Here's something for your dwarves: the hexsmith, based on the master smith prestige class from Rokugan d20.
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HEXSMITH
“With that blade, you cannot fail. If you should meet God on your journey, then God will be cut.”
The art of making weapons and armor is among the most honorable and rarefied of all crafts, and one of the few crafts prestigious enough to even be undertaken by nobles. Most noble houses have at least one family member or beloved vassal that takes special pride in his crafts, and every country has a slew of smiths seeking to make a name for themselves with the quality of their work.
Even for the greatest of artisans, however, mere skill is sometimes not enough. A hexsmith is a craftsman whose mastery over metal is so great that the spirit of the metal sings to his own. He nurtures the living spirit within the metal, encouraging it to awaken through rituals as sacred as those practiced by any priest and as formalized as those of any arcanist. Hexsmiths sometimes venture outside their forges and strike out into the world, seeking experiences to awaken their own soul so that they may leap into their art with even greater fervor.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
Feats: Iron Will, Skill Focus (Craft [armorer or weaponsmith])
Skills: Craft (armorer) 10 ranks, Craft (weaponsmith) 10 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks
Special: Must craft a masterwork martial weapon and masterwork suit of light, medium, or heavy armor.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hexsmiths have proficiency in all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor.
Fine Craftsman (Ex): At 1st level, a hexsmith with access to the proper tools, a forge, and an abundant supply of materials can craft items out of a specially refined steel, granting it special bonuses. At this level, the hexsmith can create items of up to Fine quality (see the table below).
The hexsmith’s rate of production for items is also greatly increased. With a successful skill check of the appropriate Craft type (DC 15), once per day he can craft up to 250 gp worth of materials. The hexsmith must spend at least 8 hours out of every 24 working on items to gain this accelerated rate. For an item that requires more than one day to craft at this rate, he cannot take a day off without ruining the item. He cannot perform any other physically or mentally demanding tasks while crafting an item at this accelerated rate, and he cannot craft more than one item per day, regardless of its total cost. At this accelerated rate, the hexsmith does not spend any experience points for non-magical items but must provide raw materials worth one-half the item’s market price.
Exceptional Craftsman (Ex): At 2nd level, a hexsmith with access to the proper tools, a forge, and an abundant supply of materials can craft items out of a specially refined steel, granting it special bonuses. At this level, the hexsmith can create items of up to Exceptional quality (see the table below).
The hexsmith’s rate of production for items is also greatly increased. With a successful skill check of the appropriate Craft type (DC 20), once per day he can craft up to 500 gp worth of materials.
Superior Craftsman (Ex): At 3rd level, a hexsmith with access to the proper tools, a forge, and an abundant supply of materials can craft items out of a specially refined steel, granting it special bonuses. At this level, the hexsmith can create items of up to Superior quality (see the table below).
The hexsmith’s rate of production for items is also greatly increased. With a successful skill check of the appropriate Craft type (DC 25), once per day he can craft up to 750 gp worth of materials.
Legendary Craftsman (Ex): At 4th level, a hexsmith with access to the proper tools, a forge, and an abundant supply of materials can craft items out of a specially refined steel, granting it special bonuses. At this level, the hexsmith can create items of up to Legendary quality (see the table below).
The hexsmith’s rate of production for items is also greatly increased. With a successful skill check of the appropriate Craft type (DC 30), once per day he can craft up to 1000 gp worth of materials.
Craft Magic Arms and Armor: The hexsmith gains the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat for free at 5th level, even if he has no spellcasting ability. He is considered a caster of twice his class level for the purposes of crafting magic weapons and armor. These effective levels stack with any spellcasting levels for this purpose. Unless the hexsmith has spellcasting ability, he will need a spellcaster to supply the necessary spells to create certain types of weapons and armor.
Temper the Blade (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, a hexsmith can improve upon earlier weapons and armor, enhancing their quality dramatically. A normal weapon or suit of armor can be reforged as a masterwork weapon or suit of armor. A masterwork weapon can be improved to Fine quality (as noted under Fine Craftsman, above). Items of high quality refined steel can be improved to whatever higher level of quality the hexsmith can normally produce. The hexsmith must expend raw materials equal to half the difference between the item’s original market price and the market price of the finished product.
Awakened Soul (Su): At 7th level, the hexsmith gains the ability to instill certain enhancements into weapons or armor without the aid of a spellcaster. The hexsmith may select a number of weapon or armor special abilities equal to his Intelligence bonus, none of which may have an enhancement bonus value greater than +1. Thereafter, he can create items with these abilities without the requisite spells or feats.
Powerful Soul (Su): At 8th level, the hexsmith gains the ability to instill certain enhancements into weapons or armor without the aid of a spellcaster. The hexsmith may select a number of weapon or armor special abilities equal to his Intelligence bonus, none of which may have an enhancement bonus value greater than +3. Thereafter, he can create items with these abilities without the requisite spells or feats.
Master’s Soul (Su): At 9th level, the hexsmith gains the ability to instill certain enhancements into weapons or armor without the aid of a spellcaster. The hexsmith may select a number of weapon or armor special abilities equal to his Intelligence bonus, none of which may have an enhancement bonus value greater than +5. Thereafter, he can create items with these abilities without the requisite spells or feats.
True Master (Ex): Finally, at 10th level, the hexsmith has truly mastered his art. When determining the cost in XP and materials for creating magic weapons and armor, multiply the base price by 75%. If the character also has the Magical Artisan feat for magic arms and armor, the base price is instead multiplied by 50%.
Refined Steel in Weapons and Armor
Enhan. Add. HP Hardness
Quality Bonus Cost (Armor/Weapons)
Fine +1 1500 gp 500 gp 10 30
Exceptional+2 7000 gp 3000 gp 15 30
Superior +3 16,000 gp 8000 gp 20 30
Legendary +4 30,000 gp 15,000 gp 20 35
Refined Steel in Tools
Enhan. Additional Hit Points
Quality Bonus Cost Hardness Per Inch
Fine +2 75 gp 10 30
Exceptional +4 500 gp 15 30
Superior +6 1000 gp 20 30
Legendary +8 1500 gp 20 35
The Hexsmith
Level Base Fortitude Reflex Will
Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Fine craftsman
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Exceptional craftsman
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Superior craftsman
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Legendary craftsman
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Craft Magic Arms and Armor
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Temper the blade
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Awakened soul
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Powerful soul
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Master’s soul
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 True master
