Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Muglock 12-19-07, 12:01 AM	My friend is hoping to become some sort of amazing armor/arms crafter. After talking with him for a while as his DM, he asked me a few questions, one of which I was unsure. Are there any classes that are for crafting, like Legendary Blacksmith or anything like that? I know theres a class for knowledges, Loremaster... So. Prestige or base, it doesn't matter.
Pandapeep 12-19-07, 12:14 AM	Artificer?
StevenO 12-19-07, 12:51 AM	Artificer in the Eberron Campain Setting is the go to source for a Crafting based class. It may be more general that just weapons and armor but it can certainly work for that. In most games if I was just looking at a craftman for Arms and Armor I'd probably go with a Dwarf Cleric and take the appropriate feats/skills. There may be ways to specialize further but that is how I'd start.
bahamut920 12-19-07, 01:56 AM	Artificer is a class designed around crafting magical items. Warlock also has an ability that can make crafting easier; they can make magical items without knowing the spells required.
lasseram 12-19-07, 10:00 AM	There is also the Battlesmith PrC in Races of Stone if you're a dwarf and have a mage friend.
JulesCARV 12-19-07, 10:46 AM	In addition to the artificer, a shaper psion (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/psionicPsion.html) might be good. For instance, artificers get fabricate as an infusion by level 11 (although I suppose they could craft an item which involves fabricate by level 7). Shapers get fabricate as a power by level 7. Take an artiste psicrystal, take a few craft skills, get feats like Craft Psionic Arms and Armor, and maybe even grab a few Eberron feats like Extraordinary Artisan, and you're set. Oh, and you're also a powerful psion in other ways. Although artificer is probably a somewhat better choice overall when it comes to the crafting role. Shaper's good, though, if artificer doesn't work out for some reason.
DracoPhoenix 12-19-07, 10:52 AM	There's a dwarven specific Incarnum PrC too, but I can't remember the details (Don't tend to play dwarfs often), But yeah, Artificer is probably your best bet (with the appropriate crafting feats), unless you have another role in mind for it. Even then they have some useful buffs and trap finding :)
The_Shaman 12-19-07, 10:54 AM	Well, apart from the Artificer, there are a couple of PrCs: - Ironsoul Forgemaster (MoIncarnum): essentially gets craft magic arms and armor feats, though may need other characters to meet the spell prerequisites. Still, the other class abilities aren't bad either, and you get a decent incarnum progression. It's also quite tough on its own, due to the DR it can get from investing essentia in armor. - Maester (Complete Adventurer, gnome only): 4/5 casting for an arcanist, 2 bonus crafting feats and other minor goodies in 5 levels. It's not considered particularly powerful, but it can be useful if you want to specialize in crafting. The following aren't good at armors, but can still be quite interesting - Gnome Artificer (Magic of Faerun): kinda like artificer, but with slightly different mechanics, only mechanical "devices"... and iirc less powerful spells. Still not bad imo, and can be extremely powerful if your campaign has enough downtime and gold. BTW, despite its name, you can also be a human and qualify, as long as you're from a certain region. - Fleshwarper (Lords of madness): very much like artificer, but for grafts... oh, and with 9/10 arcane casting and a few tricks for both you and your familiar. Think mage with a Dr. Frankenstein complex