Should magic items found cost full price? Should this rule be changed?

[Ketra]

I have recently started GMing for Pathfinder Society, (though I've been keeping myself abreast of the game for a year now, I've just now had time to actually play/GM), and would like to voice a concern, specifically about the magic items found.

My issue is the fact that the party has to pay full price for magic items found, but sell them at half price to obtain the total party gold. (as far as I can tell doing reverse math on the modules).

Now I understand some reasoning behind this. For one it allows the designers not have to worry about over-empowering specific classes by having more items specific for those classes then other classes. A second reason is to make sure that every character has exactly the same amount of gold value of loot...

Issue is, it makes it kind of pointless to find loot. Don't misunderstand, I understand that it would allow you to get items before your fame level would allow you too, but when looking at the fame progression and items that you find, if you have to pay full price, it's almost pointless, as you can usually not even able (or barely able) afford the item listed when it's listed. By the time you can afford it, you will almost always have enough fame to buy it anyway. (according to my calculations with the modules i've seen, I have not reviewed every module).

It also makes mundane, but very use-full items pointless to find. For example masterwork chain armor would be amazing for a character who uses chain... if he doesn't have to pay full price. Else he might as well save up and get a magic armor or sword instead. (or another words it was pointless to find in the first place, minus the fact that a baddie may have been wearing it).

My suggestion? Allow any item found in the session to be bought at the half price once per item on the chronicle sheet (or mundane item specifically mentioned found in the module). This represents the party 'selling' the item to that party member instead of a vender. In addition, it would make sense that the only time you may buy an item for that items sell price, is during that session! (aka at the end, or before the start of the next session depending on timing.) This would allow people to think the items they 'find' are awesome, considering they can use them for cheaper.

Now, a potential downside is then some players may keep their gold in the form of "items" to be traded at a later date. This isn't as big of a problem as one would think. It does let people loan things to others (like loan a +1 armor to a lower level character in a module that stretches their abilities), so lower level characters in the modules 'level range' would be able to survive a bit better.

The other benefit to this "drawback" is entirely story based. Right now adventurers are flooding the market with tons and tons of gold, which can be problematic considering inflation. If people hold onto their items and trade them when needed "aka sell them when needed" less gold is moved, and instead goods are exchanged for other goods , making it so the total floating gold amount in the market is lower, keeping a check on inflation.

Well that is my two bits on something that I think should be changed, or at least looked at. All well thought out opinions on the matter would be appreciated.

[Kyle Baird]

IMNSHO: All non-unique items on chronicles should be 10% below market value.

[0gre]

The idea that items on chronicles should be discounted has been brought up previously. I'm a big fan of the idea, maybe not half price, but Kyle's suggestion of 10% would be nice.

[Mad Alchemist]

+1 on a lower cost to the items on chronicles. What percentage to use could be decided later.

[Swiftbrook]

I like the idea of purchasing at a 'discount' up to 50% at the time the chronicle is received only. This represents you finding the item and keeping it instead of selling it. If you don't purchase it on that chronicle sheet, it should be full price after that. I know the power/wealth curve might need to be adjusted, but I prefer the 50% off (not selling it) at the time you receive the chronicle.

[nosig]

I thought discounts (even as little as 5%) on items on the AR would be a great idea - it would get me to notice what's on the AR again (I'm stopped even looking - even for my really low level characters). I thought it was a great idea the last 2 or 3 times someone suggested it.

[Arnim Thayer]

I think this would be a great idea, but would probably through the Wealth assumptions for earlier Seasons under the bus. I was under the impression that PFS characters end up more wealth than your average PC in other forms of PF play. If so, then paying full price seems a easy to figure balance point.

[nosig]

I've always figured the 50% cut was for taxes. Adventurers are in the High Tax Bracket.

[Saint Caleth]

I think that this is an excellent idea, because it would help diversify the inventories of characters and make people interested in the items on chronicle sheets that are not partially charged wands and small numbers of ammunition.

There are a few adjustments that might have to be made though if they do this. The first is to widen the variety of weapons and armor found, since in my experience from the scenarios that I have played and DM'ed, the selection of magic weapons and armor sucks. Also maybe throw a bone to the people who already complain that PFS characters are already "too powerful" since giving any kind of purchasing discount would help bump PFS characters even father above the wealth curve in the CRB.

[Lakesidefantasy]

I like the idea, but you might have to limit it as a one-time-only purchase. (If it isn't already; I am admittedly confused about how many times you can buy an item off a chronicle sheet; sometimes an item specifically says you can only buy one.)

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Lakesidefantasy wrote:

I like the idea, but you might have to limit it as a one-time-only purchase. (If it isn't already; I am admittedly confused about how many times you can buy an item off a chronicle sheet; sometimes an item specifically says you can only buy one.)

If an item does not list a purchase limit, then you can buy that item as often as you want and can afford.

[Revvy Bitterleaf]

I just want to add my support to the people thinking this would be a realy nice idea. Unless it's a wand with limited charges or a something with a higher then normal caster level, or something unique..I don't think I've ever had an interrest in the items on the chronicles. But if we got a (one time?) discount (of 10%?) then it would be worth taking a second look

[0gre]

Michael VonHasseln wrote:

I think this would be a great idea, but would probably through the Wealth assumptions for earlier Seasons under the bus. I was under the impression that PFS characters end up more wealth than your average PC in other forms of PF play. If so, then paying full price seems a easy to figure balance point.

They could adjust for it by lowering the amount of gold given at the end of the scenario. It wouldn't even have to be a 1:1 lowering. I suspect this would be an unpopular fix though.

[San-Chez]

It would throw off the wealth curve and be a nightmare for the paperwork at the end of the mod.

Additionally in homegames you can control that there is only one of a single item found so the decision to keep it in the party is no problem. In PFS you have idea of the item multiplier. What I mean is one item can be owned by 6 people. Should they all get the discount? if so then you are no longer dealling with the fact that you are dividing treasue found.

[Kyle Baird]

San-Chez wrote:

It would throw off the wealth curve and be a nightmare for the paperwork at the end of the mod.

It wouldn't have to be any more complicated than listing the purchase price on the chronicle, which is already there. This change wouldn't even have to apply to older scenarios.

[Maze]

Prior campaigns that used certs for treasure had the system
where you either keep the cert, or sell the item for half GP.

Characters who could use the cert kept it to gain benefits.
It can be a magic sword or wondrous item or consumable.

Characters could also keep certs as virtual gold in the bank,
since it could always be sold later. They could also loan out
these certs to other players. This seemed to work out well.

The main drawback was with certs themselves, as one could
only have one copy of each item, rather than by chronicles
where every character can take the item if they would like.

I would not recommend certs, but the concept that one
can keep the found item rather than buying it at full price
is worth considering. Players can track items themselves.
They would have to know what items were full/half price.

Certainly, this is an interesting idea and would make the
chronicle items valuable. It might place older characters
at a disadvantage as they had to spend full for treasure.
Probably this is not a big deal, any more than characters
who played Year Zero adventures when worth one prestige.

[LazarX]

There's no need to change anything because the campaign as it is is balanced for the wealth generated from the modules. The fact that people have brought characters all the way to retirement level proves it.

The campaign prices magic deliberately this way to control the amount of magic that players can use. Any call to change that is pretty much going to bounce off deaf ears.