Rules for crafting/crafters driving me nuts!

[hirojinbrodie]

Ok I am seriously running into a problem in my campaign. It is a large scale, metropolis based campaign, lots of political intrigue and the like. Which would be all well in good but the crafters in the party spend all their time building and leave the group to rot. Added to this is the fact that one of them in a shy new player and its nearly half my group out of commission. I am really trouble here, and need to know how to get them involved. My first thought was there is a limit on the amount of time you can spend per day on crafting, like eight hours. However I don't see it in the rules. Any ideas?

I was thinking about giving them a dedicated wright, but it would be a other planer creature and would feel cheap.

I need them to be involved, but I think I made a mistake by allowing crafters, the non arftificer sort. I have played a artificer, and so long as there is a warforged to buff and a dedicated wright it is usually ok. They are Wow crafters though, so I am really out of my element here.

[Korivan]

When in doubt, make your own rules. The crafting guidelines are just that guidelines. Ones that, I for one, ignore almost 100%. We went with our own thing. Not sure how it worked for the most part, I wasn't the crafter.
Just know that at any time its convienent, the DM and group can change things to make it work better for you.

[Reluctance]

Directly under Creating Magic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) in the SRD:


The caster works for 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer each day. But the days need not be consecutive, and the caster can use the rest of his time as he sees fit.

If you're talking about the rules for the Craft/Profession skills, you're well within your rights to have a couple of doors kicked in to force the players into the action. If they go out of their way to ignore adventure hooks so they can continue making stuff, inform them that avoiding adventuring to make a more stable living is the definition of retiring one's character.

In fact, saying "we're here to play adventurers, not chefs/carpetners/wandmakers" should get them back on track. If it doesn't, you have deeper problems.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I only wish to add that dedicated wrights are not extraplanar. They are constructs crafted by either 5+ level artificers or by some other caster with the craft construct feat.

[Vizzerdrix]

You could always throw a guild/union thugs at them mid crafting.

A lord has heard of their prowess, and demands they make something imposable or else.

Moonrats steal their most recent shipment and use it to wreak havoc on the city.

If they are making mundane stuff, then have raggamoffyns start showing up all over the place.

If they are making too much magical stuff, Grisgols could start showing up.

You could always just ham it up and go with the whole crafting thing (You have to decide fast. You can either get to the silk merchant before he closes for lunch, catch the morning button sale at We B Buttons or check the fishmongers for rare ingredients! The group only has 20 seconds to decide!)

[Tvtyrant]

Or you could just make it so that the crafting happens while they sleep, using some sort of self-working hammer or something.