A charismatic "party face" with verbal, spell-like abilities that shift focus from combat. While bards offer similar charm-related powers, they take longer to develop. Dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, and halflings can be merchants.
What does the Merchant get?
- Item Discounts: At level 1, goods cost 10–40% less, which helps early on (e.g., pooling funds for armor) but has diminishing impact later unless used for major expenses like keep construction.
- Languages: High Intelligence starts with additional languages, skipping in-game learning. Useful with strict DMs.
- Pick Locks: Starts at 15%. Unlikely to be used.
- Appraise: Never miss mundane loot. Identifies valuable goods (e.g., spotting a 2,000 gp chair). Sadly it doesn’t extend to working out if an item is magic.
- Suggestion: At level 1 an 18% chance to cast suggestion 1 x level per day. Opponents with lower Intelligence suffer save penalties. Situationally powerful but unreliable.
- Command: A standout ability that turns the game on its head, usable once per day per level. At level 1 a 45% chance to halt combat within 60 feet for 1–3 rounds, enabling non violent actions like parley, retreat, or casting defensive spells.
- Charisma boost: Works like a friends spell, improving reaction adjustments for a specific race and alignment. Usable once per level per day, but requires 10 minutes of preparation, limiting spontaneity.
The Downside
- Can’t Fight: Hit Points and combat ability of a thief. Restricted to chainmail at best and no shield. Thrown weapons only.
- Unreliable Abilities: Percentage-based mechanics make command and suggestion inconsistent early on, balancing their potential power.
Why add the class?
Merchants fill a niche as negotiators. Their abilities scale with level, becoming more reliable mid-game. Like monks, they start weak but shine later, offering something unique and deserving a spot on a “best of” list.
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