Trader background

[Wyvern]

The Guild Artisan background has variant rules for a Guild Merchant -- but it occurred to me that there's no background for independent traders. I'd like to make one, but I could use some help.

For skills, Persuasion is an obvious choice for any type of merchant. Insight can also be useful when buying and selling, but I don't want to make it too similar to the Guild Merchant. As for other mechanical bonuses, I would definitely give proficiency with land vehicles (for driving a cart). I could also give them proficiency with navigator's tools and/or Survival to go along with that, but I want the background to be suitable for the guy running a market stall as well as the traveling peddler. A bonus language is a possibility, but again, doesn't make the most sense for local traders. It's not completely out of the question, but it seems like a lazy fallback option.

Ideally, I'd like no more than half of the mechanical benefits to be the same as the Guild Merchant's, which means I need to come with either an alternative skill to replace Insight, or an alternative tool proficiency to replace the bonus language. (Preferably the latter, because Insight just makes more sense to me than a bonus language does.) I also have no ideas for what would make a suitable "fringe benefit". And if anyone has any suggested options for the other traits (bonds, flaws, etc.), those would be welcome too.

Wyvern

 

[bedir than]

Ah, sadly I didn't keep my homebrew trader anywhere but on the player's sheet who is playing it. I want to say I did do two of Persuasion, Insight, Deception. I used Land Vehicles and "Appraiser's Tools"

 

[Kobold Stew]

Custom Background: Free Trader

Skills: Insight, Deception
Tools: Land Vehicles, any one language
Equipment: traveler's clothes, belt pouch containing 10gp, a small set of scales to weigh coins, chest. Additionally, make one roll on the table below.

Wares for Sale.
1. Twenty identical stuffed animals (value: 1sp each).
2. Twenty novelty beer steins.
3. A modest selection of spices.
4. One hundred bars of soap.
5. Vol. 1 of "Ye Booke of Alle Knowledge", 4 copies.
6. Forty torches.
7. Six assorted sets of common clothes.
8. Five long spools of coloured ribbon.

Feature: Business to be done.
Commerce is everywhere, and you are part of what makes it go. You can usually convince people to allow you to set up in a public place to hock your wares. If there's a market, you have a right to be there, and that can get you past city guards without attracting attention.

 

[Wyvern]

Ah, sadly I didn't keep my homebrew trader anywhere but on the player's sheet who is playing it. I want to say I did do two of Persuasion, Insight, Deception. I used Land Vehicles and "Appraiser's Tools"

Appraisal is definitely a useful skill for a merchant to have, but I don't think it's the sort of thing that ought to require specific tools. Unless it's something specialized like a jeweler's loupe, but that's more the territory of the Guild Artisan.

Thanks for your input, though.

Custom Background: Free Trader

Skills: any two of Persuasion, Insight, Deception
Tools: Land Vehicles,
Equipment: traveler's clothes, belt pouch containing 10gp, a small set of scales to weigh coins, chest. Additionally, make one roll on the table below.

[snip]

Feature: Business to be done.
Commerce is everywhere, and you are part of what makes it go. You can usually convince people to allow you to set up in a public place to hock your wares. If there's a market, you have a right to be there, and that can get you past city guards without attracting attention.

Ooh, I like the idea of a "Wares for sale" list. (Though I'd probably swap out some of the options.) And the fringe benefit you suggested sounds good. You're missing a second tool proficiency, though... is that just a typo, or have you not come up with one?

Don't really care for the idea of giving a choice of two out of three skills, because none of the core backgrounds do that, and I'd like to stick to the pattern.

Wyvern

 

[Kobold Stew]

Ooh, I like the idea of a "Wares for sale" list. (Though I'd probably swap out some of the options.)

Of course.

And the fringe benefit you suggested sounds good.

Thanks!

You're missing a second tool proficiency, though... is that just a typo, or have you not come up with one?

I was tired. I know you said you don't like the idea of another language, but it is what I think is most appropriate for a travelling salesman. Sub in something else if you like.

Don't really care for the idea of giving a choice of two out of three skills, because none of the core backgrounds do that, and I'd like to stick to the pattern.

Just riding on what had been posted.

All has been tweaked.

 

[Satyrn]

I'd have History one of the two skills, to reflect the knowledge the trader has picked up in his wanderings. Along with Persuasion; and land vehicles and . . .

And I'd totally go with [MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION]'s Business to Be Done feature

 

[jasper]

Land or sea vehicle if you have ocean theme campaign.

 

[Hriston]

The trader is a type of man appearing in the D&D Basic Rulebook (1981), the D&D Expert Rules (1983), and the D&D Rules Cyclopedia (1991). They are described as brave, good at fighting, wearing furs, and leading pack mules. They remind me of fur traders on the American frontier. The background features I might give such a character are:

Feature: the Wagonmaster feature from the Caravan Specialist background from the Elemental Evil season.

Skills: Animal Handling (WIS), Athletics (STR)

Tools: Gaming Set, Land Vehicles

 

[Eltab]

Tools: pick any one Artisan's Tools. If all else fails, you can make some stuff yourself, and sell it in the next town.
Woodcarver's Tools for versatility - you can always find wood in a classic fantasy setting. Turn a big stick into buttons or flutes or carvings or chess pieces or paperweights or ...

 

[Wyvern]

Tools: pick any one Artisan's Tools. If all else fails, you can make some stuff yourself, and sell it in the next town.
Woodcarver's Tools for versatility - you can always find wood in a classic fantasy setting. Turn a big stick into buttons or flutes or carvings or chess pieces or paperweights or ...

That's an option I considered.