Game Mechanics: Faction not affecting merchant prices

[Insedeel]

I just wanted to report this because I remember very well in classic that the higher your merchant faction was, the better prices you received whether you were selling trash to merchants or purchasing from merchants.

How I found this out was that I was collecting greater lightstones to turn in to the evil merchants in Sro to get a concordance of research to sell back to make some plat and since they're containers, I had to sell some back to the merchants in Sro because I didn't have enough room for 14 containers obviously. But I held onto a few of them so I could go get a better price in neriak because I did the wine quest to get my faction to ally with the merchants in Neriak.

When I got back to Neriak I noticed that the NPCs were giving the exact same price as the evil merchants in sro even though the neriak faction levels were ally, and the evil merchants in sro were indifferent.

Below is the only proof I was able to find on this, and I don't have time to look through the archive of old patch notes for when this was changed (it was in the PoP era I believe when they changed it so faction no longer modified prices on merchants. I believe it was do to PoK being the central point for everyone and there was no way to increase faction with PoK merchants).

Tips on Commons Residents faction
Posted: Aug 28 2000 5:13pm
DinkumThinkum
Scholar

check prices with different merchants when you have valuable loot (such as a cracked staff) to sell: the center merchants in the inns will usually give you a better price because of your improved faction.

http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/fa...ml?faction=133

[Dersk]

Items have a maximum buy / minimum sell value. Ally faction doesn't change that. CHA is the dominate factor for determining prices; faction can determine how much CHA a character needs for the best prices. Someone with 255 CHA gets the same prices with apprehensive and ally faction. (I think with something around 130 CHA on EQlive faction doesn't matter anymore).

Current buy/sell prices act as though the character has maximum CHA, which means the differences in faction don't show up.

edit: or, it appears the differences are there and aren't large enough for me to have noticed.

[Insedeel]

Originally Posted by Dersk [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Items have a maximum buy / minimum sell value. Ally faction doesn't change that. CHA is the dominate factor for determining prices; faction can determine how much CHA a character needs for the best prices. Someone with 255 CHA gets the same prices with apprehensive and ally faction. (I think with something around 130 CHA on EQlive faction doesn't matter anymore).

Current buy/sell prices act as though the character has maximum CHA, which means the differences in faction don't show up.

Well either way, it's not working like classic then hehe.. I don't remember the details behind why faction made a diff, just that it did back in classic. Also, I don't have anywhere near 130 cha right now (base cha for a DE), so there should be a difference.

[mmiles8]

113 cha and amiable is the vendor cap. Or should be anyway

(it was in the PoP era I believe when they changed it so faction no longer modified prices on merchants. I believe it was do to PoK being the central point for everyone and there was no way to increase faction with PoK merchants).

Also: they never removed faction from the equation, they added a POK faction quest.

[Dersk]

edited for accuracy~ hah

[mmiles8]

They most certainly do not act as if you have maximum charisma. I get a price difference when I throw on my crude stein to sell.

[Insedeel]

Originally Posted by mmiles8 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They most certainly do not act as if you have maximum charisma. I get a price difference when I throw on my crude stein to sell.

Yea, I've noticed cha does affect merchant prices, but faction does not atm..

[mmiles8]

[Fri Jul 16 17:02:24 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 3 gold 8 silver 2 copper per Leather Padding'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:24 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 8 gold 5 silver 9 copper for the Hand Made Backpack.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Very Tiny Crumpled Skeleton'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Frost Goblin Skin.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Plains Pebble'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 5 silver 7 copper per Mermaid Scale'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Ingot of the Constant.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Griffon Eye.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 1 platinum 5 gold 2 silver 6 copper for the Wolf-hide Sleeves.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 2 platinum 5 gold 7 silver 6 copper for the Totemic Helm.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:26 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 23 platinum 8 gold 4 silver 8 copper for the Unicorn Horn.'

Mrysila regards you indifferently -- 78 Cha

[Fri Jul 16 17:02:46 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 3 gold 8 silver 9 copper per Leather Padding'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:46 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 8 gold 7 silver 6 copper for the Hand Made Backpack.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Very Tiny Crumpled Skeleton'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Frost Goblin Skin.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Plains Pebble'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 5 silver 8 copper per Mermaid Scale'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Ingot of the Constant.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Griffon Eye.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 1 platinum 5 gold 5 silver 8 copper for the Wolf-hide Sleeves.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 2 platinum 6 gold 2 silver 9 copper for the Totemic Helm.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:02:52 2010] Mrysila tells you, 'I'll give you 24 platinum 3 gold 4 silver for the Unicorn Horn.'

Mrysila regards you indifferently -- 93 Cha

[Fri Jul 16 17:04:43 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 3 gold 8 silver 2 copper per Leather Padding'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:43 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 8 gold 5 silver 9 copper for the Hand Made Backpack.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Very Tiny Crumpled Skeleton'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Frost Goblin Skin.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Plains Pebble'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 5 silver 7 copper per Mermaid Scale'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Ingot of the Constant.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Griffon Eye.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 1 platinum 5 gold 2 silver 6 copper for the Wolf-hide Sleeves.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 2 platinum 5 gold 7 silver 6 copper for the Totemic Helm.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 23 platinum 8 gold 4 silver 8 copper for the Unicorn Horn.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:44 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Hand Made Backpack.'

Pai Berenis kindly considers you -- 78 Cha

[Fri Jul 16 17:04:56 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 3 gold 8 silver 9 copper per Leather Padding'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:56 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 8 gold 7 silver 6 copper for the Hand Made Backpack.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Very Tiny Crumpled Skeleton'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Frost Goblin Skin.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing per Plains Pebble'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 5 silver 8 copper per Mermaid Scale'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Ingot of the Constant.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you absolutely nothing for the Griffon Eye.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 1 platinum 5 gold 5 silver 8 copper for the Wolf-hide Sleeves.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 2 platinum 6 gold 2 silver 9 copper for the Totemic Helm.'
[Fri Jul 16 17:04:57 2010] Pai Berenis tells you, 'I'll give you 24 platinum 3 gold 4 silver for the Unicorn Horn.'

Pai Berenis kindly considers you -- 93 Cha

So as you can see, like the OP said, faction is not affecting price. Charisma, however, is working normally. More to come soon, as I attempt to find a charisma buff and an apprehensive merchant.

[Reiker]

Also on live, certain vendors would have different pricing regardless of your cha or faction. The merchant right at Qeynos gates is a good example, he'd always give you much less for an item than any other merchant.

[Dersk]

Originally Posted by mmiles8 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Charisma, however, is working normally.

Here's the funny thing, I even looked at your list and saw "3 gold 8 silver" on the top of all 'codes' (copper got cut off), and thought yeah, it's not affecting prices.

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I guess I'll pay more attention to copper and more expensive items next time.

edit: I know I've been getting way too much money on my ogre for CHA to be affecting prices properly, though. Intuitively there has to be a larger difference than what we're seeing here.