I have had a question about the benefits of owning Exotic Artisan Workshops- and right at the moment there are very few benefits -  so it is time to address that.

The current rules mean that owning a Magic Creating Business has benefits for Magic Crafters.  There is a (somewhat vague) rule that means Crafting PCs get bonuses, assuming they own an appropriate type of development, when they create items.  Off the top of my head, I think this equates to an automatic +2 for equipment (MW tools, libraries etc) and an automatic Aid Another from the staff employed there.  Which gives Magic Crafters a bit of an edge when they create items.  That extends to all crafts, not just Magical Creation feats – and most PC crafters can get gear at cost fairly easily -  BUT it is restricted by their own Crafting skills.

Exotic Artisans – and other Magic producing developments (such as Magic Shops, Caster’s Towers, Temples etc) produce items for sale – and the primary benefit from that is the BP income that they generate.  But (as said the last paragraph) there is some lee-way to help out the boss make items at Cost.  There, should, perhaps, be a similar benefit for non caster-crafters, and I am considering letting shop owners buy magic items from their ‘shops’ at ¾ of the price – which seems a reasonable compromise to me, But I would like to hear your views on that.

However, the problem comes with managing the items produced by these magic creating businesses.  We need to discount  Rikka’s, as an example, because Rikka is a specifically developed ex-PC who has all sorts of crafting skills – and that store was deliberately placed to give you ‘reasonable’ access to magic weapons and armour.  Currently she can make +2 stuff, although when Henry goes up a level, she will be able to produce +3 (and equivalent variants) – but that involves a careful build for Rikka and Henry - he is his Cohort and he has the Noble Scion PrC – she will top-out at L9, so she has almost reached her limits.

None of the staff, in any of the developments, are even close to that level.  I can see an Entourage Cousin (or Ally) hitting L7 – or perhaps L8 at a push -  but the majority of staff are NPC Adept variant – and don’t go much beyond L5.

OK. Lets start with the basics

The basic Magic Crafting feats and the CL required.


The Campaign Rules for Delopments



This, effectively, means that just about any Divine or Arcane development can make and sell scrolls as part of their everyday business, and gives us a basis for discussion.
This message was last updated by the GM at 11:10, Fri 15 July 2022.

I am going to start with Exotic Craft Workshops -  partly because that was the question I was asked, partly because  we have a lot of them already, and partly because it seems like a good place to lay the ground works for a system.

We know that an Exotic Craft Workshop  can make minor magical items  that are appropriate to its primary craft. And we know that it gets Spec Econ 1, which implies L3 casters - which we can assume to be L3 adepts (or any sort).

I have already agreed a ‘specialist’ product for Findas carpentry in Oston.  If you haven’t spotted it Findas makes self filling/heating/emptying baths for discerning clients.  If you have 4* accommodation, you probably have one installed in your house already.  Thais is just an imaginative application of Create Water and Prestidigitation on the same object.  So that is doable by a couple of Casters working together.

I have discussed Horseless Carriages with Dom -  and a the Phantom Steed spell can be used to make  something like the Hogwarts Horseless carriages).  That needs a L3 spell (on a scroll)  to make it work.  But I can live with that.  Those things are damned expensive ….

I could see the Exotic Stone Mason having a specialist offer of a statue that greets your guests when they arrive (and perhaps calls a warning to the household)  as a specialist item.  Perhaps something like  Welcome honoured guest.  Please take a  seat on the bench, while I call for assistance.  WE HAVE GUESTS.  (SHOUTED)  - just a nice Magic Mouth Spell :}

And I can see every other Exotic Artisan having a single Signature Item that sets them apart from everyone else.  But note these examples are RP / Social items, rather than combat or ‘traditional’ magic items.  That is a bit more complex.

Ok.  I have decided that a simpler approach might be easier.  If we say …

• Spec Econ 1 developments can make Lesser Minor Items
• Spec Econ 2 developments can make Greater Minor Items
• Spec Econ 3 developments can make Lesser Medium Items
• Spec Econ 4 developments can make Greater Medium Items
• Spec Econ 5 developments can make Lesser Major Items

We create a whole system in one go :}

It means that (apart from their Signature Item) Exotic Craft Workshops are restricted to creating Lesser Minor items.  That is still quite a range, and include:  Cloak of Resistance, Bracers of Armour, weapons, armour and shields, Amulet of Natural Armour (all at +1) – as well as various minor weapons and other nice toys. That also includes potions, scrolls, poppets  etc. See this page for some examples ...
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/

That all feels fairly representative of what the majority of low level adventurers / nobles would want.  Few others would be able to afford even those prices.

The proviso, for Exotic Workshops, is that you have to tell me how the item fits with the craft skills at hand.  For example, I could accept Padded Armour +1 from a tailor, leather +1 from a leather worker -  but metal armours would have to come from a smith of some sort.

Then Store Owners (and their household members, including cohorts and entourage members) can buy those items at 3/4 of the price.


Comments?  Thoughts?  Does it work?  What are the problems with it?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:23, Fri 15 July 2022.

Spec econ 5 developments - should that be Lesser Major items rather than Major Minor items?

I think that looks pretty good. It provides a nice benefit and incentive for anyone who wants to establish that sort of development.

Probably just need to make sure it doesn't get abused as a way of generating personal wealth. i.e. buy something from the family shop at 3/4 price, sell it at full price and pocket the profits for yourself. Presumably that would really annoy whoever is running the family shop or your master crafter and you will not get that same family discount there in future. Say instead you can sell those discounted items back to the shop for the same price you paid for them, then buy something else for personal use and still get the family discount. If you are just buying items for personal use (or for your entourage) then there would not be any such issues.

Well spotted, I'll change that.  Can you tell that I cut and paste?

Yep, I think it would work just like that, if people try and abuse it too far  :)

Just a thought, what if you forgo the BP for the turn you use the shops services?

The problem with that is that there isn't a straight correlation between BP and GP.  A BP represents gp plus good will plus a number of other things all rolled op in one package.

While that probably isn't too much of an issue with low level crafter's, it becomes an issue later.  A spec Econ 3 crafter might only be selling one big item per year.  A +5 crafter might sell a major item once every few years.

Remind me when I get home and I will look at the tables and rules properly.  I can't do that from my phone.