Smithing

This page details the rules regarding crafting using Smith's Tools. For broader rules about all crafting see here.

Ability Checks
Some of the ability checks that can be made using Smith's Tools are listed on the table below.

Starting Formulas
Whenever you gain proficiency in Smith's Tools, you may choose one of four specializations in order to determine your starting formulas. You specialization does not effect your ability to learn new formulas or craft any item.

Weaponsmith
A weaponsmith focuses on the creation of weapons and ammunition. Weaponsmiths start with all of the formulas under the Weapons heading below.

Armorsmith
An armorsmith focuses on the creation of armor and shields. Armorsmiths start with all of the formulas under the Armor heading below.

Blacksmith
A blacksmith focuses on the creation of functional items made out of iron or steel. Blacksmiths start with all of the formulas under the Equipment and Tools heading below.

Brightsmith
A brightsmith focuses on the creation of jewelry and ornaments made out of gold, silver, and other precious metals. Brightsmiths start with all of the formulas under the Jewelry heading below.

Masterwork
A masterwork item is one that is significantly higher quality and more valuable than usual. Only certain objects are able to be masterworked and the effects of masterwork quality for each category of smithing is given below. In order to create a masterwork item, an extra 100 gp in Basic Ingredients (Smithing) must be supplied when the item is created. Additionally, the DC for the item is increased by 10. If the skill check made to craft the item fails the DC required for masterworking, but is successful for the ordinary version, then that version is created instead.

Armor
Masterwork armor provides a +1 bonus to AC.

Equipment and Tools
The DC of any saving throw or skill check made against a masterworked item is increased by 2.

Jewelry
Masterwork jewelry can be used as a spellcasting focus.

Weapons
Masterwork weapons have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Rare Metals
Whenever an item is crafted a rare metal can be provided as a key ingredient. Whenever a rare metal is used, the resulting item gains additional effects based on the metal used.

Ingots
Rare metals are measured in ingots. Ingots are uncommon and typically must be purchased from special merchants. Each formula (below) that can be crafted using a rare metal has an ingot requirement, this is the number of ingots necessary in order to craft the item using a rare metal. The basic ingredient cost of an item does not change when rare metals are used. For example, longswords have an ingot requirement of one, so an adamantine longsword would require one adamantine ingot to craft, in addition to the 10 gp basic ingredient cost.

Formulas
Each rare metal requires special knowledge to be properly forged into the desired item. These formulas teach a smith to shape and forge the metal, not how to create the metal itself. Because of this, two formulas are required to craft an item using rare metals, one for the item itself and one for the rare metal. For example, in order to craft an adamantine longsword a smith would need to know the formula for a longsword and the formula for working with admantine.

Recovery
An item that has been forged using a rare metal can be melted down in order to recover the metal and reforge it into useable ingots. In order to do so, a smith must posses the formula for the rare metal being recovered, expend 100 gp in Basic Ingredients (Smithing) for each ingot he attempts to recover, and make a DC 20 Intelligence (Smith's Tools) skill check. If the check is successful, a number of ingots equal to the item's ingot requirement are recovered, if the check fails, half that number is recovered instead.

Adamantine
An inately magical metal that is harder, stronger, and heavier than mundance steel. Adamantine weapons and armor are coveted by all manner of warriors, though only the strongest creatures can wield them.

Alchemical Silver
Silver than has been enchanted by a spellsmith to effect certain magical creatures. This metal has special effects when interacting with specific monsters, known as haunted creatures(aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, shapechangers and undead). The softness of Alchemical Silver and its poor ability to keep an edge make it an inferior material for any item that is not meant to fight against haunted creatures.

Cold Iron
Cold iron is a naturally occuring, though extremely rare, magic material. It is extremely coveted because it posses both the magical effects of alchemical silver and the mundance attributes of quality steel. In fact, alchemical silver was originally created by alchemists and spellsmiths to mimic the effects of cold iron. Items crafted with cold iron posses all of the positive effects of alchemical silver, without the flaws of the lesser metal.

Mithral
As strong as good steel and only half the weight. Mithral arms and armor are frequently weilded by only the most wealthy and fortunate of warriors. Mithral armor in particular is prized by spellcasters due to the metal's lack of impedance on a spell's somatic requirements.

Spellsteel
Steel that has been enchanted by a spellsmith. Spellsteel is frequently refered to as elven steel, though a suitably powerful mage of any race can create the metal. Spellsteel is stronger than the mundance variety and can hold a much sharper edge. Additionally, the inate magic within the metal causes it to resist most spells and arcane protections. The quality of spellsteel can vary based on the skill of the spellsmith who made it. This quality is denoted by a score of +1, +2, or +3.

General
General formulas are known by all smiths and do not have to be learned.

Rare Metals
The following rare metals can be used to craft armor in place of standard materials.

Rare Metals
The following rare metals can be used to craft equipment and tools. The added effect for each material and item is given below.

Rare Metals
The following rare metals can be used to craft jewelry in place of standard materials.

Simple Weapons
Simple Ammunition

Martial Weapons
Martial Ammunition

Rare Metals
The following rare metals can be used to craft weapons and ammunition. Weapons made using rare materials count as magical.