Crafting (by Tim Hall)

Crafting is much more than creating an item. Knowledge of how crafting is done, along with the proper skill in performing such feats, are both equally important to achieving optimal success in creating quality weapons or items.

Smithing tests, when attempted by a player, are gated by a few different variables. Firstly, you must have enough knowledge in your selected craft to attempt a test. This is represented by an Intelligence requirement to make items within specific tiers of complexity. Along with Intelligence, there is an additional Strength requirement when dealing with specific materials. All smithing tests are attempted with a **Strength (Smithing)** roll. Consult the tables below for more details.

Leatherworking and woodworking tests are gated in the same fashion as smithing tests. Firstly, you must have enough knowledge in your selected craft to attempt a test. This is represented by an Intelligence requirement to make items within specific tiers of complexity. Along with Intelligence, there is an additional Accuracy requirement when dealing with specific materials. All leatherworking and woodworking tests are attempted with a **Dexterity (Crafting)** roll. Consult the tables below for more details.

All crafting tests are made as Advanced Tests. The Success Threshold (TH) and Target Number (TN) are the main things to look at when making an item. First, you would choose what complexity your item would land in. Second, you select your material. This means that a player needs to make tests, meeting or surpassing a set TN, and if this test is passed, the player adds the total of their Stunt Die to the TH pool (this is how all Advanced Tests are done in Fantasy AGE). The player gets a number of attempts equal to their Intelligence with a minimum of 1. The results of the test would show the quality of the item made.

## Item Complexity

The category table below is only to inspire the players and GM to determine what type of items should fall under what category. This shouldn’t be definitive list that cannot be changed or managed in a way that the GM sees fit. If the players make an argument that a specific type of weapon should be considered Simple instead of Moderate, the GM should hear the reasoning from the players and make a decision based on his or her setting. The GM should always have final say in this situation.

 0
 1
 3
 5

## Tools

All crafts require tools to give the best chance of success (for example, a smithing hammer, tongs, and anvil). If improvised tools are used, the test is made with a -2 penalty. On the other hand, masterwork tools and/or an apprentice to help in the task provide a +1 or +2 bonus to the test results. This is at the GM’s discretion. If an apprentice is used and due to poor rolling, they end up being more of a distraction than a help, they may contribute to receiving a penalty to the test results instead.

## Repairing Items

You can repair an item by making tests against the same TN that it took to make the item in the first place. The cost of repairing is roughly 20% of the item's price, at the GM’s discretion.

## Smithing Material Stats

Typically, the TH and TN of crafting tests are the same number until higher levels of the crafting talents are obtained by the character. The GM should make adjustments as needed.

Keep in mind that items should be made from appropriate materials. Bows and other missile weapons are typically made from wood rather than metals, and are definitely not made of leather. This means that some weapons may be made from different kinds of materials with different benefits. A metal spear may not have the same stats as a wooden one.

\*Items created with weaker metals, such as bronze, or bone take the Fragile quality.

**(Weapon) Fragile:** If you miss an attack with this weapon, but roll doubles and your Stunt Die is a 1, this weapon breaks.

**(Armor) Fragile:** If you are hit by an two different attacks and an enemy used a Combat Stunt against you in one round of combat, this armor breaks.

\*\*Elementium introduces a new mechanic to Fantasy AGE.

**Resistance:** Resistance grants the wearer a magical resistance to a specific type of damage equal to a specified roll. For example, if the character is wearing Elementium Armor of Fire, he gains 1d3 Fire Resistance. When this character is hit with an attack, or otherwise is dealt damage from a source of flame, he reduces the amount of damage inflicted by his AR, like normal, and then can additionally roll 1d3 and take that amount of the damage from the total as well.

Weapons created with Elementium do not grant Resistance, but add that element to the type of damage inflicted.

## Smithing Results

Example:

A player decides he wants to have his character attempt to make a mythril long sword. A long sword, for this purpose, is considered a Moderate difficulty item. This makes the TN/TH start at a 8. The sword being made of mythril adds an additional 3 to the TN/TH, making it a total of 11. This character doesn’t have much to offer in the ways of Intelligence, having only a 2 for his Score, so he gets two attempts. After rolling the Advanced tests (this is done as a **Strength (Smithing)** test), the character succeeds on both attempts, with a 5 on the Stunt Die for one attempt, and a 6 for the second. This means he successfully created the weapon with a combined total of 11 to equal the TH of 11. This weapon would have standard long sword stats except with the added mythril material weapon bonus.

## Woodworking and Leatherworking

Woodworking and Leatherworking are done in the exact same fashion as smithing, except with different materials and with a **Dexterity (Crafting)** test instead. Consult the tables below for woodworking and leatherworking material stats.

## Specializations

All characters can attempt to make items through the crafting system. It is considerably more difficult for characters who do not take the specialization associated with the type of crafting they are attempting. A GM should note that all characters have a number of attempts equal to their Intelligence score until the character takes the Novice level of their respective talents. At this point, the character has Intelligence x2 attempts. This bonus is a reflection that those who just dabble in blacksmithing will not have near the expertise that a seasoned veteran would have, but characters may still get lucky and make usable equipment. Characters who do not take any of the talents cannot create items higher than an Average quality rating.

 You hammer steel to your will.
**Novice:** You understand how to form metals. You gain the **Strength (Smithing)** focus if you do not have it already. You also have a number of attempts to complete your creation equal to Intelligence x2. You are able to make items up to Superior quality.
**Journeyman:** You take a -1 bonus to the TH of your creations. You are able to make items up to Masterwork quality.
**Master:** You take a -2 bonus to the TH of your creations.

 You fold flesh to your liking.
**Novice:** You understand how to fashion wood. You gain the **Dexterity (Crafting)** focus if you do not have it already. You also have a number of attempts to complete your creation equal to Intelligence x2. You are able to make items up to Superior quality.
**Journeyman:** You take a -1 bonus to the TH of your creations. You are able to make items up to Masterwork quality.
**Master:** You take a -2 bonus to the TH of your creations.

 You coerce nature to your vision.
**Novice:** You understand how to work leather. You gain the **Dexterity (Crafting)** focus if you do not have it already. You also have a number of attempts to complete your creation equal to Intelligence x2. You are able to make items up to Superior quality.
**Journeyman:** You take a -1 bonus to the TH of your creations. You are able to make items up to Masterwork quality.
**Master:** You take a -2 bonus to the TH of your creations.

## Material Descriptions

**Bone:** Bone weapons and armor are not common amongst the typical traveler, merchant, or mercenary, but in the more barbaric tribes, bone items have a more prevalent existence. They are typically fashioned into smaller shiv-like daggers, or larger bones could be used as a quarterstaff in the barbarian customs.

**Bronze:** Typically a weaker and cheaper metal, bronze is not usually used for armor or weapons. Items fashioned from bronze are generally worse because of its softer properties.

**Chimeric Hide:** The combined hide types of a chimera give tremendous strength and surprising flexibility to armors made from the hide of a chimera. Chimeric creatures are typically rare, and their hides can be difficult to keep intact before they’ve been treated.

**Dragon Bone:** The bones of dragons can be smithed, much like metal, into items. Dragon bones are typically hot to the touch just after death, and the marrow within the bones solidify, making them incredibly strong. This also means that dragon bones must be smithed very quickly after the dragon’s death or the bones are too solid to mold.

**Dragon Scales:** The scales of a dragon are incredibly tough and surprisingly light. Items created from dragon scales are so rare that many people have never seen them, or even believe it’s possible to create.

**Dryad Flesh:** Dryads are nymphs of the forest that are often unseen by the unsuspecting adventurerer as they blend into the trees. They have wood-like flesh that is incredibly strong, though just as rare and expensive. Few have ever held or even seen dryad flesh.

**Elementium:** The metal of the elements, elementium is a rare alloy that has been fused with elemental power. Whether it be air, earth, fire, water, or some other element, elementium is stronger than most and gives additional magical properties that coincide with the associated element.

**Elm:** Elm is the most common type of wood to make weapons and shields from.

**Gold:** Like silver, you will typically find that various types of jewelry are made from gold. It’s rare to find golden armor or weapons because of its soft properties, weight, and immense value, but richer, more stubborn characters may have weapons or armor laced in a golden trim, or a heavy bludgeon with no intent for actual use.

**Iron:** Your typical long sword or battle axe carried by any mercenary or merchant is made of iron. These weapons and armors are commonplace in nearly every situation.

**Leather:** Your typical leather armor worn by any mercenary or carried by a merchant is made of this leather. These armors are commonplace in nearly every situation.

**Lycan Leather:** Lycanthropy is what overtakes the body to transform one into a werebeast, whether it a werewolf, wererat, or another beast form. Typically, lycans revert back to their humanoid form when they die, so harvesting their hides can only be accomplished if some effect stops this effect from happening.

**Mythril:** An incredibly strong metal, mythril is rare and expensive. The strength of this metal makes exceptional weapons and armor, accenting them with a soft blue hint.

**Petrified Drift:** Petrified drift is driftwood that washes up near a wizard’s tower and is treated with the corpses of stone jelly ooze monsters as a wax. This treatment gives the wood a stone-like appearance and properties while still keeping its flexibility. This process is slow and can only be done by experts through magical means.

**Redwood:** Redwood is generally too soft to make items from. It’s softer properties make it easy to work with but it’s ineffective as a material to create weapons from.

**Rough Hide:** These furs and hides are very primitive. They aren’t common amongst mercenaries, travelers, or merchants, but they are very common in barbaric tribes, along with bone weapons.

**Serpent Scales:** The flexibility and strength of serpent scales give reason to their popularity. Armors fashioned from serpent scales are uncommon, but sought after.

**Silver:** As a precious metal, weapons and armors are not usually created from silver except on special occasions. Usually, rings, necklaces, or other types of jewelry are fashioned with silver. Silver does have a place in weaponry, however, in the way of magical properties to kill werewolves, for example.

**Silver Ash:** Though uncommon, silver ash is sought after for its strength and flexibility. It appears to have a silver color that shimmers in direct light.

**Star Metal:** Star metal is incredibly strong and rare. It shines with a near white light and comes from meteors that struck the earth. Star metal is not easily obtained and is marveled when seen.