Double Prices Then Mine Their Gear

Hola Game Master!

Here’s a callout to a tip buried in the recent How to Make Haggling Fun piece I did:

“Players’ Guide price is the floor, street price is double that.”

Raise your merchant, equipment, and services prices to give you haggling room and siphon more party treasure.

Game Master Rafael sent me a nice email about this:

I hear that. Yelling numbers at players isn’t fun.

I’m not sure when, but I stopped haggling for transaction purposes. Now my merchants want information instead of gold. It’s partly how I make villains seem three steps ahead of the party.

Here’s what I do.

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1. It’s a Clue Factory

Haggling usually devolves into yelling numbers at each other, and that’s boring.

If I can share some world lore or deliver a hint or clue during haggling roleplay, I’m happy as an orc at an all-the-halflings-you-can-eat buffet.

In the case of lore, I’m always prattling on about the writer’s advice, show, don’t tell. Haggling let’s you do that.

And haggling offers a nice backup channel for the Three Clue Rule.

As a bonus, merchants also become real NPCs you can add into plots as you see fit.

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2. Decide the Floor

Hit the toughest question first. How low will they go?

My answer: Players’ Guide price is the floor, street price is double that.

Because I’m a jerk, once play starts after chargen, I double the world prices of equipment.

This adds another treasure siphon.

And it makes setting floor prices easy: they’re the base prices in the book.

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3. Choose What They Really Want

Now give your merchant a problem greater than money. Safety, health, live-in mother-in-law.

Agree to any price above your floor as long as it helps your merchant’s greater need.

Instead of haggling on price, tack on an additional service. A quest, service, deed.

My favourite need is information. It’s a bonus revenue stream for every merchant. For example, juicy details the merchant can sell or trade with his network.

This gives me a steady flow of party tales, antics and, hopefully, a few secrets. The party soon learns never to send an honest character to haggle. And merchants are keen observers of body language and tone, no doubt.

It’s also how I explain villains staying three steps ahead. They’ve got merchants on the payroll, or merchants they lean on after the party leaves.

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4. Open With a Question

Fighter Roghan walks into the smithy and needs a new set of armour.

Roghan: Well met, smith! I need some fine mail. Have you any?

Smith: Aye, I do. But none for the likes of you. Sure, I might make a few silvers today. But I pour my sweat and heart into everything I craft. And by the looks of you, my fine mail will be at the bottom of some minor beast’s lair by the end of the week, soiled, and lost.

As a sidenote, never turn down an opportunity to trash talk the characters. Such simple pleasures keep a GM going in life. ?

Also, roleplay is not required here if you do not wish. Just provide the price, wait for the counter offer, and accept it if it’s above the floor and it’s on condition of something the merchant wants.

Now we get to the question.

Roghan: Erm, well, seeing as you’re the only smith within a hundred miles, I was hoping you could help me out. I’ve got money. [Plunks down a sack of gold.]

Smith: That’s a lot of coin, my thick-necked friend! I tell you what, because I’m in a good mood today, I’ll sell you the suit hanging right over there. It’s perfect for you with a double layer of armour on the back. But, only if you tell me the tale of how you came by all this gold.

Many players leap at the chance to recount the party’s heroics. They won’t feel tricked at all.

Have merchants ask probing questions and validate facts. Get into the details. Facts about locations, people, times, events, decisions… We’re mining especially for:

  • Evidence
  • Sloppiness
  • Snitch material

So those are a few ways to make haggling fun. How about you? Do you haggle? How do you GM it?

Cheers,
Johnn
roleplayingtips.com
https://discord.gg/6MxTRAqQ76
Have more fun at every game!

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