Appraising Items


Items of art (paintings, sculptures, gemstones, historical items and the like) have a subjective value that not only is based upon the perceived desirability of the item, but also upon the knowledge of the seller. The system below is a rough attempt to simulate this subjectivity, granting benefits to characters that gain knowledge in areas applicable to the goods with which they are dealing.

Sale price of an item = stated price x (.6 + .1k) where:

k = an integer factor between -2 and +3. To determine this factor, use the following procedure:

  1. The GM decides which skills are relevant to a particular item
  2. The character with the highest Knowledge in a relevant skill is designated the Seller. If no one has knowledge of the item, then anyone may be designated. All others participating in the sale are designated Helpers
  3. The GM decides if any players should receive a bonus or penalty for some reason (for example, a Dwarf may get a +1 to this roll if the object he is attempting to sell is of Dwarven manufacture).
  4. The Helpers may also make skill rolls, even if they do not have appropriate knowledge skills. Each success (raises do not matter) on these checks add +1 to the Seller’s skill check. Failures (even critical ones) do not negatively affect the Sellers’s skill check
  5. The Seller makes the appropriate skill check, adding any benefits acquired from the Helpers. The Sellers result plus any bonuses provided by the Helpers is used to determine the value of k:
  • A Critical Failure sets k = -2
  • A Failure sets k = 0
  • A success sets k = 1

Each raise in the final value sets k = 1 + number of raises, with a maximum value of k = 3 on 2 raises (1 from the Success, 1 for each of two possible raises obtained). Having more than 2 raises has no effect on the value of k. This procedure will generate a value between 40% and 90% of the “absolute” value of the item, depending on how well the players roll.

Example

Mungus and his two friends are trying to sell a gem-encrusted scabbard of unknown origin. The GM knows that the scabbard was made by Elves, is worth 800gp and decides that Knowledge (History) is the most applicable skill as the scabbard belong to a famous general several hundred years ago. Since no one in the group has the necessary skill and none of the characters are Elves (which would allow a bonus of +1 or more on that character's role if the GM believes it to be relevant), the players choose Mungus at random to make the Appraise roll. The other players roll Smarts skills at -2 (they lack the appropriate Knowledge skill) and obtain an 8 (a raise!) and a 1 respectively. Mungus also rolls a Smarts test at -2 and obtains a 3 (a Failure), but receives +1 to this roll because of the help from his friend, bringing his total to 4. This is a Success, which sets k = 1 and the multiplier to .6 +.1(1) = .7. The group can sell the item for .7 * 800gp = 560gp. Had the friend not provided the +1, the overall result would have been a Failure (k=0) and the item would have sold for 800 x (.6 + .1(0)) = 480gp. Had Mungus rolled an 11 (Success with one raise) and received the +1 from his friend, this would have brought the total to 12 (Success with two raises - the max possible result) and the party would obtain 800 x (.6 + .1(3)) = 720gp for selling the item.