The following is an attempt to create an "exchange rate" of sorts between money and character points for the RPG Champions.

The reason we felt the need for this was: FOCI. The GM should have some other method of making foci less attractive other than taking them away all the time. For example, making Tony Stark pay large quantities of money to build a replacement suit ofarmor, should he loose the first one, would make it less attractive. This would probably lead armored and gadget laden heroes to forking over lots of points, which would give them an astounding monthly income, or the equivalent thereof in lab equipment and materials. This would be reflective of the comics and is nothing to be worried about

We have a simple idea on how to accomplish this. Use the following chart, which is analogous to the Champions strength chart. 

Income Chart
Income Stat	Expendable Cash per month in $	Windfall-One-shot Income
Gadget Cost Chart
Apparent Active Cost	Cost in $	Construction time in days
0	25	-
5	50	0/2
10	100	1/4
15	200	2/6
20	400	3/8
25	800	4/10
30	1600	5/12
35	3200	6/14
40	6400	5/16
45	12.5k	6/18
50	25k	7/20
55	50k	8/22
60	100k	9/24
65	200K	10/26
70	400K	11/28
75	800K	12/30
80	1.6M	13/32
85	3.2M	14/34
90	6.4M	15/36
95	12.5M	16/38
100	25M	17/40

The heart of the system ofbuying gadgets is the "apparent active" cost. This is the number that will determine what the final cost and normal construction time of a device is. Stan with the active cost of a power and apply the appropriate modifiers from the following table. Note that "apparent active" cost can never go lower than the "real" cost.

COST MODIFIERS

Situation : Subtract the following from the "apparent active cost"
Copy of an existing device -5 (that the character built or understands completely)
Copy of an existing device -2.5 (For each "generation" the copy is after the first)
Copy for the same builder. -2.5
Project head made primary science roll exactly -0
For each point the roll is made by -2.5
For each point the roll is Blown by +2.5
Each point the character makes a burcaucratics roll by [optional] (Note that the institution that provides the "research grant" is going to know a lot about the project) -2.5
Each d6 of luck made -2.5
Each d6 of unluck made +2.5 (Note each only applies to the project leader)
For each other person who works on the project and makes their Science roll. -2.5
For each who Blows roll. +2.5 (Maximum of 4 people can make above two rolls.)
Each -1/2 of limitations -2.5
Additional modifier for taking the "fragile" limitation -2.5
Each halving of construction time +5

Normal Construction time: 2 days per 5 "apparent active" points in the device. Excluding increases in the "apparent active cost" for cutting the construction time in half.

Note that this system of Gadget construction greatly favors people with very high Science skills. You may have to be careful how fast you let your Gadgeteeres up their rolls to avoid letting them become unbalancing. On the other hand, it finally makes 18 and 20/- Science rolls worth the points paid for them.

INCOME

Income is a new player stat, just like Strength, that starts at 10 and can be bought up or down at 1 point per point. It can't be bought below 0. It is expressed in terms of expendable income. This means that middle-class food/clothing costs are already being paid for. Characters start with $100/week in expendable income.

Spending 20 points gives you $1600/week in expendable money as well as giving you a better car, house, ect...

Spending 30 points gets you $6400/week or $332,000 per year after taxes and normal expenses. That's a lot of money, enough to build a 40 point gadget every week (assuming the gadgets had apparent active cost equal to their active cost, which isn't usually the case).

You may want to allow players to roll their income to do things like get VIP tours, meet heads of state, influence the stock market. Make a "Clout" roll of 9+ (income/5) to see if they get what they wanted. Make modifications where appropriate.

Abuse of the Clout roll could bring about IRS involvement or maybe a summons to appear at a congressional ethics committee hearing. Make it embarrassing and time consuming.

PUSHING INCOME

Like Strength, Income can be pushed. You can up your Income by a maximum of 5 points for one week. On the two weeks following, your income will be 5 points less that normal while you pay back all those short term loans. It isn't wise to do this often.

LIMITATIONS

Income may be given one or more of the following Limitations, feel free to make up your own income in danger of being lost once per month:

13/- -2
11/- -1
9/- -1/2

Income that is lost is gone for a good long while (about 12 gaming sessions or a few game months, and your points arc stuck in income for the duration). Lost income could involve; a charactees money manager taking off to Brazil, losing a bundle in high risk trading, having villains sabotage his profit making operations, a failed business venture, ect. It's going to take time and effort on the charactees part to get that income back.

Specific Income: -3/4 Income that can only be used to purchase certain things. This is good if your character is middle class but has unlimited access to government labs, computers, ect Specific income lacks all the perks and the clout roll that comes with a normal income.

ONE SHOT INCOME

Use the One shot/Windfall column in the Income chart 1 experience point-- 1 point in that column, now compare that number to the "S amount" on the same row. That's how much money you get, tax free. Work out the circumstances with the GM.

One shot income is a terrible way to acquire money, buying your income up in all but the shortest term situations) is the smarter choice.

WINDFALL INCOME

This is mainly for scientists, businessmen, and artists of every stripe. Make a skill roll once per month. Each point you make it by equals the equivalent of spending one experience point on one shot income. This does take time however. Characters who go for "windfall income" are NOT patrolling their city, NOT overseeing the construction of a gadget, and NOT living up to the psych-lim "hunting" if it's greater than 8/-. Characters in other fields could make rolls but they should give the GM a good reason why first.