Kismet's Guide to Slave Costs
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Disclaimer: This page discusses the use of slavery in fantasy games. This vision is offered for entertainment purposes for adults only. I do not condone anything described; quite the opposite. Please read with discretion, and feel free to stop anytime. Before you use any ideas herein, please gain your group's full consent to engage the material.
What Is This For?
This is a brief guide to determining slave costs in a medieval fantasy setting, like the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons and Dragons. While a number of games contain slave-trading races, few books provide prices, which some DMs and players will want to know. This system is meant to govern the prices for humanoid characters rather than monster-style creatures, and all prices are based on the gold piece currency of D&D. It's only an example of how these matters can be handled in a game and should be adjusted for your campaign's dynamics, if you choose to specify firm prices for sentient beings.
This guide presumes several things. First, it presumes that slave trading is relatively tolerated in the area, so prices are kept at a lower rate. Black market prices in areas where slavery is outlawed are likely to be considerably higher. Secondly, it presumes that slave trading is the pursuit of the elite: those who have the money to afford to buy intelligent beings. Thirdly, it presumes that humans are the most common of the captured races. Fourthly, it presumes that the average slave has statistics no higher than 11. Lastly, it presumes that characters above tenth level are not usually sold, given how personally powerful they are and how difficult it can be to hold them against their will.
Individual Slaves
To determine the price of an individual slave:
Find the price of the character's class in Table 1.
Then multiply the class's base price by the multiplier given for their level in Table 2.
Add the price for the character's race (also found in Table 2) for the subtotal.
Determine relevant bonuses and penalties (see Table 3) and add them up until you arrive at a total percentage.
Exceptional ability modifiers will cause penalties or bonuses; the character's age category can also affect the final price.
Table 1 - Classes & Base Prices
Class |
Base Price |
Class |
Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Adept |
75 gp |
Fighter |
100 gp |
Aristocrat |
75 gp |
Monk |
200 gp |
Barbarian |
125 gp |
Paladin |
175 gp |
Bard |
150 gp |
Ranger |
125 gp |
Cleric |
150 gp |
Rogue |
100 gp |
Commoner |
10 gp |
Sorcerer |
200 gp |
Courtesan |
20 gp |
Warrior |
50 gp |
Druid |
175 gp |
Wizard |
200 gp |
Expert |
40 gp |
|
|
The classes listed here can act as a guide for determining the prices of other classes. For PC classes, find a PC class that it resembles the most and use that price (the assassin prestige class resembles the rogue base class the most, for example). If you wish to know the price for an NPC class, however, compare it to the NPC classes that are listed (the adept, aristocrat, commoner, courtesan, and warrior).
Table 2 - Level Multipliers & Racial Base Prices
Level |
Multiplier |
Race |
Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
None |
Bugbear |
125 gp |
2 |
x 2 |
Dwarf |
200 gp |
3 |
x 4 |
Elf |
200 gp |
4 |
x 6 |
Gnoll |
75 gp |
5 |
x 8 |
Gnome |
100 gp |
6 |
x 10 |
Goblin |
2 gp |
7 |
x 30 |
Half-Elf |
50 gp |
8 |
x 50 |
Half-Orc |
75 gp |
9 |
x 70 |
Halfling |
100 gp |
10 |
x 90 |
Hobgoblin |
30 gp |
|
|
Human |
10 gp |
|
|
Kobold |
3 gp |
|
|
Orc |
20 gp |
|
|
Level Adjustment |
200 gp /point |
Table 3 – Statistic & Age Adjustments
Ability Modifier* |
Price Adjustment |
Age |
Price Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
-4 |
-50% |
Teen or Younger** |
Unadvised** |
-3 |
-35% |
Adult |
No adjustment |
-2 |
-25% |
Middle Aged |
-10% |
-1 |
-10% |
Old |
-30% |
0 |
No adjustment |
Venerable |
-50% |
+1 |
+25% |
|
|
+2 |
+50% |
|
|
+3 |
+75% |
|
|
+4 |
+100% |
|
|
* Characters with ability modifiers outside of the range shown here are rarely if ever sold as slaves.
** Please note: Portraying teens or children as slaves is not advised.
Bulk Pricing
Some institutions or individuals can afford to buy slaves in bulk, and they expect a certain percentage to be forgiven off the top. Markets that are overcrowded with slaves are likely to offer discounts, as well. For simplicity's sake, you can assume that a lot of slaves is made up of individuals of roughly the same race, class, ability, and age. Slaves who can cast magic, have 5 or more levels, are longer-lived than humans, or have ability modifiers higher than +1 are rarely sold in bulk.
When purchased in large lots, the price for all of the slaves is determined as follows:
Calculate the price for an individual who is representative of the group.
Multiply that total by the total number of slaves in the lot.
Reduce the new total by the percentage below (in Table 4).
Table 4 - Bulk Discounts
Total Number of Slaves |
Final Discount |
|---|---|
50 slaves |
-5% |
100 slaves |
-10% |
200 slaves |
-15% |
300 slaves |
-20% |
400 slaves |
-25% |
500 slaves |
-30% |
Humanoid slaves |
Additional -10% |
Examples
For one adult human second level adept with a Wisdom of 17 (+3 modifier), the price is determined thusly: 10 gp (human) + (75 gp adept x 2 level modifier)= 160 x 75% (for high Wisdom) = 280 gp total price.
For one middle aged orc fourth level warrior with an Intelligence of 7 and Strength of 16, the price is calculated like this: 20 gp (orc) + (50 gp warrior x 6 level modifier) = 320 x 40% (-10% for middle age, -25% for -2 Int mod, +75 for +3 Str mod) = 448 gp total price.
For a bulk lot of 50 adult human first level commoners with average stats, this is how it works: 10 gp (human), no level modifier, + 10 gp (commoner)= 20 x 50 =1,000 gp – 5% = 950 gp total price.
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