Crafting and Alchemy goodies

[RustyArmor]

Sorry if stupid question, I only had the chance to play the very first play test and didn't have a chance to play the later updates. But do they have crafting in next? And are alchemy items reasonably priced? I was always a fan of alchemy items however their price was something to be desired. A low level character could not afford them and by time you had that much money to blow most of said items were not worth it anymore. Just wondered if they did something about this or if my group will just keep our houserules about them.

[Madfellow]

None of the playtest packets included rules for crafting, but the final product most likely will. Blacksmith, tanner, etc. will probably be among the available backgrounds and will let you craft mundane weapons and armor and such. It'll probably also include a feat that will let someone with that background create magic items, though doing so will likely be both expensive and time-consuming. It'll probably also be an optional rule.

As for alchemical items, I'm not sure what those are. Do you mean potions? If so then yeah, the later packets included potions. You're more likely to get them as a loot drop from a monster than you are to find them in a store anywhere. Only the largest cities are assumed to have apothecaries skilled enough to brew magical potions.

[Alefiend]

As for alchemical items, I'm not sure what those are.

Alchemical items are things like thunderstones, alchemist's fire, tanglefoot bags, and other objects that are beyond the mundane, but not quite at the level of magic items.

[Madfellow]

Ah. I haven't seen any of those in any of the playtests, but I doubt Wizards would exclude them from the final product.

[Person_Man]

It's worth mentioning that in every edition other then 4E, crafting magic items was a back door to complete brokenness if you followed the RAW, and that magic item pricing in general was wildly inconsistent. Hopefully they've learned their lesson, and maybe the new "attunement" rules will help keep a cap on the "Christmas tree effect." Though I have no idea why they didn't play test such an integral part of the game.

[Kurald Galain]

A recent interview reveals that crafting rules will be in the DMG, not the PHB. I haven't seen any mention of alchemical items, but I can't really imagine them being left out; since the partial equipment list we've seen contains no alchemy, I suspect they'll be in the DMG as well.

[captpike]

A recent interview reveals that crafting rules will be in the DMG, not the PHB. I haven't seen any mention of alchemical items, but I can't really imagine them being left out; since the partial equipment list we've seen contains no alchemy, I suspect they'll be in the DMG as well.

at this rate the PHB will be 10 pages long, and the DMG will be 500 pages long, one would think they would stick the player rules in PHB and the DMs in the DMG...

[da_chicken]

From the playtest:

Proficiency with Herbalism Kit allows you to create Potions of Healing at half price (25gp) in 1 hour.

Proficiency with Poisoner's Kit allows you to create poisons you know at half price in 1 hour. Basic poison (100gp retail, 1d4 damage, DC 10, lasts 1 minute) is the only poison listed.

Proficiency with Artisan's Tools (it is implied there are several, so I would assume carpenter, armorer, weaponsmith, bowyer/fletcher, etc.) allows you to create items at half price in a DM determined amount of time (suggestion is at least one day).

Alchemists Fire, Acid, Antitoxin, Holy Water, and Potions of Healing are all present on the equipment list.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

At whatever point in the playtest I saw a rule that I really liked.

Wizards could only create so many items at one time. Like say 5 potions at any given time.

If you base crafting rules off from that you might have a shot at a system that doesn't destroy the game.

Like perhaps one can only crafts so many of an item before they run out of materials for that specific item. If thunderstones need the recently hatched egg shells of a dwarf shock lizard... Well you won't be able to mass produce them.

Stop making crafting a magic only resource would be nice too. I would like to see alchemy straight up be Ex science. Yes it works in anti-magic zones but they are hard to come by to begin with. Plus when you find treasure and get "5 free range nose hairs of a troll" that is good for making tanglefoot bags you will appreciate it more :p.

I would like to see a mix chart of a crazy ton of items that it takes to make different alchimal items... Like a page for each item with what you can find to mix together (in a lab) to make items. Stop with this cast a spell and get an item.

Add in more items that duplicate healing spells and such, but more specific could work.

3 snake fangs + 1/2 dung beetle + 4 eyes of newt = Potion of Resist Poison.

4 cocktrace toes + 2 ounces of granite dust + alkalai base = Potion of Cure Petrification.

This could be its own book, I would fricken buy it.