Shopping for Magic Items

[DragonLancer]

IMC even large cities are unlikely to have merchants or free citizens with the funds to buy even a simple +1 sword. Or at the very max the party could sell maybe two such items.

My reasoning is that on one hand, such items are expensive and thats a lot of gold to hand over for such an item. On the other hand, its a balance control. Items other than potions and low level scrolls arn't for sale even in the largest cities.

 

[Piratecat]

I use Planescape, and when the characters need something quickly they usually head for Sigil. There they can commission the item for normal prices or buy it immediately for a big markup - less discounts for high diplomacy or intimidate, of course.

On their own Prime, items are sometimes commissionable in big cities. Low-lvl items may be able to be bought immediately, as are many potions and scrolls. It seems to work pretty well.

 

[dave_o]

Is there an SRD for the d20 Gamma World? How do the rules fit in with the Community wealth rating from the DMG?

Unfortunately, I don't think there is. And I think the point of the rules was to expand on those rules. Communities are basically PCs, with similar stats, and even skills.

I heart Gamma World d20.

 

[Amal Shukup]

I've done a couple of things in my campaign. Party is based in a largish city.

1. Not too much in the way of Magic Stores per se. BUT:

- There is a Commercial Potion/Alchemical Shop. No 'medical' but good selection otherwise. Premium prices
- Temple of Healing Deity does a brisk business in 'medical' potions, scrolls - even the odd wand).
- Arcane College buys and sells scrolls, plus some minor misc magic.
- There is an 'Artificer' (Wizard) who does commissioned misc. and weapon enhancements (party's starting to 'outgrow' him though)​

2. Prices for Permanent Magic Items are doubled across the board.

- I've had no problems with this... (Re-sale values are commensurately higher as well).
- This restricts the availability of top drawer items to the larger cities/metropoli - which suited my campaign.
- Commissioned Items can be made/upgraded at standard list price IF the commisioning PC assists during manufacture (start to finish) and pay the XP cost (via a house-rule feat my 'Artificer' has). This rather steep investment has tended to 'personalize' a lot of the party's equipment, which has been pretty cool​

3. Party has an NPC employee that handles the tedium of selling loot. Party gets involved moving really 'big' items, but generally they offload most of it. He also does the tedious stuff associated with party owned businesses and finances. (keeps things 'real-ish' without turning the game into "Accountants & Auditors"

a'Mal

 

[Trainz]

I joke a little bit, but it is a totally bizarre rule if your setting doesn't have Ye Olde Magic Item Shoppe on the corner. I can believe the "previously owned" markdown if we're talking about a merchant buying new stock for his store, because he wants to turn a profit. But if there's no middleman, there's no need for a markdown: magic items don't wear out (usually), so the +1 Barbecue Fork of Flipping you buy from an adventurer who pulled it out of Trogdor's hoard is every bit as good as the +1 BFoF you'd commission from the local Temple of the Grilling God, right? So if you found an adventurer who's willing to sell such a mighty cooking implement, why wouldn't he charge the actual market value for it?

You know what, I have never thought about that. It's like the PC's are the only ones in the whole world paying full price for items (magical and non magical), and everyone buying items from the PC's (again, magical and non magical) always get a 50% rebate. It makes no sense at all. Unless, like you said, you're dealing with an organization or commerce (church, mage guild, store...).

NOW... the premise here is that it's so easy to sell loot (up to the town's GP limit) that you can do it off-camera as you so eloquently say. If you want to sell to a private person, it will take time, and role-playing to find someone who is willing to pay full price for it.

I guess it depends on the campaign and DM...

 

[Fingol]

I thought originally that PCs got half market value for their loot because of a question of trust. How does the rest of the world know that the item is what the group says? How do they know its not hot? That said there must be plenty of game worlds out there where PCs have strong ties to large well respected organisations which would mitigate this. The item a PC buys is from a respected dealer generally. He "knows" that it won't turn out cursed or that it was lifted from the treasure room of King Azoun last night. Hence he pays full price.

 

[Bigwilly]

Selling is easy, buying is harder

As my group doesn't get together that often, I usually just work out what they want to sell and add the gp value to their character sheets. If they want to buy something that's a different matter. Scrolls and potions they can usually get from the local temple/mages guild, but for items they either have to make them themselves or contract someone else to do it for them - latter usually means item won't be ready until next session.

Bigwilly

 

[S'mon]

Aside from cure light wounds potions, IMC you don't usually 'buy' magic items, you commission them from a wizard who can make them. Or maybe you contact a broker who contacts someoine who might be willing to sell something... no magic-item shops. No full plate armour shops either, these items are generally too expensive and specialised to maintain a liquid market; so goods are produced in response to individual requests, usually for well over the standard market price.