Is the 10% of price sell back viable for SFS?


Starfinder Society

Lantern Lodge 3/5

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I just realize that selling back stuff in SF is only 10% of the purchase price. Instead of 50% in PFS.

With no way to upgrade equipment in SFS, is the 10% sell back for equipment really viable in SFS?

I'm asking this, as this whole buy at 100%, sell at 10% system, just seems to encourage players to save on money, by holding back on buying anything till later, when better equipment is available. Riding on the efforts (and purchases) of other players to complete missions instead.

Whats the point of getting a lv 4 armor, when you know you could save money by holding out and get the much better lv 7 armor version instead?

Anyone who actively upgrade their weapon and armor as they level, will have a lot less wealth per level, over someone that don't buy till later levels.

It just seems like the weirdest way to discourage people from being actively useful to a party.

*One item that can be upgraded is the personal implant. Why can't that be the same for the other equipment?

Paizo Employee 5/5 Starfinder Society Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.

It's worth noting, the back end wealth math is built around this assumption. We've increased the overall wealth compared to the standard wealth curve in the Core Rulebook to account for how Organized Play handles PCs acquiring loot.

Also, it's assumed a player won't upgrade both armor/weapon every level, but instead maybe pick one or the other up, along with some sundry items. If players want to hold onto a lower level item for a longer period, that's fine. I wouldn't necessarily say that it "discourages people from being actively useful to a party" but instead, that it means characters aren't necessarily fully optimized on equipment at every level. Choices matter. :)

The Exchange 4/5 5/5

Secane wrote:
With no way to upgrade equipment in SFS, is the 10% sell back for equipment really viable in SFS?

It's a good question to ask. Once we see higher level play we'll see if the WBL works out as expected. I have faith that if it doesn't, the Organized Play staff will make necessary changes.

Quote:
I'm asking this, as this whole buy at 100%, sell at 10% system, just seems to encourage players to save on money, by holding back on buying anything till later, when better equipment is available. Riding on the efforts (and purchases) of other players to complete missions instead.

I don't think you can say that a 10% sell price in particular "encourages holding back" or leads to "riding on the efforts of others."

Even when you look at straight upgrades (as in PFS) players are always saving up money:
I could make my +1 longsword into +2, but instead I'll save up for +1 holy.
I could make my chain shirt +3, but I'm planning to take Heavy Armor Proficiency at 7th level.
I have several thousand gold, but I'm saving up for a ring of evasion.

Scarab Sages 4/5 5/55/5 ****

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I did some "back of the napkin" math with armor.

Freebooter I: 750 (similar to the mithril Chain shirt)
Freebooter II: 4720 (similar to +1 upgrade to armor, Nat AC, and deflection)
Freebooter III: 16,900 (similar to +1 to +2 upgrade cost of armor, Nat Ac, and deflection)

So the Sell back isn't as important, you are just left with extra "backup" equipment.

3/5

My plan for my characters is to buy at CL+1 and sell when it hits CL-2. So typically 3 levels of use per item. That will probably be tighter, CL+2 to CL-1 for the combatants and looser for the Mechanic and so on.

4/5

Not exactly sure how it will pan out for the individual character, but I can foresee a lot of situations where you say "well, it's not worth selling the Jumpjets now that I have the Jet Pack, but I can hold onto it and let someone borrow it for a scenario." This is especially true of items that are modular, like fusions and slotted armor enhancements, less so for individual guns and armor unless you find yourself playing with a wide level gap.

3/5

Can always stash unused equipment in the hopes of a "Sell at 20%" boon.

It will probably seem like a better idea when your selling items back for 10k instead of 20cr.

3/5 5/5

What about a slotted boon that allows you to borrow one item from another of your SFS characters? Put a condition that there must be a certain level gap (e.g. 5 levels) between the level of the item and the lender, and that the borrower must put up collateral in credits equivalent to the cost of the item. Alternatively, make it two boons, so for example, the lender needs a tier 4 boon slotted to lend an item and the borrower needs a tier 2 boon slotted to borrow the item. If the item is expended, damaged or lost by the borrower, he must repair or replace the item out of the credits that had been set aside for collateral. And the borrower must be at least the same level as the item being borrowed.

That way, even when characters buy new gear, they can rest easy knowing that it might benefit another younger character later on. The caveat of needing to put down collateral prevents the borrowing character from exceeding wealth by level and prevents wealth-transferal, and the one-item limit means that the character must still actually purchase his other gear (which several levels later he might be able to lend to another character played by the same player).

It also has the added bonus that when a unique and special item appears on a chronicle sheet that is useless to the character that played it, there is still an in-game and organic way for that character to give another character access to that item. So if my 5th level mystic finds a cool and unique solarion crystal, he can buy the crystal when he hits level 10 and have it available to be lent to my new solarion when that solarion hits level 5. This might even encourage players to try out new classes that they might otherwise not have taken an interest in.

The Exchange 1/5 5/55/55/55/5

Starfinder Charter Superscriber
EC Gamer Guy wrote:
Can always stash unused equipment in the hopes of a "Sell at 20%" boon.

Such a boon already exists, its called Skillful Sales and its a Tier 2 Acquisitive boon, so there's not a lot of hope needed. There's also a boon that lets you buy at a 10% discount, it only applied to purchases off Chronicles its a tier 3 Wayfinder boon.

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