Selling Magic Items

[Bonedagger]

I could imagine trust being a big issue when selling magic as well. The buyer needs to be sure the item is not cursed. Finding a wizard to cast the necessary spells is expencive (Never trust the seller). The more powerfull the item the more expencive the spells (Or at least so say the wizards ).

And what if this powerfull item is stolen. The buyer needs to be compensated for taking such a risk. Finally. Trading powerfull magics requires powerfull security. That needs to be paid for in the prize difference (Selling/buying) as well. Service cost you know.

 

[Quidam]

I've got a PC who's an item crafter. After we finish off these hill giants we've been hired to off, he's planning on using his share of the loot to set up shop in the city. Faced with the prospect of having to protect an inventory of items adventurers might need, he decided to focus on crafting items made to order, so as not to need an inventory.

One of the first things he'll craft for the business is an item of Minor Image so he can show prospective buyers what the item will look like and what the effects will be. All without any danger of mishap or theft. He can incorporate feedback from his clients until they're getting exactly the item they want. He's hoping to do a lot of upgrade work.

Which is another thing you can do with items the party doesn't need- if you've got a crafter in the party, have them upgrade it into something useful for the party. The base item will give a substantial discount in creating the upgraded item (it's just the price differential once market price is determined) and you can either use it or sell it to someone you crafted for.

 

[Larcen]

Sorry I've been too busy to respond lately, but WOW lots of good ideas here. I am definately going to print out this entire thread and bring it to my next gaming session and go over it if the DM wants to take the time.

Something else just occurred to me. What about if the PCs used a Legend Lore or other type of divination spell to locate the perfect buyer for a magical item? For minor stuff, may not be worth it, but for the more expensive items it could be! The DM may even make entire adventure out of "Getting the Sword of Justice Sold."

Would you DMs out there allow that in your group if the PCs tried the divination spells to get higher prices for their loot? Remember, if such spells can locate the "perfect buyer", they may just get WELL over 100% Market Value....SOMEONE out there may be dying (literally even) to get their hands on a your magic item!

Another thought: Maybe all those Consignment Guilds people are taking about already use some of the lower-level divinations in order the move expensive items? For a a larger fee of course.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Using divinations to find a buyer? I can see it now:

Bob the Paladin was in trouble. Like many dragonslayers before him, he thought faith and skill would be enough to overcome the young red dragon terrorizing the small town below. Unfortunately, like many before him (most of whose charred corpses were scattered around him), Bob didn't realize the wyrm had so much magic at his disposal. Wands, staves, potions, and that blasted amulet! Why didn't the seer warn him about that?
Bob was out of options. His wands and potions were depleted or destroyed, his friends dead or run off, and his only remaining weapon was the pitiful +1 sword he had kept around as a trophy from the orcish caverns where he met his (recently deceased) companions. Sighing in resignation, Bob prepared for one last, valiant charge into the wounded beast's lair.
Out of nowhere, an elvish wizard shimmered into view. "Hi, my divinations said you'd need a new sword right about now, and I've got this beautiful +4 dragonbane longsword I just finished. Want to talk finances? If you don't have the cash on hand, we offer a simple installment plan, with only 20% interest!"

 

[Bonedagger]

Using divinations to find a buyer? I can see it now:

Bob the Paladin was in trouble. Like many dragonslayers before him, he thought faith and skill would be enough to overcome the young red dragon terrorizing the small town below. Unfortunately, like many before him (most of whose charred corpses were scattered around him), Bob didn't realize the wyrm had so much magic at his disposal. Wands, staves, potions, and that blasted amulet! Why didn't the seer warn him about that?
Bob was out of options. His wands and potions were depleted or destroyed, his friends dead or run off, and his only remaining weapon was the pitiful +1 sword he had kept around as a trophy from the orcish caverns where he met his (recently deceased) companions. Sighing in resignation, Bob prepared for one last, valiant charge into the wounded beast's lair.
Out of nowhere, an elvish wizard shimmered into view. "Hi, my divinations said you'd need a new sword right about now, and I've got this beautiful +4 dragonbane longsword I just finished. Want to talk finances? If you don't have the cash on hand, we offer a simple installment plan, with only 20% interest!"

I like it for the weirdness in it.

 

[Larcen]

Haw! Maybe I am strange, I like it too. It's cool somehow...and it just might work!

And in the example above, I sure am glad it's a Pally that needs the item and not some CE despot out to rule the world.

 

[doktorstick]

I imagine that it is virtually impossible to sell magic items that do not have a strong enough aura. For a merchant or wizard's guild to put the item on the market, they need to analyze dweomer on the item. At a minimum this cost 1,500 gp + the caster's fee. No merchant (or guild) would take the word of sellers. They have too much at stake.

Hence, the aura from detect magic must be strong enough to warrant spending 2,400 gp on the dweomer. If you play by the 1/2 market price rule, this means the item must be roughly worth 4,800 gp. This would net the seller 0 gp after the transaction (2,400 gp 1/2 market value - 2,400 for the dweomer).

/ds

 

[Spatzimaus]

Don't get me wrong, I think Bob the Paladin would be more than happy you showed up right then, and I'm sure as a Paladin he'd be sure to pay you your fair price. (Non-paladins? Dunno.)

That's not the problem. How would you react if your DM did that to you? You're up against a monster that's tougher than you can handle, and at the last second a mage pops in and gives you exactly the item you need to win?
Would anyone NOT accuse the DM of deus ex machina? He gives you an encounter you can't possibly win, and then at the exact right time gives you exactly what you need to win. That sort of thing really takes the fun out of the game.

Doktorstick:
First of all, Analyze Dweomer requires a 1500 gp focus, not a material component. You wouldn't charge that amount every time you cast it for someone.
One of the long discussions from the House Rule forum has been the inherent suckage of the item detection spells. If you're in a campaign where people over level 10 are rare, how often will you see Analyze Dweomer?
However, by the book, you don't need spells, you can use Appraise. Sure, they have to succeed at the skill check, and they'll get a result of 70-130% of the right value, but that's enough to tell the Market Price of armor or weapons.

So, you can use Appraise to find the total price, Detect Magic to find the number of magical auras, their schools, and their sizes (and remember, according to the DMG, even if it has no prerequisites like a +4 sword, it'll still have one aura). Aura Sight, from T&B, could probably help too.
That, right there, would be enough to get an idea whether the seller was lying or not when he said what type of sword it was. Usually.
Identify (which is free for Psions or Magic-domain Clerics) helps a bit, and Analyze Dweomer helps pinpoint and are NEVER wrong, but by the core rules you don't NEED them to get a rough idea, you can use Appraise.

 

[Bonedagger]

Don't get me wrong, I think Bob the Paladin would be more than happy you showed up right then, and I'm sure as a Paladin he'd be sure to pay you your fair price. (Non-paladins? Dunno.)

That's not the problem. How would you react if your DM did that to you? You're up against a monster that's tougher than you can handle, and at the last second a mage pops in and gives you exactly the item you need to win?
Would anyone NOT accuse the DM of deus ex machina? He gives you an encounter you can't possibly win, and then at the exact right time gives you exactly what you need to win. That sort of thing really takes the fun out of the game.

I kind of saw the story as a joke.

Beside. Not all campaigns need to be serious. Thinking of Disk World and A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. A detective style campaign can be a lot of fun in such a setting type, among other.

 

[Li Shenron]

Why are your players soooooooo angry if they have to sell magic items at 50% price? Why are they looking for so much money? It sounds like they are overburden by ususable magic items (too many? or simply the ones they don't like exactly?), so they want to sell them and get most money possible... to buy other magic items! (This time the ones tehy exactly like).

I think that if your PCs are in such situation, maybe you better consider talking to your DM, and ask him for a different policy in generating treasures.

The 50% selling price is indeed in PHB, mostly as a guideline, I think probably it was meant to prevent PCs from creating magic items for 50% price and gaining a lot of money selling them. It is the simplest rule, OF COURSE if you like a more complicated system, writing one would be a great fun for your game, but I think this is quite good as a baseline.

------------------------------------- note -------------------------------------

There are mainly 3 ways to get a magic item:

1. FIND IT - in a treasure; item is completely random if generated with tables, pseudorandom when it is the foe's former equipment (may depend on the creature); a found item's "cost" is 100%, i.e. it takes up its full price against the treasure total value, which in average is proportionate with encounter level or monster CR

2. BUY IT - depending on your DM, you may be able to buy anything (up to town limit) in your campaing, or only few items in a single place; price is 100%, but you can at least choose not to buy and save the money for later

3. MAKE IT - full control to PC: you can make any item possible for your caster class, level and other requirements; price is 50%

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. is the way you can get the items you really want, and the rules are IMO very kind to allow you to even "upgrade" items to suit your improved necessities.