Editing 40d:Appraiser

{{Skill
| color      = 5:0
| skill      = Appraiser
| specialty  = Trader
| profession = [[Administrator]]
| job name   = Admin/Noble
| tasks      =
* Value all items
* Trade at Depot
| workshop = [[Trade depot]]}}
{{av}}{{Quality|Exceptional|07:08, 4 June 2010 (UTC)}}

The '''appraiser''' skill is used by the [[Broker]], an assigned position from the {{k|n}} screen.  If the currently assigned broker doesn't have at least [[Experience#Increasing skills|Novice]] skill, then:

:*  No item in your entire fortress will show its [[value]] when viewed.
:* It is not possible to see the values of goods being traded, only their weight
:* You will only be able to sort goods to be traded by distance, not value.  
:* The {{key|z}}-[[status]] menu will say "You need a broker with the appraisal skill", and will not show [[created wealth]] or any trade information.

There is some small disadvantage in having only low skill ranks - when trading, identical side-by-side items will often show slightly different prices, some higher, some lower.  Although you, the player, see one rope reed rope for 60☼ and an identical one listed next to it for 80☼, you know the latter is overpriced, but if you want to trade for it you have to go with your broker's appraisal of the value.  It is not known how different ranks of Appraiser affect these variations, but they tend to disappear after an Appraiser has a few caravans-worth of [[experience]] under their belt.  (The value of your own goods is always accurate with any skilled broker assigned to the position.) The first appraisal of any caravan is final for that season - you cannot bring a different dwarf in and try again.  

However, the skill is learned very fast from just looking at goods in the trade window, even for a no-skill dwarf.  Therefore, it's recommended to consider training additional appraisers on non-essential caravans as soon as convenient, having a no-skill dwarf (possibly with advantageous [[personality]] traits) view the goods, and then going back to the {{k|n}}obles screen, {{k|r}}eplacing your Broker with a dwarf who has Appraise, and having them conduct the actual trading if desired.  (See also [[broker skills]], [[trade|trading]].)

When the [[dwarven economy]] is activated, shopkeepers also use the appraisal skill when selling goods.

[[Experience]] in the Appraiser skill is gained by:
* Seeing goods for trade at the [[trade depot]] (only the first dwarf to view a new caravan's wares on the trade screen can improve their skill in this way, and 100% of the gain is achieved immediately upon first opening the {{k|t}}rade sub-screen for the Trade Depot.)
* Trading in a [[shop]]

Notable ways that it is ''not'' gained include:
* Proposing an unsuccessful trade at the depot
* Offering goods to foreign traders
* Simply being assigned as the broker noble
* Sitting around at the depot, whether there are traders there or not
* Meeting with the outpost liaison

Because experience is gained for each {{key|t}}rade (and possibly each {{key|o}}ffer) made, it is possible to quickly level your current broker's Appraiser skill in this manner with a single caravan, but only the first to do so with any one caravan.

{{Skills}}
{{Category|Noble Skills}}