5E Crafting System for Items

(Homebrew) By: Chris Albert 2.14.2018

Crafting: Armor, Weapons and Gear worth 25 GP or Less with appropriate crafting tools and supplies.
1 hr = 1 GP (8 hrs/day) | 1 hr = 1 SP (8 hrs/day) | 1 hr = 1 CP (8 hrs/day)
Easy DC 10 (DEX/STR/INT)
*DM Note: I understand that the SP and CP doesn’t make a lot of sense, but this prevents spamming of cheap items. Without
this a PC could make 100 candles per hour or 800 candles in 8 hours then sell them and make 800 CP (or 8 GP).

Crafting Armor, Weapons and Gear 26 GP - 49 GP with appropriate crafting tools and supplies.
1 hr = 2 GP (8 hrs/day)
Medium DC 15 (DEX/STR/INT)

Crafting Armor, Weapons and Gear worth more than 50 GP with appropriate crafting tools and supplies.
1 hr = 4 GP (8 hrs/day)
Hard DC 20 (DEX/STR/INT)

Multiple characters can combine their efforts. Divide the hours needed to create an item by the number of characters
working on it. Use your judgment when determining how many characters can collaborate on an item. A particularly tiny item,
like a ring, might allow only one or two workers, whereas a large, complex item might allow four or more workers.

A character needs to be proficient with the tools needed to craft an item and have access to the appropriate equipment.
Everyone who collaborates needs to have the appropriate tool proficiency. You need to make any judgment calls regarding
whether a character has the correct equipment.

To craft:
1. Determine with your DM what you are crafting and add in any extra costs (Example: A player wants to craft a
shortsword (10 GP), but wants to add 3 Tiger Eye Gems to the hilt, you would need to add 30 GP to the total cost for a
total of 40 GP.) *Note the DM will have to determine what the supplies consist of and where to find them. (*DM note
the DMG and Xanathar’s Guide have excellent guides and tables to help determine supplies and where to find them.)

2. Next take the total cost of item divided by the amount gold pieces to craft (Example: Plate Armor costs 1,500 GP, so it is
1,500 GP divided by 4 GP which is 375 hours or 47 days of normal 8-hour days of crafting). The 375 is also the amount it
is going to cost for supplies to build the item (Example: Ring Mail costs 30 GP divided by 2 GP is 15 GP of supplies and 15
hours of work to be completed). Finally, once you have all the supplies needed you can begin crafting.

3. Once the time is determined roll a d20 vs DC (DEX/STR/INT, which is determined by the DM, i.e., The plate armor would
be a STR roll, because it would require a lot of metal forging or arrows would be a DEX roll being more delicate work, INT
rolls would be used to craft items like potions and poisons.). When rolling, add the players proficiency with the tools
required to craft the item and add it to the d20 roll.

4. On a success, you complete 8 hours of work on the item. On a failed save, you only complete 4 hours or half the work.
On a 20 you can add an extra 4 hours of work. On a 1 you gain no progress crafting the item and broke, destroyed,
damaged or lost some of your supplies for your item and need to purchase new supplies at 25% the cost.

At the end of 8 hours of crafting you must roll a CON Saving Throw vs the same DC as above (10/15/20). On a success, you can
continue crafting longer than 8 hours and will need to roll again against the crafting DC at the end of each interval regardless if
you work only 1 extra hour over 8 hours up to 24 hours total. The player must work the entire 8 hours during crafting to gain
any progress (this assumes your PC would take breaks, eat and drink), however they do they have to continue crafting after the
8 hours is done.
Time Intervals for Crafting:
Normal 8 hrs: CON Saving Throw vs. designated DC. On a save, the player avoids becoming exhausted and may continue to
craft. On a failed save, the player takes 1 level of exhaustion, but can continue to craft.
+1-4 hrs (up to 12 hrs total crafting) CON Saving Throw vs. designated DC + 2. On a save, the player avoids becoming exhausted
and may continue to craft. On a failed save, the player takes 1 level of exhaustion, but can continue to craft.
+4-8 hrs (up to 16 hrs total crafting) CON Saving Throw vs. designated DC + 3. On a save, the player avoids becoming exhausted
and may continue to craft. On a failed save, the player takes 1 level of exhaustion, but can continue to craft.
+8-12 hrs (up to 20 hrs total crafting) CON Saving Throw at disadvantage vs designated DC +4. On a save, the player takes the 1
level of exhaustion may continue to craft. On a failed save, the player takes an additional 2 levels of exhaustion, but can
continue to craft.
+12-16 hrs (up to 24 hrs total crafting) CON Saving Throw at disadvantage vs designated DC + 5. On a save, the player only takes
1 level of exhaustion. On a failed save, the player takes an additional 2 levels of exhaustion and must be done crafting. On the
save or fail you have pushed your PC’s body and mind to the limit and you must be done crafting. If you think you can push
yourself further, you will automatically fail your next CON Saving Throw after 4 more hours and gain 2 more levels of exhaustion
and will fall unconscious where you stand for 14 hours minimum and no natural force of nature can wake you up. When you
awake you will not lose any levels of exhaustion gained through crafting until you take a long rest.

*DM NOTE: If the player reaches 6 levels of exhaustion they will be dead! (No Death Saves, you worked yourself to death).

Exhaustion (PHB 291):

Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching
temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect can give a
creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect’s description.

Levels and Effects

1 - Disadvantage on ability checks
2 - Speed halved
3 - Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
4 - Hit point maximum halved
5 - Speed reduced to 0
6 – Death

If an already exhausted creature suffers another effect that causes exhaustion, its current level of exhaustion increases by the
amount specified in the effect’s description.
A creature suffers the effect of its current level of exhaustion as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature suffering level
2 exhaustion has its speed halved and has disadvantage on ability checks.
An effect that removes exhaustion reduces its level as specified in the effect’s description, with all exhaustion effects ending if
a creature’s exhaustion level is reduced below 1.
Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's exhaustion level by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food and
drink.