Star Wars RPG Prestige Class:
Master Trader

Mater Trader Prestige Class

The Master Trader is the being that can close the deal; sell you the freighter’s worth of goods you really didn’t need, but were given too good a deal to pass up.  The Master Trader is a skilled in the fields of business.  S/he is often an adventurer who is looking to find the next new market or the next big material good or service that everyone will want.  Some are venture capitalists who are looking out for the benefit and betterment of all at a small profit; other Master Traders are shrewd beings who’s only belief is “let the buyer beware”.

Prerequisites:
Skills: Appraise 8 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Knowledge (business) 8 ranks,
Profession (merchant/trader/etc) 8 ranks.
Feats: Influence, Persuasive, Trustworthy
Reputation: +1
Special: Ownership of a protocol droid (not just a translator droid) or attracted at least one follower from any of the following classes: Diplomat, Expert, Scoundrel, Noble, or Tech Specialist.  

Class Skills (Key ability): Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Computer Use (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Int), Read/Write Language (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int) and Spot (Wis).

Vitality: 1d6+Con modifier per level.
Skill Points: 6+Int modifier per level.

The Master Trader
    

Level	Attack	Fort  SV	Ref SV	Will SV	Special	Defense	Reputation
1	+0	+0	+0	+1	Negotiator +1	+0	+1
2	+1	+0	+1	+2	Contact	+0	+2
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Credit Line	+1	+3
4	+2	+1	+2	+3	Negotiator +2	+1	+3
5	+2	+2	+2	+4	Employees	+2	+4
6	+2	+2	+2	+4	Contact	+2	+4
7	+3	+2	+3	+5	Negotiator +3	+2	+5
8	+3	+3	+3	+5	Contact	+3	+5
9	+4	+3	+4	+6	Exceptional Employees	+3	+6
10	+4	+4	+5	+7	Extended Credit Line, Negotitator +4	+4	+7

Contact:  Works similar to Contact of Crimelord except the Master Trader’s contacts are typically business oriented.  Politicians that they lobby or bribe, CEO’s of corporations, Ambassadors, Crimelords for both credit and protection, Bankers, lawyers, etc.  The contact may either provide (inside) information, provide a favor (legitimately like providing a licenses, permits etc or illicit by making it difficult for competitors) or to endorse the Master Trader’s business etc.  

Credit line: Works similar to Resource Access of Noble, Officer, Crimelord.  The Master Trader sometimes needs capital to set up new ventures.  Once per game session the Master Trader can go to a bank, government or criminal organization for a loan on venture capital.  The loan is equal to the Master Trader’s level times their Reputation Bonus times 10000.  Thus a 4th level Master Trader with a Reputation of +5 can receive up to a 200,000-credit loan to start a new business.  This can then be used to build a new facility, buy a ship, buy goods, hire workers etc.  This money must be repaid to the source.  Repayment arrangements (and any interest chargers) are made at the discretion of Game Master.  If unable to repay, the Game Master is encouraged to first ask, threaten, and then be incredibly fiendish (Bounty hunters are acceptable).  The Credit line is limited to just one line of credit per source.  (Note, if borrowed from one a Planetary or System Government, you are not allowed to borrow from a Galactic Government (i.e. Republic, Empire, Hapans, etc) or a smaller municipal government (city, state, nation) since they know you’ve taken a line of credit out already).  Taking the Master Trader’s level times their knowledge (business) modifier by 2d8 (No Force Point bonus allowed) can make a sample repayment formula that is based on the success of the Master Trader’s enterprise for a loan period.

Exceptional Credit Line: The credit line is extended further to the Master Trader Level times TWICE their reputation bonus times 100,000-credits.  This must be repaid and only one line of credit per source can be opened.

Employees: Works like Minions of Crime Lord/Sith Lord.  A Master Trader is allowed to add their Master Trader Level to any reputation check made to attract followers.  These employees are actively seeking to work for the Master Trader not just for credits, but to learn the methods and skills that the Master Trader uses.  Employees will not steal, cheat, or hurt the Master Trader in anyway. (This does not mean that other paid employees will not however.)

Exceptional Employees: The Master Trader can attract twice the number of their reputation score of Employees (as defined above).  The first set of Employees are mixed with the new set attracted and divided up 50/50 new/old, because the Master Trader typically spins off at least one operation into a new company at this time.  

Negotiator: The Master Trader is such a skilled business being that they gain a +1 bonus to any Appraise, Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, or Sense Motive check that deals with goods or services the Master Trader is interested in buying or selling.  This bonus does stack with the Fringer’s Barter or Scoundrel’s Illicit Barter Special Quality.  The bonus increases by one at the first, fouth, seventh and tenth level.

While going out on adventures and saving the city, planet, system, or galaxy can be exciting and fun, it however doesn’t pay that well nor does it set one up for a happy retirement.  There are several large Stock Exchanges on Coruscant, Corellia, Bothuwui, etc. available for a hero or venture capitalist to sink their credits into.  This is a perfect tool to introduce for the Master Trader PrC or any other class that needs to make credits but doesn’t necessarily want to work that hard for it.  

Playing the stock market is not a “get rich quick” mechanism.  The governments of the galaxy encourage capital investment over a long period of times.  There are heavy penalties and taxes associated with early withdrawal for private citizens (50% of all money earned) before the 2/3 of the average species life span.  (Example, Wookies have an average life span of 400 years.  They would be penalized the 50% if they withdrew any credits tied up in stock before age 266).  Corporations/Banks/Business are not penalized or regulated as such.  They however are still encouraged to keep things in their stocks.  A business is penalized 50% of all earnings if withdrawing their investment after 1 week, 25% after 1 month, and 0% if after 1 year.  (For the in-between time frames extrapolate on a descending scale).  The player pays a flat commission to a brokerage (negotiate in good faith with GM, average 50 credits per company invested in), and then invests as many credits as the player character wishes.  When the player wishes to withdraw the credits, the %d is rolled.  There can be only one roll to simulate the market average or separate rolls can be made for each company invested in (but you must choose only one method).  Subtract any penalty based on time frame, individual/business etc.  Any credits made are the player characters.  Example: If George invests 100 credits in Company X as a private citizen.  Anna invests 2000 credits as a business operation: 500 Credits in Company X, 500 in Company Y and 1000 credits in Company Z.  After 1 year, George and Anna wish to withdrawal their investments from Company X.  For Company X’s stock, their GM rolls the %d=51 for Company X, 36 for Company Y, and 83 for Company Z.  Company X makes George 562 credits (50% penalty on profit) and Anna 625 credits (business, no penalty) on company X.  On companies Y, Anna loses 125 credits, and walks away with only 375 credits.  On Company Z, Anna yields 2000 credits (1000 credit investment +1000-credit increase).