Author Topic: Pure Crafting  (Read 61328 times)

Offline oslecamo

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Pure Crafting
« on: August 10, 2012, 11:05:59 AM »
Pure Crafting


"We have no need for these magic trinkets. We need only the strength of our swords and the virtue of our hearts."-Order of Steel Grandmaster

Ancient tales tell of a time when magic was all but nonexhistant, and heroes challenged their enemies with but sharp pieces of metal on their hands and metal plates over their bodies.

But nowadays the multiverse is filled with magic. From a crafter's point of view, tainted by magic would probably be a more correct term. After millenia of gods and monsters, priests and mages, spreading supernatural energies everywhere, one has an hard time finding a piece of actual pure unaldutered ore.

Sure, most casters will swear by their magic trinkets that magic-altered or magic-created materials are as good as the real deal, but that's a lie. A lie that's been repeated so many times most believe it to be true actually. To the point almost nobody is admired that a refined sword is barely as effective as the primitive jaws of a wolf, or that a steel shield offers less protection than said wolf's pelt. The terrible truth is that materials created or changed by magic produce much lower quality items than the real deal. Luckily some haven't been fooled. That's the reason no mage ever gets rich selling walls of iron, because any merchant wealthy enough to buy it knows that said iron is basically worthless compared to pure iron.

Scattered across the land, crafters everywhere still practise traditions passed down since the dawn of times. Working hard at their forges, they refine tainted ores, removing the magic impurities to get pure metal that can be fashioned into the gear that martial legends are made of.

New Feat

Pure Crafting
You were passed down the ancient tradition of proper ore refining and equipment crafting.
Prerequisite:4 ranks in Craft(Weaponsmithing) or Craft (Armorsmithing).
Benefit: You can now craft Pure Metal items (any metal weapons if you have the ranks in Weaponsmithing, any metal armor if you have the ranks in Armorsmithing, all metal options if you have ranks in the two skills). This works as normal crafting, but takes 8 hours of  time regardless of the item to be crafted(as long as it is whitin your light carrying capacity, regular crafting time otherwise) and raw material costs are increased by 200 GP, as you need to properly purify them (those materials must still be acquired directly from the material plane, materials created/altered by magic or from the other planes are plain useless for Pure Crafting). You can also tell a Pure Metal item from a regular one with a simple glance. Pure Metal items are immune to all forms of divination(such protection doesn't extend to the wearer however) and are also immune to any effect that automatically destroys nonmagic items (such effects simply fail to affect them, even if they can affect magic items, as all they're actually doing is trying to destroy their magic essence). They can still be damaged by spells that deal damage capable of affecting objects (Shatter treats Pure Metal items as crystalline creatures).

If and only if the crafter has at least 8 ranks in Craft(Weaponsmithing), they may make the weapon masterwork with 24 hours of work (with the same cost and benefits as normal masterwork weapons). If the crafter has at least 12 ranks in Craft(Weaponsmithing), they can make it Relicwork for an extra 3500 GP worth of materials and 72 hour of work. If the crafter has at least 16 ranks, they can make it Artifactwork for an extra 35 000 GP worth of materials and 216 hours of work. If the crafter has at least 20 rank in Craft(Weaponsmithing), they can make it Phantasmwork for an extra 70 000 GP worth of materials and 512 hours of work. The hours needed to make those upgrades don't need to be all consecutive. The same benefits can be applied to pure armor if you have the same amount of ranks in Craft (Armorsmithing) Those upgrades may be done to already existing Pure Metal items, and each of them further doubles the item's HP. Pure Metal items for creatures bigger than medium or smaller than small cost double for each size category diference. Double weapons cost double as usual. Those cost multipliers are applied last after all other costs. In the case of special materials that would normally make the item already count as masterwork, such as adamantine, that only produces a "base" pure metal item, and you must spend the extra resources to make it "pure masterwork" as you would for other materials.

Pure Metal items cannot be further enanched or changed by any kind of magic or special crafting methods. They have double the hardness and HP of their normal counterparts and their break DCs are 5 bigger than normal. Anyone equiped with a pure metal item cannot cast spells/powers/SLAs  or similar, neither activate spell-trigger items such as scrolls and wands or similar as dorjes. After the item is no longer equiped, this restriction still lasts for 1 round as it takes some time for the taint of magic to return. Passive magic items such as a Belt of Giant's Strength still work fine along pure metal items as the magic isn't as deeply ingrained on the user's body, and spells from external forces on the wielder work as normal for the same reason.

Pure Metal weapons automatically deal  damage as if they were one size category bigger and don't automatically miss on a Natural 1, and add your Bab to damage. Armor/shield spikes and similar can't be made into pure metal weapons, as the fact they make part of another object prevents the crafter or wielder from using them to their true potential.

Pure Metal Armors/Shields automatically grant you hardness equal to ½ its AC bonus and half their armor/shield bonus count towards your touch AC, add half your Bab to their respective AC bonus, stacking one suit of armor and one shield.

Depending on the type of metal of the item, it will gain extra bonus as detailed below, plus extra bonus depending on their quality grade, in addition to any bonus granted by the normal version of the material. But material-specific benefits are only granted if the wearer has actual proficiency on the weapon/armor/shield plus Bab at least equal to the number of ranks needed to create that grade of item ( basic-4, masterwork-8, Relicwork-12, Artifactwork-16, Phantasmwork-20).

You can make ammo out of pure metal, but in that case they override any and all pure metal/ magic properties of the weapon firing them.

Only Bab gained from your first 20 HD counts towards all of Pure Metal bonus, not from any more HD or special effects. Effects that change your Bab like Divine Power and Tenser's Transformation do not count towards Pure Metal bonus. Pure Metal Shields don't grant their bonus if the respective arm is used for attacking or  other task other than defending unless otherwise noticed.



Index
Pure Metal list and other pratical applications
Other feats and Optional rules
FAQ
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 05:09:46 AM by oslecamo »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2012, 11:06:08 AM »
Pure Metals list

(click to show/hide)

Other pratical applications

(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: April 12, 2019, 03:23:24 AM by oslecamo »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2012, 11:06:16 AM »
More Feats:

(click to show/hide)

Optional Rules

(click to show/hide)

« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 05:07:31 AM by oslecamo »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2012, 11:06:55 AM »
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: September 22, 2017, 04:59:57 AM by oslecamo »

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2012, 11:14:16 AM »
I like the idea, but here is a major problem:

Quote
Anyone equiped with a pure metal item cannot cast spells/powers/SLAs  or similar, neither activate spell-trigger items such as scrolls and wands or similar as dorjes.

This makes sleight of hand the ultimate "mage slayer" tactic, as all you have to do is slip one of these in his pocket, and then start stabbing.

I also don't really see the need for this, from a fluff or mechanical perspective.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2012, 11:25:44 AM »
Quote
Pure Metal items are immune to all forms of divination

You need to define what this means.  For example, can someone use True Strike against a person wearing Pure Metal armor?

Quote
If and only if the crafter has 8 ranks in Craft(Weapons and Armor), they may make the item masterwork.

So if they have 9 ranks, they're out of luck?  Might want to rephrase to "at least" or something.


Anyways, this looks awesome!  Are you going to make a PrC or something for this?
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2012, 11:26:07 AM »
And more 1 just in case. In case it isn't obvious right away, this is aimed at making nonmagic gear a viable option beyond " cheap basic" and "masterwork with +1 to hit".

Any chance you can do that without turning every hit into save or die for ~4000g and a few skill points?

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2012, 11:38:32 AM »
I like the idea, but here is a major problem:

Quote
Anyone equiped with a pure metal item cannot cast spells/powers/SLAs  or similar, neither activate spell-trigger items such as scrolls and wands or similar as dorjes.

This makes sleight of hand the ultimate "mage slayer" tactic, as all you have to do is slip one of these in his pocket, and then start stabbing.
Note the keyword "equiped". Only having something on your person doesn't mean it is equiped.

I also don't really see the need for this, from a fluff or mechanical perspective.
Because casters already have more than enough cool toys. From a fluff point of view, direct sustained contact with pure metal disrupts mystic energies of any kind.

Quote
Pure Metal items are immune to all forms of divination

You need to define what this means.  For example, can someone use True Strike against a person wearing Pure Metal armor?
It only protects the item, not the wearer, clarified.

Quote
If and only if the crafter has 8 ranks in Craft(Weapons and Armor), they may make the item masterwork.

So if they have 9 ranks, they're out of luck?  Might want to rephrase to "at least" or something.
Done.

Anyways, this looks awesome!  Are you going to make a PrC or something for this?
I've done this for a monster class actually.


And more 1 just in case. In case it isn't obvious right away, this is aimed at making nonmagic gear a viable option beyond " cheap basic" and "masterwork with +1 to hit".

Any chance you can do that without turning every hit into save or die for ~4000g and a few skill points?
I knew I had forgot something big. :P

Changed it so that it can only be done with a basic standard-action or charge attack, not every hit (and yes I excluded pounce and similar).

Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2013, 11:38:07 AM »
Quote
Pure Metal Armors/Shields automatically grant you hardness equal to ½ its AC bonus and half their armor/shield bonus count towards your touch AC, add half your Bab to their respective AC bonus, stacking one suit of armor and one shield

Just to check, what does 'stacking one suit of armor and one shield' mean?

Quote
Masterwork-As base, plus it inflicts an extra d6 of damage for every 4 Bab you have against good creatures and counts as Evil for bypassing DR.

Pure Adamantine already bypasses all DR, though. :huh
« Last Edit: March 16, 2013, 11:43:54 AM by Raineh Daze »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2013, 06:27:42 PM »
Means that if you have both one suit of armor and one shield, you add your full Bab to AC.

Pure Adamantine now just ignores half the generic DR of the target base.

Offline CDTalmas

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2013, 01:22:36 AM »
The armors/shields grant you hardness?  Don't think I've seen that one before... Does that mean that Adamantine weapons will bypass it?

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2013, 03:25:29 PM »
I choose hardness because it applies to almost all damage, where regular DR only applies to weapon damage.

Anyway, tecnically speaking adamantine only bypasses hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects.

Offline Concerned Ninja Citizen

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2013, 05:16:43 PM »
Why do pure metal items for small creatures cost double while items for large creatures do not?

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2013, 03:11:26 PM »
I have no idea what you're talking about. The text is and always has been that medium and small creatures get normal price and smaller/larger than that pay more. Yes sir, it has always been like that. :blush

Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #14 on: April 03, 2013, 11:33:13 AM »
Quote
Anyone equiped with a pure metal item cannot cast spells/powers/SLAs  or similar, neither activate spell-trigger items such as scrolls and wands or similar as dorjes.

Firstly: can you make arrows with these metals? Really not sure on that (otherwise, time to make javelins, I guess). And does the extra damage thing still apply? Secondly, though: if you shoot a caster, would that mess up their casting until they remove it? It's not quite equipped, but it's inside of them... XD

Offline Concerned Ninja Citizen

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #15 on: April 03, 2013, 08:28:15 PM »
I'm fairly sure "equipped" is defined as "willingly chose to carry and utilize" in order to rule out any sort of shennanigans with using pure metal as antimagic.

Might be a good idea to put an explicit definition of "equipped" in the text to clarify that.

Offline Anomander

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #16 on: April 03, 2013, 09:29:59 PM »
What about willingly putting on pure metal manacles. Because the law enforcers will give you a motivational beating if you're not willing enough?

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #17 on: April 03, 2013, 10:10:28 PM »
That's an interesting question though I'm not sure if manacles qualify as "equipped."

Another good reason to include a specific definition of the term.

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2013, 08:28:14 AM »
If just having an item forcibly pushed into your body counted as equiped/wielding it, then unholy/holy arrows would be all the rage, since they give a no-save negative level to creatures of oposite alignment trying to hold them. Since I never saw anyone trying to argue archer builds are inflicting negative levels with every shot, I don't believe a new definition is needed. In particular because shields already put a diference between carrying one, and then actually straping it.

Manacles aren't equipment, and there's a set to block spellcasting anyway.

Anyway you can make pure metal arrows for extra damage and effects if you don't want to fork out the full price of a bow.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2013, 08:30:51 AM by oslecamo »

Offline zioth

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Re: Pure Crafting
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2013, 11:52:45 AM »
This is a really interesting idea. I liked it a lot, both flavor-wise and as a way to balance melee with magic, until I started reading the descriptions of individual materials.

First, are you aware that, with this rule, 7000gp gives you equipment which is more powerful than 20 levels of some melee classes? A 20th level commoner with a relicwork pure iron sword and relicwork pure iron armor is significantly more powerful than a 20th level fighter, barbarian or monk with a ten times that value in magical equipment. For that matter, a 20th level commoner with a non-masterwork pure iron dagger and non-masterwork pure iron splint mail could hold his own against PC classes.

Pure Iron

Standard weapon: This requires knowing your target's BaB, which takes information away from the DM. I suggest making this based entirely on numbers the player actually knows. Also, adding extra math like this will slow down the game.

Relicwork: Now you're almost guaranteed to completely disable a spellcaster of higher level than you, provided you can get a full attack (easy with ranged weapons). How do you disable someone's mouth without killing them anyway, or asked in a better way, if your sword strike is that precise, why not just stap them through the eye and kill them?

Relicwork armor: So you get mettle and evasion. I'm not sure whether this is unbalanced, but it will sure annoy DMs.

I like the special ability of pure iron. In traditional fantasy and mythology, iron is the bane of extraplanar creatures such as fey and demons. Maybe you should work more off that theme for the weapons, having extra affects against fey and outsiders.

Pure Silver

Artifactwork weapon: So basically, you auto-hit with every attack, if the target has at least as many HD as you. This might be a little much, even for 350,000gp.

Masterwork armor: Immune to ability damage and drain. Seems like a lot for 3500gp. Maybe instead, you suffer half ability drain/damage, or there's a 50% chance of it failing?

Relicwork armor: This is balanced enough, but it's strange. Why would a non-magical item make you immune to fear?

Artifactwork armor: You might want to explain this better. If it blinds creatures with darkvision, then shouldn't it shine really brightly? That means that, while you blind such creatures, they always know where you are. Ooh -- what if, while blinded, they can only see you? Everyone else is just too dim to see. That could be an interesting effect.

Again, I like the special effect.


Cold Iron

Standard weapon: So for as little as 1gp, you can make a spellcaster completely ineffective. Preventing defensive casting is an epic feat. Given the power level of this rule in general, I can accept that, but also vastly increasing concentration DCs makes this too powerful, in my opinion.

Phantasmwork weapon: Maybe okay for 350,000gp, but this could grind the game to a halt. Every time you're struck, you have to figure out your AC and effects without spells, powers, and spell-trigger items.

Masterwork armor: These powers are interesting but pointless. No one in a world with this rule will use magic armor, since pure metal items are easily a hundred times more powerful for the same cost.

Artifactwork armor: Completely disable all spellcasters in a 60 foot radius at will. If you have a melee-only party (which is very likely, given this rule), there will never be a spell, SLA or SU ability used in a dungeon crawl, where most rooms will be smaller than 120' from end to end.

Phantasmwork armor: What is a permanent spell turning? What happens when you use up the turned levels? Does it renew instantly? If so, then you might as well say the character automatically turns all spells. Does it renew as a standard action? Once an hour? Once a day?

Special: The school of divination is now obsolete. Every city with 140,000gp will be protected by a permanent divination blocker. Every home owner with 200gp to spare will have their home protected. Every enemy will be protected.


I'll stop here, because I don't have time to review the other metals. Basically, I think this is a really interesting idea. It creates a world where spellcasters don't rule. Rather, they lead exceedingly risky lives, and must protect themselves at all costs, preferably with a hoard of level 1 commoners with 1gp pure metal daggers. It's a world where every warrior is a legendary fighter, and every wizard is a cowering figure, grasping at power. I wouldn't want to use your rule for any old game, but it would be an interesting thing to try out for a special campaign.

Now if you were to weaken the abilities, making them 2-3x as powerful as magic items of the same cost instead of hundreds of times as powerful, this could be an interesting rule to apply to a wider range of campaigns.