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I've batted this idea around, toyed with builds that already exist and found none of them really fit the idea of what I'm shooting for, or what does hit the mark, isn't particularly good at a whole lot. So, I decided to work around the issue: make a new custom class!
So the Merchant would be a bit of an odd duck, but at the same time, be highly useful. They are the organizers, the money handlers, the craft masters and, probably more often than not, the party face. Much like a bard or rogue, but with a hint of sorcerer mixed in. Keep in mind, this is just my thoughts, and not all of it will be balanced. However, I think it's a worthwhile idea that deserves a little bit more exploration!
So, all that being said, here's what I envision the Merchant class to be:
Alignment: Any
Starting Wealth: 6d6 x 10 gp (215 gp average)
Hit Die: d6
Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (any), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, Use Magic Device
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Mercantile Knowledge/Through The Grapevine - Much like a Bard, a Merchant is a wanderer, and as they go, they pick up rumors, knowledge and make connections as they travel. This means that a Merchant is often up to date on a lot of recent information. The Merchant may make any Knowledge check untrained, and if in a city where they have an especially good reputation, gain a +2 bonus on that check.
Always Prepared - A Merchant knows there is always a potential for danger at every destination. As such, they've learned to defend themselves with whatever they have on hand. A Merchant is proficient in light armors, simple weapons, and gains the Catch Off Guard and Throw Anything feats at 1st level, even if they do not meet the requirements.
Barter Master - Merchants have a knack for finances, and can negotiate even with the trickiest customer. At 1st level, the merchant receives a 5% discount on any purchase. This bonus increases at 4th level, and every 4 levels after (eg. 8, 12, 16, 20) by 5% more. However, items purchased cannot be sold for more than they were bought (to prevent gaining infinite money).
Efficient Packing - Merchants know how to get the most out of their available space. For the purposes of determining carrying weight, a Merchant is considered to have +1 Strength at 1st level. This bonus increase every 5 levels by +1. (Max +4)
Trade Secrets - Starting at 3rd level and every 3 levels after, the Merchant learns 1 Trade Secret, a special ability unique to Merchants to aid in navigating the world and plying their goods. The Merchant can use a Trade Secret 3 + your Charisma modifier times a day (unless otherwise noted).
*Discernment - You've seen enough con artists and trickery to know when you're being duped. As a spell-like ability, you can cast Zone of Truth for 1 min/Merchant level, automatically succeeding in any Sense Motive check you make.
*Shortcut - A Merchant must be fast, able to get to the next city safely and on time. When moving, you gain a +10 bonus to your base land speed, and your overland speed is reduced to 3/4 of it's original time (the overland bonus applies to your whole party). This ability lasts for 1 hr./Merchant level you have.
*Secret Stash - As a standard action, you may reach into your bag or cart and produce an item of your choosing (provided you can afford the cost). The item must be able to fit into your carrying object, and must not exceed your current carrying weight.
*Hand Gestures - Any good merchant has to be able to speak with a variety of people in a variety of ways, and sometimes, it's best to let your hands do the talking. Make a DC 15 Linguistics check; if you succeed, you can communicate with others and understand them as if you had cast the Comprehend Languages spell. This ability lasts for 1 hr./Merchant level.
*Adept Repairs - Once per day, you may fully a repair a broken or damaged item, armor or weapon using a Knowledge (Engineering) for common, non-magical objects, Knowledge (Arcana) for non-religious magical items, or Knowledge (Religion) religious objects. Alternatively, you may upgrade a weapon or armor to Masterwork condition at no charge. This process takes 24 hours - your Merchant level.
*Perfect Pitch - Your oratory skills are fantastic, and you can gain the attention of anything you direct your ability at. You may immediately make a Diplomacy check on any creature and succeed, improving their demeanor towards you and your allies by 1 level. Additionally, if you succeed on a normal Diplomacy check, instead of improving your target's attitude by 1 level, you may improve it by 2 using this ability.
*Observational Proficiency - Your work as a merchant has brought you in contact with many different professionals, and many of them have passed on information about their work. You may make a Profession check on a task or job you are not trained in, adding your Merchant level to the total.
Artisan - At 4th level and every 4 levels after, the Merchant becomes skilled enough to craft magical items. Pick one type of magical item to craft (wondrous items, wands, rods, etc.); the Merchant is now capable of crafting that type of item. Additionally, the Merchant becomes skilled at disassembling magical items to understand their true inner workings. The Merchant may destroy any magical item in their possession to gain the ability to craft that specific item, after succeeding in an Appraise check against the item's Craft DC. (Normal crating costs still apply.) The Merchant may do this 1 + their Int modifier per day.
Again, this is just my basic, off the cuff ideas for what this class should be like. There is certainly plenty of potential, imho.
Anybody else?
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Is this a some kind of deluxe NPC class? I'll take the hard line here and say that in the traditional sense of an adventuring party, a character who does/can not contribute to combat is a liability, an NPC, or both. This concept is fine for a PC, as long as it is not the only side to it. You essentially have a weak spell-caster with skills with little to offer to the capabilities of the adventuring party. Why is this character storming castles, etc. and what does he have to offer when he does?
If anything, you could turn this into an easy-entry prestige class like the Chevalier, with low-level entry as well.
In an earlier attempt to produce 3.5e NPC classes equivalent (level-for-level) to PC classes rather than the substandard expert, I attempted a Merchant. I figured it was only good for 5 levels and might well be multiclassed with other things.
I didn't expect it to be used for a PC, though a PC might dip it in the right campaign, or it could be a DMPC for some long-running story arc.
It wasn't greatly different to yours; you might mix and match.
Poor BAB, good Will save, poor R & F; 8 skill points, d6 hp (d8 in PF). Lots of class skills.
All of the following are class features of the professional.
Armour and Weapon Proficiency: A merchant is proficient with two simple weapons. He is not proficient with any other weapons, nor is he proficient with any type of armor or shields.
Appraisal: add class level to all Appraise skill rolls.
Patter: add class level to all Bluff or Diplomacy rolls when bargaining.
Basic Security (Ex): A merchant is used to pickpockets, cheats and thieves. He gains +4 to any roll to spot a Sleight of Hand attempt.
Sanctuary (Sp): "I'm just a humble peddler, trying to make an honest groat!". At will, the merchant can try to affect 1 living creature per class level; the effect is as the Sanctuary spell. They must share a language. Will Save, DC = 10+Level+Cha bonus. Range 30', Duration 1r per level or until the merchant performs any overt hostile act.
Favoured Class: Merchant is a favoured class for all characters.
Fascinate (Sp): At will, as Sanctuary. The effect also Fascinates the target as does Bardic Music, but this assumes a potential sales environment and won't work on already-hostile targets (though is fine on subjects of Sanctuary).
Detect Magic (Sp): A 2nd level merchant can sometimes detect magic items by touch. Unlike the Detect Magic spell, this works only on magic items rather than spell effects. Roll d20 + Merchant Level + Wisdom Bonus plus half the item's caster level against a DC of 25.
Distraction (Sp): A 3rd level merchant's patter is so distracting that it will distract the attention of his audience if they fail Concentration rolls (DC 10+Level+Cha Mod). It affects any targeted creatures within 30' if they and the merchant share a common language. Affected creatures suffer a -4 penalty to attacks and skill rolls for one round. This will disrupt a target's spellcasting.
Eyes in the Back of his Head (Ex): A 4th level merchant is so used to looking around him that he cannot be flanked, except by a rogue of four or more levels. This is cumulative with rogue or barbarian levels with regard to Improved Uncanny Dodge.
Calm Emotions (Sp): By fourth level, the merchant's talk acts as the Calm Emotions spell, at will, DC = 10+Level+Cha bonus.
Suggestion (Sp): A 5th level merchant is so persuasive that his chatter acts as the Suggestion spell, up to (3+Charisma Mod) times per day. DC = 10+Level+Cha bonus.
Silvertongue (Ex): A 5th level merchant can communicate with any living creature of Int 3 or more, though it's likely to be quite slow.
Sense Wealth (Sp): A 5th level merchant can sense the presence of wealth, be it on a person, in a locked chest or even in someone's name. He perceives no details of the type or quantity of wealth, merely that it exists. Roll d20 + Level + Wisdom Mod. The base DC is 25 for 1000gp, range 5'. Increase or decrease the DC by 1 for each halving or doubling of the quantity; increase the DC by 5 for each extra 5' of range.
Well, like I said, this is just my idea off the top of my head. Combat wise, he'd probably be a ranger type, mixed with light spell-casting.
All of this is incomplete as well, so I'd probably add more combat related features.
There was a merchant class in Darksun...it was fricking amazing!
Granted, Athas is a super low wealth campaign, but it was flavorful and strong enough to hold its own and super versatile. Alas, this class is not quite on par with that.
Flagged for being in wrong forum...
I love playing Merchant classes in RPGs. It is always fun to spec for fat stacks of cash. However, this seems super hard to actually make viable in pathfinder. For one thing: not every setting is going to have magical items readily available. That would completely destroy this class's utility as you already have it written. And even when magic items are available, you would still need a GM with enough experience to actually dole at rewards in a somewhat "fair" manner (i.e. you can't have a DM that just targets an amount of wealth for each character at each level).
I wrote up a "prince" class that tries to tackle some of these issues in some ways, but it does not really suit your needs perfectly.
Maybe you could essentially give this class a "wealth pool" that explicitly levels up and allows you to "rent" equipment for the party. Maybe this wealth pool could also allow the merchant class to buy connections. Like: for x amount of money in the wealth pool, you know a powerful wizard who will make magic items for you (while you pay the normal gp).
For combat options: you could just give them a hireling (a cohort) or give them bard-like support abilities. Or maybe give them guns (I like merchants with guns) and give them gunslinger-ish powers. The "Musketeer" fighting style from Spellbound Kingdoms is a staple for their merchant class and that combat style has social attacks as part of reloading actions.
Flagged for being in wrong forum...
How is a homebrew class not a homebrew forum worthy class?
It could work if you were creative about it. Like a class feature where you can pull out any mundane item up to a certain value from your pack. But as it stands, it's just a bunch of social bonuses and discounts on buying things.
Flagged for being in wrong forum...How is a homebrew class not a homebrew forum worthy class?
The flagging got it moved from "General Discussion" to the correct forum.
Why is there a need for this class when we have the Expert?
Because the expert is rubbish, and (except for a free pick of class skills and a debatably better good save) is strictly worse than the worst PC class, the rogue. An expert cannot duplicate any of the above abilities without very extensive feat expenditure and pumping UMD a lot.
Okay I'll ask again, what's the point of an adventuring class focused on Papers and Paychecks?
This.
I can see a merchant archetype for a bard or rogue (which I'm pretty sure already exists). I can't see the concept deserving an entire class unless you have come up with some very creative class features. I'm not seeing it here.
I know this is a little old, but I've been thinking more on the Merchant class idea, and of the whole thing, the Trade Secrets system seems like a decent idea. At the very least, it has potential.
I will admit, the class basics itself needs to be remodified, and I confess that I don't know quite how to do that. One idea that did occur to me was the Merchants are spellcasters, but only in the sense that they use scrolls for their powers. So, something like a wizard without a spellbook, but still able to scribe scrolls... if that makes any sense.
Dotting.
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So here is my take on it. Frankensteined from many sources. I designed this a while ago and one player in my game is a 3rd level merchant. It works well. Very weak in a dungeon setting, but makes up for it when the party hits the town :)
Merchant Class,
Characteristics: Roguish in their approach, bardish in their demeanor, and with a penchant to outshine most clerics with their fervent belief in the power of money, merchants are at the same time generalists and experts. They are heavily focused on bartering and negotiating, making them the ideal face of the party. In combat, they tend to be lacking at first, but their ability to "throw money" at problems means they will be better equipped (armor and weapon-wise) than the average character of the same level .
Alignment: Any
Starting Wealth: 6d6 x 10 gp (215 gp average)
Hit Die: d8
Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (any), Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Local, geography , nobility ), Linguistics, Perception, Handle animal, Profession, Sense Motive, Use Magic Device.
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The merchant is proficient with all simple weapons. He is proficient with light armor.
Level BAB Fort Ref Will
1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Trade Knowledge . Barter Master.
Efficient Packing. Contacts +1
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Uncanny Barter
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Connoisseur
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Weight Item, Recognize Forgeries
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Basic Security. Barter Master 10 % Pack +2
Contacts +2
6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Detect magic
7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Incredible Coin Counting
8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +6 Discernment , Hand Gestures
9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +6 True Value. Identify.
10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +7 Contacts +3 Barter Master 15 % Trading expertise
Trade Knowledge A Merchant adds his class level on all Knowledge Local, geography and Nobility checks skill checks, profession Merchant checks and appraise checks.
Barter Master - Merchants have a knack for finances, and can negotiate even with the trickiest customer. At 1st level, the merchant receives a 5% discount on any purchase. This bonus increases at 5th level and 10th level by 5 %
Efficient Packing - Merchants know how to get the most out of their available space. For the purposes of determining carrying weight, when using a backpack or sacks a Merchant is considered to have a strength 1 higher. This This bonus increases at 5th level, and 10th level.
Contacts: Once per week per bonus point of the ability you have the chance to pull some strings in order to gain some advantage or obtain some information. You make a contact roll, 1d20+Cha+Contact bonus. This bonus increases at 5th level, and 10th by 1 more.
The DC to beat depends on the kind of favor you are requesting, as follows:
DC 10 – Simple request: Obtain information regarding matters not known to the common public.
DC 15 – Average request: Obtain secret information (for example, a secret entrance to the castle), obtain simple aid (for example, obtain lodging for one night).
DC 20 – Difficult request: Obtain information that risks the life of the informer, obtain more complex aid (for example, a loan).
DC 25 – Illegal request: Obtain information that is forbidden and may attract the interest of powerful individuals, obtain a forbidden item, request aid to assassinate, etc.
The DM should determine the DC according to the request, and must take into account the availability of contacts
Uncanny Barter: Beginning at level 2, the merchant sells his items at a minimum price of 60 % the market price value instead of 50%, provided that he has successfully identified and appraised the item.
In addition to this, Once per week he may also attempt a Diplomacy roll when bartering to increase his selling price, adding his Uncanny Barter bonus to this roll. He makes an opposed Diplomacy check against the potential buyer. If the merchant beats the check, the buyer purchases the item at full market price. If he beats the opposed check by 15 or more, he sells the item at 125% market price
Connoisseur: Upon reaching level 3, the merchant has become an expert when it comes to appraising the items of his trade. He automatically and successfully appraises common or well known items. He may also take 10 in his appraise rolls for rare or magic items
Weight Item: So accustomed to weighing and dealing items, the Merchant is able to accurately precise the true weight of any tradable goods merely by sight, be it sack of grains or a single sword
Recognize Forgeries:, The character gains the ability to recognize any forgery at first glance.Giving a + 10 to dectect forgeries linguistics roll. This includes items masked with illusion spells but does not grant him the ability to see what is the true nature of the masked item.
Basic Security (Ex): A merchant is used to pickpockets, cheats and thieves. He gains +5 to any roll to spot a Sleight of Hand attempt.
Detect Magic (Sp): Merchant can detect magic items by touch. Unlike the Detect Magic spell, this works only on magic items rather than spell effects. It tells the merchant if the item is magic and its power level. Takes one minute.
Incredible Coins Counting: No one can count money as quickly as a Merchant. In fact, they developed an extraordinary ability to almost instantly count money simply by having a good look on the amount of money there is to count. That the treasure is contained in a chest or scattered in a lair, the elven trader will be able to say exactly how much coins of each types is present. An ability much praised by adventurers. Takes one minute.
Discernment - You've seen enough con artists and trickery to know when you're being duped. you get + 10 on any Sense Motive check you make to get a hunch that someone is lying to you.
Hand Gestures - Any good merchant has to be able to speak with a variety of people in a variety of ways, and sometimes, it's best to let your hands do the talking. Make a DC 15 Linguistics check; if you succeed, you can communicate with an intelligent creature and understand them as in a simple fashion ( as long as they can make hand gestures )
True Value: At this level the Merchant he can accurately precise the true value of any items, even identified magical items.
Identify(Sp): The Merchant may attempt an appraise roll to identify an item, as per the identify spell. The DC is 20 + 1 per for every 1000 gp in the base price. Only one attempt per item allowed. This takes 10 minutes.
Trading expertise: A merchant may once per month sell an item of his choice for twice the market value. This is not automatic and needs a Diplomacy roll DC 10 +1 per 1000 GP Value It represents the sale of a specific item to a wealthy customer.
What ! No one cares about my rad class? Cummon at least bring the hate!
I'd reskin Contacts as a (bigger) bonus to Diplomacy for Gather Information. As it stands, the bonus is insignificant.
Connoisseur could probably be restated as that he can Take 10 on Appraise.
Uncanny Barter mentions a bonus which isn't stated. With suitable bonuses to Diplomacy (Skill focus, Persuasive, trait, MW kit, etc) this could easily turn abusive, given how easy it is to get stupidly high Dip levels.
Discernment is a bit vague; I'd add that it covers all cases of Bluff (eg Feint).
Could do with an ability to somehow get hold of things (even if illegal or rare) very quickly.
Needs more skills. Definitely add Perform and Sleight of Hand; I'd add Disable Device, Disguise, K-History and maybe Escape Artist and a couple of other Knowledges (eg Arcana & Religion).
Summary: As a pure merchant it covers the territory quite nicely, but doesn't have much other utility and is spread too thinly to make it worth a dip for a PC. It lacks any special offence (charm?) or defence (sanctuary? blather for confusion or distraction? see Bardic performances for how this might be done).
Broadly speaking, don't be afraid of giving high level (ie 5+) characters Su or SLA abilities.
Thanks for the Tips ! Im working some in now.
Okay I'll ask again, what's the point of an adventuring class focused on Papers and Paychecks?Why is there a need for this class when we have the Expert?Because the expert is rubbish, and (except for a free pick of class skills and a debatably better good save) is strictly worse than the worst PC class, the rogue. An expert cannot duplicate any of the above abilities without very extensive feat expenditure and pumping UMD a lot.
Because, among other reasons, Kingmaker, Guild themed adventures, tastes beyond hack and slash, and those who have played Ragnarok Online and Recettear. That's without touching on shameless cribbing from 3X games with an emphasis on trade and drawing inspiration from games of a digital nature that feature some measure of mercantile side quest or mini game.
I trust you didn't say the same thing when the Alchemist class was floated.
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The alchemist is a fair comparison I suppose. For a merchant class to work though, a new combat component would need to be worked into the internal workings of the class. A component that begins at level 1 and steadily improves with leveling.