A bit of industrial revolution-type crafting optimization

[Jowgen]

I want to set up a little crafting sweatshop in game and am spitballing a few ideas that I'm looking for feedback on. I'd like them to engange in both Mundane and Magical Crafting. Following the intial investment, the venture should ideally be self-funded by sale profits.

Every crafter in the shop gets 4 feats, up to 3 HD, no class levels, average ability scores, and a CL of 3 (with a few minor SLAs). Each one will be speced to be able to hit a craft DC of 20 by taking 10. These guys are free, everything else would cost extra.

I am thinking of giving them Craft Wondrous Item, Extraordinary Artisan and Magical Artisan; with the last feat being variable. I should be able to arrange access to a Fey Cherry tree that can be pruned and then healed for a steady supply of base material wood, which cost 10% less gp and XP to enhance magically. Now for one I gotta figure out how and in what order to apply these cost reducers.

Meeting CL pre-requesites is achieved by having a sub-group of workers take God Touched, Divine Channeler, Minor Divine Caster and Circle Magic (Ghostwalk), instead of the crafting feats, so that they can boost their CL to at least 18 (might boost further with items if needed).

For crafting EXP, I don't want to resort to a distilled joy factory if I can help it. I'm thinking of using Talismans/Ritual of Transference; but I'm unsure on how to turn that into a steady enough supply. Ideas welcome on this one.

Sourcing the needed pre-requesite spells is something I am somewhat stuck on. I know a 12th level warlock could do it, as could an artificer with a high UMD, but that's about it. Ideas welcome on this one.

For the shop itself, MW tools will be provided to all crafters, and said crafters will start out by making things like the magical forges from RoS p. 167 and whatever other wondrous architecture/items might be useful. Suggestions most welcome. :smallsmile:

So that is about all I have so far. :smallsmile:

[daremetoidareyo]

For crafting EXP, I don't want to resort to a distilled joy factory if I can help it. I'm thinking of using Talismans/Ritual of Transference; but I'm unsure on how to turn that into a steady enough supply. Ideas welcome on this one.


Ok, what I see here is a unique business model. Contract with governments to sell a certain number of arms & magic items. In return, all soldiers on the front lines must carry talismans of transference, put their dogtags on there. In a war, those front liners rack up XP and then they die. In return, the soldiers can return the dogtags to one of your sweatshops for a GP reward. You can beat the typical 5 GP per xp in this manner. This incentivizes a steady stream of XP. All you need to do is incentivize war.

[ATHATH]

I recommend making the crafters Midgard Dwarves.

[Honest Tiefling]

Ok, what I see here is a unique business model. Contract with governments to sell a certain number of arms & magic items. In return, all soldiers on the front lines must carry talismans of transference, put their dogtags on there. In a war, those front liners rack up XP and then they die. In return, the soldiers can return the dogtags to one of your sweatshops for a GP reward. You can beat the typical 5 GP per xp in this manner. This incentivizes a steady stream of XP. All you need to do is incentivize war.

Even better if you get both sides to use your goods. You'll also have to snag the ones from war looters somehow.

Through I must say, your shop idea looks good. It sure would be a shame if...Something were to happen to it. *Pushes over minor object*.

But seriously, you need some security on this place and your workers. Replacing them might be a bit of a bother.

[MisterKaws]

For the XP, if you want the most stable method(other than having a brothel with items of Distilled Joy everywhere), I think you might wanna try the level drain+Restoration trick: just drain someone's level, transfer the half XP they get from leveling down to somewhere else, and then quickly cast Restoration to get the level back with no XP loss.

[Gildedragon]

Part of what helps produce the industrial revolution is the move away from skilled craftsmen to unskilled automated labor; have the item creation feats be given by items such as the forge of thautaum and a hammer of the magesmith to craft things.

as for spell giving: (eternal) wands or schemas. You will need to get an artificer to make the first one but after that you're out in the clear. You might need the laborers to be magewrights or adepts.

For XP cost reduction: you want to get an obelisk (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070812a&page=4) (from the tower of magic) and an magic workshop (from the tower of life)

Turn your company into an Organization, with one of the benefits of affiliation is magic item creation cost reduction.

[Jowgen]

Ok, what I see here is a unique business model. Contract with governments to sell a certain number of arms & magic items. In return, all soldiers on the front lines must carry talismans of transference, put their dogtags on there. In a war, those front liners rack up XP and then they die. In return, the soldiers can return the dogtags to one of your sweatshops for a GP reward. You can beat the typical 5 GP per xp in this manner. This incentivizes a steady stream of XP. All you need to do is incentivize war.

I like the concept! Hand out talismans to people bound to gain some EXP, have them touch the talisman to a sufficient portion of raw material you are bound to use to craft an item sometime (add little label), and then when they come back they change exp for gp. As an alternative to doing this via war, I might combo this with a Redeemery, provided the Exp for Redemption rule from BoED p. 31 is in play.

I recommend making the crafters Midgard Dwarves.

I had not known about them. They certainly are too powerful to make into run of the mill crafters, but lest my understanding of crafting teamwork is wrong, just one per factory should be able to supply all the spell-prerequesites the factory needs. Really, just need to find one to act as a foreman that goes around and touches everyone's projects with magic each day. Bonus points if I can make it that this foreman has words of Creation, as to boost everyone's checks and good-item CLs for free.


But seriously, you need some security on this place and your workers. Replacing them might be a bit of a bother.

I think that once the facotory is up and running, the workers should be able to craft plenty of defensive things to ensure security. But yeah, need to anti-attack measures is acknowledged.


level drain+Restoration trick

I doubt it would fly, but will keep it in mind.


Part of what helps produce the industrial revolution is the move away from skilled craftsmen to unskilled automated labor; have the item creation feats be given by items such as the forge of thautaum and a hammer of the magesmith to craft things.

as for spell giving: (eternal) wands or schemas. You will need to get an artificer to make the first one but after that you're out in the clear. You might need the laborers to be magewrights or adepts.

For XP cost reduction: you want to get an obelisk (from the tower of magic) and an magic workshop (from the tower of life)

Turn your company into an Organization, with one of the benefits of affiliation is magic item creation cost reduction.

I certainly intended to use the RoS forges, the hammer... might be a later addition, once weapon production reaches a level that justifies making a lot of these. Schemas are a bit too high level to make, but yeah, eternal wands are a the fall-back option in case other sources just won't come. I doubt I'll be able to get access to the obelisk, towrkshop or organization benefits, but I'll keep them in mind, thank you.

[Dr.Drako]

well, i may be a bit late to this, but i would recomend going with craft wonderous item, craft magic arms and armor and craft construct if possible, since then i believe you can create a crafter homonculus from eberron to do the crafting for you, with the added benefit of infinite craftsmen

[Buufreak]

well, i may be a bit late to this, but i would recomend going with craft wonderous item, craft magic arms and armor and craft construct if possible, since then i believe you can create a crafter homonculus from eberron to do the crafting for you, with the added benefit of infinite craftsmen

And by "a bit late" you meant to say Thread-necromancy, something that is widely frowned upon in these parts, especially by mods.

[Roland St. Jude]

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