All D&D based worlds have a fractured, and questionable economy. It sort of worked in AD&D I, but hasn't really evolved as the game has evolved, and see it as breaking down into the following social classes.

As you read through this, bear in mind that one Pound/Dollar/Euro is worth somewhere between 1cp and 1sp. Does that sound too little? Check out the equivalents below :) Game prices come from Pathfinder, the RL prices were found online in 2025.

• A mug of ale costs 4cp - The average price for a pint in England is £5.44 - although my region is (fortunately) below average in that respect :)
• A cheap meal costs 1sp - It is about £4 for a MacDonalds Happy Meal.
• A short sword costs 10 gp - I just brought a second hand, reenacting, Hangar (a 17C short sword) at 'mates rates' for £100 - I just found new Hangars for sale online at £200 each (or £240 if I wanted them sharp).

The definitions are based on the 'Cost of Living' expenses, fron the Path Finer rules - however, I have expanded and recategorized them slightly. Think of each category of the economy as a Bell Curve, and the examples describe points towards the middle of the curve - some people, who fit that category, will earn more, other less. If your game world needs a wealthy commoner or an impoverished noble - write one. In my world, NPCs without a specific Character Sheet (approximately 99.99% of the population) fit these categories. So do lazy PCs who don't want to spend money, or get involved with the world. :)

Copper pieces are the everyday currency of Commoners and equates to the Poor cost of living category. The majority of their food, clothing and equipment is priced in copper pieces. Light comes from candles and torches, they eat a lot of bread, basic vegetables (such as potatoes, peas and onions) - cheese and meat are a treat or for special occasions. That doesn't mean they don't have more expensive items, just that they don't have many of them. They will have a few items priced in silver pieces, but anything costing more than one or two gold pieces is a real rarity. This is the equivalent to the Poor Cost of Living.

This doesn't mean that people in the Copper Economy are starving, dressed in absolute rags, with no gear to their name - just that their lives are based on the cheapest, most readily available, food, clothing and equipment.

Poor (3 gp/month): The PC lives in common rooms of taverns, with his parents, or in some other communal situation—this is the lifestyle of most untrained laborers and commoners. He need not track purchases of meals or taxes that cost 1sp or less.

This is the living standard of most unskilled (they don't have skill ranks in Craft or Professional skills) or barely skilled workers - normally young people, commoners, apprentices and acolytes (Adept-1).

In towns, they will be 'The great unwashed' - Cleaning (stables, bars, dirty dishes, your sitting room), Serving (tables, behind counters, servants), Labouring (physical work - lifting things, carrying things, rowing boats), Watching (Town Watch, Security Guard), casual Workers etc. In the countryside, you also get digging, hoeing, mending fences, clearing fields, chasing crows off and other similar jobs.

Semi-Skilled workers have less than +5 as a bonus in a professional or craft skill, they fit at the top of the Copper Economy - and might even reach towards the Silver Economy. A commoner might work in the same area for a few years and gain a single craft or professional skill when they progress to Level-2, however, as NPC commoners have average stats (all at 11) - that only gives them Skill +4 - the equivalent of a Charge Hand, or team leader. For example, a foundry labourer might pick up basic Craft:Blacksmith skills, a kitchen hand might pick up Craft:Cooking, while a boat-hand might have Profession:Fisherman or Profession:Sailor.

You will find them in the poor parts of town, or in villages, running 'copper economy' businesses making and selling the things that the other commoners need for their everyday life.

Unlike Player Characters, NPCs don't, generally, get traits - however, they might get a bit of extra training, which allows them to pick up a single trait - which is basically a DM device to give them an extra weapon or class skill. I find these Commoner Occupational Traits useful.

Most NPC classes, and lower level PCs, fit into the silver economy - which equates to the Average cost of living category. NPCs probably have one or two useful skills, work in the businesses and organizations that make the world work. Small businesses are run by Experts, the local guard is mainly composed of Warriors and the local chapel is run by an Adept-3. Local hunters might be experts or warriors, the Town Clerk is probably an expert, and the local wise-woman is might be an adept-2. However, The Silver Economy also includes a few commoners, who have managed to gain a level and some extra skill points, and a few low-level PC classes, with lowish stats and little ambition.

Some first level characters might just creep into this category, the average is third level, while a few higher level experts and aristocrats might be moving towards the Gold Economy.

Average (10 gp/month): The PC lives in his own rooms, small house, or similar location—this is the lifestyle of most trained or skilled experts or warriors. He can secure any nonmagical item worth 1 gp or less from his home in 1d10 minutes, and need not track purchases of common meals or taxes that cost 1gp or less.

This is about 3sp per day and represents the average income of someone at the lower end of their profession. However, some people (such as Master Crafters and Junior Officers) will earn significantly more, perhaps putting them up to 30gp per month.

Wealthy (30gp/month): The PC has a sizable home or a nice suite of rooms in an inn. He can secure any nonmagical item worth 3 gp or less from his belongings in his home in 1d10 minutes, and need only track purchases of good meals or taxes in excess of 5 gp.

Day to day transactions can be counted in either silver or copper pieces - so better food, better clothes and a better living standard all around. There are, as always, a few more expensive items, although they rarely exceed 10gp in values. However, many people in this part of the economy will have access to better, and more expensive, tools and equipment while they are at work. For example, an apprentice smith might have access to masterwork tools and anvil at work, but only have a few small hammers to work with a home. A town guard might pick up a chain shirt and crossbow when she gets into work - although her 'personal' armoury might just be Padded Armour, Small Wooden Shield, Dagger and Spear.

They provide the basic structure, support and organization that the world needs and, overall, they live a fairly comfortable life.

Characters in this category think in Gold Pieces, although their ability to spend, and the items they have available varies. For the vast majority, this is the Wealthy Standard of living.

Rich (100 gp/month): The PC has a sizable home or a nice suite of rooms in a fine inn. He can secure any nonmagical item worth 5 gp or less from his belongings in his home in 1d10 minutes, and need only track purchases of good meals or taxes in excess of 10 gp.

Again this varies, the Downtime Managers Page lists managers earning from 2gp per day (60gp/month) to 5gp per day (150gp/month)

PCs tend to think in Gold Pieces, they get their initial wealth in GP, and when they start adventuring they gather loot in Gold Pieces - a handful of Silvers generally means nothing to them. While they don't have a lot of influence to start with, they gain influence as they progress, and by fifth or sixth level are generally as wealthy as most aristocrats and could have a minor title or a business of their own - although their wealth is often found in equipment, rather than businesses or land. By tenth level, many PCs are as wealthy as aristocrats and may have lands or estates that cement their status. At higher levels, a few PCs might even have strongholds that elevate them into the realms of the nobility and perhaps even lesser royalty.

These guys have both money and influence at a local level, although they may seem somewhat parochial to the Nobles. Senior administrators, military officers, established priests, skilled professionals, most mid-level PCs and many others fit into this category. They make enough money that they can afford some expensive items, but not enough to live on the best foods and wines. They might have a few magic items, can dress, convincingly, as courtiers, and can eat at good restaurants - and they might even live in a mansion. These people make sure the world keeps running, providing the management and leadership that the other need.

These are the people who make sure that the world works properly. Examples include: -

• The Town Mayor.
• Military Officer.
• Abbot of the local temple / Monastery.
• The Local Squire - who 'owns' half a dozen tenanted farms, and whose own fields supply most of the grain for the town.
• A successful business person.
• Dwarf Clan-holder.
• The Sleazy Landlord - who rents housing to the working classes.
• A Local Crime Lord.
• A Powerful Wizard who everyone is in awe of.
• The Headmaster of the local college, Guild Head, Military Officer, senior Lawyer etc etc …

The possibilities are endless, and not always obvious.

Note: While it is seen as inappropriate today - historically (and in my fantasy worlds) wealthy and influential people are expected to use their positions and influence to improve their own wealth and influence - and to do the same for family members. The Town Mayor, for example, has probably appointed her brother in an important position ….

This is when things get a bit silly, and we reach the Extravagant standard of living.

Extravagant (1,000 gp/month): The PC lives in a mansion, castle, or other extravagant home — he might even own the building in question. This is the lifestyle of most aristocrats. He can secure any non-magical item worth 25 gp or less from his belongings in his home in 1d10 minutes. He need only track purchases of meals or taxes in excess of 100 gp.

The wealth and influence of nobles vary dramatically - but they probably have a noble estate, or even a palace, as their main home and may well have other homes spread around the country. They can dress flamboyantly, and often choose to do so, they flaunt their jewellery and wealth, often appear unconcerned about money and probably have a title such as a Baron, Count or Duke.

They have significant local influence, and can often influence decision at a regional or national level.

Lesser royalty often have the same sort of wealth and influence as Nobles. However, Monarchs, such as Kings, Queens, Sovereign Princes and Sovereign Dukes might have absolute power and the wealth of a nation to spend. Their projects can include beautifying whole cities, building a great road (that might go nowhere) or diverting a river to make their own personal lake - all for their own pleasure, while some monarchs use their wealth to better their country and the lot of their people. However, most royals come somewhere in-between those two extremes.