2 questions, one Psionic, one related.

[EnglishLanguage]

Psionic Question
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This is more of an opinion thing to be honest, but looking for input all the same. I'm playing a Kamen Rider-inspired character in a game soon, and looking for a good combo of Aegis, Soulknife, and Metaforge to use. My current idea is Aegis 7/Soulknife(Deadly Fist) 3/Metaforge 10. This way I get the customization points and DR of a level 17 Aegis(20 if I take Student of the Astral Suit), and the Enhanced Mind Blade of a level 13 Soulknife(17 if I take Fighter's Blade). Does that seem sound, or is there a more optimal set-up for this class combo? If it helps, I'm not particularly attached to the Metaforge beyond Metaforge 3 for the Dual Summon ability, the other 7 levels of it are mostly to keep up on the Customization Points, DR, and Enhanced Mind Blade.

Related to above
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The Master Craftsman feat in particular. It reads....
"Choose one Craft or Profession skill in which you possess at least 5 ranks. You receive a +2 bonus on your chosen Craft or Profession skill. Ranks in your chosen skill count as your caster level for the purposes of qualifying for the Craft Magic Arms and Armor and Craft Wondrous Item feats. You can create magic items using these feats, substituting your ranks in the chosen skill for your total caster level. You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item."

So does this mean if I chose, say, Craft(Shoes) as my Master Craft, that I could use Craft(Shoes) in place of a Spellcraft for Craft Wondrous Items, even if they aren't shoes? Or do I need to justify how my shoemaking knowledge is relevant to making a Belt of Constitution?

[Cowardly Griffo]

By RAW, your chosen skill for Master Craftsman just replaces the spellcraft check, but I've always interpreted
You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item.as also including the mundane crafting of the item, since the mundane and "magic" portion are way more bound up for a crafter using this feat than they are for an actual caster.

I suspect most GMs would interpret it the same way. Though if you really want to be the world's greatest shoemaker and use that talent to make a suit of armor that's a bunch of shoes nailed together, I would totally allow that. Assuming the dials are already at an appropriate level of silliness, obviously. :smalltongue:

[EnglishLanguage]

Well, I'll have to talk to my DM about it, but that could be an option for Kamen Rider Shoemaster.

if not, I could pick a more normal crafting skill :P

[Cowardly Griffo]

From what I've seen of Kamen Rider (a few episodes of Kabuto, basically), picking a weird cornercase craft or profession skill and making literally everything you use with that skill would actually be pretty on-theme.

Like, come to think of it, Profession (Lepidoptery)? Yes, please (http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/272/b/e/the_monarch_and_gang_by_aschell-d2zrorp.jpg). :smallbiggrin:

[Yanisa]

By RAW, your chosen skill for Master Craftsman just replaces the spellcraft check, but I've always interpreted as also including the mundane crafting of the item, since the mundane and "magic" portion are way more bound up for a crafter using this feat than they are for an actual caster.

I suspect most GMs would interpret it the same way. Though if you really want to be the world's greatest shoemaker and use that talent to make a suit of armor that's a bunch of shoes nailed together, I would totally allow that. Assuming the dials are already at an appropriate level of silliness, obviously. :smalltongue:

Each Magic Item Creation has a set of specific crafts and professions to create items requirements (or spellcraft, but it is not relevant here). The feat most likely means you need one of those crafts or professions, not just any random one. Armor is quite simple, Craft (armor) and Wonderous item is complex stating "an applicable Craft or Profession skill check".

So if you pick craft (Shoes) you can make Boots, but you can't make Gloves or Belts. Just like a normal wizard with the feat Craft Wonderous Items and Craft (Shoes).

[EnglishLanguage]

I've watched the entirety of Decade, W, OOO, and Fourze, who are dimension hopper, Power Ranger detectives, bum with spare change fighting powers, and high school astronauts respectively.

Hyperfocusing on a corner case skill like that is very appropriate.

[EnglishLanguage]

Each Magic Item Creation has a set of specific crafts and professions to create items requirements (or spellcraft, but it is not relevant here). The feat most likely means you need one of those crafts or professions, not just any random one. Armor is quite simple, Craft (armor) and Wonderous item is complex stating "an applicable Craft or Profession skill check".

So if you pick craft (Shoes) you can make Boots, but you can't make Gloves or Belts. Just like a normal wizard with the feat Craft Wonderous Items and Craft (Shoes).

Hmm, well, I guess that depends if the "You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item" part of Master Craftsman overrides the normal Craft requirement for a magic item or not.

[Cowardly Griffo]

I think that's basically a table question. I'd personally favor the "if it makes sense, it works" approach over the "this is your list" approach, especially as the feat doesn't specify.

I mean, not to drag out a strawman, but the list approach leads to weird things like a Master Leatherworking Craftsman not being able to make magical leather armor or whips because that's not one of the given skills. Likewise with blacksmiths, woodworkers and other professionals whom you'd probably expect to pick up the feat at some point.

[Yanisa]

Hmm, well, I guess that depends if the "You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item" part of Master Craftsman overrides the normal Craft requirement for a magic item or not.

It's not entirely clear, but because there is nothing to even suggest this overwrites the normal requirements, the easier conclusion is that it just follows the normal rules. And thus the line is statement warning people that that normal rule is still in effect and that their chosen craft must be useful for the items they want to make. It doesn't have "instead of the normal check" and the normal check can already be a craft or profession.

Also the line prevents you from using other crafts or profession you have invested in to make magic items, and to be fair, thats just mean spirited. Any magic item crafter can just go Spellcraft, but the mundane magic item crafter must pick a niche.

That doesn't mean it's overpowered if a DM allows more crafting (because of magic users), but it's not the intend of the feat to be versatile in your magic crafting. Then again if you DM allows it, with custom magic items you can recreate any item as a pair of boots. :smalltongue:

[EnglishLanguage]

Hmm, fair enough. I'll switch to something more normal for now, then ask the DM about it when I get a chance. Thanks forum :)

[EnglishLanguage]

Actually, where does it list the required Craft skill for each item?

I checked some belts, but they just list "Craft Wondrous item" as a per-resuiquite, but not Craft(Belt) required or anything like that.

[Cowardly Griffo]

Dunno about the books, but the SRD has them in the various "Creating X" sections, starting with Creating Magic Armor (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items#TOC-Creating-Magic-Armor), which lists either Spellcraft or Craft (Armor) as your valid choices.

Craft Wondrous Item is already super open-ended, as mentioned.

[EnglishLanguage]

Fair enough. I'll just ask my DM if I can apply Craft(Shoes) to a Craft Wondrous Item check if I can justify it and go based on that.