How do you handle selling magic items in your campaign? (New question on page 4)

[The Thayan Menace]

The Art of the Eldritch Deal

Unless one of my players insists on playing a priest of Waukeen (and even then), I do not like my games to get bogged down in petty economics.

At the same time, I agree with all of you regarding the need for a more "realistic" and satisfying dynamic to simulate commercial transactions.

Therefore, in an effort to find a middle ground between automatic 50% sales and verisimilitude, all of my campaign pamphlets have the following section:

________________________________________________​

On Commerce:

1. For the sake of convenient bookkeeping, assume that gems weigh just as much as coins (i.e., 50 gems = 1 pound). An unspecified piece of jewelry or small art object weighs 1/10 of a pound.

2. This campaign uses the haggling rules in issue #303 of Dragon (pp. 50-51).

3. Although players should ask the DM about local market conditions before engaging in any significant business activity, it is generally safe to assume that most civilized regions possess ample locations to trade in equipment, exchange currencies, and appraise valuables.

4. A PC may convert their coinage into currency of a different variety, at a cost of approximately 10% of its original value (i.e., 100 gp for 9 pp). PCs can carry out this transaction with bankers, money-changers, or certain merchants.

5) The standard cost of appraisal is 1% of an item’s exchange value (although many shopkeepers waive this fee). A purveyor of quality goods will purchase most gems, jewelry, and exotic art objects at the item’s full listed value.

6) Most reputable merchants will refuse to traffic in illegal or questionable goods. That being said, a typical fence will offer to buy such items for 10-50% of their original value.

________________________________________________​

So far, this list covers at least 90% of all of my in-game commercial activities. Anything not covered by this list, I ajudicate with creative skill rolls (e.g., Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Gather Information).

________________________________________________​

Furthermore, anyone interested (or should I say ... consumed) with roleplaying business deals should consider using the Mercantile Background regional feat from the Player's Guide to Faerun (p. 41).

 

[VirgilCaine]

There is a shop in one city in my campaign where PC adventurers like to go. It isn't a "magic shop" per se; it's an alchemy and scrolls shop that is also part of a college for wizards. The PCs will make arrangements with the store owners to put out word that they are selling an item. They are then contacted by the store owner when a potential buyer is available. Frequently the PCs never meet the buyer, negotiations being handled entirely by the shopkeeper as middleman.

The shopkeeper charges a 2% fee for this task, and the PCs are usually able to get 60-90% of the item's value, depending on how generous I'm being.

This is similar to the process I use, except that the middleman is part of The Guild--of Wizards.

 

[Sanackranib]

in any city of a decient size the pc's can usually find a buyer for whatever magic items that they want to sell. buying them on the other hand is trickier - one shot items like potions wands are easier to come by then the permenant stuff

 

[Larcen]

Larcen, that thread is awesome! Thanks for digging it up.
...

Since you liked that thread I took the time to dig up another thread I remembered on this subject. In this thread, I detailed the method I wound up using when it was my turn to DM. Take a look, it reads more complicated than it actually is.

http://www.enworld.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-41551

 

[S'mon]

As Randomling says, I use Gather Info rolls to find a good price for items, or find items for sale, or find someone willing to make an item. IMC adventurers can usually automatically sell common items for at least 50% of standard value in a city, that assumes they're bought by merchants who then do the work of finding a buyer (ie do the Gather Info roll). Standard value is used typically for items comissioned to the order of a friendly/allied character - eg a temple cleric will make MI for a church paladin for standard price, or a wizard will make items for his liege lord for standard price. Difficult to acquire items commissioned from a non-allied maker cost around x4 to x5 standard price, more common items ca x2 to x3. What counts as 'common' varies by area, but potions of cure light wounds are a good example.

 

[Kealios]

To Thayan Menace

Thayan Menace, I cant seem to send you a personal note for some reason. Think I could get a copy of your campaign brochure? I've been trying to write my own and it hasnt come together yet. I'd like to browse yours, if you dont terribly mind.

email me at kealios@sbcglobal.net if you dont mind.

Also, this whole thread has prompted me to write up my whole selling and buying strategies for my world. I've incorporated lots of ideas into my own spreadsheet, which shall get used for the first time tomorrow, just before my players try to leave town on their next quest

Thanks in advance,
Kealios

 

[haiiro]

Also, this whole thread has prompted me to write up my whole selling and buying strategies for my world. I've incorporated lots of ideas into my own spreadsheet, which shall get used for the first time tomorrow, just before my players try to leave town on their next quest

Kealios, would you mind sharing your spreadsheet and ideas (as much as you can without spoiling things for your players, of course)?

 

[Kealios]

Kealios, would you mind sharing your spreadsheet and ideas (as much as you can without spoiling things for your players, of course)?

Ive used quite alot of ideas from this thread, so only a little is unique. I've typed it up in a spreadsheet for Excel that I would be more than happy to email to anyone who asks. Ive also included merchant stats that go along with the Gather Information DC's. If someone is willing to pay more for an item (based on a higher GI roll), then they must be good at what they do, or are at least confident they can turn the item around. Stands to reason that that individual would be also a better merchant, with higher stats and skills. Ive drawn up a whole page full of these guys in an easy-to-read format.

Sheesh, you should see the random encounter spreadsheet Im working on--its a bear

Email me at kealios@sbcglobal.net for copies of my buying and selling strategy.

 

[D'Amico Vega]

Usually, when my PCs sell magic items, I allow them a charisma check (if requested) to sell the item at a higher price. If the charisma check is high (17 +) I usually would sell it around 4/7 the price. However, if their total is despicable (5-) I usually sell it lower than half of the base price. Sometimes, if the merchant could be interested in the particular item the PC was selling, i.e. selling rare potions to an alchemist, he could sell it at around 2/3 the price without the charisma check.
-D

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Cool Shopping Trips & Time Spent Accounting

You know, players really like shopping for cool things.

I am very curious though: About how much time (on average) do your players spend on economic activities per gaming session?

With us, business transactions account for roughly 10%-15% of our total session (approximately 1.5 hours).

We could probably speed up this process, but my players really seem to like this level of campaign pacing for some reason.

Plus, we are playing a very urban-oriented campaign (in the Thayan metropolis of Bezantur).

Perhaps it is the roleplaying "depth" or "texture" inherent in our particular FRCS setting that allows us to enjoy commercial transactions more.

If so, then kudos to Ed Greenwood and his crazy band of world-making elves for making in-game business fun instead of tedious.