We were using the 2014 DMG "Downtime Activities" rules for a while, but after getting XGE, we switched to the rules in the "Downtime Revisited" section of that book, especially those related to crafting magic items, scrolls, and potions.
I have some thoughts and questions. Maybe they've been answered in other videos. Let me know if so, please.
According to the linked article from DDB, to craft a magic item, characters need Proficiency in the Arcana skill and Proficiency in the associated tool. It feels like a small constraint for players coming from 2014, because if I'm not wrong, in XGE, it was one or the other, no both required. Not a big of a deal, though.
Considering 8-hour workdays, is it possible to work more than 8 hours using the Exhaustion rules? I couldn't find anything about that, and I didn't rule it that way using the current rules (DMG, XGE). But for some reason YouTube recommended me the video Magic Item Crafting in 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide where Exhaustion is mentioned. Maybe I'm missing something.
Similar question, but not exactly the same: if you work less than 8 hours, I guess it doesn't count as a successful workday. The DDB linked article says "workdays don't need to be sequential", but I think this applies to full workdays (8 hours), and not to partial hours scattered throughout the days. Am I right? The video Magic Item Crafting in 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide suggests this is possible, but it seems to me that it might not be the correct interpretation. Then again, maybe I'm missing something.
I doubt there's an easy way to cut into the crafting times- the entire point of having crafting as a mechanically distinct system rather than "just say your character spent most if not all of the price to purchase an item to instantly 'craft' it" is that you're converting the gold expense into a time investment instead. And just as there's little to no RAW means of reducing the price to purchase magic items (Crafter feat specifically applies its discount to nonmagical items), it's unlikely they'll make many ways to reduce the time investment. And 16 hours instead of 8 isn't maintaining the investment since the basic unit being used for downtime is workdays, not hours.
RAW, it seems to require full days. I think the way I would rule it though is that you can't work more than 8 hours in a day without risking exhaustion or failure, and I'd probably allow intentional partial days (but maybe there's a failure risk if your work is cut short by unexpected events that don't allow you to put it away cleanly).
What I did in my campaign, was allow a second or third crafter to join the effort (each works an 8 hrs shift, with a total of 3 shifts per day). If 3 crafters the work could continue 24/7 and be completed in a third of the time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
I doubt there's an easy way to cut into the crafting times- the entire point of having crafting as a mechanically distinct system rather than "just say your character spent most if not all of the price to purchase an item to instantly 'craft' it" is that you're converting the gold expense into a time investment instead. And just as there's little to no RAW means of reducing the price to purchase magic items (Crafter feat specifically applies its discount to nonmagical items), it's unlikely they'll make many ways to reduce the time investment. And 16 hours instead of 8 isn't maintaining the investment since the basic unit being used for downtime is workdays, not hours.
OK, I also think this is the right interpretation. It's a relief for me, as it aligns with how I'm ruling things based on the DMG or XGE books.
RAW, it seems to require full days. I think the way I would rule it though is that you can't work more than 8 hours in a day without risking exhaustion or failure, and I'd probably allow intentional partial days (but maybe there's a failure risk if your work is cut short by unexpected events that don't allow you to put it away cleanly).
Yeah, that's the point: RAW is full workday, so using exhaustion is a house rule. My confusion came from the fact that the video seemed to assume exhaustion rules were part of the official rules.
What I did in my campaign, was allow a second or third crafter to join the effort (each works an 8 hrs shift, with a total of 3 shifts per day). If 3 crafters the work could continue 24/7 and be completed in a third of the time.
I do the same! Fortunately this is supported by the 2014 rules and also in the new ones.
To determine how many days (working 8 hours a day) it takes to make an item, divide its purchase cost in GP by 10 (round a fraction up to a day). For example, you need 5 days to make a Heavy Crossbow, which sells for 50 GP.
If an item requires multiple days, the days needn’t be consecutive.
Characters can combine their efforts to shorten the crafting time. Divide the time needed to create an item by the number of characters working on it. Normally, only one other character can assist you, but the DM might allow more assistants.
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
To give you an idea, historically it took months of work for a single blacksmith to make a suite of full plate armor. On the other side of the world, it took weeks to months for a single Katana to be made, also a composite bow in Egypt could take an entire year for the resin to adequately dry.
The crafting rules in DnD are quite generous given how long it took to actually make the non-magical items in real life.
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
The idea is presumably to fill in timeskips in a long-term campaign between adventures. Your party defeated the BBEG and saved the realm, now you come back and spend a few weeks or months hammering out that one magic item you really wanted. Or hammer out a bunch of consumables or other low tier utility stuff for your kit.
Besides, if it was easy or economical to make flaming swords, they wouldn't be Rare, now would they? You'll note that Rare and beyond is where the times really jump; these are also the ones that are supposed to come in pretty small numbers at high level play. This is probably not a coincidence.
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
An experienced friend of mine spent several weeks (not consecutive, as per the rules :D) making a real helmet and chainmail. They were used as gear to watch the first Lord of the Rings movie :)
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
It's not that bad since you don't have to spend the time consecutively.
Still, I miss the days of throw a Homunculus in a portable hole as you bop around.
We were using the 2014 DMG "Downtime Activities" rules for a while, but after getting XGE, we switched to the rules in the "Downtime Revisited" section of that book, especially those related to crafting magic items, scrolls, and potions.
We're also planning to use the 2024 DMG rules for crafting magic items. For now, I only know the info from the article Help Your Players Get Crafty With the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide and the video New Magic Items and Crafting Rules.
I have some thoughts and questions. Maybe they've been answered in other videos. Let me know if so, please.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I doubt there's an easy way to cut into the crafting times- the entire point of having crafting as a mechanically distinct system rather than "just say your character spent most if not all of the price to purchase an item to instantly 'craft' it" is that you're converting the gold expense into a time investment instead. And just as there's little to no RAW means of reducing the price to purchase magic items (Crafter feat specifically applies its discount to nonmagical items), it's unlikely they'll make many ways to reduce the time investment. And 16 hours instead of 8 isn't maintaining the investment since the basic unit being used for downtime is workdays, not hours.
RAW, it seems to require full days. I think the way I would rule it though is that you can't work more than 8 hours in a day without risking exhaustion or failure, and I'd probably allow intentional partial days (but maybe there's a failure risk if your work is cut short by unexpected events that don't allow you to put it away cleanly).
What I did in my campaign, was allow a second or third crafter to join the effort (each works an 8 hrs shift, with a total of 3 shifts per day). If 3 crafters the work could continue 24/7 and be completed in a third of the time.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
OK, I also think this is the right interpretation. It's a relief for me, as it aligns with how I'm ruling things based on the DMG or XGE books.
Yeah, that's the point: RAW is full workday, so using exhaustion is a house rule. My confusion came from the fact that the video seemed to assume exhaustion rules were part of the official rules.
Thanks for your reply!
I do the same! Fortunately this is supported by the 2014 rules and also in the new ones.
I didn't mentioned it, but we have some crafting rules in the 2024 PHB:
Seriously have to dedicate the entire day for so many days to craft stuff? like you take a break from your adventure to play Idle Blacksmithin Tycoon? "I see the Tarrasque is a couple days away from leveling the city, I better stop and spend the next five months to make some new armor!" What? Is that realistic? Would it even take a professional blacksmith more than a month to make something like that? I doubt it.
To give you an idea, historically it took months of work for a single blacksmith to make a suite of full plate armor. On the other side of the world, it took weeks to months for a single Katana to be made, also a composite bow in Egypt could take an entire year for the resin to adequately dry.
The crafting rules in DnD are quite generous given how long it took to actually make the non-magical items in real life.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
The idea is presumably to fill in timeskips in a long-term campaign between adventures. Your party defeated the BBEG and saved the realm, now you come back and spend a few weeks or months hammering out that one magic item you really wanted. Or hammer out a bunch of consumables or other low tier utility stuff for your kit.
Besides, if it was easy or economical to make flaming swords, they wouldn't be Rare, now would they? You'll note that Rare and beyond is where the times really jump; these are also the ones that are supposed to come in pretty small numbers at high level play. This is probably not a coincidence.
An experienced friend of mine spent several weeks (not consecutive, as per the rules :D) making a real helmet and chainmail. They were used as gear to watch the first Lord of the Rings movie :)
It's not that bad since you don't have to spend the time consecutively.
Still, I miss the days of throw a Homunculus in a portable hole as you bop around.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.