When PCs sell items, how much trade in value should they receive for mundane items? Magic ones?
We usually do 50%.
Default in the rules is 50%.
In my group we have the capability to expand upon that via ranks in Profession:Merchant. We can also sell items at full value by owning/running a shop. Quantity sold per week is based on a profession check. All house rules.
It could be pretty cool to have the appraise skill weigh into this. You could have the base selling value be 30% or something, and then you'd add the result of your appraise check onto that, so if you got a 25 on your appraise check you'd get 55%.
It could be pretty cool to have the appraise skill weigh into this. You could have the base selling value be 30% or something, and then you'd add the result of your appraise check onto that, so if you got a 25 on your appraise check you'd get 55%.
I don't see how an appraise check would raise the value that you could get an NPC to give you... I could walk into a jewelry store and appraise a necklace made of plated gold to be a 24k solid gold necklace, that doesn't mean that they'll believe me or buy it at that price.
I would think that you could use a Bluff check to convince a merchant that the item is worth more, but that still wouldn't make him buy it. You would then have to use an Intimidate check to force him into it. Or...just use Profession:Merchant checks for haggling skills. ;-)
Default in the rules is 50%.
While this seemed very low to me at first, it seems very high to me now, especially for expensive magic items. In a low-magic game, magic items may well be priceless, and they'd be worth trading for similar items or for political favors.
This a good point to expound.
In any environment, rarity should be reflected in the prices. In a low-magic a +1 longword could worth many times its book value. In a high magic world they may be worth little more than a masterwork sword.
Other things should influence the value of an item. Unusual or exotic weapons or mis-sized armor would be worth less because there is little market for them.
This also depends on how much time, effort, and role-play your party wishes to devote to haggling over prices. The 50% rule works out to an average. Some items would undoubtedly sell for more, some for less. I usually just have the characters sell off-screen for 50% and not worry about it.
Of course, selling some items can turn into adventures all their own. What happens when the party tries to sell that +5 unholy elf-slaying sword in the Woodland Kingdoms....
What happens when the party tries to sell that +5 unholy elf-slaying sword in the Woodland Kingdoms....When I GM, I find it particularly amusing to use Unholy weapons, wands of Protection from Good, etc. against the PCs.
I usually say that the Powers of Good will offer a reward equal to the sell price of the item in cases like this.
And, as I said in another thread, I go with 50% sale, but often let them spend some time looking to trade items at a better rate of exchange... For instance, if your party finds a Small Shortsword +2 that noone wants or can use, there may be a halfling who got a Longsword +1, Shocking that he wants to trade.
