Crafting rules - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Crafting rules

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
skio
Jul 12, 2008 14:51:03 Crafting has been removed as a skill in 4e, and I agree with this. I am certain though that some kind of crafting mechanic will eventually appear in the official books. Until then, here is an idea:

I never liked the fact that a complex process like crafting a weapon, armour, etc could be resolved by a single roll. After all, success in such a case is a matter of pure expertise and not luck. The process of crafting is tedious, complicated and requires a great deal of knowledge. So, something came to my mind: RITUALS

A mechanic similar to the ritual mechanic would be ideal to re-incorporate crafting into the game. By taking a feat the PC will be able to learn various techniques ('crafts') that can perform similar to a ritual.

The differences to rituals:
There is no level limit for crafting most mundane items. More complex and specialized items (such as clockwork contraptions) may require a certain level, but are the exception.
There is no skill check involved. A character trained as a craftsman possesses the needed knowledge to preform the task successfully by definition.
Item creation costs about 75% of the market price of the item (at DM's discretion)

To acquire a Craft, you must seek a trainer and pay a training fee. The Craft is mastered after a period of training.

The feat:

CRAFTSMANSHIP
Prerequisite: Wis 12
Benefit: You can master Crafts, that allow you to create a variety of non-magical items.

Sample Craft:

FORGE LONGSWORD
Procedure cost: 12 gp
Procedure duration: 3 hrs
Training fee: 50 gp
Training time: 1 week
#2
cal-vigu
Jul 12, 2008 20:21:05 That looks great - simple, succinct - USABLE. I may use this! Thanks! :D
#3
skio
Jul 13, 2008 13:11:39 Thanks! (I hope my players have the same reaction )
#4
feyberry
Jul 13, 2008 13:17:21 You forgot the other parts of that longsword. Smelting the ore, forging the blade and tang, the leatherworking for the wrappings on the hilt, and the metalwork on the hilt... :D
#5
xantoe
Jul 13, 2008 13:57:55 wow that's very nice; it's simple, and doesn't break the economy and it was always fun supplying the townspeople(commoners, minions same difference) with weapons to help you fend off the hobgoblin invasion that you may have caused when you stole their sacred relic from their slain chieftain.
#6
ronthedm
Aug 17, 2008 21:48:04 Yknow... I like your simple system much better than what I was planning on doing. One of my players is absolutely obsessed with crafting his own weapons, and is ****** that he can't do it in 4.0. So I remade the old craft skills and did them as skill challenges. But your system just seems a lot easier than making them roll 10 times with a chance that they might have to do it all over again because they failed. I think I'll use something like yours instead.
#7
athistaur
Aug 18, 2008 8:52:03 Looking at the presented alchemy, I'm pretty sure this is the way WotC will bring crafting back anyway.
I'm just a bit uncertain if blacksmithing isn't kind of underpowered if all you can do is to produce mundane items, while a ritualist has a single ritual to produce any magic item and a countless number of further rituals.
#8
nightwalker450
Aug 18, 2008 11:45:37 Do it as Forge Heavy Blade, Forge Light Blade... etc.

Some such as halberd would require Forge Heavy Blade and Forge Polearm.
Basically just do weapon groups.

Craft Light Armor
Forge Heavy Armor

etc...
#9
danmarlok
Aug 18, 2008 21:43:01 Simple wihch in this case also equals elegant. Provides the players who wish these types of things with side threads a DM can use. I'm very much using this.

"The most famous swordsmith? Black Gar of the Travelers is your woman. None surpass her skills at workin' the metal that walk the world now or in the known past. She be the one you really want to craft the finest in blades. But know you this lad, she's not going to just gift you with that information because of your pretty face. She'll be taking it out in trade she will, mark you my words."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 skio Jul 12, 2008 14:51:03	Crafting has been removed as a skill in 4e, and I agree with this. I am certain though that some kind of crafting mechanic will eventually appear in the official books. Until then, here is an idea: I never liked the fact that a complex process like crafting a weapon, armour, etc could be resolved by a single roll. After all, success in such a case is a matter of pure expertise and not luck. The process of crafting is tedious, complicated and requires a great deal of knowledge. So, something came to my mind: RITUALS A mechanic similar to the ritual mechanic would be ideal to re-incorporate crafting into the game. By taking a feat the PC will be able to learn various techniques ('crafts') that can perform similar to a ritual. The differences to rituals: There is no level limit for crafting most mundane items. More complex and specialized items (such as clockwork contraptions) may require a certain level, but are the exception. There is no skill check involved. A character trained as a craftsman possesses the needed knowledge to preform the task successfully by definition. Item creation costs about 75% of the market price of the item (at DM's discretion) To acquire a Craft, you must seek a trainer and pay a training fee. The Craft is mastered after a period of training. The feat: CRAFTSMANSHIP Prerequisite: Wis 12 Benefit: You can master Crafts, that allow you to create a variety of non-magical items. Sample Craft: FORGE LONGSWORD Procedure cost: 12 gp Procedure duration: 3 hrs Training fee: 50 gp Training time: 1 week
#2 cal-vigu Jul 12, 2008 20:21:05	That looks great - simple, succinct - USABLE. I may use this! Thanks! :D
#3 skio Jul 13, 2008 13:11:39	Thanks! (I hope my players have the same reaction )
#4 feyberry Jul 13, 2008 13:17:21	You forgot the other parts of that longsword. Smelting the ore, forging the blade and tang, the leatherworking for the wrappings on the hilt, and the metalwork on the hilt... :D
#5 xantoe Jul 13, 2008 13:57:55	wow that's very nice; it's simple, and doesn't break the economy and it was always fun supplying the townspeople(commoners, minions same difference) with weapons to help you fend off the hobgoblin invasion that you may have caused when you stole their sacred relic from their slain chieftain.
#6 ronthedm Aug 17, 2008 21:48:04	Yknow... I like your simple system much better than what I was planning on doing. One of my players is absolutely obsessed with crafting his own weapons, and is ****** that he can't do it in 4.0. So I remade the old craft skills and did them as skill challenges. But your system just seems a lot easier than making them roll 10 times with a chance that they might have to do it all over again because they failed. I think I'll use something like yours instead.
#7 athistaur Aug 18, 2008 8:52:03	Looking at the presented alchemy, I'm pretty sure this is the way WotC will bring crafting back anyway. I'm just a bit uncertain if blacksmithing isn't kind of underpowered if all you can do is to produce mundane items, while a ritualist has a single ritual to produce any magic item and a countless number of further rituals.
#8 nightwalker450 Aug 18, 2008 11:45:37	Do it as Forge Heavy Blade, Forge Light Blade... etc. Some such as halberd would require Forge Heavy Blade and Forge Polearm. Basically just do weapon groups. Craft Light Armor Forge Heavy Armor etc...
#9 danmarlok Aug 18, 2008 21:43:01	Simple wihch in this case also equals elegant. Provides the players who wish these types of things with side threads a DM can use. I'm very much using this. "The most famous swordsmith? Black Gar of the Travelers is your woman. None surpass her skills at workin' the metal that walk the world now or in the known past. She be the one you really want to craft the finest in blades. But know you this lad, she's not going to just gift you with that information because of your pretty face. She'll be taking it out in trade she will, mark you my words."