D&D (2024) D&D Beyond Article on Crafting

[Paul Farquhar]

But what in the game has ever made that something to worry about? Have we ever seen an adventure where someone goes into a blacksmith shop but due to poor rolls or shoddy equipment, the breastplate has worse AC than a standard breastplate?

Poor quality steel is a plot point in BG1.

 

[Yaarel]

Hidden in this is that Tool use is associated with Ability scores so Tools are now official lesser Skills.

So you now unlock chests with

Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) + Thieves tools
Or
Strength (Athletics) + Smith's tools

In my games a toolset proficiency is depth of knowledge. For example, a Thief toolset would come with knowledge of various kinds of locks, who makes them, where to acquire the tools to bypass them, etcetera, any conceivable information that a locksmith expert might have about this subject matter, even a Charisma (Thief toolset) check when dealing with a fellow locksmith.

 

[TiQuinn]

Poor quality steel is a plot point in BG1.

Okay that’s one.

 

[Horwath]

Finding someone who makes armor well enough that you would trust your life with, might be a bit more expensive.

that goes without saying. everything is by the book.

unless you want to make it a plot point where someone sells you sup par equipment.

 

[Yaarel]

Crafting is done between adventures and at that point who cares how long it takes.

Plus, by the time they can just buy what they need with all of the excess gold clogging their backpacks/wagons/keep/etc.

Only time crafting has ever been needed was for making scrolls, potions, enchanting, and magic items which again is usually in “off time”.

At least in my experience since 2E.

I assume that at higher levels, players will want to craft more specialized items − plus magic items.

Magic items cannot be bought or sold in my games, because the items themselves may not cooperate with the purchasers. The item transmits the intention of the mage who created it.

For low tier magic items, convenience is often part of the intention, and usually anyone can use it. But powerful items almost always have a kind of relationship, which is part of attunement.

Pretty much the only way to get the exact magic item that one wants, is either being part of a larger story, or making the magic item oneself.

 

[Charlaquin]

Survival, navigation, is the "Geography" skill, and is awkwardly Wisdom.

Only awkward if you assume wisdom actually represents what the word means, instead of accepting the fact that in actual function it’s the awareness ability in 5e, they’re just stuck with the name wisdom because the six abilities are a D&D sacred cow.

 

[Yaarel]

Only awkward I if you assume wisdom actually represents what the word means, instead of accepting the fact that in actual function it’s the awareness ability in 5e, they’re just stuck with the name wisdom because the six abilities are a D&D sacred cow.

For me, it is necessary to disambiguate the abilities. So.

Intelligence = Knowledge (obtained by any means)
Wisdom 1 = Perception = animal senses = see, hear, smell, taste, touch
Wisdom 2 = Willpower + Sanity
Charisma = Social Skills + Selfexpression

So, Wisdom doesnt make sense for any knowledge check.

 

[Minigiant]

Crafting is done between adventures and at that point who cares how long it takes.

Plus, by the time they can just buy what they need with all of the excess gold clogging their backpacks/wagons/keep/etc.

Only time crafting has ever been needed was for making scrolls, potions, enchanting, and magic items which again is usually in “off time”.

At least in my experience since 2E.

Offtime can sometimes be short.

Like if you do gritty realism, you could have only a week between outings.

Precise Crafting time is 1000% for old school week long rest times.

 

[Charlaquin]

Anyone else get the impression that the person who wrote this article finds crafting really silly and frivolous?

 

[Yaarel]

Anyone else get the impression that the person who wrote this article finds crafting really silly and frivolous?

Being light and playful is ok. But the description for Crafting doesnt convey the narrative power and even the mechanical power that can come from CUSTOMIZING ones own items.