D&D (2024) Making and Selling Potions for Fun and Profit?

[DragonLancer]

Firstly, apologies if this is a topic that has been asked previously or covered somewhere on these here forums, but I've searched and found nothing. Hopefully though, you can shed some light on our query.

So, in a couple weeks I start to run my first D&D campaign in 1 years (we skipped 4th and 5th for Pathfinder 1) and one of my players has decided on a Druid and he wants to make potions of healing for the group during downtime so they don't have to rely heavily on him as no one is going for a dedicated healer role. To help finance this at least at lower levels he wants to be able to sell some about the town where the party is based (Saltmarsh). Looking through how the PHB 2024 has it, the character spends 25gp (half the sale cost) on ingredients to brew said potion but despite buying from an NPC where it would cost you 50gp, he can only sell it for half that thus only covering his costs, which seems odd. The player in question is a long time player of mine and I know he's not out to create some infinite gold production but outside of me saying as DM that he can sell a few and get 50gp, it doesn't seem that PC crafting under the rules makes any money. Are we just missing something here? Thanks.

 

[Distracted DM]

Without looking at the rules, it's quite possible that those sales rules are there specifically so players can't make money from crafting- does that make sense in the context of the world? Not really, but DnD is a game about killing monsters and maybe telling stories.. it's not about real economics and building a business and abusing power/mechanics to become rich. You become rich by slaying a dragon, or stealing its treasure... And if it's sword and sorcery like Conan, you spend all that treasure on carousing! Then you need to adventure again, cuz now you're poor.

If you're confident that the player isn't going to abuse it, then sure let them craft and sell options at the going rate- but also, how many potions are going to sell? Are there lots of adventurers around spending that much coin?

 

[abirdcall]

The rules for selling at half price only apply to equipment.

The DMG has rules for selling magic items and it does not specify that they are sold at half price. It just has suggestions of prices and leaves it up to the DM.

Using the DMG guidelines a Potion of Healing is worth 50gp to sell.

The DMG also has a section saying that the rules do not represent an economy and are not meant to be used to make profit at scale.

So, unsurprisingly, it is up to you.

 

[aco175]

I suppose that the druid can find a band of adventurers to buy potions for 50gold each. Realistically you have middle men and shipping costs so the druid should sell to the general store for 30gold, but whatever.

The bigger point is that you have a hook with another group of PCs buying potions to use. Maybe foreshadow the group saying that they are going to where the PCs are going and looking to find the McGuffin. They could be some frenemies of the PCs and use the potions while fighting them.

 

[ezo]

he can only sell it for half that thus only covering his costs, which seems odd.

Where are you reading this? I haven't seen it, but could have missed it.

Frankly, if it is the case, ignore it. Stupid 2024 rules rear their ugly head again.

Anyway, I would also caution his sale of potions of healing 1) require a population large enough to have the cash to spend 50 gp on such an item and want them and 2) could easily create resentment from any other herbalist who makes a living by selling such potions. Cutting into their livelihood won't likely go over well IMO.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

The PHB says that you need 25 gold worth of raw materials, not that you must BUY 25 gold of raw materials. So there are a few ways to make profit here:

• Loot raw materials from monsters (e.g. blood from any regenerating monster)
• Loot raw materials from foraging herbs
• Buy 25g worth of materials but negotiate the price down with Persuasion and/or that stupid Crafter feat
• Sell potions at higher than 25g using Persuasion, XGtE downtime rules, or just plain old DM fiat

 

[LordEntrails]

Here's what I would do with the assumption that the intent is to make potions for the party while selling enough of them to pay for the party's supply...

Option A) player buys raw materials. This results in the party keeping 1 out of every 3 potions they make (the other two go towards buying raw materials).
Option B) someone with appropriate skills in the party provides most of the raw materials (probably still need vials etc). If this is the druid, then he has less time to make potions. In this case, the party keeps 2 out of every 3 potions they make (the one goes towards the materials they party can't harvest plus living expenses).

It's simple, and all you have to worry about is how many potions they can make in any given downtime. edit: because it doesn't produce any profit/income.

 

[Oofta]

In my campaign? I don't want to play Businesses & Bookkeeping. So if you start selling potions, you get a visit from the local potioner's guild so that you can pay the proper dues. In fact you suddenly find it difficult to purchase the proper herbs you need because the herbalist guild is in on this as well. Then there's the question of finding customers, etc..

Actually it would never get that far because I would just tell people that they can make enough money to pay for living expenses and if they want to set up a side business as a downtime activity, we can discuss it. But making goods for sale simply isn't profitable because they're adventurers, not shopkeepers.

 

[DragonLancer]

The DMG also has a section saying that the rules do not represent an economy and are not meant to be used to make profit at scale.

So, unsurprisingly, it is up to you.

Yeah, I understand that. We are just making sure that we are reading it right before we jump in.

Where are you reading this? I haven't seen it, but could have missed it.

Frankly, if it is the case, ignore it. Stupid 2024 rules rear their ugly head again.

Anyway, I would also caution his sale of potions of healing 1) require a population large enough to have the cash to spend 50 gp on such an item and want them and 2) could easily create resentment from any other herbalist who makes a living by selling such potions. Cutting into their livelihood won't likely go over well IMO.

I don't have my PHB to hand but we both read it in the equipment section I believe. It could be, as others have mentioned just be referring to selling mundane equipment, which is probably what I will go with.

I know the player isn't out to generate shed loads of free gold. It's more just a small sideline thing at lower levels.

 

[DragonLancer]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I think we may have just read something and perhaps assumed it works with how Pathfinder or previous editions did it.