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Tathum
2013-07-12, 12:01 PM
Playing a Spellsword with Profession (Mining), Craft (Armorsmith), and Craft (Weaponsmithing) skills with the intent of making my own armor and weapons as I level. Already found a healthy source of Mithril, and I eventually plan on heading to the outer planes to make Entropium.

However, the current 3.5 rules for crafting gear seems ... very prohibitive time-wise. Taking at least two weeks just to make a common Great Sword is ... kind of reasonable, but to make a Masterwork version takes a minimum of two months!?! That's beyond stupid.

And let's not get into how long it takes to make a suit of Full-Plate, not even considering if I found some adamantite or crystal!

When compared to real life crafting times, even ones from 600 years ago, this doesn't seem all that reasonable. Has there been any other 3.5 materials on crafting or has anyone made a good home-brew version that makes sense? I've checked out crafting points, but the finite amount you gain only through leveling up your character doesn't seem very promising.

Considering the amount of crafting I'd like this character to do, and the fact that I have a Cleric NPC who has Craft (Fine Metalworking / Engineering) that she will eventually use to craft constructs, I'm highly motivated in finding a method that will keep time between adventures down below the month mark while I pause to build something.
Fouredged Sword
2013-07-12, 12:10 PM
The spell you are looking for is fabricate.

You know that 4 year crafting period? Now it's a standard action.
Tathum
2013-07-12, 01:20 PM
So, just the spell? There's no other supplemental material or no one made a system that was plausible and more reasonable?
Fouredged Sword
2013-07-12, 01:22 PM
Well, there is also true creation, but that is just expend EXP -> get free mundane object, no crafting material needed.

But yes, non-spellcasters can't have nice things, so the only way to practically create mundane objects is a spell.
Blackhawk748
2013-07-12, 01:23 PM
sadly no, but most DMs agree that 2 months to make standard full plate is a bit ridiculous, i as a rule cut the time in half, its not great but its nicer to characters
Deophaun
2013-07-12, 02:15 PM
Actually, I think someone compared what the crafting rules did to what historic times were, and they weren't that far off. Of course, when you throw in special materials, the whole concept gets silly (why does a platinum ring take 10X as long as a gold ring?), but standard items work out. (To go by a fictional example, Hattori Hanzo in Kill Bill apparently has around a +20 to weaponsmithing, as with masterwork tools, an assistant, and taking 10, he can craft a katana in one month; and this is appropriate for a legendary sword smith).

That's not necessarily good for a game, mind you, but...

That said, you can always increase the DC in increments of 10, and hire additional workers to help out.
Hand_of_Vecna
2013-07-12, 02:30 PM
What historical references are you using? Most find crafting times to be accurate or too short.

However, I've always assumed that special materials stuff used the full materials cost worth of special material and was crafted in the normal time for masterwork items.

Unearthed Arcana has rules for giving everyone a gp pool they can insta-craft each level using the been working on it all this level hand wave.
hydraa
2013-07-12, 02:31 PM
Unearthed Arcana has craft points that can be used to complete the item tomorrow using some extra gold.
Example is full plate at 1/3 cost and normal speed or 1/2 cost and 165 craft points to complete in 1 day with a DC 20 craft check)

Craft points earned at 100xclass level
Tathum
2013-07-12, 05:32 PM
Unearthed Arcana has craft points that can be used to complete the item tomorrow using some extra gold.
Example is full plate at 1/3 cost and normal speed or 1/2 cost and 165 craft points to complete in 1 day with a DC 20 craft check)

Craft points earned at 100xclass level

I find the notion of Craft Points unappealing just because of the limits involved. Although, admittedly, realizing that you can basically make a suit of full plate at level two is not bad. Especially if I already have max points in those skills every level.

God, I love my Spellsword.