Trading (Cyberpunk RED)
Definition
Trading is negotiation over value: buying, selling, bartering, and setting terms. In a city where almost everything the crew needs is bought from someone who would rather overcharge them, it is the skill that decides what a job is worth after expenses. At the table it does two jobs. First, it makes gear affordable, which for an edgerunner crew is a constant pressure since weapons, ammunition, medical care, and cyberware all cost real money. Second, it sets the crew's fee. The character who negotiates the contract is deciding the entire session's payout, which makes Trading one of the few social skills with a directly measurable effect on the sheet.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
Can Trading get me anything I want?
No, it changes the price and terms of things that are already available. Sourcing something restricted or rare is a matter of contacts and Streetwise, and a Fixer's role ability, before the haggling starts.
Do sellers roll back?
Usually yes, as an opposed Trading roll. A professional dealer will have real ranks, so an untrained buyer negotiating against a Fixer should expect to lose that exchange.
Is Trading worth it if we have a Fixer?
The Fixer normally handles it, but a second capable negotiator matters when the crew splits up or when the Fixer is the one being negotiated with.