Krafting Basics

Quick Summary

Each step will be outlined in more depth, but the following serves as a summary and reference for the process.

• Select an Item. Find the item you would like to craft on a crafting table.
• Check with your GM. They will confirm if that item exists and has the default rarity in their game. This system is a tool, it does not supersede worldbuilding.
• Gather the materials. Materials can be looted from humanoids, harvested from more exotic creature types, purchased at stores, or gathered from the wilderness. The specifics of any material and where it can be found is covered in the materials section.
• Begin crafting! You can find the related tool and ability score on the table below. Use the related tool and skill to determine your crafting modifier using the following formula:

Crafting Modifier = your Related Tool proficiency bonus + your Related Ability Score modifier.

• You can make progress in 2 hour increments. For each 2 hours spent, make a crafting roll using the formula above and compare the result to the DC listed for the item
• On failure, no progress is made. If you fail three times in a row, the crafting fails and all materials are lost.
• On success, 2 hours of progress is made, and you can mark your progress put it aside or continue to craft.
• Once your completed progress on an item is equal to the crafting time listed, the item is complete.
• You’re done! Enjoy your shiny new item!

Example Tools:

Crafting an Item

A character who has the time, the money, the tools, and the rank can use downtime to craft armor, weapons, clothing, or other kinds of nonmagical gear.

Resources and Resolution. In addition to the appropriate tools for the item to be crafted, a character needs raw materials worth half of the item’s selling cost. To determine how many workdays (8 hours) it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 10. A character can complete multiple items in a workday if the items’ combined cost is 10 gp or lower. Items that cost more than 10 gp can be completed over longer periods of time, as long as the work in progress is stored in a safe location.

Crafting a Magical Item.

Creating a magic item requires more than just time, effort, and materials. It is a long-term process that involves one or more adventures to track down rare materials and the lore needed to create the item.

• If enchanting an existing item, the Arcana skill is used in place of/with craftsman's tools.
• If you do not have a formula for the item, use the Research Rules in XGtE , with the amount of lore required based on rarity; common 1, uncommon 2, and so on, or acquire the formula elsewhere.
• The recipe for crafting a potion or item will typically call for a specific amount of gold for basic ingredients. The value of any special ingredients may reduce the base cost to a minimum of 1/2.

Item Formula Summary Table:

_{*The DC listed above is for modifying a known recipe, substituting ingredients, or using a formula above the crafter's rank (see Mishap Chart below)}

• When determining the time it takes to create an item, follow the rules in XGtE, but divide the base time by the lead crafter's prof mod (not including the ability bonus).
• If a formula gives a specific creation time, that replaces any calculations listed above.

Crafting Herbalism and Alchemical Items. Crafting one use, consumable items such as potions, alchemist's fire, etc., uses the guidelines for potion crafting from XGtE, with Legendary Items taking 5 workweeks (25 days) and 50,000 gp.

Crafting Poison Items. Crafting one use, consumable items such as poison have special rules, see the Crafting Poisons page.

Mishap Chart