Crafting rules for pen-and-paper RPGs usually miss the mark. They're often overwrought or too complicated. Sometimes they're too specific to a certain setting and difficult to apply outside of it.
Magical crafting rules will usually list a set of components or reagents necessary, plus a Very Special element that requires a Very Special quest to retrieve. This approach forces a campaign to revolve around crafting, at least for a little bit. That's fine and could be fun, but what if you want to play a magical craftsman or enchanter type in a more traditional dungeon crawl campaign?
I designed a game mechanism (class feature, character ability, however you want to use it) to address that question.
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Magical Infusions
It all starts with a spell scroll. To craft a magical item at low levels, you must transfer the magic from a spell scroll into that item.
Why spell scrolls? Mostly because spell scrolls fit right into the basic dungeon-crawling feedback loop. They're found as treasure in most adventures.
Then, with enough time, the right tools, a place to work, and some training, a character can infuse an otherwise mundane object with the spell from that scroll. This allows someone to cast that spell from the item instead of the scroll.
Why would anyone want to go through this trouble?
- It could increase the number of consumable spells at your party's disposal, as it doesn't necessarily consume the original spell scroll.
- Anyone can cast the spell from the infused item, whereas not everyone can use spell scrolls.
Ok, so what are the limitations?
- A character can only maintain a number of infusions equal to their class level.
- Every attempt to infuse an item carries a 10% chance of error: the spell disappears from the scroll, and maybe something else goes awry.
Creating an Infusion
To infuse an item with magic, the character requires:
- A spell scroll that they can read
- A set of tools: tinker's, alchemist's, smith's ... something
- A workbench in a safe place
Then, the character can spend an uninterrupted day at work to make an infusion attempt using their Intelligence score. This could be a standard INT check based on your system of choice. Alternatively, you could use the
Spell Books and Learning Spells table from
OSE: Advanced Fantasy that I referenced in
my previous post on copying spells.
Whichever method you use to adjudicate the Intelligence check, remember to include a 10% chance that the scroll gets erased entirely.
Higher Level Spells
One potential way to abuse this ability: finding a high level spell scroll and using it to repeatedly churn out powerful infusions, even at a low class level.
To avoid this, you could simply rule that there is a maximum spell level that a character can infuse at any given class level. I would probably align this to the maximum spell level that a magic-user of a similar class level could cast.
Or, you could allow higher level infusions, but apply some penalty to the infusion attempt.
Infusions on Adventures
Once created, any character can carry this infused item and cast the spell contained within in the same way a magic-user would cast a spell from memory. Once used, the magic fades and the spell cannot be cast again.
However, if returned to the character who created it in the first place, there is a chance that they can recharge the infusion by spending another day at work and making another attempt using their Intelligence score. Note that they do not need the original scroll on hand to do this.
They only get one shot: if the attempt to recharge the infusion fails, the magic fades for good.
An Example
You're a Level 2 Fighter. Last week during your downtime, a fairy smith in town taught you how to enchant items using the process described above.
During your adventure, your party finds a Scroll of Invisibility. You pocket it and return to town.
You acquire some tools from the local blacksmith and rent out a room with a large table where you can work. You spend the next full day tinkering with a mundane silver ring and the scroll.
You have an Intelligence score of 13. Since Invisibility is a Level 2 spell (and above what an equivalent M-U could cast at this level), the referee applies a -2 penalty to your INT score for this check. That brings your adjusted score to 11: a 50% chance of success.
You make a roll: 67. A failure. However, not within the 10% range of a catastrophic failure, so the scroll is still intact. You sleep and make another attempt the next day.
This time you roll a 14: success! You have infused the spell Invisibility into the ring. You grab another ring and try again the next day, since at Level 2 you can maintain two infusions.
You make your check: 96. Uh oh, you're in the danger zone. The attempt fails. The spell disappears from the scroll! The mishap makes your eyes turn a milky gray.
After a few more days of rest, you slip on your magical ring with its single charge and set off for your next adventure, looking for more spell scrolls.
