The Merchant Character Class

I haven't presented a character class for AD&D in a while, so let's do this one. The main thing I'm editing here is the Assessment ability, since I use a method from Dragon magazine issue 104, but have presented a really stripped-down version here, along with a radical simplification of the Forgery ability. Also, I'm switching to the "traditional" AD&D player races instead of those from my campaign setting. My version of the Merchant is based on my distaste for versions with magic or too many overpowered abilities, or overly complicated systems for their abilities.

 

The Merchant

Merchants belong to a subclass of Thief specializing in buying low, selling high, and finding markets for goods in the first place. To become a Merchant, a character requires a Charisma of at least 9, an Intelligence of 8, and a Wisdom of no less than 7. At first level, a Merchant will learn the use of 2 weapon proficiencies, gaining another every four levels. Merchants fight using the Thief combat table, taking a penalty of -4 when using weapons with which the character has no proficiency, and may select weapons from among: Caltrop, Club, Crossbow, Dagger, Dart, Garrot, Knife, Sap, Scimitar, Sling, Staff, or any one-handed sword except the Khopesh. They may use Leather, Studded Leather, Padded, or Elfin Chain armor but not Shields, may use flaming oil, and may use poison if the DM permits. Humans and Half-Elves may be Merchants and advance without limit. Dwarfs may advance to the 8^th level as Merchants, Elves to the 12^th level if their Charisma is 16 or higher, to the 11^th level if of Charisma 15, or to the 10^th level if of lower Charisma, Halflings and Gnomes may advance as far as the 6^th level as Merchants, and Half-Orcs may rise as high as the 4^th level. They save using the Thief table. Merchants advance according to the following table:

Experience Points	Experience Level	Hit Dice (d6)	Level Title	Sense of Direction
0-1,500	1	1	Haggler	30%
1,501-3,000	2	2	Bargainer	35%
3,001-5,000	3	3	Hawker	40%
5,001-10,000	4	4	Vendor	45%
10,001-20,000	5	5	Entrepreneur	50%
20,001-40,000	6	6	Trader	55%
40,001-75,000	7	7	Master Trader	60%
75,001-135,000	8	8	Merchant	65%
135,001-220,000	9	9	Merchant Prince	70%
220,001-440,000	10	9+1	Merchant Prince (10th Level)	75%
440,001-660,000	11	9+2	Merchant Prince (11th Level)	75%
660,001-880,000	12	9+3	Merchant Prince (12th Level)	75%

220,000 experience points per level for each level beyond the 12^th.

Merchants gain 1 hit point per level after the 9^th.

 

The Merchant’s Sense of Direction ability allows the Merchant the stated chance to avoid the effects of being lost when traveling. It does not improve beyond the 10^th level of ability.

Merchants have an improved ability to assess the value of items, having a ability to assess an item's value of 50%, +5%/level after the first. Failure will cause the DM to provide an incorrect value at the DM's discretion.

Merchants may attempt to forge documents, at the same chance as an Assassin of equal level (and further improving +5% per level after the 15^th in each category). (Use the system in Dragon magazine 96 or give a base chance of 45% starting at 3rd level, +5% for each additional level; the DM can increase or decrease the chance by 15% for more or less difficult forgeries.)

Merchants are skilled negotiators, and gain a bonus of +3%/level on the Reaction table, to a maximum bonus of +30%, in addition to any bonuses for Charisma or other modifiers.

Merchants are expert bargainers, and can always buy items for a 10% discount while selling them for an additional 10% profit, calculated from the listed price. If two Merchants are bargaining against each other, there is a chance of 50% +5% for each level one Merchant is greater than the other, that the higher-level Merchant will get the 10% alteration in price, else the lower-level Merchant gets it. Add the higher-level Merchant’s Charisma Reaction Modifier to this chance and subtract that of the lower-level Merchant from it. Do not use the negotiation bonus above in this calculation.

Finally, a Merchant can Hear Noise and Read Languages exactly as a Thief of equal level.