CSO: Sneak Peek

[Kaeldorn]

As some of you may know, I've been working on Sundren's crafting system for quite a while now. The plans are no longer a simple addition of new items to make and resources to use, but the Crafting System is getting a complete Overhaul, tailored for Sundren exclusively.

Now that might all sound high and mighty, but what does it mean? I think it's high time to leave those interested in crafting in the dark no longer, so here's a sneak peek of upcoming content.

[Kaeldorn]

Item creation feats

Imbue Material
Type of Feat: Item Creation
Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.
Specifics: This feat grants the ability to imbue raw materials and create infused gemstones.

Imbuing materials through the use of this feat requires a magical workbench, an imbue material design, and the ingredients/skills listed within the recipe. Each recipe is unique and possesses its own requirements, but any party members can supply a spell at the required caster level.

Once all requirements for imbuement are met, the player must be in close proximity to a magical workbench and activate the recipe. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a magician's workbench, the material will be imbued. NOTE: A magical weapon, shield, or suit of armor can have a maximum of three enchantments on it. Socketed gems not included. Some enchanted materials can be used in the crafting of more exotic items.

Crafting ingredients can vary widely - gems, creature parts, gold, gear, and trade goods can be included. Gear - such as travelling cloaks or leather boots - can sometimes be found at a merchant, though may be crafted as well. Gems are on a found through mining and then cut into shape by gemcutters, or kept as a valuable prize by collectors and figures of importance in any society. Creature parts can be found in the stores of traders, or dropped off the corpse of the creature in question, possibly requiring the skill and knowledge of a hunter to remove. Most exotic ingredients must be found through adventuring.

Use: Selected.


Craft Magic Arms and Armor
Type of Feat: Item Creation
Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.
Specifics: This feat grants the ability to create magic weapons, armor, and shields.

Using this feat to craft magical arms or armor requires several things: a magical workbench, a magic weapon or armor recipe, and the ingredients/skills listed within the recipe. Each recipe is unique and possesses its own requirements, but any party members can supply a spell at the required caster level.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the player must be in close proximity to a magical workbench, activate the recipe, and apply the enchantment to the weapon or armor of their choice. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a magician's workbench, the item will be enchanted. NOTE: A magical weapon, shield, or suit of armor can have a maximum of three enchantments on it. Socketed gems not included.

Crafting ingredients can vary widely - gems, creature parts, gold, gear, and trade goods can be included. Gear - such as travelling cloaks or leather boots - can sometimes be found at a merchant, though may be crafted as well. Gems are on a found through mining and then cut into shape by gemcutters, or kept as a valuable prize by collectors and figures of importance in any society. Creature parts can be found in the stores of traders, or dropped off the corpse of the creature in question, possibly requiring the skill and knowledge of a hunter to remove. Most exotic ingredients must be found through adventuring.

Many useful recipes can be purchased from merchants that sell magical wares. High powered magic recipes are not as commonplace - as many casters jealously guard their secrets. Anyone wishing to acquire such powerful recipes must search diligently throughout the world.

Use: Selected.


Craft Wondrous Items
Type of Feat: Item Creation
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd.
Specifics: This feat grants the ability to craft a wide variety of magical items, including amulets ,rings, gloves, bracers, cloaks, belts, helms, and boots.

Using this feat to craft magical items requires several things: a magical workbench, a magic item design, and the ingredients/skills listed within the recipe. Each recipe is unique and possesses its own requirements, but any party members can supply a spell at the required caster level.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the player must be in close proximity to a magical workbench, and activate the recipe. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a magician's workbench, the item will be crafted.

Crafting ingredients can vary widely - gems, creature parts, gold, gear, and trade goods can be included. Gear - such as travelling cloaks or leather boots - can sometimes be found at a merchant, though may be crafted as well. Gems are on a found through mining and then cut into shape by gemcutters, or kept as a valuable prize by collectors and figures of importance in any society. Creature parts can be found in the stores of traders, or dropped off the corpse of the creature in question, possibly requiring the skill and knowledge of a hunter to remove. Most exotic ingredients must be found through adventuring.

Many useful recipes can be purchased from merchants that sell magical wares. High powered magic recipes are not as commonplace - as many casters jealously guard their secrets. Anyone wishing to acquire such powerful recipes must search diligently throughout the world.

Use: Selected.

[Kaeldorn]

Crafting skills

Craft: Armorsmithing
Ability: Intelligence.
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
The character knows how to craft armor and shields from a variety of metals.

Using Craft: Armorsmithing requires an anvil and a Smith's Hammer, in addition to the appropriate materials (metal ingots) and a mold and design for the desired armor or shield. The design for each specific armor or shield lists which materials that item requires. The skill requirement for crafting a suit of armor or a shield depends on the difficulty to produce the item in question.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to a blacksmith's workbench, and activate the design. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a blacksmith 's workbench, the armor or shield will be crafted.

Rare resources (such as adamantine and mithral) are typical ingredient types for more valuable creations, and can be found in rare mineral veins often hidden beneath the earth. Waiting to be extracted by miners.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Tailoring/Leatherworking
Ability: Intelligence
Requires Training: No
Classes: All
The character knows how to craft leather armor and clothing from a variety of materials.

Using Craft: Tailoring/Leatherworking requires a tailoring table and a Sewing Kit, in addition to the appropriate materials (fabric and/or leather hides) and a mold and pattern for the desired piece. The pattern for each specific piece lists which materials that item requires. The base skill requirement for crafting a piece of armor or clothing depends on its complexity.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to a tailoring workbench, and activate the pattern. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a tailoring workbench, the desired piece of clothing or armor will be crafted.

Rare resources (such as silk and wyvern hide) are typical ingredient types for more valuable creations, and can be found frequently with traders in exotic goods or whatever creature or plant produces them.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Woodworking
Ability: Intelligence.
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
The character knows how to craft wooden objects such as shields, weapons and some armor.

Using Craft: Woodworking requires a Woodworking Knife, in addition to the appropriate materials (wooden planks and other accesoires) and a mold and design for the desired item. The design for each specific item lists which materials that item requires. The skill requirement for crafting an item depends on the difficulty to produce the item in question.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to a woodworking workbench, and activate the design. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a woodworking workbench, the desired object can be made.

Rare resources (such as zalantar and treant wood) are typical ingredient types for more valuable creations.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Weaponsmithing
Ability: Intelligence.
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
The character knows how to craft weapons from a variety of metals.

Using Craft: Weaponsmithing requires an anvil and a Smith's Hammer, in addition to the appropriate materials (metal ingots) and a mold and plans for the desired weapon. The plans for each specific weapon lists which materials that item requires. The skill requirement for crafting one depends on the difficulty to produce the item in question.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to a blacksmith's workbench, and activate the plans. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a blacksmith 's workbench, the weapon will be crafted.

Rare resources (such as adamantine and mithral) are typical ingredient types for more valuable creations, and can be found in rare mineral veins often hidden beneath the earth. Waiting to be extracted by miners.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Alchemy
Ability: Intelligence
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
Ability: Intelligence
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
This skill allows the character to create a variety of alchemical items: alchemist's fire, acid flasks, choking powder, holy water, tanglefoot bags, and thunderstones. Most trap recipes exclusively use ingredients created with this skill. It is also used to create substances for other purposes.

The Craft: Alchemy skill requires an alchemical workbench and the appropriate recipe. The recipe lists the necessary requirements for making a substance.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to an alchemist's workbench, and activate the recipe. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of an alchemist's workbench, the item will be crafted.

Alchemical substances are oft made of herbs and various other components. Skilled alchemists can create more potent versions of alchemical items, which are not generally sold by merchants.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Trap/Contraption Making
Ability: Intelligence
Requires Training: No.
Classes: All.
This skill is used to turn alchemical items into various trap kits. And various mechanical contraptions can be made with it as well.

Creating a trap kit requires the appropriate recipe and ingredients, as well as a set of Tinkering Tools. Most trap recipes include various alchemical items, hence the best trap makers are generally alchemists as well. More powerful traps and contraptions require additional ranks in this skill.

To create the trap or contraption, the character uses the recipe. Trap making recipes are often available for purchase in certain, less than reputable stores. Though any engineer may have know-how on traps and contraptions.
Unlike other crafting professions, crafting traps does not require a workbench of any kind once the ingredients are collected. This makes crafting traps very versatile and accessible in dangerous locations.

Use: Selected.


Craft: Jewelcrafting
Ability: Intelligence
Requires Training: No
Classes: All
The character knows how to cut gems and craft jewelry from them and precious materials. Or sculpt small charms and tokens. Such creations are prized by magic crafters to work with. Some jewelry and charms already have magical properties of their own.

Using Craft: Jewelcrafting requires a jewelcrafter's workbench and a Jewelcrafting Kit, in addition to the appropriate materials (gemstones and often metal ingots) and a design for the desired piece. The design for each specific piece lists which materials that item requires. The base skill requirement for crafting a piece of jewelry.

Once all requirements for crafting the item are met, the character must be in close proximity to a jewelcrafting workbench, and activate the design. If all the ingredients are present, the minimum skill ranks are met, and the crafting character is within 10 meters of a jewelcrafting workbench, the desired piece of jewelry will be crafted.

Rare resources (such as gold and diamonds) are typical ingredient types for more valuable creations. The metals are usually melted by smiths, and gems can be found by miners within mineral veins.

Use: Selected.

[Kaeldorn]

Profession skills

Profession: Miner
Ability: Wisdom
Requires Training: Yes.
Classes: All.

This skill is used to extract metals and gemstones from mineral veins in the earth. An understanding of the nature of such things helps one know where to look and how to best remove them without disturbing the balance of natural walls that hold these precious and much sought after materials within them.

When a miner finds a mineral vein, a Mining Pick can be used to remove what it holds. More skilled miners have a better shot at finding more and more precious materials, as well as the know-how on avoiding cave-ins on top of themselves. More rare and rich types of veins are more difficult to work with. Ores must be molten into ingots by any smith before becoming useful for other purposes, while gems have to be perfected by jewelcrafters.

Use: Selected.


Profession: Cook
Ability: Wisdom
Requires Training: Yes.
Classes: All.

This skill is used to combine meats, groceries, herbs and other ingredients to create delicious and hearty meals. Some may just be tasty and nutritional, but quality foods composed of exotic ingredients can temporarily affect their consumer in both positive and negative ways.

A cook needs a campfire or stove to work with, a Kitchen Knife and a Cooking Pot. The cooking pot is used on the fire, and all desired components are placed in the pot. They can be combined if all requirements are met. Only edible components can be cooked and there is a maximum of six components. Cookbooks can be found to learn recipes, but the true chef experiments, for better or for worse. Skilled cooks can create better quality meals and are better at avoiding mistakes.

Use: Selected.


Profession: Woodcutter
Ability: Wisdom
Requires Training: Yes.
Classes: All.

This skill is used to log various types of lumber and produce workable planks from them as a resource for crafters and builders. An understanding of the nature of such things helps one recognize different types of wood and how best to chop and gather it.

When a woodcutter finds a good source for construction wood, a Hatchet can be used to chop it for easy carrying. More skilled lumberjacks have a better shot at finding more and more precious types of wood, as well as the know-how on avoiding splintering and making a tree fall the right way. More rare types of wood are more difficult to work with. Lumber must be sawed and cut into planks, which woodcutters can do themselves.

Use: Selected.


Profession: Fisher
Ability: Wisdom
Requires Training: Yes.
Classes: All.

This skill is used to catch fish from bodies of water. It is fairly straightforward in essence, but only a fisherman that knows what he is doing will make a reasonable catch. Skilled fishermen and women will catch more, and more easily catch stronger and more valuable fish. They also avoid snapping lines and losing bait more easily. Sometimes, other things lost in the water can be found by fishermen as well. Most fish can be eaten raw, but cooks can work wonders with them.

A fisher needs a Fishing Pole and Bait to catch fish from and any pool, stream or ocean that has them living in it. And lots and lots of patience.

Use: Selected.

[Kaeldorn]

Socketable Items Introduction

Socketable items will come into existence with the crafting system overhaul. Raw gems cut by jewelcrafters can be imbued with the Imbue Material feat to contain magical properties, and these gems can then be placed in items that have sockets available to contain them. These socketable items will for the most part be craftable items themselves, but some might also be found, sold by merchants, and eventually maybe even custom-tailored by DM's (as is also possible with the gems themselves).

How the socketing system works, I will describe here.


Each equippable item you have in your inventory will have a new button available on its context menu: the Sockets button. However, most items will not have sockets and thus the button will do nothing other than give you a message saying just that. Whether an item has sockets or not will usually be made visible in its description. Of course the magic begins when you select the option on an item that does have sockets.



This is the Sockets Window. It opens up, as previously mentioned, when you select the Sockets option on an item that has them. The window will also automatically show when you place a gem into it, which is achieved simply by using the gem's activate ability on the item in your inventory. To easily explain what the components of this screen mean, I have numbered them on this screenshot.
1: This is the icon of the item you are currently looking at. Hovering your mouse over it will show you its name tag.
2: This is an open socket slot. To see how many are free, all you have to do is count these.
3: This is an unavailable socket slot. The maximum number of sockets an item can have is 5. Unavailable slots on an item obviously can't be used for anything.
4: A socketed gem placed in the item. In this example, you can see that this particular gem is called a Vitality Gem, which is shown if you mouse-over it. Clicking on a socketed gem will open up the Examine Gem window, which will be explained below.
5: The usual close-button. Except made more fitting for this UI screen.



Above is shown the Examine Gem window. This screen appears when a gem is clicked on the sockets screen. It's much like the usual examine screen, so I'll only describe the different parts.
1: Socket Description. Here you see the name of the socketed gem you are currently looking at and the properties attached to it.
2: Clicking the Remove Gem button produces some not immediately obvious effects. Naturally it's used to remove the gem from the socket, but there is a Disable Device check involved that determines if you can remove the gem unscathed. If you succeed, the gem is taken out and can be used again, while the item loses its properties. If the check is failed though, the gem will explode and cause damage to you. The DC is determined by the value of the gem, and the amount of damage taken on failure is twice as high. DC's can range anywhere from just below 10, up to 30 and higher. So for those really precious gems, you will want a skilled rogue to use his nimble fingers and tools to pry it out... if you dare to entrust him with your things!

[Kaeldorn]

General Changes

There are a few more changes that will happen across the board. These are as follows:

- The new crafting system will make use of the SoZ recipe system. Each crafting skill will have its own recipe book.

- Recipes and Recipe Books, unlike in SoZ, can be removed from your inventory and traded with. Recipe Books will be found on appropriate tradesmen, while the recipes themselves may be bought, or found on adventures through loot and quests. More precious recipes will be rare, and usually only found on the dead bodies of figures that deem themselves important.

- Anyone in the crafter's party can provide spells, spell levels or a crafting skill. But in case of spells, both the spell level and the spell must be provided by one and the same person. The highest available spell level/skill rank will be used. The crafter (the one activating the recipe) will have to provide all the ingredients and gold. No ingredients will be 'stolen' from other party members.

- The Enchantment Maximum will take the sort of item property into account. Properties such as reduced maximum weight, attack bonus (does not stack with enhancement, which DOES cost a slot) or any penalties will not count towards the maximum anymore. Of course, Craft Magic Arms and Armour won't have the possibility to add any of these properties to items. Only items that naturally have these properties, or gain them from sockets, will benefit from this change.

- Craft Magic Arms and Armour, Craft: Armoursmith, Craft: Weaponsmith, Profession: Miner and Profession: Woodcutter will be subject to a penalty when practiced. The crafter/gatherer will grow fatigued from his work and takes a constitution penalty each time an item is crafted, enchanted or a gathering attempt is made. This penalty stacks with itself and cannot be removed by resting or magic. It will only heal with time. Mass-production will thus be taxing on the crafting player, and having a high constitution will be beneficial.

- Crafting skills will work with a skill check rather than a set crafting DC. The skill rolls will be made with a 10-sided die rather than a 20-sided one. Failure by more than 5 makes the crafter run a risk of wasting his components.

- There will be items which certain classes, races, or worshippers of certain deities can more easily craft (both with the feats (spell level) and with the skills (DC). Some might even have it as a requirement. And some may require a specific crafting station or set of tools not so readily available.

[EndsBeginning]

Will we finally be able to elemental damage to bows?

[Saulus]

The first reply should have been... WOW amazing job Kaeldorn.

[Rugabug]

2 things i want to ask, one pertianing to the imbue materials feat or w/e. Players can get feats that give bonuses according to the number of metamagic and/or item creation feats. has this feat been tied into that system? Additionally, will this feat show up on the list of wizard feats they get every 5 levels? Not trying to be an ass but i can understand how frustrating things get when you finally deam a product finished and find out you forgot something after you "made it public."

It looks very well done, congrats kaeldorn 8)

Heres one last thought I think i'll throw your way? Will you guys reward crafters with xps for crafting? I remember reading in books, like the drizzt series, crafting became a very eventful thing where even gods paused to watch (Wulfgar's father had an entire chapter devoted to the crafting of Wulfgar's magical returning warhammer). It may be a bit much to just give out xps for crafting so at the same time maybe there should be a cap to how amny crafting xps one could recieve per level? Just a thought 8)

[Supreme Taco]

Big thanks to Kaeldorn for all the hard work!

The new crafting system is something I've been looking forward to for a long time and this teaser is just what I needed to grow impatient for it.

[Saulus]

There will never be XP for crafting, in fact there will be loss of xp most likely. More to come.

[Kaeldorn]

2 things i want to ask, one pertianing to the imbue materials feat or w/e. Players can get feats that give bonuses according to the number of metamagic and/or item creation feats. has this feat been tied into that system? Additionally, will this feat show up on the list of wizard feats they get every 5 levels? Not trying to be an ass but i can understand how frustrating things get when you finally deam a product finished and find out you forgot something after you "made it public."

Yes, and yes. I've already updated the feat to be a wizard selectable one, as well as a prereq possibility for Red Wizard on my private files, which aren't live yet of course.

Heres one last thought I think i'll throw your way? Will you guys reward crafters with xps for crafting? I remember reading in books, like the drizzt series, crafting became a very eventful thing where even gods paused to watch (Wulfgar's father had an entire chapter devoted to the crafting of Wulfgar's magical returning warhammer). It may be a bit much to just give out xps for crafting so at the same time maybe there should be a cap to how amny crafting xps one could recieve per level? Just a thought 8)

Nope, no xp for crafting. It's a possibility for the future to add quests related to it though. Such as discovering mineral locations as a miner, or having to deliver a shipment of self-crafted goods to NPC X.

[Rugabug]

Thats the sort of thing I was meaning actually Kaeldorn, im stoked.

However xp loss in crafting has always been a turn off to me in dnd. Once I pass that magic line called the next, anything that sends me back towards it scares me 8P anyways, cant wait to see it implemented.

[Firechicken]

Good job man. Cant wait to make some traps..(If I could ever get on the dang sever)

[Belwas]

Holy crap, great work.