FEG902

MODULE 2

The Arcane Smith

Iain Fyffe
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THE ARCANE SMITH DESCRIPTION

In the folklore of many of the world’s cultures, Arcane smiths are masters of iron and flame . Their
smiths are ascribed certain supernatural powers, magical ability comes from their intimate
ranging from incredible luck to the ability to cast relationship with fire and the materials they work
curses upon their foes, and of course their mastery of with. Arcane smiths are experts in the forging of
fire and steel. As such, they were viewed magical weapons, armour, rods and rings; that is,
suspiciously, if not reviled outwardly, despite their magic items made of metal. They are also experts in
clear importance in society as the workers of iron fiery magic.
and steel.
Adventures: Arcane smiths seek magical
The Arcane Smith presents a 20-level basic class that knowledge as much as any other arcane spellcaster.
builds upon this folklore and integrates it into the They ensure that their parties are well-equipped
d20 System. Clearly smiths would not be the object magically before undertaking a quest, and are the
of open scorn in a highly magical society, so that first to inspect any magical items that may be found
particular aspect is downplayed. The arcane smith on their journeys.
is a unique spellcaster who specializes in the
creation, and sometimes the destruction, of certain
types of magical items.

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Playerʹs Handbook, Third Edition, published
by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ‘d20 Systemʹ and the ʹd20 Systemʹ logo are trademarks of
Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License
version 6.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com/d20.
 THE ARCANE SMITH
Table 1: The Arcane Smith
Base Fort Ref Will Spells per Day
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st +0 +2 +0 +0 Fire resistance (5), hammer focus 2 - - - - -

2nd +1 +3 +0 +0 Masterwork bonus 3 0 - - - -
3rd +2 +3 +1 +1 Luck of the smith (+1) 3 1 - - - -
4th +3 +4 +1 +1 Fire resistance (10) 3 2 - - - -
5th +3 +4 +1 +1 Craft magic arms and armour 4 2 0 - - -
6th +4 +5 +2 +2 Identify magic arms and armour 4 3 1 - - -
7th +5 +5 +2 +2 Disenchant 4 3 2 - - -
8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +2 Craft rod, luck of the smith (+2) 4 3 2 0 - -
9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +3 Identify rod 5 4 3 1 - -
10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +3 Fire resistance (15) 5 4 3 2 - -
11th +8/+3 +7 +3 +3 Bestow curse 5 4 3 2 0 -
12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Forge ring 5 4 4 3 1 -
13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Identify ring, luck of the smith (+3) 5 4 4 3 2 -
14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +4 6 4 4 3 2 0
15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +5 Fire resistance (20) 6 4 4 4 3 1
16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 6 4 4 4 3 2
17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 Magical masterworks 6 4 4 4 3 2
18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 Luck of the smith (+4) 6 4 4 4 4 3
19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 6 4 4 4 4 3
20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 Fire resistance (25) 6 4 4 4 4 4

Characteristics: Arcane smiths rely heavily on their Background: An arcane smith generally begins his
arcane magic. Though their spell selection is rather careers as a blacksmith’s apprentice, usually at quite
limited, their abilities with respect to magical items a young age. Less frequently, a young wizard’s
made of metal and their affinity for fire are their apprentice or burgeoning sorcerer might take up the
greatest strengths. hammer and anvil. Arcane smiths have a good
degree of camaraderie amongst each other, and
Alignment: Arcane smiths may be of any alignment. often have an elitist attitude towards “mundane”
There is a slight tendency towards law, reflecting the blacksmiths. These blacksmiths return the hard
arcane smith’s power to shape metal into forms that feelings with a good amount of suspicion and
he chooses. mistrust.

Religion: Arcane smiths worship at the anvil of the Races: Arcane smiths are found among all sentient
God of Fire and Blacksmiths. They share many races. They are particularly common among
convictions and morals in common with dwarves. dwarves and gnomes. Depending on your
Some also pay heed to the Goddess of Magic. campaign, it may be appropriate to treat the arcane
smith class as the favoured class for one or both of
these races. A career as an arcane smith could be a
 THE ARCANE SMITH
much more respectable choice for a dwarf than a and warhammers, light and medium armour, and
career as a wizard or sorcerer. shields (except tower shields).

Other Classes: Arcane smiths are most useful when An arcane smith can cast spells while wearing light
working with other classes. Enchanted weapons are or medium armour without incurring the normal
far more effective when they are in the hands of a arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other
fighter, for instance. There can be a degree of rivalry arcane spellcaster, an arcane smith wearing heavy
between arcane smiths and other arcane spellcasters, armour or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane
as some of their abilities overlap, though the arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic
smith is more focused in his abilities. component. A multiclassed arcane smith still incurs
the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane
Role: Arcane smiths provide some combat ability, as spells received from other classes.
well as some offensive spellcasting ability, to a party.
At higher levels, arcane smiths are useful for the Spells: An arcane smith casts arcane spells, which
magical items they can craft for the other party are drawn from the arcane smith spell list (see
members. below). An arcane smith can cast any spell on the
arcane smith spell list, provided he can cast spells of
GAME RULE INFORMATION that level, but he must choose which spells to
Arcane smiths have the following game statistics. prepare each day.

Abilities: Intelligence is important to an arcane To prepare or cast a spell, an arcane smith must have
smith. It determines how many spells per day he an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell
can cast, and how hard those spells are to resist. It is level (Int 10 for 0-level spells, Int 11 for 1st-level
also the key ability for the Craft skill, which is very spells, etc). The DC for a saving throw against an
important to the class. A high Constitution score arcane smith’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the
improves the arcane smith’s hit points, and a high arcane smith’s Int modifier.
Strength is useful in combat situations.
Alignment: Any. Like other spellcasters, an arcane smith can cast only
Hit Die: d8. a certain number of spells of each spell level per day.
His base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1:
Class Skills The Arcane Smith. In addition, he receives bonus
The arcane smith’s class skills (and the key ability spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.
associated with each skill) are Appraise (Int), When Table 1 indicates that the arcane smith gets 0
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), spells per day of a given spell level (for instance,
Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Use 1st-level spells for a 2nd-level arcane smith), he
Magic Device (Cha). gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4. based on his Intelligence score for that spell level.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int
modifier. Arcane Smith Spell List
Arcane smiths choose their spells from the following
Class Features list:
All of the following are class features of the arcane 0-level: arcane mark, create water, dancing lights, daze,
smith. detect magic, flare, light, mending.
1st-level: burning hands, endure elements, faerie fire,
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: An arcane smith identify, mage armour, magic weapon, produce flame.
is proficient with all simple weapons, light hammers
 THE ARCANE SMITH
2nd-level: continual flame, flame blade, flaming sphere, that must be met are the Caster Level minimum
glitterdust, heat metal, pyrotechnics, resist energy, (which is met using the character’s arcane smith
scorching ray. class levels), and the Craft Magic Arms and Armour
3rd-level: daylight, explosive runes, fireball, flame feat. The arcane smith does not need access to any
arrow, keen edge, magic weapon (greater), protection from of the prerequisite spells, nor does he need to meet
energy, quench. any other requirements.
4th-level: fire shield, fire trap, rusting grasp, wall of fire.
5th-level: delayed blast fireball, fabricate, flame strike, For example, to create a brilliant energy weapon, an
wall of iron . arcane smith must have 16 class levels (because the
Caster Level for the item is 16), and must have the
Bonus Languages: An arcane smith’s bonus Craft Magic Arms and Armour feat (which all
language options include Ignan, the language of arcane smiths gain at 5th level). He does not need
fire-based creatures, and Dwarven. These choices access to gaseous form or continual flame, which are
are in addition to the bonus languages available to normally required. His expertise with creating
the character due to his race. magical weapons is such that he is able to imbue the
weapon with magical abilities without having
Fire Resistance (Ex): An arcane smith has the ability access to the requisite spells.
to ignore some fire damage each round. It doesn’t
matter whether the source of the damage is magical The amount of time required for an arcane smith to
or mundane. Beginning at 1st level, an arcane smith enhance a weapon, suit or armour, or shield is one-
ignores the first 5 points of fire damage he takes each half of that listed in the Craft Magic Arms and
round. This amount increases to 10 points per round Armour feat description. Therefore an arcane smith
at 4th level, 15 points per round at 10th level, 20 takes one day for each 2,000 gp in the price of the
points per round at 15th level, and 25 points per item’s magical features. The XP cost for an arcane
round at 20th level. smith is one-quarter of that listed in the feat
description. Therefore, the cost to an arcane smith is
Hammer Focus (Ex): When wielding a light hammer 1/100 of the item’s features’ total price, in XP. The
or warhammer, an arcane smith receives the benefit cost of raw materials consumed remains the same.
of the Weapon Focus feat (that is, he gains a +1 bonus
to all attack rolls made with the weapon). An arcane smith receives the Craft Rod feat at 8th
level, and the Forge Ring feat at 12th level. The rules
Masterwork Bonus (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, an detailed above for Craft Magic Arms and Armour
arcane smith receives a +4 competency bonus when apply to these feats as well.
using the Craft skill to make a masterwork weapon,
or masterwork armour. Identify Magic Items (Sp): At 6th level, an arcane
smith can use identify at will, as the spell. However,
Luck of the Smith (Su): At 3rd level, an arcane smith the type of magic item that this can be used on
receives a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws. This depends on the arcane smith’s level. At 6th level, he
bonus increases by +1 for each 5 additional levels the can use it on magic arms and armour; at 9th level, he
arcane smith attains (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, may also use it on rods; and at 13th level, he may
and +4 at 18th level). also use it on rings.

Craft Magic Items (Ex): At 5th level, an arcane smith Disenchant (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, an arcane
receives the Craft Magic Arms and Armour feat. As smith is able to disenchant certain types of magical
such, he can create any magic weapon, armour or items. Since in some ways it is easier to take
shield whose prerequisites he meets. However, in something apart than it is to put it back together, an
the case of the arcane smith, the only prerequisites arcane smith can attempt to disenchant any magic
 THE ARCANE SMITH
weapon, armour, or shield, or a rod or ring, at 7th need be invested in the item to grant it an
level, even if he is not yet able to create it. An enhancement bonus. The enhancement bonus of the
attempt to disenchant an item takes as long as it weapon or armour depends on the result of the Craft
would to create the item, if the arcane smith were check used to create the masterwork item (see
able to create the item. below). If the Craft check does not exceed 20, the
masterwork item is not created, and therefore no
To disenchant an item, an arcane smith makes a class magical item results.
level check (that is, a d20 roll added to his class level)
modified by his Intelligence modifier. The DC Craft check Enhancement bonus
depends on the type of item: 20 +1
• The DC for a magic weapon, armour or shield is 28 +2
24 plus the equivalent weapon or armour bonus 36 +3
based on the magical properties of the item. 45 +4
• The DC for a rod is 30, plus the number by which 55 +5
the Caster Level for the rod exceeds 8. If the
Caster Level of the rod is 8 or less, the DC is 30.
• The DC for a ring is 35, plus the number by which
the Caster Level of the ring exceeds 12. If the
Caster Level of the ring is 12 or less, the DC is 35.

If this check is unsuccessful, the arcane smith cannot

try to disenchant the particular item again until he
gains another class level.
The Arcane Smith
If the check is successful, the item loses all magical Second Edition
enhancements, though it is not destroyed and can be
re-enchanted if so desired. In addition, the
disenchantment procedure “releases” one-half of the Credits
XP that were invested in creating the item originally.
The arcane smith can then use these released XP in Written and Designed by Iain Fyffe
creating another magical item. However, he must Edited by Sean Dunphy
use them quickly, or they will be lost. The arcane
smith has a number of days equal to his class level to
use these XP in creating another magic item, or they Copyright and Trademark Information
are forever lost.
The Arcane Smith is 8 Iain Fyffe, 2006. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of non-Open Game Content of this work by
An arcane smith can elect to disenchant an item
any means without permission is expressly prohibited.
without releasing XP in this manner. In that case, The Arcane Smith is presented under the Open Game
the DC of the disenchantment is decreased by 5. License version 1.0a. Dungeons & Dragons, Player’s
Handbook, and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of
Bestow Curse (Sp): Beginning at 11th level, an Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other
arcane smith may use bestow curse once per day, as countries and are used with permission. Fifth Element
the spell. Games is a trademark of Iain Fyffe, all rights reserved.

Magical Masterworks (Su): Beginning at 17th level, Contact Information

all masterwork weapons or armour crafted by an
Please contact us at info@5egames.com.
arcane smith are magical. No additional time or XP
Find us on the web at www.5egames.com.
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System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,
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The Arcane Smith Copyright 2006, Iain Fyffe.

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