Craft armor, weapon, blacksmith, and metalwork: What is the point? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Craft armor, weapon, blacksmith, and metalwork: What is the point? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
proteininja
01-26-08, 10:16 AM What is the point of having these talents spread across four skills? Also if anyone has any house rules about them above synergy bonuses I would like to hear about it. and my final request is for somebody to tell me what craft blacksmith and metal work can be used for besides making constructs. I mean armor and weapon can yield great results without a single feat, but to make constructs you need craft wondrous, magic arms and armor, and craft construct.

Basically the reason im asking is because i have a wizard in my campaign who wants to be a construct maker and is boggled at how dumb it is that he cant make a golem that requires craft metalworking with his blacksmithing skill. It just doesn't make sense. I'd like to help him, but I want to know if there is something I am over looking here.

Thankyou kindly.
JLaurHughes
01-26-08, 10:41 AM Metalworking is the manipulation of metal as a whole. Blacksmithing does work more along the lines of reshoeing hooved riding animals, forging of the mouthpiece that attaches the reins and similar minimal tasks. Just have your wizard switch the skill to metalworking. It encompases blacksmithing so the wizard can reshoe his mount, or repair that broken bit for the reins.
john53704
01-27-08, 03:09 PM Technically, either profession (farrier) or craft (blacksmith) would be the proper job title for those who shoe horses, etc. However blacksmithing is more encompassing than just horse shoes.

Traditionally, blacksmiths also crafted all their own tools, as well as other common tools used in the community - axes, nails, & everything iron. The limits of blacksmiths are that they predominantly work with iron & steel (via carburization prior to modern steel forging).

Metalsmithing would be a more general term, which from common sense would include coppersmithing, silversmithing, goldsmithing, etc. Of course, one should largely ignore common sense when analyzing the craft & profession skills as well as DnD economics - common sense is not compatable with the game mechanics in these areas.

IMO, much of the distinction between the smithing craft skills is really flavor text. The writers wanted to grab terms that superficially added depth to the skill system, without understanding any actual disctinctions between the terms they used. Essentially, IMO, after a two minute thesarus search, the writers & game designers decided that "metalsmithing" or "weaponsmithing" sounded much cooler than "blacksmithing", despite the fact that historical and technical differences in these terms are not as dramatically different as they might have hoped.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
proteininja 01-26-08, 10:16 AM	What is the point of having these talents spread across four skills? Also if anyone has any house rules about them above synergy bonuses I would like to hear about it. and my final request is for somebody to tell me what craft blacksmith and metal work can be used for besides making constructs. I mean armor and weapon can yield great results without a single feat, but to make constructs you need craft wondrous, magic arms and armor, and craft construct. Basically the reason im asking is because i have a wizard in my campaign who wants to be a construct maker and is boggled at how dumb it is that he cant make a golem that requires craft metalworking with his blacksmithing skill. It just doesn't make sense. I'd like to help him, but I want to know if there is something I am over looking here. Thankyou kindly.
JLaurHughes 01-26-08, 10:41 AM	Metalworking is the manipulation of metal as a whole. Blacksmithing does work more along the lines of reshoeing hooved riding animals, forging of the mouthpiece that attaches the reins and similar minimal tasks. Just have your wizard switch the skill to metalworking. It encompases blacksmithing so the wizard can reshoe his mount, or repair that broken bit for the reins.
john53704 01-27-08, 03:09 PM	Technically, either profession (farrier) or craft (blacksmith) would be the proper job title for those who shoe horses, etc. However blacksmithing is more encompassing than just horse shoes. Traditionally, blacksmiths also crafted all their own tools, as well as other common tools used in the community - axes, nails, & everything iron. The limits of blacksmiths are that they predominantly work with iron & steel (via carburization prior to modern steel forging). Metalsmithing would be a more general term, which from common sense would include coppersmithing, silversmithing, goldsmithing, etc. Of course, one should largely ignore common sense when analyzing the craft & profession skills as well as DnD economics - common sense is not compatable with the game mechanics in these areas. IMO, much of the distinction between the smithing craft skills is really flavor text. The writers wanted to grab terms that superficially added depth to the skill system, without understanding any actual disctinctions between the terms they used. Essentially, IMO, after a two minute thesarus search, the writers & game designers decided that "metalsmithing" or "weaponsmithing" sounded much cooler than "blacksmithing", despite the fact that historical and technical differences in these terms are not as dramatically different as they might have hoped.