Alternate rules for Craft? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate rules for Craft? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shadowdragon
08-20-06, 05:25 PM Does anyone have some house rules for an alternate, and less complicated, version of the Craft skill? Figuring out costs, time, DCs, and all that math stuff gives me a headache.
Shinryouga
08-20-06, 08:12 PM I'm not trying to be facetious or insulting, but I can't really help you, the craft system in the PHB is pretty complete and simple.

Step 1: Determine what you want to make.
Step 2: Find normal cost, divide by 3, spend that much on material.
Step 3: Make craft check, by day or by week. (Week is better mechanically, but a kind DM might allow a weekly check divded by 7 for daily checks, instead of silver to copper, which is technically divide by 10)
Step 4: Determine progress of check (DC x Check Result in silver, copper for daily check, see above note)
Step 5: Keep making craft checks until normal cost of the item is complete.

I advocate taking 10, as that really helps the math, and if your in a stiuation where you are "threatened or distracted" why are you crafting? (Obviously, cobbling together basic weapons while hiding from an unkillable horror stalking you would be "threatened or distracted")

The only other alternative that I can think of is the Craft Point system in Unearthed Arcana.
Hope that helps!
Shadowdragon
08-21-06, 04:37 AM One of the things I've never understood is why higher DC items were faster to make. It seems backwards to me. I'll take a look at the Unearthed Arcana rules and see if they're any better. I may in fact just remove Craft from my campaign (I'm the GM, but I usually end up having to figure out all the Craft values and things for my players). Heroes should be out doing heroic stuff, not sitting in a town making longswords or wicker baskets. Things like Craft and even Profession seemed a little silly to have in D&D. They may fit in a campaign where the characters are normal people living normal lives, but in a heroic campaign they just seem a little, well, silly.
Tenzhi
08-21-06, 04:52 AM You could always start by treating Craft/Profession like Speak Language (along with allowing characters to choose a bonus number of them decided by Int bonus).

Then, as long as the character has time and materials assume he can make any given mundane item he has the Craft skill for.

Then make a feat for Craft Masterwork Item (Selected Craft Specialty), that allows the character to make masterwork items if they have the time and materials.

Most characters have better things to spend feats on than crafting. This also limits the number of magic items they might personally crank out. All good things, IMO, but YMMV.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shadowdragon 08-20-06, 05:25 PM	Does anyone have some house rules for an alternate, and less complicated, version of the Craft skill? Figuring out costs, time, DCs, and all that math stuff gives me a headache.
Shinryouga 08-20-06, 08:12 PM	I'm not trying to be facetious or insulting, but I can't really help you, the craft system in the PHB is pretty complete and simple. Step 1: Determine what you want to make. Step 2: Find normal cost, divide by 3, spend that much on material. Step 3: Make craft check, by day or by week. (Week is better mechanically, but a kind DM might allow a weekly check divded by 7 for daily checks, instead of silver to copper, which is technically divide by 10) Step 4: Determine progress of check (DC x Check Result in silver, copper for daily check, see above note) Step 5: Keep making craft checks until normal cost of the item is complete. I advocate taking 10, as that really helps the math, and if your in a stiuation where you are "threatened or distracted" why are you crafting? (Obviously, cobbling together basic weapons while hiding from an unkillable horror stalking you would be "threatened or distracted") The only other alternative that I can think of is the Craft Point system in Unearthed Arcana. Hope that helps!
Shadowdragon 08-21-06, 04:37 AM	One of the things I've never understood is why higher DC items were faster to make. It seems backwards to me. I'll take a look at the Unearthed Arcana rules and see if they're any better. I may in fact just remove Craft from my campaign (I'm the GM, but I usually end up having to figure out all the Craft values and things for my players). Heroes should be out doing heroic stuff, not sitting in a town making longswords or wicker baskets. Things like Craft and even Profession seemed a little silly to have in D&D. They may fit in a campaign where the characters are normal people living normal lives, but in a heroic campaign they just seem a little, well, silly.
Tenzhi 08-21-06, 04:52 AM	You could always start by treating Craft/Profession like Speak Language (along with allowing characters to choose a bonus number of them decided by Int bonus). Then, as long as the character has time and materials assume he can make any given mundane item he has the Craft skill for. Then make a feat for Craft Masterwork Item (Selected Craft Specialty), that allows the character to make masterwork items if they have the time and materials. Most characters have better things to spend feats on than crafting. This also limits the number of magic items they might personally crank out. All good things, IMO, but YMMV.