66 réponses à ce sujet

[jfrenchy]

there is a point in that this merchant is used as a (one of several) mechanism to keep a new/casual player's gold from exploding to incredible levels early on. which I think is a great breath of fresh air for RPGs. cash always seems like an easy thing to get, at least in this game it isn't that simple.



just start a game without powering/controlling finances as much, cash becomes a struggle until late game IMO. start a game with finances and deals in mind, and gold becomes a no brainer

[blaidfiste]

CptPatch wrote...

soteria wrote...
If you expect variation between merchants, and look for it, you'll find his prices are higher than the norm. If you don't expect it, and don't look for it, well, ignorance is bliss. If you don't care enough about the prices they're charging to go somewhere else, your loss.

You Bodahn-defenders just don't seem to get what it is, at the root, that I am complaining about.

This is a designers-versus-players issue.  Literally, who or what kind of merchant gets placed in the Camp is determined entirely by the designers.  Furthermore, it is they who have determined that Bodahn is the _ONLY_ choice for in-Camp merchant we are given.  To make it even more certain that you WILL accept him as your singular in-Camp merchant, he is the _ONLY_ source for three pieces of the Blood Dragon armor.  Furthermore, he is the _ONLY_ source where you can get 3 of the 7 available backpacks.  And for all of those things, Bodahn WILL charge the highest possible price. AND Bodahn/Sandal is the _ONLY_ source you have for getting objects enchanted.  (Not even the grateful Magi at the Tower after "Broken Circle" will give you access to their Tranquil item-enchanting service.)

Your ONLY alternative to having Bodahn be able to gouge you to the max is to refuse him to set up in Camp -- in which case you can kiss the Blood Dragon armor and backpacks goodbye.  (Well, actually you CAN'T kiss them goodbye because you'll never even get the chance to see them.)

Of all the merchants in all of Ferelden, WHY is it that we are saddled with the absolute most expensive one?  The answer is, "Because the designers decided to rape your party's finances as much as they possibly could -- without making it obvious that that is what they were doing." 

It isn't until you get out and about and get the opportunity to do some comparison shopping with ALL of the other merchants that a you get the chance to learn that from the very beginning, despite all of his smarmy merchant assurances, Bodahn has been squeezing you as much as Dwarvenly possible.

Now, do a little honest-to-god roleplaying:  What would you do, as party leader, once you figured out the extent Bodahn has been gouging the party?  Simply kick him out of Camp (allowing him to keep all that gold he milked you for)?  Kick him out AFTER taking back the excessive amounts he had tacked on to all transactions?  Kick him out after having relieved him of ALL of his money (for punitive damages)?  Take all of his money AND loot his wagon before kicking him out (again for punitive damages)?  Hurt him badly to "teach him a lesson"?  Kill him, to be certain he doesn't gouge other unsuspecting customers, ever again?  Or maybe even decide to do NOTHING at all.  What choice are you given for dealing with Bodahn once you've realized he's been screwing you on a regular basis?

The choices the designers give you for that mercantile extortionist amount to NOTHING AT ALL.  Apparently the designers seem to think that the players actually enjoy being schtupped by Bodahn.  Even if your stance with the price-gouging merchant in Lothering was to stop _his_ price-gouging.  Apparently _we_ don't mind if it's us being gouged.

The decision to dump THE MOST EXPENSIVE merchant on the party was a designer decision.  It was also a designer decision to NOT include _any_ reaction by the players to dealing with learning they've been gouged.

We have been done unto, with no real option or opportunity to defend ourselves.  Put into a sexual analogy, we've been deliberately raped.

Now smile when the rapist asks, "Was it good for you?  It was good for me!"

I do NOTHING. Bodahn stays!
 
1) He decided to  travel with me to save himself and his merchandise.  Smart
2) He is charging high prices because he knows I can afford to pay.  Smart
3) He's the one that scavenged the rest of the Blood Dragon set.  If I want that ugly armor you have to pay his prices.  Smart
4) Sandal is a rare commodity and Bodahn lets you use his services for free.  This makes his operation attractive, "My son does enchanting for free while I pester you to buy a hat, cheese knife etc..." Smart
5) As for the discount, it's clear that he's the type that will mark up his items by 100% then offer 20% discount.  Smart

 

[Vae_Victis]

elys wrote...

CptPatch wrote...

I've never paid attention the prices, I just buy and sell at the first merchant I encounter to free my inventory slots.
Which means that practically, I trade a lot with Bodhan. But I though he was the best merchant to trade with according to his discount chit-chat.
Until I read this topic. Now I think I'm gonna make an addin to make Bodhan "beheadable".

Why don't you take the two minutes to simply fix him so he actually gives a discount. It'd far easier...just sayin'.

As to the OP , you should be thanking Bodahn for teaching you a powerful life lesson: caveat emptor.

[elys]

Vae_Victis wrote...
Why don't you take the two minutes to simply fix him so he actually gives a discount. It'd far easier...just sayin'.

Because vangeance is more pleasurable.

[ArathWoeeye]

Bodahn has 200% Coercion, he lied and you fell for it.



OR



Your character was aware what went on but (s)he was too scared to harrass Bodahn. Guess why?

One word, my friend: ENCHANTMENT!

[Miltus]

To restate what OP said, this is mainly a "designers-versus-players issue." I can totally accept an NPC merchant ripping me off while telling that he's giving me a discount. The problem is that, even after visiting every single shop in the game, my character doesn't have the option to call him on it. You can't tell him that he's lying, your character NEVER acknowledges that he's charging you so much. Indeed, nobody in the game does. It's not Bodhan that's deceiving me, it's the game itself.



Remember Weylon, who lies to you and sends you to an ambush while pretending that he's worried about your safety and all? After talking to him for a while, your character can eventually discover that he's lying, and you can call him on it and indeed attack him. You don't have to stupidly accept everything he says and walk unprepared into an ambush. Here, the game has given me a chance to discover what was going on. Not so with Bodhan.



tl:dr Bodhan says he's giving you a discount. He isn't. Nobody in-game is aware of it even when they clearly should (after visiting other merchants). So yeah, I'd say it's natural not to suspect that he's a lying scumbag ripping me off (and I indeed didn't know he was until I read this). That's what OP is complaining about and, though it hardly is a game-breaking issue, I agree with him.

[YunDog]

ENCHANTMENT?

[blaidfiste]

YunDog wrote...

ENCHANTMENT?

1.  I need some enchanting done.

[nyxocity]

Wait, but doesn't he buy everything at the exact same price he sells it for, like other merchants?In this case, you'd be making more gold by selling him all your stuff and making purchases elsewhere.

[nyxocity]

YunDog wrote...

ENCHANTMENT?

ENCHANTMENT!

And as a side note, does anyone else think it's really frickin CREEPY that you find Sandal (alone, btw) at the end of the game just before you go to fight the archdemon--in a room full of dozens of dead darkspawn and spattered with blood? WTF? Sandal obviously has some kind of other power we know nothing about. And for my money? There's only one other moment in the game that creeps me out more than his face all bloody with those blank eyes asking "Enchantment?"

[CptPatch]

thenyxie wrote...

Wait, but doesn't he buy everything at the exact same price he sells it for, like other merchants?In this case, you'd be making more gold by selling him all your stuff and making purchases elsewhere.

Everything has a value measured in money.  ALL merchants buy from the player at 25% of value.  [ONE exception: Gorim in Denerim will buy from Dwarven noble for 50% of value.]   HOWEVER, how much merchants sell to the player varies.  The very best is at 10% over value.  The absolute worst is Bodahn, who sells to the player at 50% over value.

The ONLY time a merchant will "buy everything at the exact same price he sells it for" is within the same transaction. That is, you start a series of purchases and change your mind.  If you have NOT closed the transaction window, you can "sell it back to him" for the exact same amount that you paid for it.  If you close the transaction and then open up the transaction window again, the items that you just purchased have transferred into your Inventory (having cost you Value + markup).  The merchant then would offer you only 25% of Value for something he just sold you.  ["You took possession!  Wear and tear!  You reduced it's value!  Supply and Demand!  You can't expect me to pay top price for a used item now, can you?"]

[Beneficent]

I have tried to edit Bodahn's inventory via the Dragon Age Toolset, however I must be messing this up. Does anyone have a link to a tutorial on how to edit his wares?

[Darkkyn46]

CptPatch I think you've only scratched the surface. The other day I stumbled across BioWare's intranet forum when I accidentally reversed two characters in a URL to the Awakenings wiki (it's since been changed, don't go looking for it). Among the topics (as an unregistered user I wasn't able to view the contents, only titles) were "101 ways to screw Nimbal", and "Wait Until Mikal Gets a Load of This!! His Heads Gonna POP!". There was also one long title that alluded to merchant that would follow your characters around, inside dungeons and encounters and everything, and charge more than double what Bodhan charges. And another that seemed to indicate a faction shift causing all other merchants to deny your characters any service. So yes, I believe you are onto something, BioWare is out to get you! The call is coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE!!



Seriously, I think you're reading too much into this.

[Realmzmaster]

Bodahn gets to charge a higher price for the same reason that Walgreens can charge a higher price for the same item than Walmart: Convenience and location. You do not have to buy from Bodahn. You can shop elsewhere.
The Blood Dragon armor is exclusive to Bodahn, just like you can only buy the Lifegiver ring (Garin)or Shadow of the Empire armor (Legnar) from one merchant. There are several other items that can only be purchased from a particular merchant.
If I know I can only get the item from a particular merchant you either pay the price or do without.
As far as enchantment, it is free. Bodahn charges nothing (except like most merchants) he builds the price of the free servive into his prices. But you never have to buy anything from Bohan. Just sell to him, he buys at the same price as any merchant.
If you are a dwarf noble it is better to sell to Gorim.
Bodahn is convenient because you can sell to him and buy it back later without having to worry about which merchant you sold the item.
Also the PC decides whether Bodahn stays or goes. Yes if the PC tells him to go, his inventory goes with him and lose the ability to enchant items.
Letting Bodahn stay gives more benefit to the PC than anything else.
He just like any other merchant who talk about a discount. The discount is related to the selling price charged. But you really do not know if you are getting a discount from any of the merchants who state it, since you do not know the actual selling price.

Modifié par Realmzmaster, 22 février 2010 - 10:55 .

[Eudaemonium]

Technically, isn't Ruck the most expensive 'merchant' in the game? I believe he sells at 200%+.

Also, to be fair Bodahn says he was giving you a discount - he never said that even the discounted price wouldn't be extortionate. For all you know his standard prices might be twice what he sells to you at.

[mousestalker]

Ruck is far and away the most expensive. The Wonders of Thedas aren't cheap either.

[RavenousBear]

Janar is another nasty merchant as well as in prices. I did a test and he will buy your Blood Dragon Armor Chest Plate for 7.65 sovereigns and will sell it back for over 61 sovereigns!