Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mushraeddur1974 Jul 20, 2009 11:25:40	My DM said we can "barter" with people in the city to negotiate a price on items. He says we would need to roll a diplomacy check ...is it not possible to use bluff for bartering? The description says to "con a merchant", so wouldn't that be a form of bartering? I'm thinking of something along the lines of, "Oh, I saw this same item for less gold at ." Based on diplomacy and bluff...they seem to do the same thing in many cases. It just seems diplomacy is a more honest method, while bluff may be a bit more scrupulous.
#2 manion Jul 20, 2009 12:10:39	Since the price negotiation is a house rule, ultimately, it's up to him. However, using bluff in the fashion you mention would seem reasonable to me.
#3 famousfoxking Jul 20, 2009 12:21:20	Based on diplomacy and bluff...they seem to do the same thing in many cases. It just seems diplomacy is a more honest method, while bluff may be a bit more scrupulous. I would think negotiations with a merchant would require a lot of skills. History, Religion or Arcana could tell you about the item so that you can estimate its worth, possibly assisted by Perception to notice details that make it stand out. It the item is of natural and unworked origin (ore, uncut gems, wood from a magical tree), Nature and/or Dungeoneering might tell you something about it Streetwise would let you know what other places might sell the item so that you can use it as negotiating leverage. Insight might let you know if the merchant is lying about the age of the item. Intimidate might let you threaten the vendor into selling at a lower price "or else" while Bluff might allow you to con him. Diplomacy lets you reason with him.