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I am just getting started in IWD, having played a lot of NWN. I can't figure out how to work the first merchant. My first character bought the stuff he wanted successfully, but he needs to sell something and I can't get that done. Then my second character is told she can't afford what she has selected, although she can, without going back to an earlier save before the group started talking to the merchant. Could some kind soul give me a step-by-step on how to buy and sell in IWD? I have the general idea from NWN, it's the mechanics. I apologize for the uninteresting baby question.

From what I recall about money in the game, it's pooled together for all characters. It's quite possible that you spent all your money equipping your first character. I know plate mail is quite expensive for starting characters. You may also be dealing with some sort of bug in the game, so I'd recommend you find the latest patch to see if that fixes the problem. Please post again to let me know if you need further help.

Not each merchant buys everything. You'll have to find another merchant or throw the things away if they are not worth carrying around.

Thanks for the responses ...

DaveO and Kmonster.

DaveO, if the money is pooled (that answers a big question I had filed away in my mind!), that would explain the second-character-can't-afford problem. Many thanks!

Kmonster, my problem with not being able to sell is that I can't get to the point where I can indicate what I'd like to sell: no selling form comes up. I'm sure I don't know the mechanics. There is a buy/sell box at the bottom of the screen that I hoped was a toggle, but it doesn't seem to respond to my touch. My char can't say he'd like to sell something, only that he'd like to buy something. I know that in these games perseverence wins, but I have tried for a long time.

There is a strategy guide that comes with my Icewind Dale: the Ultimate Collection, and a sheet explaining most of the buttons, but no info on my problem.

Hints would be much appreciated ...

Selling an item follows the same procedure as buying one: First, you need to select the item you want to sell in the right list. To do so, click on the icon image. A red border appears. Next click the Sell button on the right side. Voilà.

But: If the items text is greyed out, you can't sell it (like the quarterstaff). And you can only sell items from your backpack, not readied weapons nor worn armour.

That Explains a Lot ...

Raedwulf: I'm at the beginning, and I wanted my characters who weren't proficient in quarterstaves to sell some of them if they could, but the quarterstaves are the only items they own at the moment and they are equipped! So that's why nothing showed up in the Sell column. Now I think I have enough info to proceed, thanks to y'all!

You should be able to buy all the weapons you want, but keep in mind that you're looking to equip your group with basic items and some weapons are a bit too steep to warrant purchasing. I think the flail and bastard sword are too high if I recall correctly. Also, splint mail is a good starter choice that is definitely more affordable than plate mail. You should get those large shields since this will be your last chance for a while...

Thanks, DaveO ...

I have bought some necessary cheap weapons for my party and have a related question ... If one party member has an item in inventory that he found, but can't equip -- but another party member could use -- can a transfer from one inventory to another be worked? Or do the characters get the stuff appropriate to them automatically? Does the stuff looted automatically be appropriate to whoever's looting? Or would, say, the mage who found the axe have to sell it to the merchant and then the dwarf buy it for twice the sale price?

Just click on the item to select it in the inventory and drag it to the portrait for the person you want to carry it. Then you can go to their inventory and equip it.

Don't Forget

While you are in there to go upstairs and loot his lounge. S/B a random spell and some other minor stuff.

mr_sir and Philos, thanks very much ...

there had to be some device for equipping everyone without letting merchants take half value!

I did loot the merchant's lounge, where my thief found a better dagger than the one he had just bought, so he had something to try to 'sell' and I could see y'all's advice work! Thanks again for helping me get past these newbie hangups.

Couple of other merchant tips

If I may also offer a couple of other thoughts. Don't have each character purchase stuff individually from the merchant. The price you pay is affected by your character's charisma. Always use your character with the best charisma (reflects the merchants reaction to the persuasion ability of the charisma) to do the buying (and then transfer to other PCs). I do not think (IIRC) it matters when selling something, only buying. Or have that PC at least initiate the buying session ("I think" whoever initiates the buy session sets the merchants reaction & price) and then just alternate between your various PC's along the tool bar on the right. Just don't hit the "done" button till you get through all the characters you want to have buy or sell. The higher the charisma the lower the price you pay.

If you get the friends spell for your mage they can cast it and raise charisma even more.

When you get to a merchant and want to sell something. Transfer all of items that are the same to one character. Once a merchant buys an item your selling price goes down for that item regardless of how many were previously sold. But you can sell at least 16 (number of backpack slots) at the premium price with that merchant. So if you get 16 sets of chainmail in your most recent foray, don't divide them up when it is time to sell. You obviously will need to divide them to carry them back but once at the merchant transfer all to one character. The first batch you sell (even if just 1) might fetch say around 30 gp apiece. Every subsequent batch will get a greatly reduced price of about 16 gp. Not a huge deal with smaller cost items but will definitely make a difference later on with higher price magically items you will get in quantity (like +1 longswords).

Thanks so much, Philos ...

your post was tremendously helpful. I had read about having the charisma-heavy party member deal with merchants, but I didn't know how to implement this.

The interface to this game is different enough from NWN to be confusing to me, but once I get used to it I should be in business. That, and playing, not as henchmen or summonses but as characters, six people, in combat. We have made some progress and have done the sea-sprite, the wolf, and of course the beetles, with trial-and-error, but I plan to spend quite some time in Easthaven before venturing forth.