So, I'm introducing some friends to Eberron.
Lucky them!
They just finished their first Story Arch and are comming back to Sharn with a reasonable amount of money. Before they left for the mission I had ruled that in the city they could find any common or uncommon magic item in the DMG with relative ease, and would had to look for anything rarer than that. But that gave them analysis paralysis and they ended up just going for basic stuff that one of them sugested. I'd like to create some magic item shops with common and uncommom itens (and maybe some rare ones that they can work for the money to get). So, my question is, has anyone done something similar in Eberron? How do you choose the itens you offer? How do you price them?
I know many people dislike magic shop because they imagine that even in a magic-rich setting they don't like the "And do you want +1 fries with that?" vibe. However, in pre-industrial era, such kind of shop didn't exist even for regular items -- ready-to-wear clothes, for example, became widespread only at the beginning of the 20th century. Before, everything was bespoke. In an early industrial settings like Eberron, I'd keep that feeling: you don't go to the magic shop, you deal with the dragonmarked houses. When you visit the corresponding enclave, you can get an appointment with a master artisan that will make your bespoke item. If you want, magical properties can be added, for a cost.
You want to
give ideas to your players instead of having them looking at a list? Roleplay the interaction with a dragonmarked heir overseeing special requests. Have them shop depending on what type of item they'd want... Most things will be produced by Cannith, but point out that healing items are commissionned at a Jorasco enclave. If they go there, describe the regular potions that are effectively mass produced (the lowliest healing potion, and "flavor potion" like an anti-hangover potion or a special potion for older men's need that would be assured to sell well... and mention that whatever they want can be achieved... for a cost. As part of the roleplay, you can start from a basic idea expressed by the players and work with them. They'll have pretty basic idea you said, "so you want a magical sword... OK, for course we can do that... but magical how? Would you interested into a sword sheathed in flames? Very flashy and effective, but maybe you'd want something more functional (+1)? Can I interest you into a light warning when ennemies are near? It's very useful when in the wilderness..." Throw them a few suggestions and they'll probably describe something by themselves. They'll get more attached to their magic items if they are really their own (the player's, not only the PC's). They might even want to have them reinchanted later, when they will have more money, instead of just ditching it.
In Sharn, I'd make every common and uncommon equivalent items available, and "flavour options" for free. Remember that Eberron has widespread magic but not powerful magic: you could find rare items to buy because it's Sharn, but have them roleplay it differently... The analogy I'd made is no longer a tailor but an auction house. "You want to fly? Well, there is an Aereni wings of flying that will be auctionned later this month in Skyway... But expect a few noblemen to try to acquire it as well..." Rarer magic item should belong in museums (or being actively studied by the dragonmarked house to find how to replicate them).
