Best resource for first event

Trading
#1

Hello all,

I hope everybody is ready for the weekend, I’m jumping head first into my first larp next year and I’m starting preparations now.

I was looking at resources for my character as my goal is to make as much money as I can in my first event.

I was looking at the business or Farm traits as I understand you get 9 crowns from the start , if this is right are these the best traits to take to get a quick supply of money or would people recommend other things such as the mine/herb garden/mana site to sell the resources?

Any advise is welcome

Thanks

Zephrin

#2

Technically all resources should be balanced in terms of income, with the congregation being a bit wierd because it provides political power rather than income.

That said One has to be careful making sweeping statements as the price of things on the field can vary wildly and various territory wide effects might affect your actual production.

#3

Sending you a PM.
Giving first timers a nudge in the right direction is a good thing I think but don’t agree with taking the conversation in public. We don’t want debates over value and such over a forum, but at the same time if you’re new it’s ok to give you a running start.

#4

There’s also a balance of money vs roleplay; a business nets you easy income but with mines etc you have a reason to trade and talk to people, with the opportunity to either make or lose money depending on your luck and trading skill.

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#5

Ignoring the issue of value, I started with a business as it gave me easy money without needing to go out and trade etc. Now that I’ve played for a couple of years, I’ve changed to a fleet as I found that the trading was fun. I don’t regret taking to business to start with, as it gave me spending money without having to worry - I had enough on my mind starting out as it was!

It’s worth remembering that if you change your mind after your first event, PD will let you change your resource. After that, you can switch resource for a paltry 2 crowns.

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#6

Hello all,

I had a feeling it was going to be a touchy and difficult topic due to PD trying to ensure balance in the game.

I also understand that prices are going to fluctuate depending on the customer and the environment I guess my question was more of a general one that relies on what other people have found worked for them not what will work every time

Thanks

Zephrin.

#7

So I’d argue that money is the easiest way to get into more roleplay because you can always buy unique stuff or services with it. You can’t always find a good buyer for mine resources, and unused items give no game.

In terms of sheer profits, I reckon Fleets are a bit good. They sometimes have interesting DT options, and several ports give you extra stuff due to the Empire being on good terms with those nations. It’s essentially a free Resource upgrade if you go there! Also the fleet trading buffs are among the most efficient economic rituals.

You get a random port for your first event though. Also Fleets offer a mixed bag of stuff you will then want to trade away some of.

If you want to be a dedicated trader, Artisan is a fantastic skill option as it gives you 3 months of valuable crafting time each DT, and some items you can sell right now.
Mines and forests are probably most useful if you pick the resource that goes into a lot of your items. Ten you can profit on parts and labour.

#8

Hello there Jim,

Thank you for the response, in regards to the fleet how exactly does it work.

You start the event with a mixed bag of what? Is it money and resources or random things ?

#9

Mixed bag of things; mine resources, forest resources, mana, liao, money. It roughly adds up to the equivalent of another resource like a mine, but in any given season you might get slightly more or less due to trading fluctuations.

#10

Then in each season you chose where to trade with from a list and it’ll give you a bunch of stuff. Or you can choose to support a Navy which might get you money if its included in the Guerdon. Or sometimes there are special options to get involved with.

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#11

Hello all,

Thanks for the input, seems to me like the fleet is the best mix of a good solid payout and roleplay influencing items.

Anybody have any bad experiences with the fleet?

Thanks

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#12

I like mine, but you do have to have an idea of rough market prices to know which port will be your most profitable, or which resources you need the most of (I am an Artisan too so might sometimes pick the second best port to have a mixture of resources that suit me best).

#13

I’d break them down like this:

MINES, FORESTS, HERB GARDENS AND MANA SITES produce a ton of one single resource. If you use this resource - or if you have reason to believe it’s super disproportionately valuable and want to play a dealer in one specific resource - then go this way.

FARMS AND BUSINESSES give you just over a Throne in cash. This is actually a fair whack - especially if you like buying drinks and gewgaws with your IC cash rather than things that make your stats go up, this is the choice for you.

FLEETS start to get to the point where you’re plot-influenced. You need to think about where you send your fleet, because the world cares - only a little, you’re like 0.5% of the Empire’s total shipping capacity - but the winds of international diplomacy blow on your sails. Or you can support the Imperial navy, which is occasionally really really useful!

MILITARY UNITS care deeply about the plot. You ~can~ just turn them loose to gather stuff for you, but you can also get pretty good returns by paying attention to the military game - also, right, you’re contributing directly to the war effort, to the tune of 2% of the power of an Imperial army all to yourself.

CONGREGATIONS are for plot. A Congregation gives you effectively a loudhailer to talk to the smallfolk of the Empire, provided you can get your Assembly to agree with you - you get to be probably around 10-20% of your national and virtue assembly, unless you’re Highborn, then it’s more like 5%. People need your vote and will come looking for you, and you’ve got the chance to put in a Judgement, which can do things like have people executed or excommunicated, take advantage of a plot mandate or sway the hearts and minds of the people. The price you pay is that a Congregation’s income is paid in liao, and liao isn’t very materially valuable - although it is the only way to power the use of priest skills.

There are magical enchantments that boost everything but mana sites, effectively selling mana crystals for a return in whatever your resource creates. All of them are within the reach of a coven of five or so - some of them can be cast by a lone magician, if they’re a good one.

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#14

As mentioned fleets attract plot. Usually less than military units but there’s been an upswing recently.

Last season had the choice of:
Randomly run around privateering
Trade with foriegn ports, A through G.
Join a flotilla to rescue some a lost colony before the orc slavers get them.
Join a flotilla to guard the fishing fleet hauling in fish made of gems
Join the Imperial Navy as we sail off to pick a strategically valuable massive naval battle.

Yes, you can get enchantments put on fleets. This can lead to you writing up your glorious adventures. This can lead to you chortling happily while listening to the Pirates of the Carribean soundtrack, flicking through the “Seven Voyages of Sinbad” for inspiration, and writing yet another swashbuckling adventure dripping in derring-do and unlikely co-incidences. Definately a downside, you’ll agree…

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#15

Talking about specific value of resources is getting into IC territory.

I know people who have bought resources at a price that the seller thought was silly expensive.
Then walked across the field to the people who need it and made a huge profit.
And everyone involved thought they did well out of it.

If you are willing to do the leg work and wander around and trade then I believe mana/mine/forest will be more beneficial than farm and business.

Mana has been traditionally considered very valuable and in constant high demand, but then you also only get 7 mana crystals vs 10 of whatever resource.

#16

To expand on the mixed bag, you will get the output as if you traded with one of the Foreign Ports. For example at the last event, my first with a fleet, I received 24 rings, 2 measures each of Tempest Jade, Beggars Lye and Oricalchum and 2 mana crystals. (on top of the standard 18 rings everyone gets) This is the standard output for the Towers
of Kantor port in Axos.

Whereas my last character had a dragonbone forest for a guaranteed income of 10 dragonbone. That character was an artisan and I had chosen my item recipes so that dragonbone was the primary ingredient needed. I can’t say whether that was better or not.

There’s another point about politics to make: your resource can affect your right to vote for senators or bourse positions, depending on your nation. Marcher Farm owners and League Business owners are the ones who elect their senators. National seats in the bourse are appointed by the owners of certain resources.

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#17

I tend to suggest; business or farms or, fleet or unit for your first event.
Mana sites are good as mana is valuable and your certain to sell at a good price.
Mines, Forests and Congregations are mainly if your a craftsmen/priests due to there specialist nature. And as said above not being able to sell anything leaves you with little money to drink and enjoy.

#18

I hope everybody enjoyed the weekend,

I am looking to be selling snacks etc which will force my character to meet people etc and also will create some income.

What’s the best thing anybody has gotten out of a fleet bag?

Thanks

#19

I once saw someone get mana and a ring of illium from pirating.

#20

I know someone who through a quirk of probability got tempest jade every season for ages from their military unit set to raid. It was decided that they were operating a tempest jade mine on the sly.

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