[D&D 3.5] Masterwork Craft rules

[kenjib]

We (...well some of us) seem to agreee on the idea that multiplying the price is basically more sound than adding a flat value to the cost. Determining the exact multiplier is hard, since D&D makes no effort to create any resemblance to a working economy. And... it's a game so...

There are still a couple of problems there though. Let's use a 6x multiplier for the example. With the dagger you have very little reason not to spring for masterwork. 1gp vs. 6gp is trivial even at first level for the most part. With a mighty composite longbow, however, you end up with a cost of 3000gp, which is rather prohibitive, and escalates the cost of magic weapons too since all magic weapons adds the masterwork cost. With full plate armor things also get ugly.

I think that the problem is not very easy to solve in an elegant way. Adding two prices (regular/masterwork) to each and every item on a case-by-case basis would be one method, but would be rather cumbersome.

 

[Left-handed Hummingbird]

There are still a couple of problems there though. Let's use a 6x multiplier for the example. With the dagger you have very little reason not to spring for masterwork. 1gp vs. 6gp is trivial even at first level for the most part. With a mighty composite longbow, however, you end up with a cost of 3000gp, which is rather prohibitive, and escalates the cost of magic weapons too since all magic weapons adds the masterwork cost. With full plate armor things also get ugly.

I think that the problem is not very easy to solve in an elegant way. Adding two prices (regular/masterwork) to each and every item on a case-by-case basis would be one method, but would be rather cumbersome.

You're right, but I'm beginning to think "It's not a bug - it's a feature". Masterwork full plate is going to be incredibly expensive, but perhaps that isn't such a bad thing - it makes those things even more exclusive...

 

[kenjib]

Good point. Hmmm....

 

[Vaxalon]

Full plate is already masterwork, because it's fitted to the wearer.

Check the descriptions...

 

[avin]

... in fact the masterwork rules are very simple by know and maybe should stay like that. Masterwork items prices in real life vary a lot.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

...And those would be?

As has been stated here, generally based on a multiple for cost. For summary:

Weapon DC to craft is 10+Max Damage+# die (1d8=DC18, 2d4=DC19).

Armor DC to craft is 10+AC Benefit.

Blend in the Superior Qualities from Badaxe Games' HoHF: Dwarves, with each quality adding a modifier to the DC and a multiple to the cost. Each Quality also given a minimum ranking in Craft and Knowledge: Metalurgy to represent the requirement of a Master Craftsman to perform the task.

Market Price set by regional economics rather than static "Adventurer's Economy" set forth by the Default Setting.

Obviously, there's a lot more detail, but I'd rather not post the entirety of my House Rules here. But the end result is the intentional effect of keeping Experts in the top of their field as Craftsman.

 

[Datt]

Something has been eating at me since the first time I read this and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. I finally did today when I was going over some things for one of my characters. The price for a masterwork dagger is 301 and not 151. For weapons it is +300 and for armor it is +150. At least according to my books and the SRD. Has this been changed in an Errata somewhere?

 

[Trine]

That is correct. The difference in cost is reflective of the difference of usefulness of each of the benefits. Masterworked weapons gain a +1 to attacks, which is arguably much better than the +1 to Armor Check Penalty for masterwork armor. It also keeps in line of weapon bonuses costing more than armor bonuses. 2x as expensive, in fact. +150 armor vs +300 weapon for masterwork. x1000 armor vs x2000 weapon for magical enhancements.

 

[kenjib]

Something has been eating at me since the first time I read this and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. I finally did today when I was going over some things for one of my characters. The price for a masterwork dagger is 301 and not 151. For weapons it is +300 and for armor it is +150. At least according to my books and the SRD. Has this been changed in an Errata somewhere?

No, I'm sorry, that was my error. 300 it is, then! That makes it even more unrealistic, but as Trine points out, fairly mechanically sound.

 

[Ravellion]

Prices don't bother me much. Unrealistic? Maybe. But streamlined and easy to use.

Time it takes to craft is not only unrealiststic, it's also very cumbersome... I prefer a table: Full plate takes X time to make and requires X succesful checks during that time.

With a reduction of 10% of the time for a +2 to the DC (can be done up to 5 times), or taking longer by 10% for reducing the DC by 2 (can be done up to 5 times)

Rav