Forge (3.5e Class)

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When it comes to creating arms and armor, you are a master of your craft. Your expertise even lends itself to the practical usage of your creations, after all the best way to learn about how to make the best weapons is by using them!

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Forge

A Forge is muscular powerhouse who can hit hard, though without the finesse or expertise of many martial archetypes. Forges also bring some versatility to their party thanks to their ability to create specialized items.

Making a Forge

Abilities: The shaping of metal is tough work and as such a high Strength is of great importance to a Forge. Also a keen eye for detail and awareness is critical for a Forge, so most Forges have a high Wisdom.

Races: The first Forges were Dwarves, said to be gifted a holy understanding of metals from their god Moradin, though the knowledge now is possessed by most races that use metalworking, as each race studied the creation of metal weapons and armor these master artisans have arisen. Most Forges learn through apprenticeship under an experienced Forge, but some rare prodigies come into the skills on their own.

Alignment: Any. Most Forges tend to be Lawful due to the order needed to maintain the highest standards of quality and consistency, but there is no requirement that they be a particular alignment.

Starting Gold: 5d6x10 gp; 165 gp average starting gold.

Starting Age: Moderate

Table: The Forge

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Break, Master Smith, Practiced
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+0	Battle Technique
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+1	Metalworking Specialty
4th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Muscles and Mind
5th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Shape Metal
6th	+4	+5	+2	+2	Diverse Crafting, Battle Technique
7th	+5	+5	+2	+2	Metalworking Specialty
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+2	Muscles and Mind
9th	+6/+1	+6	+3	+3	Fabrication
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+3	Battle Technique
11th	+8/+3	+7	+3	+3	Metalworking Specialty
12th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+4	Muscles and Mind
13th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+4	Blades Bar the Way
14th	+10/+5	+9	+4	+4	Battle Technique
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+5	+5	Metalworking Specialty
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Muscles and Mind
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	Forge's Blade
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Battle Technique
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	Metalworking Specialty
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Muscles and Mind
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Forge.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Forges are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Forges are proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor, and with shields and great shields.

Break (Ex): A Forge can see the stress lines and weaknesses of objects, and knows just where to hit to to break it. You may ignore up to 1 point of hardness per class level or gain a +1 bonus per class level to checks made to break or burst items.

Master Smith: A Forge is of course capable of creating magic weapons and armor. You gain Masterwork Smith as a bonus feat. You also gain a +5 competence bonus to Craft (metalsmith) checks. You also have an arcane caster level equal to your hit dice, though no spell list or spells known, allowing you to enchant magic items. Your caster level is used for your spell-like abilities, if any, and your Wisdom is used to determine your casting modifier for these effects.

Practiced: In order to best understand their products Forges practice using all the weapons and armor that they create. Forges are also proficient with any specific weapon or armor that they created or helped create. A Forge begins play with one +5 DC Improved Masterwork benefit on their armor or shield, and with one +5 DC Improved Masterwork benefit on their weapon.

Battle Technique (Ex): At 2nd level the Forge gains two battle techniques developed through their unparalleled understanding of materials and intense physical exertion. The Forge gains a two new battle techniques at 6th level and every four levels thereafter.

Heat Metal (Sp): A Forge needs no furnace to do their work. You gain the ability to cast heat metal as a spell-like ability at will. The DC for the spell is 12 + your Wisdom Modifier.

Heat Tolerance (Su): A Forge is no stranger to extreme heat. You gain Energy Resistance 10 against Fire. The value of the energy resistance granted increases to 20 points at 7th level and to a maximum of 30 points at 11th level. This protects the recipient’s equipment as well.

Heavy Lifting (Ex): Long hours spent hammering and shaping metal each day develops the muscles of a Forge to be able to carry a great deal of weight. You add your class level to your strength score for the purpose of determining your carrying capacity.

Heavy Strike (Ex): You gain Improved Power Attack. You may gain a +3 bonus on your melee damage rolls for every —2 penalty you take on your melee attack rolls (or +3 for every —1 penalty if wielding a two-handed weapon other than a double weapon). This benefit does not stack with the normal effects of Power Attack.

Hammer Swinger (Ex): You gain Supreme Power Attack. You may gain a +2 bonus on your melee damage rolls for every —1 penalty you take on your melee attack rolls (or +4 for every —1 penalty if wielding a two-handed weapon other than a double weapon). This benefit does not stack with the effects of Power Attack or Improved Power Attack. The Forge must have taken Heavy Strike already. May not be taken earlier than 10th level.

Item Breaker (Ex): You gain Improved Sunder as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. When you make a sunder attempt you deal an extra 1d6 points of bonus damage +1d6 per every 2 class levels after the first. This bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

Armor Breaker (Ex): The Forge discovers how to sunder armor being worn on the body. When making a sunder attack you may also target the opponents armor, instead of their shield or a held item. The Forge must have taken Item Breaker already.

Punch Through (Ex): The Forge discovers how to sunder armor being worn on the body while dealing damage to its user. If a sunder attempt versus the opponent's armor is successful then the wearer also takes damage equal to half the amount dealt to the armor. The Forge must have taken Item Breaker and Armor Breaker already.

Counter Smash (Ex): The Forge can sunder even on defense. When someone attempts to sunder your weapon and you make the opposed attack roll to defend you may add any bonuses you have to sunder checks, and if successful on the opposed check you instead deal damage to the opponents weapon as if you had successfully sundered it. The Forge must have taken Item Breaker already.

Steel Driver (Ex): The Forge can blast through fortifications and mountains through sheer power alone. You may use a digging tool or pick to reduce earth or stone to rubble, effectively gaining a burrow speed of 5' and which leaves a tunnel in place (assuming the surrounding material is able to support it, as this does not allow a Forge to breathe when buried). This is exhausting work and the Forge can only maintain it for 1 minute + 1 minute per Constitution modifier before needing to rest for a duration equal to the amount of time spent breaking rock. If you spend another minute working without adequate rest then you will become Exhausted. The Forge must have taken Item Breaker already.

Object Lesson (Ex): A Forge knows the weak points on objects. You may make critical hits and inflict precision damage on constructs, objects, plants, and the undead.

Swift Repairs (Sp): A Forge can effect repairs to damaged armor and weapons with blinding speed. You gain the ability to cast make whole as a spell-like ability usable once per level each day.

Tireless (Ex): A Forge's long hours pounding metal has built up an incredible endurance. You are immune to fatigue, with the exception of that when an effect would leave you exhausted you are fatigued instead. You gain Endurance as a bonus feat.

Unstoppable (Ex): You are immune to Fatigue and Exhaustion effects. The Forge must have taken Tireless already.

Weapon Focus (Ex): You gain the Weapon Focus FPL feat from Koumei's Feat Per Level list ^{http://tgdmb.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=57248}. With a week of practice you may reassign which weapons you favour.

You have a favourite weapon to use.

Select up to three weapons, such as "Short Sword, Battle Axe, Halberd". You gain a +2 bonus to hit and damage with them, and +4 to resist being deprived of these through Disarm or Sunder attempts.

At level ten, your threat range with such weapons is doubled.

Metalworking Specialty (Ex): A Forge's creations are unmatched. At 3rd level you can modify equipment to improve it using the original craft DC modified by any improvements, or build in special features to equipment during the creation process. When adding any benefits from the Improved Masterwork feat the Forge may ignore up to their class level in total DC modifiers (all cost modifiers still apply). You may select two of the specialty benefits listed below, and gains two new metalworking specialties at 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Scrap (Ex): A Forge can break down items into scrap materials for future items. So long as they are capable of damaging the item (as if they rolled maximum damage or rolled a 20 on the break DC), they can scrap any item up to one size category bigger than them in 10 minutes. You acquire the physical materials the majority of it is composed of, and add 1/2 of its market value as scrap for the purpose of building other items. For example, you can scrap 100 greatswords (50 gp each, for a total of 5000 gp) and gain 2500 gp of scrap for building any material composed of iron. Scrap itself is without value outside of the purposes of crafting physical materials.

Airtight (Ex): You craft a suit of armor which can seal completely air tight. This specialty takes up the head slot as a helmet is required (the helmet can be enchanted, but non-helmet head slot items will not do). With a move action you can lock your suit of armor airtight, making you immune to gases, water sealed, yet still able to see out of your visor. You have a limited air supply equal to the creator's class level in minutes. In addition while sealed you have more limited mobility, increasing your armor check penalty by 3, arcane spell failure by +10%, and reducing maximum Dex by 1. Cost is +3750, and the craft DC increases by +5.

Anchored (Ex): A Forge's armor is designed to enable the wearer to seamlessly keep their grip and stance locked and tight when desired while wearing gauntlets and greaves. While wearing anchored armor the wearer gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). This stacks with dwarven stability. The wearer also gains a +10 bonus against disarm attempts. This benefit does not stack with the use of a locked gauntlet. Cost is +2000 gp, and +5 to the craft DC.

Barbed (Ex): Any armor capable of being fitted with armor spikes can become barbed armor. Treat barbed armor has having armor spikes, but dealing 1d8 damage for medium size. A creature that strikes the wearer with a melee weapon, an unarmed strike, or a natural weapon takes the armor spike damage (1d8 for medium size) as piercing damage from the barbs. Melee weapons with reach do not endanger an attacker in this way. Barbed armor may be used as climbing tools granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Climb checks. If grappled, the opponent takes the armor's spike damage (1d8, no strength added) each time they attempt a grapple check. However, the barbed armor is also clumsy and difficult to wear. Donning barbed armor takes twice as long. The armor check penalty rises by +3, arcane spell failure increases by +10%, and maximum Dex bonus is reduced by 1. Cost is +3750, and the craft DC increases by +5.

Dragonbond (Ex): Any item made from dragon hide or scales can be made as dragonbond. Dragonbond armor and shields retain some of the elemental properties of the associated dragon it is made from, up to energy resistance 30. Cost increases by +2000 gp, and Craft DC rises by +1 for every 3 points of energy resistance added (maximum energy resistance 30 for 20,000 gp and +10 to the craft DC).

Mobile (Ex): You may craft armors that are so well-fitted and designed that they are treated as 1 armor category lighter (Heavy becomes Medium, Medium becomes Light, Light becomes non-armor) for all purposes; however, the weight and other characteristics of the armor are unchanged.

Quick-Don Armor (Ex): Quick-Don armor and shields are modified to be equipped very quickly, as seen below. Cost is +500 gp, and +5 to the craft DC.

Armor Type	Don	Don Hastily	Remove
Shield (any)	Free action	—	Free action
Non Armor	Move action	Swift action	Swift action
Light Armor	4 rounds	full round action	standard action
Medium Armor	1 minute1	4 rounds	2 rounds1
Heavy Armor	1 minute2	1 minute	1d4+2 rounds1
If the character has some help, cut this time in half. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent characters. Two characters can’t help each other don armor at the same time. The wearer must have help to don this armor. Without help, it can be donned only hastily.

Aligned (Ex): Crafted in hellfire and cooled in blood, or perhaps forged in purest light and doused in holy water- the manner of creation has bestowed a small essence of a planar trait upon your weapon. The weapon gains a permanent benefit of align weapon as the alignment chosen by the Forge in creation. Cost is +2500 gp and the craft DC increases by +5.

Battlecrafted (Ex): Battlecrafted weapons are even finer than masterwork, attuned for war. The weapon gains a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage instead of the usual +1 enhancement on attack masterwork grants. Cost is +2000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +5.

Bloodchanneling (Ex): Bloodchanneling weapons keep wounds bleeding even after the blow. An attack with a bloodchanneling weapon causes the target to bleed out 1 hp a round until they make a DC 15 Heal check, or get any form of curative magic such as from cure light wounds. This bleed damage does not stack with itself or other bleed damage. Cost is +3000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +5.

Brutal (Ex): Brutal weapons are slashing weapons designed with sawed teeth and jagged or serrated edges for extra damage on a critical hit. The weapon gains an additional 1d6 points of damage if it is a x2 weapon, 2d6 for a x3 weapon, and 3d6 for a x4 weapon. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. Cost is +3000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +5.

Chaos (Ex): Chaos weapons have a prismatic oily sheen from being alchemically treated metal to possess a mutable characteristic. When a chaos weapon deals damage to a creature with damage reduction the weapon's metal subtly alters and gains the ability to penetrate that creature's damage reduction(s) for 24 hours or until it is cleaned or damages a creature with a different damage reduction and is altered to negate that damage reduction instead. Cost is +2500 gp and the craft DC increases by +10.

Powerforged Weapon (Ex): Powerforged weapons are designed big, unwieldy, but very powerful. The weapon deals damage one size category larger, but doubles in weight, requires a minimum Str 13 to use, and gives a -1 penalty on attack rolls. Cost is +3000 gp and the craft DC increases by +5.

Runecrafted (Ex): Runecrafted weapons have etched in channels for arcane magical energy to flow, granting boons to those who can control the supernatural. If a person with arcane spellcasting ability and either an available arcane spell slot, spell-like ability, or prepared spell of 1st level or higher, uses a runecrafted weapon they may as a standard action make a rune strike, gaining a bonus on their attack roll equal to their highest level spell available or prepared, as well as extra damage equal to 1d4 points x the level of the spell available or prepared. Cost is +1000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +10.

Skycraft (Ex): Skycraft weapons are meant to be thrown. Thrown weapons double their range increment (weapons without a throwing range gain a throwing range of 10 ft). In addition, two-handed weapons may be thrown as a standard action. Skycraft weapons benefit from lighter weight, mithral weapons triple their range increment (mithral skycraft weapons without a throwing range gain a throwing range of 30 ft), and two-handed weapons may be thrown as an attack action. Cost is +2000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +5. For mithral and other lightweight material weapons, cost is +6000 gp, and the craft DC increases to +10.

Muscles and Mind (Ex): At 4th level Forges become ever stronger the more they refine their craft and their eye for detail also becomes more profound. You gain a +1 bonus to Strength and a +1 bonus to Wisdom, and every additional 4 levels you gain another +1 bonus to Strength and a +1 bonus to Wisdom.

Shape Metal (Sp): At 5th level Forges can reshape metal not just with their muscles, but just through sheer magical will. You gain the ability to cast metal shape as a spell-like ability usable 3 times per day. Treat this as wood shape, except that it can only affect metals instead of wood. Metals so affected also are affected as though heat metal was cast upon it. The DC for the spell is 12 + your Wisdom Modifier.

Diverse Crafting: At 6th level the Forge starts to branch out into creating other types of items beyond weapons and armor. You can enchant magic items as though you had all the prerequisite feats if you have at least 9 ranks in the appropriate craft skill. You still need to meet the other prerequisites for this, such as caster level and spells known, or have a large supply of scrolls or wands that meet those requirements for you. You also receive a +5 competence bonus to any Craft skills you have ranks in. You can enchant magic items as though you knew every spell if you have at least 14 ranks in the appropriate craft skill.

Fabrication (Sp): At 9th level a Forge can magically reshape not just metal but any material they are familiar with crafting. You gain the ability to cast fabricate as a spell-like ability usable 3 times per day.

Blades Bar the Way (Sp): At 13th level a Forge can manifest the essence of their past creations, generating a barrier of swirling force weapons. You gain the ability to cast blade barrier as a spell-like ability usable 3 times per day. The DC for the spell is 16 + your Wisdom Modifier.

Forge's Blade (Sp): At 17th level a Forge can manifest their favourite weapon as an animate force weapon. You gain the ability to cast mage's sword as a spell-like ability usable 3 times per day. The attack ability for this spell uses the Forge's Wisdom modifier rather than Intelligence or Charisma. The weapon deals 4d6+3 damage as the spell, but the weapon's threat range and critical multiplier are determined by the weapon chosen by the Forge.

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