Craft DC questions

[Orco42]

In the description of the skill it has DC's of items divided by quality.

My question is how do you know what quality the DC is. It gives only a few examples (spoon, pot, bell and lock), and says the DM should set the DC.

Is there any type of formula someone would suggest for selecting a DC?
Would something like this be fair

Item cost DC
<1sp 5
<1gp 10
<20gp 15
>20gp 20

I've got a player that has 5 craft skills and I want to be ready for his oddball items.

Thanks.

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, AFAIK, there is no formula. Just look at the items on the list and guestimate.

The items are not listen by cost, and that is what determines how *long* an item takes to make, not the DC. Also, 20 is what it takes to make masterwork items, so I would keep other things lower than that. A saddle is 20 Gp but I think it is easier ot make than a masterwork admintine greatsword (DC 20).

Keep in mind that it takes *ages* to craft anything in D&D. For example, if your player wants to make a set of full plate, and he is just making the 18 DC. it will take him 625 weeks to finish it.

One thing we did in our game to help crafters was to slightly modify the rule about DC's. In the book it says...

You may voluntarily add +10 to the indicated DC to craft an item. This allows you to create the item more quickly (since you’ll be multiplying this higher DC by your Craft check result to determine progress).

We modified that to say "you can add up to 10...". it helps a little. If the DC is 15 and you are generating 20 you are finishing (15 * 20 = 300Sp) 30 Gp per week. With our rule, you can bump the DC to 20 and finish 40Gp per week. Not a major change, but it helps.

We also allow up to two assistants (total +4 to the check via the 'assist another action') which you have to pay at the rate of 1Sp per week each. Add that to masterwork tools and you are at +6 already.

-Tatsu

 

[fellowship]

Would something like this be fair

Item cost DC
<1sp 5
<1gp 10
<20gp 15
>20gp 20

In my opinion this won't be fair until you add something about the complexity of the item. The DC to craft a 40 gp plain padlock must be higher than the DC of a 40 gp silver spoon. In my group, the player and me (DM) usually decide the DC together - both trying to be as impartial as possible

As Tatsukun says - keep in mind that DC 20 is what it takes to create masterwork items. Mundane items should not be DC 20 unless it's a special object.

By the way - have you tried our web-based Craft calculator? Take a look here: http://www.fellowship.no/dnd.php?p=craft

--
Thomas
DM of fellowship.no