Weapon smithing, is it worth it? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Weapon smithing, is it worth it? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
immortal_fighter
05-23-07, 03:12 PM I have a soon to be 2nd lvl fighter and I thought it might be a good idea to start taking points in weapon smithing. Im not sure if its worth it or not, Is it worth the time and points to make my own weapons, how far can i go with it? How powerful can I make weapons? any help would be appreciated.
StruckingFuggle
05-23-07, 03:21 PM I have a soon to be 2nd lvl fighter and I thought it might be a good idea to start taking points in weapon smithing. Im not sure if its worth it or not, Is it worth the time and points to make my own weapons, how far can i go with it? How powerful can I make weapons? any help would be appreciated.

The most powerful weapon you can make with craft(weaponsmithing) is a Masterwork Weapon.

Any real power for weapons in this game comes from the Craft Magic Arms And Armor feat.

Really, unless you've got a lot of downtime and could use some extra change, the craft skills are pretty useless except as prerequisites for a couple PrCs like the Exotic Weapon Master.

So no, unless you need to meet some prereq, it's generally not really worth it for anything other than flavor.
El_Machinae
05-23-07, 03:35 PM It great flavour, though. From a statistical viewpoint, it's better to adventure for gold than to craft on your own.

Some PrCs require the Craft skill, and some PrCs give the ability to craft magic weapons.
Kouk
05-23-07, 04:21 PM No mechanical benefit really.
RavenCorvus
05-23-07, 04:24 PM It great flavour, though. From a statistical viewpoint, it's better to adventure for gold than to craft on your own.

Some PrCs require the Craft skill, and some PrCs give the ability to craft magic weapons.

What PrCs do that ?
Tyberian
05-23-07, 04:58 PM I'm guessing here, but I think a couple ranks in it might be a pre-requisite for the exotic weapon master PrC. Repeat, I am just guessing. Also, I believe it ( or you could choose armorsmith instead) is a prereq for battle smith (correct title?) from races of stone.
Kouk
05-24-07, 04:43 PM Exotic Weapon Master and Order of the Bow Initiate require some crafting for whatever reason.
Darth Sephiroth
05-25-07, 05:13 AM With Archers and other ranged weapon specialists, the ability to craft your own arrows is something very useful in long term travels where there aren't many places to resupply.
El_Machinae
05-25-07, 02:52 PM What PrCs do that ?

At least one in Races of Stone. Battlesmith, IIRC.
Eric888
05-26-07, 05:50 AM In some campaign settings, where weapons may be contriband or smiths may be not be easily found, it can invaluable. In most more practical games it exists purely for charecter flavor.

Of course you can always try to invent your own exotic weapons, which can be interresting.
TheDanishCartoonist
05-26-07, 11:32 AM Of course you can always try to invent your own exotic weapons, which can be interresting.

Swordchucks -- Cost: 100 gp Damage: 1d8/1d6 Critical: 19-20/x2 / x2

Swordchucks are a double weapon. You can fight with them as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

A creature wielding swordchucks in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round.
Neodymium
05-26-07, 03:23 PM Now i'm in the mood to go to the SW boards and argue about Saber-Chucks.
Max the Immortal
05-27-07, 03:45 AM With Archers and other ranged weapon specialists, the ability to craft your own arrows is something very useful in long term travels where there aren't many places to resupply.

Nitpick: I'm pretty sure that arrows are made with Craft: Fletching (or at least Craft: Bowmaking).

It might be a useful skill if it were more difficult to forge weapons out of exotic materials such as adamantine, but that would require a skill point-eating house rule.
MerlintheTuna
05-27-07, 03:58 AM The most powerful weapon you can make with craft(weaponsmithing) is a Masterwork Weapon.You're neglecting one key thing -- special materials. You can save yourself 2000 gp if you craft your own adamantine weapon. While that isn't much if you're looking at things from a 20th level point of view, it's a substantial boon if you're only 5th. It's still something that's hard to do mid-campaign, though.
Vrellum
05-27-07, 11:25 AM Yeah, but by RAW, it'll take you years to do it (unless you can cast fabricate).
CantripN
05-27-07, 12:19 PM I only took skill points in Craft (Weaponsmithing) when making my 7th level PC. A Starmetal Elven Courtblade gets a huge discount. And I'm going to take a level or two in Exotic Weapon Master eventually, so it's worth it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
immortal_fighter 05-23-07, 03:12 PM	I have a soon to be 2nd lvl fighter and I thought it might be a good idea to start taking points in weapon smithing. Im not sure if its worth it or not, Is it worth the time and points to make my own weapons, how far can i go with it? How powerful can I make weapons? any help would be appreciated.
StruckingFuggle 05-23-07, 03:21 PM	I have a soon to be 2nd lvl fighter and I thought it might be a good idea to start taking points in weapon smithing. Im not sure if its worth it or not, Is it worth the time and points to make my own weapons, how far can i go with it? How powerful can I make weapons? any help would be appreciated. The most powerful weapon you can make with craft(weaponsmithing) is a Masterwork Weapon. Any real power for weapons in this game comes from the Craft Magic Arms And Armor feat. Really, unless you've got a lot of downtime and could use some extra change, the craft skills are pretty useless except as prerequisites for a couple PrCs like the Exotic Weapon Master. So no, unless you need to meet some prereq, it's generally not really worth it for anything other than flavor.
El_Machinae 05-23-07, 03:35 PM	It great flavour, though. From a statistical viewpoint, it's better to adventure for gold than to craft on your own. Some PrCs require the Craft skill, and some PrCs give the ability to craft magic weapons.
Kouk 05-23-07, 04:21 PM	No mechanical benefit really.
RavenCorvus 05-23-07, 04:24 PM	It great flavour, though. From a statistical viewpoint, it's better to adventure for gold than to craft on your own. Some PrCs require the Craft skill, and some PrCs give the ability to craft magic weapons. What PrCs do that ?
Tyberian 05-23-07, 04:58 PM	I'm guessing here, but I think a couple ranks in it might be a pre-requisite for the exotic weapon master PrC. Repeat, I am just guessing. Also, I believe it ( or you could choose armorsmith instead) is a prereq for battle smith (correct title?) from races of stone.
Kouk 05-24-07, 04:43 PM	Exotic Weapon Master and Order of the Bow Initiate require some crafting for whatever reason.
Darth Sephiroth 05-25-07, 05:13 AM	With Archers and other ranged weapon specialists, the ability to craft your own arrows is something very useful in long term travels where there aren't many places to resupply.
El_Machinae 05-25-07, 02:52 PM	What PrCs do that ? At least one in Races of Stone. Battlesmith, IIRC.
Eric888 05-26-07, 05:50 AM	In some campaign settings, where weapons may be contriband or smiths may be not be easily found, it can invaluable. In most more practical games it exists purely for charecter flavor. Of course you can always try to invent your own exotic weapons, which can be interresting.
TheDanishCartoonist 05-26-07, 11:32 AM	Of course you can always try to invent your own exotic weapons, which can be interresting. Swordchucks -- Cost: 100 gp Damage: 1d8/1d6 Critical: 19-20/x2 / x2 Swordchucks are a double weapon. You can fight with them as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A creature wielding swordchucks in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round.
Neodymium 05-26-07, 03:23 PM	Now i'm in the mood to go to the SW boards and argue about Saber-Chucks.
Max the Immortal 05-27-07, 03:45 AM	With Archers and other ranged weapon specialists, the ability to craft your own arrows is something very useful in long term travels where there aren't many places to resupply. Nitpick: I'm pretty sure that arrows are made with Craft: Fletching (or at least Craft: Bowmaking). It might be a useful skill if it were more difficult to forge weapons out of exotic materials such as adamantine, but that would require a skill point-eating house rule.
MerlintheTuna 05-27-07, 03:58 AM	The most powerful weapon you can make with craft(weaponsmithing) is a Masterwork Weapon.You're neglecting one key thing -- special materials. You can save yourself 2000 gp if you craft your own adamantine weapon. While that isn't much if you're looking at things from a 20th level point of view, it's a substantial boon if you're only 5th. It's still something that's hard to do mid-campaign, though.
Vrellum 05-27-07, 11:25 AM	Yeah, but by RAW, it'll take you years to do it (unless you can cast fabricate).
CantripN 05-27-07, 12:19 PM	I only took skill points in Craft (Weaponsmithing) when making my 7th level PC. A Starmetal Elven Courtblade gets a huge discount. And I'm going to take a level or two in Exotic Weapon Master eventually, so it's worth it.