Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Metis 04-08-04, 11:51 PM	I've a question about this regional feat... I'm sure every PC that takes it is going to be hounded by the rest of the party to sell their loot too. Should a whole party benefit from one characters regional feat? How would you handle this?
Dargoth 04-09-04, 12:26 AM	They could It depends on what sort of person the PC with Merchantile Background is like If there crooked then theres a great oppertunity for the PC to rip off the party by keeping part of the money, a Neutral character may charge the other characters a commision say 10% of what ever profit there making from him doing all the talking. Make 75% the average not the rule so sometimes the character with Merchantile background may only be able to get 85% of the value some times he may get 65% how much he gets on any given item is at the DMs discretion
Lashan 04-09-04, 11:16 AM	I agree. If they really have a merchantile background, then they will still sell the equipment for a better price, but charge a "service fee" each time. Even if that wasn't the case, then I say the party can get the benifit. It's a way that a character can help out in a non-combat way.
Nagarhi 04-18-04, 10:18 AM	As this is a regional feat, would it apply in regions other than the characters home region ? It would seem reasonable that it would only apply in the merchants home region, were he contacts likely are...Anyway, how does everyone else handle this feat... Also, a starting character in a new campaign wants to buy all his starting equipment at the 75% price....Is that allowable ?
Nagarhi 04-18-04, 10:23 AM	One more question concernig this feat....It says he can purchase an item 1/month at 75% cost. How available are these "items" he can purchase....If he wants +2 fullplate of everbright deathwarding invulnerability...can he just wander up to a "contact" and buy it, or what ? Opinions ?
Cunning Linguist 04-18-04, 10:23 AM	Also, a starting character in a new campaign wants to buy all his starting equipment at the 75% price....Is that allowable ? Sure.. As this is a regional feat, would it apply in regions other than the characters home region ? It would seem reasonable that it would only apply in the merchants home region, were he contacts likely are...Anyway, how does everyone else handle this feat... This is a powerful feat, and he should be able to use it everywhere, and not just home region, if that was so, it would be a poor feat for anyone wanting to travel the world.
Metis 04-18-04, 12:39 PM	No he can't buy ALL of his starting equipment at the 75% discount, but a single item, yes.
Sarta 04-18-04, 04:31 PM	Doesn't the party all benefit from a ranger with the self-sufficient feat in terms of tracking? Doesn't the party all benefit from a bard with the investigator feat in terms of gathering information? I'd say that if a player wishes to pick up this regional feat at 1st level in order to be the party accountant, let them. They are sacrificing usefulness to the party in other areas by picking this up instead. Sarta
Another Gnome 04-18-04, 04:41 PM	I'd be very careful before saying that taking Mercantile Background is sacrificing anything... Getting a 25% discount on major purchases every month will not only save more than enough money in a neglible amount of time to make up for practically any given feat with extra items - and the feat will continue to be useful long after +1 to attack or AC or saves given by a feat becomes insignificant.
Nagarhi 04-18-04, 07:10 PM	I was thinking of allowing the character with this feat to begin play with 1 discounted item per character level... Also, I am still a bit stuck on the Idea that this is a 'regional' feat. If he is supposed to belong to a Merchant Background, that would seem to mean to me he is either part of a merchant cartel or family business....So, maybe not unreasonable to presuppose he business contacts lie within his own country (region), after all that is a pretty large area.... I was thinking along the lines that if he wants to exploit his merchant contacts outside his home region, maybe a few Knowledge (local) & Gather Information checks to know of the local businesses that would be willing & able to trade at such reduced rates ... Gotta use those skills for something..:) And, as for what is for sale "Sure Mr, if only I had a suit of Everbright +2 fullplate of Deathwarding Invulnerability I would certainly give it to ya at discount, we-all getting along so well. But, darn it, all I have in stock is a +3 crossbow and a slightly used suit of +4 studded leather of fire resistance. Ya wanting either of those?" That seem fair, or do you think I am being unreasonable ?...:)
Lashan 04-19-04, 02:38 PM	I would say that this feat doesn't reflect family connections (though it could), but more of a reflection of a culture's background. I believe that this person is just a really good wheeler/dealer. The person might have grown up as a lower class citizen, but they still have to buy things from the vendors and sell things to people. It's the ability to sweet talk, put down the product, threaten to go to competitor, good negotiator, and other abilities that you can talk a merchant down in price. It doesn't matter where you are, as the haggling is the same no matter where you go. This person is just really good at getting deals. I don't think that the whole feat is over-balancing. It can really come in handy, but there are ways the DM to pre-empt it. If there is a powerful magic item that the user wants to get that you feel is too much, you can always come up with a way around it. They are "out of stock" of that item, etc, etc. I would say that this feat is really good and could make another character really useful to the party, much like a ranger with the tracking ability. Also, if the character really wants to role play properly, they would charge the party members a percentage of the sale. Perhaps only 5%, but maybe even 10-20%! The character could become quite well off! The party would still get discounts on its items, but the player would make extra money in the meantime.
Wren 04-20-04, 06:29 AM	Any contacts he has would have to be based off of his character history. If he has'nt have him write a history and as long as it is within reason he might have a few contacts.