Magic Item Crafting - Help & Hindrance

Modifiers

While completing the crafting process, there are several reasons for which a crafter may modify their crafting Intelligence checks, gain addition progress or otherwise change the rules of crafting. The concepts within this chapter are optional but recommended in order to flesh out the crafting system and to give rules for concepts and tropes often found with magic items in other works of fiction.

Positive Modifiers

The rules below include ways that a crafter can make the artisan process quicker or easier for themselves.

Assistance

Getting help from another person is a common method to aid the crafting process. They may not need to be as skilled as the original crafter to be of assistance. In the following cases, the character making the Intelligence roll to craft the item is designated as the artisan and other characters are assistants.

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The artisan needs to be a spellcaster to create magical items. However, the required spell slot may be donated by an assistant, even if it is of a higher level than the artisan can produce.

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An assistant with the relevant artisan's tools proficiency and proficiency in Arcana confers advantage to the artisan on the Intelligence rolls used to check for progress.

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Additional assistants, including those who are untrained, may confer a bonus to the Intelligence check made to craft the item. Provided at least 1 progress has been made, each assistant adds 1d4 to the roll, up to a maximum number of assistants equal to the artisan's Intelligence modifier.

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For example, a crafter with an intelligence of 16 is producing a rare, recharging ring and therefore needs to expend a 5th level spell slot each day. They also have proficiency with jeweller's tools, the tool used to produce a ring. They are receiving this spell slot from a Wizard who is willing to help with the crafting but does not have proficiency with jeweller's tools as well as help from his untrained apprentice.
In this case, the artisan rolls an Intelligence (jeweller's tools) check against a DC of 15 each week and, on his first roll, gets a total of 18. Since this is a success, he may add 2d4 because he has two untrained assistants out of his allowance of three. He rolls an additional 6, giving him a total of 24 - 2 points of progress in total.

Exceptional Materials

If an artisan uses materials of a substantially higher value than required, it is easier to craft the item. If the total value of the materials used is at least triple the base required value, treat the crafted item as one rarity lower with regards to the DC required to make progress. This is equivalent to the DC lowering by 3. This modifier does not effect the Intelligence (Arcana) roll made to formulate the item.

Hindrances

Weird Materials

It is a common trope that magic items may be constructed of a material that would not normally be suitable for use - a sword made of glass or wood, armour made of leaves, or a book with metal pages. To compensate for this, treat the crafted item as being one rarity higher when calculating the DC required to make progress with crafting. This is equivalent to an increase of 3. This modifier does not effect the Intelligence (Arcana) roll made to formulate the item.

Taking a Break

Items that have been left half finished for a long period of time are more difficult to work due to the magical energies settling into a less workable state. If more than a single week (or single day in the case of consumable items) has taken place without a roll for progress, the artisan has disadvantage on the next roll they make for progress.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction & Terms
• Materials & Influences
• Formulating an Item
• Checks & Progress
• Help & Hindrance
• Optional Rules

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• Butchery
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• Poisonmaking