So for my campaign, which is basically is both a exploration/treasure-hunt quest, the party isn't going to be returning to the city they started in, until the end of the campaign, and I figured I throw a traveling merchant their way to make things more fun, and offer a break from all the grinding of goblins, orcs, worgs, and orges. The whole idea of this merchant is greatly inspired by The Merchant from Resident Evil 4, and I'm drawing a blank on what this merchant (who is a silver dragonborn shadow magic sorcerer) would have as inventory or pricing. Any thoughts or ideas? The basics of how he lugs it all around in a bag of hold or a few of them.
I try to add a mix of magic and non-magic items. Lately, I'll add one item per PC that is kind of tailored to their class, and throw them into a mix of other assorted items. I like to put in one or two really expensive but not that useful magic items as bait more or less. I typically price items based on what the PCs have as far as gear/weapons/currency. I also like to add consumables a lot, like scrolls/potions/etc. I think the PCs like to buy things no matter what they are, so these types of things can give them that satisfaction without breaking the game. If you would like me to elaborate or give examples, I will.
There are quite a few random generators online that can give you ideas. Donjon, chaoticshiny, redkat, etc all have generators that will give you magic and mundane items. If you use the treasure generators they give you items like wine, cheese, gems, books, art, etc that have a price listed. Normally used for when the PCs sell it after getting it, but works in reverse also.
Once you figure out what your traveling merchant should have, also give him a mysterious cloudy potion that he picked up along the way but he doesn't quite know what it is. Make it resistant to identify if you like. Come up with a fun story about how he got it from a passing adventurer on the run from the law or how he won it from a minotaur in a game of dice in the back alleys of Waterdeep. Bonus points if he'll sell it, but he would really rather trade it for something interesting that the players have, but maybe they aren't using.
What does the potion do? Well, friend, there's only one way to find out :)
And easy load out would be to assume that there is a 70% chance the merchant has whatever basic gear the party is looking for, a 40% chance for saught after weapons and armor, as well as 1d6 healing potions, 1d4 levels of spell scrolls, three trinkets from the trinket table, and maybe one uncommon magical item.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
You can have him be a repeating merchant throughout the campaign. He starts by offering them the basic tier items from a bag of holding. Next time they meet he pulls out the medium level items from a portable hole, then at high levels he conjures up something similar to the magnificent mansion spell that is full of high level items.
Once you figure out what your traveling merchant should have, also give him a mysterious cloudy potion that he picked up along the way but he doesn't quite know what it is. Make it resistant to identify if you like. Come up with a fun story about how he got it from a passing adventurer on the run from the law or how he won it from a minotaur in a game of dice in the back alleys of Waterdeep. Bonus points if he'll sell it, but he would really rather trade it for something interesting that the players have, but maybe they aren't using.
What does the potion do? Well, friend, there's only one way to find out :)
Definitely watch Pete's Dragon (the older version, since I can't vouch for the new version. It's cheesy, but could give you an idea about you would(n't) like to run the merchant with the potion) if you want to go that route. Definitely have a few items that would be upgrades, if you can hear what some of the plans for character development might be add in some supporting pieces. Magic items that will help in the near future as well as a handful of random pieces. I would probably have some of the pieces be overpriced "because of supply and demand. I've got the supply and you've got the demand". However, have the merchant be open to persuasion or intimidation checks to lower the prices. Have a list price that the merchant refuses to go below via social checks. Perhaps give the merchant a high bonus to insight, since he's always dealing with swindlers and has learned ferret out their lies. He could even have found a magic item that gives him advantage on wisdom checks (perception to see traps and potential thieves, survival to survive in the wild, animal handling for any pack animals, insight to catch liars, and medicine to care for his health on the road) or some other mechanic to help against deception. Of course, you could have a wow style faction score for each PC and deception and intimidation work once and afterwards don't because she refuses to deal with that PC or she simply hires more guards. Maybe some quests to find items in exchange for really nice magic items or larger discounts.
Tl:dr; mix needed items with random items, give price hikes on some items with options to decrease those hikes as they go along perhaps including gold spent or "bonuses for finding an item that another customer was looking for". The merchant will essentially be a patron for the PCs, even if it's only on side quests.
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So for my campaign, which is basically is both a exploration/treasure-hunt quest, the party isn't going to be returning to the city they started in, until the end of the campaign, and I figured I throw a traveling merchant their way to make things more fun, and offer a break from all the grinding of goblins, orcs, worgs, and orges. The whole idea of this merchant is greatly inspired by The Merchant from Resident Evil 4, and I'm drawing a blank on what this merchant (who is a silver dragonborn shadow magic sorcerer) would have as inventory or pricing. Any thoughts or ideas? The basics of how he lugs it all around in a bag of hold or a few of them.
I try to add a mix of magic and non-magic items. Lately, I'll add one item per PC that is kind of tailored to their class, and throw them into a mix of other assorted items. I like to put in one or two really expensive but not that useful magic items as bait more or less. I typically price items based on what the PCs have as far as gear/weapons/currency. I also like to add consumables a lot, like scrolls/potions/etc. I think the PCs like to buy things no matter what they are, so these types of things can give them that satisfaction without breaking the game. If you would like me to elaborate or give examples, I will.
There are quite a few random generators online that can give you ideas. Donjon, chaoticshiny, redkat, etc all have generators that will give you magic and mundane items. If you use the treasure generators they give you items like wine, cheese, gems, books, art, etc that have a price listed. Normally used for when the PCs sell it after getting it, but works in reverse also.
Once you figure out what your traveling merchant should have, also give him a mysterious cloudy potion that he picked up along the way but he doesn't quite know what it is. Make it resistant to identify if you like. Come up with a fun story about how he got it from a passing adventurer on the run from the law or how he won it from a minotaur in a game of dice in the back alleys of Waterdeep. Bonus points if he'll sell it, but he would really rather trade it for something interesting that the players have, but maybe they aren't using.
What does the potion do? Well, friend, there's only one way to find out :)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
And easy load out would be to assume that there is a 70% chance the merchant has whatever basic gear the party is looking for, a 40% chance for saught after weapons and armor, as well as 1d6 healing potions, 1d4 levels of spell scrolls, three trinkets from the trinket table, and maybe one uncommon magical item.
You can have him be a repeating merchant throughout the campaign. He starts by offering them the basic tier items from a bag of holding. Next time they meet he pulls out the medium level items from a portable hole, then at high levels he conjures up something similar to the magnificent mansion spell that is full of high level items.
Definitely watch Pete's Dragon (the older version, since I can't vouch for the new version. It's cheesy, but could give you an idea about you would(n't) like to run the merchant with the potion) if you want to go that route. Definitely have a few items that would be upgrades, if you can hear what some of the plans for character development might be add in some supporting pieces. Magic items that will help in the near future as well as a handful of random pieces. I would probably have some of the pieces be overpriced "because of supply and demand. I've got the supply and you've got the demand". However, have the merchant be open to persuasion or intimidation checks to lower the prices. Have a list price that the merchant refuses to go below via social checks. Perhaps give the merchant a high bonus to insight, since he's always dealing with swindlers and has learned ferret out their lies. He could even have found a magic item that gives him advantage on wisdom checks (perception to see traps and potential thieves, survival to survive in the wild, animal handling for any pack animals, insight to catch liars, and medicine to care for his health on the road) or some other mechanic to help against deception. Of course, you could have a wow style faction score for each PC and deception and intimidation work once and afterwards don't because she refuses to deal with that PC or she simply hires more guards. Maybe some quests to find items in exchange for really nice magic items or larger discounts.
Tl:dr; mix needed items with random items, give price hikes on some items with options to decrease those hikes as they go along perhaps including gold spent or "bonuses for finding an item that another customer was looking for". The merchant will essentially be a patron for the PCs, even if it's only on side quests.