How do you handle buying magic items in cities?
- Thread starter Dire Wolf
- Start date
Nifft
Penguin Herder
Mystic_23 said:
It wouldn't surprise me if she used some of this wealth to set up a portal to Sigil (or some related place in your campaign) to secure access to such items.
-- Nifft
PS: IMC, there are auction houses where people sell items -- you can RP or place a "silent bid". You can commission items, but special materials tend to come from extra-planar sources -- Adamantium is only available on the Elemental Plane of Earth, for example.
Usually our DM leads us AWAY from the city (or under it) for adventuring and, if we are lucky, we have enough time to return to the city at the end of the session.
Then the DM sends us a list via email of what magic items our character is able to find in the city. If we are in a large city we can attempt to look for or commission a certain magic item. We do all shopping via email instead of during the session time - we use that for adventuring. This is a really good way to go about it, in my opinion.
Then the DM sends us a list via email of what magic items our character is able to find in the city. If we are in a large city we can attempt to look for or commission a certain magic item. We do all shopping via email instead of during the session time - we use that for adventuring. This is a really good way to go about it, in my opinion.
Imperialus
Explorer
The main kingdom in my campaign has a very well established guild system that caters to adventurers. Usually what will happen is they will go to a guild hall in one of the larger cities and post a list on a bulleten board of what they want. There is also usually a few items already on the board for sale or trade.
Of course complicateing things a magic sword can mean a lot of different things and it's not like I'm going to let them post a note asking for a +2 sword. They can't mention game mechanics at all in the negotiations. It's usally a case where they have to post a note asking for a magic sword, meet with a seller, negotiate a price and hope they didn't get ripped off ending up with a +1 longsword that they just paid 12000 GP for. Oftentimes they are required to hire a mediator to cast identify on the item to prove that it is what they say it is.
More mundane items like lower level potions and scrolls are usually avelable in limited numbers from dealers in most large towns/small cities.
Of course complicateing things a magic sword can mean a lot of different things and it's not like I'm going to let them post a note asking for a +2 sword. They can't mention game mechanics at all in the negotiations. It's usally a case where they have to post a note asking for a magic sword, meet with a seller, negotiate a price and hope they didn't get ripped off ending up with a +1 longsword that they just paid 12000 GP for. Oftentimes they are required to hire a mediator to cast identify on the item to prove that it is what they say it is.
More mundane items like lower level potions and scrolls are usually avelable in limited numbers from dealers in most large towns/small cities.
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Depends on the game style.
If you enjoy lots of roleplaying, handle it as suggested. IMC, the largest city the PCs are welcome in suffered (during their first visit to the city) the deaths of the two major dealers in magic items. This void has been filled by the PCs themselves: whatever PC is dormant in the game has taken over the magic item shop and wheeled and dealed. Characters can sell items via the shop and buy stuff there -- but their purchases are limited to what's available. If any of them are interested in it, I'd ask them to let me know between sessions, and I'd make up a list of available items. (More likely, I'd ask them for a wish-list, and then I'd create a list of similar items. If they ask for a holy scimitar, it might be that a +2 scimitar of thundering becomes available, or they hear of a paladin passing through the area with a holy scimitar and they can commission its theft if they want).
In the game I play in, we occasionally venture to the big city to buy and sell stuff. The first couple of times, we roleplayed the purchase and sale; now, we gloss over it. If we want something specific, we commission it from some wizard/blacksmith types we've befriended.
If you want to have magic item shops at which the contents of the DMG are available, that's a fine way to play. My suggestion would be to make players buy and sell between sessions. They should email you with their proprosed purchases and sales, and get your approval on them. That way, you don't take up the whole session with bookkeeping.
Daniel
If you enjoy lots of roleplaying, handle it as suggested. IMC, the largest city the PCs are welcome in suffered (during their first visit to the city) the deaths of the two major dealers in magic items. This void has been filled by the PCs themselves: whatever PC is dormant in the game has taken over the magic item shop and wheeled and dealed. Characters can sell items via the shop and buy stuff there -- but their purchases are limited to what's available. If any of them are interested in it, I'd ask them to let me know between sessions, and I'd make up a list of available items. (More likely, I'd ask them for a wish-list, and then I'd create a list of similar items. If they ask for a holy scimitar, it might be that a +2 scimitar of thundering becomes available, or they hear of a paladin passing through the area with a holy scimitar and they can commission its theft if they want).
In the game I play in, we occasionally venture to the big city to buy and sell stuff. The first couple of times, we roleplayed the purchase and sale; now, we gloss over it. If we want something specific, we commission it from some wizard/blacksmith types we've befriended.
If you want to have magic item shops at which the contents of the DMG are available, that's a fine way to play. My suggestion would be to make players buy and sell between sessions. They should email you with their proprosed purchases and sales, and get your approval on them. That way, you don't take up the whole session with bookkeeping.
Daniel
IMC, we play in the Forgotten Realms. All the temples / shrines / whatevers of Mystra, no matter the size, are tasked with the same duties: (For a fee) Identify or Analyze all magic items requested (usually the latter and usually for 1% of appraised value), and act as the official unofficial trusted agent for magic item sales.
My group usually deals with the larger temples (they're based out of Waterdeep now), and all the temples have means of communicating with and transferring items between themselves. So the first place the PCs turn to for their magic needs is the Temple.
Either the item already exists or the temple knows of someone who has indicated willingess to do commission work. The lower in price the item, the more likely it is to already exist, and items that can be upgraded out of are more prevelant than the top of the chain items. (IE, lots of +2 items available, almost never a +6 available).
For the Tomes and Books and Librims, I decided that only one place in Faerun has access to the +4 and the +5s: Waterdeep. There's a house in Waterdeep with a cross-planar Connection to another demension where Xp is handled differently, and there's a community that can generate one book a week -- if the prices are met, and money is only part of the price. In this case, it also requires a truly horrendous Perform check, but you could also take years off their lives or whatever pleased you and seems fair.
As long as I play in FR, I'll be using the Temples of Mystra as my conduit for magical items, just as the temples of Waukeen serve as my conduit for simple banking.
My group usually deals with the larger temples (they're based out of Waterdeep now), and all the temples have means of communicating with and transferring items between themselves. So the first place the PCs turn to for their magic needs is the Temple.
Either the item already exists or the temple knows of someone who has indicated willingess to do commission work. The lower in price the item, the more likely it is to already exist, and items that can be upgraded out of are more prevelant than the top of the chain items. (IE, lots of +2 items available, almost never a +6 available).
For the Tomes and Books and Librims, I decided that only one place in Faerun has access to the +4 and the +5s: Waterdeep. There's a house in Waterdeep with a cross-planar Connection to another demension where Xp is handled differently, and there's a community that can generate one book a week -- if the prices are met, and money is only part of the price. In this case, it also requires a truly horrendous Perform check, but you could also take years off their lives or whatever pleased you and seems fair.
As long as I play in FR, I'll be using the Temples of Mystra as my conduit for magical items, just as the temples of Waukeen serve as my conduit for simple banking.
Dire Wolf
First Post
Thanks for the input
Thanks for the input. There are some ideas that I can use here for sure. I do however want to clarify my situation a little more. I am currently running the Northern Journey campaign set in FR. For those who are not familiar with it, it involves the PC's being forced by magic sygills (similar to the Azure Bonds) to travel from place to place. They have travelled from Neverwinter to the North and now East to Zhentil Keep. They do not stay in one place for long, and they will continue to be on the move.
So, you can see that it is not a simple matter of picking a shop or a supplier and stocking it.
And the scenario that got me was that the PC's walked into a large store that was supposed to have all manner of equipment and supplies and said "What magic do you have available." They were not looking for specific items per say.
I guess the only solution is to determine ahead of time what items will be available, it is just a lot of work to do that for all the towns/cities that they go to, but it seems like the way that will work out at the table the best.
Thanks for the input. There are some ideas that I can use here for sure. I do however want to clarify my situation a little more. I am currently running the Northern Journey campaign set in FR. For those who are not familiar with it, it involves the PC's being forced by magic sygills (similar to the Azure Bonds) to travel from place to place. They have travelled from Neverwinter to the North and now East to Zhentil Keep. They do not stay in one place for long, and they will continue to be on the move.
So, you can see that it is not a simple matter of picking a shop or a supplier and stocking it.
And the scenario that got me was that the PC's walked into a large store that was supposed to have all manner of equipment and supplies and said "What magic do you have available." They were not looking for specific items per say.
I guess the only solution is to determine ahead of time what items will be available, it is just a lot of work to do that for all the towns/cities that they go to, but it seems like the way that will work out at the table the best.
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