Enchanting Skill System

Creating a magic item was always problematic as far as I could remember in 2e. There was this very interesting spell called enchant an item which had a really long description that didn’t tell you anything.

The enchanting framework is designed to balance the ability to craft an item without players wanting to throw every magic item into the wood chipper for resources.

A magic item should take a few sessions to acquire, craft and complete.

Crafting a Magic Item: ‘Gates & Fates’ system

There are four steps in the process of creating a magic item:

Formula (Lore Gate)
Essence (Material Gate)
Work (Crafting Gate)
Ritual (Fate Gate)

How to Use This

Pick Rarity: Decide item tier (from DMG or other source).
Slot Into Gates:
- Formula = how do PCs learn to make it?
- Essence = what unique component powers it?
- Work = downtime, gp, skill/tool checks.
- Ritual = dramatic test with risk or skill
Play Across 3–4 Sessions: Each gate can be an adventure hook, downtime scene, or climactic ritual.

Specialization Tracks (Fates)

Magic items require a special set of skills and research depending on what they are used for. The knowledge and artisanal ability requires dedication and a player must decide on a course of study among the following disciplines:

Scribner: scrolls, spellbooks.
Wandwright: wands, staves.
Enchanter of Adornment: rings, amulets, tattoos.
Runesmith: armor, shields, temporary buffs (runestones)
Spellforger: weapons.
Artificer of Wonders: bags, carpets, soul gems, figurines.

Number of Disciplines

Each caster/artisan chooses one discipline to master — so they can’t make everything, just their specialty except artificers, who may choose three. Artificers who are dual class may only choose two.

Artificers may learn an additional discipline but must be at the appropriate skill level AND have the appropriate class level (at levels 5 and 8).

Progressing as an Enchanter

Every time an item or batch (potions/scrolls) is successfully enchanted, the enchanter gets 1 XP.

Enchanting Level	XP Range (⅓ Herbalism)	Title	Perks & Unlocks
1	0–35 XP	Apprentice	• May disenchant common and uncommon items.• May craft Common magical items (scrolls, +1 ammo, potions) under supervision or with a recipe.
2	36–85 XP	Journeyman	• Gain proficiency with one Gate (choose Weapons, Armor, Wands, Jewelry, Curios).• May craft Uncommon items without supervision.• Learn Identify by Touch (no spell slot needed once/day).
3	86–165 XP	Adept	• Artificers reaching level 5 may choose proficiency with a second Gate.• May disenchant Rare items safely (no mishap chance).• Unlock Augmentation Ritual: add 1 minor property (glow, sound, insignia) when crafting.
4	166–300 XP	Master	• Artificers reaching level 8 may choose proficiency with two additional Gates (total of 3).• May craft Rare items and socket gear (Jewelcrafting integration).• Unlock Efficiency: reduce crafting cost by 10% and time by 1 workweek (minimum 1).
5	301–450 XP	Grandmaster	• May craft Very Rare items, including custom combinations (DM discretion).• True Disenchant: may recover 1 additional essence from any item (once/day).
6 (Optional Epic Tier)	451+ XP	Artificer-Savant	• Unlock Masterwork Rituals (legendary & artifact upgrades).• Crafting cost reduced by 25%.• Crafting time halved.• May embed a personal signature effect into every crafted item (small mechanical or cosmetic flourish).

Examples by Rarity for DMs:

Common Item (e.g. Potion of Healing, Moon-Touched Sword)

Simple: found in a book, purchased cheaply, or learned from mentor.
Basic reagents (arcane dust, alchemical salts).
3–7 days, 50–100 gp.
Arcana DC 10; low risk.
Find a hedge-mage’s recipe; harvest herbs by moonlight.

Uncommon (e.g. Bag of Holding, Boots of Elvenkind, Wand of Magic Missiles)

Minor quest: retrieve scroll from ruined tower, bargain with guild apprentice.

Creature parts (imp horn, owlbear feather, elemental ash).
2–3 weeks, 250–500 gp.
Arcana DC 13; fail = flawed item (reduced uses).
Hunt an owlbear for feathers; steal formula from rival.

Rare (e.g. Wand of Fireballs, Cloak of Displacement, +2 Weapon)

Significant quest arc: raid old mage guild, bargain with extraplanar being, uncover lost notes.

Monster core or rare resource (fire elemental heart, dragon scale, meteor iron).
1–2 months, 2,000–5,000 gp.
Arcana DC 15 + Con/secondary skill; fail = loss of essence or cursed item.
Defeat fire elemental; harvest meteor iron, etc

Very Rare (e.g. +3 Weapon, Vorpal Sword, Ring of Regeneration)

Major campaign arc: temple library, lich’s phylactery, divine vision.
Planar shard, elder dragon part, or unique reagent.
3–6 months, 10,000–20,000 gp.
Arcana DC 18; failure = catastrophic mishap.
Shard of Elemental Plane; heartsblood of an ancient wyrm.

Legendary (e.g. Staff of the Magi, Holy Avenger)

Unique story quest: divine quest, pact with archfey, or god’s trial.
One-of-a-kind essence (starfall fragment, demon lord’s essence, soul of titan).
1 year+ (often campaign climax).
Arcana DC 20+; fate roll decides success/failure/twist.
Bind a fallen star; siphon essence of balor.

Artifact (Eye/Hand of Vecna, Book of Vile Darkness)

DM fiat — items exist by story only, not craft.
Unique divine/primordial essence.
N/A — campaign-defining.
Outcome is narrative, not mechanical.
Story artifacts tied to gods or primordial forces.

Recipes

Masterwork Item – a suit of armor, a weapon, a finely carved staff or wand, properly attuned vials, or a magically prepared sheet of vellum
Binding Agent – holds the magical essence to the masterwork item
Catalyst – a material with magical and non-magical properties which provides the ‘spark’ of the enchantment
Magical Substitutes – essences of magical substances which can provide the same functionality as Binding Agents and Catalysts but with some chance of failure. Ideal when the prime ingredients cannot be sourced.

Masterwork Item Requirements

“Masterwork” means the item is of superior material, craftsmanship, and preparation — ready to bear magical power without warping, shattering, or fading. Each category has its own requirements.

Scrolls (Masterwork Vellum)

Requirement	Details
Material	Fine vellum treated with special alchemical baths, dusted with powdered silver or pearl, and pressed under arcane seals to hold enchantment.
Cost	25 gp × spell level (cantrip scrolls cost 10 gp).
Time	1 day per spell level to prepare.
Procurement	Can be purchased from a scribe’s guild, wizard’s college, or prepared by a skilled enchanter with access to an alchemy lab.
Notes	Scrolls not made with masterwork vellum have a 50% chance to fade or misfire when magic is infused.

Potions (Masterwork Flask)

Requirement	Details
Material	Blown-glass or crystal flask with alchemical seal; stopper treated to prevent magical leakage.
Cost	10 gp per potion level or rarity tier (uncommon, rare, etc.).
Time	1 day to cleanse and align flask.
Procurement	Purchased from an alchemist, apothecary, or created with glassblower’s tools and alchemical supplies.
Notes	A normal flask risks losing potency after 1d4 weeks unless kept in a magically warded chest.

Weapons (Masterwork Blanks)

Requirement	Details
Material	Forged of superior steel, mithral, or equivalent — perfectly balanced, flawless edge, no cracks.
Cost	5× PHB cost (minimum 250 gp).
Time	2× normal crafting time (per PHB rules, usually 20 days for a longsword → 40 days).
Procurement	Requires a trained weaponsmith and forge. Can also be found as heirlooms or rare stock in dwarven or elven forges.
Notes	Poor-quality weapons cannot hold an enchantment; enchanting them risks warping or shattering the blade.

Armor (Masterwork Suits)

Requirement	Details
Material	Hand-fitted, forged or sewn from superior materials — plates fitted to within a hair’s breadth, leather tanned with rare oils.
Cost	5–10× PHB cost (e.g., 7,500 gp for plate).
Time	2–3× normal crafting time (can take months for plate or half-plate).
Procurement	Armorsmith of exceptional skill; may require a quest to find one (especially in frontier areas).
Notes	Masterwork armor often bears smith marks and family crests — roleplay hooks for noble or famous makers.

Jewelry / Rings / Amulets

Requirement	Details
Material	Pure gold/silver alloy, no flaws, cut gemstones free of cracks or occlusions.
Cost	Minimum 50 gp per item + gem cost.
Time	1–2 workweeks.
Procurement	Jeweler’s guild, dwarven gemcutter, or self-crafted with Jeweler’s Tools proficiency.
Notes	Cheap alloys corrode and lose magical charge within weeks.

Wands / Rods / Staves

Requirement	Details
Material	Heartwood of specific trees (yew, ash, oak), seasoned for a full moon cycle, polished with alchemical wax.
Cost	50 gp + 25 gp × rarity tier.
Time	2–4 workweeks.
Procurement	Requires woodworker or wandwright’s skill; occasionally found as rare blanks.
Notes	Inferior blanks have a 20% chance to warp during the infusion ritual.

Curios / Wondrous Items

Requirement	Details
Material	Specially prepared container, statuette, or item designed for holding magic.
Cost	Variable: 2× mundane equivalent cost.
Time	At least 1 workweek for uncommon items.
Procurement	May require unique artisan (toy maker, weaver, jeweler).
Notes	Can be creatively themed — e.g., bag of holding requiring “hollow-stitched moon leather.”

Binding and Catalysts

Bindings and catalysts are ingredients which fuse and maintain the magical energies within a masterwork item.

Binding Agents

(Always required — holds the magical essence to the masterwork item)

Binding Agent	Description	Typical Use	Cost & Acquisition
Moonwater Resin	Alchemical resin infused with moonlight under a silver bowl for 3 nights.	General purpose binding — scrolls, wands, jewelry.	50 gp per dose, made with Alchemist’s Supplies (DC 15).
Sunhammer Oil	Viscous oil mixed with powdered gold and volcanic ash.	Weapons and armor forging, flame-themed items.	75 gp per dose, from dwarf forges or elemental markets.
Dreamer’s Salve	Blue-gray paste mixed with myconid spores.	Psychic, enchantment, or dream-related items.	100 gp per dose, harvested from Underdark myconid groves.
Ashen Wax	Candle wax blackened with Shadowfell incense.	Necromantic, shadow, or curse-related enchantments.	150 gp per dose, requires planar ritual.
Golden Soot	Dust scraped from a consecrated forge chimney.	Defensive items, shields, resistance gear.	Rare — acquired as a quest reward or by befriending a master smith.

Catalysts

(Preferred magical fuel — determines the “spark” of the enchantment)

Catalyst	Description	Typical Use	Cost & Acquisition
Dragonbone Dust	Ground from a dragon bone, holds elemental resonance.	Elemental weapons, wands of damage spells.	250 gp/dose; harvested from dragon remains.
Phoenix Ash	Ash from a phoenix’s rebirth pyre.	Healing, fire, or revival items.	500 gp/dose; quest-level reward.
Starlight Quartz	Crystal exposed to starlight for 3 nights.	Jewelry, teleportation, protective wards.	250 gp/dose; mined from special veins, charged by ritual.
Frostvein Crystal	Ice shard from glacial caverns.	Cold resistance armor, frost weapons.	200 gp/dose; expedition-only material.
Cinder Pearl	Obsidian-like pearl near magma vents.	Fire-themed items, explosive effects.	300 gp/dose; dangerous to harvest.
Planar Ink	Metallic ink distilled from extraplanar ichor.	Scrolls, planar keys, summoning items.	100 gp × spell level; requires planar residue.

Both are required in the fabrication of a magic item, however, substitutes are available when the original article aren’t available but substitutes require a DC check where Primary Sources do not. The following table explains the ingredients and rituals necessary to create/recommended cost to procure – feel free to tailor in your campaign.

Type	Component	Primary Source (Preferred)	Substitute (Requires Enchanting/Alchemy Check)
Binding Agent	Moonwater Resin	Harvested from rare moonlight-blooming sap trees or purchased from alchemist guilds.	Mix silver dust + distilled river water under full moon; DC 15 Alchemy check.
Binding Agent	Sunhammer Oil	Found at master smithies, dwarven forges, or volcanic regions.	3:1 blend of lamp oil, sulfur powder, and Ignis herbs; DC 14 Smith’s Tools check.
Binding Agent	Dreamer’s Salve	Myconid circles, psychic creature residue (e.g. quori, aboleths).	Grind lavender, opium poppy, and rare dreamroot; DC 16 Herbalism check.
Binding Agent	Ashen Wax	Shadowfell rituals, night hag trade, cult caches.	Beeswax + charcoal from desecrated temple fire; DC 16 Religion or Arcana check.
Binding Agent	Golden Soot	Cleared from a consecrated forge chimney or temple brazier.	Burn sanctified incense + gold leaf in a brazier, scrape residue; DC 15 Religion check.
Catalyst	Dragonbone Dust	Bones of any true dragon, dragonkin (wyverns, drakes), or giant lizard of 8+ HD.	Powdered eggshells + Ignis herbs + alchemist’s salt; DC 18 Alchemy check.
Catalyst	Phoenix Ash	Sites of phoenix rebirths, high-level fire elementals, or celestial bird nests.	Mix cinder pearl dust + radiant herb extract + bless spell; DC 18 Arcana check.
Catalyst	Starlight Quartz	Found in surface quarries and left under open night sky for 3 nights.	Enchant any clear quartz with faerie fire + moonlight exposure; DC 14 Arcana check.
Catalyst	Frostvein Crystal	Shards from glacial caves, white dragon lairs, or frost giant domains.	Freeze alchemical water with ray of frost spell, seed with quartz chip; DC 16 check.
Catalyst	Cinder Pearl	Volcanic vents, elemental rifts, or red dragon hoards.	Melt obsidian bead + Ignis herb + fire elemental essence; DC 18 Smith/Arcana check.
Catalyst	Planar Ink	Distilled ichor from extraplanar creature or trace residue near portal.	Mix midnight lotus + silver nitrate + pinch of planar essence (any conjuration spell cast during brewing); DC 17 Arcana check.

Magical Substitutes

Component	Preferred Resource	Substitute	Rule
Binding Agent	Choose 1 from Binding Agent table	Magical Essence (matching item’s effect)	Requires 1 additional essence beyond recipe (represents volatility).
Catalyst	Choose 1 from Catalyst table	Spell Slot Infusion	Spend spell slots totaling double the catalyst’s effective level.Example: A 2nd-level scroll needs catalyst + spell imbue. If no catalyst is available, spend the scroll’s spell slot plus one extra of equal level or two lower-level slots.
Special Case: Very Rare	High-cost catalysts	Both Essence + Double Slot	To prevent trivial bypass — requires 2× rarity essence + double slots or risk mishap check.

Key Takeaways

Masterwork = Time + Cost + Craftsmanship. It’s not just expensive, it’s narratively special.
Category-Specific: Each item type feels unique — scrolls smell of ink and vellum, armor is an artisan’s masterpiece.
Quest Hooks: High-end gear often forces the PCs to find a master smith, scribe, or artisan — turning crafting into a story.
Economic Sink: Gold multiplier keeps PCs spending, preventing hoarding and encouraging engagement.

Disenchanting

There are times when coming across a magical items opens up thoughts of using it’s magical essences for more useful items. This is where disenchanting skill comes in. Disenchanting is part of the Enchanting skill, and not a separate skill system.

Disenchanting should be a thoughtful and strategic process even in high-magic density campaigns.

Disenchanting does not, itself, provide XP but rather resources for further Enchanting.

Step	Check / Cost	Result
1. Prepare Item	1 hour ritual per rarity tier (minimum 1 hour)	Item is made inert and ready to dismantle
2. Focused Extraction	Arcana check (DC by rarity):Uncommon DC 12, Rare DC 15, Very Rare DC 18	Success → Full essence yield (per Matrix).Failure → Half yield (round down).Nat 1 → Item destroyed, no yield.
3. Stabilize Essence	Jeweler’s Tools or Enchanter’s Kit check (DC 12)	Failure → 50% chance of corrupted essence (usable only for curses or unstable rituals)
4. Salvage Mundane Parts	Smith’s Tools / Leatherworker’s Tools / Tinker’s Tools check (optional)	Allows reclaiming 50% base material cost in gold value

Mishaps

Optional Mishap Table (on Natural 1)

d6	Mishap
1	Item explodes — 1d6 force damage per rarity tier in 10-ft radius
2	Essence backlashes — caster stunned until end of next turn
3	Essence warps — produces a cursed essence (DM decides effect)
4	Partial salvage — 1 random essence only
5	Planar echo — minor planar rift forms, attracts extraplanar entity
6	Item inert — no essence, but mundane parts are intact

Resources

Disenchanting an item renders the component items as follows when successful. When results indicate 1/2 yield, then choose (or roll) whether the Binding Agent or Catalyst was produced.

Item Type	Typical Yield (on Success)	Notes
Weapons & Armor	1× Binding Agent (Sunhammer Oil, Golden Soot) + 1× Catalyst (Dragonbone Dust or Cinder Pearl)	Thematically matches weapon element or armor’s resistance type.
Rings, Amulets, Jewelry	1× Binding Agent (Moonwater Resin, Dreamer’s Salve) + 1× Catalyst (Starlight Quartz)	Small items usually yield refined, high-value components.
Wands, Rods, Staves	1× Binding Agent + 1× Catalyst (Dragonbone Dust, Planar Ink, etc.)	Choose catalyst based on spell school or damage type.
Scrolls	1× Binding Agent (Moonwater Resin or Planar Ink)	Scroll is consumed in the process.
Potions, Oils	1× Binding Agent (Moonwater Resin, Dreamer’s Salve)	Usually no catalyst unless the potion was very rare.
Curios / Wondrous Items	1× Random Binding Agent or Catalyst	Roll randomly or choose what’s most useful narratively.
Failed Salvage (Nat 1)	1× Magical Essence only (volatile)	Can replace either a Binding or Catalyst, but raises DC by +2 when used.

Example Applications of Disenchanting Items

+1 Weapon (Uncommon)

Crafting: Masterwork Weapon + 1 Sunhammer Oil (binding) + 1 Dragonbone Dust (catalyst).
Disenchanting: Returns 1 Dragonbone Dust but no Sunhammer Oil.

Ring of Protection (Rare)

Crafting: Masterwork Ring + 2 Moonwater Resin (bindings) + 2 Starlight Quartz (catalysts).
Disenchanting: Returns 2 Starlight Quartz but loses both Moonwater Resin.

Wand of Fireballs (Rare)

Crafting: Masterwork Wand Shaft + 1 Moonwater Resin + 1 Aetherplume + 1 Emberglass.
Disenchanting: Returns 1 Aetherplume + 1 Emberglass but no Moonwater Resin.