Crafting

Magical Crafting: Alchemy & Artifice

Crafting physical magical assets requires time, the correct support discipline, and raw materials (abstracted as a "Material Cache" of a Tier/Complexity equal to the desired item). Both Alchemy and Artifice use the same hybrid model.

When your campaign uses the Ersetu edition, rare reagents and crystalized mana live under Magical Materials — link there for setting-specific inputs; this chapter stays the core crafting procedure.

Shared Resolution Model (Hybrid)

  • Simple recipes/items (Complexity 1): resolve in one roll.
  • 10+: complete cleanly.
  • 7-9: complete, but with one complication.
  • 6-: fail; lose time/materials and face fallout.
  • Advanced recipes/items (Complexity 2+): use a Progress Track.
  • Target Progress equals item Complexity.
  • Hits add Progress; misses add pressure but no Progress.
  • When Progress meets target, the item is complete.

Advanced Progress Gains

  • 10+: +2 Progress.
  • 7-9: +1 Progress and one complication.
  • 6-: +0 Progress, consume the attempt, and the GM makes a hard move.

Alchemy (The Recipe)

Alchemy creates consumables and prep compounds.

  • Time Cost: 1 Time Slot per crafting attempt. Consumes 1 Alchemical Material Cache.
  • Resolution: Refer to the Brew Alchemy Move. Roll + Mental and apply the shared hybrid model above.
  • Pushing the Limits: A crafter who misses a required success right before a crucial deadline can force 1 "fake" Progress point by taking channel strain (1-Wound and a relevant Condition like Exhausted or Tremors). Desperate, dangerous late-night cramming.

Artifice (The Engraving)

Artifice anchors Root Words into physical mediums for instant casting. The crafter physically carves the glyph roots into the item.

  • Time Cost: 1 Full Day (3 Time Slots) per crafting attempt. Consumes 1 Anchor Material Cache.
  • Resolution: Refer to the Engrave Artifice Move. The crafter (or a willing ally) must also possess the necessary Formula/Root Words in their Grimoire to engrave them. Roll + Finesse or + Calculation and apply the shared hybrid model above.
  • Usage: Once crafted, triggering an Artifice item ignores the caster's Calculation limit, activates instantly, and requires no casting roll. However, it instantly costs 2 ticks on the Mana Track due to the inefficiency of pushing raw mana passively through a physical object.

[!TIP] Collaborative Crafting

Allies can help! An ally can spend a matching Time Slot to Assist the crafting roll (+1 to the roll), or supply the necessary magic (e.g., providing the Formula if the crafter hasn't learned it).

And Complex Material Caches cannot simply be bought — they often require the entire party to dedicate a Night slot to raid a dungeon, harvest from a dangerous beast, or steal from an Academy vault.