Getting rid of Craft

[Malwing]

Okay, misleading title, but the point is that I have a house rule I want to try out that may make craft feats obsolete.

Basically, before you start crafting an item if you make an appropriate a knowledge check equal to the craft DC of an item (including penalties for not knowing the spell prerequisites) you can attempt craft checks as if you did not have the feat requirements. The crafting feats still exist but can be swapped out for Skill Focus if you have it as a class feature.

Any thoughts on how this can be too abused or might otherwise backfire?

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

So basically Knowledge (arcana) replaces all Craft Magic Item feats?
Well, it means classes like Wizard and Bard are going to be able to craft just about anything with no feat investment. Or anyone who wants to craft. So yes, it's far more powerful than requiring several different feats to allow this. Depending on what sort of game you run it could get out of hand very quickly.

Hereæs how I've done it:

Item creation feats are no longer required for crafting magic items. You cannot ignore other prerequisites for crafting. You cannot alter the enchantments of magic items you have not made yourself, but can improve items you have made. You can use scrolls, wands or other items that create spell effects, including other casters, to provide spells you do not have yourself. Base item creation DC is 20+CL. Item creation feats reduce the crafting DC by 10 and have the following benefits in addition to the rulebook effect:

Brew Potion/Scribe Scroll/Rod/Staff: items cost only 75% to create.
Craft Wand: can be recharge at 75% of base price.
Craft Magic Arms and Armor/Craft Wondrous Item: you can enhance items other people have made as well as your own creations.

[Goth Guru]

The OP I have trouble understanding. Where does the magic come from, among other concerns?
Bjorn, I really like your system.
One suggestion, magic can be added by reciting the final incantations at a permanently enchanted site. Thus gloves of vampiric touch can be given their final stitch in an unhallowed graveyard. Potions of all kinds can be bottled in the runoff area from an alchemist's lab.

[showzilla]

so how does this affect master craftsman?

[Malwing]

Well I presume with enough ranks in spellcraft you learn enough magic to put some magic into things despite not training to tap into it enough to actually cast spells. This means that spellcraft would be the more common craft skill for magic items and master craftsman would be obsolete.

Although after digging up old threads it seems like this came up before and the concensus was that while it made crafting easier it pushed druid and cleric out of it due to the lack of skill ranks and does not really bring ore classes into the crafting party.

[Bob_Loblaw]

If you do go this route, may I suggest that you put a limitation on what you can craft based on the actual ranks spent? The craft feats are set at certain levels for game balance.

Brew Potion: 3 Ranks
Craft Magic Arms and Armor: 5 Ranks
Craft Rod: 9 Ranks
Craft Staff: 11 Ranks
Craft Wand: 5 Ranks
Craft Wondrous Item: 3 Ranks
Forge Ring: 7 Ranks
Scribe Scroll: 1 Rank

You can then keep the Item Creation feats for anyone who does not wish to invest in the skill for whatever reason.

The problem I see with this is that you are essentially giving wizards 5 free metamagic feats, arcane discoveries, or spell mastery instead of forcing them to invest in item creation. It can give already powerful characters more power.