I'm making a background for what is essentially a snake oil salesman. This is what I have for the feature:
Universal Merchant You've learned to create a story around anything you own. When you are selling your specialized item type to anyone who isn't knowledgeable about that item, you have advantage on persuasion and deception checks as long as you can relate the item to what the potential customer wants.
Is a feature like this that gives players advantage on a roll too strong for a background? If so, is there some other way to write this? Players can already try selling things to anyone, so I want the feature to give them some sort of bonus when they're dealing with their specialized item.
(BTW: The specialties I have are potions, scrolls, "magic" items, pills, balms and ointments, and poisons. The main point of it being a "snake oil salesman" is that they can sell fake items and pass them off as real.)
Advantage is overpowered, but it's on the item you are selling. So it is very under powered because in a campaign I think it is unlikely you would sell anything to anyone in a campaign, without knowing more about the campaign your doing.
Universal Merchant You can always pick out potential customers if there are any around. In addition, during downtime you can create and sell your specialized item, earning 1 GP per day. This is separate from the lifestyle expenses and can be done while maintaining your choice of lifestyle.
I'm making a background for what is essentially a snake oil salesman. This is what I have for the feature:
Universal Merchant
You've learned to create a story around anything you own. When you are selling your specialized item type to anyone who isn't knowledgeable about that item, you have advantage on persuasion and deception checks as long as you can relate the item to what the potential customer wants.
Is a feature like this that gives players advantage on a roll too strong for a background? If so, is there some other way to write this? Players can already try selling things to anyone, so I want the feature to give them some sort of bonus when they're dealing with their specialized item.
(BTW: The specialties I have are potions, scrolls, "magic" items, pills, balms and ointments, and poisons. The main point of it being a "snake oil salesman" is that they can sell fake items and pass them off as real.)
How to add tooltips on dndbeyond
Advantage is overpowered, but it's on the item you are selling. So it is very under powered because in a campaign I think it is unlikely you would sell anything to anyone in a campaign, without knowing more about the campaign your doing.
D&D is a game for nerds... so I guess I'm one :p
Do you think something like "You can always spot a potential customer for the item of your specialty" would be better?
How to add tooltips on dndbeyond
If you feel that advantage is too strong then how about doing "you can double you proficiency bonus" kind of line.
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Homebrewery
To see my more recent homebrew creations, please check out my content on Hombrewery.
So, I've changed it to this:
Universal Merchant
You can always pick out potential customers if there are any around.
In addition, during downtime you can create and sell your specialized item, earning 1 GP per day. This is separate from the lifestyle expenses and can be done while maintaining your choice of lifestyle.
What do you guys think?
How to add tooltips on dndbeyond