* Full-time guards for a stronghold get paid 8gp per month (just under 3sp per day). Furthermore, expenses cover the cost of maintaining your equipment so you can be ready when adventure next calls. They cover your accommodations, food and drink, and all your other necessities. If they want to take them into some highly perilous environment, such as a dungeon, the price can increase 2x or 3x as much. Lifestyle expenses provide you with a simple way to account for the cost of living in a fantasy world. Hiring a knight may not cost 270 gp per day by default, but may require a minimum of 2,700 gp for 10 days of work. Increasing Prices: These prices might seem low, but it's important to note that they are the costs per day, and some NPCs might demand to be hired for a minimum consecutive time period. Cider : 1sp tankard Cider, Golden Orchard : 1gp tankard Cookie of Fortune : Cookie of Misfortune : Dragon Swirl : 1-10 GP per mug Dwarvish Ale : 5sp per mug, 2 gp per gallon Fire Drink : 9 sp per glass Fruit Tart : 3gp Gin, North Isle : 2gp glass, 20gp bottle Grog : 4cp mug, 4sp. Guard* (MM 347), Bandit (MM 343), Cultist (MM 345)Īcolyte (MM 342), Thug (MM 350)īandit Captain (MM 344), Berserker (MM 344), Priest (MM 348), Cult Fanatic (MM 345) Cost Absinthe : 1gp glass, 30gp bottle Chocolate : 10gp per oz. After CR 1, to calculate the cost per day, square the CR. Below is a chart outlining recommended costs. The availability of these NPCs and their skill level is up to the DM. (Optional Rule) A DM may allow the PCs to hire NPC mercenaries. Uniforms and Gear: Your staff can wear their regular clothing, but many choose to have their staff wear an appropriate uniform Guards, soldiers and cavalry must be armed with the appropriate equipment (costs and items are listed below).Įquipment: light warhorse (400gp), bit and bridle (2gp), military saddle (20gp), studded leather armor (45gp), shortbow (25gp), 20 arrows (1gp), quiver (1gp), short sword (10gp) Mercenaries The default cost for skilled labor is 2gp/day (60gp/month). In poor kingdoms this may be less (1sp/day) and in wealthy areas, this can more (as much as 5sp/day). Living expenses could be a real problem if youre having a lot of skip-ahead time-if. Its not meant to be a lesson in accounting, but it did help my son understand the value of the reward as it relates to Forgotten Realms. This is considered a 'Poor' lifestyle in D&D. I used the lifestyle expenses to explain that it was about 2 weeks pay for an middle class person (not poor, not rich). This should be considered a 'minimum wage' and is enough to pay for basic living expenses and not much else. Lifestyle expenses provide you with a simple way to account for the cost of living in a fantasy world. Default cost for hiring unskilled labor is 2sp/day (6gp/month). Wages: Each staff member has a monthly wage, which must be paid promptly or your staff may seek employment elsewhere. Most stronghold staff are commoners (level 0), although some are level 1 in specific classes (for example, guards are level 1 fighters).

This page is useful for calculating staff wages and equipment.

5e living expenses