Rules Update - Core Smithing Rules

Smithing
General Rules
With the exception of Field Repair Armament, all smithing abilities must be performed at a forge, with a rank at least equal to the rank of material being worked. The various paths of Smithing skills are detailed below.

Knowledge
Knowledge abilities allow a smith to smelt the indicated classes of materials, and meltdown and recover those materials from items. In addition, a smith can produce Tools with any materials she possesses the Knowledge ability to work. The smith must expend materials and CP requisite to the Tool being produced. The process of forging the Tool requires a base time of one minute for each unit of material to complete. A list of Tools and their costs can be found later in this section.
A smith cannot use any Smithing ability to create or work on an armament or item if she does not possess the Knowledge ability to work with that material.

Rank I: Basic Materials
Skill (Continuous), Knowledge
Allows the Smith to work with Basic Materials. Armaments and items made from Basic Materials have no special properties.

Rank II: Special Alloys
Skill (Continuous), Knowledge
Allows the Smith to work with Special Alloys.

Rank III: Enigmatic Materials
Skill (Continuous), Knowledge
Allows the Smith to work with Enigmatic Materials. Forging Enigmatic Materials costs double the time per armament or location of armor.

Rank IV: Arcane Materials
Skill (Continuous), Knowledge
Allows the Smith to work with Arcane Materials. Forging Arcane Materials costs triple the time per armament or location of armor.

Metalsmithing
Metalsmithing abilities allow a smith to forge and repair armaments, and bolster the durability of armaments.

Rank I: Forge/Repair Armament
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability can be used in three ways.
A smith can create a weapon, shield, or piece/suit of armor. Each item is assigned a value. This value represents the Units of material, the time in minutes, and the amount of CP required creating that item.
A smith can repair a weapon or shield that has been shattered by spending 1 CP and one minute.
A smith can bestow Armor Points (AP) to a piece or suit of armor. For every eight base AP the smith must spend one CP and one minute.

Rank II: Reinforce Armament
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation, Persistent
This ability allows a smith to protect an armament from a non-superior attack that would break or destroy it, at a cost of 2 CP and one minute. These effects are latent, and will persist between periods, but not between events. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

Rank III: Field Repair Armament
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability can be used in two ways, neither of which requires that a smith be at a forge.
A smith can repair a weapon or shield that has been shattered at a cost of two crafting points and two minutes.
A smith can bestow Armor Points to a piece or suit of armor. For every four base armor points the smith must spend one crafting points and one minute role-playing fixing the armor; if interrupted, you can resume work later, but no benefit is awarded by this skill until the entire working duration is completed. When performing a Field Repair of a piece or suit of armor, the armor does not need to be removed.

Rank IV: Temper Armament
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows a smith to protect an armament from all non-superior attacks that would break or shatter it for the duration of the current period, at a cost of 10 CP and 5 minutes work. An armament can only be tempered once per event. The time and Crafting Point cost of this ability is not modified by the quality or material of the target item. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

Weaponsmithing
Weaponsmithing abilities allow a smith to deepen her expertise in forging and working weapons.

Rank I: Hone Weapon
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows a smith to work a weapon to provide it with a temporary combat bonus, at a cost of 5 CP and one minute. A weapon that is treated with this ability adds one to its base damage for the duration of the current period, or two if it is held as a two-handed weapon. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

Rank II: Weapon Guard
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
The Smith can enhance the handle or shaft of a weapon, at a cost of 3 CP and one minute, allowing the wielder to resist one attack that would disarm one of her weapons. The attack fails and the attack skill, spell, or ability is considered used. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound. This effect is latent, and will persist between periods, but not between events.

Rank III: Forge Superior Weapon
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows the smith to produce a weapon of special quality. The smith must expend an additional CP when crafting the item being produced. When a superior weapon is honed or tempered, the effect lasts for the duration of the event (though the weapon can only benefit from one honing at a time).

Rank IV: Forge Exalted Weapon
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows the smith to produce a weapon that is particularly in tune with runic energy. To forge an Exalted item, the smith must expend an additional ten CP when crafting the item. An item that is Exalted in nature may be enhanced by a Smith, even if Bound to a character. Additionally, an Exalted weapon gains an additional +1 damage as if a Rune of Weapon Folding is placed on it, without needing the use of a socket. An item may be both Exalted and Superior in nature.

Armorsmithing
Armorsmithing abilities allow a smith to deepen her expertise in forging and working armor.

Rank I: Gird Shield
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
The smith may reinforce a shield at the cost of 1 CP and 1 minute of work. This reinforcement allows the bearer of the shield to ignore an attack that would displace her backwards or to the ground. The opponent’s attack fails and the attack ability is considered used. The time and Crafting Point cost of this ability is not modified by the quality or material of the target item. This effect is latent, and will persist between periods, but not between events. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

Rank II: Balance Armor
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation, Persistent
This ability allows a smith to increase the Armor Ratio of a character’s armor by +1. It requires one CP and one minute to balance one torso location and one non-torso location, or four non-torso locations. Damage sustained by armor is subtracted from the Balanced bonus before the rest of the armor, and loses its Balanced state once this bonus is depleted. Armor must be fully repaired to be balanced, and the armor must be being worn during the balancing. Removing the armor removes the Balanced status. This ability cannot be used on armor that has been bound. This skill may only be used on physical, worn armor.

Rank III: Forge Superior Armor
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows a smith to produce a shield or suit of armor of special quality. The smith must expend an additional ten CP for a shield or additional five CP per armor location requisite to the item being produced. When a superior item is tempered or balanced, the effect lasts for the duration of the event (i.e. - Superior armor that is balanced retains the additional +1 AR even after it is damaged).

Rank IV: Forge Exalted Armor
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows the smith to produce a shield or suit of armor that is particularly in tune with runic energy. To forge an Exalted item, The smith must expend an additional ten CP for a shield or additional five CP per armor location requisite to the item being produced. An item that is Exalted in nature may be Enhanced by a Smith, even if Bound to a character. Additionally, an Exalted piece or armor gains +1 Soak as if a Rune of Protective Reinforcement is placed in it, without the need for a socket. An item may be both Exalted and Superior in nature.

Forging Weapons
For the rules on using weapons, please read the Weapons section of the rulebook.
Weapon Table
The following table lists the weapons that are defined as standard weapons, and the materials and CP that are needed to forge them.
Weapon
Materials
Units
Small Weapon
Metal
5
One Handed Edged / Blunt
Metal
10
Bastard Edged / Blunt
Metal
15
Two Handed Edged / Blunt
Metal
20
Pole Arm
Metal
20
Staff
Metal, Wood, or Bone
15
Spear
Metal
15
Bow
Wood or Bone
10
Crossbow
Wood or Bone
15
Arrow / Bolt (10)
Metal, Wood, or Bone
5
Javelin
Metal, Wood, or Bone
5
Thrown Weapon (2)
Metal
5
Knuckles (Each)
Metal
5
Claw Sheath (Each)
Metal
10

Knuckles:
Knuckles are weapons used by fist
-fighters and martial artists that allow them to enhance their fighting abilities, without changing their style. A character with the skill Brawling or Martial Arts may wear a single or pair of Knuckles. The Knuckles will allow the character to strike for the type of material the Knuckles are made from, and use any Augment effects or other enhancements that normally target weapons, while still using their Brawling or Martial Arts skills. Knuckles do not offer any form of protection to the wearer's hands. Knuckles are represented by a Small Weapon physrep (like a fist), and should be decorated appropriately.

Claw Sheath:
Claw Sheaths are weapons designed to cover a character's natural claws, enhancing them for combat. Claw Sheaths are specific to the character they are made for, and should be noted as such on the item card. The Claw Sheaths will allow the character to strike for the type of material the Sheaths are made from, and use any Augment effects or other enhancements that normally target weapons, while still using their claw based skills. Claw Sheaths do not offer any form of protection to the wearer's claws.

Forging Shields
Shields are armaments designed to block or deflect an opponent’s blows. For the rules on using shields, please read the Armor section of the rulebook.

Shields Table
The following table indicates the sizes of shields and the amount of materials needed to make them.

Type
Materials
Units
Small
Metal, Wood or Bone
10
Medium
Metal, Wood or Bone
15
Large
Metal, Wood or Bone
20

Forging Armor
For the rules on wearing and using armor, please read the Armor section of the rulebook.

A single piece of armor is often made up of multiple locations, such as a breastplate consisting of both an upper and lower torso. For the purposes of construction and enhancement, a piece of armor that covers more than one location is considered a single piece if the physrep for the armor's areas cannot be detached from each other by intent and design. For example, a set of pauldrons (shoulders) riveted onto a breastplate make them a part of that piece of armor, while a set of pauldrons that can be unbuckled are considered separate pieces.

Any time a piece of armor is created, enhanced, or imbued, the entire piece must be done at the same time, with the same enhancements, and from the same materials. For example, if you want to make a chainmail shirt from mithril, you cannot choose to make the torso from mithril, and the shoulders and arms from steel. Similarly, one could not choose to make just the torso Superior, or balance just the arms - all locations from that piece need to be of the same quality, and have the same enhancement applied to all locations. The combined locations are treated as one smithing project for purposes of combining CP and time, and for effects that reduce CP and time.
Coverage Area
Units (Leather & Metal)
Units (Plate)
Upper Torso
6
8
Lower Torso
6
8
Head
2
3
Neck
2
3
Shoulder
2
3
Upper Arm
2
3
Lower Arm
2
3
Upper Leg
2
3
Lower Leg
2
3

Tools
The following table lists standard tools and the materials that are needed to forge them. The Director must first approve any tool not listed here before a smith can begin making it. Tools do not follow the normal proportion of CP to Materials, as outlined below.

Tools Table

Tool
Materials
CP
Units
Common Implements
Wood or Bone
1
15
Basic Lock
Metal
2
5
Complex Lock
Metal
5
10
Leather Restraints
Leather
1
5
Manacles
Metal
2
5
Grappling Hook
Metal
1
5
Torch
Wood or Bone
1
10
Lantern
Metal
1
10
Trap Kit
Metal
7
10

Common Implements
Common implements are any tools that are used for common farming, animal husbandry, or building tasks. Examples include shovels, picks, saws, pitchforks, sledges, and hoes.

Basic And Complex Locks
Basic and complex locks are considered tools for the purposes of forging them. A lock can be created with up to 3 keys for the basic cost in units and CP. A separate item card should be completed for the lock and for each key. A smith can forge up to 2 copies of a key at a cost of 5 units and 2 CP; a smith cannot use the lock itself to forge a key for it – she must have a key to copy. If a smith forges fewer than the maximum number of keys, the material and units cost does not change.
When a smith creates a lock, it should be labeled with the character’s name, the month that it was created, and if necessary (more than one lock that month) an additional identifying number. Keys for that lock should be assigned the same identifier, thus establishing in all cases which keys work on which locks.
For example, if Feerick Forgemaster of Fenrick creates two locks at the August 2007 event, he should label the first lock “Feerick-8-2007” and the second lock “Feerick-8-2007-2”. No matter who makes keys for the locks, the keys should bear the same label as the lock – so if Tommy Tinkerer of Talenthal makes a key for the first lock in this example, he should label it “Feerick-8-2007” even though Feerick isn’t the one making the key in this case.

Leather Restraints
Leather Restraints are simple strips of leather that can be used to tie the hands or feet (you can apply one set to each if you have two of them). It takes thirty seconds to bind a set of limbs with leather bindings, during which the target must be immobile and the binder uninterrupted. A character can break out of the restraints using the skill Escape Restraints, or after thirty seconds of uninterrupted RP with Str +2 or greater. Another character with an edged weapon can cut leather restraints instantly. A set of leather restraints can only be used once, they are destroyed when they are removed or escaped from.

Manacles
Manacles are designed to bind a person, using a simple pin system as a lock. It takes ten seconds to bind a set of limbs with manacles, during which the target must be immobile and the binder uninterrupted. A character can only break out of manacles with the Escape Restraints skill. Another character can remove the manacles with 10 seconds of uninterrupted RP.

Grappling Hook
A grappling hook can be used to secure a rope from a point above and make it safe for climbing – to a maximum of twenty feet, plus ten feet for each level of Strength the character possesses, if any.
To use a grappling hook, you must role-play throwing it up to wherever you wish to anchor it, and then walk a distance on the ground equal to the height you are climbing, at a heel-to-toe pace. You cannot take any action while performing the climb other than invoking latent abilities or spells. At any point while performing the climb, you are vulnerable to being struck in melee combat, and a successful strike – in addition to inflicting its effect on you – will force you to return to ground level immediately (although you do not suffer falling damage).
Each time you use a grappling hook, you must mark the use on the card; the hook becomes worn out and useless after five uses.

Torch
A torch is a one-use fire source. A character can light a torch to provide a source of illumination for a duration of one hour. A torch by itself cannot be used to set fire to a building or any part of a building. To use a torch to administer a killing blow to a troll or similar regenerating monster, call one point of fire damage after completing the count.
Lantern
A lantern is a sturdy light source. A character can light a lantern to provide a source of illumination with an unlimited duration.

Trap Kit
A Trap Kit is a set of implements that can be used to enhance a trap. Each kit is specific to one Mechanical Trait, and allows a character with the Set Traps skill to assign that trait to a trap that she creates. Trap Kits are permanent items, but must be placed with the traps they are enhancing when in use.

Materials
Materials are the heart of smithing, for without her materials, a smith cannot create anything new. The following table lists the materials that can be acquired and used in smithing at Knight Realms. Basic materials are assumed to be plentiful and cheap, and are therefore free – no item cards are required to track Basic materials. Special Alloys, Enigmatic, and Arcane materials must be obtained through discovery or with Service Points – though a smith can still purchase units of these materials from another character who happens to have found some herself.

Basic Materials
Basic materials are common and plentiful, and it is assumed a smith has access to them at all times. Units of basic materials do not need to be purchased, paid for, or tracked.
Steel: This alloy is forged from Iron, and can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A steel weapon strikes for Normal damage. When a smith performs an ability that requires the expenditure of Iron, Steel is the finished product of which the item is made.
Wood: This material can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of wood. If used to forge armor, wood is considered in all respects to be the same as Leather.
Bone: This material can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of Bone. It is considered in all respects to be the same as Wood.
Leather: This material can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of leather.

Special Alloys
Copper: This alloy is immune to rusting. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A copper weapon strikes for Copper damage. Other armaments fashioned from copper bear no special properties.
Silver: This alloy is immune to rusting. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A silver weapon strikes for Silver damage. Other armaments fashioned from silver bear no special properties.
Gold: This alloy is immune to rusting. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A gold weapon strikes for Gold damage. Other armaments fashioned from gold bear no special properties.
Taramil Hide: This hide is cut from the Taramil – a mystical cousin of the wild boar, noted for its thick, highly regenerative hide. It can be used to forge armors that require units of leather. A single piece of armor that protects at least the upper torso grants its wearer fifteen special APs that refresh every period, and are accounted separately from the armor’s AP Rating. The APs should be noted on the character card each period, but since they apply to the armor and not the wearer, they are not restricted by the stacking rules.

Enigmatic Materials
Electrum: This alloy is immune to rusting. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. An electrum weapon strikes for Gold or Silver damage interchangeably. Electrum is a complex alloy that is only stable when formed naturally; a smith cannot produce electrum merely by combining gold and silver. Other armaments fashioned from electrum bear no special properties.
Crystal: This material is immune to any form of destructive attack except for shattering or blasting attacks. It can be used to forge weapons that require units of metal, but no other kind of armaments. It cannot be continuously protected from shattering or blasting attacks by any means, even if ritually enchanted. A crystal weapon strikes for +1 Normal damage.
Ironwood: This material grants a periodic use of "Natural Protect Item" (as the Enchantment Spell "Protect Item") for itself. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of wood.

Arcane Materials
Meteoric: This metal is immune to rusting. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A meteoric weapon strikes for a type of elemental damage, determined by the specific nature of the ore used. A single piece of armor or shield that is comprised of at least twenty units of Meteoric grants its bearer one use of the protection Elemental Shield each period; the item must be worn or wielded in hand to use the Elemental Shield – it cannot be invoked and remain latent on a character.
Mithril: This metal is immune to any form of destructive attack. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of metal. A mithril weapon strikes for mithril damage. A single piece of armor that protects at least the upper and lower torso grants its wearer a soak of two, which is added to the soak afforded by Professional Grade armor, but otherwise follows the normal rules for the stacking of soaks and thresholds.
Wytchwood: An armament or item comprised of at least fifteen units of Wytchwood grants its bearer one use of the skill Ignore Magic each period; the item must be wielded in hand to invoke the Ignore Magic. If a Wytchwood item is broken, the pieces will re-bond after five uninterrupted minutes of being held together. It can be used to forge armaments and items that require units of wood.
Fire Drake Scales: These scales are cut from the hides of Fire Drakes – large, fire-breathing lizards that are often believed to be dragons by common folk. They can be used to forge armors that require units of leather. A single piece of armor that protects at least the upper and lower torso grants its wearer a soak of four against Fire and Magical Fire damage, or a soak of one against all other damage types, which is added to the soak afforded by Professional Grade armor, but otherwise follows the normal rules for the stacking of soaks and thresholds.

Materials Table

Material
Type
Cost per unit
Wood
Wood
N/A
Bone
Bone
N/A
Leather
Leather
N/A
Iron
Metal
N/A
Special*
Special
0.6 sp
Gold
Metal
2 gp
Silver
Metal
2 sp
Copper
Metal
0.2 sp
Taramil Hide
Leather
1 gp
Electrum
Metal
2 gp
Crystal
Metal
1 gp
Ironwood
Wood
1 gp
Wytchwood
Wood
4 gp
Mithril
Metal
4 gp
Meteoric
Metal
2 gp
Fire Drake Scales
Leather
3 gp

*Special materials are rare materials or materials requiring pre-production, such as silk, glass, or ceramics.

Smelting Coins
2 coins can be smelted into 1 unit of the same material without requiring additional time or CP. For example, if you want a silver one-handed edge and give the smith 20 silver pieces (or 2 ten-silver piece coins, or any combination thereof), he can make the weapon using that material at no penalty.

Forges
The forge is the center of most of a smith’s work. For game purposes, a forge includes a furnace, anvil, molds, and any other tools needed to fashion the various tools and armaments a smith can produce. There are four ranks of forges, which permit the crafting of the same rank of materials, and all lesser materials, respectively. Forges are defined by Item Cards. Forges of third rank or greater must be placed in an IG location at the start of an event and cannot be moved for the rest of that event; the item card for the forge should note this limitation when it is written.

The following table indicates the cost of forges, and the benefits they confer.

Forges Table
Rank
Base Cost
Upgrade Cost
Benefits
1
25 gp
--
Allows working of Basic Materials
2
75 gp
50 gp
Allows working of Special Alloys
3
175 gp
100 gp
Allows working of Enigmatic Materials
4
375 gp
200 gp
Allows working of Arcane Materials

Creating and Installing Sockets
An Artificer (a Heroic Smith) may create Sockets, tiny intricate designs which are able to be added to any item and are capable of holding runic power. Sockets require time and effort to create, and the more delicate the work, the longer it will take to make. An Artificer may invest time and Crafting Points into a socket over a long period of time (even years), treating it as a work in progress. While a Smith can work on several sockets at once, a single socket may never have more than 100 CP worth of work invested in it per event. The Artificer must spend 1 minute for every 5 CP he is investing in a given socket. When working on a socket, the Artificer should have an item card for the unfinished socket. Every time the Artificer invests CP into a socket, they should indicate the amount of CP invested and the date of the event, as well as marking off the CP on their card.

Rank 1 Socket Cost 50 CP (Can be made in one session)
Rank 2 Socket Cost 100 CP (Can be made in one session)
Rank 3 Socket Cost 200 CP (Can be made in two events)
Rank 4 Socket Cost 400 CP (Can be made in four events)
Rank 5 Socket Cost 800 CP (Can be made in eight events)
Rank 6 Socket Cost 800 CP (Can be made in eight events)

The Artificer can install a socket into an item with the expenditure of 5 CP per rank of the socket, and one minute of work. Each item can only have one socket of each rank, and the sockets must be installed in rank order. The rank of a socket is determined at the time it is installed by the amount of CP invested in it. Sockets may not be removed from items without a specific ability that allows this. Whenever Sockets are removed from an item, the highest rank Socket(s) on the item will be removed.

Example: A smith begins working on four sockets, investing 50 CP into all four. She installs one of the sockets on a sword - it is a Rank 1 Socket. The following period she invests 50 CP into the remaining three, and installs one of them on the same sword - it is a Rank 2 Socket. The next event she invests another 100 CP into each of the two remaining sockets, and installs one on the same sword, it is a Rank 3 Socket. The next event she invests another 100 CP into the remaining socket, but cannot install it yet on the same sword - if she did, it would still be a Rank 3, and could not co-exist with the existing Rank 3 socket. Finally, at the fourth event, she invests another 100 CP into the remaining one and installs it, and it is a Rank 4 Socket.

An Artificer with the skill Runic Improvement will allow her to create up to a Rank IV socket. The Artificer skill Improvement Mastery will allow for a Rank V and VI socket to be created, with limitations - please see the skill for further details.

I thought mithril was changed to just +2 soak and removed the changing body to normal damage?

Ib wrote: I thought mithril was changed to just +2 soak and removed the changing body to normal damage?

You are correct. We'll change the above text.

Small thing, but you might want to check that last sentence for Knowledge: Arcane Materials

Clarification regarding Honed Weapons:

A one hander gets +1 and a 2 hander gets +2.

Does that mean a bastard gets +1 for one hand and +2 for two hands?

Edmund Patterson wrote: Clarification regarding Honed Weapons:

A one hander gets +1 and a 2 hander gets +2.

Does that mean a bastard gets +1 for one hand and +2 for two hands?

Rank I: Hone Weapon
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows a smith to work a weapon to provide it with a temporary combat bonus, at a cost of 5 CP and one minute. A weapon that is treated with this ability adds one to its base damage for the duration of the current period, or two if it is held as a two-handed weapon.This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

Yes

If it is possible, after the Con, and before the next event, can we update the smithing graph to reflect the changes?

I plan on updating all the paperwork - Rulebook and Sheets - before the March event.

Gaeth wrote: Small thing, but you might want to check that last sentence for Knowledge: Arcane Materials

Fixed, thank you.

Nice reason for an edit.

Just want to be sure, any artificer can put sockets into an item, correct? You just need to have the correct skills to put more than three in, yes?

You need the skill "Runic Improvements," which is a part of the Tier 1 skill "Improvements." Since you can choose 2 out of the 3 skills, you'd have to specifically choose NOT to take Improvements to not be able to make sockets (i.e. - you'd have to take Armaments, which makes the runes themselves, and Battle Smithing, instead).

Regarding Exalted and honing and soak.

Okay, say I have exalted axes that are superior and have been bound to me. Can I get them honed as smiths can enhance exalted weapons that are bound? Or is that other kinds of enhancements like adding sockets?

Regarding Exalted armor, if I have exalted gauntlets, exalted helmet, exalted shoulders, and exalted breastplate, and I getting +1 soak from each item of armor that is exalted, or just the initial breastplate that is exalted? I didn't want to cheese out, but I've acquired various exalted bitz as I've gone along so I wanted to know how much extra soak they'd netted me.

Is there any benefit for exalted shields?

Is there a reason the crafting point costs went up so much / being completely unbalanced?
To make the popular ring shirts that everyone seems to have as superior exalted now costs 120 crafting points (if I understand the rules right) which is frankly insane. Even with all possible buffs the time goes way down, but that only serves to make you spend all your points quicker. Even one of those silly heroic alchemist golems at most costs 300 cp, where a full suit of superior exalted armor costs 280 and vastly many more bars of material.

Rank II: Balance Armor
Skill (Continuous), Crafting, Creation
This ability allows a smith to increase the AP Rating of a piece or suit of armor to one and a half times the normal AP Rating, at a cost of 5 CP per piece being balanced; the process requires one minute to complete. The increased AP Rating can be utilized once, regardless of whether the AP bestowed reaches the extended maximum or not. After the armor is depleted back down to within its normal AP Rating, the armor will have to be balanced again in order to exceed its normal AP Rating. A piece or suit of armor can only be balanced once per event. This ability cannot be used on an armament that has been bound.

I can't tell by the way it's worded "piece" could mean each armor card or location, but if balancing armor takes the same cost to craft it as it does to balance it that also becomes hugely expensive / inefficient to do.

Weapons now cost way much more crafting points to make (by as much as 500%) and to hone. Especially with the limit of +5 damage from buffs of any kind, despite the buff lasting a period (or event in the case of superior), with so many other available ways to easily get to +5 (especially using a two-hander) the benefits of a period long buff I don't feel are worth its cost.

It seems like these changes limit lower level smiths to doing much less work overall, and higher level smiths from doing artisan work without investing a dozen or so levels into crafting points at least. I can only imagine this will translate into less availability for smithing to be done to for most players, and/or costs for items going higher than characters can afford. Is there some benefit to the game I am not seeing?

Grimkjell Eirson wrote: Regarding Exalted and honing and soak.

Okay, say I have exalted axes that are superior and have been bound to me. Can I get them honed as smiths can enhance exalted weapons that are bound? Or is that other kinds of enhancements like adding sockets?

Regarding Exalted armor, if I have exalted gauntlets, exalted helmet, exalted shoulders, and exalted breastplate, and I getting +1 soak from each item of armor that is exalted, or just the initial breastplate that is exalted? I didn't want to cheese out, but I've acquired various exalted bitz as I've gone along so I wanted to know how much extra soak they'd netted me.

Remember that all of your Soak Runes need to be in the same object in order to stack. So having 5 soak runes (even if they are the free ones from exalted) in 5 objects doesn't help you. Similarly putting 4 soak runes into a ring will not stack with the free soak rune granted by Exalted armor. The purpose of the free rune is to reward people who do socket their armor while not requiring them to do so.

So a basic material superior exalted dagger used to cost 45 silver. It now coses 75 (5sp labor x 15 (5 base CP x 2 for Superior +5 for Exalted) I enjoy this...

You don't make more money, silver for cp is the same if you make 5 daggers as it is for one now.

"All weapons, Shields and individual locations of armor cost a base 5 CP and takes 5 minutes to make."

I'm not sure it means any amount of items you make is just 5 CP. I say this only because it specifies each individual location of armor being 5 CP, which would lead me to believe each weapon would be 5 CP. Maybe I'm just reading it wrong. Could someone clarify?

The following changes are being made to the Smithing rules. After hearing some of the concerns, we realized that in the series of changes that a pending rules change goes through, some things got lost in translation.

The overall goal of the Smithing overhaul was to reduce crafting times, simplify the math and numbers used in Smithing, and increase the costs of some of the skills to bring them in line with other effects. For example, the prayer Prowess grants +1 damage for 5 minutes, while Honing a weapon grants +1 damage for an entire period. Because of this, the cost of Honing has been increased to be more in line with the benefit it gives.

Superior and Exalted weapons have increased in price significantly, as the benefit they offer is substantial. A Superior weapon that is honed keeps its +1 bonus over three additional periods at no cost to the person doing the honing. Similarly, Exalted items grant the equivalent of a +1 Damage or Soak rune. The cost of making items Superior or Exalted in nature has been increased to reflect this benefit properly.

Materials have changed how they are found, and counted. Formerly, 5 units of material made up a Bar / Bundle / Stack / Shard. This has been dropped - all units are now a single Bar / Bundle / Stack Shard, for simplicity's sake. Prices will be adjusted appropriately, and updated online and in the rulebook. This is essential to how the revised numbers work, below.

If you have item cards for materials that are a fraction of a whole unit, you may combine them with other such cards and trade them into Logistics for a single full unit. If you cannot make a full unit, or have a remainder left over, you may trade them into Logistics for market value, and the gold will be deposited directly to your bank. (In the case of Silver or Copper, it will be returned to you in coin, since it will be less than 1 GP.)

And now, on to the actual changes...




Forge / Repair Armament has been updated as follows:
A smith can create a weapon, shield, or piece/suit of armor. Each item is assigned a value. This value represents the Units of material, the time in minutes, and the amount of CP required creating that item.

Balance Armor has been updated as follows:
This ability allows a smith to increase the Armor Ratio of a character’s armor by +1. It requires one CP and one minute to balance one torso location and one non-torso location, or four non-torso locations. Damage sustained by armor is subtracted from the Balanced bonus before the rest of the armor, and loses its Balanced state once this bonus is depleted. Armor must be fully repaired to be balanced, and the armor must be being worn during the balancing. Removing the armor removes the Balanced status. This ability cannot be used on armor that has been bound. This skill may only be used on physical, worn armor.

The cost of the skill Gird Shield has been changed to 1 CP, and 1 minute of work.

The cost of the skill Weapon Guard has been changed to 3 CP, and 1 minute of work. The restriction of once per period has been dropped.

The cost of the skill Reinforce Armament has been changed to 2 CP, and one minute of work. This skill can no longer be stacked (There are spells and prayers that do the same function, these can be layered).

The cost of the skill Hone Weapon has been changed top 5 CP, and one minute of work.

The cost of the skill Temper Armament has been changed to 10 CP, and one minute of work. The restriction of once per event has been dropped.

The cost of making an Armament Superior or Exalted has been changed to +10 CP.

The cost of making a location of Armor Superior or Exalted has been changed to +5 CP.

Forging Armor has been updated as follows:
For the rules on wearing and using armor, please read the Armor section of the rulebook.

A single piece of armor is often made up of multiple locations, such as a breastplate consisting of both an upper and lower torso. For the purposes of construction and enhancement, a piece of armor that covers more than one location is considered a single piece if the physrep for the armor's areas cannot be detached from each other by intent and design. For example, a set of pauldrons (shoulders) riveted onto a breastplate make them a part of that piece of armor, while a set of pauldrons that can be unbuckled are considered separate pieces.

Any time a piece of armor is created, enhanced, or imbued, the entire piece must be done at the same time, with the same enhancements, and from the same materials. For example, if you want to make a chainmail shirt from mithril, you cannot choose to make the torso from mithril, and the shoulders and arms from steel. Similarly, one could not choose to make just the torso Superior, or balance just the arms - all locations from that piece need to be of the same quality, and have the same enhancement applied to all locations. The combined locations are treated as one smithing project for purposes of combining CP and time, and for effects that reduce CP and time.

Are we allowed to, upon creation, request that a several-piece element of armor be created with multiple cards, so that it can be balanced piece by piece at a later point? If you do, can you wear a set of professional grade armor on more than one card and still receive the soak benefit?

I will have a new Cheat Sheet, and hopefully the new Core Rulebook, up in a day or two.

EDIT: Cheat Sheet is posted in Files & Downloads, attaching here. If you play a Smith, use their services, or wear armor a lot - take a look at this, and things will make a LOT of sense. This set of updates makes things very, very simple and easy to remember.