Funds & Fortunes: Wealth System
Managing your character's spending money and financial standing through abstract Wealth Levels.
Core Concept: Abstract Wealth Levels
Instead of counting exact amounts of money, your character's financial situation is represented by a Wealth Level, using a scale similar to Mythic Ranks. This level indicates their general disposable income and ability to afford non-essential items and activities common for a high school student.
The Wealth Levels
There are five distinct Wealth Levels:
| Wealth Level | Description & Lifestyle Implications | Typical Spending Power |
|---|---|---|
| Broke | Constantly strapped for cash, actively worrying about money. Likely relies heavily on homemade lunches, avoids paid activities, wears worn/basic clothes unless gifted. | Can barely afford essentials or the cheapest snacks/drinks. Cannot afford most gifts, fashion items, or paid social outings without significant outside help or sacrifice. |
| Tight | Living on a strict budget. Has some pocket money but must choose purchases carefully. Aware of costs, might skip some optional activities to save money. | Can afford occasional inexpensive treats, simple gifts, or basic necessities. Needs to save up for minor fashion items or standard social outings (e.g., one movie trip). |
| Comfortable | (Default Starting Level) Has enough regular allowance or income for typical student expenses without constant worry. Can participate in most normal social activities. | Can afford regular snacks/lunches, standard gifts, average fashion items, typical social outings (movies, arcade) without significant financial stress. Needs to save for bigger items. |
| Well-Off | Has noticeably more disposable income than average. Can afford trends, treats others occasionally, and doesn't worry much about everyday costs. | Can easily afford trendy fashion, nicer gifts, frequent social outings, and hobby supplies. Might occasionally treat friends. Saving for expensive items is faster/easier. |
| Affluent | Significantly wealthy, likely due to family. Can afford high-end items, luxury goods, and expensive activities without a second thought. Might seem detached from cost. | Can afford high-fashion items, expensive gifts, lavish outings, and cutting-edge hobby equipment regularly. Can easily treat groups of friends. Cost is rarely an object for typical purchases. |
Starting Wealth Level
By default, all player characters begin at the Comfortable Wealth Level. This represents a typical student situation with a reasonable allowance or access to basic funds.
Variations (Require Justification & GM Approval): Based on your character's background concept, you might propose starting at:
Tight: If your character comes from a family explicitly struggling financially, or if they have significant personal financial burdens. This might be balanced by taking points from elsewhere or having a related Weakness.
Well-Off: If your character comes from a notably wealthy family. This should be justified in the backstory and might require balancing, perhaps by taking a related Weakness (e.g., Family Obligation, Naive about Money).
Starting at Broke or Affluent is generally discouraged without strong narrative reasons and explicit GM discussion, as these extremes can significantly impact gameplay balance.
Changing Your Wealth Level
Your Wealth Level can change throughout the game based on income and spending habits:
Increasing Wealth Level:
Consistent Part-Time Work: Holding down a Part-Time Job (see Part-Time Job System) and consistently working shifts is the primary way to improve your Wealth Level. After a significant period of steady work (e.g., several game weeks or months of consistent shifts, GM discretion based on pacing), your Wealth Level may increase by one step (e.g., Comfortable → Well-Off).
Major Windfalls (Rare): Significant plot rewards, discovering something valuable, receiving a large monetary gift, or other major narrative events might grant a temporary or permanent increase in Wealth Level (GM determination).
Decreasing Wealth Level:
Significant Purchases: Making several expensive purchases in a short period, or one particularly large one, can temporarily lower your Wealth Level. Examples include:
Buying multiple high-end fashion items or accessories close together.
Purchasing very expensive gifts frequently.
Making a major investment in a costly hobby (e.g., professional camera gear, high-end instrument).
(GM determines what constitutes "significant." Generally, 2-3 purchases that feel like a stretch for your current level, or one purchase far exceeding it, might trigger a temporary drop).
Consistent Frivolous Spending: Regularly spending money carelessly on non-essentials without income to support it can lead to a decrease over time.
Losing a Job / Income Source: If your character loses their job or primary source of funds, their Wealth Level will likely decrease after a short period unless replaced.
Plot Events: Specific narrative events (theft, unexpected major expense, family financial trouble) could force a decrease in Wealth Level.
Duration: Decreases due to spending are often temporary. Your Wealth Level typically returns to its previous state after a period of more frugal behavior or renewed income (GM discretion). Decreases due to lost income or major plot events may be more permanent.
Using Your Wealth: Gameplay Effects
Your current Wealth Level primarily affects:
Purchasing Power & Availability:
When attempting to buy items (Fashion, Gifts, Hobby Supplies) or pay for activities (outings, food), your Wealth Level determines feasibility.
Easy Purchase: If the item/activity's cost is clearly within your level's typical spending power (see table), you can simply state you buy it (narratively deducts funds).
Stretch Purchase: If an item is slightly above your level (e.g., a Comfortable character buying a single trendy/expensive item), the GM might say it requires saving up (delaying the purchase) or that making the purchase contributes towards potentially lowering your Wealth Level temporarily.
Difficult/Impossible Purchase: Items significantly above your level are generally unavailable unless funds are acquired through other means (major plot reward, pooling money with friends, taking a loan - narrative complications likely!). Broke characters struggle to afford almost anything optional.
Social Interactions:
Your Wealth Level can subtly influence social dynamics.
Characters at Tight or Broke levels might have to decline invitations to paid events, potentially causing minor social friction or feelings of isolation. They might receive help (or pity) from wealthier friends.
Characters at Well-Off or Affluent levels might be expected to treat friends occasionally, could attract moochers, or might seem out-of-touch with the financial realities of others.
Stress:
Being at the Broke or Tight level can be a source of ambient Stress. The GM might impose occasional +1 Stress Level increases related to financial worries (e.g., before needing to pay for something important).
Conversely, improving your Wealth Level might provide narrative Stress relief related to financial security.
Gifting:
Your Wealth Level limits the quality and frequency of gifts you can easily purchase. Homemade gifts (Cooking, Crafting) become more valuable for characters with lower Wealth Levels as a way to show thoughtfulness without high cost.
Integration with Other Systems
Part-Time Jobs: The primary way to increase your Wealth Level.
Fashion System: Spending on clothes/accessories is a primary way to decrease your Wealth Level (if purchases are significant).
Gifting System: Affects the types of purchased gifts you can afford.
Stress System: Financial insecurity can be a source of Stress.
Final Note: Narrative Focus
The Wealth System is designed to add flavour and consequence without requiring detailed accounting. Focus on the narrative implications: Does your character budget carefully? Spend freely? Worry about money? Use their Wealth Level as a guide for roleplaying their relationship with finances and making believable choices about what they can realistically afford in their daily life. Basic needs like housing (dorm/family home) and essential school supplies are generally assumed to be covered outside this system unless specific circumstances dictate otherwise.
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