As you may have heard by now, Highlited Truce is attempting to corner the market on Leather Padding. Yesterday, we offered 437 of them and made over 14,000pp doing so! The kewlest part was we sold them in just 10 minutes of being in The Bazaar! Right now, these are hotcakes, and we are there to clean up!
But Hermygurt wants to broaden his horizons while at The Bazaar, being the Master Merchant he is. While selling Leather Padding, he wants to open up a Jewelry Store - That Will Kick Ass! (pardon the foreign language). To do so, means regular inventory, and that means buying ingredients at the best possible prices (can we say low?).
So, he had created awhile ago, an Enchanter, and last week, I spent a good chunk of Guild Money to suit him up with CHA buff items. Right now, he is maxed out at 255 CHA. My knowledge here is that CHA affects Merchant Prices, and I am hoping that is correct, or I blew a lot of money. Assuming that's true, the next piece of the puzzle is finding Jewelry Merchants with the best possible Faction, which I believe is Ally, is that correct?
So, I went to Eqtraders.com, and looked up all the merchants in the game that sell Gems. And then I went Window Shopping today. I started in Ak'anon, and will be working my way West. (Hmm, funny, isn't it? That's the direction Gold Diggers travelled to get to the mines too, hehe). I got through Ak'anon, my factions there were indifferent, and apprehensive. I went to Steamfront, no change in faction. I went to Felwithe. No change in North Felwithe, but my search ended in South Felwithe, with a couple Vendors/Merchants that sold a "few" gems. Certainly, not the complete list. But my faction here, was ALLY! Yippie! Someone loves Hermy!
What was odd though, was the prices for the few gems they had, were the same as those merchants that I was apprehensive and indifferent too. And that's where my question to you comes. (About time, huh?)
With my CHA maxed at 255, does Faction matter now? Apparently not, from my brief window shopping experience. I am getting the same pricing no matter where I have shopped. Yesterday, I was in Erudin, same prices there too. I could keep shopping, I got a 4 page list of all the vendors, but me hoping you will clarify this, and save me time. Can I expect to get any better than say 5 Silver 2 Coppers for Malachite, or 131p 2g 5s for a Ruby? Right now, those are my prices.
Here is my experience on the subject. But I don't have anything other than my experience to base it on.
Faction and cha have an effect to a point. Once you get your cha high enough you will see no effect from faction as long as that merchant will sell to you. Also I have found that if I give most other players my 40 point cha buff they get the same prices I do. The the benifit from buying and selling to a merchant seems to top out long before 200 cha.
There maybe one exception to this. Merchants that are rarely bought and sold to and get an item from a player selling it to them may offer better prices. I don't have the patience to search to find that out. And definately a gem merchant will not give you different prices.
Jacquelyne N'Tyl Guild Leader of Gathering Twilight Nasi Entwise Kurzon
essa1 Registered User
Posts: 23
(9/5/02 4:16 am) Reply
I can only speak to what I have experinced but like Nasi stated above. Faction/CHA seems to help to a point then its doesnt matter. I guess Im not the prettiest Eurdian with a faction of 70 or so. However I have bought two mugs that each have a +25 CHA and well all my prices are great now. I had a 60 enc with me and did some testing after he dropped the 40 cha buff on me I was seeing no improvements on price. anyway take it as you will your milage may vary.
Essia
Hermygurt Registered User
Posts: 35
(9/5/02 5:35 pm) Reply
First, thankie for the responses, they were awesome Secondly, to put this issue to bed, would one or both of you care to run a little experiment for me? Go to ANY merchant, and pick any 3 gems, to get a price on them. Assuming your Faction/CHA is no longer meaningful here, you should get the same pricing as I got. Then, post your results here, and I will play match up on my end. Don't actually buy the gems, but just check them out.
Thankie in advance,
Mike - Hermygurt
KGB
Radnax Registered User
Posts: 5
(9/8/02 12:29 am) Reply
Re: Shopping Experience Needed Please Delang.
EQTraders.com had a very good write up on the effects of charisma and faction on NPC merchants. The basic breakdown is this:
Indifferent Faction or Higher you need a charisma of 104 to get the absolute lowest prices
Less than Indifferent Faction you need a charisma of 132 to get the lowest prices prossible.
Less than Dubious most merchants usually won't sell to you.
Assuming that's true, the next piece of the puzzle is finding Jewelry Merchants with the best possible Faction, which I believe is Ally, is that correct?
Secondly, to put this issue to bed, would one or both of you care to run a little experiment for me? Go to ANY merchant, and pick any 3 gems, to get a price on them. Assuming your Faction/CHA is no longer meaningful here, you should get the same pricing as I got. Then, post your results here, and I will play match up on my end. Don't actually buy the gems, but just check them out.
"I Love to Have a bowl before the Punting begins"
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