Sane Magic Shop Rules.

Giant in the Playground has put together some sane magic item pricing rules (Google Drive PDF), because the rules Wizard of the Coast came out with were based on rarity.  I have found his rules to make a lot more sense than the DMG prices.  Popular opinion also says buying/selling magic items makes for a bad game and should be avoided with some minor exceptions for potions and scrolls.

I have played games where buying and selling magic is difficult and found it to be just as crazy as the DMG pricing. Really, boots of flying are hard to sell?  I can't find a rich nobleman that wants them?  Most places have a Thieves' Guild but you can't find any of the magical tools of the trade available?  No Gloves of Climbing, Dagger of Venom or Eyes of Charming?  No one that owns these things ever dies?  And the King isn't looking for a +1 sword for his nephew's body guard? 

Buying and selling magic items does NOT need to affect your game adversely. At least not anymore than having a Wizard or a Cleric around. If a 5th level wizard with the Fly spell can play the game, then so can a 9th level Barbarian with some Winged Boots.  Fighter types deserve to have the same options as casters.  Once you use the Sane Magic Item Pricing, a good DM should also allow magic items to be bought and sold.  

The problem isn't the purchase and sale of magic items, it is how most DM's play it.  They offer discounts and try to role-play it ON THE FLY without any preparation.  Role-playing talking to a store keeper is among the least fun thing to do.  Worse, the constant "Do they have...." is the most boring part.   The player wants a list of stuff available, give them it. Imagine playing a fight like that - start off with "Is the monster standing in front of me an orc?  No?  Is it a Goblin?  How about a Troll?"  Don't pull that crap.  

I try to limit it to one or two die rolls per shop, re-rolling once a month.

This does NOT mean they have to be easy to buy or sell.  Connections, criminal or otherwise might be needed.  Guild membership or a license can be required.  Anything that affects the mind or can kill for example, might require you to be in good standing with the government.  

I have written some suggested rules for how available individual magic items are, based on town size and magic level.  The base rules are designed for a high magic worlds, where Warlocks are relatively rare but Clerics and Wizards are relatively common.  If that is not true, make appropriate adjustments.  At the end of this article, I have suggested modifications rules for worlds with less magic.   

No Bartering.
You can't have sane prices then undercut them.  Pay the listed price or MORE and be happy the DM let you buy.  

1) 10% Tax on everything except healing items, ammunition, potions, scrolls and some other single use items.
2) City employees, noblemen and close relatives/employees and really good role-playing can ignore that 10% tax.  Do not roll for this, they either get it or don't based on role playing.
3) 20% overcharge when buying from criminals, on all items (but no tax), unless you are a member in good standing of the Thieves Guild.
4) Selling gives you at most 50% of the listed price of an item and only if the shop keeper thinks they can sell it.  You can't sell a city item in a town, but you can sell a town item in a city. Tax does not apply when selling.

Getting Trusted.
A mostly wooden city is not going to let anyone buy a wand of fireballs.  Some items require you to be trusted (or go to the Thieves to buy it).  Being Trusted may mean you are a member of the appropriate Guild or you paid for a license.   If an item requires a license (mostly special weapon, armor, or powerful attack items) then the user must be in good standing and well known to the city.  Charge 400 gp for a Trusted License.  It takes two weeks, and they run a check.  If you come back clean, you get the license when you come back.  But sometimes the city guards arrests someone when they come to pick up their license.

The license must be renewed every year, but with it, you can buy most things marked TRUSTED.  To get certain gear you must be both Trusted and working for the government, or go to the thieves.   If you buy from the the Thieves Guild, you do not need to be Trusted, but they will overcharge you. 

Next, there are different kinds of Magic Shops. The labels I use are for me, not the players.   Each one has different stuff for sale.

Here is a list of the different shops I created:
Town General
Town Temple Scroll
Town Wizard Scroll (3 versions)
City General 
City Variable (3 versions) 
Ship Store (4 versions, but major port cities likely have more stuff)
Underworld General
Underworld Variable (4 versions)
City Scroll Shop (Includes a set list of common and a % chance of other spells)
Metropolis General (3 versions)
Metropolis Criminal Shop (4 versions)

Every Town has a Town General.  If they have a real Church, they get a Town Temple Scroll.  Large Towns also get one of 3 possible Town Wizard Scroll shops.

Cities have a Town General, Town Temple and a Town Wizard shop that contains the scrolls from all 3 possible Town Wizard Scroll shops.  They also get the City Scroll Shop, a City General shop, one of 3 City Variable, an Underworld General, and one of 4 Underworld Variable stores.  If the city has a port, it gets a Ship store, size dependent on the size of the port.

Metropolis add in a one of 3 Metropolis General shops, and one of 4 Metropolis Criminal Shops, on top of everything the City got.

All the shopkeepers in a city or metropolis talk to each other and will (free of charge - sales commission are built in to the prices), arrange for the item in question to be delivered by end of day.  Sole exceptions are the Underworld shops but they run a similar system.  Do not bother role play going to 20 different stores, this is not Dungeons and Shopping.  Roleplay at most two shopping expeditions - one to the Magic Item District/Government shop and another to the Underworld shop.

Buying Magic Items in a Town:
In a High Magic  world, there is at least one person openly using magic in pretty much every Town. Someone will get hurt or blind (Keoghtom's Ointment), hunters will want that extra special arrow for that Moose, the Mayor's son will want to seduce a lass, there will be a wild horse they want to tame, etc.  This stuff is obviously useful, just like aspirin or flashlights.  Unless there was a recent disaster, they have it.

Amounts:  Roll 1d4 for quantity, in a town.  

Towns usually do not have licenses, instead to purchase the TRUSTED items you need to have a good relationship with the seller (usually a Temple or Wizard).  Roleplay this.  

Town General Store (every town has all of these items, otherwise call it a village).  All of these item should be available without tax.

Potion of Healing
Philter of Love (TRUSTED)
+1 Ammunition 
Potion of Climbing
Potion of Water Breathing
Potion of Animal Friendship
Potion of Growth
Keoghtom's Ointment (how else do you cure disease)
Continual Flame item of some kind (torch, stone, crystal, etc)  

Town Temple Shop   
If the town has a Temple with Clerics, these scrolls are for sale.  
Command     (TRUSTED)
Create or Destroy Water (only by a seaport, in a desert or in an artic area)
Cure Wounds
Detect Evil and Good
Detect Magic
Detect Poison and Disease
Purify Food and Drink

Town Wizard Scroll Shop
If the town has a Wizard selling items, then these items are for sale.   Most of my towns have this, but their inventory varies.  Roll a single d6 to determine which set of inventory is available - note some spells are on multiple lists.

On a 1-2 the store has:
Detect Magic.  
Identify
Comprehend Languages 
Alarm
Find Familiar
Longstrider

On a 3-4 the store has:
Detect Magic.  
Identify
Silent Image  
Protection from Evil and Good
Unseen Servant

On a 5-6 the store has:
Detect Magic.  
Comprehend Languages 
Charm Person  (TRUSTED ONLY)
False Life 
Floating Disk

Other spell-casters have less reason to scribe spells.  They will not be found for sale in a random town, even in a high magic world, try the big City over yonder....

Welcome to the big City

Once you upgrade to a High Magic City, a lot more should be available.  Anything you might be able to buy in a Town, you can definitely get in a City (all 3 Wizard Shop sets).  Don't forget to restrict the mind control stuff.  They also are likely to have more of what they sell.  Use the following quantities; Common: 1d6, Uncommon 1d4, Rare 1d2, Very rare or higher 1 item only.   

Cities are likely to have some restrictions on buying and selling magic items. It's not just the seller, they want an actual license to buy powerful items.  

The first set are things should be available almost all the time, in almost every city.  They are obviously useful; many non-adventurers will buy them regularly.

City General Magic Store:
Elixir of Health 
Potion of Greater Healing
Potion of Resistance
Gem of Brightness
Adamantine Armor Roll 3d8 for 3 items from: (1: Chain shirt, 2: Scale, 3: Breast, 4: Half, 5: Ring. 6: Chain mail, 7: Splint, 8: Plate)  
Mithral Armor    Roll 2d8  (1: Chain shirt, 2: Scale, 3: Breast, 4: Half, 5: Ring. 6: Chain mail, 7: Splint, 8: Plate)
+1 weapon   Roll d6 (1: Simple Melee, 2: Simple Ranged, 3-4 Martial Melee and 5-6: Martial Ranged. They got a shipment of all of that  type in.)
+1 armor	Roll 2d12 (1: Padded, 2: Leather, 3: Studded, 4: Hide, 5: Chain shirt, 6: Scale, 7: Breast, 8: Half, 9: Ring, 10: Chain mail, 11:Splint, 12: Plate)
+1 shield  
Cloak of Protection   
Ring of Protection   
Boots of Speed    
Elven Chain Mail  
Helm of Comprehend Languages  (Trusted)
Heward's Handy Haversack  
Bag of Holding  
Ring of Animal Influence
Portable Hole   
Sending Stones  (Trusted)
The potions and Elixir are tax free, but the Gem of brightness is taxed.

In addition to the standard General store, there are three other possible City Store inventories.  Roll 1d6

1-2 then the City Variable store has:
Boots of levitation (TRUSTED)
Brooch of Shielding
Cloak of Elvenkind
Doss Lute  (TRUSTED)
Headband of Intellect    (TRUSTED)
Horseshoes of Speed
Ioun Stone of Protection    
Lantern of Revealing
Periapt of Proof Against Poison
Perl of Power
Potion of Clairvoyance   (TRUSTED)
Prayer Bead - Bless
Prayer Beads - Curing
Quaal's Feather Token: Bird, Tree (Tax free)
Ring of Resistance,  
Staff of Healing
Wand of the War Mage    
Wands: Magic Missile, Web, Binding	(TRUSTED)

On a 3-4 the City Variable store has:
Arrow-Catching Shield   
Boots of Striding and Springing
Bracer's of Defence
Bracers of Archery
Fochlucan Bandore   (TRUSTED)
Gauntlets of Ogre Power  (TRUSTED)
Gloves of Missile Snaring
Luckstone    
Periapt of Health (Tax free)
Periapt of Wound Closure (Tax free)
Ring of Evasion   
Ring of Warmth (in climates that see snow only)
Rope of Entanglement    (TRUSTED)
Saddle of the Cavalier  
Scroll of Protection
Staff Charming  (TRUSTED)
Wand of Enemy Detection 
Wand: Magic Detection  
Wands: Fear, Secrets ( TRUSTED )

On a 5-6 the City Variable store has:
Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location  	
Boots of levitation 	( TRUSTED )
Boots of Striding and Springing
Boots of the Winterlands
Cloak of Elvenkind
Headband of Intellect    (TRUSTED)
Horseshoes of Speed
Immovable Rod    (TRUSTED)
Ioun Stone – Sustenance
Mac-Fuirmidh Cittern  (TRUSTED)
Periapt of Health (Tax free)
Perl of Power
Prayer Beads – Curing  (Tax free)
Quiver of Ehlonna   
Ring of Mind Shielding
Ring of Resistance,  
Ring of Warmth (in climates that see snow only)
Sentinel Shield,     
Staff Charming  (TRUSTED) 
Staff of Healing  (Tax free)
Wands: Magic Missile, Web, Binding		 (TRUSTED)

Ship Store:
If they have a shipyard or river (and almost all do), cities will have some magic items related to water.  On an island or a city with a large port, roll a d10 to see what they have.  In a river or smaller port, roll a d4.

On a 1 they have:
Cloak of the Manta Ray
Necklace of Adaption
Quaal's Feather Tokens: Anchor, Fan and Swan Boat

On a 2 they have:
Ring of Water Walking
Trident of Fish Command  (TRUSTED - no stealing everyone's else fish)
Wind Fan

On a 3 they have:
Cap of Water Breathing
Folding Boat
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing

On a 4 they have:
Mariner's Armor
Quaal's Feather Tokens: Anchor, Fan and Swan Boat
Ring of Swimming

On a 5 they have all items from 1 and 2
On a 6 they have all items from 2 and 3
on a 7 they have all items from 1 and 3
On a 8 they have all items from 2 and 4
On a 9 they have all items from 3 and 4
On a 10 they have:
	Folding Boat
	Quaal's Feather Tokens: Anchor, Fan, And Swan Boat.
	Ring of Swimming
	Wind Fan

Note, you do not have to buy all three Feather Tokens, but they will offer a package deal of no Tax if you buy the set.

Underworld/Military License Store.
In a city, it should have some form of crime.  Criminals are ALL about buying and selling and you can get these items there, they will sell even if you are not trusted, but will overcharge.  In addition, these items are available only to the most TRUSTED employees of the city via Government stores.  They were confiscated or purchased for the defense of the city.   When the city asks you to save them, they may offer the same items the criminal underworld has.  The city will charge full price and the tax unless you agree to return the item when you are done saving them. Of course, ammo and potions never get charged the tax.

These items are always available in the Underworld General /Government stores:
Alchemist Fire
Ammunition +2 and +3  (all types)
Antitoxin
Dagger of Venom
Poisoners Kit
Potion of Diminution
Potion of Gaseous Form
Potion of Invisibility
Potion of Mind Reading
Potion of Poison (They tell you it is poison and sell it as such)
Vial of Acid
Vial of basic poison (non-magical)


In addition the underworld/government shop will have 1 of these 4 sets available:

Die roll: 1 Small Underworld Variable, add:
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing
Gloves of Thievery
Goggles of Night
Medallion of Thoughts
Oil of Etherealness 
Sword of Life Stealing
Truth Serum

Die Roll: 2 Small Underworld Variable, add:
Assassin's Blood poison
Cape of the Mountebank
Helm of Telepathy
Ring of X-ray Vision
Robe of Useful Items
Slippers of Spider Climbing
Vicious Weapon   Roll d6 for 1: Simple Melee, 2: Simple Ranged, 3-4 Martial Melee and 5-6: Martial Ranged. They got a shipment of all of that  type in.

Die Roll: 3 Small Underworld Variable, add:
Chime of Opening
Circlet of Blasting
Crawler Mucus poison
Deck of Illusions
Eyes of Charming
Potion of Fire Breath
Rope of Climbing

Die Roll: 4 Small Underworld Variable, add:
Bead of Force
Dust of disappearance
Hat of Disguise
Javelin of Lightning
Necklace of Fireballs (1d6+3 beeds)
Quaal's Feather Token: Whip
Serpent Venom poison
  
City Scroll Shops:
In a high magic world, any city should have all of the Cleric and Wizard spell scrolls I listed for any Towns shop as well as more.  No tax for any scrolls listed expressly listed here but for the oddball scrolls they charge (see below).

The following 2nd and 3rd level spells should always be available.  If the Mayor comes calling and you don't have Gentle Repose ready to protect his beloved wife's corpse, you are in trouble. 

Second Level spells:
Alter Self 
Animal Messenger
Arcane Lock
Augury
Continual Flame
Enhance Ability
Enlarge/Reduce
Find Traps 
Gentle Repose
Gust of Wind 
Hold Person 
Invisibility 
Knock
Lesser Restoration
Levitate
Locate Animal or Plants
Locate Object
Pass without Trace
Prayer of Healing
Spider Climb 
Suggestion
Zone of Truth

3rd Level:
Clairvoyance
Create Food and Water
Dispel Magic
Fly
Gaseous Form
Glyph of Warding
Major Image 
Plant Growth
Protection from Energy
Remove Curse
Revivify
Speak With Dead
Speak with Plants
Tongues
Water Breathing
Water Walk

All other spells that you wish to purchase will result in a government notification.  You want something oddball, the government wants to know about it.  But they don't make  you pay a tax or be Trusted, it's still just a scroll spell.

There are too many spells to list, so I reluctantly use percentages here, except for 9 level spells which are always special order (see below).  Any other cantrip or 1 level spell has a 50% chance of being available in a city.

Clerics know all their cleric spells, but have to prepare, so they are most likely to make scrolls.  It only make sense to prepare at least one of each ahead of time - INCLUDING Domain spells.   If you want a Scroll of Fireball, the Church of Light is a great place to go.

Cleric Spells (level 2-8 only): (9 - spell level)*6%.  So an 8th level Cleric spell would be available 10-8=2*6 = 12% of the time.

If a city has a thriving Wizard Guild, they MIGHT offer all Player's Handbook spell scrolls to sale for their Guild Members only. They prepare ahead of time for this, so they have scrolls. That is the main reason why wizards form such a guild.  They will still charge you to buy the scroll and it still costs money and time to scribe a spell into your book.  (A DM should exclude any spell they Wizard's Guild objects too – the guild not the government).

Otherwise, all other 2-8th level spells (including Wizard spells sold outside of the Guild) use the following formula:
(9-spell level)*4%.  So an eight level spell would have a 8% chance of being for sale.  Again, make exceptions where applicable.


Metropolis:

Metropolis are the largest of cities.  You can find things there that are not available anywhere else in the world.  Start with everything given to cities (and towns), including +1 versions of every single weapon or armor.  But this is just the beginning.  For any magic item found in a Metropolis, use the following quantities; Common 2d6, Uncommon 1d8, Rare 1d4, Very rare or higher 1 item only.   

Metropolis General Stores have everything from the City Magic Store, one of the City Variable stores (roll) and one of 3 General Metropolitan Stores.  Roll 1d6

On a 1 or 2, add the following to the Metropolis General Store:
+2 Weapons, Armor, and Shield   (TRUSTED)  (roll as per City rules)
All Instruments of the Bards (Rare)  (TRUSTED)
Dwarven Plate  (TRUSTED)
Prayer Beads - Favor, Wind Walking, and Summons  (summons requires TRUSTED)
Ring of Feather Fall
Ring of Free Action  (TRUSTED)
Ring of the Ram (TRUSTED)
Serpentine Owl  (TRUSTED)
Universal Solvent		(No Tax)
Wand of Paralysis    (TRUSTED)
Wand of the War Mage +1 and  +2   (TRUSTED)

On a 3 or 4, add the following to the Metropolis General Store:
+2 Weapons, Armor, and Shield   (TRUSTED) (roll as per City rules)
Amulet of Health  (No tax)
Decanter of Endless Water.  (TRUSTED)
Gem of Seeing
Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments  (TRUSTED)
Prayer Beads - Favor, Wind Walking, Summons  (summons TRUSTED)
Ring of Free Action  (TRUSTED)
Ring of Spell Storing    (TRUSTED)
Rod of Absorption
Wand of the War Mage +1 or +2    (TRUSTED)
Weapon of Warning   (TRUSTED) (roll as per City rules)
Winged Boots     (TRUSTED)

On a 5 or 6, add the following to the Metropolis General Store:
+2 Weapons, Armor, and Shield   (TRUSTED) (roll as per City rules)
All Instruments of the Bards (Rare)  (TRUSTED)
Armor of Resistance
Broom of Flying  (TRUSTED)
Cloak of Displacement
Gem of Seeing
Ioun Stone Absorption, Agility, Fortitude, Insight, Intellect, Leadership, and Strength
Potion of Vitality, Potion of Supreme Healing, and Potion of Invulnerability
Ring of Feather Fall
Ring of Spell Storing   (TRUSTED)
Rod of Alertness
Weapon of Warning    (TRUSTED) (roll as per City rules)


Criminal/Government Metropolis Shop.
Again, you need to be either trusted and working for the government (to get access to their special armory) or deal with high level criminals to buy this stuff.  Most things they only have a single one, except for the consumables.  For poisons and oils, they have 1d6 doses available.   I have one of four shops, roll 1d4 to decide what the shops have this month.

Metropolis Criminal/Government Shop 1, add:
Dancing Sword
Glamoured Studded Leather
Oil of Taggit poison
Shield of Missile Attraction (Note they are supposed to sell this to people looking to give it as a gift to an enemy)
Sword of Wounding

Metropolis Criminal Shop 2, add:
Essence of Ether poison
Flame Tongue
Oil of Sharpness
Rod of Rulership
Staff of fire
Wand of Polymorph

Metropolis Criminal Shop 3, add:
Pale Tincture poison
Ring of Shooting Stars
Staff of Thunder and Lightning
Sword of Sharpness
Wand of Fireballs

Metropolis Criminal Shop 4, add:
Drow Poison
Frost Brand
Giant Slayer
Mace of Smiting
Staff of the Adder
Wand of Lightning

Special Order and Auction rules:
Any item not listed here should be available only via special order.  Tell them to pay half up front and wait 3d6 -2 (months for a city, weeks for a Metropolis).  If you want to sell it you are offered 25% of the listed value, but no waiting.

In a country where Magic is illegal, everything simply moves to the criminal underworld and you need good connections to buy it. It does not affect rarity.   Thriving criminal underworlds LOVE magic items. Monopolies make money.

Rules for less magical worlds.  
In worlds that are not High Magic, downgrade by one population level - i.e. when in a Metropolis, use the City rules, when in Cities use the Town rules. Outside of Cities magic is not for sale.  Also there is no Wizard Guild with access to all the Wizard spells, except perhaps in a single specific city/metropolis. 

In a world where Magic is VERY rare, then downgrade everything by one population level AND roll 1d6-1.  The die is the wait till they ship it to you, in weeks,  for stuff listed here (No special orders or Auctions).  If they have to ship it, you also have to pay 20% more for taxes, shipping, and handling (on top of the other fees you pay - so buying a Necklace of Fireballs in an underworld store and you are not a member of the guild, costs normal +40% total) and you can only do so in the biggest metropolis.

Finally, remember that in special circumstances, goods dry up.   War gets declared?   Magic Items suddenly double in price, along with horses, rations, weapons, and armor.  24 hours later, nothing is available for sale at any price, but the store  still only pay you 50% of the listed price to buy.  And they laugh while doing it.

Too awesome, thanx for sharing. Am surprised this hasn't received more praise.

Quote from Frikster >>

Too awesome, thanx for sharing. Am surprised this hasn't received more praise.

 It would probably be easier to read if they put it in spoilers.

Ha, didn't realize that since I was on mobile. But now that I'm on my laptop it is indeed a lot harder to read

Way too many details. Fun to write if you love confining yourself to rules, but I'm always wary of anything that states what a DM "should" be doing.

Magic item availability will vary from campaign to campaign. Some campaigns will consider a +1 Longsword a suitable reward at level 2, some at level 8. In a world where nobody else has a +1 weapon, it's still a great prize. If everyone has them, then it's just more junk in the inventory.

Most people will not part with magical items unless the money being offered is life-changing. Most magical items will belong to high level characters and the nobility. They are easily stolen, and expensive to create. How many people are out there making new ones? Are there factories for +1 Shortswords? Why did anyone bother making a +1 Sling?

I have a city in my campaign which has one magic item shop. The shop is owned by a Vampire, and run by a Spawn, which explains why even those who could overpower the Spawn don't do so - if they do the vampire will hunt them down and retrieve its property.

Nobody is going to sell Boots of Flying, unless they are far too powerful to use them, or they're offered incredible sums of money. So the amount set should be different every time depending on who is selling them, and why they are doing so.

Hm. You mention auctions once, but that's like the one type of shop you don't really go into any details.  Or if you do, I kind of got lost finding it

I run a FR campaign and I have no problems with allowing for some magic items to be bought depending on where the party will end up. If they go to Waterdeep, Athkatla, Cormyr, Baldur's Gate, then they can get their hands on most items from common to uncommon and some rare as well - either via stock or on commission.

If they plane shift and visit the City of Brass then they can probably get their hands on almost any rare item and some very rares as well.

Great job - you did alot of work but great job.  Thanks.  Saves me alot of time!

I have to say the one thing a really disagree with is the comment that shopping is boring to roleplay. Some of mine and my players most fun has been hours of engaging with various shop keepers, the absent minded old man who sells books, the conman trying to sell a run as a powerful magic item. Or the Druid mystic who believes her potions of healing should only be sold to the most worthy. 

I also don’t see why magic items should be rare or not bought and sold. Take modern society, an iPhone or a computer are pretty magic, they are bought sold and traded all the time. Now should there be a magic shop selling rare items on your small villiage, no of course not, but in town that trader may be very interested in buying that magic sword, after all your party are not the only adventurers around, there are all manor of NPCs out fighting in the world.