Smuggler Archive

I have two character on Chimaera, this one is a Master Smuggler, Master Pistoleer and Teras Kasi Master. The other character is a 4/4/4/4 Merchant and Master Doctor.

The thing that is interesting (to me at least) is the different behaviour to a Master Smuggler who's slicing and a Master Doctor who's buffing.

Slicing: I pick up some tools, probably worth about 50k total and enough to slice maybe 125 items (an estimate since I actually make my Molecular Clamps and Laser Knifes myself and prices would vary from server to server). I charge the following:

8k per slice
24k for a full suit of wookie armor.
45k for a full suit of ubese armor.
60k for a full suit of composite armor.

I got to Coronet and advertise my service (I don't actually do that often), if I'm unlucky theres another Master Smuggler there doing the same. The last time I did this I made about 400k in a 3 to 4 hour period and sliced a few suits of armor, some single armor pieces and a number of weapons. Thats not a bad job as I don't spam spatial every 10 seconds.

Out of those customers, about 50% don't complain and are polite and (in some cases very) happy. The rest complain that I'm not using good enough tools (I've given up trying to correct them), I charge to much (but they pay anyway) or I've ruined their gun (sigh). I've probably had about 50% that have asked the price and never gotten back to me or have told me in no uncertain terms to get lost (and thats putting it politely). In short, my Smuggler needs a larger ignore list.

Buffing: I pick up some buff packs (750k for 165 total buff sets) some poison and disease resist packs (250k total for about 150 chages of each) some Bilivo (or whatever its called, 200k IIRC for 75 portions) and some Brandy (225k IIRC for something like 500 portions), A total of 1.425 million credits. Slightly more than by Smuggler I charge like this:

14k for a full buff (15k if there no one with higher buff values charging 15k) 2398 strength for 3hrs 20mins,
17k (or 18k) adds on a disease and poison resist buff.

I go to coronet and advertise, theres three other Doc's there, one with 2500 power buffs (charging 15k), one with 2400 power buffs (charging 15k) and one with 2100 power buffs (charging IIRC 12k). I started out with 70k in cash and no credits in the bank. 3 or 4 hours later I've got 200k cash and 1.3 million credits in the bank. Everything is basically paid for, I've still got 90% of my Brandy and Bilivo left, 99% of the resist buffs left and over 1/2 of my buff packs left.

The interesting part is the people. People were asking me if I was buffing before I even advertised. If I stopped advertising to clear the people waiting I got people asking me in tells if I was buffing. When I went afk for a min I came back to find someone begging for a buff.

I had no complaints at all about pricing, some people even tipped me more than I was asking (one said I was undercharging), some tipped me twice by accident and told me to keep it when I pointed it out to them. One guy tipped me 200k to jump the queue.

Only once did someone ask me for a cheaper buff, and only by 1k. They were apparently new at least to the server (no badges, no masters, no guild) so I decided to give the discount, but he did ask very politly and thanked my profusly when I buffed him. (OK, I'm a sucker but the bit that got me was he asked, not demanded...)

Also only once did someone act up, he claimed to have direct tipped me for a buff (which my advert says not to do) and I couldn't prove if they had or not so refused to buff him.

So theres the view from the Smuggler/Doctor's point. People like Doc's and apparently are willing to pay but a good percent feel like smugglers are there to be taken advantage of.

Well, I thought it was interesting...

Anyone else want to comment?

*Paging Doctor Undergrid, Doctor Undergrid Your Needed In The Intensive Care Unit*

Master Doc walks towards the Med Center. Guy1 Approaches.

Guy1: Hey buddy can you slice a set of Composite
U: Sure
*bank tip to Undergrid*

Doctor continues to walk to med center, because of an sick person, guy2 approaches

Guy2: Hey can I get a buff I need to go loot uber items
U: Sure
*Bank tip to Undergrid*

Undergrid reaches the med center to see a poisoned dead wookie lying in the middle of the floor as the surgical bots frown upon him.

Sorry really nothing to comment; I play for the role not for the pay.

In all honesty here is the rub. When you go to a Doc you know what you are paying for and will get it, no bull. You walk up to a Smuggler, you are walking up to a one armed bandit hoping for three cherries but getting to lemons and a pinaple instead, most likely. With a Doc you are paying for a few hours of game play with no real downtime, lots of cash if you want to solo group (which I detest btw) or tons of xp. Nice trade for 10-15k. With a slice you are paying for a gamble that may or may not pay off. Its a reflection of the total and complete randomness of the the skill. There is no way to hedge the bet, to way to play the odds and you only get one hand to make or break. I spend a Bantha butt load of money for a DWB weapon and the slice goes poorly I am going to be upset. As a Smuggler I understand the risks but your average schmo isn't really going to grasp the concept. Its our lot in life.