Types of fantasy businesses?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Too often in fantasy games, I only really see the usual mundane types of shops. Blacksmiths, butchers, clothing shops, medicine shops, horse stables, etc. Maybe you will see a one off alchemist shop or a shop for mage items, and that's it. It seems that the devs of fantasy games cannot conceive of populating their worlds with lots of fantastical shops. Why do you think that is?

I am trying to compile a list of possible shop ideas we could see more in fantasy games. Does anyone have ideas? Here is what I have I come up with:

• Mage portal business that charges money (or is paid by taxpayer dollars) to provide portal transportation to far away places. WoW's mage towers in Orgrimmar/Stormwind and the Mage's Guild in Elder Scrolls did this.
• Shop that sells and repairs magitek weapons. Trails does this.
• Shop that sells mechs. KotoR had a droid shop on Tatooine, and the N64 podracer game had a shop with Podracer and engines lying around, and IIRC one of the Harebrained Schemes Shadowrun games did this. I cannot recall any example of a business that sold big mechs.
• Airship/Spaceship dealership. Star Citizen had one on Hurston and you could walk around the ships and enter them before buying.
• Generic enchanter/mage item shop.
• Generic alchemist shop
• Generic adventurer's guild that takes on bodyguard or monster extermination requests.
• Generic seedy thieves' guild or place you can go to put a hit on somebody.
• Shop that sells fantastical pets or mounts.
• Seedy slave shop with monsters and cute catgirls in cages. Have only seen this in anime.
• Magic artifact appraisal shop.
• Auction house for magical artifacts or creatures.

[Stack of Turtles]

I hate too much magic in a setting. Magic should be WEIRD and not something you would even trust for everyday use even if it were readily available which it shouldn't be.

[Acrux]

Magical tax preparation services

[Vergil]

Seedy slave shop with monsters and cute catgirls in cages. Have only seen this in anime.

[rusty_shackleford]

Is it a pet shop or a slave shop?

[Vergil]

Is it a pet shop or a slave shop?

[Irenaeus]

I read the list and I think you covered all magic stuff possible. Maybe a graveyard/boneyard for a necromancer?

[Vergil]

It seems that the devs of fantasy games cannot conceive of populating their worlds with lots of fantastical shops. Why do you think that is?

I think you're conflating a deliberate decision with an inability to do so. Making magic so mundane comes with a multitude of worldbuilding implications that they may not want to have be a part of their setting.

[Stack of Turtles]

It seems that the devs of fantasy games cannot conceive of populating their worlds with lots of fantastical shops. Why do you think that is?

I think you're conflating a deliberate decision with an inability to do so. Making magic so mundane comes with a multitude of worldbuilding implications that they may not want to have be a part of their setting.

I think a lot of people, especially on the weebier end where goofy poorly thought out magitech is more common, don't really fathom how utterly destructive this is.

[rusty_shackleford]

A catgirl shop in every town!

[Vaako]

The hospital in Fallout NV was nice with the perma upgrades you could buy. But I dont think shops in general is a good idea to aquire the best gear. The surge1/2 for example was designed arround that you have to aim for the body parts of the enemies to get the armor they wear, which made collecting that stuff pretty fun, game was pretty short tho. So similar to monster hunter and tail cuts in dark souls1 I guess.

[ArcaneLurker]

Magical genome alteration services.

[rusty_shackleford]

The less high fantasy you get, the more specialized shops tend to become. Alchemist and herbalist will become separate etc., Continue down until you have cobblers.

[Vergil]

My concept for a fantasy business is game developer that doesn't worship ******* and *******

[Tangerine]

My concept for a fantasy business is game developer that doesn't worship ******* and *******

There goes my suspension of disbelief.

[UltraFan123]

The Eberron campaign book covers this; basically all aspects of everyday life are overseen by house families of specialized spellcasters called "dragonmarked".

One of those families even had factories that produced floating fortresses.

[rusty_shackleford]

The Eberron campaign book covers this; basically all aspects of everyday life are overseen by house families of specialized spellcasters called "dragonmarked".

One of those families even had factories that produced floating fortresses.

Dungeons and dragons online default setting is eberron, and is where the majority of content is set but it does go to other settings.
Worth playing, very underrated imo.

Everything I know about eberron I learned from playing ddo

[Vergil]

Worth playing, very underrated imo.

Only if you're rich to pay money infinitely though unfortunately.

[Tadeusz]

I am trying to compile a list of possible shop ideas we could see more in fantasy games. Does anyone have ideas?

Planescape setting can be a good inspiration. I'd recommend reading the book "In the Cage: A guide to Sigil". Some ideas from there:
- Weather control or weather forecast;
- Necromancy-related businesses (getting information from corpses or just buying or selling them for different purposes);
- Information services from seasoned adventurers;
- Bathhouses (maybe some magic can enhance the experience);
And so on.

[Poityu]

Fortune telling. You get a modifier to luck (or some parameter to randomness) for couple of days.

In settings with Asia influence, for a REALLY CHEAP price they'll help you rectify your misfortune
if they sense something bad is coming your way. :weeb:

[rusty_shackleford]

Fortune telling. You get a modifier to luck (or some parameter to randomness) for couple of days.

In settings with Asia influence, for a REALLY cheap price they'll help you rectify your misfortune
if they sense something bad is coming your way. :weeb:

Cheap? I've played enough wuxia games to know it's not cheap

[TKVNC]

Well, you need some verisimilitude to sell a world.

But it really depends on your setting and how serious you want it to be.

[Yankee Zulu]

- sex changing shop
- race changing shop
- plastic surgeon shop

[Poityu]

1.Gambling den. Shouldn't be limited to games of luck, be more creative, like animal/familiar fighting.
If you're willing to treat your familiar as pokemons, that is.
*Admission: didn't think of animal fighting until its brought up by Gemini when I was looking for proper words for casino.

2.Brothel. Though admittedly the most productive use of this is only quest hooks that involves soapy drama.
Temple of Elemental Evil has a removed one which was restored by the CO8 modding group,
but I don't remember any memorable quests about it, just there to sleep around or sth.
Wasted opportunity

[boot]

A shop that sells dreams

[Havitner]

Low-tier buffmonger stalls in blue collar areas. Toss the guy a copper on your way to work and he'll give you +5% strength for 8 hours. Not much, but it'll make your job unloading crates down at the docks just a little easier.

[Humbaba]

Magic scroll transcription service.

[Oyster Sauce]

skin lightening service (magic)

[Havitner]

skin lightening service (magic)

nipple pinkening service (magic)

[rusty_shackleford]

A shop that sells dreams

This is a really good one