Haggling. . .

[wmasters]

If the PC wants a chance to haggle, the merchant must first be warmed to the idea with a diplomacy check. DCs are based what the price is now:

Bargain -- DC 50
Reasonable -- DC 35
Moderate -- DC 25
Pricey -- DC 20
Outrageous -- DC 10

If that first step succeeds, then start haggling with opposed Appraise checks, using the same DCs above. If the check succeeds by at least 10, the PC can continue trying to lower the price. If it fails by 10, then the price resets and haggling is over. If it stays within 10, then the price is settled. The DM makes the merchant's rolls in secret.

This is similar to what I do on item sales, with a flat Appraise check. As much as anything this is to give the Appraise skill more value, since I tend to find it's one of the redundant skills that's on the character sheet to make it look like there's more on it.

PCs have a choice of either selling at 50% of value, or making an Appraise check to try and make a bit more money on it, getting between 30-70% of the money for the item depending on the success of the appraise check. I tend to use a flat price for buying items, but you could use something similar. I'd be inclined to offer 5% for each category better than Moderate this has passed by (and vice versa).

This wasn't really introduced with my group as an attempt to put in haggling as much as it was an attempt to make the Appraise skill worth considering though (that, and simplicity is why it doesn't include Diplomacy, Bluff etc).

 

[irdeggman]

d20 Modern Apocalypse (pg 23) has rules on Bartering.

Basically they are structured around NPC attitudes.

Indifferent - 200% price
Friendly - 150% price
Helpful - equal

Makes sense to use something like this.

There are already rules in place for adjusting NPC attittudes and really NPCs are trying to make a profit so they won't sell things such that they lose money.

For buying items you could simply reverse the percentages

Indifferent - pays 25% (12.5 % of market value)
Friendly - pays 50% (25% of market value)
Helpful - pays full value (50% of market value) (remember the DMG says that treasure sold should be at 50% of market value)

Anyone less than indfifferent won't bother dealing with the PCs at all.