Brainstorming Magical Crafting System (Part 11)
Created: 28 May 2016 Modified:
I was unsatisfied with the direction the previous set of rules were taking shape. Making magical crafting part of the role playing experience was failing to take shape. The first step in the right direction was to make a rule system specific to Dnd 5e. The second step in the right direction was to forget the rules and describe magical crafting from a role playing perspective. The next step I am going to make is to codify into rules the second step. Hopefully without losing to much of the role playing.
To keep role playing in the crafting and to provide reason for adventures materials and craftmanship of the items needs to make a more prominent role. An item of superior craftmenship and the right materials will be significantly easier to imbue with magical power. The following is for the Magical Crafting of Weapons, Armors, Wands, Rods and Wondrous Items. To support this we need to expand the rarity classification of magical items. As shown in the table below.
Expanded Rarity Categories
| Rarity |
Rarity Rating |
Difficulty Class |
Required Spell Level |
| Ubiquitous |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Plentiful |
2 |
5 |
0 |
| Common |
3 |
10 |
1 |
| Uncommon |
4 |
15 |
2 |
| Rare |
5 |
20 |
4 |
| Very Rare |
6 |
25 |
6 |
| Legendary |
7 |
30 |
8 |
| Unearthly |
8 |
35 |
9 |
| Godly |
9 |
40 |
9 |
</table>
We will be using Rarity to measure the difficulty and value of a magical item. An items DC Rarity does not have to be the same as an items Value Rarity or the Rarity use to measure its base cost. For example a Longsword +1 will always have a Rarity Value of Uncommon (500GP). Depending on the craftmanship of the item, Arcana skill and materials used an items DC Rarity could be as low as Ubiquitous. The table below lists situations and items that can shift an items DC Rarity. The DC Rarity of a magical crafting is always relative to the skill of the crafter and the synchronous materials being used. DC Rarity shifts are cumulative.
DC Rarity Shifts
| Description |
DC Rarity Shift |
| Proficient in Arcana |
1 shift down |
| Item is potion or scroll |
1 shift down |
| Item crafted of a synchronous material |
1 shift down |
| Item is of master craft work. |
1 shift down. Master crafted items cost ten times their base value. |
| Item requires attunement |
1 shift down. Note: Items in DMG, and other books, that require attunement have already been shifted 1 down. |
| Platinum is not used in the crafting. |
1 shift up. |
| Item has existing magical imbuement |
Sum of the existing and new imbuements minus one per existing imbuement. |
| Item is being crafted with multiple imbuements. |
Sum of the imbuements being added. |
</table>
Some brief examples follow to illustrate. A Longsword +2 has a base DC Rarity of Rare. A wizard proficient in Arcana crafting a Longsword +2 would have a DC Rarity of Uncommon. If the longsword was mastercraft quality it would further reduce the DC Rarity to Common. A mastercraft longsword made of admantium being crafted by the wizard would have a DC Rarity of Plentiful. No matter the DC Rarity, a natural one always fails and a natural 20 always succeeds. Failure results in the complete destruction of the materials.
Base material costs are shown in the table below.
Item Type Materials List
| Type |
Materials |
| Scroll |
10% of its Rarity value (Low end) in platinum and something to write on. |
| Potion |
20% its value in platinum and a container. Platinum and container is reusable. 10% of its Rarity value (Low end) in ingredients. |
| Wondrous Item |
5% of its Rarity value (High End) in platinum. 10% of its Rarity value (High end) in gems. |
| Weapons, Armor, Rods, Wands and Rings |
10% of its Rarity value (High End) in platinum. 10% of its Rarity value (High end) in gems. |
</table>
In the next post we will discuss examples of various crafting using this system.
tags: rpg - crafting - brainstorming