Quick Field Crafting? [3.5]

[Curmudgeon]

I'm building a Hulking Hurler character. The Improvised Weapon Damage table (page 159 of Complete Warrior) says:
A sharp object deals damage as an object of twice its weight.
I think I can put a silver piece cost to granite blocks, using the "wall space" cost from Stronghold Builder's Guidebook, of about 4 sp for a 26 lb., 6.4" cube. Both Fighter and Barbarian have Craft as a class skill, so entering Hulking Hurler the character should have decent ranks in Craft (stoneworking), plus the appropriate masterwork artisan's tools. The goal is to be able to shape stone blocks with nice sharp edges from raw stone while out adventuring.

The question is: how do you do quick crafting in the field? The standard Craft rules check on progress by the day at the fastest. Quick Crafting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#craft) allows using higher multipliers. Is there some specification of how long a day's crafting takes? (I didn't see any requirement of 8 hours in the skill description.) And are there other rules that would allow speeding up crafting?

[bosssmiley]

I disregard the RAW crafting rules (they make no sense) and use common sense. You might want to look up how long it took medieval masons to craft cannonballs for their guns, then do a little nosing into how long precise sculptural mason-work takes.

For example, knapping a honking great slab of granite (flint would probably be better) into a giant aerodynamic discus/discoidal knife is never going to be a quick and easy fireside hobby; it's an edge case application of a technology our ancestors laboured over and improved on for hundreds of thousands of years. Really, it's the kind of thing you commission dedicated mastercraftsmen to do for you while you adventure (comparative advantage, innit).

[Curmudgeon]

Really, it's the kind of thing you commission dedicated mastercraftsmen to do for you while you adventure (comparative advantage, innit).
The problem is that there are only so many granite blocks you can carry around with you in the field. I haven't seen too many dungeons where you can commission dedicated mastercraftsmen to resupply your Hulking Hurler ammunition as you go. So really, this has to be a DIY thing.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I'm building a Hulking Hurler character. The Improvised Weapon Damage table (page 159 of Complete Warrior) says:
I think I can put a silver piece cost to granite blocks, using the "wall space" cost from Stronghold Builder's Guidebook, of about 4 sp for a 26 lb., 6.4" cube. Both Fighter and Barbarian have Craft as a class skill, so entering Hulking Hurler the character should have decent ranks in Craft (stoneworking), plus the appropriate masterwork artisan's tools. The goal is to be able to shape stone blocks with nice sharp edges from raw stone while out adventuring.

The question is: how do you do quick crafting in the field? The standard Craft rules check on progress by the day at the fastest. Quick Crafting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#craft) allows using higher multipliers. Is there some specification of how long a day's crafting takes? (I didn't see any requirement of 8 hours in the skill description.) And are there other rules that would allow speeding up crafting?
Fabricate.

[Curmudgeon]

Fabricate.
Somehow I don't see spending a level 5 spell on every single stone block (value 3.8 sp).

[tyckspoon]

For example, knapping a honking great slab of granite (flint would probably be better) into a giant aerodynamic discus/discoidal knife is never going to be a quick and easy fireside hobby; it's an edge case application of a technology our ancestors laboured over and improved on for hundreds of thousands of years. Really, it's the kind of thing you commission dedicated mastercraftsmen to do for you while you adventure (comparative advantage, innit).

Well, that's alright then, it doesn't have to be aerodynamic in the slightest. Hulking Hurlers can throw anything they can lift. As long as he can put an edge or a spike on his granite brick it will serve the purpose it needs to.

Probably still be easier to just Sovereign Glue a bunch of iron spikes to one of the faces of your granite block, mind.

[Curmudgeon]

Probably still be easier to just Sovereign Glue a bunch of iron spikes to one of the faces of your granite block, mind.
If it's a block it's already got good edges, and is easy to stack up for carrying. It's those random natural shapes that are both likely to be rounded (from weathering) and hard to carry around.

I know, as far as the rules are concerned, anything that doesn't push you over your light load weight limit isn't a hindrance (unless your DM decides to add encumbrance for shape as well as weight, as in prior editions). It just seems abusive to me to say that my character is carrying a bunch of irregular rocks in the 26-50 lb. range, with spikes glued to them no less, and Quick Draw pulls these out as free actions. But I figure a harness designed to hold stone cubes in a stack isn't completely unreasonable.

[ericgrau]

Shrink item. Bring spare improvised weapons with you.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Alternate Idea:

Make small sharp boulders (hereafter referred to as shoulders).

Use Enlarge Item (Chained, etc) to turn your small shoulders into larger ones.

[Adumbration]

So, you're going to play something like this?
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/6771/obelixv.jpg