Crafting Masterwork Arms & Armor

All of this started after reading Example

the following article. Leanna is a Dwarven Paladin of 3rd level. As such she is
https://lootthebody.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/how-to-make- already proficient with Blacksmith tools because she is a
masterwork-items-in-5th-edition-dd/ (See “The New Way” & dwarf.
“The Right Way”) She has decided the she would like to craft a new Battleaxe
for her adventures. Because this is her first foray into crafting
Crafting ability is separate from class level: Novice, she is still a novice (+2). She had watched her father craft
Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, and Master. many things in the years before she left for the adventuring
To gain a level in your craft you will need the tutelage of a life; as such she has a basic understanding of what she is
teacher at least one level above you. To become a Master doing.
Craftsperson you might have quest to learn from several Upon returning to town after successful “aggressive
master craftsmen, and/or to acquire rare and unique crafting negotiations” with a nearby orc camp she has convinced a
materials. local smith to let her use his forge. Being a paladin Leanna is
rather strong (STR 17, +3). The forge she is working at is
The Mechanics nothing special (no bonus to craft) and her tools are rather
This system make it so a item needs to be MW+X in order for ordinary (no advantage).
magic to be enchanted upon it. Leanna rolls her crafting check (13), not too bad.
You will declare if you are attempting to make a MW [13+2(craft level) +3(STR) =17 Craft check]
Arms/Armor. If you do not declare that you are crafting MW Taking the 17 total to the “Masterwork Melee Weapon
there is a small chance (1%) that normal crafting will yield a Perks” we see what perks the MW weapon might contain.
MW item. If random MW happens, it’s DM’s discretion on She chooses “KEEN” as the edge of the blade seems
properties/perks. particularly sharp. She now has a MW ”Keen” Battleaxe. This
All Characters start as a Novice. The Guild Artisan Battleaxe would take her 5.1 days to craft.(3*1.7=5.1days)
background could allow you to start at Apprentice. You need She chooses not to reduce the time needed to craft, as her
to be proficient with the required tools to make what you party will be intown for quite some time.
want. (Ex. Blacksmith tools to make metal items,
leatherworking tools to make leather armor)
A Novice craftsperson gains a +2 bonus to their craft
check, an Apprentice craftsperson would gain +3, a
Journeyman gets +4, an Expert gets +5, and a Master
craftsperson would gain +6
MW Tools give advantage on the check. The workspace for
your craft could add a bonus to your craft if it is exceptional in
some way.
To Craft MW Arms/Armor you roll a crafting check. This
check is based on your crafting level and the attribute
modifier best suited to the craft (DM’s discretion on which
stat affects which craft). Ex. STR=Weapon smithing,
DEX=Armor smithing, INT=Jewel craft.
Your total craft roll becomes a budget of how many perks
could be applied to an item. As well as a multiplier for the
time it takes to craft the item. 10% of your craft check is
multiplied to the crafting time. Ex. if my craft check was 13
my time multiplier is 1.3.
Total craft roll becomes a budget of how many perks could
be applied to an item. DC & Budget costs set based upon the
masterwork "perk" tables.
You may use unallocated budget to reduce the time needed
to craft.
Weapon Crafting Time(s) Armor Crafting Time(s)
Simple Melee weapons Light Armor
Weapon Craft required Crafting time (days) Armor Craft required Crafting time (days)
Club Weapon crafting 0.5 Padded Armor crafting 5
Dagger Weapon crafting 0.5 Leather Armor crafting 10
Greatclub Weapon crafting 1 Studded Leather Armor crafting 12
HandAxe Weapon crafting 3
Javelin (5) Weapon crafting 3
Medium Armor
Armor Craft required Crafting time (days)
Light Hammer Weapon crafting 1 Hide Armor crafting 10
Mace Weapon crafting 2 Chain shirt Armor crafting 20
Quarterstaff Weapon crafting 1 Scale mail Armor crafting 20
Sickle Weapon crafting 2 Breastplate Armor crafting 20
Spear Weapon crafting 2 Half plate Armor crafting 20

Martial Melee weapons Heavy Armor

Weapon Craft required Crafting time (days) Armor Craft required Crafting time (days)
Battleaxe Weapon crafting 3 Ringmail Armor crafting 20
Flail Weapon crafting 4 Chain mail Armor crafting 25
Glaive Weapon crafting 4 Splint mail Armor crafting 25
Greataxe Weapon crafting 5 Full plate Armor crafting 30
Greatsword Weapon crafting 7
Halberd Weapon crafting 2 Shields
Shield Craft required Crafting time (days)
Lance Weapon crafting 2
Shield Armor crafting 2
Longsword Weapon crafting 5
Maul Weapon crafting 2
Morningstar Weapon crafting 3
Pike Weapon crafting 2
Rapier Weapon crafting 5
Scimitar Weapon crafting 5
Shortsword Weapon crafting 4
Trident Weapon crafting 4
War Pick Weapon crafting 3
Warhammer Weapon crafting 3
Whip Weapon crafting 4

Ranged Weapons
Weapon Craft required Crafting time (days)
Hand Crossbow Fletching 3
Light Crossbow Fletching 4
Heavy Crossbow Fletching 5
Shortbow Fletching 2
Longbow Fletching 3
Arrows/Bolts (20) Fletching 1.5
Dart (2) Fletching 1
Masterwork Melee Weapon Perks Masterwork Ranged Weapons Perks
Crafting DC /
Budget Perk Name Perk effect Notes
1/2/3/4/5 Quick Reduce crafting time by 5%/10%/15%/20%/25% Can only spend up to 5 points on time
craft reduction
5 Focus Your weapon can be your "Focus" for casting spells
10 Chained Advantage vs. disarm While a Chained weapons is equipped it
cannot be dropped
10 Unusual Weapon deals 2 types of damage
10 Tool Weapon can functions as a tool set
10 Basket Weapon grants +1 AC when taking the Dodge action. "Swords" Only
Guard
10 Toothed Wielder gains advantage when attempting to disarm
an opponent’s weapon
10 Keen/Shod Roll advantage on your damage Keen=metal, Shod=wooden
15 Mercurial 3x Critical damage Non finesse weapons
15 Twinned May be split into 2 light weapons of the same variety Non Heavy weapons
15 Alloyed Weapon gains finesse property Only applies to non-heavy weapons
15 Balanced Weapon gains the versatile property, & reduced Only be placed on a two handed/heavy
damage die weapon
20 Razor +4 Damage on critical hit
Sharp
20 Tempered Cannot broken by non-magical means N/A

Masterwork Ranged Weapons Perks

Crafting DC /
Budget Perk Name Perk effect Notes
1/2/3/4/5 Quick craft Reduce crafting time by Can only spend up to 5 points on
5%/10%/15%/20%/25% time reduction
10 Folding Can be folded and stored in a "backpack" Bows/Crossbows only
10 Boomerang/Rebound On a missed throw attack the weapon returns to Thrown Weapons only
you
15 Bladed You may make a melee attack with your raged Bows/Crossbows only
weapon. 1d4 damage
15 Recurve Double range on Bows Bows/Crossbows only
20 Quick draw Extra bonus attack at disadvantage Bows only
Special Masterwork Weapon Perks
Crafting DC /
Budget Perk Name Perk effect Notes
15 Moon Sheds soft light 10ft (like the moon) Expert Required, Crafting done during a full
Forged moon
15 Deep Forged Sheds reddish light 10ft (like lava) Expert Required, Crafting done under ground
or near lava
15 Dragon +1 Elemental Damage (element is of the Expert Required, Crafting done with the
Forged Dragonborn who forged it) Dragonborn's breath
15 Blood Moon +1 Necrotic damage. The weapons looks like it Expert Required, Crafting done with the
Forged is always dripping blood bodies of the fallen enemies
20 MW +1 +1 to HIT and DAMAGE: Breaks magical DR Journeyman Required
25 MW +2 +2 to HIT and DAMAGE: Breaks magical DR Expert Required
30 MW +3 +3 to HIT and DAMAGE: Breaks magical DR Master Required
Masterwork Armor Perks Masterwork Shield Perks
Crafting DC /
Budget Perk Name Perk effect Notes
1/2/3/4/5 Quick craft Reduce crafting time by 5%/10%/15%/20%/25% Can only spend up to 5 points on time
reduction
10/15 Strapped Items strapped to your armor can be retrieved as a DC 10 for light & medium armor, DC15
bonus action for Heavy
10 Insulated Reduce fatigue from Cold environments
10 Quiet Ignore disadvantage on stealth check
10 Hidden Grapples against you at Disadvantage. Opponent
Spikes takes 1d4 damage
10 Blade Criticals against you have a 50% chance to break
Breaker there weapon
10 Agile +1 on DEX saves
10 Locking +1 on STR saves
Joints
10 Fluted Reduced weight by 25% Plate armors only
15 Fine Advantage on Diplomacy As defined by a given race
15 Frightening Advantage on Intimidate
15 Camouflage +1 Stealth check
15 Hardened Critical damage against you is rolled at disadvantage
20 Free 1/2 time to don Heavy Armor only
Standing
20 Quick 1/2 time to doff Heavy Armor only
Release
20 MW +1 +1 AC Journeyman & special circumstances
required
25 MW +2 +2 AC Expert & special circumstances
required
30 MW +3 +3 AC Master & special circumstances
required

Masterwork Shield Perks

Crafting DC / Perk
Budget Name Perk effect Notes
1/2/3/4/5 Quick Reduce crafting time by Can only spend up to 5 points on time
craft 5%/10%/15%/20%/25% reduction
5 Focus Your shield can be your "Focus" for casting Custom order. The Caster must assist you in
spells creating the weapon
10 Bladed Reduce fatigue from Cold environments
10 Spiked Ignore disadvantage on stealth check
10 Heavy Grapples against you at Disadvantage. Opponent
takes 1d4 damage
15 Mirrored Disadvantage on attacks against you in full
sunlight
15 Quick You may don or dof a quick equiping shield as a
Equiped bonus action
20 MW +1 +1 AC Journeyman required
25 MW +2 +2 AC Expert required
30 MW +3 +3 AC Master required
Masterwork Focus Perks
Crafting
DC / Perk
Budget Name Perk effect Notes
1/2/3/4/5 Quick Reduce crafting time by Can only spend up to 5 points on time reduction
craft 5%/10%/15%/20%/25%
? Reach Make one of your touch spell Recharge on long rest. Custom order. The Caster must assist you in
have range of 20ft creating the weapon.
? Focused Reroll 1s on spell damage
? Disguise All tho the effect of the spell
is unchanged, "Slight of
hand" DC to hide the casting
? Crystal Change the damage of our Acid=Obsitian, Fire=Ruby, Cold=Pearl, Poison=Moss Agate,
spells to type based upon the Necrotic=Onyx, Radiant=Diamond, Lightning=Saphire, Psychic=Prisim
crystal Glass, Thunder=Moonstone, Force=Clear Quartz. Recharge long rest
? Blunt You may choose to do non-
lethal damage with your
spells.

Special Circumstances
Many of the perks above are treading on the
magical realm. When approaching this it would be
a good idea to require unique crafting materials or
workshops to create some items.
MW +X Armor for example might require and
enchanted forge, or tools.
Blood moon requires the bones of your
enemies to be worked in to the crafting
process.
The Dragon Forged perk requires that a
dragon/Dragonborn use their breath weapon
ability to heat the forge. The result being that
there supernatural abilities have been imbued
to the weapon granting it +1 damage of the
given elemental.