D&D 5E Dragonscale armor question

[daddystabz]

This question is in regard to pg 129 in the DM guide: If we already have the dragon scales by slaying a dragon will it still cost us 50,000 gold to craft dragonscale armor OR would it more logically mean that we have the rare part of what is needed to craft the armor and should have a steep discount on crafting it, since we do not have to purchase the dragon scales?

 

[Coredump]

Sorry, but that is an "ask your DM" kind of question. Personally, I would give you a discount, but I think the workmanship is the expensive part, not the actual dragon scales.

 

[spinozajack]

Because dragonscales are so easy to come by. Just pick up a few at Walmart on your way from the tavern

Nah, the hard part is killing the dragon, obviously.

 

[redrick]

Hmm. Premium ingredients generally bring significant markups to labor costs. So, if you are paying an armorer to make you a dragonscale suit of armor, expect to pay him or her a lot.

Without anything else to go on, I've generally charged 25% of the base cost to repair a suit of armor, and another 25% to refit that suit of armor. So, if you pull a suit of plate mail off a fallen foe, you'd pay about 50% of the listed price to get that suit of armor refitted for yourself. I've taken the same approach with magic armor, with the idea that working with the magic armor requires a far greater skill in craftsmanship. I might apply the same idea here to dragonscale armor, so 25,000, if you provide the scales. (Not many people know how to make armor out of dragon scales.)

But I would definitely absolutely defer to the DM.

 

[daddystabz]

Because dragonscales are so easy to come by. Just pick up a few at Walmart on your way from the tavern

Nah, the hard part is killing the dragon, obviously.

My thoughts precisely.

 

[steeldragons]

A discount? Yes. Sure, I'd do that.

A "steep discount"? No. Not necessarily. As someone else eluded, people capable/skillful enough of taking/working with the scales to make it armor are probably not your every village smith. You are going to pay for the rarity of the material and the rarity of the skill needed for the labor, even if you are supplying the the rare material.

So I, personally, would discount it yes. But if you tried to sell me on "Well, we got the scales, so I can just pay a little over the normal armor price, right?" That's going to be a big fat "Nice try."

Of course, always, and ultimately, only your DM can decide what is going to fly in their campaign/setting/game.

Whatever your DM says, goes.

 

[S'mon]

I probably wouldn't give more than a 50% discount on the price myself, so still 25,000gp.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Well done, you brought the scales. But to stitch them together needs dragongut strings. You left them behind? Ah. Tell you what, mate. How.about we call it 30k and I'll be done in a month? I can't make.anything else while I'm.making this for you so it's got to pay for the wife and little Timmy, know.what I mean?
*spits on hand*
*offers handshake*

 

[Coredump]

I'm not as nice I guess. I don't think I would give a 40-50% discount just for some of the materials. Maybe more like 20%.

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to the scales such as 'tanning' them and cutting them to correct size, plus purchasing other materials, plus the specialized tools needed to do the work..... then all the expert labor needed to put is all together.

Lets put it another way, how much would you be willing to pay for some dragon scales someone just brought into town? Because if you believe that just a few scales is worth 20-25,000 gp, then dragon hide is worth more than the treasure hoard by a long shot.

 

[Bayonet]

Bring enough scales for two suits, tell the smith you'll pay him with the scales.