Craft (Arms)
Craft (Arms) covers the creation, balancing, modification, and repair of weapons. It applies according to the finished item's offensive purpose rather than its primary material. Metal swords, wooden clubs, leather whips, bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons are all made with Craft (Arms).
Standard arrows, bolts, and sling bullets are made with Craft (Outfitting). Craft (Arms) makes the weapons that launch them.
Basic Shared Ingredients
Material units are abstract recipe quantities rather than exact pounds. An item's finished weight remains the weight given in its equipment entry. Material units measure how much usable stock the recipe consumes.
Basic Ingredients
- Cordage (C)
- Leather (L)
- Metal (M)
- Textile (T)
- Mineral (K)
- Sundries (S)
- Wood (W)
A Sundries unit represents minor ingredients that are not worth tracking independently. Sundries cannot be an item's primary material and normally do not receive special-material properties.
These seven ingredients are shared by Craft (Outfitting), Craft (Arms), and Craft (Armor).
| Code | Ingredient | Weapon Uses |
|---|---|---|
| T | Textile | Padding, wraps, tassels, and soft cases integrated into a weapon |
| L | Leather | Grips, straps, loops, flexible striking surfaces, and slings |
| W | Wood | Hafts, shafts, staves, bow limbs, stocks, and handles |
| M | Metal | Blades, points, striking heads, springs, prods, triggers, and fittings |
| C | Cordage | Bowstrings, bindings, lashings, braiding, and flexible connections |
| K | Mineral | Stone, ceramic, horn, bone, and weighted striking components |
| S | Sundries | Glue, wax, pitch, oil, abrasives, and miscellaneous fasteners |
Crafting DC Scale
| DC | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 5 | Crude or exceptionally simple weapon construction |
| 10 | Ordinary weapon construction with limited shaping or balancing |
| 15 | Precisely shaped, edged, balanced, or multipart weapon construction |
| 20 | Large blades, demanding curves, high-tension limbs, or intricate balancing |
| 25 | Complex mundane mechanisms |
| 30+ | Masterwork, experimental, or special construction |
The Craft DC measures the precision and complexity of construction rather than the finished weapon's physical size. Larger weapons consume more material, while unusually long blades, demanding curves, articulation, or complex mechanisms may also increase the DC.
Masterwork Construction
Masterwork weapons are produced through exceptional craftsmanship rather than through a separate recipe. If the result of the Craft (Arms) check is at least 10 higher than the weapon's final Craft DC, the completed weapon is Masterwork. If the check meets the Craft DC but does not exceed it by at least 10, an ordinary version of the weapon is produced.
Determine the Masterwork threshold after applying all special-material and construction modifiers. For example, a weapon with a base Craft DC of 15 made from Shorehl has a final Craft DC of 25 and becomes Masterwork only on a result of 35 or higher.
Masterwork quality must be achieved during the weapon's original construction. Repairing or refitting an ordinary weapon cannot make it Masterwork.
Masterwork weapons gain the following benefits:
- Their Shatter Resistance increases by 2.
- Their Hit Points increase by 10.
- They qualify for Enhancements.
- A Masterwork ranged weapon that relies upon the wielder's physical power adds the wielder's Strength modifier to damage.
- A Masterwork crossbow, firearm, or other ranged weapon that does not rely upon the wielder's Strength instead adds the wielder's Intelligence modifier to damage, provided the wielder is proficient with it.
A Masterwork weapon has a market value 30 gp higher than the ordinary weapon.
Concealable and Thrown Weapons
Specific historical or fantasy designs use the statistics of the Weapon Entry shown in the second column. Recipes producing a batch create all weapons in that batch with one Craft check.
| Weapon | Weapon Entry | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dagger | Dagger | 3 M, 1 L, 1 S | 10 |
| Blunt striker | Blunt Striker | 2 L, 2 M, 1 C, 1 S | 10 |
| Throwing stars, 3 | Throwing Blade | 5 M, 1 S | 15 |
| Hurlbats, 3 | Throwing Blade | 8 M, 1 S | 15 |
| Chakrams, 3 | Throwing Blade | 8 M, 2 S | 20 |
| Throwing spikes, 3 | Throwing Spike | 4 M, 1 S | 10 |
| Throwing daggers, 3 | Throwing Spike | 7 M, 3 L, 1 S | 15 |
| Short sword | Short Sword | 7 M, 1 W, 1 L, 1 S | 15 |
| Bola | Bola | 2 K or M, 3 C, 1 L, 1 S | 10 |
Throwing stars are flat weapons with several usable striking points. Hurlbats are heavier, asymmetrical throwing blades designed to present an edge or point through much of their rotation. Chakrams demand especially accurate shaping and weight distribution around their entire circumference. Throwing spikes include darts, bo-shuriken, and similar narrow projectiles. Throwing daggers require more shaping and balancing than simple spikes.
One-Handed Weapons
| Weapon | Weapon Entry | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight sword | Straight Sword | 10 M, 2 L, 1 W, 2 S | 15 |
| Curved sword | Curved Sword | 10 M, 2 L, 1 W, 2 S | 15 |
| Heavy sword | Heavy Sword | 14 M, 2 L, 1 W, 2 S | 15 |
| Wooden club | Simple Blunt | 4 W, 1 L, 1 S | 5 |
| Metal mace | Simple Blunt | 8 M, 2 W, 1 L, 1 S | 10 |
| Pointed or flanged mace | Pointed Blunt | 10 M, 2 W, 1 L, 2 S | 15 |
| Light axe | Light Axe | 6 M, 3 W, 1 L, 1 S | 10 |
| Heavy axe | Heavy Axe | 10 M, 4 W, 1 L, 2 S | 15 |
| Whip | Whip | 4 L, 3 C, 2 S | 15 |
A wooden club and metal mace use the same Simple Blunt statistics despite their different construction. The recipe determines appearance, materials, and suitability for special-material replacement but does not change the weapon entry's combat statistics.
Two-Handed Weapons
| Weapon | Weapon Entry | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight sword | Straight Sword | 18 M, 3 L, 2 W, 3 S | 20 |
| Curved sword | Curved Sword | 18 M, 3 L, 2 W, 3 S | 20 |
| Heavy sword | Heavy Sword | 28 M, 4 L, 2 W, 4 S | 20 |
| Wooden maul or greatclub | Simple Blunt | 8 W, 2 L, 2 S | 10 |
| Metal warhammer | Simple Blunt | 16 M, 5 W, 2 L, 2 S | 15 |
| Pick or spiked maul | Pointed Blunt | 20 M, 5 W, 2 L, 3 S | 20 |
| Great axe | Axe | 20 M, 6 W, 2 L, 3 S | 15 |
The higher sword DC reflects the difficulty of producing a long blade that is properly hardened, straight or intentionally curved, and balanced without becoming excessively heavy or brittle.
Pole Weapons
| Weapon | Weapon Entry | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | Staff | 8 W, 1 L, 1 S | 10 |
| Spear | Spear Head | 4 M, 8 W, 2 L, 2 S | 10 |
| Hooked polearm | Hook Head | 8 M, 8 W, 2 L, 2 S | 15 |
| Bladed polearm | Bladed Head | 10 M, 8 W, 2 L, 3 S | 15 |
| Trident or ranseur | Tri-point Head | 12 M, 8 W, 2 L, 3 S | 15 |
| Pole hammer | Hammer Head | 16 M, 10 W, 2 L, 3 S | 15 |
The Wood units include a properly selected and shaped shaft. The Metal units include the weapon's head, socket, langets, counterweights, and other necessary reinforcement.
Ranged Weapons
| Weapon | Weapon Entry | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short bow | Short Bow | 8 W, 4 C, 2 L, 3 S | 15 |
| Long bow | Long Bow | 12 W, 6 C, 2 L, 4 S | 20 |
| Crossbow | Crossbow | 10 W, 8 M, 4 C, 2 L, 4 S | 20 |
| Arbalest | Arbalest | 14 W, 18 M, 6 C, 3 L, 6 S | 25 |
A bow recipe includes its initial string. The Wood units represent carefully selected and tillered limbs rather than ordinary lumber. Crossbows add a stock, trigger, lock, reinforced string, and spanning hardware. An arbalest uses a steel prod and a windlass capable of surviving substantially greater tension.
Weapon Size
The listed recipes assume a weapon made for a Medium creature. A weapon made for a Small creature uses half as many units of each primary structural material, rounded up. A weapon made for a Large creature uses twice as many. Repeat this progression for each additional size category. Cordage and Sundries never fall below 1 unit. Changing weapon size does not ordinarily change the Craft DC.
Repairing Weapons
Craft (Arms) can restore Hit Points to damaged weapons. Repairing a weapon requires suitable tools and material matching its primary construction.
| Repair | Ingredients | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|
| Restore 1d6 Hit Points | 1 matching material unit, 1 S | 14 |
| Restore 2d6 Hit Points | 2 matching material units, 1 S | 18 |
| Restore 3d6 Hit Points | 3 matching material units, 2 S | 22 |
| Restore 4d6 Hit Points | 4 matching material units, 2 S | 26 |
| Restore 5d6 Hit Points | 5 matching material units, 3 S | 30 |
The matching material is the material forming the weapon's primary striking surface or working structure. Repair DCs follow the existing Tinker progression of DC 10 plus 4 for each 1d6 Hit Points restored.
Enhancement
Enhancement permanently reinforces a masterwork weapon with elemental power. A weapon gains an enhancement bonus to attack and damage equal to its enhancement value. Each level of enhancement also increases its Shatter Resistance by 2 and its Hit Points by 10. Enhancement bonuses do not stack with other enhancement bonuses.
Only a masterwork weapon can be enhanced. Enhancement is performed after the weapon has been constructed and requires a separate Craft (Arms) check. The weapon's original construction DC and any special-material modifier do not modify the enhancement DC.
| Enhancement | Required Materials | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|
| +1 | 1 M, 2 Poor Force portions | 22 |
| +2 | 1 M, 2 Average Force portions | 28 |
| +3 | 1 M, 2 Good Force portions | 35 |
| +4 | 1 M, 2 Excellent Force portions | 40 |
| +5 | 1 M, 2 Flawless Force portions | 50 |
| +6 | 1 M, 2 Flawless Force portions, 2 Flawless Void portions | 60 |
The Metal unit forms a permanent anchoring matrix within the weapon. This may take the form of an inlay, reinforcing collar, wire lattice, rivets, or another construction appropriate to the weapon's design.
A weapon can possess only one enhancement value. Applying a higher enhancement replaces its lower enhancement rather than stacking with it. No weapon can possess an enhancement greater than +6.
Special Materials
Special materials replace one or more ordinary materials in a weapon's recipe. Each special material lists the parts of a recipe that must be replaced, its Craft DC modifier, and the properties it grants to the finished weapon.
A special-material DC modifier applies to the check used to construct or repair the weapon. It does not apply to a separate check made to enhance the finished weapon. Merely adding a decorative piece or minor fitting made from a special material does not grant the material's mechanical properties.
Shorehl
Shorehl is a rare semi-magical metal suffused with the essence of Air. It appears almost ethereal: pale silver with an opalescent sheen that shimmers faintly even in shadow. Fine whorled patterns resembling wind-carved clouds run through its surface.
| Property | Shorehl |
|---|---|
| Craft DC Modifier | +10 |
| Weight | Reduce the finished weapon's weight by 50% |
| Shatter Resistance | +5 |
| Hit Points | +20 |
| Oversized Construction | May be constructed for a creature one size category larger without imposing oversized-weapon penalties |
To create a Shorehl weapon, replace every Metal unit forming the weapon's primary striking surface or working mechanism with Shorehl. Shorehl used only for a pommel, guard, trigger, decorative inlay, or minor fitting does not grant its properties.
Daggers, swords, metal maces, pointed blunts, axes, metal throwing weapons, metal-headed polearms, and arbalests can normally be made from Shorehl. Wooden clubs, staves, bows, bolas, blunt strikers, whips, and ordinary wooden crossbows do not qualify merely because Shorehl fittings are added. An unusual redesign that makes Shorehl the weapon's primary working material may qualify at the Definition Master's discretion.
A Shorehl weapon can use the damage and other statistics appropriate to a weapon made for a creature one size category larger while being wielded without the normal penalties. The larger weapon requires the material quantities appropriate to its actual size. This benefit does not stack with the oversized-weapon benefit granted by Melee Combatant. A character possessing both benefits can still wield a weapon only one category larger without penalty.
Shorehl's bonuses to Shatter Resistance and Hit Points stack with masterwork and enhancement bonuses.