- Crafting Overview
- Working In Crafting
- Blacksmithing
- Engineering
- Gunsmithing
- Leatherworking
- Woodworking
Trade skills have always been an important aspect of life in the Iron Kingdoms. In older times, the main trades were in the creation of metal and leather goods for use in protection. Modern trade skills involve more complicated work by creating things like clockwork mechanisms and firearms.
Crafting Goods
By taking a crafting feat you allow yourself the ability to create unique items of value. You take a crafting feat for each type of item you would like to produce, as categorized below.
To craft an item, you make an Intelligence check and spend the appropriate amount of time. This time can be spread out over as great a period as you like so long as the work is not dismantled in some way. You must have half the item's market price in materials available, and any appropriate equipment necessary to craft the piece. This check is referred to within each craft by its name. Thus, the intelligence check to craft a quarterstaff is called a Woodworking check.
In general, crafting an item functions as follows.
| Craft: Time Varies (see appropriate table) |
| DC: The DC is shown on the table. The DM may decide that a certain kind of item is more difficult to craft, and increase the DC through means not shown on the table. |
| Success: You spend the time and create the item |
| Failure: You initially fail to create the item. You lose half the item's cost in materials. You may retry the check by spending the appropriate amount of time as many times as you want. |
In each category two charts indicate the DC to craft and time needed to craft items of that category. In general, charts are not provided for the most mundane uses of a skill, so the DC and time necessary to make every day items is to be determined by the DM in such circumstances. The DM determines if crafting a specific sort of item is covered in a category.
Synergy
Crafting times and costs assume that the character is attaining any components of an item he cannot make through purchase. If you know more than one trade and you are crafting an item that requires two different skills then the cost to create the item is reduced by half. For example, if you are a blacksmith attempting to craft a halberd, but you are also a woodworker, then you pay ¼ the market price in materials to make the halberd.
Crafting Options
The following options allow you to craft better or worse items, and each affect the creation time and DC of the item. The actual effect is listed with the item category. These options are not available for all types of items.
Customizations
In equipment with each type of item is a list of customization options. When crafting an item, you can add the listed DC to customize the item. In addition, you can customize existing equipment by spending half the normal creation time and making a craft check against a DC equal to the original DC plus any additional points for customizations.
Masterwork
To create a masterwork item, increase the item's DC by 10, and add 4 hours to the time required to create the item. In addition, the item costs twice its market value to produce.
Shoddy
By skimping on various details you decrease the item's DC by 5 and reduce the time required to create it by half. In addition, you reduce the cost of creation to ¼th the item's market price.
Crafting is a good concept, and one which many players will be excited to see the return of. However, outside of the possible monetary benefits, there is very little in combat incentive to branch into crafting as a character. Those that do will be missing a feat slot (or even more than one if they are excellent craftsmen) and as a result be slightly less powerful than their allies. Below are a few suggestions for handling this issue, or not handling it as the case may be.
Crafting is Its Own Reward
To some DMs the issue of taking a feat slot for crafting is not an issue at all. The ability to create unique items during downtime, and the number of roleplaying benefits for being an expert craftsman are worth the feat. After all, if a trained Engineer takes a close look at a trap, he may be able to use that skill in place of thievery to disable it. With this model, DMs are encouraged to allow crafting to be a skill replacement in specific situations.
Everybody Crafts, Everybody Wins
In the Iron Kingdoms, many people at least learn the basics of a craft from their parents, or a neighborhood friend. The fact is that the mercenary and adventurer life is a rarely chosen one, and the kingdoms are awash with craftsman. With this in mind, it may be a good idea to offer a crafting skill as a bonus feat to all of the players in a group. While Alchemy and Mechanika crafting are certainly more powerful, these could even be included to allow each character to create the sorts of things he wants to. In this model, since everyone has some sort of specialty, no particular effort needs to be made to pander to the craftsmen. Making things should be enough.
Floating Character Feat
Finally, in a model very close to the previous one, everyone can be offered a feat to be chosen from a specific list. These should be feats that are not necessarily powerful, but are very character appropriate, like crafting. Many feats from the Bodged Together Heroic Feats are means of bringing out a character's background and are not the most powerful options at their levels. It should be understood that some players will take this opportunity to still take the most powerful feats from these lists, but this would be likely to occur in any case. At least this holds out a way for craftsmen to practice their trade without leaving behind their swords.
Blacksmiths excel at working metal into a specific form. Many spend their lives making tools, horseshoes and other mundane items. However, especially in modern times, many blacksmiths are also capable of making armor and weapons from the metals they normally work with.
Types of Items: Metal armor and weapons, bullets, gun barrels and other metal items.
Required Facilities: A forge and a set of blacksmith's tools.
Metal Armor
Masterwork: Decrease check penalty by 1.
Shoddy: Increase check penalty by 1.
| Type of Armor | DC To Create |
| Chainmail | 15 |
| Scale Armor, Iron Mantle | 20 |
| Plate Armor | 25 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +5 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +3 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Hour |
| Every 5 Points Above DC 10 | +2 Hours |
| Large | +3 Hours |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Metal Melee Weapons
Masterwork: Increase the Proficiency Bonus by 1.
Shoddy: Decrease the Proficiency Bonus by 1.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Simple | 10 |
| Military | 15 |
| Superior | 20 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +3 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +3 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Half Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +1 Hour |
| Large | +1 Hour |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Special Ammunition (Firearms)
Masterwork: Create 15 per check (do not increase creation time, only DC).
Shoddy: Create 15 per check, and attacks with ammo suffer a -2 penalty.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Basic | 10 |
| Incendiary | 15 |
| Precision | 20 |
| Time To Create | |
| Basic (Per 10) | Half Hour |
| Incendiary (Per 10) | +1 Hour |
| Precision (Per 10) | +1 Hour |
The invention of modern technology creates a need for modern crafting methods. Engineers work with larger scale weapons and devices, and often create very complicated pieces of technology. They often require factories or large foundries to create their projects.
Type of Items: Cannons, Steam Engines, Tools
Required Facilities: Forge, a variety of tools such as cutting torches and steam saws.
Cannons
Note: Crafting ammunition for cannons takes 1 hour to craft two at a time and the DC is 5 less than the DC to create the cannon.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Ordic Hand Cannon | 15 |
| Slug Gun | 20 |
| Brassbarrel Warcannon | 20 |
| Ogrun Battlecannon | 25 |
| Field Cannon | 25 |
| Naval Cannon | 25 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 and below | 8 Hours |
| Every 5 points of DC above 10 | +1 Hour |
Relatively new artisans, gunsmiths create the firearms which fuel the military might of the modern human nations. Firearms creation is a painstaking and difficult process, with many components and a high cost. Gunsmiths often undergo years of training as apprentices to masters long before they set out on their own.
Type of Items: Firearms, firearm ammunition.
Required Facilities: A gunsmith's shop (firearms from scratch) a rifler's kit (ammunition).
Firearms
Masterwork: Increease Short Range by 5.
Shoddy: Decrease Short Range by 5.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Simple | 15 |
| Military | 20 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +3 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +4 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +1 Hour |
| Large | +1 Hour |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Superior Firearms
Manufacturers have their own standards, and the creation of Superior Firearms depends upon the manufacturer. In some cases, specific weapons have their own creation DC.
Gunsmiths hoping to create such weapons must have access to the initial plans, or must make a DC 30 Mechanika check to dismantle an existing weapon from that manufacturer in order to copy the design. Crafting the weapon from a dismantled original takes an immense amount of time the first time, but much less afterward. In all cases, it is illegal in every human nation to sell these weapons if you are not the manufacturer.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Clockwerk Arms | 22 |
| Lok's Guns | 25 |
| Radliffe Gunwerks | 26 |
| Rovissi's Personal Guards | 22 |
| Vinstod Innovative Firearms | 30 |
| Vislovski Gunwerks | 26 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +5 |
| Time To Create | |
| With Original Plans (Per 5 Points of DC) | 1 Hour |
| From Dismantled Original (Per 2 Points of DC) | 4 Hours |
| Large | +3 Hours |
| Customizations (per customization) | +2 Hours |
Special Ammunition (Firearms)
Masterwork: Create 15 per check (do not increase crafting time or cost, only DC).
Shoddy: Create 15 per check, and attacks with ammo suffer a -2 penalty.
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Basic | 10 |
| Incendiary | 15 |
| Precision | 20 |
| Time To Create | |
| Basic (Per 10) | Half Hour |
| Incendiary | +1 Hour |
| Precision | +1 Hour |
Leatherworkers take tanned hide and work it into various leather articles ranging from clothing to armor to everyday mundane items, like straps. They are often called upon to make the covering for furniture or to produce warm winter clothing.
Types of Items: Leather armor, leather shields, leather straps, saddles, boots and other leather items.
Required Facilities: A leatherworking kit
Greatcoats
Masterwork: Reduce the check penalty by 1
Shoddy: Increase the check penalty by 1
| Type of Greatcoat | DC To Create |
| Greatcoat | 10 |
| Reinforced Greatcoat | 15 |
| Armored Greatcoat | 20 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +2 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +2 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +2 Hours |
| Large | +3 Hours |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Leather Armor
Masterwork: Decrease weight by 20%.
Shoddy: Increase weight by 20%.
| Type of Armor | DC To Create |
| Cloth Armor | 10 |
| Leather Armor | 15 |
| Hide Armor | 20 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +5 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +3 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +2 Hours |
| Large | +3 Hours |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Made up of carpenters, builders, bowyers and nearly every profession in the world, woodworkers are a varied bunch. Those who excel at this craft can make a variety of weapons, and can build numerous structures.
Types of Items: Wooden melee weapons, bows, crossbows, arrows, furniture, carts, wooden structures and many other wooden items.
Required Facilities: Woodworking tools
Arrow and Bolt Ammunition
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Barbed | 15 |
| Basic | 10 |
| Cleft | 22 |
| Explosive | 20 |
| Flaming | 18 |
| Grappling | 15 |
| Message | 12 |
| Screaming | 15 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 10 per Half Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | + 1 Half Hour Per 10 |
Wooden Melee Weapons
Masterwork: Increase proficiency bonus by 1, if the user has weapon focus with that type of weapon.
Shoddy: Decrease proficiency bonus by 1
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Simple | 10 |
| Military | 15 |
| Superior | 20 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +3 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +3 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Half Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +1 Hour |
| Large | +1 Hour |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
Wooden Ranged Weapons
Masterwork: Increase proficiency bonus by 1 if the user has weapon focus with that type of weapon.
Shoddy: Decrease proficiency bonus by 1
| Type of Weapon | DC To Create |
| Simple | 15 |
| Military | 20 |
| Superior | 25 |
| Size Different Than Crafter | +3 |
| Customizations (per customization) | +3 |
| Time To Create | |
| DC 10 or Below | 1 Hour |
| Every 10 Points Above DC 10 | +1 Hour |
| Large | +1 Hour |
| Customizations (per customization) | +1 Hour |
