Trade Encounters
Immortal Freedom RPG > Rules > Items and Cyberware > Buying and Selling
Most non-player entities (NPCs) are happy to trade goods and services for credits with your character—especially if the NPC is a clerk in a store or a vendor at a market. Some NPCs may refuse to trade with you if they are hostile, or if they think they can’t trust you or what you’re selling. You may need to convince sceptical NPCs to trade with you before you can buy or sell anything.
During a Trade Encounter, the buyer’s wealth score must be equal or greater to the wealth score of the item, cyberware, or service being sold. Otherwise, the buyer cannot afford the purchase. They must move on, or convince the seller to lower their prices. If the buyer’s wealth score is high enough, credits are exchanged, and the buyer gets the item, cyberware, or service they paid for—though satisfaction may not always be guaranteed.
Info
When purchasing multiple items, cyberware, or services in a single interaction, the wealth score of the item, cyberware, or service with the highest wealth score is used to determine the wealth score of a purchase. The GM may also increase the wealth score when you are purchasing multiple items, cyberware, or services with the same wealth score, as well as the option to opt out of purchasing specific items, cyberware, or services to reduce the cost.
After the trade has concluded, roll your wealth score die to determine whether your wealth score changes as a result of the trade.
Example
A glint catches your eye as you browse an outdoor marketplace on the lower plates of Plumeth City. You approach a shabby stall manned by a figure obscured by layers of cloth. An old speeder power converter shines up at you in the murky dark. You spend a turn identifying the object, determining it to be a part for a discontinued speeder model, one which is valued highly by collectors and hobbyists.
You ask the vendor about the power converter, but they seem put off by your enthusiasm. Looking to convince the vendor to sell to you, you roll for Emotion, adding a die to your dice pool thanks to your Bartering skill. You get 2 successes—a complete success. The vendor begrudgingly agrees to trade with you, setting the wealth score of the item to 1. Your wealth score is 3, and so you roll 1d6. You roll a 4, and so your wealth score remains the same. You pay the vendor their credits, and you excitedly take the power converter, knowing you can resell it for at least twice what you paid.
Abject Poverty
If your wealth score is 1, you automatically fail at purchasing items, cyberware, or services if you roll a 1 on your 1d2 wealth score die, or make the incorrect call during a coin flip. This means you may fail at purchasing an item, cyberware, or service, even though you previously succeeded at convincing an NPC to sell to you.
Ultra Rich
If your wealth score is 8, you may afford the cost of any item, cyberware, or service if you roll a 100 on your 1d100 wealth score die. This means you may bypass the limit of 10 million credits to afford something you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. If you succeed at rolling a 100 while trying to bypass the 10 million credit limit, your wealth score decreases by 1. Your wealth score remains unchanged if you roll a 100 while trying to make a purchase without trying to bypass the 10 million credit limit.
Discounts and Upcharges
Some NPCs may give you a discount if there’s an ongoing sale, if they’re pressured into lowering their prices, or if they just like you. Others may upcharge if they don’t like you, or if they’re hostile towards you. You may also give discounts or upcharge NPCs while selling.
If the discount or upcharge is to your advantage, roll your wealth score die twice and select the result most beneficial to you. If the discount or upcharge is to your disadvantage, roll your wealth score die twice and select the result most detrimental to you.
Tip
There isn’t a steadfast rule as to when prices are discounted or raised. It should always be what feels best for the narrative.