collect 
  and process the raw materials from specific 
  places and needing to use non-portable tools 
  means that this example of gathering cannot 
  be performed on the road. However, once 
  these materials are in-hand they become 
  portable; converting them into a glaive can be 
  done in downtime or uptime. 
  The necessary tools and sources of 
  materials for gathering craft components are 
  left to the Dungeon Master. 
  A Dungeon Master can also rule that a 
  character is only able to manufacture some 
  portion of the materials and must pay the gp 
  cost to acquire the rest. These percentages 
  are also determined by the DM. 
  For example, a woodworker wants to craft 
  400 arrows as a gift for his liege lord’s 
  soldiers, products with a 20 gp total market 
  value. The craft components would normally 
  cost half the market value (10 gp), but the 
  woodcarver wants to process them himself. 
  The DM rules that the woodworker must still 
  pay for half of the craft components because 
  
  72  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  he lacks the skill, tools, and raw materials 
  needed to craft metal arrowheads. The 
  woodcarver spends 4 days cutting the right 
  tree limbs for the arrow shafts, pays 5 gp to a 
  local smith to get the arrowheads, then 
  spends 4 more days crafting the finished 
  arrows. 
  Most craft components can be sold for half 
  their value (one-quarter of the market value 
  for the finished product). If the craft 
  component requires no specialized 
  equipment or tool proficiency to gather, and if 
  the raw materials are readily accessible to 
  anyone, the DM can adjust this price 
  downward to half again (one-eighth of the 
  market value for the finished product). 
  Characters often want to have items 
  manufactured by others, typically when 
  something is needed in a customized form. 
  Commissioning crafts means paying skilled 
  hirelings, costing an additional 2 gp each per 
  day of the crafting process, above and beyond 
  the cost of the materials. (This assumes the 
  availability of skilled hirelings trained in the 
  right artisan’s tools.) Commissioning might 
  also require that the character provide tools 
  and a workspace for the hireling, depending 
  on the circumstances. 
  For example, our dwarven fighter wishes to 
  commission a glaive. She stops at a small 
  town where the local smith owns the town 
  forge and has his own tools. For four days’ 
  hire (8 gp) and the cost of materials (10 gp), 
  this skilled artisan is willing to make the 
  product to order. After a four-day wait, the 
  dwarf has her new glaive. By waiting around, 
  the glaive cost her only 90% of the market 
  value and is shaped particularly to her 
  instructions. 
  Usually, up to two people can use the same 
  set of artisan’s tools at the same time if 
  working on the same project. This allows for 
  skilled characters to employ a skilled hireling 
  to assist and speed up the crafting process. 
  For example, the dwarf wishing to 
  commission a glaive is also proficient with 
  smith’s tools. She stops at the local town and 
  gets the smith to agree that they will both 
  work in his forge to make the item. The dwarf 
  needs only to linger long enough for two days’ 
  hire (4 gp) and provide the cost of materials 
  (10 gp), getting her a new glaive for 70% of 
  the market value. 
   
  A DIFFERENT SORT OF GAME 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS combines a number 
  of possible play types that interest 
  different players to different degrees. 
  Pursuing mass manufacturing will tend to 
  dominate a campaign, but only in a way 
  that interests the type of player who also 
  likes math and resource-gathering games. 
  An operation like this can turn into an 
  enjoyable campaign. The party might grow 
  a small operation into a larger interest. 
  Adventures might find material sources, 
  defeat brigands that impede shipping, and 
  strangle the competition (literally or 
  figuratively). Profits will turn upon 
  successful negotiations over percentages. 
  For groups not interested in these 
  details, such an operation is better handled 
  with the business investment rules, below. 
   
  Under ideal circumstances, characters should 
  be able to use adventuring profits to employ 
  multiple artisans for mass-manufacturing. 
  
  INVESTMENTS | 73 
  A player who carefully tracks all the costs 
  and percentages of mass manufacturing will 
  find that such an operation profits 15 sp per 
  day per artisan employed, after payroll and 
  ingredient costs. This means a basic profit of 
  30%. Unfortunately, a lot of initial investment 
  goes into this setup, and a lot of factors will 
  reduce that profit. 
  Local Logistics. To pay artisans half cost for 
  being “long term” (by providing room and 
  board), sufficient barracks and cafeteria 
  space for the workers must be provided. 
  Additionally, these hirelings need enough sets 
  of artisan’s tools to work with. Hiring is often 
  more complex than just paying an outlay; 
  finding so many skilled artisans to hire can be 
  a challenge in and of itself, along with 
  bringing them all together under one roof. 
  Adventures relating to this element could 
  include buying or leasing the right property, 
  recruiting skilled or famous artisans, and 
  making deals to get ahold of a large quantity 
  of second-hand tools. 
  Materials. Raw materials must be found to 
  supply the operation. On a single-character 
  scale, finding craft components is a simple 
  matter of paying some gold. But in mass 
  manufacturing, local supplies will be quickly 
  exhausted. This can create its own logistical 
  challenges depending on the size of the 
  operation. 
  Adventures relating to this element could 
  include finding a vast source of raw materials 
  to set up near, after which the party must 
  probably find a way to legally inhabit the 
  space. If the party already has a facility, a 
  business arrangement might instead be made 
  with a materials-importer of some kind. 
  Markets. Items sold off the back of a wagon 
  do not garner a profit; customers will value 
  them as used goods and only pay half their 
  market value. To sell items at full price, those 
  items must be placed into official, customer-
  trusted markets. Customers will pay full price 
  at established shops. Unfortunately, unless 
  the party also owns those shops, the shops 
  will demand their own profits, keeping about 
  half of the basic 30% profit for themselves. 
  Adventures relating to this element can be 
  as simple as negotiating the percentage, but 
  they might also require “convincing” shop 
  owners to abandoned contracts of exclusivity 
  with the competition, or to make such 
  contracts with the party. 
  Shipping. Materials have to come into the 
  crafting facility and finished goods have to go 
  out. Few markets can handle the number of 
  products contemplated by such an operation, 
  so shipping must disperse goods between 
  multiple towns and cities. The presence of 
  rivers and well-kept roads can help to 
  facilitate the additional overhead of getting 
  goods to market. However, shippers need to 
  be paid and import taxes may also apply. 
  Adventures relating to this element might 
  include clearing threats or obstructions to 
  land, protecting a bridge-building crew 
  working in dangerous environs, or winning 
  rights to import goods without local taxation. 
  This section includes an expansion of the 
  normal rules for investing wealth, along with 
  a tune-up of those rules designed to simplify 
  running their use. 
  Many business operations are tied to land and 
  structures. Each of the properties on the 
  Buildings and Maintenance Costs table can 
  form the basis of a business. 
  While a property is typically directed by a 
  steward or castellan, allowing the owning 
  character to go out adventuring, the profits 
  and losses are better managed if the 
  character sticks around to direct things.
  
  74  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS 
  Property 
  Type 
  Construction 
  Cost 
  Construction 
  Time 
  Maintenance 
  Cost / Month 
  Garrison 
  Strength 
  Skilled 
  Hirelings 
  Untrained  
  Hirelings 
  Abbey 
  50,000 gp 
  400 days 
  600 gp 
  — 
  5 
  25 
  Cottage 
  50 gp 
  10 days 
  2 gp 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  Factory, large 
  3,500 gp 
  65 days 
  275 gp 
  — 
  2 
  — 
  Factory, small 
  1,000 gp 
  40 days 
  100 gp 
  8 
  10 
  — 
  Farm 
  100 gp 
  30 days 
  15 gp 
  — 
  1 
  2 
  Guildhall, town or city 
  5,000 gp 
  60 days 
  150 gp 
  — 
  5 
  3 
  Inn, rural roadside 
  400 gp 
  30 days 
  300 gp 
  4 
  5 
  10 
  Inn, town or city 
  800 gp 
  40 days 
  150 gp 
  — 
  1 
  5 
  Keep or small castle 
  50,000 gp 
  400 days 
  3,000 gp 
  45 
  50 
  50 
  Lodge, hunting 
  500 gp 
  20 days 
  15 gp 
  — 
  1 
  — 
  Noble estate with manor 
  25,000 gp 
  150 days 
  300 gp 
  2 
  3 
  15 
  Outpost or fort 
  15,000 gp 
  100 days 
  1,500 gp 
  18 
  20 
  40 
  Palace or large castle 
  500,000 gp 
  1,200 days 
  12,000 gp 
  180 
  200 
  100 
  Shack 
  10 gp 
  3 days 
  0 gp 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  Shop 
  2,000 gp 
  25 days 
  60 gp 
  — 
  1 
  — 
  Temple, large 
  50,000 gp 
  400 days 
  750 gp 
  4 
  10 
  10 
  Temple, small 
  1,000 gp 
  25 days 
  30 gp 
  — 
  2 
  — 
  Tower, fortified 
  15,000 gp 
  100 days 
  750 gp 
  8 
  2 
  — 
  Trading post 
  5,000 gp 
  60 days 
  300 gp 
  — 
  4 
  2 
   
  Where a structure includes or implies 
  additional buildings, like the area around a 
  palace or the boarding house for a shop’s 
  workers, these are included in the building’s 
  construction and maintenance cost. 
  Note that the Building and Maintenance 
  Costs table has two columns, Garrison Strength 
  and Skilled Hirelings, that are referenced in a 
  later chapter. 
  Private land to build on can be purchased for 
  100 gp to 5,000 gp, or even higher. Once land 
  is acquired, a property needs significant 
  wealth and time to build. Construction may 
  continue without direct oversight by the 
  owner, but each “day” of construction with 
  the owner absent requires the passage of 4 
  actual days. 
  If the opportunity presents itself, an 
  available property can be purchased for an 
  amount equal to its construction cost. If a 
  property is in a run-down state, the Dungeon 
  Master will assign a percentage of ruin, 
  usually 25%, 50%, or 75%. Repairing the 
  property requires the equivalent percentage 
  of the property’s construction cost and 
  construction time. A property purchased in a 
  run-down state will have its priced reduced 
  by the same percentage to compensate. 
  Each property is staffed by a number of 
  hirelings, including a steward who can take 
  charge of almost everything, freeing up the 
  owner to go adventuring. Hirelings’ wages are 
  included in the property’s maintenance cost. 
  Garrison members are skilled hirelings 
  trained and equipped to fight; they use the 
  guard statistics in the Monster Manual. For 
  every full 10 members of a garrison, replace 
  one guard with a veteran. 
  Sometimes property is acquired as part of a 
  feudal system. Likely examples include a 
  
  INVESTMENTS | 75 
  noble estate, fortified tower, outpost, fort, 
  keep, small castle, large castle, or palace. 
  While these enterprises can be built privately, 
  they more often represent a grant of land and 
  title from a powerful sovereign. 
  Grants of this nature typically come with a 
  noble title. Sometimes the grant is for land 
  and permission to build on it, but more often 
  it includes lordship over an existing estate or 
  fortification. In the latter case, no 
  construction costs or times are required for 
  the owner to take up residence, but some 
  spring cleaning might be in order. Sometimes 
  a sovereign will assign title to a property that 
  has been overrun by orcs or trolls, on 
  condition that the new lord or lady of the land 
  can secure it successfully. 
  Although these properties use the standard 
  rules for businesses, they are non-commercial 
  in nature. They earn income in the form of 
  taxes collected from the surrounding 
  peasantry and merchant class. They pay 
  expenses in the form of upkeep for soldiers, 
  maintenance and security for the surrounding 
  land, and taxes tendered to higher-ranked 
  nobles or royalty. 
  In the case of a failed “business” for unpaid 
  debts in the feudal system, where there has 
  been no up-front purchase of the property by 
  the “owner,” the whole enterprise simply 
  reverts to the possession of the sovereign. 
  The original grantor will pay the outstanding 
  debts and then assign a worthier trustee to 
  manage things in the future. If the owner has 
  invested construction costs, these might be 
  lost or reimbursed on the whim of the 
  sovereign, or other things of value might be 
  given instead. Losing a business like this 
  almost always means the character is 
  stripped of any accompanying noble title. 
  Every month, a business checks for losses or 
  profits and pays its expenses, referring to the 
  two tables in this section. To check for losses 
  and profits, roll d100 and add the number of 
  downtime days the owning character or 
  characters have contributed to the hands-on 
  running of the business (maximum of 30 days 
  total among all contributors). Compare this 
  result to the Losses and Profits table. 
   
  LOSSES AND PROFITS 
  d100 
  days 
  Result 
  01-20 
  You must pay one and a half times the 
  business’ maintenance cost for the 
  month. 
  21-30 
  You must pay the business’ full 
  maintenance cost for the month. 
  31-40 
  You must pay half the business’ 
  maintenance cost for the month. 
  Profits cover the other half. 
  41-60 
  The business covers its own 
  maintenance cost for the month. 
  61-80 
  The business covers its own 
  maintenance cost for the month. It 
  earns a profit of one-quarter the 
  maintenance cost. 
  81-90 
  The business covers its own 
  maintenance cost for the month. It 
  earns a profit of one-half the 
  maintenance cost. 
  91+ 
  The business covers its own 
  maintenance cost for the month. It 
  earns a profit of three-quarters the 
  maintenance cost. 
   
  If the roll result generates a maintenance 
  cost (half, full, or one-and-a-half), this must 
  be paid out of the owners’ pocket. Failure to 
  pay immediately creates a “debt” for the 
  unpaid portion. Debts not paid right away can 
  sometimes be wiped out or reduced by 
  exchanging favors or services to whatever 
  source or supplier owns the debt, perhaps as 
  part of an adventure. 
  Each debt still existing at the time of the 
  next month’s losses and profits roll imposes a 
  
  76  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  –10 penalty to the roll. Failure to pay off a 
  specific debt within 12 months typically ends 
  the business; properties and inventories are 
  seized and sold at auction (at half the value of 
  the original investment), debts are paid from 
  that amount, and the remainder reverts to the 
  owner. 
  If the roll generates a profit, this accrues 
  immediately to the owner(s), although 
  characters would be wise to keep enough of 
  the profits on hand to cover losses made in 
  future months. 
   
  CALENDARING TIME 
  The investment systems in this chapter 
  assumes a 30-day month and a 12-month 
  year. If your campaign uses a calendar of a 
  different scale, you may want to adjust 
  these figures accordingly. 
   
  If the Dungeon Master employs the wealth 
  bundles system from elsewhere in this book, 
  any business profits or losses made within a 
  character level should be limited to about + 
  or – 1 level-appropriate bundle, give or take a 
  bit, calculated as an addition or subtraction 
  from the treasure chart. 
  If the Dungeon Master wishes to further 
  simplify things, she can peg the property’s 
  maintenance cost to half the value of a level-
  appropriate bundle for the party. As the 
  characters grow, the business grows and 
  expands, thus the losses and profits 
  automatically adjust accordingly. This is an 
  excellent way to abstract the process of 
  developing and diversifying an existing 
  business. A fortified tower might grow into a 
  keep and then into a large castle. A small 
  temple might become a large one, and 
  eventually grow into the regional hub for 
  administrators and pilgrims of that religion. A 
  roadside inn might grow in popularity, with a 
  small town springing up around it, becoming 
  a town inn. 
  Pegging maintenance to wealth bundle 
  values also lets the Dungeon Master keep 
  profits and losses reasonable if the characters 
  somehow acquire a property that is not level-
  appropriate. A party of 4th-level characters 
  might normally have no business trying to 
  run a small castle, for which the losses and 
  profits would otherwise seem staggering to 
  them. 
  Buildings and fortifications are described 
  below. 
  Abbey. This building complex houses 
  members of a religious order. It typically 
  exists in a remote setting and has barracks, 
  gardens, and other facilities sufficient to 
  support several dozen monks, mystics, or 
  other residents. 
  Cottage. This building resembles a large 
  family dwelling. It has two floors and about 
  seven separate rooms. It can house a family of 
  up to 10, or some other close-knit group of 
  people, so long as bedrooms are shared. 
  Farm. A farm includes a farmhouse, like a 
  cottage, and several fields to cultivate. It also 
  has a barn, warehouse, or grain silo for 
  housing livestock or storing crops. 
  Guildhall, Town or City. This nice building 
  is several stories tall. It contains offices, 
  operational facilities (like an adjacent 
  warehouse or workhouse), accounting 
  facilities, a secure vault for wealth and 
  business records, small-but-comfortable 
  rooms for visiting guildmembers, and a 
  variety of other things. The ornamentation of 
  a guildhall particularly reflects the success 
  and prosperity of the guild. 
  Inn, Rural Roadside. A roadside inn is an 
  all-encompassing stop-off point for travelers. 
  It includes a stable for horses, a bevy of cheap 
  rooms, a small but functional kitchen, and a 
  
  INVESTMENTS | 77 
  small assortment of drinks available at the 
  bar. 
  Inn, Town or City. This inn serves a higher 
  fare than a roadside inn. It offers no stabling 
  but does provide a wide array of food and 
  beverage qualities, as well as rooms in 
  various qualities. Services and 
  accommodations are more expensive not just 
  for their quality, but also because of their 
  proximity to a population center. 
  Keep or Castle. This stone building or set of 
  buildings is constructed for security and to 
  project military power over the surrounding 
  countryside. It is probably built on a high 
  point, perhaps with natural barriers 
  protecting it, and commonly boasts a high 
  curtain wall capable of repelling a siege. 
  Lodge, Hunting. This building is 
  strategically located in useful hunting 
  grounds. It has bare accommodations for a 
  half-dozen hunters, including living facilities. 
  It also provides the tools and room necessary 
  to butcher and preserve meat, process hides, 
  and perform other tasks common to hunting. 
  Noble Estate with Manor. A noble estate 
  serves much of the same function as a keep or 
  castle, but without the military fortification. 
  In unsettled, frontier lands, a noble estate is 
  likely to have some soldiers. 
  Outpost or Fort. This construction 
  resembles a primitive castle, built mostly of 
  wood with walls made of log palisades. It 
  otherwise includes military lodgings and 
  other logistical facilities to serve the same 
  functions. A fort or outpost is often a 
  precursor to a castle, built to be operational 
  while a real castle is constructed nearby, or 
  simply upgraded bit-by-bit until it turns into 
  a castle. 
  Palace or Large Castle. This is a larger 
  version of a normal keep or castle. The term 
  “palace” generally denotes a lower level of 
  military security, as a place situated deep in 
  the heart of a kingdom or empire, but a great 
  deal more luxury. 
  Shack. The simplest of buildings, this 
  wooden one-room construction provides bare 
  shelter from the elements, a few sticks of 
  furniture, and a single fireplace or cookstove. 
  Shop. This facility is an attractive building 
  arranged to welcome customers, display 
  wares, and store excess inventory. Most 
  shops have a small living facility above them 
  or in the back. 
  Temple, Large. A large temple is suited to 
  the size of a congregation one might find in a 
  large city. There are offices for clergy, a large 
  worshiping room or hall, nooks and alcoves 
  for quiet meditation, and decorations 
  appropriate to the deity or pantheons 
  patronized. 
  Temple, Small. A smaller version of the 
  temple, this building usually has living 
  facilities for a single priest and a congregating 
  area for a couple of dozen worshipers at 
  most. 
  Tower, Fortified. This tower is a small 
  facility, often used to project military might 
  into distant areas like mountain passes, 
  places where conflicts are unlikely, but a 
  military force or set of watchful eyes are 
  important. Fortified towers are also a favorite 
  with reclusive wizards and the like. 
  Trading Post. A trading post is a collection 
  of shops, usually of basic construction, often 
  erected near frontier areas. These facilities 
  usually have some measure of security like a 
  log palisade. Trading at these posts is usually 
  lucrative, often exchanging basic goods for 
  valuable frontier resources, including rare 
  furs or minerals. 
  A simple form of investment requires no 
  purchases, relying upon intermediaries to 
  handle set-up and maintenance. The investing 
  
  78  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  character simply provides an amount of 
  wealth to assist in the initial enterprise or re-
  pays a portion of the set-up costs, gaining 
  access to the profits. 
  The Dungeon Master can track outside 
  investments abstractly or can make rolls 
  using the structural investment systems 
  above. In the latter case, the DM should apply 
  a consistent bonus somewhere between 1 
  and 20 to the profits and losses roll. This 
  should reflect the strength of the investment 
  opportunity and it replaces any bonus from 
  the participation of the “owner.” Profits are 
  usually paid out at the end of the year, 
  dispersing percentages of the net gain across 
  all 12 of the prior months. 
  A character that owns a share of a business 
  receives a percentage of the net profits equal 
  to the percentage of the initial set-up costs 
  that were provided. This ownership share, or 
  “investment percentage,” is a valuable 
  commodity that can be traded or sold in the 
  future. 
  Savvy investors often buy shares with 
  associated terms. Depending on the exact 
  terms of investment, a character (or coalition 
  of characters) holding shares valued at a 
  certain percentage of the set-up costs (often 
  51% or more), often have a say in how the 
  business operates, wresting absolute control 
  away from the founder. Such maneuvers can 
  add intrigue to certain types of campaigns. 
  Not all monetary outlays are made intending 
  to gain a profit. Sometimes characters give 
  gifts or attempt to influence others with 
  donations. (This section does not describe 
  bribing officials for commercial gain—that is 
  considered a normal expense for a business.) 
  Renown with an organization is typically 
  gained or lost based on great deeds. But 
  characters can also gain renown with 
  purposeful strategies designed to raise their 
  profile within the organization. The Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide suggests that incremental 
  gains are possible during downtime activity, 
  when a character “undertakes minor tasks for 
  the organization and socializes with its 
  members.” However, organizations almost 
  universally value strategic donations just as 
  well as donated time. 
  A character (or party) wishing to gain 
  renown may donate wealth in various forms. 
  Temples may notice the giving of alms on a 
  large scale. A small town may appreciate 
  infrastructural investments that will not need 
  to be paid back. And any organization that has 
  the potential for corruption may appreciate 
  bribes given directly to its members. (At least 
  those members will likely appreciate it!) 
  The amount of wealth needed to gain 
  renown within an organization depends on 
  the giver’s current rating. Typically, the cost 
  is 50 gp multiplied by the current renown 
  rating. The Dungeon Master may adjust this 
  requirement up or down, depending on the 
  size of the organization. A small organization 
  with few assets is easier to influence, whereas 
  a large group with plentiful resources might 
  be less impressed by monetary gifts. 
  Moreover, some organizations are 
  particularly resistant to the influence of 
  outside money, depending on political or 
  moral philosophies. 
  While renown does not grant direct 
  monetary rewards, it is sometimes just as 
  good. The perks at low rank often include 
  such things as access to reliable adventure 
  leads, a safe house, or a trader willing to offer 
  a discount on adventuring gear. At mid-rank, 
  adventurers might gain a follower, access to 
  consumable magic items, or military backup 
  for a dangerous mission. At the highest ranks, 
  a renowned party might be able to call upon a 
  
  INVESTMENTS | 79 
  small army, take temporary custody of a rare 
  magic item, gain access to high-level 
  spellcasting, or be able to use lower-ranked 
  members as agents to which tasks may be 
  assigned. 
  Favors are more abstract than renown and 
  they can be owed or owned by individuals or 
  groups alike. Exchanging wealth for favors 
  requires a more strategic approach than 
  buying generalized renown. Because the 
  entire renown system constitutes optional 
  rules, a Dungeon Master who does not use 
  them might consider favors to be an easier, 
  more-abstract alternative. 
  Using wealth to get a favor is a tricky 
  endeavor. Randomly gifting wealth usually 
  improves the receiver’s attitude toward the 
  giver and may create a generalized sense of 
  obligation corresponding to the gift’s value. 
  But the sense of obligation is easily cured by a 
  gift of equal measure or simply repaying the 
  gift. The trick to turning wealth into favors is 
  capitalizing on opportunities where an 
  existing need for money plays upon the 
  receiver’s emotions, honor, or even the 
  receiver’s life. 
  For example, a young baronet has just 
  inherited his father’s lands and titles. He 
  quickly discovers that taxes on the familial 
  estate weren’t paid for the last five years. At 
  stake is the young man’s noble title and the 
  dignity of his house. A strategic gift here is a 
  good way to be owed a favor because more 
  than just wealth is at stake. When that favor is 
  called in, the baronet remembers that the 
  payment saved his very identity; he doesn’t 
  just remember the number of gold pieces that 
  were handed to him in a sack. 
  The Dungeon Master must determine ad 
  hoc what degree of favor results from a gift of 
  this nature, performing a case-by-case 
  calculus to weigh the impact of the specific 
  opportunity and the wealth expended. 
  An additional discussion of favors can be 
  found earlier in this book under Nonmaterial 
  Assets. 
   
   
  
  80  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 81 
  CHAPTER FIVE 
  ONSTRUCTION IDEAS IN THIS 
  chapter refer to the acquisition 
  of land; the creation, alteration, 
  and maintenance of structures; 
  and the building of ships and 
  their components. 
  Industrious characters may acquire enough 
  wealth to buy and maintain land, structures, 
  or even sea vessels. These major investments 
  can be handled with very little detail, or they 
  can become the entire focus of a campaign. 
  This section provides details and costs for 
  managing construction. The Dungeon Master 
  can use as much or as little of this information 
  as needed, whatever suits the level of detail 
  desired for the campaign. 
  The Dungeon Masters Guide suggests that 
  player characters might acquire land and 
  fortresses at 11th level or beyond, while in 
  the “Master of the Realm” character tier. 
  Being landholders helps the characters make 
  their mark on the world, which is an 
  underlying theme to this character tier. 
  Land ownership particularly reflects class 
  features of earlier editions of DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS. For example, prior to the 2nd 
  Edition, warrior-type classes would acquire 
  title, land, and a following of soldiers upon 
  reaching certain character levels. However, 
  owning property should not be inherent to 
  warrior classes or character levels, nor 
  should every property be a fortress or 
  military outpost of that type. 
   
  THIRD-PARTY PRODUCT COMPATIBILITY: 
  STRONGHOLDS & FOLLOWERS 
  If you are using Matt Colville’s Strongholds 
  & Followers, by MCDM Productions, you 
  will notice that the prices and stronghold 
  “types” in that book do not align with the 
  standard scale, that which is found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide and in this 
  product. 
  The standard costs assume that players 
  may become landowners at around 11th 
  level, as suggested by the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. Mr. Colville’s product, by putting 
  strongholds foremost in the player’s minds, 
  anticipates land ownership at around 7th 
  level, thus the reduction in pricing to 
  match what is affordable at that level. 
  Neither pricing mechanism is superior. 
  Both assume that land acquisition will 
  reflect what characters can afford when it 
  becomes a factor in the campaign. The 
  Dungeon Master is in charge of both 
  factors here, the price of any given 
  property as well as the amount of wealth 
  the party has access to in order to pay for 
  it. (See the Wealth chapter for details.) 
  To keep the figures straight, if your 
  players want a stronghold before the 
  Masters of the Realm tier, we suggest 
  adjusting the “buying power” lever rather 
  than lowering the value of strongholds to 
  match Mr. Colville’s product. Alternately, 
  use a costless (or lower-cost) gain method, 
  as described below. 
   
  
  82  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  The advantages of having a party-owned 
  property are multiple and the benefits are 
  useful at any level. As the characters develop 
  the location and build its facilities or 
  capabilities, the construction becomes 
  something like a character in its own right, 
  one that is shared among all the players. It 
  can serve as a unifying factor for party 
  members that might otherwise have little 
  reason to stick together, particularly after 
  their early quests or storylines have resolved. 
  Having a shared home means characters are 
  less likely to go their own way. The location 
  can also serve as a ready source of 
  replacement player characters if a party 
  member is lost, killed, or a player simply 
  wants to try something new; the NPCs 
  employed in (or associated with) the 
  fortification might share common interests 
  with the party and some may be suitable to 
  begin their own adventuring careers. 
  Unlike the earlier section that describes 
  abstract rules for fortifications as 
  investments, this section drills down to the 
  minutiae of construction projects. 
  If these rules are to be used, they should 
  apply only to one location in a campaign, a 
  single place to which the party frequently 
  returns and spends their time, perhaps using 
  it as a headquarters. It constitutes too much 
  bookkeeping to be used on any larger scale. It 
  might also fail to capture the interests of the 
  players; a DM should poll the players to see if 
  land ownership suits them, or perhaps 
  introduce one of the starter kits to the 
  characters in the course of play and see if 
  they have any interest in using it and growing 
  it into something better. 
  Starter kits are fleshed-out “introductions” to 
  property ownership, a description of land and 
  how it is acquired. Often, the most difficult 
  hurdle for players to explore this aspect of 
  the game is finding a starting point and 
  determining the nature of initial investments. 
  A starter kit pre-defines three factors to make 
  things easier on the players: 
   
  1. The Gain 
  2. The Land 
  3. The Fixtures 
   
  The Dungeon Master determines the nature 
  of each component in a kit using the following 
  guidelines. 
  This component determines how the players 
  get ownership or use-rights to property. 
  These are just examples; the DM is free to 
  make up other versions of how the characters 
  might acquire ownership. 
  Grant. To begin a property-owning 
  endeavor, the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  proposes that land might be deeded to the 
  party by a local ruler. This is a classic 
  “medieval fantasy” method to gain property. 
  It usually comes with a knighthood or some 
  noble titles, depending on its value. 
  A grant is appropriate for characters that 
  have performed great deeds and gained 
  recognition from noble or royal benefactors. 
  Significant grants are appropriate for 
  characters in the Masters of the Realm 
  character tier (11th-16th level). Locations 
  given to such characters tend to have 
  strategic significance, the buildings tend to be 
  fortified for military use, and the political 
  nature of the grant tends to embroil the new 
  owners in warfare and court intrigue. These 
  are factors probably not suitable to lower-
  level campaigns or characters. 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 83 
  Inheritance. An inheritance requires no 
  initiation on the part of the player characters. 
  It simply happens to one of the party 
  members; the agent of a banking house, small 
  town, or local lord finds the affected character 
  and presents her with a deed to the property. 
  An inheritance is a good way to move a party 
  to a new area, making them travel to 
  investigate the property and giving them a 
  base to operate from once they arrive. It is 
  also a fine way to start a new campaign. 
  Inheritance is appropriate for any property 
  or character level. A low-level character 
  might inherit a farm or an inn that the party 
  can work in downtime. For a higher-level 
  character, the land might include a noble 
  estate and a title to go with it. Inheritance is 
  also useful in that characters can usually walk 
  away from it if it does not suit the players’ 
  goals or ambitions for the game. There is 
  rarely a strong sense of obligation involved. 
  Seizure. Depending on the nature of local 
  government, or if there is none, land can 
  sometimes be owned by those who move in 
  and build on it. Perhaps free land is being 
  offered to anyone who is willing to settle the 
  wild frontier in the eastern reaches of the 
  kingdom. In some territories, like the 
  Underdark, possession of land is down to 
  pure conquest, but this ownership “right” 
  does not include any protection from others 
  conquering the same territory in return. 
  Taking by right of possession usually means 
  the land is undeveloped. Wilderness must be 
  cleared and tamed for its intended use and 
  construction must begin from scratch. 
  Alternately, ancient ruins may provide a basis 
  for construction. In some cases, hostile 
  natives resent the idea of having new 
  neighbors and work against the party. 
  Purchase. The simplest way to acquire land 
  is to purchase it. Most deeds can be bought 
  for as little as 100 gp or as much as 1,000 gp, 
  depending on the location of the property. A 
  very large property might be bought for 5,000 
  gp or more, if it can be bought at all. This 
  contemplates open land; the presence of 
  buildings or other fixtures will increase a 
  deed’s cost dramatically. 
  In feudal societies, all land is truly owned 
  by the crown. Land “owners” simply have a 
  right to use the land for their lifetimes, a right 
  which passes down to their heirs. This 
  persists until the sovereign revokes that right 
  or an owner dies without heir. In addition, the 
  crown allows temples and political orders to 
  hold large tracts in various locations suitable 
  for their important works. In such societies, 
  characters may lease property from a 
  landholder such as this if they have no 
  opportunity to earn a grant from the 
  sovereign. Leases are cheaper than deeds; a 
  20-year right to use land will usually cost 
  only half the value of purchasing it. 
   
  BUYING POWER 
  Much commotion is sometimes made over 
  the cost to purchase expensive properties, 
  but the prices in this (and other third-party 
  books about properties) simply cannot 
  reflect the most important factor: The 
  Dungeon Master explicitly controls the 
  party’s buying power. Listed prices are 
  immaterial because the Dungeon Master 
  can easily increase the amount of wealth a 
  party has when the players express an 
  earnest interest in land ownership. In 
  addition to subtly reducing a price, players 
  may be able to call in favors to defray costs. 
  Taking custody of a stronghold might even 
  be free, except that a wise Dungeon Master 
  carefully considers every chance to drain 
  extraneous or excessive wealth from the 
  party’s coffers… 
   
  
  84  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  The next kit component is the nature and 
  location of the land, including any existing 
  occupants. To define this component, the 
  Dungeon Master should compose a brief 
  description after contemplating the following 
  factors. 
  Size. The first thing to determine is the size 
  of the property. This basically breaks down 
  into one of two categories, personal parcels 
  and landholder parcels. The nature of this 
  division can have a significant impact on how 
  the property interacts with the campaign. 
  Personal parcels are suitable for building a 
  single house, fortified tower, shop, temple, or 
  the like. They often include enough land to 
  support the operation of a small business, 
  whether that’s access to a roadway for an inn, 
  proximity to the king’s forest for a 
  leatherworker that has a hunting right there, 
  or a few hills rich in minerals for a mining 
  operation. Personal parcels are often found 
  amid neighboring small parcels, near or 
  within a town, city, or other population 
  center. For logistical reasons, a personal 
  parcel is unlikely to be found in a remote 
  region. 
  In some cases, personal parcels can be 
  expanded to the size of landholder parcels. 
  This growth potential suits the future growth 
  of the characters. It allows them to start with 
  a small piece of land and graduate to a larger 
  piece if they are successful in managing it. 
  Landholder parcels are large enough to 
  allow subordinate residents, members of a 
  town, farming community, or similar 
  enterprise. Landholder parcels are typically 
  the type given to noble title-holders. In a 
  feudal system, nobles may tax the income of 
  peasants living on their land but are obliged 
  to see to the peasants’ protection and just 
  rulership, and further obliged to give taxes to 
  the crown and maintain soldiers for the 
  security of the realm. Landholder parcels can 
  also apply to cases of private ownership, 
  perhaps in a wilderness land conquered by 
  new owners and opened for friendly 
  settlement. 
  Landholder parcels take a lot of work and 
  authority to hold. They are usually acquired 
  by a grant but can be taken by right of 
  conquest or similar gain. Holding these 
  properties (or growing a personal property 
  into this size) is something best reserved for 
  characters of 11th level or higher. The 
  “Masters of the Realm” tier is when 
  characters are expected to make their mark 
  on the world and receive recognition for their 
  great deeds. See page 37 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. 
  Location. Perhaps the most important 
  factor for a piece of land is its position 
  relative to other important locations. Is the 
  land in the capital city, thus in high demand 
  and with high value? Is it far from any major 
  roads or trade routes, thus low in value but 
  high in positional security? Land particularly 
  rises in value as it approaches population 
  centers, which include the sources of 
  government, commerce, and learning. 
  Unless there is a reason for some other type 
  of property, a kit intended for the player 
  characters to build on should have 
  convenient positioning, if not a valuable 
  location. 
  Accessibility. Similar to the question of 
  location is the question of accessibility. While 
  this has something to do with location, it is 
  more dependent on the presence of 
  roadways, navigable rivers, and passable 
  terrain around the property. A riverside or 
  seaside property is quite high in accessibility, 
  particularly land with its own harbor. 
  A poorly-accessible property is good for an 
  owner that values security and solitude. 
  However, it detracts from the owner’s ability 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 85 
  to engage in commerce or attract wanted 
  neighbors (or supportive peasants for a 
  feudal property). The land’s natural resources 
  lose value since getting them to market is 
  costly. 
  Natural Resources. This factor indicates 
  the presence of timber, minerals, arable land, 
  fishable rivers or oceanside, or other 
  resources that can be relied upon to aid 
  subsistence or trade. Natural resources are 
  the main source of “profits” from a land 
  investment. A range of craggy mountains 
  above the tree line, with no significant 
  mineral resources, is a desolate and valueless 
  place indeed. 
  Most natural resources are beyond the 
  means for a party alone to access. The skills, 
  tools, and free time needed to harvest lumber, 
  mine minerals, farm the land, or fish the sea 
  are best employed by subordinate occupants. 
  In some cases, this might mean importing 
  hirelings. If the surrounding region is also 
  rich in the same resources, such skilled 
  hirelings are likely to be more available. In 
  feudal societies, a large landowner can rely 
  on peasants to render the property’s 
  resources. 
  The presence of natural resources on the 
  land almost always comes with the right to 
  harvest them. Even a leaseholder can 
  typically take timber or game from the forest. 
  Particularly when appropriate fixtures are 
  already present on the land, such rights are 
  contemplated as part of the property’s gain. 
  The king would not grant land including a 
  hunting lodge without including the right to 
  hunt dear in the nearby forest. 
  Residents. Existing residents generally 
  come in one of two categories, hostile or 
  friendly. 
  Hostile residents can be roving monsters, 
  unwelcoming squatters, or the newly-
  conquered citizens of a rival kingdom. In 
  most gain scenarios, the new owners are 
  expected to clear out or pacify any hostile 
  residents. But it is possible that certain 
  unintelligent monsters could be safely 
  avoided by the new owners who stay behind 
  their high walls, the monsters kept around to 
  discourage trespassing. Smart landowners 
  find a way to turn hostile residents into 
  friendly ones, or at least ones they can coexist 
  with. 
  Friendly residents include families or whole 
  villages that are obliging and useful to the 
  new owners, helping them move in and 
  serving as sources of security and support. 
  These might be intelligent races who can 
  coexist on the land, like fey that hide in the 
  forests or lizardfolk that inhabit the 
  otherwise-unusable swamps. Friendly 
  residents can sometimes become hostile, 
  based on the characters’ interactions with 
  them or with the land and its resources. 
  Felling the whole forest or draining the 
  swamp might not be appreciated by those 
  who live there. 
  In a feudal grant, friendly residents are 
  usually the landholder’s subjects, the people 
  who will work the land and provide taxes. 
  These peasants are the source of the 
  landholder’s strength; they are the people 
  that produce taxable farming and crafting, 
  and from whom new soldiers are trained. The 
  number and prosperity of a feudal parcel’s 
  peasantry directly correlates to the 
  landholder’s wealth and power. 
  Degradations. This refers to any problems 
  with the land. Are the cliffsides eroding into 
  the sea? Does the swamp deepen each year, 
  eating away at the arable land? Have wildfires 
  burnt away all the forests? Is the harbor too 
  shallow for significant use? 
  In most cases, degradations simply operate 
  to decrease the value and usefulness of the 
  land and have no other effect. But they can 
  
  86  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  also be opportunities to improve the value of 
  the property. This allows the land to “level 
  up” as the player characters do. Usually, time 
  or effort may remove a degradation; the 
  forests may regrow to harvestable levels, the 
  swamp can be drained, the harbor can be 
  dredged, or the crumbling cliffside can be 
  reinforced with engineering works. 
  In terms of property, a “fixture” usually refers 
  to a building on the property, but could also 
  include such constructions as a dam, 
  watchtower, bridge, wharf, crop fields, or 
  something similar. Pre-existing fixtures go a 
  long way toward defining the character of the 
  land and giving clues as to its best uses. 
  Ideally, for a personal parcel, a fixture is a 
  generic building or the intact foundation of a 
  ruin, upon which the player characters can 
  impose their own designs for growth and 
  fortification. A fixture like the remains of a 
  saw mill on the river could suggest a 
  relatively successful use for the land. 
  For landholder parcels, existing fixtures 
  often follow the military and administrative 
  needs of the sovereign. A fortification is 
  usually central, where the landholder will 
  reside. Bridges might have guard houses for 
  the collection of the queen’s tax on travelers. 
  A dam might manage the flow of waterways 
  and need protection and maintenance. While 
  a landholder can ask the sovereign for 
  assistance or can improve these out of her 
  own pockets or profits, they must not be 
  neglected. 
  The Dungeon Master should include any 
  fixtures in the description of the land after 
  contemplating the following factors. It is 
  entirely possible that a piece of land has 
  absolutely no fixtures, allowing the DM to 
  ignore these things initially. Depending on the 
  nature of the grant, the characters might be 
  obligated to construct or rebuild some 
  fixtures, either from their own resources or 
  using a stipend from the sovereign. 
  The Homestead. Every parcel must, at its 
  outset or after some construction, have a 
  place to house the characters (or from which 
  to run the land’s operations if the characters 
  live elsewhere). This is the parcel’s defining 
  structure. A tall castle defines the parcel as 
  one ruled by a noble, a tyrant, or some other 
  military leader. A farmhouse means the 
  parcel is a farmstead. 
  The Dungeon Master should take some care 
  to make any existing homestead building one 
  that can be modified or expanded to suit the 
  characters’ tastes. This piece is one of the 
  most personal land features for the party and 
  they should be given reign to remodel as 
  desired. It is also the building to which 
  various “property components” will apply. 
  (See the following section for details.) 
  Rights-Fixtures. To prevent land-use rights 
  from becoming too complex, these features, if 
  already existing, include the right to their use. 
  Their costs or the required royal declarations 
  are assumed to be included in the gain. 
  Depending on the nature of the gain, these 
  features might also require use (and 
  maintenance) on behalf of the true 
  landholder. 
  A dam on the river means the property 
  owner has the right to take some significant 
  measure of water from the river, despite the 
  complaints of farmers on the arid land 
  downstream. 
  A bridge, ferry dock, or tollhouse 
  contemplates the right of the landholder to 
  collect taxes from travelers, probably 
  remitting a portion to the sovereign. 
  Warehouses near the waterfront or an inn 
  within the city walls means the landholder 
  has the right to operate those respective 
  business; any mandatory guild dues or 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 87 
  operational taxes are included in the cost of 
  maintenance. 
  A saw mill on the river carries with it the 
  right to take timber from nearby land, 
  process it, and sell it. Depending on the grant, 
  a sovereign may demand the right of first 
  purchase for such goods, getting the option to 
  buy the lumber before it is offered for sale 
  elsewhere. 
  A fortified structure like a tower or keep 
  means the landholder has the right (and the 
  duty, if in a feudal setting) to house and equip 
  soldiers. 
  Common Lodging. For landholder parcels, 
  those with subordinate residents, “common 
  lodging” is the housing already available. The 
  existence or expansion of housing is critical to 
  maintaining a viable, happy population. 
  Simple forms of common lodging might be 
  as little as a tent camp suitable for the early 
  operation of a mine, which will eventually 
  become a mining town with permanent 
  structures. At the other end of the scale is the 
  vast and interconnected network of buildings 
  within a century-old city, well developed and 
  thickly occupied. 
  Security Features. Security-oriented 
  fixtures include walls that surround a 
  property, watchtowers, fortified military 
  outposts, and similar constructions. They 
  might also include “negative features” that 
  are not buildings at all but are designed to aid 
  security, like the dredging of a deep border 
  river to create a strategic barrier. 
  Security features typically require some 
  effort to garrison and maintain; they are 
  rarely found on properties owned by only an 
  individual or a single adventuring party. 
  Once the nature of the property is 
  determined, and the characters decide they 
  want to keep (and invest in) that parcel of 
  land, these rules allow the players to modify 
  their home environment to suit their tastes 
  and budget. 
  Every homestead should come furnished 
  with enough rooms and accommodations to 
  allow the party, and perhaps a few additional 
  characters, to live there without having to 
  expand or build new features. 
  This section is only for characters that want 
  to personalize the homestead (or the 
  surrounding buildings on a landowner 
  parcel), typically gaining specific game-
  related benefits. If an existing building does 
  not seem to have enough free area to add or 
  modify a room, the building can usually be 
  expanded to make space. 
  Many of these components have no effect 
  on the mechanics of the game; they are 
  provided simply to allow characters to fill out 
  their parcel if that suits their interests. In 
  many ways, a land parcel is like an additional 
  character that the players share; the more 
  details it has, the more alive and compelling it 
  will be as a part of the game. 
  Most components are available as either a 
  room in a structure, or as free-standing 
  structures, often with different associated 
  mechanics. A component that can appear as 
  both a room or a structure will list both a 
  Room Cost and a Structure Cost. Components 
  not available in both types will list only one of 
  these costs. 
  Ancillary buildings, like a stable or coach 
  house, can be built on a personal parcel, but 
  most are suitable only for a landholder parcel. 
  Some properties, particularly city-based land 
  parcels, have no room for expansion, 
  preventing the party from adding structure-
  only components. 
  The costs given here are for “simple” or 
  “frontier” versions of components, those built 
  
  88  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  with processed lumber, some stone and 
  mortar, and various construction techniques 
  that are somewhere between “crude” and 
  “semi-refined.” For a higher quality building, 
  add 50 gp to improve foundations, renovate 
  existing edifices, allow precise stonework, 
  and build with the smooth lines of expert 
  construction. 
  This room holds a wealth of extra simple 
  weapons and light armor. It allows non-
  garrison hirelings, up to the number of 
  contained armament sets, to deploy as semi-
  competent soldiers when necessary. For 
  these non-martial hirelings, use the cultist 
  statistics from the Monster Manual (minus the 
  Dark Devotion feature). 
  Room Cost. 50 gp + 10 gp per set 
  Structure Cost. A freestanding armory is 
  situated to arm a number of non-martial 
  residents living in various portions of the 
  parcel. Such a building costs 100 gp + 10 
  additional gp per set of armaments. 
  This small, simple room contains ten bunks, 
  cots, or hammocks, and space for ten 
  personal trunks or chests. Armor stands and 
  weapon racks are typical features as well. A 
  barracks is typically used to house additional 
  soldiers, but player characters used to “living 
  rough” might enjoy making use of barracks 
  too. 
  A barracks adds 10 to the number of 
  soldiers that can comfortably reside in the 
  building. These additional soldiers are not 
  included in the maintenance cost for the 
  property, nor does this room increase a 
  structure’s garrison rating. 
  Room Cost. 25 gp 
  Structure Cost. A “barracks hall” is 
  designed to house a larger number of 
  soldiers. The cost is 50 gp for the first ten 
  soldiers, and 25 gp per additional ten soldiers 
  it can house. A typical barracks hall will house 
  about a hundred. 
  A simple building for housing vehicles, 
  suitable for keeping wagons and coaches out 
  of the elements when not in use. A similar 
  construction adjacent to a waterway can 
  create a shelter to cover small watercraft. 
  Structure Cost. 15 gp 
  This building typically takes the form of a 
  feast hall or drinking establishment. More 
  “refined” versions may include a performance 
  theater, a gallery to display crafts, or a 
  museum of art. 
  Structure Cost. 80 gp 
  Gardens are typically housed in a courtyard, 
  rooftop, or along the perimeter of a building 
  or property. They can be used to grow food or 
  other plants. For adventurers, they are most 
  often used to grow the exotic herbs that are 
  the necessary components of herbalism. A 
  cultivated garden is useful when arable land 
  is not freely available on the land parcel. 
  A garden is particularly useful if the 
  characters find a rare plant that the Dungeon 
  Master determines to be the necessary 
  component for a certain herbal brew. (For 
  further inspiration, see the rules for 
  Concoctions in the Comprehensive Equipment 
  Manual.) Cultivating the plant allows the 
  characters to harvest periodically and craft 
  the brew, though they must return home to 
  the garden each time they do so. The 
  Dungeon Master will dictate the amount of 
  ingredients available in a garden at any given 
  time. At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, 
  maintaining an herb garden may reduce the 
  cost for ingredients to craft a variety of herbal 
  brews. 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 89 
  Room Cost. 10 gp 
  This represents good roads, small bridges, 
  docks, or other improvements that allow 
  access throughout the parcel, as well as to 
  and from it. Each instance of good byways 
  supports an area that has up to 50 residents. 
  Structure Cost. 25 gp 
  Cells are made with iron bars, which have 19 
  Armor Class, 6 hardness, and 27 hit points. 
  They are each made to house four medium 
  creatures or one large creature. Because they 
  are constructed to resist intentional breakage 
  by their contained creatures, cell bars and 
  walls are typically immune to damage from 
  natural and unarmed attacks. Additional 
  information on the health of objects can be 
  found at page 246 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. The cell’s door comes with a lock, for 
  which a single key is provided. Without the 
  key, a creature can pick this lock with a 
  successful DC 15 Dexterity check using 
  thieves’ tools. 
  Room Cost. 100 gp per cell 
  Structure Cost. A freestanding “jailhouse” 
  can be built for 100 gp plus another 100 gp 
  per contained cell. This building has stout 
  doors and thick walls, and other security 
  features suitable for maintaining prisoners. 
  Happy residents need reliable housing. These 
  expenditures represent a set of common 
  buildings suitable for multiple families, or a 
  collection of cottages. Families need more 
  living space than soldiers and cannot be 
  happy for long if crammed in ear-to-ear 
  somewhere like a simple barracks. 
  Structure Cost. 25 gp per family of five 
  This developed area and its attending 
  buildings are suited to the advancement of a 
  single industry, like mining and smelting ore, 
  logging and processing lumber, or fishing and 
  packing fish. A setup of this type is usually 
  needed to extract natural resources from a 
  parcel. Each such construction supports the 
  efforts of up to 50 workers. 
  Structure Cost. 1,250 gp 
  This room is dedicated to the safe and 
  efficient storage of books. A mere collection of 
  books does not make a library in this sense; a 
  library is a coordinated collection designed to 
  cover a range of topics important to 
  adventurers. 
  A character that researches in the library 
  has advantage on any Intelligence check to 
  discover lore within the range of the arcana, 
  history, nature, or religion skills. If the 
  question of lore does not relate to any specific 
  skill, or it relates to a skill the researcher is 
  not proficient with, the library allows the user 
  to benefit from half her proficiency modifier, 
  rounded down. Advantage does not apply if 
  the DC for the check is higher than 15; higher 
  DCs indicate information that is too rare or 
  esoteric to be found in most reference books. 
  A library can be stocked or expanded to 
  encompass additional, more-specific topics. 
  Examples of such topics include specific 
  trades or skills, a particular deity or religion, 
  plants of a curative variety, the history of a 
  single kingdom, or necromantic lore. The 
  covered topic is typically a small slice of what 
  would otherwise be covered by the arcana, 
  history, nature, or religion skill. While 
  researching a question of lore within an 
  expansion topic, advantage applies to the 
  Intelligence check for a DC as high as 20. A 
  book or set of books that constitutes an 
  expansion might be found while adventuring 
  
  90  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  or purchased during a trip to a large city. The 
  Dungeon Master should make sure to track 
  any expansion topics added to the library. 
  A short research attempt, about 10 minutes, 
  tends to answer only simple questions, like 
  whether the plant your cattle ate is poisonous 
  or whose noble house that red-and-gold 
  pennant belongs to. More complex questions 
  require about eight hours (or one day of 
  downtime), as the researcher references 
  multiple sources and draws conclusions by 
  cross-referencing. Using a personal library to 
  research in downtime is simpler than doing 
  so in a city, but the questions of lore that 
  might be answered tend to be more limited. 
  Up to two characters can use a library to 
  research at the same time, so long as they are 
  not researching the same question of lore. 
  Room Cost. 250 gp + 50 gp per additional 
  topic 
  Structure Cost. A “library building” costs an 
  additional 100 gp at the outset, above what a 
  room version would require. This is about 
  twice what a normal freestanding building 
  would cost; preservation of books requires 
  excellent insulation and environmental 
  control. Up to six characters can use a library 
  building to research at the same time, so long 
  as none of them are researching the same 
  question of lore. 
  This construction encompasses multiple shop 
  buildings or an array of stalls in the case of an 
  open-air market. This much infrastructure 
  supports a populace of up to 200 residents, 
  contributing to their convenience and 
  happiness. A market rarely brings in the type 
  of goods or services that player characters 
  are interested in purchasing.  
  Structure Cost. 60 gp 
  A room can be concealed behind a secret door 
  with some additional expense. Detecting and 
  opening secret doors is something discussed 
  on pages 103-104 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. The DC for this door is 15. Alternately, 
  the DC can be raised to 20 for double the 
  construction price, or 25 for four times the 
  construction price. Secret doors are often 
  used to hide questionable areas like a 
  necromantic laboratory or a hidden holding 
  cell. 
  A secret passage requires a door at both 
  ends, though only one of them needs to be 
  secret. If both are secret, simply pay the cost 
  for two secret doors. (Passages themselves 
  are too incidental to cost anything under this 
  system.) If the doors at both ends are secret, 
  they need not be of the same quality. Secret 
  passages are sometimes used to create a 
  clandestine entrance to the building, to link 
  rooms, or to provide a hidden escape tunnel 
  that exits a stone’s throw away from the 
  building. 
  Room Cost. 110 gp 
  This expensive upgrade adds a surrounding 
  wall, watchtowers, warning bells, strategic 
  moats, and other security features. This 
  expense is suitable for a parcel containing no 
  more than 25 residents. For every additional 
  50 residents, or part thereof, you must pay 
  this upgrade cost again or find that there are 
  significant holes in the security. 
  To increase the level of security, perhaps 
  replacing the wooden palisades with stone 
  walls and building the watchtowers with 
  extra height, double the cost of each upgrade. 
  Structure Cost. 200 gp 
  A shrine is a small room with ritual trappings 
  and iconography dedicated to a specific deity, 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 91 
  alliance of deities, or pantheon. It has room 
  for a character to worship privately. At 
  double the cost, a shrine can be large enough 
  for religious services to be held involving a 
  dozen participants. 
  Room Cost. 35 gp 
  Structure Cost. A “temple” costs 150 gp to 
  construct properly; the interior and exterior 
  must be sufficiently decorated to honor the 
  deity to whom it is dedicated. The true cost of 
  a temple can be far more extravagant. 
  Depending on the wealth and piety of the 
  builder, a temple might be built and 
  decorated using many thousands of gold 
  pieces. 
  A temple includes room for about 100 
  worshipers, plus several offices for clergy to 
  operate out of and several utility rooms. 
  This structure is large enough to house a 
  dozen horses, mules, or similar creatures. 
  Alternately, this building may be constructed 
  for different types of animals, like a rookery 
  or a goat run. 
  Structure Cost. 30 gp 
  Players may wish to construct traps in their 
  residence. This is a bad idea on several levels; 
  intelligent creatures rarely put traps 
  anywhere they regularly frequent. The 
  chance of accidents is just too high. But the 
  particularly paranoid may throw in a false 
  door with a trap or put extra security around 
  a vault. 
  Example traps are discussed on pages 120-
  123 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and on 
  pages 113-123 of Xanathar’s Guide to 
  Everything. 
  Room Cost. Because traps are so varied in 
  size and functionality, the Dungeon Master 
  must determine the cost for each individually. 
  As a very loose guide, traps that can be reset 
  (reused without repairs) cost about 30 gp per 
  die of damage they inflict. Traps that must be 
  rebuilt or repaired each time have a per-
  damage-die cost of 20 gp to install and 10 gp 
  to repair. Traps that do no damage count as 
  having 1 damage die for cost purposes. Traps 
  that use poison require doses of the 
  substance to be purchased separately. (For 
  expanded poison rules, see the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual, particularly the rules for 
  long-lasting Viscids.) 
  Magical traps do not follow these 
  guidelines. 
  This room is designed for crafting in. A 
  workroom is made specifically for the type of 
  crafting to be done within; there is one 
  version for each type of artisan’s tools and 
  certain miscellaneous tools. Crafting in a 
  workroom of the appropriate type allows a 
  character to work on significant projects that 
  are too large to carry around. Up to three 
  crafters can use a workroom at the same 
  time. 
  Room Cost. Alchemy Laboratory (300 gp), 
  Brewery (240 gp), Calligraphy Table (220 
  gp), Carpentry Shop (216 gp), Cartography 
  Studio (230 gp), Cobblery (210 gp), Expanded 
  Pantry (202 gp), Glassblowing Chamber (260 
  gp), Jeweler’s Vault (250 gp), Leatherworking 
  Shop (210 gp), Mason’s Yard (220 gp), 
  Painting Atelier (220 gp), Pottery Hall (220 
  gp), Smithy (240 gp), Tattoo Parlor (230 gp), 
  Tinkering Laboratory (300 gp), Weaver’s 
  Shop (204 gp), Woodcarving Shop (202 gp), 
  Forgery Den (230 gp), Herbalism Laboratory 
  (210 gp), Poisoner’s Retreat (300 gp) 
  Structure Cost. For a separate building 
  dedicated to a craft, a workshop with the 
  same name as the room, increase the cost by 
  200 gp. Up to ten crafters can make use of a 
  freestanding workshop at a time. 
  
  92  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, a 
  workshop also provides the benefits of 
  masterwork tools for one user at a time, 
  something described in the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual. 
  A vault is an armored room about the size of a 
  10-foot cube. It is surrounded by hardened 
  metal, like steel. Steel walls of this thickness 
  have a 19 Armor Class, 54 hit points in each 
  10-foot surface area, and 12 hardness. Vaults 
  are often hidden behind secret doors and 
  locked with multiple locks. 
  Room Cost. 550 gp 
  Structure Cost. A “bank” or “freestanding 
  vault” costs 850 gp to construct. The storage 
  area is four times the size of a vault room. 
  A parcel can grow in both size and 
  population, depending on the investments of 
  time and wealth provided by the owners. A 
  personal parcel can eventually become a 
  landholder’s parcel. A landholder’s parcel can 
  grow to swallow neighboring territory. 
  Most growth occurs organically over time. 
  Residents have families, outsiders are drawn 
  to the presence of industry and available 
  work, and the potential residents feel that 
  their interests are safe in the care of the 
  land’s owners. Unless the players are actively 
  trying to grow their land, taking substantial 
  steps in that direction, the Dungeon Master 
  should simply have growth occur at whatever 
  pace serves the game’s story. 
  Some forms of growth require additional 
  adjudication, particularly if the land parcel 
  abuts another claimed parcel. This is common 
  in cities, where buildings are built closely to 
  one another. Sometimes neighboring land 
  must be purchased. In a feudal system, two 
  barons might have a land war (or feud) to 
  resettle a boundary line or petition the 
  sovereign to make such a change official. 
  Ships share many of the features of other 
  constructions. They can easily serve as 
  headquarters for a band of intrepid 
  adventurers. They can be large or small, in 
  size or in capability. They can be armed with 
  siege weapons and garrisoned with soldiers, 
  or they can be simple mercantile vessels. 
  Ship statistics and costs can be found in the 
  Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide, or in this product’s sister publication, 
  the Comprehensive Equipment Manual. 
  Ships are built and maintained mostly with 
  the same materials and methods as one 
  another, just on differing scales. 
  During a naval engagement, all crew 
  members are required to operate the ship. 
  Otherwise, the crew can deploy as a semi-
  professional fighting force of sailors 
  (bandits). These can be skilled or unskilled 
  hirelings. A military ship may also be 
  garrisoned by marines (guards) equal to its 
  passengers rating. For every full 10 marines, 
  replace one with a veteran. As all soldiers, 
  marines are skilled hirelings. Statistics for 
  these warrior types can be found in the 
  Monster Manual. 
  Construction time for a ship is 1 day per 150 
  gp of its construction cost. Similarly, ship 
  upgrades and modifications are pegged to 
  percentage values of the vessel they effect. A 
  ship’s maintenance cost is 1% of its 
  construction cost. 
  Creation of anything larger than a keelboat 
  must be done by a skilled team, not 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 93 
  individuals employing the downtime crafting 
  rules. Improvements to a ship (added ship 
  components) must be planned, built, and 
  installed by a group of skilled shipwrights. 
  Not all ships are created equal. Players 
  looking for a ship that is faster, tougher, or 
  more agile might consider adding 
  modifications to their vessels. Consider the 
  following ship improvements. 
  This translates into more space for a ship’s 
  sailors to sleep and eat. The ship may support 
  more passengers than its base rating, but its 
  cargo capacity is decreased. For each ton of 
  cargo capacity removed, add 2 to the ship’s 
  passenger rating 
  Cost. 5% of base ship cost 
  By attaching metal plates to the ship, the 
  vessel’s DT increases by 5. For every 10 hp of 
  the vessel, remove any combination of 2 from 
  its passenger rating or 1 from its cargo rating. 
  If there is insufficient capacity, this 
  modification cannot be added. Armor plating 
  slows the ship by ½ mph. 
  Cost. 30% of base ship cost 
  A wide rudder makes a ship nimbler, granting 
  advantage to some maneuvers. 
  Cost.: 3% of the base ship cost 
  A ramp or set of ramps that can be lowered 
  from a ship to facilitate boarding. A corvus 
  has hooks on its end to secure it fast over the 
  other ship’s rail. The ramp has its own 
  handrails, so sailors can safely rush into a 
  boarding action. These bulky devices reduce a 
  ship’s cargo capacity by 15 tons. If there is 
  insufficient cargo capacity, this modification 
  cannot be added. 
  Cost. 3% of the base ship cost 
  Concealed weapon ports are carefully crafted 
  and disguised; they can only be recognized on 
  a successful Wisdom (Perception) check 
  made within 1,000 feet. 
  Cost. 5% of the base ship cost to conceal all 
  ports 
  The ship’s keel is longer than usual for a 
  vessel of its type. The ship’s measurements 
  from bow to stern are 10% longer than 
  normal, though cargo capacity is not 
  appreciably affected. The ship is more stable 
  and, at the Dungeon Master’s discretion, 
  provides advantage to certain maneuvers or 
  ability checks that call upon water vehicles 
  proficiency. This improvement must be 
  installed at the time of the ship’s construction 
  and cannot be added later. 
  Cost. 10% of base ship cost 
  Some ships sport fanciful carvings on their 
  bowsprits. This modification is strictly 
  cosmetic. Players are encouraged to design 
  their own custom figureheads such as 
  dolphins, mermaids, and other creatures of 
  myth. A proud figurehead adds 1 to crew 
  loyalty while they are aboard (or within sight 
  of) the ship. See the NPC loyalty rules in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Cost. 3% of the base ship cost 
  The bottom of the ship is inset with a metal 
  lattice supporting an array of windows. These 
  permit the crew to gaze into the water below 
  and around the vessel. The glass is thick 
  enough and the individual panes small 
  enough, that they don’t affect durability or 
  
  94  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  performance. In a world with monstrous and 
  magical perils, these windows help the crew 
  see threats that come from below or identify 
  terrain features immediately under the 
  vessel. The limitation of these windows is the 
  range of the crew’s vision into the water, 
  which is often dark. 
  Cost. 25% of base ship cost 
  The ship’s rigging undergoes wholesale 
  changes. Rigging configuration and careful 
  engineering enable the sails to function more 
  reliably. The ship’s captain or operator can 
  attempt an Intelligence (water vehicles) 
  check against a DC of 15 to prevent a non-
  combat mishap related to losing sails or 
  rigging. 
  Cost. 6% of base ship cost 
  The ship undergoes an efficient remodeling of 
  its layout to provide more room for the ship’s 
  stores. For every 2 persons that are removed 
  from passenger capacity, add 1 ton to the 
  cargo rating. 
  Cost. 5% of base ship cost 
  The features of the ship’s decks are designed 
  to be moved to disguise the ship as an 
  altogether-different vessel. After pulling up 
  dozens of bracing pins, the crew can slide the 
  stern castle forward on hidden rails, 
  rearrange the position of the masts, extend 
  the gunwales, lower the poop deck, transfer 
  the ship’s wheel, and make other cosmetic 
  changes such as a new figurehead and 
  different-colored sails. The process takes 
  about one hour. Identifying the ship at a 
  distance based on its profile or appearance is 
  impossible when the configuration is 
  modified. A ship not currently in its natural 
  formation reduces its speed by 1/2 mph. 
  Cost. 40% of base ship cost 
  The ship has been intentionally designed with 
  a slenderer hull, enabling it to slip through 
  smaller spaces. The ship applies a +2 bonus 
  on all opposed checks made for a chase on 
  almost any scale, be those ability checks for 
  navigator’s tools or for water vehicles 
  proficiency. The ship’s beam (width) is 
  decreased by 20%. Because of the reduced 
  space needed, remove any combination of 2 
  from its passenger rating or 1 from its cargo 
  rating for every 10 hp of the vessel. If there is 
  insufficient capacity, this modification cannot 
  be applied. This improvement must be 
  installed at the time of the ship’s 
  construction; it cannot be added later. 
  Cost. 15% of base ship cost 
   
  RAMMING 
  To ram, a ship must move at a rate fast 
  enough to move into its target. It must 
  have a base speed no less than 2 mph and 
  cannot have a speed less than half of the 
  target ship’s current speed. The Dungeon 
  Master determines when or if the 
  conditions are right for a ramming attempt. 
  A ramming attempt requires an opposed 
  Intelligence (water vehicles) check made 
  by the operators of both ships. If the 
  ramming operator’s check is higher than 
  the target operator’s, the ram succeeds. 
  A successful ram inflicts damage to the 
  target vessel equal to double the ramming 
  ship’s DT, but damage is no higher than the 
  ramming ship’s hit points. A failed 
  ramming attempt still causes an impact, 
  but the damage inflicted is halved and both 
  ships suffer this damage. 
  The damage inflicted by ramming is not 
  reduced by either ship’s DT. A successful 
  ramming attempt will lock the ships 
  together as though grappled. 
    
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 95 
  The ship bears a standard ram, usually 
  sheathed in bronze or iron, mounted on its 
  bow, usually at the waterline. With this 
  upgrade, double the ship’s DT for 
  determining its ramming damage. (See the 
  ramming rules in the sidebar.) 
  Cost. 5% of base ship cost 
  For protection during naval maneuvers, this 
  ship has a raised “bumper” rail running down 
  the length of its keel and around the front and 
  sides of the hull just above the waterline. 
  When resisting a ramming action, the 
  operator of this vessel has advantage on the 
  Intelligence (water vehicles) check. The 
  vessel may apply its DT to reduce damage 
  from being rammed by another ship or when 
  striking hazards like icebergs. This feature 
  cannot be added to a ship with a ram. 
  Cost. 20% of base ship cost 
  The ship is modified so that gaps in its 
  construction can serve as hidden cargo areas. 
  This does not change a ship’s cargo capacity. 
  A smuggling compartment can hold anything 
  that fits within a 5-foot cubic space. A 
  difficulty 20 Wisdom (Perception) check is 
  required to locate smuggling compartments 
  in a search of the ship. 
  Cost. 2% of base ship cost 
  The ship’s body has had additional supports 
  and layers of wood added to it, making it 
  thicker and more resilient. The ship’s base hit 
  points are increased by 10%, but the ship’s 
  speed is reduced by 1/2 mph. 
  Cost. 10% of base ship cost 
  These massive engines of war are designed to 
  protect or assail heavy targets, fortifications 
  or large groups of enemy soldiers. They are 
  included in this chapter to help arm and 
  fortify ships and structures. 
  Siege engines are moved under the power 
  of groups of soldiers or minders, or they are 
  pulled by teams of animals or domesticated 
  monsters. As part of the variant rule below, 
  each siege engine is also noted with a crew 
  requirement to operate it. 
  VARIANT: CREW ACTIONS 
  Each siege engine requires a number of 
  workers to fire and reload it, noted in its crew 
  entry. When an engine says it requires an 
  action to do something, it requires the actions 
  of all crew operators. 
  Under this rule, an engine can be operated 
  with fewer crew members, but the total 
  number of actions contributed to each 
  activity must equal or exceed the product of 
  the required number of crew members, 
  multiplied by the required number of rounds 
  (loading, aiming, and firing).  
  This rate of firing also assumes that the 
  operators are siege engineers (trained 
  hirelings devoted to this skill). If any of the 
  engine’s crew are not skilled in siege craft, 
  these crew members contribute only half an 
  action to the required totals each round. 
  A siege weapon can be prepared for 
  instantaneous use by accruing the actions of 
  all three phases (the number of rounds for 
  loading, aiming, and firing). It can thereafter 
  be fired by a lone crew member, skilled or 
  unskilled, using that individual’s single action. 
  Each siege engine’s description includes its 
  size, Armor Class, and hit points, as well as an 
  outline of its functions and attack capabilities. 
  Every siege engine is immune to poison and 
  psychic damage. 
  
  96  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Crew: 4 
  Cost: 1,000 gp 
   
  A ballista is a massive crossbow that fires 
  heavy bolts. Before it can be fired, it must be 
  loaded and aimed. It requires one action to 
  load the weapon, one action to aim it, and one 
  action to fire it. 
  Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 
  range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) 
  piercing damage. 
  Huge object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 100 
  Crew: 6 
  Cost: 1,750 gp 
   
  A larger, slower version of the ballista that 
  fires an even more massive crossbow bolt. 
  Before it can be fired, it must be loaded and 
  aimed. It requires two actions to load the 
  weapon, two actions to aim it, and one action 
  to fire it. 
  Heavy Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to 
  hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 22 
  (4d10) piercing damage. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 75 
  Crew: 3 
  Cost: 500 gp 
   
  A catapult hurls a heavy projectile in a fast, 
  forward arc. Before the catapult can be fired, 
  it must be loaded and aimed. It takes two 
  actions to load the weapon, two actions to 
  aim it, and one action to fire it. 
  A catapult typically hurls a heavy stone, 
  although it can hurl other kinds of projectiles, 
  with different effects. 
  Catapult Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 
  to hit, range 175/750 ft., one target. Hit: 27 
  (5d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 100 
  Crew: 3 
  Cost: 1,125 gp 
   
  A mangonel is a type of catapult that hurls 
  heavy projectiles in a high arc. This payload 
  can hit targets behind cover. Before the 
  mangonel can be fired, it must be loaded and 
  aimed. It takes two actions to load the 
  weapon, two actions to aim it, and one action 
  to fire it. 
  A mangonel typically hurls a heavy stone, 
  although it can hurl other kinds of projectiles, 
  with different effects. 
  Mangonel Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +5 to hit, range 200/800 ft. (can’t hit targets 
  within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) 
  bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Crew: 2 
  Cost: 200 gp 
   
  An onager is a smaller, short-armed catapult 
  that hurls a heavy projectile in a fast, forward 
  arc at the level of infantry. Before the onager 
  can be fired, it must be loaded and aimed. It 
  takes two actions to load the weapon, one 
  action to aim it, and one action to fire it. 
  An onager is small enough to be carried on 
  the back of a wagon. 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 97 
  An onager typically hurls a heavy stone, 
  although it can hurl other kinds of projectiles, 
  with different effects. 
  Onager Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 
  to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 
  (3d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Huge object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 150 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 2,500 gp 
   
  A trebuchet is a powerful catapult that uses a 
  complex mechanism to throw its payload in a 
  high arc, allowing it to hit targets behind 
  cover. Before the trebuchet can be fired, it 
  must be loaded and aimed. It takes two 
  actions to load the weapon, two actions to 
  aim it, and one action to fire it. 
  A trebuchet typically hurls a heavy stone. 
  However, it can launch other kinds of 
  projectiles, such as barrels of oil or sewage, 
  with different effects. 
  Trebuchet Stone. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +5 to hit, range 300/1,200 ft. (can’t hit targets 
  within 60 feet of it), one target. Hit: 44 (8d10) 
  bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 20 
  Crew: 2 
  Cost: 50 gp 
   
  A cauldron is an iron pot that is suspended so 
  that it can be tipped easily, spilling its 
  contents. Once emptied, a cauldron must be 
  refilled—and its contents must usually be 
  reheated—before it can be used again. It 
  takes three actions to fill a cauldron and one 
  action to tip it. 
  Cauldrons can be filled with other liquids, 
  such as acid or green slime, with different 
  effects. 
  Boiling Oil. The cauldron pours boiling oil 
  onto a 10-foot square area directly below it. 
  Any creature in the area must make a DC 15 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 4,500 gp 
   
  This bulky mechanical contraption hurls 
  casks of alchemist’s fire that shatter on 
  impact, lighting the target on fire. 
  Cask of Alchemist’s Fire. Ranged Weapon 
  Attack: +4 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage plus 17 
  (5d6) fire damage, and the target catches fire. 
  While on fire, the target takes 3 (1d6) fire 
  damage at the start of each of its turns. A 
  burning creature can end this burning state 
  by immersing itself in water or by using an 
  action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to 
  extinguish itself. Each cask of alchemist’s fire 
  costs 200 gp. 
  Gargantuan object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 200 
  Crew: 8 
  Cost: 2,750 gp 
   
  This weapon operates from a fixed point, it’s 
  long, crane-like arm extending up to a 
  hundred feet to end in several chain flails or a 
  chain with a large claw. The weapon is 
  generally mounted on a curtain wall. It is 
  used to overturn covered rams, misalign 
  
  98  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  approaching siege towers, or rake away the 
  sails and rigging of ships on adjacent rivers. It 
  can also be swept through the enemy ranks to 
  disrupt approaching formations. 
  A great claw that inflicts cumulative 
  damage on a siege tower or covered ram 
  equal to half its total hit points pulls the 
  engine apart or tips it over, making it useless. 
  The same damage to a ship destroys enough 
  sail and rigging to halve the vessel’s wind-
  powered speed, but the great claw’s damage 
  to sails and rigging can be repaired at half the 
  normal cost. 
  Claw Arm. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, 
  reach 100 ft., one object. Hit: 16 (3d10) 
  bludgeoning. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 20 
  Crew: 8 
  Cost: 100 gp 
   
  A ram is an iron-shod log with handles, used 
  to batter through doors and barricades. The 
  operators of a ram lack the fortifying gallery 
  of a covered siege ram and are fully exposed 
  when they approach and attack. 
  Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one object. Hit: 16 (3d10) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 100 
  Crew: 4 
  Cost: 750 gp 
   
  A covered ram consists of a movable gallery 
  equipped with a heavy log suspended from 
  two roof beams by chains. The log is shod in 
  iron and used to batter through doors and 
  barricades. 
  It takes fewer creatures to operate a 
  covered ram because the operators have a 
  supporting gallery to suspend the weight 
  from. Because of the gallery roof, ram 
  operators have total cover against attacks 
  from above. 
  Covered Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one object. Hit: 16 (3d10) 
  bludgeoning damage. 
  Gargantuan object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 200 
  Crew: Varies 
  Cost: 2,000 gp 
   
  A siege tower is a mobile wooden structure 
  with a beam frame and slats in its walls. 
  Medium or smaller creatures can use the 
  siege tower to reach the top of walls up to 40 
  feet high. A creature in the tower has total 
  cover from attacks outside the tower. 
  Large wooden wheels or rollers allow the 
  tower to be pushed or pulled by soldiers or 
  beasts of burden. A total combined Strength 
  rating of 100 or more is required to move the 
  tower while empty. Triple that number if the 
  tower is full of soldiers as it advances. 
  Gargantuan object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 350 
  Crew: Varies 
  Cost: 3,500 gp 
   
  A massive siege tower is a larger wooden 
  structure with a beam frame and slats in its 
  walls. Medium or smaller creatures can use 
  the siege tower to reach the top of walls up to 
  65 feet high. A creature in the tower has total 
  cover from attacks outside the tower. 
  The massive siege tower is too large for 
  wheels and can only be propelled on rollers. 
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 99 
  The monstrosity is pushed or pulled by a 
  great many soldiers or beasts of burden. A 
  total combined Strength rating of 200 or 
  more is required to move the massive tower 
  while empty. Triple that number if the 
  massive tower is full of soldiers as it 
  advances. 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 30 
  Crew: 4 
  Cost: 3,500 gp 
   
  This device is designed to pump oil in a high-
  velocity stream at an enemy. The oil is lit as it 
  leaves the siphon, creating a flaming stream 
  that can ignite flammable objects. 
  Flaming Oil. The siphon projects flaming 
  oil onto a 10-foot square area at a point 
  within 60 feet of it. Any creature in the area 
  must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, 
  taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save, 
  or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  Wooden structures and vessels in the area 
  are likely to catch on fire. Each shot of oil 
  consumes about 80 pints, a quantity that 
  costs 8 gp. 
  This section separates siege guns from other 
  siege engines. Siege guns are not normally 
  available unless the Dungeon Master has 
  added a Firearms limited lists to the 
  campaign, per the rules in the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual. 
  Like all siege equipment, siege guns are 
  immune to poison and psychic damage. 
  The ammunition required to fire a siege gun 
  costs 5 sp per pound of the shot’s weight, 
  which includes the cost of gunpowder. 
  Siege guns are divided into two types based 
  on their mounting. 
  Field guns typically move with an army. 
  Each is mounted on a mobile platform that 
  includes two large wheels and a tail-like 
  support leg. Each is typically towed by a team 
  of two or four horses. 
  Ship’s guns are less mobile, mounted on a 
  ship or a fortification. Their mountings are 
  squat, heavy frames, typically equipped with 
  small, sturdy carriage wheels suitable for 
  absorbing recoil. 
  This distinction is mostly traditional since 
  the weapons from either type, with some 
  mounting modifications, can be used in either 
  capacity. Any siege gun can be purchased as a 
  field gun or a ship’s gun. Changing the 
  mounting later requires carpentry work 
  valued at 1% of the weapon’s standard cost. 
  Unless using the Slow Loading variant rule, a 
  siege gun requires one action to load, one 
  action to aim, and one action to fire, just as 
  with many siege weapons. 
  VARIANT: SLOW FIRING 
  Using this variant, firing times depend on gun 
  teams working in unison to operate their 
  weapons. This is particularly suited to 
  ponderous siege warfare or ship battles in the 
  age of sail, when minutes would pass between 
  each cannon shot. 
  With this rule, before a siege gun can be 
  fired, it must first be run back, swabbed clean, 
  loaded with powder and shot, packed, run 
  out, and aimed. Siege guns therefore require 
  250 rounds of labor to prepare and fire. The 
  work can be split among as many as 5 
  gunners, allowing the gun to fire at a rate of 
  once every 5 minutes (every 50 rounds). 
  This rate contemplates unseasoned crew 
  members performing the operation. 
  
  100  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Professional, trained gun crews (skilled 
  hirelings) each provide double the labor 
  output. This means a siege gun fully crewed 
  by trained gunners will fire, at fastest, once 
  every 2½ minutes (25 rounds). 
  A siege gun previously prepared can be 
  fired by a lone gunner using a single action. 
  Large object, ship’s gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 75 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 6,500 gp 
   
  This massive gun is designed to fire a 
  murderous weight of shot over a short 
  distance. At its longest range, the barrel 
  requires a significant upward tilt and the shot 
  flies in a pronounced arc. 
  A carronade can use indirect fire at targets 
  within its long range increment, shooting 
  over intervening obstacles like other ships. 
  Indirect fire prevents the use of many types of 
  cover. 
  32 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +5 to hit, range 300/1,200 ft., one target. Hit: 
  55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object, ship’s gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 75 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 3,500 gp 
   
  This heavy weapon is typical of cannon 
  craftsmanship. 
  24 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +6 to hit, range 600/2,400 ft., one target. Hit: 
  44 (8d10) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
  Small object, ship’s gun 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 15 
  Crew: 1 
  Cost: 600 gp 
   
  This small ship’s gun has no mounting frame. 
  It is attached to a swiveling pintle that rests in 
  any number of prepared positions along the 
  gunwales or on platforms among the masts. A 
  single strong crew member can lift the 
  weapon out of its position and carry it to a 
  new one. 
  If using the variant Slow Firing rule, a 
  culverin requires only 50 crew actions to load 
  and fire, but its small size and fixed position 
  make it impossible for more than a single 
  crew member to operate thusly. 
  4 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +6 to hit, range 50/200 ft., one target. Hit: 11 
  (2d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object, field gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 60 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 2,000 gp 
   
  The most common field piece, this mid-level 
  weapon fires a reliable load using a relatively 
  low quantity of gunpowder. 
  12 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +6 to hit, range 350/1,400 ft., one target. Hit: 
  27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object, field gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 3,000 gp 
   
  
  CONSTRUCTION | 101 
  Larger than a demi-cannon, this field gun 
  throws a much heavier ball. 
  18 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +6 to hit, range 500/2,000 ft., one target. Hit: 
  38 (7d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Large object, ship’s gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 3,000 gp 
   
  This gun is longer and fires a lighter load than 
  weapons of similar weight. The additional 
  range makes long nines well-suited for chase 
  work, mounted at the fore or aft of a ship. 
  9 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +7 to hit, range 750/3,00 ft., one target. Hit: 
  22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage. 
  Huge object, field gun 
  Armor Class: 19 
  Hit Points: 125 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 6,000 gp 
   
  Unlike other field guns, a mortar is mounted 
  on a heavy frame, much like a ship’s gun. Tiny 
  carriage wheels allow the weapon to be 
  oriented. A mortar is typically transported via 
  wagon. 
  A mortar can use indirect fire, shooting 
  over obstacles like hills and castle walls. 
  Indirect fire prevents the use of many types of 
  cover. 
  42 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +5 to hit, range 800/3,200 ft., one target. Hit: 
  66 (12d10) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
  Medium object, field gun 
  Armor Class: 17 
  Hit Points: 25 
  Crew: 5 
  Cost: 1,250 gp 
   
  This lightweight weapon can be pulled by a 
  single horse. It is highly accurate, with 
  exceptional range, though less powerful than 
  other field guns. 
  6 lb. Cannonball. Ranged Weapon Attack: 
  +7 to hit, range 75/300 ft., one target. Hit: 16 
  (3d10) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
   
  
  102  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
   
   
  
  RECRUITING | 103 
  CHAPTER SIX 
  HIS CHAPTER COVERS THE SYSTEM BY 
  which players gain control over 
  large military forces. It covers 
  several aspects of recruitment, 
  including the methods and costs 
  to hire and maintain military forces, rules for 
  leading armies, and a lightweight game 
  system to determine outcomes when pitting 
  military forces against one another. 
  Although the maintenance costs of a property 
  include the financing of a number of soldiers, 
  these troops alone are not sufficiently 
  numerous to be considered armies. 
  Gaining and maintaining true military 
  forces, not mere garrisons, represent the 
  pinnacle of outlays; only truly-wealthy and 
  successful adventurers will be able to convert 
  their treasure into standing armies. 
  For the purpose of this chapter, an army has 
  at least a hundred members; these rules do 
  not pertain to smaller groups of warriors, the 
  personal following of a competent warrior 
  like Robin Hood’s band of Merry Men, nor do 
  these rules address followers and important 
  lieutenants as non-player characters. 
  To acquire an army, characters with sufficient 
  wealth can simply hire soldiers (long-term 
  skilled hirelings), purchase equipment for 
  each, and pay their food and lodging. A tiny 
  army of 1,000 soldiers would require an 
  initial outlay of 60,000 gp to equip. This initial 
  cost is staggering. On top of this, expect to pay 
  an additional 2,000 gp each day to maintain 
  that size of a fighting force. 
  Of course, this assumes a ready source of 
  soldiers in the area to recruit. And this just 
  contemplates infantry; it doesn’t include the 
  weapons, armor, and horses of more 
  specialized soldiers, nor the siege equipment, 
  transportation methods, or supply train 
  needed to maximize the army’s usefulness.  
  Building and supporting an army on 
  nothing but gold is therefore an impractical 
  proposition. Successful armies usually take 
  advantage of certain factors to defray these 
  costs. 
  By providing food and lodging, the daily cost 
  of skilled hirelings is cut in half. Economies of 
  scale allow that billeting and provisioning an 
  army are cheaper than paying them to find 
  their own food and lodging, but this requires 
  a place to put the army.  
  Lodging is relatively simple if the recruiter 
  owns a sufficiently-large fortification. So long 
  as the army has a base of operations to return 
  to, lodging is not a concern while it is on 
  campaign. Such a landowner needs only find 
  food for her army, which might be managed 
  by the hirelings included with the property. A 
  fortification can, with cramped conditions, 
  house an army equal to 20 times it’s Garrison 
  Strength rating. If an army encamps around a 
  fortification, instead of just dwelling within it, 
  the infrastructure can support 100 times its 
  Garrison Strength rating for a period of about 
  a month. 
  
  104  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  The Building and Maintenance Costs table 
  in the Investment chapter has a Garrison 
  Strength column indicating how many of the 
  people employed under the Skilled Hirelings 
  column might be soldiers. (These soldiers are 
  not additional to the skilled hirelings housed.) 
  By finding the right recruits, like the 
  members of fierce warrior cultures or the 
  veterans of a recently-ended war, the would-
  be war leader’s soldiers will already own a 
  fair bit of armaments. Such soldiers require 
  only half the normal cost to equip. In rare 
  cases, some soldiers come fully-equipped. 
  Costs can also be reduced by hiring less-
  skilled soldiers, a peasant army or a force of 
  raw recruits. This halves the maintenance 
  costs for the army (or that portion of it), but 
  using untrained hirelings has obvious 
  drawbacks when it comes to fighting. 
  Soldiers are typically paid only periodically. 
  Sometimes they are paid a signing amount up 
  front and the remainder at the end of the 
  campaign or various periods within the 
  campaign. An army that captures a wealthy 
  objective might suddenly have more money 
  to pay the troops. And if the army is active, 
  the soldiers that die represent outlays that do 
  not have to be paid. (In some societies, fallen 
  soldiers’ wages are paid anyway, going to the 
  families or designated heirs.) 
  Some armies are founded on the notion of 
  pure plunder. Such soldiers receive no pay 
  (see cultural acquisition, below), but expect 
  to loot the wealth of their enemies if 
  successful in battle. In this way, the army 
  leaders pay little or nothing to maintain the 
  soldiers, but the soldiers might get greater 
  rewards anyway. 
  This sort of method generally prevents the 
  army from any policies that prohibit pillaging 
  or mistreating civilians, which will very much 
  color the reputation of the army and those 
  involved with it. 
  Culture-based acquisitions occur when 
  members of the army are not motivated by 
  pay. Sometimes this is the result of social 
  pressures, cultural expectations, laws of 
  conscription, slavery, or other methods. 
  Whatever the case, the cost to maintain these 
  soldiers is halved. If the army’s leaders 
  provide the food and lodging, there is no 
  payroll expense for such soldiers. In any 
  culture-based acquisition, the Dungeon 
  Master must determine ad hoc the number of 
  soldiers that can be acquired. It is difficult to 
  mix culturally-acquired soldiers with soldiers 
  of regular pay; altruism is fine until someone 
  else starts getting paid for the work you are 
  doing free. 
  Conscription is the tool of civilized 
  societies. When threatened, civilians are 
  legally pressed into the army for a set term of 
  service or the length of a war. Such civilians 
  count as unskilled hirelings. They almost 
  never have their own equipment, but some 
  might bring farm implements or the leftover 
  weapons from their grandparents’ time at 
  war.  
  In war-like or raiding societies, healthy 
  adults are expected to fight to maintain the 
  society’s way of life. To organize an army, the 
  leader must have a certain reputation and a 
  specific goal. Tribes of martial barbarians or 
  goblin-kin might rally to the banner of a 
  strong leader, seeking to take territory from 
  rivals or plunder a nearby city. These soldiers 
  typically come with their own equipment; 
  maintaining gear for war is an expected part 
  of adulthood in warrior societies. 
  
  RECRUITING | 105 
  Slavery is another approach that armies use 
  to get cheap troops. Unless a society raises 
  their warrior slaves from a young age using 
  exceptional techniques for their control and 
  conditioning, the slave portion of an army is 
  little better than fodder. Slaves must be 
  provided with gear suitable for the campaign, 
  although they usually have the cheapest 
  weapons and armor, denoting their station. 
  Resorting to slave armies creates an historic 
  stain upon any lasting gains its leaders 
  accomplish. Civilized societies consider these 
  efforts unchivalrous and illegitimate. 
  Reputation also serves a role in gaining 
  soldiers. Characters with martial capabilities, 
  and who have accomplished heroic deeds 
  (those around 11th level), often acquire the 
  service of itinerant soldiers. These warriors 
  recognize the cunning or accomplishments of 
  like-minded persons and seek to be a part of 
  their enterprises. Such soldiers fight for 
  honor. They do not require pay nor stipends 
  for equipment, but their leaders must have 
  ways to feed and house them. 
  Characters in feudal systems with high 
  noble titles can, if they have subordinate 
  nobles underneath them, call upon the 
  soldiers their subordinate nobles maintain. 
  There is no cost to employ, equip, or maintain 
  these soldiers; that duty falls to the nobles to 
  whom they belong. For example, in addition 
  to her own warriors, a countess going to war 
  may call upon the militaries maintained by 
  each of the barons within her county. In the 
  same way, the duke may call upon the 
  countess’ armies, along with those of the 
  other counts in the duchy, as well as all their 
  barons’ armies. 
  The previous costs only contemplate the 
  investment of simple soldiers. More 
  specialized warriors require significant 
  additional funds to equip initially. 
  Infantry and archers both cost about the 
  same amount to equip, about 60 gp each. 
  Infantry have cheaper weapons than archers 
  but make up for it with heavier armor and 
  shields. 
  Elite soldiers cost about 250 gp each to 
  equip. These typically wear more-protective 
  chainmail or splint armor. They use 
  professional weaponry like polearms and 
  often have more than one back-up weapon. 
  True knights cost 2,000 gp each to equip. 
  They wear plate armor, carry shields, and 
  ride powerful warhorses. Each is also 
  accompanied by a squire or servant, usually 
  with an additional cost. Despite the heavy 
  investment cost, knights typically fight for 
  causes, not gold, so they can be maintained 
  simply by paying room and board. 
  Another consideration for a would-be war 
  leader is the cost of ancillary equipment. 
  Catapults, siege towers, wagons for the 
  supply trains, professional logisticians to 
  chart and track army movement and supplies, 
  and other costs may also apply. Refer to the 
  earlier sections in this product for the costs of 
  siege engines, ships, wagons, and other 
  vehicles. 
  In many circumstances, characters will not be 
  allowed to raise armies freely. Local leaders 
  get nervous about growing military forces 
  that are not under their own control. 
  The exact point at which a military force 
  becomes too large to tolerate is determined 
  by the Dungeon Master. Of course, what the 
  leader is doing with her army also plays into 
  how tolerant a ruler will be toward it. 
  In addition to local rulers, the nature of the 
  army plays some role in how large it may 
  grow before other forces seek to interfere. A 
  
  106  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  character raising a force of orcs and goblins 
  near to civilized lands may find that their 
  presence alone is enough for neighboring 
  armies to march against it, or adventurers to 
  come and assassinate the leader or otherwise 
  thwart the army’s assumed intentions. 
  Even when militaries are generally 
  approved of, there are often set limitations. If 
  two barons have frequent feuds, the countess 
  is not likely to allow one of them to begin 
  recruiting a massive army, fearing instability 
  in the county. 
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide presents an 
  optional loyalty mechanic on page 93. This 
  mechanic is intended for individual nonplayer 
  characters, but with some adaptation, it 
  works just as well for a whole army, sub-
  groups within an army, or the officers that 
  control portions of an army. 
  Army loyalty can be roleplayed, or it can be 
  controlled by this rule. Using this system, 
  troops that are poorly-paid, are ill-equipped, 
  or are made to suffer terrible conditions and 
  humiliating losses, are more likely to abandon 
  their service. Troops that are treated well and 
  paid well are more likely to fight to the death 
  for their cause. 
  The loyalty score of an army (or any sub-
  division of an army, if the Dungeon Master 
  wishes to distinguish them) is measured on a 
  scale from 0 to 20. Scores can never exceed 
  this range. The maximum effective score is 
  equal to the Charisma score of the leader and 
  its starting loyalty score is half the leader’s 
  Charisma score. If leadership of the army 
  changes hands, adjust the loyalty score 
  accordingly. 
  If the Dungeon Master tracks the army with 
  sub-divisions and gives a leadership score to 
  the officers in charge of those divisions 
  instead of the divisions themselves, those 
  divisions will instead have a loyalty score 
  applicable to their officers. This can create 
  scenarios where a harsh and overbearing 
  officer tries to follow the army leader’s orders 
  but the soldiers in that sub-division revolt. 
  The Dungeon Master should track army 
  loyalty scores secretly so that players won’t 
  be fully conscious of the exact score. 
  However, an army’s morale is usually notable 
  to astute officers, meaning the leader might 
  have some general notion of the loyalty 
  rating, perhaps within a few points. 
  Increase an army’s loyalty score by 1d4 
  points each time the leader successfully 
  achieves results favorable to the army. This 
  typically means each success in battle, 
  whether to gain plunder or to defend their 
  homeland. But do not apply this bonus if the 
  army’s casualties were greater than 30%. 
  Decrease an army’s loyalty score by 1d4 
  points each time the leader fails to meet the 
  army’s expectations. This means each month 
  of failure to pay wages after the point when 
  they are owed, failures in battle, or forcing 
  the army into poor conditions like a grueling 
  desert march or camping in rotting 
  swampland. Decrease the loyalty score by 
  2d4 if the army has reason to suspect that 
  their hardships are the result of the leader’s 
  selfish desires for personal gain. 
  An army with a loyalty score rated higher 
  than 10 will fight to the death for its leader, 
  fighting through terrible odds to achieve the 
  leader’s goals. 
  An army whose score is within the range of 
  1-10 is only tenuously loyal and might be 
  willing to leave service and enter another 
  
  RECRUITING | 107 
  leader’s army (though typically not a rival’s 
  army) or might resist undertaking extreme 
  activities. 
  If the army’s score drops to 0, it is no longer 
  loyal and will soon abandon the leader. Its 
  members might even take service in a rival or 
  hostile leader’s forces. If the army was 
  treated badly enough, it might actively 
  sabotage the leader’s efforts, leaving service 
  as the enemy’s army is forming up to charge. 
  This section presents a method for resolving 
  the clash of armies. 
  Despite its roots in wargaming, mass-combat 
  systems don’t play well to a DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS audience. The game’s history is 
  littered with the corpses of failed or little-
  used army-fighting sub-games. In today’s 
  environment of third-party publications and 
  homebrews, that boneyard has become much 
  bigger. 
  The original Battlesystem game (republished 
  for Second Edition) used modifications of 
  normal character-scale rules. It was 
  implemented with figurines and built as an 
  introduction to true wargaming. 
  Battlesystem was a full, standalone game 
  that received great reviews (by its owners 
  and creators) but suffered a mixed reception 
  from the public. The game never really caught 
  on as a game to play on its own or as a system 
  to use in combination with DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS. It has been discontinued for several 
  decades. 
  Later mass-combat rules have tried to be 
  lighter, simpler, and more abstract. They 
  moved away from full-scale miniatures and 
  wargaming, seeking only to address clashes of 
  armies as a “side-game” or “mini-game” 
  within a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS campaign. 
  These “wargame” offerings take a fairly-
  standardized form. They have units of various 
  sizes with a handful of ratings dissimilar from 
  normal game statistics. Dungeon Masters 
  control their clashes with new roll types, 
  incorporating various modifiers for terrain, 
  tactics, and other factors. To keep things 
  interesting, these systems invariably 
  incorporate (1) random outcomes based on 
  die rolling, and (2) altered outcomes based on 
  player character activities. The drawbacks of 
  these systems are twofold. 
  First, these additional rules are tedious and 
  will swallow whole game sessions to 
  implement. Only the Dungeon Master will 
  bother to learn any of these rules, and rare 
  will be the player interested in watching the 
  DM play a sub-game by herself. 
  Second, as the size of clashing forces 
  increases toward the scale of true armies, the 
  idea of player characters having efficacy 
  becomes increasingly unbelievable. 
  The storied scene where a single hero turns 
  the tide of a battle simply lacks credibility and 
  it can rob the conflict of the important sense 
  of scale that clashing armies should bring. 
  This is not to say that player characters 
  should play no leadership role in a battle, or 
  that they cannot have heroic encounters 
  within the space of clashing armies, just that 
  these scenes should not be relied upon to 
  determine the outcomes of battles between 
  armies. When warring kingdoms take to the 
  field, the entire fabric of the campaign shifts 
  in ways that should be controlled by the 
  Dungeon Master, not by the presence of a few 
  individuals or the caprice of a few die rolls. 
  
  108  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  For a rational approach, the Dungeon 
  Master should refer to the following factors to 
  determine the outcomes of the battle. These 
  results are best decided at the outset, perhaps 
  during pre-game preparation, so that the 
  story does not pause while the DM figures 
  things out. (Keep the war as a backdrop for 
  your campaign while the game’s focus 
  remains on the player characters.) 
  The important things to decide in a battle 
  are: who wins, which troops are lost by each 
  side, what impact the clash has on the story, 
  and what roles the players get to play in the 
  conflict. 
  In any clash of armies, the certain winner will 
  usually be obvious. Two forces meet, one with 
  vastly superior numbers and position. The 
  lesser of these two forces will lose, leaving 
  only the question of how badly.  
  Officially deciding the winner is the first 
  thing for the Dungeon Master to do. This is 
  the opposite approach of most mass-combat 
  systems, those that want you to decide 
  winners only following a long series of 
  awkward rolls. While rolling for winners 
  makes for a touch more drama, it more often 
  produces improbable results and takes the 
  focus away from the players. 
  When determining the winner, the DM 
  should consider the numbers on both sides, 
  their training, equipment, quality of tactics, 
  leadership, morale, presence of disease in the 
  camp, use of special warfare equipment, 
  access to combat magic and healing magic, 
  and any other factor that may play a role in 
  the outcome. Particularly note interactions 
  where one side is heavily favored, such as 
  archers showering a slowly-approaching 
  army without response; particularly in heroic 
  literature, these can defy the simple calculus 
  of equal attrition. 
  A clash of armies is typically a whole battle, 
  from start to finish. It takes place within a 
  single day. If a battle proves indecisive, an 
  additional clash may take place on the 
  following day or the next, with additional 
  clashes continuing until the outcome is 
  certain. The Dungeon Master can decide that 
  a battle of multiple clashes has different 
  winners on different days. This can supply 
  additional nuance to determined outcomes. 
  The winning side of the conflict obtains its 
  nominal goals. It forces the enemy to retreat, 
  takes control of the contested village, or 
  isolates the other army from its 
  reinforcements. Usually a parlay and peace 
  are worked out following the clash, 
  depending on the larger context of the battle. 
  Whatever the circumstances, the Dungeon 
  Master should decide the nature of the 
  victory including any shift in army 
  composition, territorial positioning, or 
  political upheaval that results. 
  Each clash produces casualty numbers, as 
  described below. The Dungeon Master can 
  impose these calculations or just decide 
  losses based on what makes the most sense. 
  Both sides suffer casualties in war. These 
  losses are based on two calculations. 
  First, the losing side suffers 20% casualties. 
  From a historical perspective on medieval 
  warfare, this is a staggering percentage. 
  Second, the winning side suffers half of the 
  loser’s number of casualties, to a maximum of 
  half its own army size. 
  For example, two armies clash, one with 
  100 soldiers and one with 250 soldiers. If the 
  larger force loses, it suffers 50 casualties 
  (20% of its fighters). The winning force 
  suffers half that number (25 casualties). 
  
  RECRUITING | 109 
  Had the smaller force lost, it would have 
  suffered only 20 casualties (20% of its 
  fighters) before things turned so decisively 
  against it as to require a surrender or retreat. 
  The larger force would have lost only 10 
  casualties. 
  An army composed of multiple troop types 
  applies their loss percentage proportionally 
  to each type. For example, a losing army of 
  300 veterans and 1,700 raw recruits will 
  suffer 20% casualties, meaning 60 veterans 
  and 340 recruits cease to be viable in battle. 
  The Dungeon Master may apply loss 
  percentages unevenly based on tactics; 
  perhaps the veterans used the recruits as 
  simple fodder to protect their positions, 
  shifting many of the veterans’ expected losses 
  onto the recruits. 
  Sieges are more drawn out than normal army 
  clashes. In a siege, the defenders are greatly 
  advantaged by their fortifications. Rarely will 
  besiegers clash, preferring to wait out their 
  enemies. Sieges typically resolve when the 
  defenders surrender because of starvation or 
  when allied reinforcements scare off the 
  besieging force. 
  In a siege assault against fortified walls, the 
  besiegers will lose each day’s clash until the 
  Dungeon Master determines that a significant 
  event removes the effectiveness of the 
  fortifications. This might be the failure of a 
  wall after weeks of trebuchet attacks, 
  sapping, or magical weakening. It could be a 
  band of traitors within the fortification 
  opening the gates to the attackers. Or it could 
  simply be that the number of defenders drops 
  to a level below what is necessary to prevent 
  besiegers from climbing over the walls. 
  In losing a clash, the force assaulting the 
  walls suffers 30% casualties, to a maximum of 
  1 fighter per active defender. (Most civilians 
  within a fortification are not counted as part 
  of the army.) The defenders will suffer 1% 
  casualties, to a minimum of 1 per 50 
  attackers. For fortifications weaker than a full 
  castle with curtain walls, or with run-down 
  defenses, the Dungeon Master can adjust the 
  defenders’ casualties to as high as 5%. 
  For example, a besieging force of 3,000 
  assaults the walls of a well-fortified 
  stronghold defended by only 300. The 
  assaulters suffer 300 casualties that day. They 
  could have lost up to 900 (30%), but their 
  losses were reduced to not exceed the size of 
  the defending force. 
  The defenders lose 6 casualties. Normally 
  the loss would have only been 3 (1%), but the 
  minimum loss is one-fiftieth of the attacking 
  number. Had the Dungeon Master determined 
  that the walls were not very high or were in 
  severe disrepair, she could have set the 
  defenders’ loss percentage as high as 5%, in 
  which case the defending force would have 
  suffered 15 casualties. 
  Absent an intervening event like the 
  collapse of a curtain wall or betrayal from 
  within, the besiegers will eventually win with 
  brute-force assaults. This occurs at the point 
  when the Dungeon Master determines there 
  are not enough defenders to effectively guard 
  the walls and the attackers still have 
  sufficient numbers to mount significant 
  assaults. 
  Use field loss rules instead of siege loss 
  rules if a fortification is completely 
  ineffective, as in the case of the entire 
  attacking force being able to fly over the walls 
  unhindered. 
  In a fantasy setting, armies may include 
  spellcasters or ferocious monsters with 
  amazing and decisive capabilities. Often, 
  these factors will play into the Dungeon 
  Master’s determination of who wins the 
  conflict. Particularly, large-scale spellcasting 
  
  110  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  can be decisive when the other force lacks the 
  ability to counter that magic or respond in 
  kind. 
  Exceptional attacks also apply a modifier to 
  the enemy’s casualty count, doubling, tripling, 
  or quadrupling it at the Dungeon Master’s 
  whim, reflecting the nature of those attacks. If 
  both sides possess such means, a single clash 
  can be devastating to both armies. 
  Half of casualty numbers are “final” 
  casualties, representing deaths in the army or 
  injuries that prevent those soldiers from 
  returning to battle. The remainder are 
  “simple” casualties. Simple casualties will 
  recover and be able to fight again in about 
  seven days. 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, the 
  armor or other protections used by an army 
  will modify its casualty numbers. Those with 
  “inferior armor” (AC 12 or lower) double 
  their applied casualty percentages. Those 
  with “good armor” (AC 16 through 19) halve 
  their applied casualty percentages. Those 
  with “superior armor” (AC 20 or higher) 
  halve the applied casualty percentages and 
  convert half the final casualties into simple 
  casualties. 
  An army with significant magical healing 
  resources can convert half of its daily simple 
  casualties back into viable soldiers, ready to 
  fight the next day. 
  In very unusual circumstances, powerful 
  magics or deific intervention can bring dead 
  casualties back to life or, more disturbingly, 
  raise them as undead, ready to fight the next 
  day. 
  While player characters essentially never 
  turn the tide of large battles while within 
  them, there are certain activities they can do 
  ahead of time to tip the scales. 
  In a close scenario, any one (or multiple) of 
  the following events may be decisive. The 
  scenarios here are just examples; the 
  Dungeon Master should alter these or make 
  up new encounters to suit. Remember, these 
  events will only change the outcome of a 
  clash of armies if the odds are already very 
  close. 
  This scenario probably plays out at night. The 
  player characters sneak into the enemy camp 
  and assassinate a war leader whose tactical 
  cunning might otherwise be decisive to the 
  battle. 
  This conflict emphasizes stealth; if the 
  characters remain hidden, they escape easily. 
  If they are discovered, before or after the 
  assassination, they must fight their way out 
  or otherwise escape. 
  Alternative versions include stealing a war 
  banner or other important icon to affect 
  morale, burning siege engines or poisoning 
  wells during a siege scenario, or sabotaging 
  important works like a floating bridge. 
  Smart, tactical characters might be able to 
  turn the tide by coming up with an 
  impressive plan to win the battle. The 
  strategy might include deceptive feints or 
  timely maneuvers that contemplate the 
  peculiarities of the terrain. The Dungeon 
  Master can determine the effectiveness of 
  these plans with an Intelligence (History) 
  check against a DC that reflects the difficulty 
  of the upcoming fight. Alternately, the check 
  might be opposed by the same roll from the 
  enemy commander. 
  If the players come up with an actual plan, 
  one that is impressive from a tactical or 
  dramatic standpoint, the DM may forego any 
  
  RECRUITING | 111 
  rolls and simply decide how effective the plan 
  is for the army. 
  The historic significance of inspiring speeches 
  ahead of battle is dubious. A war leader’s 
  words cannot carry to more than a small 
  force of the army. However, boosting morale 
  this way is a time-honored dramatic device 
  that enhances the story and keeps the focus of 
  the game where it should be, on the players. 
  Therefore, the Dungeon Master may give one 
  character the opportunity to make an 
  impassioned speech before each day’s clash. 
  If multiple characters are leading multiple 
  groups of soldiers, each such character can 
  attempt to affect its own troops’ morale. 
  The speaking player should take some 
  effort to roleplay the speech, or at least to 
  provide an outline of what is said. The 
  content of the speech is important to the 
  drama of the scene. This event should not be 
  reduced to mere die-rolls, although dice do 
  have a say in it. 
  An impassioned speech is typically followed 
  by a Charisma (Persuasion) check. Under 
  certain rare circumstances, the Deception or 
  Intimidation skills might substitute. There is 
  no DC for this check; the Dungeon Master 
  determines its general effectiveness for 
  morale based on the height of the result and 
  the details of the speech provided by the 
  player. 
  Certain characteristics can give the 
  speaking character advantage on this roll, 
  reflecting training in oration or leadership. A 
  character may gain advantage by spending a 
  Bardic Inspiration die or, with the Rally 
  Maneuver, a Combat Superiority die. A 
  character with the Inspiring Leader feat 
  automatically claims advantage on this roll. If 
  the characters are leading their own army, 
  one with an established loyalty score, the 
  Dungeon Master may apply advantage if the 
  army’s loyalty score is above 15 (or 
  disadvantage if its score is below 6). The DM 
  may also choose to apply advantage for other 
  characteristics or active spells. 
  With the right combination of capabilities, the 
  characters may be able to provide crucial 
  intelligence to one of the armies, information 
  about the opponent’s numbers, defensive 
  works, general health, or likely strategies. 
  While this might mean sneaking into the 
  enemy camp in the dark of night, it could 
  involve infiltration using magical or mundane 
  disguises, or the use of scrying spells. 
  Like the “develop a plan” encounter, an 
  intelligent character might be able to 
  determine weaknesses just from latent clues, 
  performing arithmetic to estimate enemy 
  numbers based on its number of camp fires or 
  determining how long a siege can hold out by 
  correctly estimating the supply reserves. 
  This sort of encounter is typically performed 
  long before the armies meet, when there is 
  still time for additional forces to take the 
  field. It is also the encounter type where 
  player characters are most likely to change 
  the outcome of the war if the original forces 
  are nearly equivalent. 
  Usually, this encounter requires the 
  characters to treat with some other force, like 
  convincing a neighboring duke to bring his 
  soldiers to their aid. However, this scenario 
  could also be turned on the enemy, 
  attempting to hire away some of their 
  mercenary companies or upsetting vital 
  alliances of enemies. This encounter may 
  require roleplaying like the “impassioned 
  speech” encounter, as well as require 
  complex diplomacy and bribery. Skill-based 
  ability checks using Charisma and Wisdom 
  are often appropriate. 
  
  112  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  Sometimes getting aid takes effort beyond 
  mere persuasive talk. Perhaps the Queen of 
  the Elves will not be swayed unless the party 
  can find her missing heir or solve the mystery 
  of her murdered consort. This technique 
  allows the characters to have a profound 
  effect on a battle while invoking the real 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS rules instead of the 
  cumbersome army mechanics suggested by 
  many mass-combat systems. Play progresses 
  on a character-scale, keeping the focus of the 
  game on the players, where it should be. 
  Sometimes characters get involved directly in 
  a battle. For better or worse, they must now 
  try to defeat the enemy, achieve military 
  objectives, or just plain survive in their small 
  section of the conflict. 
  A few mid-battle scenes like these can 
  create a sense that the player characters are 
  doing their part as the conflict unfolds. Two 
  or three such battles will give players the 
  right sense of scale, whether fought during a 
  single clash or across multiple days. 
  Alternately, turning one of these encounters 
  into a single, larger-scale conflict might 
  capture that feel in a case where allied 
  soldiers fight alongside the player characters. 
  In that case, give all players control of one to 
  three soldiers each (probably using the guard 
  statistics in the Monster Manual) in addition 
  to their own characters. The players 
  determine the actions for their assigned 
  soldiers and make their various rolls for 
  them. This method can increase the players’ 
  sense of connection with the army, having 
  fought (rolled dice) side by side with them. 
  However, when using this technique, it is best 
  to limit the mid-battle encounters to just one, 
  lest the game bog down. 
  Following are some example encounters. 
  The Dungeon Master can alter these or make 
  up new encounters to suit. 
  The characters seek to capture a small but 
  important thing. The thing is typically a 
  strategic location, but it could be the pennant 
  of an important enemy, a mobile siege 
  weapon, a cage-wagon full of prisoners, or the 
  like. 
  This event probably gives the characters an 
  opportunity to plan their assault, but they will 
  have to contend with larger forces or 
  overcome the entrenchments and 
  fortifications laid by the enemy. 
  Opposite of “capture the position,” the 
  characters oversee the holding of something 
  important while enemy forces try to take it 
  away. The characters probably benefit from 
  various pre-made fortifications to help them 
  control the area. 
  This is a good event to run consecutively 
  with the “hold the position” event, perhaps a 
  day later, as players take and then try to hold 
  something of importance. 
  The characters must fight off a mass of 
  charging enemies long enough for the 
  defenders to close the main gain. Perhaps the 
  mechanisms have jammed, by sabotage or 
  simple ill-use, and the engineers need a 
  minute to fix it. The enemies keep coming, but 
  the characters cannot retreat until the 
  mechanism is fixed and the gate closes. (The 
  characters should have some way to retreat 
  when this event concludes, like a hoist ready 
  to lift them swiftly to the crenels at the top of 
  the wall.) 
  Variations of this event include defending 
  an enemy counter-charge as sappers position 
  their petards against the castle wall, guarding 
  
  RECRUITING | 113 
  the wizard from an enemy throng until she 
  can finish casting her spells, or holding the 
  dock until the queen’s ship can push off and 
  carry its royal cargo to safety. 
  The player characters are overwhelmed and 
  must fight their way out of a tight spot. 
  Perhaps their position was isolated by the 
  enemy and overrun, and the characters must 
  escape into the nearby forest or across the 
  river. Whatever the case, the characters fight 
  a series of running battles as pockets of 
  enemy forces catch up to them, either on foot 
  or mounted. The characters may have 
  minutes or only a few rounds between waves. 
  This is an excellent event to emphasize the 
  long, slogging nature of a war being lost. The 
  Dungeon Master can throw group after group 
  at the party until, regardless of character 
  level, they are very worn down. Just make 
  sure to vary the groups and not overdo 
  things; this repetition should be draining to 
  the characters, not tedious to the players. 
  A simple event, the characters go head-to-
  head with enemy forces for a set period, until 
  the thick of the fighting shifts away from the 
  characters’ position, allowing them a respite. 
  This event lets the characters experience 
  combat with a variety of enemy forces they 
  might not otherwise encounter. Do the foes 
  have manticores? What about organized 
  phalanxes? Whatever unique quality the 
  enemy has, this is a good time to showcase it. 
  This event is also useful for dramatic 
  clashes between important characters. Does a 
  certain baron on the opposing side have a 
  grudge with the characters? Perhaps the swirl 
  of melee sweeps that baron and his honor 
  guard into direct confrontation with 
  characters, bringing to a head several years of 
  acrimony and political machinations in one 
  swift, brutal encounter. 
  A clash of armies is a significant event. It 
  involves large numbers of individuals, sweeps 
  up the local peasantry, ruins field drainage 
  and crops, affects politics and commerce for 
  decades to come, and it lives in the hearts of 
  the citizenry for generations. A century later, 
  that muddy hillside might still be 
  remembered for the battle that took place 
  there on a cold autumn day long ago. 
  Effects on the player characters should be 
  significant and meaningful. 
  If the characters’ side will lose the battle, the 
  Dungeon Master should have a prepared 
  series of ways to demonstrate the importance 
  of the loss. Perhaps allied cities are sacked, 
  their peasants beggared or taken as slaves. 
  Perhaps the borders between kingdoms shift 
  and the new lords impose their culture, 
  religion, or trade practices on their new 
  holdings. 
  If the characters’ side wins, the Dungeon 
  Master should take care to demonstrate how 
  this effects the locals, particularly individual 
  non-player characters that the party is 
  familiar with. In addition to raising national 
  pride, economies are often bolstered by war. 
  The local baker and the innkeeper, both 
  known to the player characters, may have 
  expanded their businesses by preparing food 
  en masse for the army, reaping great profits. 
  Whatever the case, the clashing forces 
  probably consumed every bit of crops and 
  hunted all the game within range of the army, 
  leaving the poor to starve for a year or two 
  after the conflict. Local adults or older 
  children may have been pressed or hired into 
  military service, and never returned. These 
  
  114  | COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH MANUAL 
  can have a profound effect on the characters’ 
  world. 
  Win or lose, if the characters distinguish 
  themselves in war, the rewards can be high. 
  Depending on the power and resources of the 
  side to which the characters were aligned, 
  successful actions in the Pre-War and Mid-
  War phases can earn certain recognition. 
  Low-level characters might be granted 
  gentle status, nobility, knighthood or the 
  equivalent. For providing far-reaching 
  assistance, particularly if the characters’ side 
  is victorious, higher titles and grants of land 
  may be appropriate. 
  If the characters were aligned with a region, 
  faction, or government that rates renown, 
  each well-handled encounter in the Pre-Battle 
  and Mid-Battle phases might be worth a 
  whole point of renown. 
  Similarly, if the characters fare poorly in the 
  events leading up to the clash, even if their 
  side won, the characters might suffer some 
  sort of penalty. 
  This could be a stripping or reduction of 
  military rank or noble title. More likely, it 
  simply comes with a long-term reputation as 
  incompetent; it will be a long time before the 
  authorities entrust the player characters with 
  future enterprises or resources. 
  If the characters were aligned with a region, 
  faction, or government that rates renown, 
  each poorly-handled encounter in the Pre-
  Battle and Mid-Battle phases might cost a 
  whole point of renown. 
   
  ■ 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  RECRUITING | 115 
   
   
     
  USE WEALTH 
  WITH PURPOSE 
   
   
  The 5th Edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS gives 
  very few options for characters wondering how 
  to spend their large sums of wealth. This 
  Comprehensive Manual helps Dungeon Masters 
  present an assortment of commercial ventures 
  to their players, providing a wealth of new ideas 
  for using that hard-earned gold. 
   
  This book gives helpful insight into managing 
  wealth and nonmaterial assets in D&D. It also 
  talks the Dungeon Master through commercial 
  ventures like making simplified investments, 
  owning land, building structures and ships, and 
  raising armies. 
   
   
   
  For use with the 5th Edition 
  Player’s Handbook ®, Monster Manual ®, 
  and Dungeon Master’s Guide ® 
   
  Best when also used with 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything ® 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Wraith Wright/Wraith Wright - Comprehensive Wealth Manual Revised v3.0.pdf