Thought I’d take another look at the Crafting as Ritual idea.
After a small amount of deliberation I thought it would be better to broaden the categories over the original idea. So to that end I offer the following thoughts. Perhaps they’re dumb or genius but the big thing is are they workable and useful in any fashion. Â For the people for whom they really miss crafting I think it might work well without ‘nerfing’ their characters badly which is always a risk one takes when you require a character to spend resources that could be applied to combat.
Crafting requires a Feat as such:
Crafting (Heroic Tier)
Prerequisite: Wis 10
Benefit: You can learn crafting of various items.
By spending a feat on the above this allows the character to learn any of a variety of crafting skills. It has the restriction that at least a basic set of tools necessary to craft the items in question as well obviously the materials to do so and in some cases the area to do so.
Making it cost a feat is perhaps a bit of a penalty for some and of course a DM could do away with that but then they might end up with a party of crafting adventurer’s where everyone knows how to build something. If nothing else making it a feat will separate the roleplayers from the rollplayers. The latter would be unlikely to give up a feat that would empower their character in some fashion for something that is essentially fluff.
A character with Crafting can learn to craft any broad category of items both large and small subject to the DM’s discretion. This can range from the obvious most desirable things
Some general idea’s below:
Picking up any particular crafting skill requires one week of intensive training. This isn’t realistic but hopefully you’re not playing 4th Edition in a simulationist style of play. Typically each set of skills is set to 100 gold for training to cover the costs of the trainer’s time, materials used in the training etc.
Weapon Crafting, one for each category of weapon type (Axe, Bow, Crossbow, Flail, Hammer, Heavy Blade, Light Blade, Mace, Pick, Polearm, Sling, Spear, Staff) :
Craft [Weapon Category]
Time: 2-5 days
Component Cost: Cost of the weapon
Market Price: 100 gp
Armour Crafting, one for each category of armour type (Cloth, Leather, Hide, Chainmail, Scale, Plate, Shields):
Craft [Armour Category]
Time: 2 to 5 weeks
Component Cost: Cost of the armour
Market Price: 100 gp
This can be extended as far as you like obviously.
Craft Small Boats
Time: 2-5 weeks
Component Cost: Cost of the vehicle
Market Price: 100 gp
Craft Wagons
Time: 2-5 weeks
Component Cost: Cost of the vehicle
Market Price: 100 gp
Craft Wooden Building
Time: 1-3 months
Component Cost: Cost of the building
Market Price: 100 gp
And so on, the skies the limit. You could even make a chain of dependencies and create a skill tree. To craft a stone tower might require the knowledge of how to craft a wooden building etc.
