Welcome to metallurgy! Aspiring blacksmiths and educated folk are advised to read up on this journal. Any self-respecting adventurer should know their gear like the back of their own hand!
Chapters
- Chapter 1: Alloying (Getting Bronze, Steel, etc.)
- Chapter 2: Forging (Making Weapons, Armor, Tools, etc.)
- Chapter 3: Recipes
- Chapter 4: Conclusion
Of course, the first step to making quality gear is to procure some quality metal! You can always find scraps of the stuff off of the undead, but what about making it yourself?
Option 1. Bronze
Although it takes more effort to obtain than iron, you’ll find that bronze is a much sturdier metal for your weapons, tools, and armor.
From personal experience, I’ve found a one-to-eight ratio of tin to copper metal is the best combination for your bronze. The process yields 4 bronze ingots per batch.
Option 2. Steel
Bronze gear will take you far, but it won’t hold its own against this world’s more oppressive threats. You’ll eventually need to upgrade to steel if you want to take down some more fearsome foe.
Carbon Steel: Better known for its incredible hardness, useful for hitting hard and taking heavy blows in return. I advise you to have a hefty pile of coal (36 for 9 ingots of iron) to serve as a necessary source of carbon. Higher contents of carbon result in harder steel, which is what we’re looking for! Melt the iron in the crucible and mix in the coal powder to carbonize the metal. The process yields 4 carbon steel ingots.
Stainless Steel: Notably resistant to corrosion, oxidation, and the elements. Perfect for fighting monsters especially. Prepare nine parts iron for one part chromium, and mix after melting in a crucible. The process yields 4 stainless steel ingots.
Option 3. Rare Metal Alloys
If not even steel is sufficient for the dangers lying ahead on your travels, look no further than this mighty selection of materials. The components for these will be more difficult to obtain than most other naturally occurring ore, so be prepared to spend some time and effort gathering them.
Tungsten Carbide: A material made of carbonized tungsten metal. Unlike its brittle, naturally-occurring counterpart, tungsten carbide is one of the hardest and most durable man-made materials. Similar to carbon steel, prepare a pile of coal (36 pieces) to carbonize four tungsten ingots. The process yields 4 tungsten carbide ingots.
Titanium Alloy: A material consisting primarily of titanium with a bit of aluminum. This crazy-lightweight metal can sustain damage similar to its much heavier rivals, and it barely feels like you’re carrying anything at all! Additionally, it boasts an innate resistance to elemental damage. Melt nine parts aluminum with four parts titanium in a crucible. The process yields 4 titanium alloy ingots.
So you’ve got yourself some high-quality metal. It’s still pretty useless in the shape it’s currently in (I guess you could throw it at someone really hard??) so let's get some casts ready and shape this metal into something more useful to you.
Part 1. Weapons
First up, the shortsword! This handy one-handed blade rests at the side of many self-respecting adventurers. It is versatile and respected for its slashing power and fast attacks.
Second, the claymore. This wide sweeping blade clears space with its large, devastating attacks. It’s a bit on the heavy side as far as weapons go, and must be wielded with both hands.
- Special attack: Circular Slash
Next up to bat is the battleaxe! It’s double-edged and short enough to use with one hand. If you’re determined enough, it can even be useful for chopping down trees or splitting timber, though I like it for splitting skulls.
The halberd is a lengthier two-handed weapon hailed for its lethal range. Its mass is concentrated towards its head, which sports a spear-like point in addition to an axe blade.
- Special attack: Thrust
The dagger itself is a very small weapon, notorious for its deadly fast attacks and precision. It’s concealable and light, allowing the wielder to unleash an unexpected flurry of attacks in order to decimate their target.
- Special attack: Combo Attack
Last, but not least: the rapier. Sometimes, your greatest enemy is the mean end of another's blade. This lengthy, piercing weapon is capable of easily deflecting blows and finishing off would-be assailants.
- Can parry (negates attack, knocks back assailant)
Part 2. Tools
Of course, life isn’t all about slaying monsters and gearing up. You’ll need a trusty set of tools to accompany you each and every day of your life.
Making a tool is as easy as making the right tool head and securing it to a proper tool handle, made from a stick and string.
Part 3. Armor and Other Accessories
Any adventurer looking to deal a few blows should anticipate taking a few too. This world is by no means a safe one, you’ll need to put some more layers on if you want to make it through in one piece.
First, you’ll need some flexible woven armor to pad your joints. You have two options, the tough and comfortable route.
- Boiled Leather: Tough (+2 armor toughness)
- Silk: Comfy (+2 max health)
Once you have your armor lining, you’ll need some armor plates. Plating is made from a solid block of any metal of your choice, surrounded by ingots on four sides. Apply this to your armor lining in a smithing table for a boost in protection.
- Bronze: Better than iron!
- Carbon Steel: Block rating & power (up to 50% chance to mitigate 40% of damage with all four pieces)
- Stainless Steel: PvE damage reduction (up to 40% with all four pieces)
- Tungsten Carbide: Physical damage reduction (up to 40% with all four pieces)
- Titanium Alloy: Elemental/magic damage reduction (up to 40% of elemental/magic damage reduced with all four pieces)
Additionally, players may want to add a trim to their armor. If you already have some plated armor begging for an upgrade, consider adding a trim for some beneficial stats!
- Looking to resist the heat? A full set of armor with an obsidian trim gives you permanent fire resistance!
- Donning a set of armor with the enchanted vine trim gives you permanent regeneration. Runes around the site where these vines supposedly grow have been translated to read “Nature’s Gift”. We currently have no evidence of these vines' existence besides what we have gathered from ancient manuscripts.
Shields are an additional piece of equipment any adventurer should consider. There are three popular designs for shields.
- The heater shield is shaped like a kite. It is wieldy and broad, allowing for both utility on the move and a large surface for absorbing strikes.
- The pavise is a large, oblong shield which covers the entire body. It is perfect for blocking stray missiles on the battlefield.
- The buckler is a smaller and lighter shield, which is more useful for parrying attacks than blocking projectiles.
| Item Name | Ingredient List + Crafting Recipe |
|---|---|
| Crucible For making alloys |
|
| Lapidary For cutting soul gems |
|
| Item Name | Ingredient List + Crafting Recipe |
|---|---|
| Tool Rod |
|
| Shortsword Billet |
5 ingots (bronze depicted below)
|
| Shortsword |
|
| Claymore Billet |
|
| Claymore |
|
| Battleaxe Head |
9 ingots
|
| Battleaxe |
|
| Spear Head |
3 ingots
|
| Axe Head |
3 ingots
|
| Halberd |
|
| Dagger Billet |
3 ingots
|
| Dagger |
|
| Rapier Billet |
3 ingots
|
| Handguard |
4 ingots
|
| Rapier |
|
| Bow Limb |
2 ingots
|
| Recurve Bow |
|
| Item Name | Ingredient List + Crafting Recipe |
|---|---|
| Tool Rod |
|
| Pickaxe Head |
3 ingots
|
| Pickaxe |
|
| Axe Head |
3 ingots
|
| Axe |
|
| Shovel Head |
1 ingot
|
| Shovel |
|
| Item Name | Ingredient List + Crafting Recipe |
|---|---|
| Boiled Leather |
|
| Saddle |
|
| Iron Horse Armor |
4 iron ingots
|
| Boiled Leather Hat |
5 boiled leather
|
| Boiled Leather Tunic |
8 boiled leather
|
| Boiled Leather Trousers |
7 boiled leather
|
| Boiled Leather Shoes |
4 boiled leather
|
| Silk |
9 string
|
| Silk Headdress |
5 silk
|
| Silk Blouse |
8 silk
|
| Silk Pants |
7 silk
|
| Silk Stockings |
4 silk
|
| Armor Plating |
|
| Heater Shield |
|
| Pavise Shield |
|
| Buckler Shield |
|
When it comes to adventuring, working with metals can be a very rewarding skill to pick up. Certainly not many can say they’ve successfully made anything out of steel before! The more experience you have in metallurgy, the more metals and recipes you’ll be able to tackle!
Even if you don’t plan on working with metals, understanding the job of a blacksmith is important when you want to haggle over prices and appraise your gear. Don’t get scammed out there my friends!
I hope you enjoyed the Traveller’s Guide to Metallurgy, more of these manuals are out there for almost every topic on adventuring. See the Traveller’s Guide to Magic for some information on Arcane Tinkering to find out what those mysterious "Gem Slots" are for on your blueprints.
Yours truly,
X Architect Hong Feiyu