Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Damon Griffin" data-source="post: 993914" data-attributes="member: 3568">This would not a bad way to handle it, so long as the following questions could be satisfactorily answered:(1) How do the NPCs know how much money I have?&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm a total stranger, just arrived this morning.&nbsp; Do all NPCs have some kind of virtual feat that lets them assess my total net worth on sight?&nbsp; Can I wear a Hat of Disguise in order look like a local and get lower prices?(2) Why are all NPCs, even kindly Lawful Good types, assumed to be horrible price gougers?&nbsp; Apparently everyone I run into not only recognizes me as a fabulously wealthy PC, but agrees that I should be grossly overcharged for everything as a result.(3) How was the inflation value set, and why does it never change?&nbsp; I mean, these NPCs have supposedly set higher prices to take advantage of my great wealth -- but I'm going to be expected to pay those same inflated prices whether I'm a 1st level sorcerer with 150gp worth of cash and equipment, or a 20th level fighter/wizard with 100,000gp in cash, equipment and magic items.(4) What values do the NPCs themselves use?&nbsp; You'd think the DM would be given this information, if not the players.&nbsp; If the DM wants to have the PCs hire themselves out to a local landowner to track down and kill a marauding monster, and the landowner agrees to pay their basic expenses (not spell components, but food, lodging, replacement arrows and such), how much is this going to cost the NPC?(5) What if I, as a PC, want to sell something?&nbsp; In most cases I cannot expect to get the full listed value, since I'm selling a previously owned item, which the buyer may be planning to resell.&nbsp; Let's say I might expect to sell a weapon or set of armor for up to 50% of its standard market value as long as it's in good condition.&nbsp;&nbsp; If I use your system, I don't have any idea what the standard market value is, only what the greatly inflated tourist price is.&nbsp; I can't very well try selling a 100gp composite longbow, expecting to get as much as 50gp for it, and have an NPC merchant respond &quot;Are you crazy?&nbsp; That's at least 5 times what the thing would have been worth NEW!&quot;&nbsp; (6) Your tourist explanation doesn't take Crafting into account.&nbsp; If I want to contruct a bow, I'm not some ignorant yahoo who just walked in off the street, I'm a skilled bowyer who knows exactly what it takes in terms of time, effort and material to craft a bow.&nbsp; I have to buy materials equal to one-third of the market value.&nbsp; Is this one-third of the NPC's &quot;true&quot; market value or one third of the inflated &quot;tourist&quot; value?&nbsp;&nbsp; Shouldn't be the tourist price, I'm making it myself and I know how to do that.&nbsp; &nbsp; But it can't be the NPC price because that price isn't given anywhere.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Damon Griffin, post: 993914, member: 3568"] This would not a bad way to handle it, so long as the following questions could be satisfactorily answered: (1) How do the NPCs know how much money I have? I'm a total stranger, just arrived this morning. Do all NPCs have some kind of virtual feat that lets them assess my total net worth on sight? Can I wear a Hat of Disguise in order look like a local and get lower prices? (2) Why are [B]all[/B] NPCs, even kindly Lawful Good types, assumed to be horrible price gougers? Apparently everyone I run into not only recognizes me as a fabulously wealthy PC, but agrees that I should be grossly overcharged for everything as a result. (3) How was the inflation value set, and why does it never change? I mean, these NPCs have supposedly set higher prices to take advantage of my great wealth -- but I'm going to be expected to pay those [B]same[/B] inflated prices whether I'm a 1st level sorcerer with 150gp worth of cash and equipment, or a 20th level fighter/wizard with 100,000gp in cash, equipment and magic items. (4) What values do the NPCs themselves use? You'd think the DM would be given this information, if not the players. If the DM wants to have the PCs hire themselves out to a local landowner to track down and kill a marauding monster, and the landowner agrees to pay their basic expenses (not spell components, but food, lodging, replacement arrows and such), how much is this going to cost the NPC? (5) What if I, as a PC, want to sell something? In most cases I cannot expect to get the full listed value, since I'm selling a previously owned item, which the buyer may be planning to resell. Let's say I might expect to sell a weapon or set of armor for up to 50% of its standard market value as long as it's in good condition. If I use your system, I don't have any idea what the standard market value is, only what the greatly inflated tourist price is. I can't very well try selling a 100gp composite longbow, expecting to get as much as 50gp for it, and have an NPC merchant respond "Are you crazy? That's at least 5 times what the thing would have been worth NEW!" (6) Your tourist explanation doesn't take Crafting into account. If I want to contruct a bow, I'm not some ignorant yahoo who just walked in off the street, I'm a skilled bowyer who knows exactly what it takes in terms of time, effort and material to craft a bow. I have to buy materials equal to one-third of the market value. Is this one-third of the NPC's "true" market value or one third of the inflated "tourist" value? Shouldn't be the tourist price, I'm making it myself and I know how to do that. But it can't be the NPC price because that price isn't given anywhere. [/QUOTE]

Verification