I have several characters, both mine and those of my main player, who serve a guild, city, or nation. I know that the 1e and 2e DMG's give basic monetary salaries for certain positions (ex: sergeant, heavy cavalry, sapper, etc), but there is no mention for mages and priests. This has caused some confusion and frustration, as there is no reference. The Complete Guide for Paladins gives some further information (there is an entry for a cleric serving the paladin's fortress), but that is the only book I have found. Not even the Complete Guide to Priest's (my least favorite of the collection) offers any help, to my recollection.
Does anyone know of a table or listing that gives advice or suggested monthly earnings for priests and/or wizards? Surely those serving a country, city, or Guild receive monies for their services!
For instance, my main player has both a holy knight of Heironeous and a battlemage serving the Archclericy of Veluna in a military capacity. I can easily guesstimate what his knight would earn (beyond his armorer skills in a guild), but for the battlemage I am a loss. For the time being, I offered 50 gp monthly for each spell level he can cast.
Furthermore, he has a priest of Heironeous serving the Sanctum of Heironeous in Greyhawk City. He has been hired to serve the military of the City in the Cairn Hills. Although I know he needs to tithe his Church, what should he be paid by the City for his services? I am likewise offering 50 gp monthly per spell level...
Finally, I have a Bladesinger elf in the employ of Celene. What would such characters earn (along with those of other Guilds, such as Infiltrators, Spellfilchers, etc.) for their services?
If you know of a chart or table that I can use, please directly me thusly. Barring that, your own perspective is welcome.
Well, in Pathfinder (basically 3.5.5) a character or NPC can earn one-half the results of their Profession check per week in gold pieces. In addition spellcasters can charge caster level x spell level x 10 gp for each casting of a spell that they do for someone else.
Ok, then. Say you've a 5th level Cleric or Wizard. He's got 5 ranks in Profession, it is a class skill (+3), and he has either a 10 (Wiz) or 16 (Clr) Wisdom score. That is either +8 or +11. You take ten on the profession check, and that 5th-level Cleric earns 21 gp a week, while Wizo earns just 18. But that is just for profession.
Either will earn 25 gp to cast a single 0-level spell, 50 gp for a 1st level spell, 100 gp for 2nd level spell, and 150 gp for 3rd level spell. On an average week, let's say someone pays the enterprising spellcaster to cast a total of four 0-level, three 1st-level, two 2nd-level, and one 3rd-level spell. That is 600 gp income right there. Kind of high, so we cut it by a quarter (why are peasants buying spells anyway?): 150 gp. Plus the profession makes 168 or 171 gp a WEEK.
A wealthy individual spends 100 gp a MONTH on his cost of living. They don't have quite enough for extravagant (1,000 gp a month, gah!), but they are definately in the upper class, considering your average citizen spends 10 gp a month and the poor only 3 gp a month.
So, in short, what you want to make within reason. 50-150 gold a week is reasonable for a 5th level caster. Hope that this helps.
Lanthorn, I've had to work through the same problem with my party since they have been retainers of a lord for the past 3 levels, which has roughly worked out to almost a year in game time. I originally thought about paying them on the scale of lieutenants and captains out of the 1e DMG but that seemed kind of steep with 4e prices, so I researched the matter a little and came up with the rate of 2 gp a day, although they are paid quarterly on the 1st day of each festival week. They have to make that payment last for all their expenses through the following quarter, plus whatever they have saved from adventuring and previous quarters. I've decided living expense for the quarter eat up about half of their quarterly pay. That includes things like food, rent, clothing, payment of servants and services, etc... Anything else is extra; buying new equipment, steeds, magic, etc... With very few exceptions I don't let player buy magic items other than potions and other expendables so I don't see my party getting into real financial trouble. Once they get to the level of being landed I'm going to have to come up with some other system.
Does anyone have any 1e or 2e referencing on the salaries for priests and mages beyond what it costs for casting specific spells (as in having a priest or mage on retainer, or somesuch equivalent)?
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