Forging
Forging is the Artisan skill related to the creation of weapons. The skill includes crafting, forging edged weapons, forging blunt weapons, forging polearms, forging two-handed weapons, and forging brawling weapons.
Forging Process
The forging process consists of, essentually, three parts. Crafting the handle, forging the blade, then combining the two.
Crafting the Handle
Any wood or metal can be used when crafting the handle. Generally, using a block of wood would be ideal because wood is very cheap compared to metal. Basically, to craft the handle, while holding the medium in your left hand, stare at the appropriate handle-glyph, available in your local forging shop. Once the medium is "scribed" with the appropriate glyph, turn the grinder. There are four possible outcomes:
- Major failure - The entire medium is destroyed. You are left with a toothpick.
- Minor failure - Try again. The weight of the medium is reduced slightly, which means you may need more medium.
- Success - You've a crafted handle. Not great, but functional.
- Major success - This can become a part of a perfect weapon, with the right amount of luck.
Upon completion of the grinding portion of the forging process, you must polish the finished piece by leaning on the polisher.
Materials Available
There are various types of wood available in different locations. For the most part, the metals are universally available.
- Woods:
- Haon - Ta'Illistim
- Maoral - Wehnimer's Landing
- Maple - Icemule
- Modwir - Teras
- Monir - Ta'Vaalor
- Oak - Zul Logoth
- Walnut - River's Rest
- Non-magical metals:
- Bronze
- Iron - Kobold Mines
- Steel
- Invar
- Rare metals (These have only been available through auctions or raffles):
Forging the Blade
Only metal can be used to forge a blade. You place water or oil in the trough, then scribe the medium simular to the grinding process using a blade-glyph. Once the medium is scribed with the appropriate glyph, put the medium in your left hand and a forging-hammer in your right hand, then get the tongs. There are five possible outcomes:
- Continue working - You've more work to do on this part. It means nothing, it just takes longer to create larger pieces.
- Major failure - The entire medium is destroyed. You are left with nothing.
- Minor failure - Try again. The weight of the medium is reduced slightly, which means you may need more medium.
- Success - You've a forged blade. Not great, but functional.
- Major success - This can become a part of a perfect weapon, with the right amount of luck.
Same with crafting, you must polish the finished piece by leaning on the polisher.
Combining the Pieces
After the blade and handle have been polished, hold both pieces, the blade in your left hand, and turn the vise. There are four outcomes:
- Major failure - The pieces are combined, albeit at a severely reduced quality.
- Minor failure - Merely try again.
- Success - The pieces are combined. You will not get a perfect weapon from this result, but if the two pieces going into the vise are "best" pieces, the resulting weapon will be a superior weapon.
- Major Success - The pieces are combined at increased quality. If the two pieces were "best" pieces, the resulting weapon will be a perfect weapon, provided that you are a master of crafting. If the two pieces are not "best" pieces, then the resulting weapon will be a superior weapon.
After this step, the blade is complete. The weapon will be a <quality> <material>-handled <material> <weapon>. The handle portion of the short can be removed using the polisher (LEAN on polisher with clean).
Usefulness of Forging
The real benefit to a perfectly forged weapon is the ability to enchant or bless the weapon, which is not available to any weapon with weighting. Given the premium benefits as well as the limited merchants with the service, flares can also be added to a perfectly forged weapon, making the weapon the best choice for an upgrade in the land of Elanthia.
Also, as AvD's are increased as well, it is therefore simular to increasing the enchant, slightly. This depends on the AvD, though, since the increase is a small percentage. With a perfectly forged weapon, the AvD increases 6%, but the number rounds down, essentually increasing the AvD by +1 point per +17 points of AvD. In the case of a longsword, a perfect forge will always increase the endroll by at least +1. In the case of a weapon with a low AvD, the benefit may not even be noticable.
See the discussion page for more information on this.