Pathfinder Crafter Help

[Wolfgang Hype]

I've been looking around trying to figure out how to build a crafting character in Pathfinder and I'm trying to figure out what all I need. I know I'll need all the crafting feats and I'll probably take Cooperative Crafting since I know we have a Cleric in the party that has Craft Wondrous Item and it appears to halve crafting time (though it also means I need to rely on his rolls for the skill). I was thinking of going Bard since that will give me more skill points to throw around into crafting feats and lets me fill more of a support role. Though going Wizard would give me an extra feat or two and reduce my dependency on scrolls, wands, and other spellcasters to meet prerequisites.

Before anyone suggests it I'm not using the Eberron Artificer because my DM doesn't want to worry about conversion and not using the Pathfinder Artificer because I don't like it and I'm not sure my DM will allow anything other than the core and Advanced Player's Guide classes.

[Engine]

I suggest you to go Wizard.

- Your most important stat with a Wizard is Intelligence, so even if the class has 2 skill points\level your character could be a decent skillmonkey for crafting purpose;
- More feats;
- More spells, so you're not always stuck with the same spells you need for crafting (just in case);
- When you're not crafting you could fill the role of the utility caster or buff your group, so you could cover the "support" role all too well.

[Ashram]

A couple of things: Even if you're not using an Eberron class, see if you can get the crafting cost reducing feats from the Player's Guide to Eberron.

There's a Pathfinder trait that reduces crafting costs by 5%, if your DM is using traits.

Also, if your DM is doing stuff by the book, crafting items in PF requires a Spellcraft check to finish them; being a wizard will definitely help with this. Nearly any requirement of an item can be handwaved for increasing the Spellcraft DC by 5 for each requirement bypassed, except for a set caster level requirement which can't be bypassed.