---
key: mechanic/dialogue--family-costs
type: mechanic
id: dialogue--family-costs
lang: en
title: Resources and stakes
summary: >-
  A line or influence attempt costs time or resources, or commits the player to
  a risk or obligation.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/dialogue--family-costs/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/dialogue--family-costs.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/dialogue--family-costs.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Dialogue
  - Game rules
sourceIds:
  - source-478907b8b62d0628
sources:
  - id: source-478907b8b62d0628
    title: Potionomics
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: dialogue
    id: family-costs
    title: Dialogue
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/dialogue/#family-costs'
    categoryIds:
      - section-2
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Resources and stakes
    description: >-
      A line or influence attempt costs time or resources, or commits the player
      to a risk or obligation.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/dialogue-potionomics-04.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Potionomics
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1874490/ss_f9b5015e5e7b0cc860e8985d3f9d773e6874cb57.1920x1080.jpg?t=1750960791
      credit: 'Voracious Games / XSEED Games / Marvelous USA, Inc.'
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: A card spends customer patience
      alt: A card spends customer patience
      markers:
        - x: 52
          'y': 15
          label: This card costs 2 patience
        - x: 4
          'y': 74
          label: Remaining patience limits further negotiation
    tips:
      - Show the cost before a reply and the remaining resource afterwards.
    examples:
      - title: Potionomics
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/dialogue
---
# Resources and stakes

id: dialogue--family-costs
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/dialogue--family-costs
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/dialogue--family-costs/

A line or influence attempt costs time or resources, or commits the player to a risk or obligation.

## At a glance

![A card spends customer patience](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/dialogue-potionomics-04.webp)

[Potionomics](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. This card costs 2 patience
2. Remaining patience limits further negotiation

- Show the cost before a reply and the remaining resource afterwards.

- [Potionomics](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/)

## How it works

A retort or attempt to influence requires time, resource, or an assumption of risk and commitment.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-costs-variants"></a>

- Consumption of communication points. Rule: dialogue lines expend special energy, influence, or other finite supply. <a id="variant-costs-01"></a>
- Consumption of money and items. Rule: To move, you need to pay, hand over an item or provide a material guarantee. <a id="variant-costs-02"></a>
- The price of disclosed information. Rule: A useful answer requires you to give up a secret, evidence, or information about your own goals. <a id="variant-costs-03"></a>
- Suspicion grows. Rule: Every risky move brings exposure or refusal to continue the conversation closer. <a id="variant-costs-04"></a>
- Stock of patience. Rule: NPCs allow a limited number of useless, repeated or offensive calls. <a id="variant-costs-05"></a>
- Fatigue and composure. Rule: Long conversation depletes the player's or NPC's ability to maintain the desired line. <a id="variant-costs-06"></a>
- Goal conflict. Rule: Achieving one conversation goal worsens the chances of achieving another. <a id="variant-costs-07"></a>
- Voluntary rate increase. Rule: The player promises, risks, or bets more for a better outcome. <a id="variant-costs-08"></a>

## Context and limits

Author's working taxonomy compiled for this request. Titles are descriptive; sources confirm individual principles and examples, and not the entire list.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.

- [Potionomics](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874490/) (id: source-478907b8b62d0628)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors