How to build a planar trader?

DM wants me to build a second character. One character will handle adventuring part of the campaign while the second handles economic, politics and the likes. We use something similar to elite array (15,14,13,12,11,10).

I want the character to administer an inter-planar trade company. So it will need some means of planar travel and social skills. It doesn't need much combat capability.

I have two ideas but I don't really like any of them:
1) Human bard using portals to travel. Bard covers skills easily and it can use portals to trade... the problem is so can everyone else and the character can't prevent them from doing this. Or is there a way for a bard to covertly transport a lot of goods?

2) Human Cloistered Cleric with Dynamic Priest feat, Trickery and Travel domains. The same skills as Bard but can handle planar travel on it's own with Plane Shift... starting level 9 which is a bit late.

Could you help me with this? It would be perfect if there was an item or race that allows planar travel before ECL 9. I don't need it very often - even once a week would be enough.

Or maybe you could give me tips how a bard (or any skill monkey/party face) could hide location of a portal he uses from others?

You are essentially building the Trygalle Trade Guild?

A group of psions could do this with the Astral Caravan spell (as far as I know, the soonest you will get some form of inter-planar travel)

Pertinent question: Are there pre-established portals? Like, just open portals between realms that you can use? Because that's incredibly relevant. If you don't need to cast your own planar transport, it makes everything easier.

Very cool idea, I love planewalking.

Nomad Psion is certainly unbeatable in terms of early access to the Planes.

Apart from that, be sure to pick up the Mercantile Background feat from FR. You'll make fantastic amounts of money if this trader fences the loot that your other character gains. ^^

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Originally Posted by Asheram

You are essentially building the Trygalle Trade Guild?

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Hmm I don't know Trygalle Trade Guild but as I understand it's transporting on the same plane - I want to trade with different planes.

Starting with little things (I'm sure some rich people will pay to taste heavenly/hellish food) later maybe magic items, services, souls, rare creatures, ...

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Originally Posted by Asheram

A group of psions could do this with the Astral Caravan spell (as far as I know, the soonest you will get some form of inter-planar travel)

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I'll have to convince my DM to allow psionics first... He thinks it' overpowered (and he let's us play full casters). But thanks I I can get this it will do just the thing :smallsmile:

And if I don't... do you know how much would cost custom item of Astral Caravan 1/day or 1/week?

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Originally Posted by Deth Muncher

Pertinent question: Are there pre-established portals? Like, just open portals between realms that you can use? Because that's incredibly relevant. If you don't need to cast your own planar transport, it makes everything easier.

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There are. For now virtually no one knows about them. But if I turn them into profit I'll need a way to monopolize them.

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Originally Posted by Firechanter

Apart from that, be sure to pick up the Mercantile Background feat from FR. You'll make fantastic amounts of money if this trader fences the loot that your other character gains. ^^

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Thanks for that one it fits really nice with the character.

I asked about Psionics and the answer was "No" :(

Oh well. Could you help me build something effective for maintaining monopoly over a portal at ECL 5-9? Currently only idea I have is using WBL-mancy to setup traps/strongholds over the portal but that doesn't seem effective.

Is there perchance any Cleric Domain that gives access to Plane Shift at level 4? I don't know any, but I've lost track of the plethora of domains long ago...

It would be wonderful but I also don't recall any domains with Planeshift.

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Originally Posted by ahenobarbi

I asked about Psionics and the answer was "No" :(

Oh well. Could you help me build something effective for maintaining monopoly over a portal at ECL 5-9? Currently only idea I have is using WBL-mancy to setup traps/strongholds over the portal but that doesn't seem effective.

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Er, are you trying to say "I need a way to make it so that I, and only I, can use a given portal?"

Because the answer to that is hirelings.

Alternately, if you were the one CRAFTING the portal, you could make it where you have to have a keystone to open (check the Forgotten Realms books for more), but that requires you to be a much higher level.

You might ask your DM if you could maybe have found a portal with a keystone?

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Originally Posted by Deth Muncher

Er, are you trying to say "I need a way to make it so that I, and only I, can use a given portal?"

Because the answer to that is hirelings.

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Yes I mean that. You mean Hirelings as in "hirelings guard the portal" or "hirelings go to trade while I sit on top of the portal making sure only people I want to use it"?

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Originally Posted by Deth Muncher

Alternately, if you were the one CRAFTING the portal, you could make it where you have to have a keystone to open (check the Forgotten Realms books for more), but that requires you to be a much higher level.

You might ask your DM if you could maybe have found a portal with a keystone?

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Crafting portals requires level 17 and access to 9th level spells. And they are extremely expansive (So buying one is impossible I think).

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Originally Posted by ahenobarbi

Yes I mean that. You mean Hirelings as in "hirelings guard the portal" or "hirelings go to trade while I sit on top of the portal making sure only people I want to use it"?

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I mean, either one really. Probably leaning more towards the having them guard the portal end of things, but y'know.

Actually, when you hit Lv.6, get Leadership, and that way you don't even have to pay for hirelings.

Well, if your DM allows the cost of the item to be hand-waved, you could always get a character with an Amulet of the Planes. It does have a chance of failure, but it also has no use limit, so you can reliably get to where you're trying to go eventually.

Just...pick up another item to protect you when you inevitably end up in the elemental plane of fire.

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Originally Posted by Der_DWSage

Well, if your DM allows the cost of the item to be hand-waved, you could always get a character with an Amulet of the Planes. It does have a chance of failure, but it also has no use limit, so you can reliably get to where you're trying to go eventually.

Just...pick up another item to protect you when you inevitably end up in the elemental plane of fire.

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No he won't hand weave the cost :(

However 1/day version would cost "just" 24'000... still a bit too much.

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Originally Posted by ahenobarbi

No he won't hand weave the cost :(

However 1/day version would cost "just" 24'000... still a bit too much.

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If he isn't handwaving the cost of the amulet, why do you expect him to handwave the cost of the portal? If you've got sole access to a portal that's equivalent to owning it, and would cost 200,000gp out of your WBL.

If you want early planar travel and can't get it through Nomad, Artificer can do it at level 7 with a scroll of Plane Shift.

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Originally Posted by Urpriest

If he isn't handwaving the cost of the amulet, why do you expect him to handwave the cost of the portal? If you've got sole access to a portal that's equivalent to owning it, and would cost 200,000gp out of your WBL.

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Let's say I know my DM and I think it's quite likely he will not include portal in my WBL as it's a plot device (because it's preexisting portal... if I wanted to craft one I'd have to pay) but he will not (probably) give me an amulet for free as a plot device.

One reason is that an amulet is easier to abuse (by selling it) and some players would do it (and he wants to treat players equally).

[QUOTE=Urpriest;14105473]If you want early planar travel and can't get it through Nomad, Artificer can do it at level 7 with a scroll of Plane Shift./QUOTE]

This would cost a bit over 1100gp a travel (both ways) so I think this could work, thanks :smallsmile:

I talked to my DM and I will use a portal for trade. I will take Landlord feat, use the money to build my company (money will be fluffed as coming from it) :smallbiggrin:

So what build would you suggest for planar trade company manager? I think he will need max skills in Appraise, Bluff, Diplomancy, Forgery, Gather Information, Knowledge(Planes), Sense Motive. And some ranks for UMD and Speak Language. I think first level in Rogue would be good to get those x4 ranks for UMD and Speak Language but after that I don't know...

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Originally Posted by ahenobarbi

I talked to my DM and I will use a portal for trade. I will take Landlord feat, use the money to build my company (money will be fluffed as coming from it) :smallbiggrin:

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Or you could, you know, get rich people and banks to invest in your company. Sure, they get company stock, but it ultimately saves you a feat. Just maintain a controlling share in the company (51%) and let the rest be publicly traded.

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Originally Posted by Slipperychicken

Or you could, you know, get rich people and banks to invest in your company. Sure, they get company stock, but it ultimately saves you a feat. Just maintain a controlling share in the company (51%) and let the rest be publicly traded.

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Thanks for the suggestion, I'll talk to my DM and see if I can get it. I don't really need the feat (it would come form "primary" character who is Focused Conjurer 3/ Master Specialist 4 (planned Focused Conjurer 3/Master Specialist 10/Fate Spiner 4/ ?? 3)) but why throw away perfectly good feat slot :smallwink:

Talk to your DM and see if you can set up shop in Sigil. If you know the right contacts with the right gates you're in business.

Ofcourse that assumes that you do have the right contacts or Sigil becomes a very well-guarded prison.

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Originally Posted by ahenobarbi

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll talk to my DM and see if I can get it.

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Shouldn't be too hard if he understands how businesses actually work IRL. Getting people to lend you money (or buy company stock) is pretty much the only way start-up businesses can acquire the capital to, you know, start up. Unless you devote your life savings to it, or are fabulously wealthy yourself.


Also, have your character write out a business plan before making his proposal to banks/investors (complete with long-term objectives divided up into time periods, target markets, research, etc.), using his ranks in Profession (Businessman). Investors looooove business plans, and will give you better loans if you have a promising one.

If your DM allows you to, take the feat mercantile background. You can sell adventuring goods at 75% and once a month buy something at 75%. You could also go for a super high diplomacy and use the haggle rules for selling things at an insane price! Combine it with Landlord and you can get some insane stuff. Like buy a keep at 50% of the price, wait a good month and buy the ability to make it plane shift for 50%. Then use that as your base and storage unit. Or buy that super powerful sword and then resell it at like... twice the price!

You could always go for a Jann

6 RHD +5 LA is ECL 11 for starters, but the skill points are solid.

The Plane shift has limitations which are not mentioned in the SRD, so you need to check this in the MM.

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Originally Posted by Magnera

once a month buy something at 75%.

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Two words: Currency markets.

Buy money. Buy LOTS of money. Make >33.33% profit every month. Watch your investors s*** their pants

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Originally Posted by nedz

You could always go for a Jann

6 RHD +5 LA is ECL 11 for starters, but the skill points are solid.

The Plane shift has limitations which are not mentioned in the SRD, so you need to check this in the MM.

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Unfortunately they get limited Plane Shift at ECL 11 (2 levels after cleric). Bu I think I'll use a portal anyway - this gives me more freedom with character creation :smallsmile:

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Originally Posted by Magnera

If your DM allows you to, take the feat mercantile background. You can sell adventuring goods at 75% and once a month buy something at 75%. You could also go for a super high diplomacy and use the haggle rules for selling things at an insane price! Combine it with Landlord and you can get some insane stuff. Like buy a keep at 50% of the price, wait a good month and buy the ability to make it plane shift for 50%. Then use that as your base and storage unit. Or buy that super powerful sword and then resell it at like... twice the price!

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Originally Posted by Slipperychicken

Two words: Currency markets.

Buy money. Buy LOTS of money. Make >33.33% profit every month. Watch your investors s*** their pants

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Now that's some plan :nale: