New PC-class, The Merchant

Kaptain_Kantrip said:
Thanks, Crothian. I really am grooving on your alternate takes and advice on my work. You always come up with something I should have thought of, LOL.

I'll tweak the class a bit per your advice.

Dude, thanks. I think the whole community does a pretty good job and I'll admit I try to hang around the House Rules Forum a bit more then the other to steal.....or use ideas.

That and I sit at my computer while I'm watching the NCAA Basket ball tournetment. :D
 

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Hey, I just updated the merchant class I posted on page 1, with lots of changes. Check it out, I added a new ability and spread out some of the abilities gained so as not to make it as front-loaded.
 

Ruthless is really good. The Merchant contacts, I'd not limit it to just experts and merchants. I think all the NPC classes work. Commoner for the poor farmer that that Merchant buys from. Artisacrat for all the high priced items the Merchant has to sell. The Adept for those magical items to get rid or to buy from. And the Warrior who would be hired on as gaurds and also do basic busniss with.
 


Lucky this is all on the net. Back in the day this would have been what, the sixth time you would have had to recopy this class? :D

It's looking like a pretty solid class. Anyone else have a thought about it?
 

For Contacts, it might be better to come up a list separate than the actual Leadership table. Basically their own Contact list, the way other classes have spells lists. Something like
Level Minor /Major / Powerful
1 2 1 -
2 3 1 -
3 3 2 1

Something like that. Each contact would havea skill designation as to what skill they could give a bonus to. Minor contacts might +2 to a particular Gather Info, Appraisal or such type skills. Major would give +4, Powerful +6. Something along these lines, i haven't really thought it out completely, just throwing it out there.

Another idea would be to Have contacts cost XP (maybe 5, 10, and 20), sort of like making one shot potions or the like. But that would probabky work better for a Feat based "Favors" ability. They could have a GP or Threat limit given to minor, major, and powerful to limit how useful they could be.
 

Here is a version of the Merchant class. Most of the elements comes from Kaptain Kantrips idea and some from Crothians version.

The only thing this class needs is a good way to use Merchant Contacts. I think I will make some kind of table as Warchild suggested. As you take levels in Merchant you gain additional contacs to use or something like that.

Merchant

The merchants are the backbone of every town, city, and country. The move goods from place to place and spread local news and rumors as they go.

Alignment: Any, but most are at least partially Neutral
Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills:

Strength: NONE
Dexterity: Ride, Tumble and Use Rope.
Constitution: NONE
Intelligence: Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery and Knowledge(any).
Wisdom: Innuendo, Intuit Direction, Listen, Proffession, Sense Motive and Wilderness Lore.
Charisma: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal and Intimidate.

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int Modifier

Weapons and Armor: Merchants are proficient in all simple weapons and all light armors.

Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Merchant Tricks, Merchant Knowledge, Pure Profit
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Ruthless
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Respected Businessman
4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat
5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Resource Access
6 +4 +2 +2 +5 Merchant Contacts
7 +5 +2 +2 +5
8 +6 +2 +2 +6 Bonus Feat
9 +6 +3 +3 +6
10 +7 +3 +3 +7
11 +8 +3 +3 +7
12 +9 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat
13 +9 +4 +4 +8
14 +10 +4 +4 +9
15 +11 +5 +5 +9
16 +12 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat
17 +12 +5 +5 +10
18 +13 +6 +6 +11
19 +14 +6 +6 +11
20 +15 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat


Merchant Knowledge (Ex):
As bardic knowledge.

Merchant Tricks(Ex):
Once per day per level, a merchant can use his Profession: Merchant skill to reproduce non-magical versions of the following spells:

Arcane Mark (3+ ranks):
As arcane mark cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.
This is used by the merchant to mark his merchandise to help catch thieves or tell if an
item has been stolen and replaced with a forgery.

Detect Magic (3+ ranks):
As detect magic cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.

Know Direction (3+ ranks):
As know direction cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.

Identify (5+ ranks):
As identify cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.

Locate Object (6+ ranks):
As locate object cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.

Legend Lore (9+ ranks):
As legend lore cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level.

Analyze Dweomer (12+ ranks):
As analyze dweomer cast by a sorcerer of the merchant’s class level

These non-magical versions affect only objects, not creatures.

Pure Profit (Ex): For every successful sale to a customer where the merchant bests the
customer in an opposed Diplomacy (Barter/Haggle) check, the merchant gains XP as if he
had defeated the customer in combat, or a creature of the merchant’s class level,
whichever is lower. The merchant must roleplay the transaction to gain XP.

Ruthless (Ex):
At 2nd level, the merchant becomes well-versed in various cutthroat business practices that he can use to gain an advantage in his dealings. The merchant may use his Intimidate skill instead of his Diplomacy skill to “hard sell” products to customers or buy merchandise at a discounted rate. If the merchant fails his Intimidate check, the customer is turned off and does not buy the item, or the seller does not agree to the merchant’s offer (and may throw him out, depending on his mood and how badly he needs to sell the merchandise). If the Intimidate check is made, the customer buys the item for the stated price or the seller agrees to sell the merchant his goods at the discounted rate (unless doing so is impossible due to lack of finances or it would cause him undue financial hardship). A seller will never sell off his merchandise at a loss and will always need to make some profit on the transaction, or the Intimidate check automatically fails.

Respected Businessman (Ex):
At 3rd level, the Merchant doubles his Charisma bonus (if positive) to all Charisma-based skill checks when he is in a situation where his reputation as a merchant is known.

Bonus Feats:
At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the merchant gains a bonus feat
drawn from the following list:

Barter (+5 Diplomacy checks for buying or selling legal merchandise)
Blooded (FR),
Bullheaded (FR)
Charlatan (SS)
Cosmopolitan (FR)
Illicit Barter (+5 Diplomacy checks for buying or selling illegal or stolen merchandise on the black market)
Improved Initiative
Luck of Heroes (FR)
Mercantile Background (FR)
Obscure Lore (SS)
Persuasive (SS)
Silver Palm (FR)
Skill Emphasis (+3 to any one skill)
Smooth Talk (FR)
Street Smart (FR)
Thug (FR)
Trustworthy (SS)
Jack of all Trades(SS)
Multicultural(SS)

FR feat from Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (Wizards of the Coast)
SS feat from Song & Silence (Wizards of the Coast)

Resource Access (Ex):
Beginning at 5th level, a merchant has access to an array of resources from his various business ventures and investments. Once per game session, the merchant can make a Charisma check to use those resources during the adventure. The value of resources gained equals the merchant's class level multiplied by the result of the Charisma check multiplied by 20. Thus, a 3rd-level merchant who gets a result of 16 on her Charisma check would gain 960 gp worth of resources to use in the adventure (3 x 16 x 20 = 960).
These resources can take almost any form the merchant chooses (within reason) and are his to do with as he pleases. He can keep them, use them, give them away, or sell them as he sees fit. The resources gained arrive in the merchant's possession 1d8 hours after he makes the check. These resources must be reasonably available when and where he chooses to make the check. For instance, a merchant trekking through the wilderness won't have access to many resources.

Merchant Contacts (Ex):
This is similar to the Leadership feat, except instead of having a cohort and followers, the merchant has a business partner (of any class) and contacts (of NPC classes). These contacts can be in any city the Merchant has conducted business in and provide advice, hospitality, information and business opportunities.
 

What are the differences between your version and mine? I'm too lazy to go through line by line and compare, LOL. Could you post the changed parts separately for me?
 

Sure thing Kaptain.

ok. I removed some of the skills. Heal, Use Magic Device, spot, and disguise.

I gave the merchant a bonus feat at fourth level and every four level after that and I added some feats to the bonus feat list. Like Jack of all trades(SS).

I moved the Merchant Resources to level 5 and the respected businessman to level 3

I changed some things in the Master Merchant ability. I changed the number of ranks to use Identify to 5 so you must at least be level 2 to use it. I was thinking to include the Nystuls Magical Aura and Nystuls Undetectable aura in the list.

What do you think?

Hope this helpes.

Malachkite
 

Nystuls's magical aura and Nystul's undetectable aura are excellent choices for additional spell like effects. Nystul's undetectable for getting rid of those pesky cursed items. Nystul's magical aura for selling those flashy, gawdy, but otherwise mundane items.
 

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