Building the Ultimate Item Crafter


Advice


So I am sure people have party member casters take item creation feats so they can get the gear they want for the cheapest prices. Not an unreasonable desire. However, sometimes these endeavors become a chore and subtract from the bearer's ability to even function in combat, or making such a decision to create items becomes not worth it for what you may give up, and you may not get your money's worth (or your feat's worth, actually).

But I am a character who is taking the Leadership feat, and I want a traveling cohort (and supporting followers) who serve as a traveling "merchant" caravan; we offer protection, they give us half off (cost to create items) on items we commission from them. How can I make him/them the one-stop "shop" for my party?

Here's what I came up with for ideas that can make this guy the pinnacle of efficient crafting:

Wizard class: Arcane Builder discoveries for all of the item creation feats.
Feat Selections: Cooperative Crafting (both cohort and followers) and all Item Creation feats. (Craft Construct not necessary.) Hedge Magician trait. Skill Focus (Spellcraft) feat.
Dwarf Race: Favored Class Option, evenly distributed among all item creation feats.
Items to help with crafting: Masterwork tools, ?

Anyone able to add on ideas and/or flesh this out into an actual character (with appropriate progression) would be appreciated!

Lantern Lodge

I actually did this not to long ago with a Mystic Theruge. I went Cleric and wizard and focused on crafting feats. Character's spells were all situational/buffs/heals and all of its DPR came from its wands. The character btw supplied the entire party with magic gear since it had access to both devine and arcane covering every thing that needed to be covered. Also for additional damage the character created undead out of animals that we would come across. If u do do this i recommend getting the False Focus feat since it goes very well for the MT and make ur self an Efficient Quiver asap for ur wands and scrolls.


Make sure he has a Valet familiar.


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

Which is fine and dandy, but I am trying to build an "Ultimate Crafter" character via Leadership feat: All resources go to crafting, by any and all means. No combat (they'll be in our hideout) preparedness will be required of these goons.

Edit: Spelling error corrections.


You wizard needs Skill Focus(Spellcraft) and Hedge Magician trait...


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

The Valet familiar mentioned.
Valet

I was thinking Soul Forger wouldn't be bad, but it definitely has too much combat focus to out-do the Wizard. Plus, it would be difficult to get the Valet familiar.


What I did is as follows:

Build 1:
Level 1: Witch (Hex: Cauldren, free Brew Potion feat and a +4 bonus to alchemy) and another feat of your choice. (two if you go human)

Level 2: Cleric (Rune domain - Free Scribe Scroll feat)

Alternatively, you can swap Witch with Alchemist, and swap Cleric with Geisha(bard) for the same free feats and different spell flavors.

---
Build 2:
Dwarf

Cleric archetype: Forgemaster 3 - Gets a free feat at 3rd of Craft magic arms and armor

Then You can take scrolls at 1st level and then you can decide between wondrous/potions at 3rd.


If you're allowed the, arcanamirium (arcane) crafter wizard works fine. If the first thing he crafts is a +INT headband and you take skill focus, magical aptitude, and a valet familiar and cooperative casting, I don't think he'll ever miss a roll to make something.


If you're interested, I've got a few ideas on the subject in my construct crafting guide:

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q7je?williamoaks-guide-to-construct-crafting

There should be a few useful ideas (many have been mentionned) and although I focus on constructs, many of the ideas are applicable for all crafters.


williamoak wrote:

If you're interested, I've got a few ideas on the subject in my construct crafting guide:

Williamoaks guide to construct crafting

There should be a few useful ideas (many have been mentionned) and although I focus on constructs, many of the ideas are applicable for all crafters.

Linkified.

Darksol the Painbringer wrote:

But I am a character who is taking the Leadership feat, and I want a traveling cohort (and supporting followers) who serve as a traveling "merchant" caravan; we offer protection, they give us half off (cost to create items) on items we commission from them. How can I make him/them the one-stop "shop" for my party?

Here's what I came up with for ideas that can make this guy the pinnacle of efficient crafting:

Wizard class: Arcane Builder discoveries for all of the item creation feats.
Feat Selections: Cooperative Crafting (both cohort and followers) and all Item Creation feats. (Craft Construct not necessary.) Hedge Magician trait. Skill Focus (Spellcraft) feat.
Dwarf Race: Favored Class Option, evenly distributed among all item creation feats.
Items to help with crafting: Masterwork tools, ?

Ultimate Campaign wrote:

If you exploit your cohort, you’ll quickly find your Leadership score shrinking away.

...
Examples of inappropriate advancement choices are ... a spellcaster cohort taking nothing but item creation feats (so you get access to plenty of cheap magic items at the cost of just one feat, Leadership)

Your plan doesn't work by RAW. However, if they take some crafting feats, and you also, or another character also takes leadership with a cohort with different feats, you can get what you want.

Additionally, unless you have insane leadership score, your followers will not have sufficient levels to have enough feats to be of use as cooperative magic crafters. You need a score of 15 before you can get a single follower third level, which allows Craft Wondrous Item or Brew Potion. [Your cohort already has Scribe Scroll, which is very quick so doesn't need help by cooperative crafting.] For Craft Wand or Craft Magic Arms and Armor needs a score of 19. The table does not go high enough to have followers able to get Forge Ring or beyond.

Under the Leadership feat is the text:

Leadership wrote:

A cohort does not count as a party member when determining the party’s XP. Instead, divide the cohort’s level by your level. Multiply this result by the total XP awarded to you, then add that number of experience points to the cohort’s total.

If a cohort gains enough XP to bring it to a level one lower than your level, the cohort does not gain the new level—its new XP total is 1 less than the amount needed to attain the next level.

This means that they cannot stay-at-home and gain levels. They need to be with you, and you need to protect them if you want them to level.

Lastly, I suggest you look at the How To Use Leadership document.

/cevah


Don't forget to boost your skills, particularly the weapon and armour making ones.

Fabricate is an awesome spell for a crafter, allowing you to immediately craft masterwork items and make them out of special materials, but with the standard 1/3 cost. This is one of the few ways to make large amounts of money fast from crafting:

Adamantine Full Plate:

Market Price GP 16500
Crafting Cost GP 5500
Sell Price GP 8250
Profit GP 2750

The real benefit from boosting the craft skills though comes from when you are actually crafting the item. You always have an option of using an appropriate craft skill as alternative to Spellcraft when making items. It is much easier to get bonuses to craft skills through equipment, traits and racial bonuses than it is to get boosts to Spellcraft and you can also get the benefit of the spell Crafter's fortune for a straight +5 to your Crafting roll.

As an aside, Cevah, above mentions that you can get followers up to third level, with crafting feats. Note that the Forgemaster gets Create Magic Arms and Armour at level 3 as a bonus feat.


peterrco wrote:
As an aside, Cevah, above mentions that you can get followers up to third level, with crafting feats. Note that the Forgemaster gets Create Magic Arms and Armour at level 3 as a bonus feat.

Not quite what I said. :-)

To be clearer:
Leadership score 10 -> Follower 1st level -> Scribe Scroll
Leadership score 13 -> Follower 2nd level
Leadership score 15 -> Follower 3rd level -> Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item, Inscribe Rune
Leadership score 17 -> Follower 4th level
Leadership score 19 -> Follower 5th level -> Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Craft Construct, Inscribe Magical Tattoo
Leadership score 21 -> Follower 6th level

You cannot get a follower higher than 6th, although you can get cohorts higher.

7th level -> Forge Ring
9th level -> Craft Rod
10th level -> Brew Fleshcrafting Poison
11th level -> Craft Staff

List of Item Creation feats is from the SRD.

/cevah

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