Craft Skill: Assistants? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Craft Skill: Assistants? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RysanMarquise
10-12-07, 12:28 AM While discussing the horrifyingly long period of time it would take me to craft relatively simple items or masterwork, my someone in my party mentioned something about rules for assistants from one of the source books. Anyone have any idea what this was a reference to? He cannot remember where it was seen and approaching reasonable times for the skill would be amazing.
Fireclave
10-12-07, 12:49 AM Aid Another (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm#aidAnother) (Player's Handbook Pg65) is probably what you are looking for. Also, most times probably shouldn't take you too long to craft, unless you're trying to make yourself some full plate. What is it you are trying to make?
Wih
10-12-07, 12:58 AM Remeber that you can voluntarily boost the DC of the craft check - this, combined with a good craft check, can massively speed your craft progress.
RysanMarquise
10-12-07, 01:31 AM I am fully aware of being able to increase the DC, currently I am trying to create masterwork bola to be enchanted. By the circumstances of the campaign we are low in money and time, but the first enchantment for a weapon costs less than the initial costs to make it masterwork to enchant. I am aware that within the the various rules additions there are specific rules for increased speed based upon number of hired assistants when crafting (not the more general aid other).

Anyone familiar with what this might be refering to or have any other ideas for speeding up? As it stands the DM may well just create a house rule to change Craft as it seems rediculous that a masterwork dagger takes close to the same amount of time as a masterwork greatsword.
Fireclave
10-12-07, 04:27 AM By the circumstances of the campaign we are low in money and time, but the first enchantment for a weapon costs less than the initial costs to make it masterwork to enchant.
Unless you're working under some houserules for crafting magic items, enchanting the item will cost more than crafting it. The masterwork component for a weapon cost 300gp. Masterwork bolas would cost you 305gp to buy, or 102gp to make.

A +1 weapon enhancement costs 2000gp to add to an existing weapon, or 1000gp, 80xp, and two days of your time to enchant the item yourself.

Anyone familiar with what this might be refering to or have any other ideas for speeding up?

Well let's see. The bolas themselves will only take two days if you calculate progress by day rather than by week, take 10, and have a modifier exactly equal the crafting DC. That should be rather easy to do.

Making the masterwork component is what's going to eat up most of your time. Assuming you take 10 on your check and exactly meet the DC, it will take you 7.5 weeks to craft the masterwork component. I don't know how much of your resources you are will to spend into crafting items, but how about something like this:

Masterwork Tools, +2
Skill Focus feat, +3
Aid Other, +2
Mage Craft spell (ECS), +5
Int 14, +2
3rd Level Char, 6 ranks in craft
Total: +20

With a total +20 modifier to your check, you can voluntarily increase the crafting DC of the masterwork component to 30 and still take 10 to meet it. This would decrease the crafting time to about 3.5 weeks.

But for an interesting work around, if you have a bard, sorcerer, or wizard in your party, you could try the Weapon Shift spell in the SC. It turns one weapon into another one of your choice, and magic weapon retain their enhancements.

But if you're at a high enough level to cast 5th level spells, Fabricate FTW.
RysanMarquise
10-12-07, 12:27 PM I am entirely familiar with every single one of the techniques you listed, except for mage craft (unfortunately it doesn't matter).

The campaign is set in a modified Dark Sun setting, weapon smiths capable of creating master quality work are rare, psions are common, magic might as well not exist. Due to this strange set of circumstances we have people in the city capable of enchanting up to +1 weapons for cheap. People capable of enchanting up to +2 are far more rare therefore the price jumps up immediately. I am capable of getting up to a +21 bonus or so at this point, but have relatively little money.

Between missions we usually have a few days to prepare, but generally don't have much time at all. For this reason I am looking into the one thing left, hiring poor laborers to work as assistants while I craft. I doubt the assistance of each one stacks, but if anyone wants to correct me in that regard, it would be great.
bkdubs123
10-12-07, 04:52 PM it does. looked into it yesterday. you could hire say 5 assistants to get +10 aid another bonus.

think about they can all be doing different things to help. one guy can monitor the temperature of the furnace and the molten metal inside, one guy can fetch tools, another guy can be assisting you with technique, another can help you with the smelting process, another can be helping with the actual hammer work.
RysanMarquise
10-12-07, 05:23 PM Wow, thanks.

It is greatly appreciated.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RysanMarquise 10-12-07, 12:28 AM	While discussing the horrifyingly long period of time it would take me to craft relatively simple items or masterwork, my someone in my party mentioned something about rules for assistants from one of the source books. Anyone have any idea what this was a reference to? He cannot remember where it was seen and approaching reasonable times for the skill would be amazing.
Fireclave 10-12-07, 12:49 AM	Aid Another (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm#aidAnother) (Player's Handbook Pg65) is probably what you are looking for. Also, most times probably shouldn't take you too long to craft, unless you're trying to make yourself some full plate. What is it you are trying to make?
Wih 10-12-07, 12:58 AM	Remeber that you can voluntarily boost the DC of the craft check - this, combined with a good craft check, can massively speed your craft progress.
RysanMarquise 10-12-07, 01:31 AM	I am fully aware of being able to increase the DC, currently I am trying to create masterwork bola to be enchanted. By the circumstances of the campaign we are low in money and time, but the first enchantment for a weapon costs less than the initial costs to make it masterwork to enchant. I am aware that within the the various rules additions there are specific rules for increased speed based upon number of hired assistants when crafting (not the more general aid other). Anyone familiar with what this might be refering to or have any other ideas for speeding up? As it stands the DM may well just create a house rule to change Craft as it seems rediculous that a masterwork dagger takes close to the same amount of time as a masterwork greatsword.
Fireclave 10-12-07, 04:27 AM	By the circumstances of the campaign we are low in money and time, but the first enchantment for a weapon costs less than the initial costs to make it masterwork to enchant. Unless you're working under some houserules for crafting magic items, enchanting the item will cost more than crafting it. The masterwork component for a weapon cost 300gp. Masterwork bolas would cost you 305gp to buy, or 102gp to make. A +1 weapon enhancement costs 2000gp to add to an existing weapon, or 1000gp, 80xp, and two days of your time to enchant the item yourself. Anyone familiar with what this might be refering to or have any other ideas for speeding up? Well let's see. The bolas themselves will only take two days if you calculate progress by day rather than by week, take 10, and have a modifier exactly equal the crafting DC. That should be rather easy to do. Making the masterwork component is what's going to eat up most of your time. Assuming you take 10 on your check and exactly meet the DC, it will take you 7.5 weeks to craft the masterwork component. I don't know how much of your resources you are will to spend into crafting items, but how about something like this: Masterwork Tools, +2 Skill Focus feat, +3 Aid Other, +2 Mage Craft spell (ECS), +5 Int 14, +2 3rd Level Char, 6 ranks in craft Total: +20 With a total +20 modifier to your check, you can voluntarily increase the crafting DC of the masterwork component to 30 and still take 10 to meet it. This would decrease the crafting time to about 3.5 weeks. But for an interesting work around, if you have a bard, sorcerer, or wizard in your party, you could try the Weapon Shift spell in the SC. It turns one weapon into another one of your choice, and magic weapon retain their enhancements. But if you're at a high enough level to cast 5th level spells, Fabricate FTW.
RysanMarquise 10-12-07, 12:27 PM	I am entirely familiar with every single one of the techniques you listed, except for mage craft (unfortunately it doesn't matter). The campaign is set in a modified Dark Sun setting, weapon smiths capable of creating master quality work are rare, psions are common, magic might as well not exist. Due to this strange set of circumstances we have people in the city capable of enchanting up to +1 weapons for cheap. People capable of enchanting up to +2 are far more rare therefore the price jumps up immediately. I am capable of getting up to a +21 bonus or so at this point, but have relatively little money. Between missions we usually have a few days to prepare, but generally don't have much time at all. For this reason I am looking into the one thing left, hiring poor laborers to work as assistants while I craft. I doubt the assistance of each one stacks, but if anyone wants to correct me in that regard, it would be great.
bkdubs123 10-12-07, 04:52 PM	it does. looked into it yesterday. you could hire say 5 assistants to get +10 aid another bonus. think about they can all be doing different things to help. one guy can monitor the temperature of the furnace and the molten metal inside, one guy can fetch tools, another guy can be assisting you with technique, another can help you with the smelting process, another can be helping with the actual hammer work.
RysanMarquise 10-12-07, 05:23 PM	Wow, thanks. It is greatly appreciated.