How would one paint in d&d?

[Temennigru]

I've recently been wondering if I could make a painter character in d&d.
The game supports it item-wise but offers no skills or rules whatsoever to do it.
How can I make a painter in d&d?
What would the rules for painting be?

[Extra Anchovies]

Do you want someone who adventures and also paints, or do you want someone who adventures by painting? If the former, just put ranks into profession (painter). If the latter, maybe an Illusionist? Or possibly a blaster mage who "paints" with the elements.

[Story]

You could put ranks into Craft (Drawing) or Craft (Painting) or Craft (Art) or whatever (depends on how generic the DM allows craft skills to be). Of course there's no listed DCs or anything, so it's pretty much entirely up to DM adjucation.

[Uncle Pine]

Actually, Craft (painting) is an option listed in the very PHB. :smallconfused:

EDIT: By the way, there also are listed DCs: 5, 10, 15 or 20 depending on the quality of your work (ranging from very simple to complex or superior).

[DrMotives]

Were you thinking something like Relm from FF6? She did that thing where she painted a picture of whatever monster she was fighting, which then used 1 attack and disappeared. Closest way to emulate that in the rules would be some sort of shadow-subschool illusionist, although a conjuror might work too.

[Flickerdart]

An artificer who crafts scrolls that are actually beautiful paintings could be a pretty good way of supporting an artist adventurer mechanically. Sprinkle in a bunch of related items such as magic tattoos and rune spells, and you're in business!

In terms of Craft (Painting) or Profession (Painter) you should see if you can adapt the DC table from Perform - a painter should be able to attract wealthy patrons just as easily as a musician.

[Grod_The_Giant]

If the latter, maybe an Illusionist?
A Shadowcraft Mage refluffing your somatic components as "painting" seems workable. Or a Conjurer, actually. Either way, see if your DM will let you reflavor the spell component pouch as one of those little trays of paint.

[Uncle Pine]

Or Shadowcraft Mage, to make really good paintings!

[Asrrin]

Be an artificer or wizard, take Craft (Painting) and Craft Wondrous Item Feat, and make yourself tons of Marvelous Pigments (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments).

[Darrin]

A DC 15 Craft (Painting) check is required to use Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments.

[Mehangel]

If you are playing pathfinder, you can utilize Spheres of Power and be a caster with Skilled Casting, which would allow you to utilize your craft painting skill to cast spells...

[Extra Anchovies]

If you are playing pathfinder, you can utilize Spheres of Power and be a caster with Skilled Casting, which would allow you to utilize your craft painting skill to cast spells...

Is the content in that book available without me having to shell out $20 for it, e.g. on the PFSRD?

[Mehangel]

At the moment, no. But from what I understand it will be uploaded soon after publishing.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Oh! Or a Runesmith! Then you're literally using pictures (RAW runes, but eh) to cast your spells! Bonus points if you can also get enough Geometer to use "runes" in your spellbook as well. Wizard 5/Runesmith 1/Geometer 5/Runesmith +4/Archmage 5?

[Uncle Pine]

If you are playing pathfinder, you can utilize Spheres of Power and be a caster with Skilled Casting, which would allow you to utilize your craft painting skill to cast spells...

In Pathfinder you can literally craft magic weapons, armors and wondrous items with Craft (basketweaving), so why not doing it with Craft (painting)?

No, I don't know how one would use his basketweaving skills to improve the protection of an armor. Yes it's both RAW and RAI, why?

[EisenKreutzer]

If it's Pathfinder, a painter Summoner could summon his Eidolon by painting it and conjuring it to life.

[Saintheart]

Oh! Or a Runesmith! Then you're literally using pictures (RAW runes, but eh) to cast your spells! Bonus points if you can also get enough Geometer to use "runes" in your spellbook as well. Wizard 5/Runesmith 1/Geometer 5/Runesmith +4/Archmage 5?

Related if not better: Runecaster, from FRCS. All Inscribe Rune requires is a Craft skill related to writing, and the chapter of Rune Magic allows specifically for runes to be painted on surfaces. By this method runes can be flavourfully translated to Oriental-style settings by fluffing them as kanji.