I'm by no means an expert where this concept is concerned... but have you considered narrowing your character's focus? Meaning, does his store need to sell all the types of magical items you listed? Could he be more of a "specialist" (e.g., only sell rods, wands, staves, and rings)?
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Might also consider giving him some of the more powerful item crafting feats and then having apprentices / business partners who make the other items.
Nothing says he can't be a high - ish level wizard / sorcerer who has an alchemist friend, some apprentices and a friend who's really good at making insert item here.
Also even if just one guy with all this stuff, you have to imagine he keeps the good and dangerous stuff with himself and is more then likely to use it. He might not have metamagic x, y or z, but he might have metamagic rods abcdefghi... etc on him!
My 2 cents anyways!
You just described my PC not an NPC! Seriously though he is a Samsaran Wizard and his partner (my wife's PC) is a Samsaran Witch. I have Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Construct and Forge Ring. She has Brew Potion and Craft Wand. I routinely end encounters with things like Suggestion and Charm Monster. I also make everyone else better with Haste and crowd control like Create Pit, Glitterdust, Stinking Cloud, Aqueous Orb, Confusion and Black Tentacles.
An NPC taking Leadership at 9th, Craft Rod at 10th and Craft Staff at 11th could get a cohort with Brew Potion, Craft Wand and Inscribe Magic Tattoo to complete the set. You only need to be 11th level to have it all. Get a valet familiar for both you and your cohort and you double time everything. Use your increased WBL from all the crafting to use metamagic rods to cover your lack of metamagic feats and rely on consumables.
Why not multiclassing? Maybe the best class for crafting weapon and armor is the Forgemaster (get the feat for free at 3rd level, and at 5 he craft weapon and armor twice faster). Mutliclassing it with mage will make him probably the best crafter in the town.
That's what I was posting this about, what specific item creation feats really define an arcane craftsman?
All of them do, in my humble opinion. It just comes down to the concept you're trying to nail down.
My initial thought is that scroll-scriber caters primarily to non-spellcasters - adventurers who for one reason or another don't count wizards, sorcerers, or what have you in their ranks. I don't know why, but the concept also kind of strikes me as catering to a "low level" clientele. I can't really back that assertion up. It's just an impression. :)
When I try to imagine a purveyor of wondrous items, one of two concepts pop in my mind. The first is a kindly, somewhat befuddled old man with an array of interesting (not necessarily utilitarian or super-powerful) items. Think Fizban from "Dragonlance", but not secretly a god (OR IS HE?) and rooted to a store. The other is a mysterious, perhaps sinister individual whose wares may very well be a trap - think "The Bazaar of the Bizarre", by Fritz Leiber (featuring Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser).
Most Rods, Staves, Wands, and Rings strike me as rather utilitarian - the type of thing you're less likely to find in a random store, as opposed to the Wizard Academy in Big City. Then again, there are items in each of these categories that are fantastic, bizarre, and dangerous enough to be in either of the "wondrous item" categories.