House rule: Buy checks, Appraise, Perform

[Bayonet_Chris]

Someone in another thread requested that I share my rules for buy checks. I took the idea from A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe (Expeditious Retreat). I highly recommend it - it's excellent.

Feedback welcome and encouraged. Items all have a base buy check derived from the base price, but I haven't included the equipment list. I extended the basic premise of the buy check to two skills (appraise and perform) and I'm in the process of applying it to craft and profession. Free time is a bit of an issue for me, so my progress is sometimes slowed to a crawl.

 

[Li Shenron]

Items all have a base buy check derived from the base price, but I haven't included the equipment list.

The idea sounds good and original. What is the general rule for turning the base price into a DC?

Eventually some possible problem (I think only playtest can really sort this system out) can be:

- slow down the game to figure out all modifiers and roll for each item, if your PCs usually spend a lot of time buying/selling items

- try to see how much a difference can be between a character maximized for buying and an average character! the difference should not be too large or it could become imbalancing

- keep in mind that 1 PC focused on buying/selling is enough to benefit the whole party

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

The idea sounds good and original. What is the general rule for turning the base price into a DC?

I'm at work, so I don't have the document in front of me. If memory serves, the base DC is based on the base price of the object. So objects less than 1gp have a certain DC, then groups within a certain price range have higher DCs from there. I was considering the possibility of adding other modifiers for especially unique and/or complex items, despite the price.

Eventually some possible problem (I think only playtest can really sort this system out) can be:

- slow down the game to figure out all modifiers and roll for each item, if your PCs usually spend a lot of time buying/selling items

- try to see how much a difference can be between a character maximized for buying and an average character! the difference should not be too large or it could become imbalancing

- keep in mind that 1 PC focused on buying/selling is enough to benefit the whole party

Well, all you really need is the city size (which should be evident) and the base cost of the item. I do recall it being a pretty simple chart and even that can be simplified. The idea is that higher-cost items would only be available in larger locations that could afford them.

The buy check isn't modified by anything the PCs have, skills-wise. After the market value is established, they may wheel and deal as they see fit, but this is no different than normal. It just puts more of a framework around it. There is no reason why the GM couldn't roll the buy check in private to determine these things. A prepared GM could even have some of this figured out ahead of time.

As to the second statement, I actually see some benefit there. There are several scenarios that could rise just from this, and some value-add. GMs no longer have to figure/fudge if the PCs have access to certain items. Anything that gives a character or player purpose and a desire to interact within the story isn't necessarily a bad thing. Think of it from a rogue's perspective. Illegal items would have some negative modifiers simply because they may be "too hot". It's a simple mechanic to keep players thinking about things that are often taken for granted.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Laman Stahros]

Looks interesting, but I can't comment beyond that without the rest of the system. How the DCs are set, and so forth is an important part of any system like this. Would love to see the full thing.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Equipment DCs

This part is a bit of a rough draft, so bear with me...

The DCs are composed of four parts: rarity (how common the item is), cost (how much it costs to create), the size of the community (a measure of available resources), and the relative supply and demand for those items in the market.

Two, community size and supply/demand, are in the PDF table. Cost is listed in various equipment guides and the player's handbook.

Rarity (Base DC)
Common (5)
Uncommon (10)
Rare (15)
Exotic (20)

Cost (DC Modifier)
< 1 gp (-1 DC)
1-10 gp (+0 DC)
11-25 gp (+1 DC)
26-50 gp (+2 DC)
51-100 gp (+3 DC)
101-250 gp (+4 DC)
251-500 gp (+5 DC)
501-1000 gp (+6 DC)
1001-2500 gp (+7 DC)
2501-5000 gp (+8 DC)
5001-10000 gp (+9 DC)
Each additional 10000gp (+1 DC)

There is the possibility of class and/or feat modifiers to buy checks, mainly through status (the nobility have more of a "right" to certain expensive items and they can acquire them where "normal" people cannot, etc.) Sometimes you have to acquire items in ways other than simply buying them.

A longsword has a base cost of 15 gp (+1 DC) and is uncommon (DC 10), so it has a base DC 11. When trying to buy it in a small town (no modifier to buy check) with no other modifiers, An 11 or higher on d20 will enable someone to buy it for the base cost. Rolling less than 11 will increase the price from 16gp (16.5) to 30gp. Rolling a 1 and the item will be completely unavailable.

An adventurer wants to sell a longsword he looted from a mercenary he killed. The base cost is 15gp (+1 DC) and it is still uncommon (DC 10), so there is a base DC 11. The base resale value is 25% (around 4 gp in a pinch). On an 11 or higher, the item will sell for 4 gp. If the GM rolls less than an 11, the sale price will increase up to a maximum of 8 gp (I tend to work in sp, because it's easier). On a 1, no one is interested in buying the item.

 

[Laman Stahros]

Cool. Thanks, I'm going to work this over now and see if is yoink-worthy.

 

[BobbyMac]

Whew! I just saw this. Thanks Bayonet_Chris...

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Tie ins

Ideally, I would like to tie this in with craft rules so the price of items is a direct representation of material cost (supply/demand portion) and complexity (craft DC). That will take a little more work, I think.