If I had to pick one crafting rules system in an RPG to be my favorite, I think the one found in the current Star Wars TTRPG would have to be it. It is simple, every item turns out unique, and you have to a bit more work to create exactly what you want. In games like D&D and Pathfinder you follow similar steps of paying for materials and putting time into the crafting, but where those systems stop this one goes a bit further. If I wanted to create magical +1 armor in Pathfinder, for example, the end result is always +1 armor. In this system you could end up with results that allow you and the GM to customize other aspects of the armor, such as how much it encumbers the wearer or how many attachments it can handle.
In the simplicity there are a few holes that could possibly be exploited. Time investments are not as severe or as limiting as they can be in other RPGs. Someone can easily focus on being a crafter without limiting themselves to other areas of the game. There aren’t any hard rules related to tools, workshop spaces, or knowledge of item templates. Much of that is left up to the GM, adding yet another thing for them to consider and rule on.
So while I love this system, I have a few suggestions for anyone looking to use it in their game:
Time
Place a limit on how many hours can be used in a game day for crafting. I recommend eight hours, but ten or even twelve might be good limits for the game. Each hour past that limit requires a Resilience check to keep working without exhausting the character. If they fail, they can’t keep working for that day. Start at an average difficulty and increase the difficulty each hour. Threats can be used to deal strain damage, and despairs may harm the project.
GMs can also rule that long periods of time count as a single encounter when they are used for crafting. This means that the crafter’s strain doesn’t refresh until they take a significant break from crafting. For example, if the crafter has a full week of crafting open to them and they want to use it to craft six energy rifles they do not replenish strain until they end the crafting session set aside for those six rifles. They don’t have to craft everything they plan on for that session, and can choose to end at any time. There needs to be at least one non-crafting session between two crafting sessions.
Templates
Do not let characters simply know all of the templates. The player needs to establish how they know the template they are going to be using. The simplest way is to use their background, but they may be able to learn templates through NPCs, purchase, or even experimentation. The GM may rule that a crafter will need to use the easier templates first before attempting the hardest ones
Another idea is to have the crafter invest time into study by taking apart, and thus destroying, an item that fits the template they wish to learn. This time investment could be half the time it would take to craft the item.
If they want to learn a new template without destroying an item, they could spend a certain percentage of the crafting cost, such as a quarter or half, and create a prototype that can only be used a limited number of times.
Lastly, if a crafter just wants to purchase the knowledge, let them use the same rules for finding and purchasing the parts for the item. The cost should be left up to the GM, but I suggest it be no lower than half the cost of crafting the item and no more than the full cost.
Tools
Different types of projects require different tools. A standard toolkit should be good enough for basic mechanical work, but it probably isn’t suited for building armor from scratch. Swords need forges for heating. Cybernetics need parts that are made specifically for the person they will be attached to. The player should invest in tools specific for the type of project they are going to work on.
If the tools are not specific to that type of project, the GM should consider adding setback dice to the check. The GM may also want to increase, or even upgrade, the check if the workshop isn’t set up for crafting. For example, if the crafter character has only a standard toolkit and is in a mostly empty cargo hold the check might need a couple setback dice and an increased check. If the project is dangerous, such as one that deal with explosives, and doesn’t have any safety measures in place the check should be upgraded.
Advantages and Threats
The standard for the whole game has advantages and threats canceling each other. It isn’t clear if this standard is exactly followed in crafting, but it could be ruled that it isn’t. By not canceling either, both the player and the GM have something to spend on the item being crafted, giving it both positive and negative features. This keeps crafted items unique and prevents them from being over powered.
GMs should also feel encouraged to add to the list of what advantages and threats can be spent on. This shouldn’t have to be said, as the game expects this of GMs, but doing more than what is suggested can always be a fun way to make the items even more unique.
One suggestion for altering the advantages list also involves schematics. Allow Known Schematic to only be purchased once to lower the difficulty, with a second purchase opening up the next highest schematic in the list. This ensures that crafting still has a possibility of threats that the GM can use, and provides a mechanical way for the player character to learn new schematics.
Aid and Bonus Stacking
A crafter can have aid, but it is my recommendation that they can only mechanically benefit from a single aid action. Some projects, such as a very large droid, may require the aid of multiple helpers but the crafter only gains the dice for aid once. Also, I have personally ruled in my games that similar bonuses do not stack with each other. For example, a crafter character with multiple tools that provide bonus successes or advantages can only benefit from one bonus success and one bonus advantage. If more than one tool upgrades a check, the check can still only be upgraded once. This rule isn’t applied to spending advantages to gain boost dice, as the crafter can have as many boost dice as they are willing to buy.
Conclusion
Crafting can provide a great way to create custom gadgets, weapons, and armor but it can get out of hand if the player and GM don’t put a little more into the system. By considering limitations, story, and balance you can create items that have much more meaning to the characters and plot.
Elements Nine 