My players want to make and sell Magic Items. What Percentage should I use?

Vahktang · Feb 10, 2004

Our heroes have some cash, are in a big city, winter is coming and they don't like the cold and the wet.
So, they decided to settle in until spring.
In the meantime, they want some cash and aren't afraid to spend XP's to get it.

So, any suggestions on what chance that someone comes up and asks them to make a magic item?

They are a mid-level (7th) party and include a cleric and a wizard, and can make miscellaneous magic, arms, armor, wands, scrolls and potion.

There are in a large city (18,000+ people) in a relatively rich, peaceful province with a host of humanoids, barbarians, etc, just over the river a few miles away.

What percentage would you give them over what time before someone showed up requesting an item at what price?

Level, rolled every day?
Find out how long they plan to hang around, multiply that times level?
If sucessful, half the chance until you roll over?
Level, add 5 (or 3 or 1) for each feat they have to make something?

The above number as a random x 1000 for Market value?

Suggestions?
Comments?

More later,

Vahktang

Tonguez · Feb 11, 2004

Build a adventure around it!

A city should already have its Magic Item Supplier (be it Shop, Mage Tower, Guild or Arcane Academy) and the PCs are thus going to have competition who might get upset with their unauthorised trade.

Perhaps the manufacture and sale of magic items must be licenced by the City and thus the PCs have inadvertantly become Black Market suppliers. The Death Cult of Doom thus seizes upon this and commissions the PCs to create an illegal item - but then the authorities (City Watch) find out and the PCs are now caught in the middle of a Sting operation.

BOZ · Feb 11, 2004

keep in mind, this activity will take up a great deal of their time. in fact, probably most of it.

evileeyore · Feb 11, 2004

How are they drumming up customers? Do they own a shop? Are they working for a local guild? What will the Local Union #390 say when they take away business from the Mob... errr... Union.? What do they do when they are commisioned, make the item, and the customer never comes back? (most commissions will insist on some money up front-minimum what is require to make the item)

And most importantly how much money do you want them to make?

The last question is the only one you really need to answer...

TTFN

EvilE

Vahktang · Feb 11, 2004

BOZ said:
keep in mind, this activity will take up a great deal of their time. in fact, probably most of it.

They have a house and are staying there for probably 3 months.
Time is not a problem.

How are they drumming up customers? Do they own a shop? Are they working for a local guild?

For the wizards and the sorcerers there are colleges. People wanting magic items go to the colleges and the item to be made is assigned by who wants to make items. After they make an item, they go to the bottom of the list.
Consideration is given the lower level spell casters and the lower level magic items, since they need the money more.
Similiar thing with the clerics.
Kind of like a union hall.

What do they do when they are commisioned, make the item, and the customer never comes back?

Oooh, I like that.

And most importantly how much money do you want them to make?

There is that.

More later,

Vahktang

Vahktang · Feb 11, 2004

BOZ said:
keep in mind, this activity will take up a great deal of their time. in fact, probably most of it.

They have a house and are staying there for probably 3 months.
Time is not a problem.

How are they drumming up customers? Do they own a shop? Are they working for a local guild?

For the wizards and the sorcerers there are colleges. People wanting magic items go to the colleges and the item to be made is assigned by who wants to make items. After they make an item, they go to the bottom of the list.
Consideration is given the lower level spell casters and the lower level magic items, since they need the money more.
Similiar thing with the clerics.
Kind of like a union hall.