[RPG] craft the gear before the game begins

craftingpathfinder-1e

I was thinking of having a GMPC character craft most of his starting gear in a game I am GMing. I have 4 ranks in craft (metalworking) [conjoined weapon and armor making] and an int modifier or +2. This means that, if I take 10, I can instantly succeed in the check to craft my gear. Is this how it works, or do I have to actually roll?

The campaign hasn't started yet when he makes these weapons so it's obvious he could have the time to take 10 if it's allowed, but is it allowed? His backstory involves learning blacksmithing from his father at a young age and seeking to reforge his father's magic sword, so "crafting everything" is important to him. (And, it would be less expensive.)

Best Answer

Taking 10/20:

When your character is not in immediate danger or distracted, you may choose to take 10.

(and then some expansion on why this might be a good thing).

Use Magic Device specifically calls out that "You cannot take 10 with this skill", which strongly suggests that some skills prevent characters from taking 10 on them, but that those skill descriptions will explicitly call out those exceptions.

Crafting doesn't say anything about not being able to take 10, and it seems reasonable to assume that characters would only be crafting while "not in immediate danger or distracted".

Thus, yes, characters should generally be able to take 10 on their craft checks.

Crafting before the campaign starts

I know of nothing in the RAW which prevent characters from having crafted their own gear before the campaign starts, nor have I found anything in the RAW to indicate that characters can do so (the guidelines in the Magic Item Creation section are good, but not quite RAW). I think this one falls squarely in the "GM Prerogative" area.

Therefore, a few guidelines that have been useful in the past:

  • 10% extra GP worth of mundane/alchemical gear per full 5 bonus in a Craft skill (quasi-cumulative: if you can pull off a +8 in each of 3 Craft skills, you'd get 60% more GP), which can go towards the non-magical portions of weapons and armor
  • 25% extra GP for magical gear per Craft feat (unless it's from a class), + 5 percentage points per additional feat
    • so, a Cleric with Brew Potion, Scribe Scroll, and Craft Wondrous Item would get 35% bonus starting GP
    • a Wizard with just the free Scribe Scroll feat would use the standard starting wealth
  • ... but, pick one (especially at higher level, it gets very easy to get 2x or more standard starting wealth)

As with any other house rule:

  • determine what limits/benefits PCs have in terms of crafting before the campaign starts
    • as a limit: "no more than 25% of your wealth" or "up to 3 items"
    • as a benefit: "buy items as if you had 25% more GP" or "anything you could craft by taking 10 can have been made with your skills/feats"
    • the specifics will depend heavily on the GM preference (but the guidelines in the creation section are good starting points)
  • communicate the guidelines you've come up with clearly
  • follow them for your GMPC
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