Unearthed Arcana

CRAFT POINTS

To craft an item without spending the normal labor time, a character with the appropriate item creation feat (such as Craft Masterwork Armor, Brew Potion, or Craft Staff; see below) can pay one-tenth the item's market price in craft points (minimum 1 point). He must also pay material costs equal to one-half the item's market price (this replaces the normal material cost for crafting an item). For a magic item, the character must also pay the normal experience point cost for crafting the item. Once the character declares that he is spending these craft points and gold pieces (and experience points, for a magic item), the item is automatically completed one day later (typically the next morning).

Though this makes it appear as if the item was created "instantly," the assumption is that the character has actually been working on it for a while, but only now got around to finishing it. For instance, Klamzo might have been tinkering with Kroh's sword for some time, but only now has finished improving its enhancement bonus. The system simply assumes that characters are always working on various projects in their spare time, whether between forays into the dungeon, while on the road, or even while gathered around the campfire after battling goblins in the Sunless Citadel. Thus, when the time comes, they simply spend the requisite gold and craft points, and the item is "finished" one day later.

To spend craft points toward the creation of an alchemical, masterwork, or magic item, you must have the requisite Craft feat (such as Craft Masterwork Armor for creating a masterwork chain shirt) or assist someone who does (see Assisting, below). Crafting nonmasterwork armor and weapons or simple items — tools, chests, saddles, and the like — doesn't require a Craft feat. Anyone who helps with the creation of such an item can contribute craft points at the normal rate.

For nonmagical items, you must make a successful Craft check to complete the item. For a masterwork item, use the DC of the item or of the masterwork component, whichever is higher. A failed check means you waste one-half of the gold pieces and craft points required for the item, but you may try again as soon as the next day if you still have enough gold pieces and craft points to complete the item. Magic items require no skill check to complete.

You can reduce the amount of craft points required by increasing the amount of time you spend working on the item. For nonmagical items, reduce the craft point cost by 1 point for every 100 sp of work you contribute to the item's creation (see the Craft skill). For magic items, each 8-hour day spent working on the item reduces the craft point cost by 100.

Example One: A masterwork suit of full plate armor has a market price of 1,650 gp. A character with the Craft Armor feat could pay one-third of this price and make daily or weekly Craft (armorsmith) checks to slowly complete the suit of armor, or he could pay one-half of this price and spend 165 craft points to complete it one day later with a successful DC 20 Craft check. (A failed check at this point would cost him 412 gp and 82 craft points.) Alternatively, he could spend some days or weeks working on the item (making regular Craft checks), then finish it quickly by spending craft points equal to 165 minus 1 per 100 sp of work he has already completed.

Example Two: A +2 longsword has a market price of 8,000 gp (not including the material cost of the masterwork longsword itself). Assuming you had the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat (and didn't have to make the masterwork longsword from scratch), you could either spend 8 days of time to craft the item, or you could spend 800 craft points to finish it "instantly." (In either case, you have to spend 4,000 gp in addition to the time or craft points.) If you wanted, you could save 200 craft points by spending two 8-hour days working on the item.

ASSISTING

Assistants who have the appropriate Craft feat contribute craft points at full normal value. For untrained assistants (those who don't have the appropriate Craft feat), each craft point contributed counts as 1/2 point of assistance.

The primary creator must contribute at least half of the craft points required to create an item.

It doesn't matter who contributes the gold piece cost that goes toward creating the item. Only the primary creator can contribute experience points toward the creation of a magic item.

For example, Kroh has 1,000 gp and a masterwork sword, and wants to help Klamzo imbue the sword with a +1 enhancement bonus (turning it into a +1 longsword). This task would normally cost 200 craft points. Klamzo must supply at least half of this, or 100. Kroh doesn't have Craft Magic Arms and Armor, so he must spend twice as many craft points to achieve the same contribution. Assuming he's the only assistant, he could contribute up to half the effort required to achieve the goal (100 craft points). Since his craft points only count for half value, he has to spend 200 craft points to contribute 100 points worth of value. When those 200 points are added to Klamzo's contribution, the gold pieces spent on materials, and the masterwork longsword, the process is complete.

If Freeble (also untrained) assisted Klamzo as well, the two assistants combined could still contribute no more than the equivalent of 100 craft points (half the total craft point cost). However, each would have to spend only 100 craft points (50 points of value each) to achieve this goal.

GAINING CRAFT POINTS

Creatures with Intelligence of 3 or higher have craft points as a character whose level equals their class levels + Hit Dice. A night nag (8 HD), for instance, has the craft points of an 8th-level character. If that night nag gained a class level, it would gain an additional 900 craft points. Of course, not all creatures can use their craft points — despite being at least reasonably intelligent, a griffon or pegasus is unlikely to be in a position to craft an item or assist another character in crafting an item. The Game Master must use his best judgment when determining whether a creature can use its craft points.

Creatures with Intelligence of 2 or lower (or without an Intelligence score) never gain craft points.

Familiars or special mounts never gain craft points, regardless of their intelligence or Hit Dice.

ITEM CRATION FEATS

In addition to the standard item creation feats, this variant includes a number of feats dedicated to the creation of nonmagic items. Table: Item Creation Feats gives appropriate new prerequisites for all item creation feats, including the standard ones.

CRAFT ALCHEMICAL ITEM [ITEM CREATION]

Prerequisite: Craft (alchemy) 4 ranks.

Benefit: You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create alchemical items or substances, such as acid or tanglefoot bags.

You may spend your craft points to create alchemical items or substances at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1), even without spending the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Special: If you take the requisite creation time at work on the item, you spend only 1 craft point per 50 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1).

This feat replaces the requirement of being a spellcaster in order to craft alchemical items as listed in the Craft skill.

Normal: Characters without this feat cannot craft alchemical items.

CRAFT MASTERWORK ARMOR [ITEM CREATION]

Prerequisite: Craft (armorsmithing) 6 ranks.

Benefit: You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create masterwork armor or shields.

You may spend your craft points to build masterwork armor or shields at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1), even without spending the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Special: If you take the requisite creation time at work on the item, you spend only 1 craft point per 50 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1).

Normal: Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork armor or shields.

CRAFT MASTERWORK RANGED WEAPON [ITEM CREATION]

Prerequisite: Craft (bowmaking) 6 ranks.

Benefit: You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create a masterwork ranged weapon or masterwork ammunition.

You may spend your craft points to build ranged weapons or ammunition at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item, even without taking the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Normal: Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork ranged weapons.

CRAFT MASTERWORK WEAPON [ITEM CREATION]

Prerequisite: Craft (weaponsmithing) 6 ranks.

Benefit: You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create a masterwork melee or thrown weapon.

You may spend your craft points to build masterwork melee or thrown weapons at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item, even without taking the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Normal: Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork melee or thrown weapons.

TALENTED CRAFTER [GENERAL]

Prerequisite: Any item creation feat.

Benefits: You gain 500 craft points, which may be used to craft items of any kind.

Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Each time you select it, you gain an additional 500 craft points.

A wizard may select this feat as one of her bonus feats gained at every fifth level.