Improvised Artificing

a stop-gap crafting solution for artificers in the field.

It's no secret that artificers rarely have ample time to practice their craft, and this is doubly true for adventuring artificers.

This mechanic that allows PC artificers to craft magic items in the field with the materials they have on hand. Creating magic items in this way comes with a fair amount of risk, as items crafted in this way are unstable and only become moreso with use. The drawbacks and risks associated are, however, often worth the capabilities items crafted in this way can grant in the short-term.

Improvised artifacts differ from the types of magic items an adventurer might find in a dark dungeon or a wizard's keep. They are relatively crude objects of necessity, cobbled together out of whatever vaguely-magic materials the creator might have on hand, powered by less-than-stable enchantments. Because they are made in such conditions, they are potentially dangerous to use and continued use increases the risk of failure greatly.

Limitations of Short-Order Magic

Many items exist in the world that bestow a constant benefit. A Bag of Holding provides a constant space to store one's goods, a Ring of Warmth provides continual protection from the harsh cold, Boots of Elvenkind prevent the wearer's movements from producing a single sound.

Items created with Improvised Artificing are unable to grant such ever-present effects, as such enchantments must be carefully woven and require precision in their construction. This means that the effects of the artifact must be triggered or activated in some manner. A piece of armor might grant special effects when in response to being stricken, a pendant might grant darkvision when a command word is spoken.

It is important to keep this aspect of these items in mind, as any time the artifact is activated it has a chance to fail.

Character Prerequisites

Not anyone can whip up a magic item in short order. To do so requires training and the proper proficiencies. Those who are Artificers by trade can more easily craft in this manner, while other casters require a higher degree of experience.

Class Prerequisites Item Rarity Artificer Level** Non-Artificer Requirement Uncommon 3rd 7th Level, 2nd Level Spell Slots Rare 5th 9th Level, 3rd Level Spell Slots Very Rare 9th 13th Level, 5th Level Spell Slots

**If a character has multi-classed into Artificer, they may use this feature if their overall level is equivilant to the Artificer Level requirement, but they must also meet the spell slot requirement of non-artificers.

Once you've determined that the PC (or PCs) crafting the item are of the required level, ensure they possess the requires tools and associated proficiency to craft the desired item type.

Skill Prerequisites Item Type Required Tools/Proficiencies* Amulet, Necklace, Non-armor worn item Jeweler's Tools, Leatherworking Tools, or Carpenter's Tools Armor-based Leatherworking Tools or Smith's Tools Weapon-based Smith's Tools Other Non-Consumable Carpenter's Tools Potion Alchemist's Supplies or Brewer's Supplies For non-potion items, Tinkerer's Tools can be substituted for any other skill and tool requirement.

The tools and skills required to craft an item may differ from the table above depending on the item being made or the method in which it is being created. This is ultimately up to you and your GM.

Crafting Materials

Crafting an item in the field from scratch is largely infeasible as the Artificer won't have access to the types of resources one would in a town. As such, a base item is usually required to be built upon, along with additional material components to add the desired effect. These costs are described in the following table.

Base Item Requirements Item Type Base Material Amulet, Necklace, Non-armor worn item String, vine, or a piece of clothing Armor-based Piece of armor or a shield Weapon-based Any weapon Other Non-Consumable Any mundane object Potion Empty vial/flask/bottle, components to be brewed

Beyond the base item, the PC should provide other material components that will be used in the crafting process. Creating a magic item generally requires some sort of rare or valuable materials. The art of Improvised Artificing, however, is less stringent. The materials used should be at least somewhat difficult to come by, and should be difficult to replace if the item breaks and needs to be repaired.