Rogue Ability - X-Ray Specs

[Mist_Mage]

By this I mean the ability that Rogues have to estimate how much gold you hold to an unfeasibly accurate degree.
 
Its immersion breaking for me when a rogue says, and I quote from a real experience today:
 
"You can't afford this ring because I know you only have 300-340 coins".
 
Perhaps it could be made slightly more rounded, but still give the rogue-bandit types the benefit of knowing they have a good "mark"?
 
Knowing to the nearest 500 or so would be plenty accurate enough I would suggest and reflect what they could reasonably gauge.
 
At present the ability is too accurate and from my experience leads to silly immersion breaking  RP.
 
So 0-500, 501-1000 etc. would seem a better approach.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

Gold coins are on average a quarter ounce of gold. Combined with other metals these coins regularly take a weight and shape roughly approximating to the size of a US quarter or half dollar coin, because a coin made without alloy would just be mushy and formless. 100 gold coins weighs just under one pound. A medium sized ziplock bag can contain approximately 100 coins, but it would be bulging. Three hundred coins would require a sack the size of a cubic foot (about 30 cm), full to the top.


I don't know. I'm pretty happy about not having too much realism regarding coins. If you want realism then 100 coins should be a pretty easy estimate to make even for non-rogues, and many people would have to haul sacks over their shoulder like Santa just to carry the weight of their gold.

[Organized_Chaos]

As someone who plays a rogue that uses this ability, I can tell you that it does give a very wide number.

The ability itself varies in accuracy based on a large number of things. Rogue levels, spot ranks and Pick Pocket skill chief among them.

And the more coins someone has, the harder it gets to estimate their coin pouch. In addition, the more hide ranks someone has, the harder it is to estimate their coin pouch. So there are counters. Don't want a seasoned thief measuring up your coin pouch? Learn to hide your coins better.

Personally, I've told people who wanted to buy something that it wasn't in their price range. But I've never said, "I know you only have 300-340 gold" When estimating someones pouch out loud, I normally say something more like... "Give or take XXX, I'd say they have about XXX" And shoot for a number near the range I know to be true. Sometimes I get it wrong on purpose.

All in all, the ability is fine. There is a ton of variance, it requires a good deal of training, and there are several counters. It may not seem that way if you don't know how the mechanics work - but the checks and balances are there.

[HeartBreaker]

"You can't afford this ring because I know you only have 300-340 coins".

Problem could be solved if rogues RPed this better. E.g.,

I can tell from the size of your purse you ain't got enough.

You ain't got more than half a grand on ya!

The sound of your purse jingling doesn't sound so heavy.

I'm only considering serious bidders, yeah?

Got the coin? Prove it; to my eyes.

[Pup]

Yeah, it seems like more of an RP issue than a mechanical problem.

[Mist_Mage]

Don't want a seasoned thief measuring up your coin pouch? Learn to hide your coins better.

Missed my point. Please read my post again.
 
I have no issue with the general amount of coin being spotted, thats a fun and interesting ability.
 
The point I made was that its immersion breaking to have a non-magical ability seem almost magical with its accuracy.
 
Perhaps it is just RP based as Pup says? However, my experience yesterday was not the first time that I have had a rogue incredibly accurately detailing, (to within less than 50 coins), how many I had.
 
Not a big issue in the grand scheme of things, but when some updates are done its something thats worth a look, I think.

[Jayde Moon]

Some things you simply have to accept.  If the skill points are invested, then the rogue's ability certainly will seem uncanny!  I mean, there are guys who train themselves to somehow magically read your mind.  I don't know how they do it, seems amazing to me!

So it doesn't seem too far out of the bounds of realism that someone could look you over and determine how much gold you have to within 50 pieces.

((I've seen that guy live, by the way, it's pretty ridiculous))

[Mist_Mage]

Well if its a magical (or magic-like) ability then I guess they can do that.
 
It still seems to me to be lame, but we have a ruling, so fair enough.

[Organized_Chaos]

Again, it does give a wide range. And the more coin you have the bigger the range.

Someone with only a couple hundred can be estimated within 50 or 60 coins.

When Alphonse was alive the range it gave me was 65k-87k. Yea.

If you see a clear ball on a table with gumballs, and it's a really small ball. And you guess how many are there... you can probably get a lot closer than a ball with 100,000 of them. Same principal.

[Mist_Mage]

I guess I will have to put up with a bit of lameness, but I am sure I will live with it. We have a DM ruling, so guess thats it.

[Jayde Moon]

I didn't say it was magical, mind, but that it was uncanny!