[3.5] Magic Weapons and Armor Without Casting

[Thurbane]

So, I know there's a few ways to do this, but I'd like a list so I can consider my options.

What methods exist to make magical weapons and armor, without requiring the services of a spellcaster, or being a spellcaster yourself?

For my purposes, psionics, incarnum, invocations and other "magic systems" count as being a spellcaster.

What I'm really asking, I guess, is how can a mundane craft magic weapons and armor, without relying on someone else to do it for them, or assist.

I believe there's a couple of PrCs that do this?

Midgard Dwarf works, but they aren't really viable as PCs.

- Cheers, T

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

Huh, just mentioned it in another thread.

Battlesmith gives you Craft Magic Arms and Armor even if you don't meet the prerequisites for it.
Gives you caster level for enchanting equal to class level x3, so can hit CL15 for enchanting without any caster class.

[Thurbane]

Huh, just mentioned it in another thread.

Battlesmith gives you Craft Magic Arms and Armor even if you don't meet the prerequisites for it.
Gives you caster level for enchanting equal to class level x3, so can hit CL15 for enchanting without any caster class.

That's pretty much ideal, thank you.

I knew there was at least one PrC out there, but I couldn't recall which one.

The reqs are a bit of a pain, and the class skills aren't great, but it does what I need. You can shoehorn in any race if you suck up 3 levels of Stoneblessed...

[Telonius]

Anointed Knight and the Ancestral Relic feat (BoED), as well as Kensai (CWar), will let you enchant a specific weapon.

[razorback]

I can't recall, but someone else might remember, but I think an archived article had a dwarven forge that would allow you to craft magic arms and armor, though I might be confusing it with something else.
I'll have to dig through my notes and Google to see if I can remember.

Here it is (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040807a&page=6), though reading it it sounds like you still need to be a spellcaster, it only gives you the CA&A feat or limited to fire spells

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Any race that gets a racial spell-like ability that improves the caster level as you level up can meet the caster level prerequisite for item creation feats and for creating magic items that only require a caster level.

There may be feats that grant a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your character level that a mundane character could take to do the same.

[CharonsHelper]

In Pathfinder there's a feat which lets anyone with enough Crafting make magic gear.

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

I can't recall, but someone else might remember, but I think an archived article had a dwarven forge that would allow you to craft magic arms and armor, though I might be confusing it with something else.
I'll have to dig through my notes and Google to see if I can remember.

Here it is (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040807a&page=6), though reading it it sounds like you still need to be a spellcaster, it only gives you the CA&A feat or limited to fire spells

The articles a preview of races of stone, went and checked the book, wordings identical.

Yes, I do believe you still need to have a caster level and be a Dwarf to get any effect out of either.

[Telonius]

The Item Familiar feat (UA) doesn't actually require the character to be a spellcaster. If they can self-enchant an item (up to a worth of at least 2,000 gp) through any of the methods mentioned in the thread, they can take Item Familiar and improve it from there.

[Thurbane]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.


Any race that gets a racial spell-like ability that improves the caster level as you level up can meet the caster level prerequisite for item creation feats and for creating magic items that only require a caster level.

There may be feats that grant a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your character level that a mundane character could take to do the same.

Good point. Races like Duergar qualify by default.

Feats like Fey Presence would work "Your caster level equals your character level."

Still, feels like a bit of a "cheat" for a mundane to have SLAs to qualify...at least for what I'm trying to achieve.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Ironsoul Forgemaster gives you a CL of 3*level (like Battlesmith; the ability has the same name, too) and is ten levels long. The class advances and requires meldshaping, but if you were to use Shape Soulmeld to qualify, you'd have nothing to advance, so that one soulmeld would be all the magical ability you'd have (you'd have open chakras, but no chakra binds, and you could invest essentia into your equipment, but you'd have no essentia).

However, it should be noted that both Ironsoul Forgemaster and Battlesmith rely on other means to fulfill specific spell requirements. That means you'll need an ally with prepared spells, or UMD with a pile of scrolls, or a wand or staff.

[Troacctid]

It's not just SLAs—supernatural abilities count too, and default to a caster level equal to your character level unless otherwise stated. Your bog-standard monk easily qualifies for most item creation feats by way of their various (Su) abilities (although meeting spell prerequisites might be tricky). There's even one feat, Celestial Scion, that you can take at 1st level that gives you continuous true seeing as a supernatural ability with a CL of 14, enabling you to take almost any item creation feat in the game very early on.

[Thurbane]

It's not just SLAs—supernatural abilities count too, and default to a caster level equal to your character level unless otherwise stated. Your bog-standard monk easily qualifies for most item creation feats by way of their various (Su) abilities (although meeting spell prerequisites might be tricky). There's even one feat, Celestial Scion, that you can take at 1st level that gives you continuous true seeing as a supernatural ability with a CL of 14, enabling you to take almost any item creation feat in the game very early on.

Continual True Seeing as a level 1 feat? Why am I not surprised it's from Dragon Magazine. :smalltongue:

OK, the fine print says it's limited to Demons and Devils...

I'm thinking I might just home-brew a feat that gives someone a caster level for the purpose of taking feats, and lets them count as a spellcaster for making alchemical items.



Mystical Crafter [General]

Prerequsite
Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.

Benefit
You have an effective caster level equal to your character level, for the purposes of qualifying for Item Creation feats. You are also treated as being a spellcaster for the purposes of creating alchemical items. You must meet all other prerequisites to select the feat, and meet all other criteria to create specific items.

Normal
You must have a caster level to take Item Creation feats, and be a spellcaster to create alchemical items.

[ericgrau]

Huh, just mentioned it in another thread.

Battlesmith gives you Craft Magic Arms and Armor even if you don't meet the prerequisites for it.
Gives you caster level for enchanting equal to class level x3, so can hit CL15 for enchanting without any caster class.

You still need the requisite spells to create most items, via a caster or an item. Besides straight enhancement bonus to weapon/armor.

[Malphegor]

I believe Midgard Dwarves might be what you're after, for their weird racial ability that 100% justifies their +4 LA

Master Smith (Ex): Midgard dwarves gain Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, and Forge Ring as bonus feats. They are considered to possess the prerequisites necessary to craft any magic item of those types, even if they do not otherwise meet the requirements or have the ability to cast the necessary spells.

They just forge so good that magic arms and weapons are effectively magicked without needing to know the spells for it.

(I'm pretty sure it'd be reasonable to ask if your DM would waive or lower the LA if that race was houseruled to retain the gold cost in materials, and get its crafting bonus feats scattered across the character's levels- Wondrous Item at ECL 4, Magic Arms and Armor at 8, Forge Ring at 12. Being able to craft anything regardless of spell is powerful, but for a player character you kinda want to be able to actually play and keep up with the group without resorting to having so many damaging gizmos that fights are mostly a matter of 'did you prepare enough blast disks'. The super-curse the race also has is 1/year, so that's not that overpowered.)

[Piggy Knowles]

Peerless Archer from Silver Marches is a mundane class that allows you to fletch magical arrows.

[Remuko]

Midgard Dwarf works, but they aren't really viable as PCs.

- Cheers, T


I believe Midgard Dwarves might be what you're after, for their weird racial ability that 100% justifies their +4 LA


They just forge so good that magic arms and weapons are effectively magicked without needing to know the spells for it.

Already addressed

[ericgrau]

Continual True Seeing as a level 1 feat? Why am I not surprised it's from Dragon Magazine. :smalltongue:

OK, the fine print says it's limited to Demons and Devils...

I'm thinking I might just home-brew a feat that gives someone a caster level for the purpose of taking feats, and lets them count as a spellcaster for making alchemical items.



Mystical Crafter [General]

Prerequsite
Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.

Benefit
You have an effective caster level equal to your character level, for the purposes of qualifying for Item Creation feats. You are also treated as being a spellcaster for the purposes of creating alchemical items. You must meet all other prerequisites to select the feat, and meet all other criteria to create specific items.

Normal
You must have a caster level to take Item Creation feats, and be a spellcaster to create alchemical items.

Perhaps you should do something about the spell prerequisites though. What's the point when you need to hire an NPC caster to help you? True it's easier to find help than finding an NPC crafter, but meh. Pathfinder did it via a spellcraft penalty I think. I don't know if you want to do the same. A simple option would be a feat that let you get pre-req spells as if you were a member of the class 2-4 levels lower than your character level. The sheer versatility of such a feat making it tempting to even a full caster makes me think it should be 4 levels below your character level. There are still plenty of good choices even with the 4 level delay. Many expensive magic items have low level spell pre-reqs for example. Even with the 4 level delay I can see some full casters taking it. But not most so I guess that's ok.

Like the feat below. Instead of craft (any) 8 ranks you might require craft (alchemy) 8 ranks or character level 5. AFAIK every PC class has craft as a class skill. Or at least almost all do, so it's not hard to get.

Improved Mystical Crafter [General]

Prerequsite
Mystical Crafter, Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank, craft (any) 8 ranks.

Benefit
When crafting magic items you may meet spell prerequisites without having the actual spells prepared. Provided that another class 4 levels below yours could meet those prerequisites without taking any special measures (such as early access to the spells via feats, using magic items, etc.).

Normal
You must have a spell prepared or otherwise provide it to craft an item with that spell as a prerequisite.

[Mnemius]

More in depth on the PF route. PF skills are capped at level, but class skills get a +3 bonus to them. everyone has craft as a class skill.

Feat: Master Craftsman (from PF)
Requirement: 5 ranks in a specific craft skill.
Effect: Get a +2 bonus on that craft skill, your ranks in that skill now count as caster level when crafting and picking up craft magic item-type feats.

(PF rules that each pre-req on the item you don't meet, do +5 to the DC of the craft roll.)

Could 3.5 it by saying your class levels count as your caster level towards crafting magic items of the related craft skill.