Merchant - GLOG class - GLAUGUST
I have decided to take part in the GLAUGUST challenges, and wanted to begin with the first prompt that caught my eye.
A short class which is absolutely not a fighter, not a wizard, not a cleric and not a thief.
Say hello to the Merchant!
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Class: Merchant
You are a silver-tongued opportunist with a healthy appetite for gold and business opportunities.
Starting HP: 1d6+4
HP Per Level/Resting: 1d6
Weapons and Armor: Small weapons, expensive clothing
A: Bribe, Deep Pockets
B: Hirelings, Appraisal
C: Auction, Insurance
D: Exotic Wares
Bribe: With a suitable bribe, you can make a hostile target lower their weapons and turn away from harming you or your allies, or encourage an otherwise indignant or neutral target willing to help you along. Bribes are only effective on creatures that understand and value money, or at least value the object you are offering. Some less intelligent foes like goblins or kobolds can be bribed simply for the shine of your gold and silver. As a rule of thumb, any target over 1HD will require a bribe of at least 100 GP, with the price increasing by 100 for each HD and for any special abilities the target possesses. Especially principled or determined characters may be immune to your bribery.
Deep Pockets: Instead of suffering incoming damage, you may opt to instead drop and lose gold pieces. Of course, instead of bringing harm to your flesh, the attack sunders and tears one of the many coin purses you keep strapped to yourself under your loose and flowing merchant robes. For each point of damage avoided, you lose 10 GP. You can prevent up to 10 points of damage per encounter this way for each Merchant template you possess.
Hirelings: In cities and towns, you are always able to find someone willing to work and follow you for pay. These people are often desperate outsiders who need the coin, but are thankful for your patronage. Of course, their general wages vary depending on services rendered. You are able to keep a number of loyal hirelings equal to the number of Merchant templates you possess. Mistreating your hirelings or keeping more hirelings than your limit may result in them turning against you, abandoning you on adventures, or slandering your good name in town.
Peasant (2 GP a day) - Good for menial tasks, torch-bearers, carrying supplies. (1d3+1 HP, 1d2 dam)
Thug (5 GP a day) - Looking tough, fighting (2HD, armor as chain, 1d6 dam)
Burglar (10 GP a day) - Picking locks, spying (2 HD, armor as leather, 1d8 dam)
Alley Wizard (20 GP a day) - Casting spells [Light, Knock, Magic Missile] (1 HD, 1d4 dam)
Cultist (40 GP a day) - Casting clerical spells [Light, Cure Light Wounds, Purify Food and Drink) (2HD, armor as chainmail, 1d6 dam)
Appraisal: For every distinct non-magical treasure you find in a dungeon or on an adventure, it has a 2/6 chance of being worth at least 1d8 x 100 GP. Roll 1d6 on the table below for the reason why.
1 Was once the property of some well-known hero.
2 According to the holy temple, it is long-forgotten relic.
3 A lost heirloom of a local noble house.
4 The magnum opus of some now-deceased author, painter, sculptor, blacksmith or other craftsman.
5 This item is clearly of masterful quality and is astoundingly well-preserved.
6 Made of solid gold and generously studded with precious stones.
Auction: Once per week, in a busy town square or in the black market underneath the city, you are able to hold an auction for any item that is clearly valuable or useful. You will end up selling the item of interest for lvl x 100 + 1d6 x 100 GP.
Insurance: You have now established an insurance policy between you and your hirelings. However, this now allows you to keep 2 hirelings for each Merchant template you possess, and significantly increases their morale. In the event of a hireling's death, or any debilitating wound that would cause them to be unable to adventure, you will be bound by contract to pay the hireling and their family a one-time stipend equal to their daily wage multiplied by 10. For example, a peasant would be redeemed 20 GP and a cultist 400 GP.
Exotic Wares: A particularly useful, fashionable, alchemical, or reasonably magical item that you have encountered through adventuring becomes commodified by you. This item must be uncommon or unusual (it cannot be any old item you can find on a starting equipment list). Decide with the GM what your trademark good will be. To begin production, you must first invest in appropriate businesses and craftsmen willing and able to fabricate and distribute your wares. It costs 500 GP to keep a mundane craftsman or distributor loyal to you for 1d6+2 months. For magical or extraordinary craftsmen or distributors (like wizards, enchanters, elves or dwarves) 1000 GP per 1d6+2 months will suffice. You may also hire town criers or other cheap means of advertisement for 100 GP each 1d6+2 months. As profit from your sales and dealings, you gain 1d10+1 x 100 GP every 1d4 months.