Determining magic item availability in cities

[ffone]

How do you do this? I vaguely recall guidelines for maximum gp amount by city but don't recall where now.

Also, how would you do *speed* at which things can be found (for example, a time-sensitive quest where the PCs want to find some spellcaster-for-hire or scroll for a certain spell they think they need)? Gather Information, perhaps, but any suggestions on DC formula?

(Historically, as a DM, I've been fairly lenient as far as MagicMarting goes, but when speed matters, I'm wondering how to do things.)

[Talakeal]

Well, first off it depends on the style of game I am running.

In a more serious and heavy RP game I don't let players simply shop at magic item shops except for very basic items like low power +X weapons, armor, or stat enhancers. More powerful or exotic items will be few and far between, and the few mages guilds or collectors of exotic goods who have them will be more interested in favors than gold.

In a standard hack and slash game I simply allow player's in a major town to purchase magic items freely up to gold piece limit which I decide upon when creating the town based upon several factors, mostly its population and attitude towards magic. Generally I have a second lower value for "exotic" magic items, generally those not found in the core books of MiC.

Character's with extra time and gold to burn can always track down rare magic items or even craft custom magic items, although I generally require them to make social skill tests (usually gather information) to do so, the more non standard or above the local gold cap the higher the difficulty, and I will usually charge a bit more gold than book price.

[ffone]

How do you calibrate the Gather Info (or other skill) DCs, when you use them?