Pathfinder 1E What's the point of the Craft skill if you can use Spellcraft?

[koesherbacon]

What's the point of having ranks in the Craft skill if you can use Spellcraft for magic item creation?

 

[MoonSong]

Well for starters, you can use craft to create more mundane stuff, like the masterwork weapons and ammunition needed for magic weapons and ammo. It also includes alchemy items like tanglefoot bags, sunrods and poison. Not to mention it helps to say something about your character and his/her place on the world.

 

[koesherbacon]

Ah, I understand. More for roleplaying purposes. I like stuff like that for characters, I just wasn't sure if there was anything in particular I was missing. Thank you!

 

[Keldin]

Not to mention it helps to say something about your character and his/her place on the world.

What KaiiLurker said.

I see skills - all skills, not just Craft/Perform/Profession skills - as an indicator of character background and history. I have one character that has six different Craft skills (Ammunition, Armor, Bows, Firearms, Siege Weapons, and Weapons, to be specific). At 2nd level. He learned Firearms and Siege Weapons in game by working with both of those items. I have another character that has Profession (farmer) because, quite simply, he grew up as a farmboy.

Oh, you're right that you really don't need the Craft skills if you're just creating a character for the most efficient character, and there's really nothing wrong with that - it even appeals to the gamist in me. But it seems like you're denying yourself some fun just to make the numbers the best they can be.

 

[Keldin]

Ah, I understand. More for roleplaying purposes.

Hm. I dunno. I know it's not exactly rules-as-written, but as a DM, if a character in one of my games has these skills, I may allow them to substitute. To figure out the value of a sword, I might allow them to use Appraise *or* Craft (weapons), for example.

I know that Craft/Perform/Profession skills (and others like Sleight of Hand) were also used in most of the RPGA living campaigns to allow characters to make some extra money between modules. There are similarities in the new downtime system from Ultimate Campaign.

 

[paradox42]

Yeah, the skill is given new uses in Ultimate Campaign such that more characters will want to take ranks in it, assuming the GM uses the Downtime System in that book. Craft is sort of campaign-dependent as a skill, in terms of usefulness in game.

 

[KerlanRayne]

There is a feat called Master Craftsman that lets non magic users craft magic items using craft skills instead of spellcraft

 

[Starfox]

There are masterwork items that gives a bonus to Craft, not so for Spellcraft. So if you want to specialize in one particular type of magic item, you get a free +2 bonus. Then again, Skill Focus (Spellcraft) is one feat, while Skill Focus (Craft) are mutliple.

But the bottom line that Spellcraft is much closer to how it worked pre 3E, where it was just something magic-users did. No connection to background skills or anything such. It is the Craft option that is the new thing.