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<blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 1172192" data-attributes="member: 158">I actively run an FR game right now, one which roves all over the Dalelands, Sembia, Cormyr, and the Moonsea, and here is how I handle it:Each merchant has a limited stock of items that constantly revolve. If the party comes back through after spending a week in a dungeon or off adventuring, they come back to a dealer whose inventory has changed. Is the dealer a minor or major one?MINOR: These are they guys in towns of 5,000 people or less. I list a half dozen potions, a dozen scrolls, and one or two minor magic items (rings, miscellaneous, etc.) that he currently has. Each item has 1d6 in stock, except for permanent items. MAJOR: a major dealer (Red Wizard Enclaves, Magic Brokers) are in towns of 5,000 people or up. There are a maximum of up to 5 to 7 dealers in the largest towns (Ordulin, Waterdeep, Suzail, etc.), and only one or two everywhere else. These dealers have a fairly large assortment of both in-house magic, as well as items they can get their hands on within a week's time. I will simply tell the Players, &quot;list for me several Magic items you are searching for, and He'll tell you if he has them.&quot; I use a percentile check based on the following:[CODE]Size of Town&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Minor magic&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Medium Magic&nbsp; &nbsp; Major Magic5,000 to 10,000&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 50%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5%up to 20,000&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 60%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 30%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10%up to 50,000&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 70%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 35%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15%above 50,000&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 75%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 40%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20%[/CODE]Now, can they afford it?All magic I price about 30% to 50% above book value, depending on whim, to represent area economic conditions. Then, the PC's make a Diplomacy Check.Check Result = under 10? They get gouged. Either they pay the 150% value, or they're walking out without their gewgaw.Check result = 10 to 19? They'll get it about 0% to 10% over book value.Check Result = 20 to 30? They'll get a minor discount, about 90% of book or so.Check result = over 30? They really got the merchant's snoggies over a barrel, or the merchant really likes them, or they told him JUST what he wanted to hear. They can walk away with their purchase for up to 75% of book value.The sad part is, despite my reminder since day one that Diplomacy and Bluff is very important to NPC interactions, only one player has a Diplomacy score of higher than +1.This info ties in to how wealth is made in the game too. I have given them opportunities to trade with monsters and folk, They rarely find loose coins, but more often find jewelry, expensive items, luxury goods, etc. (One employer once paid them with 1900 POUNDS of smoked salmon. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />They traded it for 1500 gold and passage on a boat.)Hopefully, this is helpful to you, but keep in mind that the most important thing is to make it seem organic, even if the secret is to make it arbitrary. Magic items move across the Realms all the time, shopkeepers change inventory, and there's no need to keep up with exact lists between visits, because trade is very alive in Faerun.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Henry, post: 1172192, member: 158"] I actively run an FR game right now, one which roves all over the Dalelands, Sembia, Cormyr, and the Moonsea, and here is how I handle it: Each merchant has a limited stock of items that constantly revolve. If the party comes back through after spending a week in a dungeon or off adventuring, they come back to a dealer whose inventory has changed. Is the dealer a minor or major one? MINOR: These are they guys in towns of 5,000 people or less. I list a half dozen potions, a dozen scrolls, and one or two minor magic items (rings, miscellaneous, etc.) that he currently has. Each item has 1d6 in stock, except for permanent items. MAJOR: a major dealer (Red Wizard Enclaves, Magic Brokers) are in towns of 5,000 people or up. There are a maximum of up to 5 to 7 dealers in the largest towns (Ordulin, Waterdeep, Suzail, etc.), and only one or two everywhere else. These dealers have a fairly large assortment of both in-house magic, as well as items they can get their hands on within a week's time. I will simply tell the Players, "list for me several Magic items you are searching for, and He'll tell you if he has them." I use a percentile check based on the following: [CODE] Size of Town Minor magic Medium Magic Major Magic 5,000 to 10,000 50% 25% 5% up to 20,000 60% 30% 10% up to 50,000 70% 35% 15% above 50,000 75% 40% 20% [/CODE] Now, can they afford it? All magic I price about 30% to 50% above book value, depending on whim, to represent area economic conditions. Then, the PC's make a Diplomacy Check. Check Result = under 10? They get gouged. Either they pay the 150% value, or they're walking out without their gewgaw. Check result = 10 to 19? They'll get it about 0% to 10% over book value. Check Result = 20 to 30? They'll get a minor discount, about 90% of book or so. Check result = over 30? They really got the merchant's snoggies over a barrel, or the merchant really likes them, or they told him JUST what he wanted to hear. They can walk away with their purchase for up to 75% of book value. The sad part is, despite my reminder since day one that Diplomacy and Bluff is very important to NPC interactions, only one player has a Diplomacy score of higher than +1. This info ties in to how wealth is made in the game too. I have given them opportunities to trade with monsters and folk, They rarely find loose coins, but more often find jewelry, expensive items, luxury goods, etc. (One employer once paid them with 1900 POUNDS of smoked salmon. :)They traded it for 1500 gold and passage on a boat.) Hopefully, this is helpful to you, but keep in mind that the most important thing is to make it seem organic, even if the secret is to make it arbitrary. Magic items move across the Realms all the time, shopkeepers change inventory, and there's no need to keep up with exact lists between visits, because trade is very alive in Faerun. [/QUOTE]

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