Magic items sold at half price...

[dcollins]

It surprised me when I ran into this rule today in the PHB:

Magic items, for instance, can be sold, but only for half of what they would cost, so it's usually better for characters to keep them. (PHB p. 146)

I'm pretty sure there was a Sage response a while back (or some designer's) that asserted that magic items were always sold by PCs for full "market price". This also brings up the question of exactly how item-crafters make any profit off selling their creations (if any). Anyone else similarly surprised by this language?

 

[LokiDR]

I think they forgot to make the distinction between selling loot and selling items you have crafted. Loot items follow the quoted rule, AFAIK. Items you create, especially if you were contracted to do them ahead of time, are sold at full market price.

I am usually more concerned by the term "market price". If no one is willing to pay that much, is it really the market price?

 

[Murrdox]

I agree with Loki... it depends on who you're selling the items to.

If you're trying to sell something to a Merchant, he has to make a profit from it, so he's only going to buy it for half price.

On the other hand, if you are selling it to someone else AS a Merchant, you can make full price on it.

I have allowed players to open stores before, and stock some of their loot as things for sale, and charge full price for them. Most players are not going to take the time and money to open up their own stores though, I'm guessing. It's not like you can open up a store simply to sell that +2 longsword and that extra pair of Boots of Springing and Striding that you got off that rogue you killed. You need a LITTLE more inventory than that. Merchants guilds are good to prevent characters from opening up random stores.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Where the item comes from is irrelevant: it doesn't matter a bit whether the item is loot or made by yourself. What matters is how you sell it: You can sell it to the first merchant you find, but he won't give you more than half the list price. Or you could sell it to someone who's interested in the item, and get the full list price (the list price is usually the marked price out of the book, unless the DM tinkers with the prices). The latter will be more profitable, but will take longer, since you have to find someone who wants that item. Then, of course, you might run afoul of the merchants guilds if you don't join them.

 

[LokiDR]

The point of the rule is purely game balance. Items should sell for low cost in general so PCs are encouraged not to sell them all. That would lead to magic item shops so many of us don't like. All it really means is that PCs shouldn't get whole price in general for loot, so they don't end up unbalanced.

 

[Nifft]

This hereby offically adds IIRC, IMO, and IYDLIYCGSO to all my posts.

I'd much prefer "IYDLIYCGBO".

-- Nifft, sodding off

 

[AGGEMAM]

I'm pretty sure there was a Sage response a while back (or some designer's) that asserted that magic items were always sold by PCs for full "market price". This also brings up the question of exactly how item-crafters make any profit off selling their creations (if any). Anyone else similarly surprised by this language?

What the player drag along is used magic items which can only be sold at half the market price for a new magic item.

 

[Wilphe]

What is the difference between a Wand of Fireballs with 50 charges left you just made and a Wand of Fireballs with 50 charges left you just got got off of a dead wizard that makes one worth twice as much.

Presumably magic items suffer from the same sort of depreciation that allows a "nearly new" car with 8,000 miles on the clock to sell for the 60-70% of the cost of a brand new one...

 

[LokiDR]

Re: Re: Magic items sold at half price...

What the player drag along is used magic items which can only be sold at half the market price for a new magic item.

Why are use magic dealers starting to look a lot like used car dealers in my head? That seems to be some of the cocept behind the rules, though

 

[LokiDR]

I'd much prefer "IYDLIYCGBO".

-- Nifft, sodding off

I was going to type "IYDLIYCGFO-ST" but that seemed too harsh (and too many letters )