Since July 3rd, I've done several hundred work orders on a number of characters and asked others for help (on the guild/stat-based x-variable below).

What I've come up with has been this:

The formula for 2-item work order pay is:

pay = (x +/- Rand(0;.05))*y+3000 for Hard orders
pay = (x-.2 +/- Rand(0;.05))*y+2000 for Challenging orders
pay = (x-.4 +/- Rand(0;.05))*y+1000 for Easy orders.

x is based on Guild plus Charisma/300, rounded down, where starting values are 1.05 for Trader, .95 for Empath and Bards, and .90 for everyone else. (Presumptive, still missing Paladin, Barbarian, Necromancer, and Warrior Mage)

y is based on the value of the items used in the work order. This is USUALLY the appraisal value of the items used in the order. Still working on a formula for it for when it is not.

I thought it was equal to the appraisal value of the items in the work order for common metal forged and all non-forged, but I've had some oddities pointed out from someone turning in tailored armor in Shard, that I've duplicated it being not the appraisal value when I turned in silk hauberks, but then when I've turned in burlap hauberks in Riverhaven (my usual haunt for crafting) it does equal the appraisal value, but silk does not. Silk hauberks are off by a nearly identical amount between the two places (Roughly 87.63% of the expected y-value). Cheaper fabrics are off by less, wool and linen are 98.69% and 93.94% expected.

As for forging, I've done 100% nickel, bronze, iron, and lead and they have followed appraisal value. 100% pewter and any silver mix I've tried (from 5 to 33% to 100% with a lot in between 5 and 33) has not equaled the appraisal value though. Haven't gotten to doing gold or platinum mixes yet, I'm still playing with silver mixes. I haven't done any work in armor or weaponsmithing, I'm a career Blacksmith, but a paladin doing some looks like it holds true for armorsmithing in 100% iron.

So, to use a real example proven from testing, a 20 Charisma Moon Mage has an x-value of .96 (.90+20/300, or .9+.06) and has smithed up a bunch of bronze tapered mixing sticks (Tier 6), with an appraised value of 1000 lirum each. He turns them in using Hard orders and gets paid an average of 4920 (.96*2000+3000), but sees randomness between 4820 and 5020, in 20 copper (.01*2000) differences.

If that same Moon Mage later tried turning them in as Challenging work, they would only recieve pay of (.76*2000+2000), or an average pay of 3520 +/-100 copper lirum.

And far later, as easy work, they would only recieve an average pay of (.56*2000+1000), or 2120 +/- 100 copper lirum.

Some testing with blacksmithing, tailoring, and (bone) carving (Sorry, that's 99.99% of what I do) suggests that material quality and the item outcome quality are not factors for non-Forging, but are factors for Forging. That is, I've seen the same item appraisals and work order pay for carving and tailoring whether it be exceptional or masterful crafted items, and whether it be storebought cloth/bone material or 99 quality non-storebought. But using a really crappy bronze mix (like 44 quality that I got mixed in) resulted in a serious docking of pay. Getting less than mastercrafted forging results in a slightly cheaper appraisal, and thus less pay.

Lastly, as an addendum, I caught that the value of store-bought bone stacks dropped as I had old bone that appraised for more and when restocking it was worth less. And paid less. On the order of going from a y of 1190 lirum with pay of 4404 lirum on Tier 2 deer-bone pins to 360 lirum with pay of 3424 lirum on Tier 3 deer-bone cloak pins (with 1 work order turned in on the Tier 2 pins that was "new" bone and I saw that plummeting drop).

Naniaki Felyran

"I have faith in the current crop of GMs to not screw people over"

>>Actually an opinion cannot be changed or corrected. Nice try back of line.-VERATHOR
>>But it can be wrong.-Starlear

Is the trader bonus caused by trading skill?

In your research have you found any information on how work orders related to trading experience? I have noticed recently that I get the exact same for a given work order regardless of quality based on (not sure which is the driver) either the number of items or the material count per item.

Example..on a 3 item order I always get 9/34 mind ranks and on a 6 item order its 18/34. There is no consideration for master quality vs exceptional or for the material used in the crafting...the trading experience for me is always the same. I have been making the same item though, so I am uncertain if I change the volume in the item if it will increase/decrease the trading experience.

When I sign in later I will try changing what I make to have a higher volume of material and see if that factors in for me.

<<
Base payouts:
Hard: 3 gold plus 85-95% of the appraisal value of the item.
Challenging: 2 gold plus 65-75% percent of the appraisal value of the item.
Easy: 1 gold plus 45-55% percent of the appraisal value of the item
>>

Is that 3 gold for the order plus 85-95% per each item...or 3 gold + 85%-95% per item?