Master Craftsman question


Rules Questions


Forgive me if this has already been posted and/or answered but I didn't find anything in the search.

My group had some questions regarding how Mastar Craftsman works. From the sounds of it, you do not have to be a caster of any sort to create magic items (magic arms and armor and wondrous items). Now of course I know that I need to have the appropriate feats to create the items in the first place.

I am currently playing a Gunslinger class and was wondering if it is possible for me to make magical weapons if I have the feats needed, with no outside help from caster types. If this is correct, would I also be able to create weapons that are Thundering, Bane, ect...?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Lord_Astaroth wrote:

Forgive me if this has already been posted and/or answered but I didn't find anything in the search.

My group had some questions regarding how Mastar Craftsman works. From the sounds of it, you do not have to be a caster of any sort to create magic items (magic arms and armor and wondrous items). Now of course I know that I need to have the appropriate feats to create the items in the first place.

I am currently playing a Gunslinger class and was wondering if it is possible for me to make magical weapons if I have the feats needed, with no outside help from caster types. If this is correct, would I also be able to create weapons that are Thundering, Bane, ect...?

Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have the Master Craftsman and Create Magic Arms and Armour feats, you can create magic items. You use your Craft (Gunsmithing) skill, or whatever equivalent the GM says you use, ijn place of caster level. You also take a +5 modifier to the DC as you don't have the spells on your spell list (because you don't have one). But with that proviso, you could create a Thundering, Bane, etc gun.


Excellent. Thank you for your quick response!

Grand Lodge

As a house rule, I have made it that the items are not actually magical, rather that they are so well made that they replicate magical properties. And so, you would need some "mundane" way to replicate the magical properties.

As for guns, it may be a little easier to do some versus others. Fire would be easier than, say ice. Not impossible, but I would make the crafter work out how he makes the effect.


Aeshuura wrote:

As a house rule, I have made it that the items are not actually magical, rather that they are so well made that they replicate magical properties. And so, you would need some "mundane" way to replicate the magical properties.

As for guns, it may be a little easier to do some versus others. Fire would be easier than, say ice. Not impossible, but I would make the crafter work out how he makes the effect.

I'm not being snarky here at all (which is rare for me), but how does this interact with all of the side-sytems of magic items? I'm genuinely curious, as it could give a "master craftsman" an edge against caster craftsmen, seeing as how most are already horribly limited by the feat (Craft Arms OR Armor, Craft Wondrous Leather Items, etc).

How does your houserule interact with the following, if you don't mind answering?

Dispel magic checks to supress/Disjunction to destroy.
Hardness and HP gains from enhancement bonuses.
Saving throws as magic items.
Spell penetration checks (does your houserule extend to Craft Wand and Craft Staff? Or are those totally "caster" crafted only?"

Like I said, not trying to punch holes in something that works for you, just seeking some more info, as it intrigues me as a way to "patch" a hole that I see.

Grand Lodge

The Black Bard wrote:


I'm not being snarky here at all (which is rare for me), but how does this interact with all of the side-sytems of magic items? I'm genuinely curious, as it could give a "master craftsman" an edge against caster craftsmen, seeing as how most are already horribly limited by the feat (Craft Arms OR Armor, Craft Wondrous Leather Items, etc).

How does your houserule interact with the following, if you don't mind answering?

Dispel magic checks to supress/Disjunction to destroy.
Hardness and HP gains from enhancement bonuses.
Saving throws as magic items.
Spell penetration checks (does your houserule extend to Craft Wand and Craft Staff? Or are those totally "caster" crafted only?"

Like I said, not trying to punch holes in something that works for you, just seeking some more info, as it intrigues me as a way to "patch" a hole that I see.

It is essentially at GM's discretion (which would be me, I suppose) but for wondrous items, weapons, and armor, in exchange for being narrowly defined (as you mentioned, craft arms OR armor, limited by your craft or profession skill, etc.) I have no problems making the decisions as follows:

Are exempt from dispel magic/disjunction effects
Benefit from Hardness/HP gains from enhancement bonuses.
Make saving throws as magic items.

The Master Craftsman feat distinctly says for the purpose of qualifying for craft magic arms and armor or craft wondrous item. Nothing about the other item creation feats.

Bear in mind though that weapon qualities that make no sense for an exquisitely crafted weapon are essentially disallowed.

Hope that helps.


It's a long road to go down, to be sure.

1) Feat tax. You don't even start until 7th level (master craftsman at 5th level and then you qualify for the relevant feat only. selecting it will have to come later) Fighter's may not care at the feat tax though.

2) The skill needs to be relevant. You need to be able to use the skill when it comes down to it. You can have as many ranks of Profession: Confectioner as you like, it won't be any use in crafting magic armour. Likewise, Craft woodworking, will probably only help when making wooden weapons or armour (or wonderous items)

3) Other heavy stuff: as you're not a spell caster, there's a likelihood you have to eat all the extra prerequisites as well (Though, to be fair you do get a +2 to the skill)also, I'm not sure you get a huge amount of skill points either as a gunslinger.

All In all, you had better really want this.

Batts

Grand Lodge

Iczer wrote:

It's a long road to go down, to be sure.

1) Feat tax. You don't even start until 7th level (master craftsman at 5th level and then you qualify for the relevant feat only. selecting it will have to come later) Fighter's may not care at the feat tax though.

2) The skill needs to be relevant. You need to be able to use the skill when it comes down to it. You can have as many ranks of Profession: Confectioner as you like, it won't be any use in crafting magic armour. Likewise, Craft woodworking, will probably only help when making wooden weapons or armour (or wonderous items)

3) Other heavy stuff: as you're not a spell caster, there's a likelihood you have to eat all the extra prerequisites as well (Though, to be fair you do get a +2 to the skill)also, I'm not sure you get a huge amount of skill points either as a gunslinger.

All In all, you had better really want this.

Batts

I agree, but it certainly is better for building the "greatest swords maker in the kingdom" kind of character. I am so happy that there is the option now.


Re: skill used (you must choose one, and only one). When going for Master Craftsman, I usually choose Profession(smithy) or Profession(leatherworker).

The smithy can hammer magic into anything metallic, He can make weapons and armors normally. The usually non-metallic items would have the magic properties stored in the metallic studs/clasps/etc (which wouldn't work without the relevant item). There are items for which this isn't possible, but they are few.

The leatherworker can impart magic into any leather bits he weaves. Most Wondrous items can be made out of leather. For wholly metallic items, there's always a fluffy explanation that can be made, like "this sword feels magical when held, because its grip is so well-made that it actually gives the weapon magic properties" or "this plate armor feels magical thanks to its underlying leather coating."

Whater floats your boat.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Master Craftsman question All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.