Yet another Trader prestige class

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jul 18, 2004 18:18:11
On the plane on the way to Tunisia, I wrote a draft for a five level trader prestige class, "Dynastic Trader".

Here are the basics.

Requirements:
Feats: Trader
Skills: Diplomacy 8 ranks, Bluff 5 ranks, Appraise 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks, Profession (Trader) 2 ranks

Class features:
Hit die: D6
Base Attack: Medium progression (Rogue etc)
Saves: Good Will
Skill points: 8 +int mod

Level 1: Fast Talk, Contact 1/week
Level 2: Distributive Bargaining
Level 3: Agent, Contact 2/week
Level 4: Integrative Bargaining
Level 5: Allies, Contact 3/week

Fast Talk: You can retry a failed Bluff or Diplomacy check, though at a -5 penalty.

Contact: As per the Draqoman class feature in the PrC doc found on my site.

Distributive Bargaining: You can purchase goods with a 10% rebate off the listed price. You also gain a +2 competence bonus to Profession (Trader) checks.

Agent: You gain a cohort as per the Leadership feat. If you possess the Leadership feat, you are entitled to two cohorts. If you have multiple cohorts, their combined level may not exceed your character level + your trader level.

Integrative Bargaining: You can purchase goods with a 20% rebate off the listed price. You also gain a +4 competence bonus to Profession (Trader) checks.

Allies: You gain the favour of an organization, tribe, planar creature or a powerful individual (in the most extreme case a sorcerer-king). The frequency and extent of favors a trader may call upon will vary (for example, spending the night under the protected tents of an elven tribe is a small favor, while asking for a caravan raid in which several tribe members will perish is a considerable favor). The GM determines how often the trader can call upon his allies for aid without losing their favor.
#2

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jul 19, 2004 12:54:10
Alternatively, substitute the Profession (trader) bonuses at 2nd and 4th level with a bonus tied to which merchant house the trader is employed with (add a class requirement: "must be in the service of a merchant house").

Inika: +2/+4 Gather information
M’ke: +2/+4 Diplomacy
Shom: +2/+4 Bluff
Stel: +2/+4 Intimidate
Tsalaxa: +2/+4 Intimidate
Vordon: +2/+4 Appraise
Wavir: +2/+4 Diplomacy
Other: +1/+2 chosen skill
#3

xlorepdarkhelm_dup

Jul 19, 2004 13:27:57
Pretty cool.
#4

nytcrawlr

Jul 19, 2004 15:11:09
Nice job Jon.
#5

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jul 20, 2004 3:13:58
Sample list to give the GM some guidelines as to the extent of the Contact ability:

- Additional 5% discount on purchased goods.
- Access to purchase and sell black market goods.
- Access to hire mercenary of trader's desired race and class.
- Access to purchasing spellcasting services.
- Access to information (equal to Gather Information DC 20)
- Access to forged materials (equal to Forgery DC 20)
- Access to decipher (equal to Decipher Script DC 20)
- Access to other expert (skill check DC 20. DM's discretion)
- Appointment or meeting with an NPC (templar, noble, gladiatorial slave, chieftain etc. DM's discretion).
- Access to a place to stay hidden for three days.
- Avoid templar inspection.

This list supersedes the examples in the PrC doc.
#6

Grummore

Jul 20, 2004 20:03:51
Hail! Muhahaha. I hope you enjoyed your trip!

Btw, I wouldnt call this trader PrC the Dynastic Trader. It much look like to a generic trader than a "Dynastic" one.

I mean that a Dynastic Trader would have to reflect that this person isnt a hired trader or someone that come from outside the "family". By exemple, if you are of the Shom, Inika, etc. family, you could have some level in a Dynastic PrC. I know it isnt very clear, but did you understood what I meant? :D
#7

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jul 21, 2004 3:14:00
The name is just a working title. It might as well be labeled Trademaster, House Trader or something else. Suggestions are welcome.
#8

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jul 22, 2004 17:41:10
Don't you all come running screaming at once.
#9

xlorepdarkhelm_dup

Jul 22, 2004 17:49:57
I personally like "Dynastic Trading House Buttmonkey"
#10

nytcrawlr

Jul 22, 2004 18:07:16
Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm
I personally like "Dynastic Trading House Buttmonkey"

Or just "Dynastic Buttmonkey", less wordy.

:D
#11

zombiegleemax

Jul 22, 2004 21:45:49
Personally I was looking at 2 separate trader PCs.
The first was a base 5 level PC with low-ish requirements (such that the NPC classes would have access to it) that almost all 'traders' in trading houses took with most then specialising in other classes.

Then there would also be a lifetime trader PC, one for those individuals that do nothing but trade. Including book keeping, route planning, profit/loss management, (all the boring stuff really).
#12

zombiegleemax

Jul 22, 2004 22:32:37
Including book keeping, route planning, profit/loss management, (all the boring stuff really).

'All the boring stuff' sounds more like detailing a craft or profession skill. PrCs are a way to detail 'all the interesting stuff'.
#13

zombiegleemax

Jul 23, 2004 4:02:30
'All the boring stuff' sounds more like detailing a craft or profession skill. PrCs are a way to detail 'all the interesting stuff'.

Point.
#14

jon_oracle_of_athas

Aug 03, 2004 12:08:35
I'll be sticking this in the 3.5 prestige class doc then.
#15

zombiegleemax

Aug 03, 2004 12:12:20
sweet, then i don't have to rack my brains for a good trader prc. thanks jon
#16

jon_oracle_of_athas

Aug 04, 2004 11:27:56
As for the name, I chose "Dune Trader".
#17

zombiegleemax

Aug 04, 2004 11:40:32
cool. when can we see the finished prc on your site?
#18

jon_oracle_of_athas

Aug 04, 2004 13:20:57
I hadn't planned on putting it up on the site prior to the completion of the 3.5 update of the prestige class doc, but I can send you the writeup if you'd like. Drop me a line at jon[at]athas.org.