One of the things that I was hoping would get addressed in the 2024 version of the Core Rules was how lifestyle (and the cost associated with them) affected characters in game mechanic terms. Since it has not, I'd like to implement a house rule regarding lifestyle costs and benefits. Below is what I've come up with, and I would love your feedback! The Benefit/Detriment column shows how the character is affected after a Long Rest.
Lifestyle Benefits
Lifestyles are important to a character's overall health and how others view them. To represent this, the following table establishes the benefits/costs of Lifestyles. In general, lifestyles can be paid upfront a month at a time however, that monthly pattern can be overridden, usually by paying a higher lifestyle cost than a character's default for the day. Lifestyle costs are paid for before the effect of the Lifestyle is conferred. The effects of a Lifestyle reset after a Long Rest (e.g., Kronk pays for a Wealthy Lifestyle on day 1 and receives the benefits of that Lifestyle, but on day 2 he only pays for a Modest Lifestyle -- the benefits of the Wealthy Lifestyle are not conferred on Day 2).
Lifestyle
Cost per Day/Month
Benefit/Detriment
Wretched
none
Exhaustion* Level 3
Squallid
1/30 sp
Exhaustion* Level 2
Poor
2/60 sp
Exhaustion* Level 1
Modest
1/30 gp
none
Comfortable
2/60 gp
Inspiration
Wealthy
4/120 gp
Inspiration, +2 on Social
Aristocratic
10/300 gp
Inspiration, +4 on Social
*Exhaustion from lifestyles does not accumulate day-to-day but instead resets each day. Typically, only one level of exhaustion can be cleared after a Long Rest. As written in the 2024 Core Rules (refer to the rules for the Condition of Exhaustion), enduring a Wretched lifestyle for three days would lead to a character's death. For the purposes of these rules, however, the Exhaustion Level resets after a Long Rest to reflect the Lifestyle cost incurred the previous day.
In a survival campaign with low magic, this could be one way to interpret it.
But I feel like its fair to mention that lifestyle danger and benefits are explained in the Lifestyle Expenses in the Compendium.
Wretched: High risk of getting robbed, mugged, or murdered in your sleep. Limited likelihood of being noticed implies it's difficult to find well-paying missions.
Squalid: Risk of disease, attacks by vermin, and a moderate risk of getting robbed, mugged or murdered. Insanity is also an implied risk, or at least encountering mentally unstable people who may wander into your hut. You'll also at a higher risk of contracting a disease.
Poor: "You benefit from some legal protections, but you still have to contend with violence, crime, and disease. People at this lifestyle level tend to be unskilled laborers, costermongers, peddlers, thieves, mercenaries, and other disreputable types."
Moderate: No real penalties, except the cost. And you encounter people who may have quests for you. "families, laborers, students, priests, hedge wizards, and the like"
Comfortable: Aside from needing to protect the loot your store in your cottage, you don't have any real risks. You'll also encounter "merchants, skilled tradespeople, and military officers" who have higher paying quests, and are more comfortable with hiring someone of your obvious stature.
Wealthy: You have servants who tend your home (and theoretically manage your businesses) so there's a chance of passive income that isn't exclusively reliant on your adventuring skills. Also, these servants can (presumably) be brought along as hirelings. Influence is also implied. You can speak with the local aristocracy and claim the big bounties.
Aristocrat: Aside to access to nobility and royalty, hirelings at your disposal, and plenty of storage for your amassed treasure horde, there's a stated likelihood of being drawn into political intrigue. The city subplots that a player could get into alone could determine the fate of the entire city.
Honestly, i think it could have been left out entirely. Seems like unnecessary book keeping.
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He/Him. Loooooooooong time Player. The Dark days of the THAC0 system are behind us.
"Hope is a fire that burns in us all If only an ember, awaiting your call To rise up in triumph should we all unite The spark for change is yours to ignite." Kalandra - The State of the World
If nothing else, it helps provide some benchmarks for the comparative value of currency: 60 silver is one to two month's wages to a lower class worker but only a week or two's worth to someone who's comfortably middle class. Now, as I find myself saying far too often about the new PHB, they could certainly have stood to elaborate a little more on the concepts rather than give the most dry and barebones summation possible.
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One of the things that I was hoping would get addressed in the 2024 version of the Core Rules was how lifestyle (and the cost associated with them) affected characters in game mechanic terms. Since it has not, I'd like to implement a house rule regarding lifestyle costs and benefits. Below is what I've come up with, and I would love your feedback! The Benefit/Detriment column shows how the character is affected after a Long Rest.
Lifestyle Benefits
Lifestyles are important to a character's overall health and how others view them. To represent this, the following table establishes the benefits/costs of Lifestyles. In general, lifestyles can be paid upfront a month at a time however, that monthly pattern can be overridden, usually by paying a higher lifestyle cost than a character's default for the day. Lifestyle costs are paid for before the effect of the Lifestyle is conferred. The effects of a Lifestyle reset after a Long Rest (e.g., Kronk pays for a Wealthy Lifestyle on day 1 and receives the benefits of that Lifestyle, but on day 2 he only pays for a Modest Lifestyle -- the benefits of the Wealthy Lifestyle are not conferred on Day 2).
*Exhaustion from lifestyles does not accumulate day-to-day but instead resets each day. Typically, only one level of exhaustion can be cleared after a Long Rest. As written in the 2024 Core Rules (refer to the rules for the Condition of Exhaustion), enduring a Wretched lifestyle for three days would lead to a character's death. For the purposes of these rules, however, the Exhaustion Level resets after a Long Rest to reflect the Lifestyle cost incurred the previous day.
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Seems a bit extreme and unrealistic, and unfun starting out, but after an adventure or two, irrelevant.
In a survival campaign with low magic, this could be one way to interpret it.
But I feel like its fair to mention that lifestyle danger and benefits are explained in the Lifestyle Expenses in the Compendium.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Honestly, i think it could have been left out entirely. Seems like unnecessary book keeping.
He/Him. Loooooooooong time Player.
The Dark days of the THAC0 system are behind us.
"Hope is a fire that burns in us all If only an ember, awaiting your call
To rise up in triumph should we all unite
The spark for change is yours to ignite."
Kalandra - The State of the World
If nothing else, it helps provide some benchmarks for the comparative value of currency: 60 silver is one to two month's wages to a lower class worker but only a week or two's worth to someone who's comfortably middle class. Now, as I find myself saying far too often about the new PHB, they could certainly have stood to elaborate a little more on the concepts rather than give the most dry and barebones summation possible.