#Don't get me wrong Mr. House SUCKSSSS (I love him) but he has a reason for what he's doing.

[maddymoreau]

Why Mr. House pays more for the Snow Globes than the Platinum Chip:

I see a lot of jokes online and people confused about why Mr. House pays more for a Snow Globes than the retrieval of the Platinum Chip.

Especially with how important the Chip is and how he's been waiting 204 years for it.

(ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ I'm going to ramble an explanation on Mr. House's character and why he does this.

Starting from the beginning.

One of Mr. House's biggest character quirks is that he's a MASSIVE stickler for contracts.

In the contract Courier Six signed it says they'll be paid: "Bonus on completion: 250 caps." Which doesn't sound like a lot until you remember this delivery is supposed to be VERY discreet.

Courier Six: "If the Chip's so valuable, why use a single courier to transport it?"

Mr. House: "You realize you were just one of many couriers, the rest of them dummies, so to speak?"

Mr. House: "Add to that many thousand of caps worth of mercenary protection to screen your avenue of approach."

I know Courier Six still got shot by Benny but Mr. House tried to ensure their travel would be safe.

Mr. House: "Had I used an armed caravan to transport the Chip, I might as well have been announcing to the world "this is important. Attack this!" I didn't want to attract the attention of groups like the Great Khans or the Brotherhood of Steel. Alas, the real threat was closer to home."

You might be thinking well that explains the initial delivery price but why doesn't Mr. House increase it after Benny takes it?

The answer is Courier Six's contact.

Inside the Lucky 38 Mr. House will say.

Mr. House: "My only concern is the recovery of the Platinum Chip. What happens to Benny, I leave to your discretion. When you bring the Chip to me, I will pay you four times the delivery bonus stipulated in your contract. How's that?

Mr. House: “My offer far exceeds the original terms of your contract, which, I will remind you, already obligate you to deliver the Chip.”

While 1,000 caps is small and nothing to Mr. House. It’s important to consider he’s not wrong.

It’s a 400% increase from your original pay.

Something he feels is generous because you're already contractually obligating to deliver the Chip.

The Contract states: "You are an authorized agent of the Mojave Express Package until delivery is complete and payment has been processed, contractually obligated to complete this transaction and materially responsible for any malfeasance or loss."

(҂ ` ﾛ ´)凸 Screw my contract!! I got shot in the head!!! You might be thinking.

The Contract's Penalties mention: “Failure to deliver the proper recipient may result in forfeiture of your advance and bonus, criminal charges, and/or pursuit by mercenary reclamation teams.”

Even if you ignore your contact Mr. House won't.

Mr. House: "No, you haven't. This is the second time you've promised to deliver the Platinum Chip. Even if you don't hold yourself to your promises, I will."

When giving the bonus Mr. House is attempting to incentivize the player.

If Courier Six has a Barter 50 Skill they can counter:

"It's a good start . . . but well below market price."

Mr House: "Very well, five times the bonus. {with finality} Not one cap more."

Even after bartering this amount is still well below the market price (remember this for later).

If the player fails the barter.

Mr. House: "Is that an attempt at. . . {beat} {distaste} humor?" I've always taken business negotiation seriously. I advise you to do the same."

If you try to renegotiate after retrieving the Platinum Chip from Benny he'll say.

Mr. House: "Our terms were clear. Now that you have the Chip in your possession, any attempt to "re-negotiate" payment would be tantamount to blackmail."

If you still refuse but eventually cave he'll respond.

Mr. House: "You're fortunate that I have a certain {beat} tolerance for greed. I expect my business partners to be self-interested but {unlike you} smartly so."

If you take the negotiations seriously like Mr. House he will increase you bonus pay within reason.

He's not going to raise is to a 10,000 caps since that’d be a 4,000% mark up. Even just raising it to match the price of one Snow Globes would be 800%.

(ㆆ_ㆆ) You still might be thinking . . .

WHY CARE ABOUT THE CONTRACT!??!? THE CHIP IS WORTH MORE THEN A 4,000% PAY INCREASE!!!! IT'S IRREPLACEABLE SO WHY DOESN'T HE JUST COUGH UP THE MONEY!!?!??

This line perfectly explains Mr. House’s mindset.

Mr. House: "You have a contract to fulfill, a delivery to make. If you can't hold to a contract, simply for the ethic of holding to a contract, you're worthless to me."

Mr. House is TESTING YOU!!!!!

He's ALWAYS testing you to see if you're the perfect replacement for the job he originally planned for Benny to have.

Mr. House: "To achieve my aims, I require a capable human agent to perform certain... {choosing word} tasks."

If Courier Six can't stick to their word and fulfill a contract they signed in good faith. Even if that contact is less beneficial to them. Even if the bonus pay is well below market price.

Then they're not someone Mr. House wants to work with.

This post goes into more example of him testing you:

https://www.tumblr.com/maddymoreau/741007168343588864/veronicaroyce-it-always-bothered-me-that-mr?source=share

That's why the maximum offer Mr. House is willing to negotiate for the retrieval of the Chip is 1,250 caps.

After all if you succeed and work for him the rewards will be immense.

Mr. House: "I'm not offering you an incentive as crude as money - though there'll be plenty of that. What I'm offering you is a ground-floor opportunity in the most important enterprise on Earth. What I'm offering is a future - for you, and for what remains of the human race."

As for the Snow Globes they're a luxury item Mr. House is offering a base price of 2,000 caps for.

There's no contract, no test and no negotiating the price. Only seven exist within the base of the game. The other four are outside the Mojave in dangerous locations like the Sierra Madre and Big MT.

٩( ^ᗜ^)و ´- Mr. House simply likes them and is willing to pay you a high price for a rare item.