Comments on: Skill Challenge: Crafting Items

By: Ameron

Ameron — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:51:18 +0000

@Chase Dagger
A Grafting Item skill check sounds both morbid and awesome at the same time. However, I can’t see PCs performing such a skill challenge unless there was absolutely no other way to save a dieing comrade or NPC. It would certainly involve a lot of Heal checks. I also see it using Perception, Endurance, possibly Thievery (representing the deft fingers required) and probably an Arcana or Religion check at the end to get some magic in there.

@Neuroglyph
I find that there are a lot of “normal” tasks that can easily become fun skill challenges. The real trick is finding the right balance. If the PCs need to do skill challenges for every little thing they’ll hate it. But once and a while this kind of thing is useful to change the pace of the game and throw the PCs a little extra XP.

@Franciolli Araújo
I’m glad you like our stuff enough to share it. Keep up the great work.

@Snarls-at-Fleas
Glad I could help. I’m almost afraid to ask how the Ranger manages to carry the dragon skin around. Bag or Holding I suppose? Just remember to inform the PC that if they undertake this kind of skill challenge and fail some or all of the material (in this case the dragon skin) will be ruined.

By: Snarls-at-Fleas

Snarls-at-Fleas — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:45:10 +0000

Thanks a lot very nice idea. Now have an aswer to my ranger who carries around white dragon skin hoping to fashion something from it.
.-= Snarls-at-Fleas´s last blog ..Age of Conan and my tabletop campaign =-.

By: Review: Martial Power 2 — Dungeon's Master

Review: Martial Power 2 — Dungeon's Master — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:02:22 +0000

[...] Many of the martial practices (like Forge Armor and Forge Weapon) let PCs do things that I might run as a skill challenge if I was the DM (See Crafting Items). [...]

By: Franciolli Araújo

Franciolli Araújo — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:52:08 +0000

Thanks Ameron to allow me translate your articles and publish at TrampolimRPG.

Althought I’m crediting the articles and linking it to the original post I feel that will be more polited of my part give here the feedback of the posts that I’m translating.

To everyone that would like to read this article in portuguese (brazilian) the link is http://trampolimrpg.com.br/?p=2531 .

About this post I’ll take to me the words of Neuroglyph: “very cool idea to solve the crafting void without having to add a lot of new skills.” Great!
.-= Franciolli Araújo´s last blog ..Desafio de Perícias: Criando Itens =-.

By: Neuroglyph

Neuroglyph — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:19:51 +0000

Very cool idea for a skill challenge and a nice way to solve the crafting void without having to add alot of new skills. I am posting a link on my site to this one. Really inventive! .-= Neuroglyph´s last blog ..Review – Tikbalang: Guardians of Kalikasan by Nosfecatu Publishing =-.

By: Chase Dagger

Chase Dagger — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:19:24 +0000

Nice, I needed this. I’ve got some item parts (the PCs have one part so far) that will eventually all come together to form something new. Thing is it seems a little dull if these items just snap together like lego. I’d rather it be a challenge to assemble the item. Failure would be an issue for sure but I have an idea of how to tackle that now too.

It’s funny I misread the article title at first thinking it said: Grafting Items. Which would also be cool IMO. My PCs just rescued an NPC dwarven blacksmith from an undead lair. The Blacksmith and his Daughter were captured by an evil priest; by threatening the blacksmith’s daughter the priest was able to force the blacksmith into forging weapons and armor for his undead army. The blacksmith being somewhat of a local hero and all made a couple of escape attempts, each time the undead succeeded recapturing him. Unfortunately the undead are not the most graceful bunch and the blacksmith has been critically injured each time [for example he lost an arm once, the undead ate it before priest could step in.] Since the priest needed the blacksmith to remain productive they’ve crafted new undead body parts on the dwarf to replace what he’s missing. The NPC is mutilated to look at but fully functional.

Anyway should there ever be a grafting skill challenge, or an un-grafting skill challenge I know I’d use it.

By: Ameron

Ameron — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:50:46 +0000

@deadorcs
Feel free to take the foundation I’ve put together here and build on it. We’re all in this to make D&D better. I look forward to reading your articles in the coming weeks.

By: deadorcs

deadorcs — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:54:35 +0000

Wow….interesting timing, lol. I’m about to tackle this same issue a little later this week in my own blog. Crafting and Performing have been neglected enough!
.-= deadorcs´s last blog ..It’s A Trap! E.S.S. Trapbook, Level 10 Traps =-.