Selling Crafted Items Help

[LiL KiNG]

Away from books, hoping someone here can provide a quick answer/reference;

One of our players is proposing that when you craft an item you don't sell it for full listed market price (ie: using weaponsmithing to make a longsword, you should be able to sell it for 20gp right?), however he said he couldn't find where it states you sell crafted items for listed market price and I'm away from books until late tonight.

Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[S'mon]

I don't think there's any such rule. You'd only automatically sell for full price if demand exceeded supply, or someone commissions an item from you, which would be a GM call. If you're selling to a merchant who'll stockpile to sell later, the normal situation, you use 1/2 market price.

 

[LiL KiNG]

Really? I was always under the impression if you crafted the item yourself you would sell it for market price...

Otherwise, whats the point in crafting? You have to spend a third of the cost in materials, and then only get 1/2 the listed book price... so you get 20% profit versus finding a like item on a dungeon crawl and selling it for 1/2 listed price for 50% profit? That doesn't seem right.

I craft a chain shirt (100gp) - 30 gp in materials, sell it for 50gp, means 20gp profit?
I find a chain shirt (100gp) - sell it for 50gp... 50gp profit...

actually crafting materials cost 1/3 the base price, so even less profit if you only sell it for half-price

 

[Greenfield]

SELLING LOOT
In general, a character can sell something for half its listed price.
Trade goods are the exception to the half-price rule. A trade good, in this sense, is a valuable good that can be easily exchanged almost as if it were cash itself.

While this is under the title of "Selling Loot", the text makes it clear that the "half price" rule applies to pretty much anything PC's sell, other than trade goods.

I could go into the game rationale, and argue with all the people who say, "But why can't the PC's open a shop?". Been there, had that argument, don't want to have it again.

In the real world, most retailers buy at discounts ranging from 40 to 60 percent. D&D says that in the game, they buy on 50% discounts, and that's just the way it is.

 

[Ze'Rehan]

To grant some realism to the game, you can have time between adventures. May as well do something to pay for your cost of living during that time!

Item that sells for 12 GP from a merchant:
4 GP in materials (1/3)
Sells from you to merchant for 6 GP
2 GP profit.
2/6 = 33% profit from production. Or, 16.7% of the full item cost.

Toss in a few months between adventures, and you can make a decent living. Especially as you improve your craft. Or you could just go with the simplistic 1d20 + check / 2 in SP per week.

Though, with a couple months downtime between adventures, you may be able to make some phat gear that you might want... Then have the party wizard enchant it for you! One way to fully customize your gear.

-Ze'Rehan

 

[anest1s]

Really? I was always under the impression if you crafted the item yourself you would sell it for market price...

Otherwise, whats the point in crafting? You have to spend a third of the cost in materials, and then only get 1/2 the listed book price... so you get 20% profit versus finding a like item on a dungeon crawl and selling it for 1/2 listed price for 50% profit? That doesn't seem right.

I craft a chain shirt (100gp) - 30 gp in materials, sell it for 50gp, means 20gp profit?
I find a chain shirt (100gp) - sell it for 50gp... 50gp profit...

actually crafting materials cost 1/3 the base price, so even less profit if you only sell it for half-price

I think they are NPC skills, the craft and the profession ones.

However letting the PC sell it full price won't make any difference - if we are talking about non-magical items.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Really? I was always under the impression if you crafted the item yourself you would sell it for market price...

Otherwise, whats the point in crafting? You have to spend a third of the cost in materials, and then only get 1/2 the listed book price...

That's not really how you're meant to do it, either.

"You can practice your trade and make a decent living, earning about half your check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work."

That's how you make money with the Craft skill.

 

[Sekhmet]

If you aren't a Profession: Merchant with ranks in Appraise, Diplomacy, and Bluff, and you don't have a reputation in the area you're trying to sell your goods in, then you aren't getting full price - simple as that.

 

[LiL KiNG]

That's not really how you're meant to do it, either.

"You can practice your trade and make a decent living, earning about half your check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work."

That's how you make money with the Craft skill.

I was just thinking that that is how I'm going to use my skill... on average I'd make more money per week versus trying to craft an item (with chance of failure ruining materials) and selling it for a meager profit.

Maybe, just maybe, if there is enough time between adventures and my skill is good enough I will try to craft myself an item instead of buying it. That works out in a crafters benefit I guess.

 

[Ze'Rehan]

Especially once you get your craft skill up a fair amount! If you average a 10 on your die roll, just need a 10 modifier to make yourself masterwork equipment. And you could help out your team. It's cheaper for them to buy from you (60-75% cost, perhaps?) while you still make a living. And the joys of customizing!

-Ze'Rehan