[3.5] What Crafts Does An Artificer Need?

[Fax Celestis]

My wife is rolling an artificer for game tomorrow night, but she's absolutely flummoxed by the nigh-infinite potential of the Craft skill. So, what's a solid list of craft skills that should cover most of her bases, in as few unique Craft skills as possible?

I'm personally leaning towards Metalworking, Weaponsmithing, Armorsmithing, Bowmaking, Pottery (for homonculi), Sculpting (also for homonculi), Woodworking, and Leatherworking, but that still seems a little broad.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Basketweaving, and Sandwichmaking

[sentaku]

Basketweaving, and Sandwichmaking

Underwater basketweaving.

[imperialspectre]

In terms of using Artificer class features, the best answer is "None of them," since Craft checks are for muggles. Not a single one of the item creation feats requires any Craft skills whatever, so unless you're at extremely low level you're better off outsourcing the creation of masterwork base items to people who don't get shiny, shiny magic.

Of the list you gave, Pottery, Metalworking, and Woodworking are right out, because there's nothing useful that you do with those that aren't covered by Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, and Bowmaking (if you REALLY wanted to make your own rings of power, I suppose Metalworking might be useful). Leatherworking goes away unless you really want to make belts and gloves.

You're left with Armorsmithing, Bowmaking, Sculpting, and Weaponsmithing. You should also add Alchemy, even without any of the others, because crafting cheap alchemist's fire is great for your friendly neighborhood grenadier rogue.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, some homonculi (of which she's really taken a liking to and is actually pushing her character towards being an Agatha Heterodyne) require Pottery, Sculpting, Bowmaking, and Metalworking in various degrees.

[ColdSepp]

In terms of using Artificer class features, the best answer is "None of them," since Craft checks are for muggles. Not a single one of the item creation feats requires any Craft skills whatever, so unless you're at extremely low level you're better off outsourcing the creation of masterwork base items to people who don't get shiny, shiny magic.

This, pretty much. The exception is a few ranks of Pottery or Sculpting for your homonculi. With a decent INT you shouldn't need many ranks. You have an infusion that lets you increase a skill check, and you can buy a potion of Guidance of the Avatar, or make one yourself.

[Yukitsu]

Craft ornithopter, or craft dirigible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornithopter

[tonberrian]

From an adventurer's standpoint, Alchemy, Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, andBowmaking are the most useful. As for constructs, you could probably get away with just Sculpting - Homunculus and Clay Golem only need one or the other, and Stone Golem needs Sculpting or Stonemasonry, and variant Homunculi from ECS have low enough DC's to be made using the method below.

Most mundane items have rather low DC's and costs, and starting at level 5, you can basically spend the eight hours of work necessary for crafting under Skill Enhancement infusion (if you have Extend Spell, level 6 if you don't) which is +4 to whatever craft you need then. Couple that with a + 3 Int bonus, and you've got a decent chance at making basically anything short of really complex and high quality stuff.