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First off I am going to say that I know this topic has most likely been done over and over again and for that I am sorry, I am just looking for answers. I am a newer GM and a long time player of 3.5, I have never given much thought to the Creating magic items and creating Crafted Items till I saw the Alchemist. That got me thinking and really wanting to play one in an upcoming campaign. But as much as I try I just do not understand the crafting rules. Here is what I would hope that someone out there is going to be able to do.
1st explain the mechanics of the system. I have read the rules and read the PRD online and it still doesn't make any sense.
2nd. Be able to give me a couple of examples of what to do with craft Alchemy.
(Thinking Brewing Cure Light potions for the PT) and then crafting smoke sticks and crafting other things for us as well, Trying to make a profit off of it.
3rd. show the steps in the above examples for me so that I can see how to work on them myself.
4th. Why is the DC to craft a potion 5 Craft alchemy would equal out something to be a 11 (rough math) and if I rolled a natural 20 that would be 32 for a DC of 5? why is the DC a 5 for crafting this item?
Let me give you the drift of what I got on the rules.
To create a potion at first left alchemy I need to have the spell prepared. So with a high enough INT I can have two cure light wounds prepared.
It takes 2 hours to create a potion because it is under 250 gold pieces but I can only create 1 potion per day. because of the craft magic items rules.
I hope that there is someone out there that is going to be able to help me out If anything just point me in to another tread if need be. I have checked and read, I just don't get this... Please advise.
Thanks!
The skinny: and yes it's a touch scattered.
1.
Crafting requires you to be a caster.
Figure out the base price of the potion. 50 gp x Spell level x Caster level.
Making it costs half base price (25 x SL x CL).
You have to prepare the spell/extract and to turn it into the potion. The spell is used up just as if you had cast it.
Then you make a check, DC 5 + caster level of the potion. You can set the CL lower than your own, but not higher than your own, and not lower than what is required to cast the spell.
You can use spellcraft or alchemy on this check, and you can take 10.
2. You can make a lot of cheap things that are probably more of a hassle to figure out than you'd care. It takes way too much time unless you're using some pretty beefy magic to speed it up.
3. Do not worry about making a profit with craft alchemy. You won't. The checks are made once a week... it will take far too much time. Even with swift alchemy. Maybe your GM will let your craft alchemy function like profession to supplement your income if you can role play it.
The most effective way to make money with alchemy would be to plan out schemes with high risk and high profit, and employ your alchemical tools to fulfill the schemes.
4: DC is 5 + CL of the potion. so 6 for something CL 1 and 12 if CL 7. Brewing potions isn't hard. More complex magical items can get really hard.
Additional
It takes 2 hours per 250 gold worth of potions you brew. (base price, not the half crafting price).
You can only work on 1 item at a time, so you could produce several potions if you are simple enough.
With a high enough int you could cast 2 cure light wounds, therefore make 2 potions out of them a day. However the extract/spell is consumed for that day, so if you brew them into potions you can't cast them normally. Good for prepping.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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I'll touch on using craft(alchemy) to create alchemical items like acid or sunrods. Each item has a crafting DC listed in the skills section. Let's look at acid as an example.
Acid has a cost of 10 gp and a crafting DC of 15. At first level you probably have a craft(alchemy) of about +8(1 rank+3 class skill+3 int bonus+1 alchemist levels). So taking 10, you get a result of 18. Multiply this by the DC to chart progress towards making the item. That means in one week, you create 18*15=270 sp worth of acid, or 2.7 vials per week of dedicated work. In a day you'd make 1/7 of that, or about 1 vial of acid every three days. Not very impressive, but you do get the acid at 1/3 cost.
Let's look ahead to 5th level though. You probably now have about a +17 on craft(alchemy), and the ability that doubles your crafting rate. Also note that you can choose to add +10 to the DC, which allows you to craft faster with a better multiplier. Now taking 10 gets you a 27, so you make 27*20*2=1080 sp per week, or 10.8 vials of acid each week-that's more than one a day, so you can easily restock during downtime. It gets even easier as you go up levels.
Hope that was helpful.
I would just plain remove the subtypes to Craft and Knowledge skills, and boost the DC to make stuff.
You put 6 ranks in Craft; Cool, your're not to bad at making stuff. You have 19 ranks? Boy, I bet you can make anything!
What... 27? Well hello Mr. McGyver!
A regular old healing potion would be something like DC20 to do. BUT, if you got ther Brew Potion Feat, you get a +10 (or something) to your craft roll when brewing potions!
I guess it was always the subcategories that turned me away from putting many points in it.
Ultradan
And you'd get an extra +1 per level to your craft roll if you're a spellcaster...
Same thing would go for Knowledge. You put ranks in it, you become a knowledgable guy. You're a spell caster? Great you get a +1/level on Knowledge rolls that pertain to magic.
What? Your character happens to have with him the book "JHARVANN's COMPENDIUM FOR THE EVERYDAY HERBALIST"? Well that gives you a +2 on Knowledge rolls that pertain to plants.
I'm just making this stuff up...
Ultradan
First off just wanted to point out there is a big difference between Brew Potion and the Craft skill. So make sure you are using the right rules for the right job.
Secondly, in regards to Crafting, I tell everyone I can about this because it has really made a big difference in crafting in our games. I haven't seen the craft system yet that has really been great, but this system by Spes Magna Games which is only $.99 is a pretty darn good system, and it makes crafting things a lot easier both in form and function. If you have 99 cents to spend, I'd say pick it up, and see if your GM and players are happy implementing it right away. It works, AND it works in a way that is pretty straight-forward and easy to understand.
...but this system by Spes Magna Games which is only $.99 is a pretty darn good system....
Thanks very much! :)